My account will be running out in less than 10 hours now. I don't know when I'm going to re-upgrade, or if I'm going to re-upgrade, but before my account runs out, I want to post this.
Graal 2001, I almost didn't even upgrade. If it wasn't for the big reset on classic, I probably wouldn't have given 2k1 the time of day. I borrowed an account to check out 2k1, so I could see if it was worth buying an upgrade.
I have to say, my first experience on 2k1 was a good one. I had fun walking around the large world, discovering new things. I saw hats, lights, jobs, games, all this stuff that classic didn't really have. I spent my first time on Graal checking out everything I could, so that I could determine whether I wanted to upgrade. My decision was easy. I upgraded the next day.
For a while, I played 2k1, gathering items, questing, meeting new people, meeting old people. I remember the bad times I had on 2k1 though. I remember I got ripped off out of an instrument (I think that was Torankusu who ripped me?) I remember Lugie scamming me out of a bomy (he added me to the co-owner list, I paid him, he removed me from the list
)
I remember setting up a sting operation to catch a bomy scammer. The police was there watching, I took snapshots of him promising to give the bomy to me, and right in front of the police, he disconnected and got away with my money. The police did absolutely nothing about it.
(I think the cop was in on the whole thing)
After I got some bomies and stuff, I got my first house, I believe I bought it off of gastly, although I could be mistaken. It was the house to the left of the mining shop (now a big waterfall house) It was ugly as sin, and the door didn't even place me in the right position when I left the house (I ended up on the fence) and if you passed even 3 tiles away from the house sign, it would trigger.
I remember asking Loriel to fix it for me, and him telling me he couldn't do it, and then doing it 30 minutes later. I ended up selling the house without ever getting the ugly inside level changed.
I think my first staff position was level maker. I made the apple pie bakery shortly after the bread bakery was created. I did the graphics, and made my own floor tiles, then I sent it to Stefan. After that, I got hired as LAT, and I made the market. Shortly after, I made the snowcone shack, and other various things.
I eventually became Police, and not long after, Assistant Police Chief. I was also Auctioneer, after waiting for a super long time. At one point, I was Assistant Police Chief, Auctioneer, LAT, and GAT. That was around the time I was given RC, and my job title slowly transformed into developer. I had ftp, rc, and nc then. I edited tile errors, fixed bugs, and worked on new things. I was working on the new bomy pets, and bomy battling, as well as the quest house. I made the little rest area left of the market shortly after recieving ftp.
Then I became co-manager, but quit not long after. Then I rejoined again as co-manager after they released my dolls like hats, when I specifically didn't want them turned into another "hat like" item. That is when I rejoined so that something like that wouldn't happen again. I eventually got sick of all the corruption, and left 2k1 staff all together.
After that, 2k1 pretty much went downhill for me. It was no longer fun, and it was no longer new. It had lost it's polish.
I await 2k2 and hope that when it's finally released, I will be able to have an experience similar to my first time on 2k1. Until then, I work on my playerworld Oasis, and hope to bring a new experience to all the 2k1 vets, that don't play the gold servers anymore.
Below are a bunch of screenshots of my first ever time on Graal.
I found the dojo! I was impressed with this gani stuff!
http://konidias.homestead.com/files/...t/g2k1fun1.gif
First rate kung fu master! Too bad kungfu flopped on 2k1
http://konidias.homestead.com/files/...t/g2k1fun2.gif
Me trying out the bomy shell hat!
http://konidias.homestead.com/files/...t/g2k1fun3.gif
Trying out the egg hat. Notice, hats were FREE back then!
http://konidias.homestead.com/files/...t/g2k1fun4.gif
I decided to wear the fools cap. Notice the limited selection.
http://konidias.homestead.com/files/...t/g2k1fun5.gif
I discovered the church next door. I found it neat that I took my hat off to pray.
http://konidias.homestead.com/files/...t/g2k1fun6.gif
I located the clothes building, and put on my old classic look.
http://konidias.homestead.com/files/...t/g2k1fun7.gif
Found the jumpropes! How fun this simple npc was back then.
http://konidias.homestead.com/files/...t/g2k1fun8.gif
The givehat npc! I remember aggravating people by putting the flower hat on them.
http://konidias.homestead.com/files/...t/g2k1fun9.gif
Chairlifts! Too bad these things never really served much purpose.
http://konidias.homestead.com/files/.../g2k1fun10.gif
My first Hoss!
http://konidias.homestead.com/files/.../g2k1fun11.gif
Ice skating on Mt. Antora! Yet another thing that never made it big.
http://konidias.homestead.com/files/.../g2k1fun12.gif
Christ this thing is annoying! My hatred for Antago started with this sign.
http://konidias.homestead.com/files/.../g2k1fun13.gif
Railroad park! I was just passing by here.
http://konidias.homestead.com/files/.../g2k1fun14.gif
I stumbled across this on my walk through the rr park. warning profanity
http://konidias.homestead.com/files/.../g2k1fun15.gif
What a great first impresson of 2k1. 
warning profanity
http://konidias.homestead.com/files/.../g2k1fun16.gif
First glitch I spotted. Isn't this bug still there?
http://konidias.homestead.com/files/.../g2k1fun17.gif
Me driving the boat! (notice the old bomy pet)
http://konidias.homestead.com/files/.../g2k1fun18.gif
Running in to Gastly!
http://konidias.homestead.com/files/.../g2k1fun19.gif
Overall, my 2k1 experience was great. It's too bad that I don't feel too good about the current p2p situation. 2k1 is looking grim, and 2k2 is already losing my interest.
I might upgrade soon, although I feel I need to save my money for more important things, like my college funding or going towards my moving funds.
Only time will tell!