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#77 Apr 15 2011 at 7:29 AM Rating: Default
Combat in eq requires strategy and is alot better then the 1 2 3 of wow.
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#78 Apr 21 2011 at 3:39 PM Rating: Decent
Long time player of EQ off and on over the past 10.5 years, i can agree the one thing the game lacks of personalization if they could give more personalization to the actual character look they would see a increase in the Population.
#79 Apr 23 2011 at 12:46 AM Rating: Decent
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Necro post, aye, it is.

Sadly, I'm not sure what SOE can do to keep the returning players playing. So many have their own ideas of what they want, SOE is damned if they do, damned if they don't.

My impression is regardless of what SOE does, folks are gonna blast them and go onto the newest game, then come back and blast SOE.

Cracks me up seeing how many are coming back for the TLP servers. Come back and have fun folks. SOE Milk the cow, milk the cow while it lasts. These are the same folks that will be gone in 6 months.

#80 Apr 23 2011 at 7:08 AM Rating: Good
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sarslash wrote:
Necro post, aye, it is.

Sadly, I'm not sure what SOE can do to keep the returning players playing. So many have their own ideas of what they want, SOE is damned if they do, damned if they don't.
My impression is regardless of what SOE does, folks are gonna blast them and go onto the newest game, then come back and blast SOE.

Cracks me up seeing how many are coming back for the TLP servers. Come back and have fun folks. SOE Milk the cow, milk the cow while it lasts. These are the same folks that will be gone in 6 months.


Yes and no to the parts in bold.

If the racing-raiders sway the votes on TLP you will see alot quit, but if they put a third server "locked at velious" with free moves from Fippy and Vulak prior to them going to Luclin... you'd keep a fair number of them. Set this server up as the newb server with free moves off to any server... it is sustainable.

Following that model, a 4th server locked at Ldon (balances out group content for PoP) would also keep many going.

When Fippy/Vulak get into recent content merge them into Trakanon and launch another prog server. This cycle could be ongoing for the next ____ years. That's about a two year relaunch of the prog servers. The inbetween years can be the other goofy ideas that appeal to some (i.e., Mayong 51/50, a level capped at 60 but all content open, etc.).

The other thing they can do... they might be in the middle of doing, the possible AA "gift" to under level 75 aa's has real-life people I know saying "That would make me come back and play my 4 characters again --I just can't stomach grinding 3-4k aa to be able to attempt the new content I haven't seen". Of course, if the playerbase that doesnt need those aa and has been playing all along voted that down... well they have sent a message to the possible returning player.
#81 May 03 2011 at 2:36 AM Rating: Decent
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Dekusutaa wrote:
I really don't think comparing EQ to WoW is fair. It's the 900 pound gorilla, the casual MMO. What EQ players should look at is how to maintain the game's niche in the middle of the pack MMOs.


The TLP servers did the trick for a lot of people. They need to advertise those a lot more than they are. I've done my part mentioning it on forums and such. I was pondering coming back to EQ for a couple years now, but the sheer fact that I'd be spending MONTHS alone (whether two boxing or not) before getting a taste of groups at 75+ and having a ludicrous number of AAs to acquire really drove me away.

Then I heard about the TLP servers. In a week I now have two Magicians at 30 and about 1,000 plat. Hardly max level or hardly wealthy, but it's been a rapid progression, and I can see the "end" in sight. That is, I want to get them to 50 with all their spells before Kunark comes out, and if the servers ever come back up... that'll be very easily done. I might even get another duo (or two) up to 50 by then.

If the p99 community wasn't so abhorent I'd have tried that out.

But at any rate, I'm very happy with the TLP servers, and it'll be a long... long, long long long time before it hits the point where I ceased to be interested in EQ anymore, which is around the OOW / GoD era where the game started to be about instanced areas, trials, and flagging that made PoP look transparent in comparison. And who knows? Maybe I'll keep with it after that this time.
#82 May 03 2011 at 2:45 AM Rating: Good
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Ahora007 wrote:
Combat in eq requires strategy and is alot better then the 1 2 3 of wow.


Let's be fair. Most combat in EQ is pulling singles with ease and curbstomping the poor sods as a group, assuming people knew what they were doing. From EQ classic onward, EQ combat has always been about figuring out a spot and strat where you can get quick, easy XP or loot. Sure you can challenge yourself solo or in a duo or whatever, but you can do the same thing in WoW. And when it comes to raids, WoW can be just as hellish and difficult as any MMO.

The main difference, I think, is that WoW ramps up the difficulty at endgame, but anyone can snooze through the actual level-up process without any effort. There's a reason people are still wiping regularly at Baradin Hold (or even one group content like Ripsnarl) in pickups.

In EverQuest, you were challenged from level 1 on up, and that's imo why it bred a more skillful player. Not because the endgame was harder, but because it trained people to be ready for it all along the way. Levelling was easy if you did it right, as I said before, but it taught you that you had to learn how to do it right instead of just facerolling everything.

A huge block on EQ is the simple fact that if someone wants to play... say... a Rogue or a Warrior, A) there's not much to the class, it's pretty simplistic by modern standards, and B) you're kinda screwed and useless unless in a group, and a lot of people prefer the modern scheme where you can just log on, get something done solo, and log off an hour later. To be fair, that's a legitimate complaint about EverQuest.

My hope is that EverQuest Next strikes some kind of balance.
#83 Aug 23 2011 at 10:19 AM Rating: Decent
Re: WoW vs. EQ1

I left EQ, and eventually went to WoW for a few years. Now I'm back on EQ.
My observations and opinions:
WoW has better graphics. If that's what you are looking for, then there is no contest.
EQ has a MUCH more mature player base. The main reason I prefer EQ is the quality of the people. Someone earlier posted something about WoW haveing a way of dealing with gold spammers. Let me assure you that spammers are an awful problem in WoW. I almost never see any plat spammers in EQ.

Game play and content:
If you prefer a more laid back, and for lack of a better word...easier content, then WoW is the game for you. Mechanically, the games both run well.

Charachter development:

With AA extending over 6,000, It can and does literally take years of playing to reach maximum casual play potential in EQ. It took me about 6 months to get about as good as I was going to get in WoW. My personal choice is EQ in this area, but I can see how an easier climb to the relative top is appealing to some. Once EQ added mercs, they did away with the problem of non soloing classes getting frustrated with their inability to make progress when groups were hard to find. It's not that they have class balance in WoW, It's that the blue con mobs don't hit very hard. This works great for a younger, and frankly less skilled player base.

To mitigate the relative mountain of grinding you will need to do if you are a returning player to eq, they have added bazarr purchasable/single grp gettable gear that will knock your socks off. If you can get yourself to lvl 80, you can then equip yourself with gear that can just about double your hp/mana compared to lvl 75 raid gear. This is such a massive jump in power, that I would suggest grinding AA at this point in some older content. This is what playing WoW is like....except there is a goal to get back to challenging content after you get most of the juicy AA's.

In WoW, once you reach max lvl...3 months, and max out battle grounds gear..maybe another 3-6 months, your pretty much done as a casual player. You won WoW. Time to go, or make an alt.


Edited, Aug 23rd 2011 12:21pm by kasagawa
Necro Warning: This post occurred more than thirty days after the prior, and may be a necropost.
#84 Aug 23 2011 at 1:10 PM Rating: Good
kasagawa wrote:
Re: WoW vs. EQ1

WoW has better graphics. If that's what you are looking for, then there is no contest.


I completely disagree with that point. WoW's graphics are horrible, cartoony and fake. EQ is much more realistic looking, and the art in the newer zones and the newer NPC models hold up well against things being made today. The big graphic problem with EQ is the PC models and armor sets (which is part of the PC model problem.)

I do agree with your other points though.


Edited, Aug 23rd 2011 3:11pm by amastropolo
#85 Aug 30 2011 at 12:36 PM Rating: Good
snailish wrote:

Yes and no to the parts in bold.

If the racing-raiders sway the votes on TLP you will see alot quit, but if they put a third server "locked at velious" with free moves from Fippy and Vulak prior to them going to Luclin... you'd keep a fair number of them. Set this server up as the newb server with free moves off to any server... it is sustainable.

Following that model, a 4th server locked at Ldon (balances out group content for PoP) would also keep many going


Some good ideas here - riffing on them I'd suggest SOE do the following for the EQ PC side (Using the EQMac codebase not the current code base for obvious (to anyone who has played on Fip/Vul) reasons).

New Server A: 'Classic' - Progression through to Velious. This is for the hardcore classic 'i hate PoP' people. Generally 90-120 day progression per expansion. Finally, and this would mean no transfers from the server* - add back in classic loot (manastone, rubicite, Guise).

New Server B: 'PoP+' - Bascially your idea here. Progression to PoP but in addition to PoP add in LoY & LDON for some additional group content. Again, add back in classic loot, and allow no transfers off the server*

*With respect to transfers - maybe add a NO TRANSFER flag to the classic loot - so allow transfers but the characters couldn't bring manastones or the other no longer dropped loot to the regular servers.

Finally, I would make "one" big change to both Server A & B - which is that I would increase the difficulty of the raid mobs associated with each expansion. A big problem is that given prior experience mobs that used to be challenging are no longer. Increase difficult both by adding more HP to the raid mobs as well as perhaps adding different abilities and resists. For example in PoP make Bert unslowable (which, IIRC, was the case when PoP first came out, and is still the case on EQMac". Go back to Rathe 1.0 etc.

Since these are going to be closed games (except maybe via transfer) - you need to make the high end much more difficult.

#86 Sep 09 2011 at 1:23 AM Rating: Good
Ive been playing eq since 2001 and was always a pvp player...(SZ all the way baby). But now I'm considering transferring to a blue server. Could anyone tell me which one has the absolute largest population?

I would also like to add that so many of you have made some VERY good points about the state of everquest and I agree with a lot of what has been said. Although I miss the days of Sullon Zek, I dont see a return to that type of pvp. Its just a little too hard-core for many of these younger players. I am also very frustrated by SOE's lack of effort in promoting what is in fact the godfather of online rpg's. Market the game! Promote the strong points! Utilize the massive content, dont abandon it. Anyway....I'm not going to continue to repeat what you all have already stated.

As I said above, I'm looking for the server with the most potential friends...what do you suggest?
#87 Sep 09 2011 at 6:23 AM Rating: Good
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I have heard the Luclin/Stromm is well populated (US times)and AB is strong if you play European times.though all standard servers are OK since the server merge last year.
#88 Sep 09 2011 at 6:51 AM Rating: Good
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Bristlebane has a healthy population.
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#89 Sep 11 2011 at 1:47 AM Rating: Good
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For family guild, I suggest Gathered Might, for 3 night raiding, I'd suggest Sol Invictus, both on Bristle.

#90 Sep 11 2011 at 10:05 AM Rating: Excellent
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Niche servers can thrive for a time, possibly even some can live longer (i.e., various progression proposals stated in this thread by others).

For example:

A locked at Luclin PVP server would probably do really well, since it was PoP and later content that really messed up PVP (well... and mercs finished it). Such a server could have a 1 character limit per account as well. You hate boxers? You'll recognize which one it always is... so go kill them!

Roleplay (aka FV 2.0) could be re-attempted by reinstating the 1 character rule and other oddball parts of the ruleset, allowing transfers onto the server from all current servers including FV. This would potentially take the last of the true RPers off FV (at least their mains) which sort of lets you just normalize that server and merge it away if the pop is as low as people say (I play there casual and it seems fine to me...).

A regular server locked at Velious for a year would be busy. Or Luclin, Or Pop, Or even Ldon... once you get past that I'm not sure there is a point to it as too much quality old content becomes trivial.

Headstart (aka Mayong 2.0) would work better if the head start was significant. level 75 3k AA with a 3 character limit (so people don't just make 8 mules to freemove when the server dies out AND to foster deleting & rerolling for the testdrivers that don't really commit to the characters).

We do know that a regular rules server (Trakanon) isn't worth doing since not enough will play it even at launch.

Every February is a great time to put a new niche server up though, even if it is just a restart of the TLP progression every 2nd year with some other oddball (such as above) in between. As the pop drops on such servers, have a plan in place for when/how they will be merged. It's not difficult to strategize, just lazy on SoE's side to not maximize the potential.
#91 Sep 12 2011 at 10:32 AM Rating: Good
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snailish wrote:
Niche servers can thrive for a time, possibly even some can live longer (i.e., various progression proposals stated in this thread by others).

For example:

[Headstart (aka Mayong 2.0) would work better if the head start was significant. level 75 3k AA with a 3 character limit (so people don't just make 8 mules to freemove when the server dies out AND to foster deleting & rerolling for the testdrivers that don't really commit to the characters).
Every February is a great time to put a new niche server up though, even if it is just a restart of the TLP progression every 2nd year with some other oddball (such as above) in between. As the pop drops on such servers, have a plan in place for when/how they will be merged. It's not difficult to strategize, just lazy on SoE's side to not maximize the potential.


I don’t agree with a “Head Start” instead it should be the other way around. Anyone, including Veterans, making a new toon starts on one beginning server and levels to 49. That way that server is well populated. There a player learns the Virtual History of game. Works the Old World zones like we (veterans) had too. Can learn to group, in a well populated server and learn fundamentals of his class. Guilds can establish and level-up a 49 toon to help their recruits Power-Level if they choose. At the end of a player’s 49th level they would have to make a decision to transfer to another server with everything they earned FREE (one transfer per toon). During their stay on this beginning server they can be recruited, drafted, enticed to join a certain server or guild. Sort of like: Rookie Camp. This would force a big population at the start of one’s EverQuest career. Just an idea?

Edited, Sep 12th 2011 9:35am by Vinney
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#92 Sep 12 2011 at 6:35 PM Rating: Good
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Vinney wrote:

I don’t agree with a “Head Start” instead it should be the other way around. Anyone, including Veterans, making a new toon starts on one beginning server and levels to 49. That way that server is well populated. There a player learns the Virtual History of game. Works the Old World zones like we (veterans) had too. Can learn to group, in a well populated server and learn fundamentals of his class. Guilds can establish and level-up a 49 toon to help their recruits Power-Level if they choose. At the end of a player’s 49th level they would have to make a decision to transfer to another server with everything they earned FREE (one transfer per toon). During their stay on this beginning server they can be recruited, drafted, enticed to join a certain server or guild. Sort of like: Rookie Camp. This would force a big population at the start of one’s EverQuest career. Just an idea?

Edited, Sep 12th 2011 9:35am by Vinney


Something along this line could probably work.

It might need a twist or two... since it's really just expanding the Gloomingdeep concept into the world at large.

what about:

Level 1-50 plays in Original to Velious era (Yes, lower level cap than originally).
At 50 you can opt into the next server which adds Luclin and raises cap to 60.
At 60 you can opt up to the next server which has PoP-Ldon active and cap is 65.
I think the 4th server would need to go to 75 and include TSS. After that you get a freemove to a regular server.

These 4 servers would all have high XP rates, short spawn named, faction bonus and so on. Because the level cap is set to the server you could stay and play on whichever (raiding Velious with a level 50 guild would be quite the challenge for example). The 4 servers work in my view because then you have clearly defined the level ranges... including the deadly 50-65 hump that kills tons of casual types. Some people would love to relive PoP era at length and server #3 lets you do that, while including Ldon lets that content live again.

The current server move setup would work too... Just as I moved characters to zek and FV you would be flagged to move up the ranks as you wanted. If they allowed freemoves of level-appropriate characters onto such servers I would move all my characters into that world right away.
#93 Sep 13 2011 at 2:02 PM Rating: Default
I returned to EQ last week, early September 2011 after leaving in March 2011. I never changed any of the EQ directories or names, presuming that I could start where I left off.

How wrong I was, in a very puzzling way. It took a12-hour download to update EQ. That is too much, and as it turns out pure BS.

Then several Things raised their ugly head:

1.
Yesterday I realized some of my EQ maps weren't working, so off I go to SOE support to find the fix. For windoze 7 and 8 platforms, EQ has a problem showing all maps. The fix is to tell Launcher (in game preferences) to create a new directory (preferably on a different partition than c: drive) other than default. With me so far? Now it gets interesting. When you do this fix, immediately another download starts via Launcher. My download is 7BILLION BYTES (7gb). Comcast sets the speed limit on my connection to a max of around 180KB (can anyone cry "FOUL!"?). So the fix is another 12 hours of download (no smart "let's just move what we have to another directory. Noooo, start from scratch). (There is a better [easier!] fix, but you must search the forums and NOT SoE support.)

Fine.

2.
Next day, I boot my PC and get a message by the file system: I have a file on drive c: root called Program and it might cause future conflicts. Can we rename it to Program1? After entering dos command and checking out Program we find it's this:

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<EQPatchConfig>
<Files>
<(x86)\Sony\EverQuest\eqp_config.xml>Options</(x86)\Sony\EverQuest\eqp_config.xml>
</Files>
</EQPatchConfig>

Now as a returning player I am suddenly leary of SOE. This is what I call MEAN PROGRAMMING. More than that, suddenly obvious that SOE is oblivious to proper coding techniques. This is screaming BEWARE!

3.
I was trying to level a Erudite Mage (atm level 6) and working the armor quests. On Monday, I played that mage in the zone next to Erudin (tox forest) killing grey mobs trying to find Woven Spider Silk. Discovered after a six hour hunt and looting THREE items that SOE has lost its conscience.

See: sense to me for a game that needs people means (logically go figure) that you make it easier for the lowbies to finish their quests. You *WANT* the players to get past level 12 and start really enjoying the game.

Far as I can tell, SOE has become cruel.

The result is ...gosh we leave.

I bought 3 months thinking I could do that. Now after this fiasco, I want it to be one month, and I will NEVER return to EQ and I will also NEVER BUY ANOTHER SONY PRODUCT. Feel my heat.
#94 Sep 14 2011 at 7:56 PM Rating: Excellent
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Ottoplay wrote:
3.
I was trying to level a Erudite Mage (atm level 6) and working the armor quests. On Monday, I played that mage in the zone next to Erudin (tox forest) killing grey mobs trying to find Woven Spider Silk. Discovered after a six hour hunt and looting THREE items that SOE has lost its conscience.

See: sense to me for a game that needs people means (logically go figure) that you make it easier for the lowbies to finish their quests. You *WANT* the players to get past level 12 and start really enjoying the game.

Far as I can tell, SOE has become cruel.

The result is ...gosh we leave.

I bought 3 months thinking I could do that. Now after this fiasco, I want it to be one month, and I will NEVER return to EQ and I will also NEVER BUY ANOTHER SONY PRODUCT. Feel my heat.


If you're doing that Erudite Newb armor on progression... I wouldn't "try" to finish it till after level 10. Just mass kill and level up on everything that is easy enough to kill, since that causes the right mobs to spawn anyways so you will end up with a fair bit of the pieces needed.

On a regular server, with twink gear, skinspikes, buffs or all of the above... it's more reasonable to try and collect those silks at level 6, but still easier 10+.

The newb armor was implemented originally at a level 12-20ish range to complete the full set including the weapon. It varies greatly for race/class combos in actual difficulty though (i.e., dwarf berserkers can vendor buy 90% of theirs to my memory, some elf classes need an ultra-rare mob spawn for one piece, etc.).

In other words, these old quests can be as cruel as they ever were. In most cases, things have been made easier in the game. On a regular server, the Crescent Reach armor lines are way better than the old newb stuff.
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