Economy barrier for new players

[veejur]

Folks,

Long time EQ player, loved pre-luclin, loving the concept of this server. Have made several chars just messing around over the past couple months while trying to figure out which I want to really level up. Highest so far is a 26 monk. Her gear is pretty pitiful and I find every group I join is full of insanely geared twinks. Sure, it's part of the bane of a new char on a new server that your not going to get that kind of gear out the gates - I get that.

I remember on live being able to do some greater lightstone quests or sell some weapons and pick up some starter gear in EC tunnel. I'm talking items from upper guk, befallen, najena etc. that would sell for 10-25p.

On this server, these same items are 100-300p. I understand how there are so many high level chars equipping alts, so I can see the "if people will pay it, charge it" mentality. I wonder though if people have considered how difficult this makes it for new players to push prices up so fast. I've been duoing a necro with my wife who's playing an enchanter with the hopes that less gear dependent (read caster) classes will not hit into the same issues. I'm convinced there has to be a serious real life transaction thing going on or plat duping occurred at some point and went out of control.

Any others have similar experience who came to p1999 recently, or advice for how to work around it? Just doing the ol' grind in groups until the zone your in drops some stuff and hope you win a roll for now.

[Seredoc]

I agree with this. I am just now 17 on my warrior and keeping threat off rogues who already have their epic has lead to me soloing and only grouping with casters, people I can see don't outgear me or guildies.

I've had to spend every spare cent on making banded to be able to live, and only through kind people and guildies have I received true upgrades. I've managed to find a deal here or there but when I look at prices for some things I just can't believe people are charging what they are.

Another thing that gets annoying is how often I see gear that could be sold to lowbies/newbies but is instead treated like vendor food. I understand high level toons don't want to keep cheap items on hand but if you're already sitting on 100k what difference does just giving it away instead of vendoring it make? YEah that person may get it and sell it but with that many on the market at the time they truly would be 10pp.

Grouping with twinks is no fun because: they either are some elitist raider who thinks that since I haven't spent 100k on my gear I'm worthless; or they're someone who you can be almost certain they RMT'd for pp, bought gear and a PL, and now have low to no skill and can't play their class. I have only once met someone outside of this cause that wasn't a guildy, and all in all it leads to a poor impression of this server.

My take away from my experience so far is that if I'm not in a leading raiding guild on blue or spending 8 hours a day playing then people act like I'm not worth it, excuse me if I have a job.

[fuark]

I don't even understand how this is an issue. If you want stuff from Upper Guk, Najena, or Mistmoore, why not level to the appropriate level and go get it? All of those items are incredibly easy to camp. I have leveled my alt ranger from 1-49 so far in simple Ivy etched (that I quested myself), a few 350-500pp pieces of Tolan's armor and with weapons like a swarmcaller (100pp).

The only items that are truly inflated in price that stay inflated in price are things like fungi tunics, hiero cloaks, and epic MQs, which I assume is not what you are looking for.

If you go to OOT you could literally ask someone to kill the Oracle for you for a free robe of the oracle. It's up all day and every time I gate I kill him and give his robe away for free. Advisor robe is incredibly good for the 100pp or so it costs. Dragon Horn Ykesha is about 25p. Green Jade Broadsword you could pick up for 100-150pp. Bronze costs nothing. Nightshade wreaths cost nothing. Silver Swiftblade, Gloomwater Harpoon, Goblin Parrying Spear, Wu's Quivering Staff... there is an almost unlimited list of really good items that you could buy by farming 10 - 15 spears off halfling guards. At even lower levels make that bandits in Lfay.

I find very twinked players rarely care about how twinked their group mates are. Players that are twinked and grouping are already getting less exp than they could simply by grabbing a fungi tunic and soloing.

[citizen1080]

I think they addressed most the concerns in your post veejur. It is easier to group and get the gear then try to farm to buy them. Another option is approuch someone of your class who is higher level. Don't beg as that will get you ignored quickly but just asking some questions on the server/class etc will 9 times out of 10 get you a few donations. The vast majority of the people on the server are great people who are happy to help those who are just starting here. I got taken under a high lvls wing when i first started here and through tunnel whoring was able to pay it forward many times. And I know countless other players who have helped newbies with gear and advice.

Hang in there, dont beg and be cool and it will all work out =)

[Handull]

While the high end items are expensive, I find the low end items to have dropped in price. Most items at the low end only have any value at all because people find no reason to farm them anymore. Also I find people are more generous the more plat is floating around.

The key is that once an item's value is low enough, there is no reason to sit in EC and try to sell them. Even selling on the forums takes more time to set up a time to meet with the other person and log on a mule just to sell a 25pp item, you might as well vendor it and kill a hill giant or wisp in wc for the same profit. The likely hood of running into someone in a random zone who both wants to buy the item you have and has the plat on him to afford it is equally small. Some things you still see bought/sold commonly in niche areas (CB belts/pads around Kelethin) but that is because the market exists for those specific items.

Is there a specific item you are talking about? The only najena items that i see people looking for are the mage focus items, and those seem really rare, so the price tag makes sense. The only befallen loot I can honestly say I've seen posted for sale has definitely been in the 10-50pp range, unless you are talking about the very rare rings for paw of opolla. best of luck

edit: and yeah, what has been said and what bob said is right on. farm the early stuff and level up. have fun with it. asking for donations is slightly annoying, but if you ask a higher level how they got started, many on this server would probably share a story about where to hunt for the gear you want and at what level to consider hunting it based on your class.

[citizen1080]

While the high end items are expensive, I find the low end items to have dropped in price. Most items at the low end only have any value at all because people find no reason to farm them anymore. Also I find people are more generous the more plat is floating around.

The key is that once an item's value is low enough, there is no reason to sit in EC and try to sell them. Even selling on the forums takes more time to set up a time to meet with the other person and log on a mule just to sell a 25pp item, you might as well vendor it and kill a hill giant or wisp in wc for the same profit. The likely hood of running into someone in a random zone who both wants to buy the item you have and has the plat on him to afford it is equally small. Some things you still see bought/sold commonly in niche areas (CB belts/pads around Kelethin) but that is because the market exists for those specific items.

Is there a specific item you are talking about? The only najena items that i see people looking for are the mage focus items, and those seem really rare, so the price tag makes sense. The only befallen loot I can honestly say I've seen posted for sale has definitely been in the 10-50pp range, unless you are talking about the very rare rings for paw of opolla. best of luck

Also a valid point,

[Woahnelly]

I'm all for the "play whatever class makes you happy" mentality, but you guys should roll a necro or mage. A class that is not remotely gear dependant and can solo with little to effort. There are some good money making guides in the p99 wiki that you should check out.

[dscar23]

I made 20k as a level 20 flipping gear in ec. Take advantage of the inflation. :D

[Estu]

1) Play whatever class you want.
2) Don't freak out about gear.
3) Group with twinks if they'll have you in their groups, and enjoy the ride.

No twinked rogue is going to care if your new warrior can't hold aggro over his epic backstabs. You'll just get EXP faster for playing with people with good gear. If you want to buy up some low level items, there are ways to farm some plat (bone chips, high quality bear skins, spiderling silks, nybright sisters in lesser faydark) at low levels and get some really basic stuff that can make a difference (like some proccing weapons for a warrior). But really:

* You DO NOT NEED good gear to level. When the server (or any server) started, everyone had nothing, and they leveled up just fine. Once you are a high level, you can get good gear more easily.
* If other people in your group DO HAVE good gear, it just means you get to EXP faster because they are more of a help to you than they would be if they had the same kind of gear you do.

So, what is the problem?

[Barkingturtle]

Low end stuff is cheaper now than it was in 2010, even. I paid 500pp for my first advisor robe--and I spent thirty levels before that wearing gossamer.

[Kieu]

Shit, you should be happy that rogues in your group. Fast kills.

Twinks are always going to be around, they were massive in live as well. Everyone starts out at the bottom, just don't let it get to you. You'll end up being that same person you despised in the long run.

[Reubin]

Bear in mind that everyone who plays on this server was in pretty much the same boat as you are now with their first char. I still had many pieces of Raw Silk on my Wizard when he hit 50. I remember replacing one of his raw silk wrist bands with a Carmine Trinket from PoF. I started fairly early on live and it was the same way there. Everyone got to high 30s to low 40s in Silk, Leather, Ringmail, or Bronze for the most part. Then you started questing your own Sol Ro armor (and some people were 50 before the Sol Ro armor quests were even implemented in the game). I remember very well when FBRs were going for 500pp and hardly anyone had that kind of money. When I was leveling I don't remember there being an abundance of good cheap gear. You either had to camp the stuff you wanted or you had to know how to farm plat. Unfortunately this is really tough for Monks.

So you might not get a whole lot of sympathy about your plight since everyone was untwinked at some point. The only difference is that now there are a lot of twinks running around to make all the new players feel inferior. But as long as they are willing to group with you, you're benefiting from their twinking too. In EQ levels are more important than gear for the most part. As long as you are able to get XP, the gear will eventually come.

Starting a Necro/Enchanter pair is a great idea if you're frustrated by being untwinked. You'll be able to level really well with very minimal gear. You'll also be able to farm platinum fairly well if you choose to.

[Tecmos Deception]

Kieu and Reubin have it right.

[Tulnavara]

I just came back to the server about a month ago. I'd played previously three years ago but got to 24 on a rogue and was in full banded and junk weapons with no plat so I rolled to a chanter. I've made a few thousand plat from playing the EC game, farming HQ Bear pelts, spiderling silks and bone chips and by killing Wisps in WC(damn good plat here for a lowbie and good xp). There are decent weapons to be found for a few hundred plat for a monk, example you can get two trance sticks for under 500pp.

It just takes time and work. A lot of people sell the lower end items for cheap and then someone looking to twink their toon quickly will pay 200-300 more than value just so they don't have to spam in EC for hours.

I've also been lucky (and extremely grateful) with donations from random passersby and guildies. Don't give up, you'll overcome the barrier with time, it's not as bad as it seems with work.

[Safon]

Quote something from Alpha Centauri in my jboots thread and you may win a runner up prize of a few thousand plat, ending that thread tonight so get in on it if you're going to.

[letsallkillandy]

1) Play whatever class you want.
2) Don't freak out about gear.
3) Group with twinks if they'll have you in their groups, and enjoy the ride.


Severely under-geared new player here. I started a non-geardependant class and am just riding the twink train to level 50+...

Im predicting to have full bronze on my cleric until late 40's... Any hope of buying anything in EC died when I walked through and saw the prices. :(

[Raavak]

In classic I remember camping the stuff I needed for my character. Screw EC.

[falkun]

I don't understand why you think you need BIS gear in this game to play and have fun. I leveled a bard to planar level and was literally replacing banded/bronze/cloth armor with Imbrued Platemail (planar).

This economy is so top heavy that BIS costs a TON, but mid-tier is SO MUCH MORE AFFORDABLE than it was on Live that its stupid. For your monk: Baton of Faith is 100p, Canes of Harmony are 100p. On Live, these weapons were fine in the 40s and replaced in the 50s, here you can make that kind of plat by L20 as a non-twink. Don't worry about best-in-slot, worry about being better than you were on Live.

[Lyra]

Greycee was created on January 23, 2013t.

I actually started the server on January 7, 2013 but had a bugged account so had to create a new one on January 23rd.

It's important to think of this as a "game". There are different ways to play the game, and different strategies to get there.

Greycee is a druid, level 45. My "main" will be a cleric. Kupcake is level 20 and very well geared.

This was a post by me on January 17th:

haha evil intentions after all!

BTW - the ooc offering 50 plat for a port? I saw a druid in BB ooc'ing asking 100 plat to port.

Serious? Maybe I should level a druid first.

Within 10 days of starting on the server, I knew I needed a different strategy.

I knew I needed to level a druid first.

Druids don't need gear to charm. The only gear I purchased for my druid is a foreman's tunic for 200 plat, and a springwood club for 250 plat.

While monk is not as gear dependent as a warrior, your character is more gear dependent than others classes to generate dps.

Porting tippers are generous and people like to move around.

I can't say my cleric's gear is a result of the tipping though. I was saving for a pair of GEBS with my porting plat when I befriended a player that stripped his cleric and gave me the gear. There IS a lot of wealth on the server and mixed with nice people that share.

You didn't mention if you were in a guild? Even in my noobie guild, the higher levels pass down to the lower. We have a guild bank account full of low to mid level gear. (This is not intended to be a recruitment post).

As in most leveling games, level > all.

Have made several chars just messing around over the past couple months

This is absolutely fine, but that time has a value in the game. We've all heard it said the game is a time sink, so time does determine success to a great extent.

I talked to a guy the other day, who played the EC tunnel for 6 weeks before rolling so he would have the plat to gear. This is not my idea of fun, but I've met a lot of people that really enjoy EC. You can start with pelts, bone chips, spider silk and trade up. Ever see the shows "Barter Kings" or "Trading Up"?

theres many ways to skin a cat

theres more than one way to skin a cat, just like there's more than one way to play EQ.

Keep at it. Most importantly enjoy yourself each time you log on.

[Tecmos Deception]

here you can make that kind of plat by L20 as a non-twink.

EASILY by level 20. Pet classes can solo wisps from 8-14 and make 200pp+ in that time. Even melee can duo them with any magic weapon (ec handout, summoned hammer, whatever) and do the same thing.

Play smarter, not har... I mean play smarter, don't whine.

[Tecmos Deception]

Success story.

:D

[Swish]

I made 20k as a level 20 flipping gear in ec. Take advantage of the inflation. :D

This is one of the main reasons we have had massive inflation, too many people jumping over each other to buy low/sell high... and then when the goalposts move, buy high/sell higher.

People talk about laziness on the server, I've had L10-12s ask me in EC for a 96% rez...and the same applies for buying/selling. Buyers need to be more savvy rather than just dropping 500pp too much on an item. There's no "I'll camp it myself" ethic on this server (Jboots included)... everyone wants to be lazy, and this is the result.

Granted this is hard for an untwinked warrior to accomplish, one might argue that starting off as an ungeared tank is a bad idea on this server (sadly) :(

[Lojik]

People talk about laziness on the server, I've had L10-12s ask me in EC for a 96% rez...and the same applies for buying/selling.(

Lol that's just plain dumb. It will take longer to recover from res effects than to just fight for the exp back.

[falkun]

Lol that's just plain dumb. It will take longer to recover from res effects than to just fight for the exp back.

All hope in the EQ player is not lost.

[carthorn]

I just started and I was able to get 70pp at level 7 from looting scythes from dead spectres in feerrott the no one wanted (sell for 12pp each)

Which i was then able to buy some leather gear from the vendor ( like the good ole days) and eventually buy a cheap weapon from someone who was will to take less for the asking price because I was a new character.

[Pilgrimzero]

Reading this thread rand seeing "just go farm this and do this and makes lots of plat" reminded of the days when it was all fresh and no one knew any of this stuff.

Even coming back to a "1999 server" people still know how to game the system.

Yea you cant really "go home again" I just remember what it was like before peopel know when where and how to best get XP and cash. I wish that was something that could be emulated.

I know my new DE warriors like would be much enchanced by getting some fast cash and gear (lord know Ive died like 10 times and im only lvl 3) but we are here to experience EQ when it was at its greatest.

Lets not worry about how fast I can level and how fast I farm plat. Lets remember we are hear to experience EQ via 1999. Lets explore and group and kill zombie filled halls and great dragons.

The game is for fun and companionship, not gear and xp.

My best memories are of the fun times and the people I met (MMOs today arent very social) not fidnign the best spot to gain xp and loot.

Why have all the best gear so you can solo better, EQ wasnt meant for solo. EQ is about friends. Thats what I want. Thats what I had in the old days.

But dang would I like some leather pants ;) My poor naked blue butt.

[veejur]

Thanks for your replies everyone. There were quite a few assumptions made (not sure everyone read my full post) but I think the general gist makes sense. Yes, I rolled a gear dependent class (monk). Yes, I've since rolled a necro and enchanter since they are hopefully less gear dependent. No, it doesn't bother me when there are twinks in the group. I know I can level up to 40s and get much better gear at that point. I guess the question is - why is it that cheaper items are pretty much nonexistent? The vendor sell vs. time spent selling in tunnel argument makes a lot of sense to me, thank you for that insight.

My monk has 40p on her at level 26. This is due to weight restriction and just general low value of items she can carry. Making 200p is not "easy" when you don't have handouts. I'm seeing threads about "just drop 100p on this and 100p on this, cheap for starting out". Or "just loot some dead xxx mob or have someone let you loot yyy". I'm not sure if it's just a personality problem of mine (probably) but I have a hard time asking people for handouts. When I played an SK on live he started out a complete noob in Kunark but was able to afford some stuff in tunnel by the time he was lvl 15. Hopefully I'll fare better on my monk.

The primary goal of the post was to get a gauge for how people feel about the gaming going on in the economy. I'm hearing in general people are fine with it which I'll say is much easier to do once you are sitting on plat, but to each his own.

Thanks for all your replies. This was not meant to be a "vent" post, or to accuse or complain about anything. It's just an open discussion about the experience players new to this server are having that didn't start out on here pre-kunark.

[Tecmos Deception]

Even coming back to a "1999 server" people still know how to game the system.

SOME people know the game. Other people come to the forums and make threads whining about the economy because they don't know how to make a few hundred pp by level 20.

I really don't mean to point any fingers with this specific post, but wtf is up with all the whining about twinks and the economy and how p99 isn't every person's individual MMO paradise lately?

[Pilgrimzero]

SOME people know the game. Other people come to the forums and make threads whining about the economy because they don't know how to make a few hundred pp by level 20.

I really don't mean to point any fingers with this specific post, but wtf is up with all the whining about twinks and the economy and how p99 isn't every person's individual MMO paradise lately?

Im fairly new so I cant really add into much. I ahvent met and twinks or see any crazy prices for gear. I long for the day I leave Nek Forest.

I guess my point is, for ME Im not worried about that stuff. I just want to play old EQ and meet fellow fans. Broken economy, price gouging, twinks, dont really matter to me. I came here to play a game I love and am happy to meet like minded people (just wish I saw more people). I want to recapture that old nostalgia. Yea its not going to be 100%, it cant be, but for know Im having tons of fun, even when a darn Shadow Wolf jumps in on my current battle and gets me killed! Stupid forest!

I havent thought this muich about EQ in a decade. And Im loving every minute of it.

[Lyra]

Im fairly new so I cant really add into much. I ahvent met and twinks or see any crazy prices for gear. I long for the day I leave Nek Forest.

I guess my point is, for ME Im not worried about that stuff. I just want to play old EQ and meet fellow fans. Broken economy, price gouging, twinks, dont really matter to me. I came here to play a game I love and am happy to meet like minded people (just wish I saw more people). I want to recapture that old nostalgia. Yea its not going to be 100%, it cant be, but for know Im having tons of fun, even when a darn Shadow Wolf jumps in on my current battle and gets me killed! Stupid forest!

I havent thought this muich about EQ in a decade. And Im loving every minute of it.

You are going to do well here. This is my exact attitude.

[Tecmos Deception]

You're living the p99 dream, Pilgrim, just like most of the server did when they made their first character on here.

You'll see more people as you get some more levels. Most of the grouping 1-15 crowd is over near crushbone, and then oasis, unrest, mistmoore, lake of ill omen seem to be the popular spots after that as far as I can tell. The EC area seems more prone to have people soloing with buffs from the tunnel and/or being super twinked and just trying to get through the low levels asap.

[veejur]

Other people come to the forums and make threads whining about the economy because they don't know how to make a few hundred pp by level 20.

I really don't mean to point any fingers with this specific post, but wtf is up with all the whining about twinks and the economy and how p99 isn't every person's individual MMO paradise lately?

You can call what I'm doing whining, OK. I look at it more as asking for advice, but I get how people are probably sick of this. It's not your problem anymore, why care? Again, I'm just asking these questions because I think this server is awesome, the concept is fantastic, but I'm struggling a bit. Thank you for your advice everyone, casting aside the posts that didn't really offer anything, I see quite a few that did. I will take this to heart and try out some of these spots, thank you.

[falkun]

You have made a conscious choice to play a monk and worry about the AC hit from the weight cap. You can ignore that cap for a bit and hoard copper. You can farm lightstones which are lighter and can be turned in for 10pp, you can loot bronze scythes from spectre killers and vendor them. By strictly adhering to your philosophies of "I will not ask for handouts" and "I will not carry over the weight limit", you are gimping yourself. Now, that's not a problem and you are free to follow those philosophies (I also like the "I will not ask for stuff"), but to whine about the consequences of those self-imposed rules is asinine. Choices have consequences. Don't like the consequences of your choices? Then make different ones.

[veejur]

I just want to add that jumping to the conclusion that because I'm asking about help with ways to gear chars new to the server means that I don't "enjoy the ride" is a little slanted. Every person I saw on live that loved the game and the experience gets just as frustrated when they hit barriers to progression. If gear didn't have any impact on the enjoyment of the game for people, the economy wouldn't exist, and you wouldn't see respected people on the server spending the amount of time they do trading.

[falkun]

But you are comparing yourself to these twinks. You may not realize it, but by complaining about what other people have (super twink, low level epics, etc.) you are basing your happiness/enjoyment/ability/skill on those around you.

You aren't playing the same game as these twinks, they are established players, you are new. You don't have to "keep up with the Jones's" to enjoy EQ. Play your game to have fun, the gear will come all too quickly, and then you'll be in the boat of twinking out your own character. EQ Classic was meant to be beatable in minimal gear. Now some classes are more gear dependent than others, but groups can compensate for this. The good news is medium tier gear is INSANELY devalued on this server.

[Pilgrimzero]

You are going to do well here. This is my exact attitude.

I only wish i had more time. If I can get in an hour at night i feel lucky.

Not like the old days when I could log on after work and play till all hours of the night

Stupid adult responsiblities!


Hesperax the DE SK will get there though, slowly but surely. ECommons... one day! :cool:

[Tecmos Deception]

You can call what I'm doing whining, OK. I look at it more as asking for advice, but I get how people are probably sick of this. It's not your problem anymore, why care? Again, I'm just asking these questions because I think this server is awesome, the concept is fantastic, but I'm struggling a bit. Thank you for your advice everyone, casting aside the posts that didn't really offer anything, I see quite a few that did. I will take this to heart and try out some of these spots, thank you.

I specifically said I wasn't pointing any fingers with that post because, ya know, I wasn't pointing any fingers with that post. I don't think you are whining, or else I would have just said as much. Other people in this thread and in other recent threads on the forums though definitely have been whining, and that's why I was talking about it.

[veejur]

to whine about the consequences of those self-imposed rules is asinine. Choices have consequences. Don't like the consequences of your choices? Then make different ones.

You guys love to throw around the word whine. Do you know what whining really means?

1. To utter a plaintive, high-pitched, protracted sound, as in pain, fear, supplication, or complaint.
2. To complain or protest in a childish fashion.
3. To produce a sustained noise of relatively high pitch.

Show me where I complained or protested in a *childish fashion*. I have raised what I feel are pretty legitimate concerns for a player in my position on the server. I didn't point the finger, ask for handouts, or say things "aren't fair" (I'd call all of these childish) - I asked for people's opinions. I'm 36 and successful so I'd like to think I understand the concept of making choices based on consequences, but thank you for your life lessons.

[Seredoc]

This is one of the main reasons we have had massive inflation, too many people jumping over each other to buy low/sell high... and then when the goalposts move, buy high/sell higher.

People talk about laziness on the server, I've had L10-12s ask me in EC for a 96% rez...and the same applies for buying/selling. Buyers need to be more savvy rather than just dropping 500pp too much on an item. There's no "I'll camp it myself" ethic on this server (Jboots included)... everyone wants to be lazy, and this is the result.

Granted this is hard for an untwinked warrior to accomplish, one might argue that starting off as an ungeared tank is a bad idea on this server (sadly) :(

I made a druid first, couldn't stand playing it with snare/root not stacking, so I rolled a warrior due to guild needing more tanks. I enjoy playing a warrior, it just gets annoying playing with twinks because they(generally) think they're better than you based solely on gear and that's a toxic mentality I don't want/need in my recreational time.

I personally want to go camp for gear and upgrades, that's also why I am doing smithing, because as it stands now my mid range cultural is an upgrade and then my high end cultural will be even more so.

I only bring up my scenario because why have a tank if you have an epic rogue? Why aren't you tanking Mr. Epic rogue, since you have spent 300k on a lvl 15 toon you have more AC and HP than myself?

Twinking ruins low end content and personally it is one reason I am glad MOST epics require high end raiding/planar chars.

You can call what I'm doing whining, OK. I look at it more as asking for advice, but I get how people are probably sick of this. It's not your problem anymore, why care? Again, I'm just asking these questions because I think this server is awesome, the concept is fantastic, but I'm struggling a bit. Thank you for your advice everyone, casting aside the posts that didn't really offer anything, I see quite a few that did. I will take this to heart and try out some of these spots, thank you.

The best one I saw to make money and level for the appropriate solo capable classes http://wiki.project1999.org/Ultimate_Leveling_While_Making_Money_Guide

As far as I can tell that guide works well except for the 18-24 and the 24-28, I think those ones are currently not "money spots" so to speak due to their higher difficulty or the lack of spider silk being as valuable.

[Swish]

Twinking ruins low end content and personally it is one reason I am glad MOST epics require high end raiding/planar chars

I've got a twinked SK, and while I don't "need" to group with her, I generally do group...add some decent DPS at low levels and enjoy pulling. All that together helps the people I'm with to level more quickly.

I do agree though, for new players who want that "fresh" feeling, P99 is certainly not exactly that.

Hand down what you can to new players, they'll love you forever :)

[veejur]

Put another way, what are we doing on this server to help lower the barrier of entry for new players so we can draw them to the game we love, and be successful by eventually reaching their goals and the goals of their peers? On the flip side, are we doing anything to make this more difficult than it needs to be? Overall, do we even want new players on the server? This isn't just a question about me.

[Kieu]

As far as I can tell that guide works well except for the 18-24 and the 24-28, I think those ones are currently not "money spots" so to speak due to their higher difficulty or the lack of spider silk being as valuable.

You'd be correct. The money there is completely not going to happen with Wu's being uncraftable now. Not to mention the exp there is terrible. Although there is the OOT sisters around 24-28 which will always be good. 18-24, better off just sticking to oasis, and SK.

[Swish]

The server always wants new players, and the more people play the more they'll close the gap on the "average player" here.

If the mountain looks too steep, try climbing it anyway... before long you'll enjoy it for the game it is rather than looking at what everyone else is doing. There's way more to P99 than gear...making friends and having a good time are equally important if not moreso.

[Ravager]

I rolled an untwinked warrior and I'm having a lot of fun playing him without gear. It was a huge milestone for me to get full leather and I've camped a couple of Crookstingers. I've got a plan on how I'm going to level him and how I'm going to gear him as I go too. So far it's been far more rewarding than any of my super twinked alts that I hardly ever play.

[Seredoc]

You'd be correct. The money there is completely not going to happen with Wu's being uncraftable now. Not to mention the exp there is terrible. Although there is the OOT sisters around 24-28 which will always be good. 18-24, better off just sticking to oasis, and SK.

Yeah, personally as a warrior one alternate place I would add on there is NRO bandit camps as an alt to sisters. More accessible for evil races(EFFFF YOUUU UNICORN!!) and the bronze weapons drop often enough to make it worthwhile, of course they do hit harder but they are rarely if ever camped, less money but little to no competition.

I avoid oasis like the plague, spent about a week straight there and only got 2 levels, spent 2 nights in Lavastorm and gained 2 levels. My only problem is I can't find a group now cuz everyone is in oasis xD.

Been considering doing http://wiki.project1999.org/6-Minute_Bard_Diet once I get more info on how hard it is to do as a warrior, but that is a subject for another thread.


The server always wants new players, and the more people play the more they'll close the gap on the "average player" here.

If the mountain looks too steep, try climbing it anyway... before long you'll enjoy it for the game it is rather than looking at what everyone else is doing. There's way more to P99 than gear...making friends and having a good time are equally important if not moreso.

By far the most fun I have had playing have been those nights when things are getting late and the jokes start flying after setting up a camp. Doesn't matter that you want isn't dropping or that people might've taken a pull, the camaraderie is what I like the most.

Social games are for socializing XD

[Tulnavara]

. Making 200p is not "easy" when you don't have handouts.
I'd just like to point out that it is incredibly easy to make 200 plat as long as you can kill skeletons, spiderlings, and bears.

HQ bear skins go for 20pp. A stack of bone chips 5-10pp. Stack of spiderling silk 20-25pp. If you're killing greens you don't have to worry about your weight limit at all either. You can easily get 10 HQ bear in a couple of hours of running around EC/WC slaughtering them all. I know, I just did it two weeks ago on a 55 str enchanter.

[skipdog]

My experience has been quite different on this server. Maybe it's the fact that I just put on a suit of banded, 4-5 super cheap <100pp +WIS items and leveled up without caring too much?

Don't worry about your gear. Just level up and the money will come in. I think you'll be surprised how many twinks you group with who won't even want to bother looting things like FS/bronze and the money will really add up. You will then get to sell these same items that you claim are so much more expensive than they were on live(which I just don't agree with anyways).

It would also be helpful for you to maybe list the specific items that you claim are so much more expensive here. I actually thought prices for low-end items were pretty dang cheap when I was buying stuff and it was the same case for a new bard alt that I just bought gear from.

[Swish]

Social games are for socializing XD

This ^

I don't know why that's lost on so many people :/

[falkun]

Put another way, what are we doing on this server to help lower the barrier of entry for new players so we can draw them to the game we love, and be successful by eventually reaching their goals and the goals of their peers?
As I've stated numerous times: mid-tier gear is undervalued on this server. You can wear mid-tier guild until you replace it with planar+ and still be successful at Everquest. There are also many helpful players that give out gear, buffs, and coin as "pay-it-forward" actions. Porters are usually very friendly and helpful to newbies as well.

On the flip side, are we doing anything to make this more difficult than it needs to be? Overall, do we even want new players on the server? This isn't just a question about me.
This server always wants new players. The real turn-off that I can see about P99 is the raid scene. The leveling/grouping has been awesome in my experience.

[Honest]

Making 200p is not "easy" when you don't have handouts.

I easily made this on my first character on server, non twinked, camping nybright sisters for a single session. When I hit my high teens i moved to gargoyles in oot which drop eyes that sell for 10pp a pop with a chance to drop 2 eyes at once. Or NK to turn in lightstones for books at 10pp a pop. Then on to the sister islands for their swords. There are guards at the first bridge in Neriak you can kill at your early twenties that drop bronze/fs weapons you can sell. You can get a lot of decent monk gear for dirt cheap, Master Wu's Trance Stick alone will last you 30-40 lvls and you can get for 200pp. You reap what you sow. Play smart and the money will come. It may be hard for you to believe but there are people who started with nothing who have many shiny pixels today.

[Chloroform]

Advice, Play the game. look at my start date. I joined this server with nothing, Kunark was recently released. i played the game, didnt worry about ec at all. I got my tune to 60 with gear that i acquired experiencing and it wasn't until then i started to save platinum. The Prices back then where just as bad if not worse. Fungi Tunics where around 220K, Cloak of Flames 200+, and guess what it didnt bother me in the least.

I got 60 on my first and only tune, farmed the shit outta the lands. Created Aalpha Equiped her properly (Fungi tunic, CoF, Peacebringer, KD, Jade mace, and a crap load of STR gear) she was a soloing beast, an unstoppable force. and now my new main.

1 Suggestion, Level up ONE tune that can farm. get that tune 60 and start farming.

having 5 lvl 20 tunes gets u no where, but burned out, and down on the economy.

[Reubin]

To answer the OP's question as to WHY there aren't many low level items available, I just don't think most people take the time to auction them. Heck, I saw Paladin Deepwater Boots on a vendor in FV today and those aren't even low level gear. Some items aren't worth the time it takes to sell them. A lot of people just don't care about selling an item for 10-25pp to a player if a vendor will give them 8pp for it. It's easier just to vendor the item and not have to waste time in the EC tunnel.

Also, a lot of places those low level items drop (Befallen, Najena, Split Paw, Runny Eye, Blackborrow, etc.) just don't seem to be zones that are used all that much here. The population just isn't big enough to support every dungeon. The server seems to peak out at about 800-1000 at high play times. There was easily double that on live servers during the Kunark era.

[Lyra]

Old news bud, this server is plagued with it. Thus the reason the population keeps dwindling

*rolls eyes*

Let's talk about this: "keeps dwindling"

That sounds like it's been a steady flow of people leaving.

The population is there for all to see. The population started hitting just over 1K prime time regularly for the first time since inception in February. So when you say "keeps" do you mean since then?

Or do you mean in the last three days? If you mean the last three days, I was laughing out loud to myself in Kelethin yesterday morning before work. There were true newbies asking why the lift doesn't work (sure sign). Caused me to do /who There were a LOT of true newbies there! I think the server received some very good advertising recently.

Those that might be "away" right now, will be back. I did a thorough investigation. It is apparent to me, not everyone did.

[Kraftwerk]

Lyra, the server existed before you joined in January and cracked 1k on reg for bit there long before you joined. Pop is low compared to a peak during kunark launch. Climbing back now and I bet hits near 2k on Velious launch.

[Splorf22]

Veejur, people are not giving you a lot of sympathy because a) there are plenty of places you can farm a decent amount of plat even at a low level, i.e. the Nybright Sisters probably drop 50-60p/hour in bronze weapons and b) mid level gear is in fact extremely cheap: a 20/28 Wu's staff is like 100p!

Your problem is a combination of insecurity and pixel jealousy vis-a-vis the twinked monks you see running around with a fungi/cof/tstaff etc. Which is in fact a perfectly reasonable and human reaction.

Anyway, all you have to do is go to one of the many decent cash camps until you have some of the cheaper gear, then level up to 46, join a guild, and pick up the fantastic planes gear at no charge, including a 21% haste belt. Your guild can also help you with one of the easiest epics which if you are proactive and a fun guy you should get by 55 at the latest.

[Lyra]

Lyra, the server existed before you joined in January and cracked 1k on reg for bit there long before you joined. Pop is low compared to a peak during kunark launch. Climbing back now and I bet hits near 2k on Velious launch.

OH pardon me! I was misinformed. I understood the server just peaked recently. I did read that it hit over 2k at Kunark release, but it wasn't a consistent population.

By the way, the server might have existed before I joined, but it will never be the same after. P~

[Gadwen]

When I started on this server i had to loot every single piece of gear that I had aside from jewelry. Just don't concern yourself with high end loot, there are plenty of decent items that will carry you to higher levels where you can actually start to farm plat to buy that expensive stuff.

[Erati]

The above poster has prob one of the least classic and unimmersive way to play this game lol. Seriously, if ur new n poor it may b better to turn auctions off until u r ready to plug into the matrix, with them off, this server is about as classic experience as u can get.

Everyone here has great suggestions/advice, just play the game how u enjoy it. My character that had no friends, no plat or items with 300 total population got a boost from a generous lvl 30 n the rest is history. One day this will happen to every character when that break tru moment ( they r all unique, different n memorable) that starts your characters new phase of existance: phat lewtz.

[Chloroform]

As a 26 monk this is how you make a lot of cash.

1. get bound in freeport

2. find a high level mage in ec that will summon you 4-6 no rent bags. Donate if necessary.

3. Start a soLA grp. Invite a bunch of twinks that kill fast and don't need to loot.

4. Watch out for the ore that drops. small = 4pp, large = 17pp, blocks = 50pp. You can make hundreds in a few hours easy. Kill a few named and you will get stuff you can sell in ec too

5. Before you log for the day, run to ec and get someone to kill you in a duel. You loose no exp, and your summonded bags will remain on your corpse for when you next log in.

now this is thinkin outside of the box. /bravo, this is great advice for any young monk looking to loot in exp groups. starting with a shaman id have no problem getting up to 360+ stones from silver gold and finesteel as a monk, i wouldnt even dare.

[Nihilist_santa]

Ive just come back to playing after a year and I think the prices are pretty darn decent. When I first started playing here a year a go I rolled an enchanter thinking just what you are OP with the wife but I was soloing and after you know the places to go for good xp/loot its not hard. I had over 1k pp by 12 just from lfay and then started doing stein of Moggok quest for money. My brother just started playing here as well and he hasn't played since 99/00 and he thinks the money is off in so much as its way too easy getting plat here. Ive wondered if the vendors sell for higher prices than on live? I created and ogre sham the other day and by level 6 in Feerott I had over 30pp from selling weapons and cloth armor.

My suggestion research the good loot/plat xp camps and hit those up. You might lose some time in travel but its worth it once you do.

[Ennewi]

My monk has 40p on her at level 26. This is due to weight restriction and just general low value of items she can carry. Making 200p is not "easy" when you don't have handouts. I'm seeing threads about "just drop 100p on this and 100p on this, cheap for starting out". Or "just loot some dead xxx mob or have someone let you loot yyy". I'm not sure if it's just a personality problem of mine (probably) but I have a hard time asking people for handouts.

It's been said before but definitely check the vendors. You can find all sorts of items for pennies on the dollar. Freeport generally has better vendor loot considering it's more populated, but even if you start out in say Oggok you can find the occasional crude stein on the vendors for 9p which resells in auction for 100p easy. I'm kind of addicted to it atm actually. The other day my leather-wearing alt found drops of mercury on a vendor for like 2 plat each. Zoned over to EC and sold them after about an hour of auctioning, made a 250p profit. So starting out with nothing is manageable if you do the legwork and know what to look for.

The server is top-heavy, but less so now with the new players. That said, the wealth definitely does trickle down no matter where you're leveling. Misty Thicket? Players killing the guards have been known to pay newbies to sell the spears for them to the merchants. South Karana? Players hunting Quillmane have been known to pay aviak groups to kill placeholders for them. Lower Guk? Ass/Sup campers have been known to let players loot light burlap sacks. On top of all that you will be buffed to the brim out of the blue and given random pick-me-up items at least once or twice. If not than you either have really bad luck or bad hours.

Also, it's not a handout if you don't beg, it's an investment in the community. So imo just say ty, accept the phat lewtz when they're given, and pass them along once you grow out of them. There are a lot of other really good suggestions here, esp. the SolA group. Try them out and keep us posted. GL

[Vladesch]

Just do a bit of googling around "plat" and a few other keywords and it's painfully obvious the way this server works. Ive got to know a few people with some really nice stuff and it's quite obvious from their lack of knowledge of the game how they got it.

There's your answer for why everything is so expensive.

(I'm talking about high level items. As stated many times, cheap stuff is ... cheap and easy to get and probably adequate to join groups with)
Not that I worry much about gear. All my characters are casters. An evening in south ro and I'm good for all the gear I need.

[Swish]

I think "that method" is overstated on the forums and people look for obvious answers to things like inflation. The server jump in population at the tail end of 2012 was a great thing, but with all those extra players means more farmed platinum floating around.

Not saying there isn't an element of something more sinister, but I do think that the inception effect is in play here... you plant the seed of "RMT" in everyone's mind, and its easy for them to wave that flag every time there's talk about the server economy.

[Pilgrimzero]

Relevant follow up: So Im puttering around Neriak doing my lowbie thang, whena nice DE Gentleman passes me and a few moments later offers to give me some spare gear. A couple magic items and a couple hundred plat, I was overwhelmed! In all my htime playing EQ live (through Velious) no one was ever that generous to me.

AND THEN, Im out in EC trying to find some chain armor to cloth my level 3 naked butt when another player offers me free bronze plate! Thanks guys!

This place is great! And now Im not so afraid of those darn bears in the forest.

[stormlord]

While I played through the mudflation over the years on live and had to deal with twinks and even twinked my own alts (and enjoyed it that aspect but never managed to get my twinks up high), I do have to say that all of this is not necessarily good for the game. Buying our gear from the bazaar rather than getting it ourselves via adventuring or questing or crafting or purchasing from venders ties us up in a knot. The gear we purchase is so mudflated that we become reliant on it. We get pushed into a position where the only smart way to do it is to buy it. What this does is it limits gear progression by cutting away gear that we'd get on our own and (even) in a group. It reduces its value in terms of complete character progression. What it does is it causes us to want to level up even faster so that we can once again take part in the full gear progression.

Some people think twinking promotes grouping in the lower levels, but I don't think it does. Twinks usually twink so they can level faster. Why group with other players that will kill much slower???? It doesn't make any sense, especially considering that the group experience patch hasn't been put in yet (along with the hybrid experience penalty removal). For example, if you're in a 2-person group then the other player has to contribute at least 50% in order to break even. If that person is contributing less than that then there's a good chance you'll be better on your own. For a twink character, this issue is HUGE. If a twink is just going to group with non-twinks and thus level up slower then this is working against the very idea of twinking in the first place.

This is one of the reasons why when I started on p1999 in 2010, I chose not to twink any of my alts. I wanted to level naturally and to be a part of groups in a participatory way. By this I mean that by not being a twink I made everybody else in my group better and thus more important overall. I found it also made the game funner because I learned how to make studded leather and did more of the quests and payed more attention to upgrade my gear. I think the game was better that way since I was playing a central role.

I also chose to not go past level 15-24. I made several alts and leveled up to 7-19. Why? Because I wanted to help noobs. I also like that part of the game since it feels so homely and welcoming. I feel that in the later levels, the death penalty and the long runs and the separation from homecity is too tight for me. I was never here on p1999 to be ubber. I never intended on being tight. I wanted to be loose. But more than that, I wnated to be where the new players were. And they were between the specials level of 1-20. Besides, there's a lot of content in that level range and lots of classes to try. I never really got tired of it. I left p1999 when I finally decided that the legality of the whole thing bothered me and I couldn't stay any longer. I would rather wish that SOE would come out and officially support p1999 rather than stay hidden and mysterious.

Unfortuantely, the lessons of hte past have not been well learned and I do not think they will be remedied here on p1999. In fact, many mmorpgs do not address this well at all. It's the current paradigm. It's not about twinks or unrestricted gear, per say, it's about mudflation. Mudflation is the all devourer of mmorpgs.

[Feanoir]

I've run into a similar situation myself...For all those folks out there offering the typical cash camp ideas I'd like to offer a few explanations
I know you guys are trying to help and suggest profitable camps camps, but they are very limited and heavily camped.

-Wisps are good money, but when you get exp for them they are tough without decent gear.
-LFay bandits are pretty much permacamped...I've had my other character, a16 shaman camped there for about 4 months strait and i check it first every time I log on. the camp is perpetually taken, usually the northern camp too
-WK bandits-I had my camp stolen at least a half dozen times by a group of low teener twinks that just run in, take all the mobs and run off
-I know I'm not alone, I really dont feel like invensting the time to play a class i dont want to play in order to farm items/plat for a character i want to play
-a lot of the popular level zones are packed with people that seem to love going afk while in your group and training non stop when they aren't.

It is tough to start out, but it's also understandable that nobody is out in EC spending all day to sell some giant snake fangs and shiny brass shields for 10p when they have 100k in the bank. The hardest part of the low level game is finding the less hardcore groups that will accept your toon without being rockstar twinked out.

I play untwinked, and i think it makes the game more fun, i'd rather be camping out front of the castle in CB because i need the warlords bracer than because I'm simply trying to grind out my level. it just makes the hunt more enjoyable. To me, as soon as you twink out a character it becomes a rush to high levels to get better stuff and it never ends.
Enjoy the game, play what you want. I've been passed on for plenty of groups because I'm a hybrid without L33t gear, but most of the groups I have been invited into have been great. One perk to grouping with rich kid alts is that usually the stuff that drops at your level will be an upgrade for you, and the group will let you take it.
That being said there is nothing for infuriating than a twinked out powerhouse rolling on an item just to sell it for 2plat, but thats a whole separate issue.

I would like to add, however, that most of the people on the server have been truely
Amazing-I can't even count how many times someone has helped me without even asking, be it a corpse run/hunt, buffs, random awesome gear hand me downs, or even bying the crap gear I'm selling just to help me out when I can see they already have better

sorry just had to rant... :/

[Tecmos Deception]

rant

I'll say.

You go from saying that zones are full of greedy twinks, AFK leechers, trainers, and KSers to "most of the people on the server have been truely Amazing."

You complain about how tough your untwinked row is to hoe, but then you say that you prefer to play that way.

:confused:


Bottom line for this thread, imo, is that "it's hard to start off from scratch on p99, but it was hard for everyone; play smart and don't focus on how everyone else is playing and you'll have a great time on the server."

[Swish]

People stealing camps? Definitely petition in game, if you let them walk in and take something you're clearly capable of killing and were there first sat down... they'll be in trouble.

I had some gnome wizard turn up at the named sisters in OOT when I was levelling my necro, the guy's attitude resembled Zetas actually. The camp was split, so when the next one popped and I wasn't quite ready for it he just burnt it down quick, looted up and sat back down. Didn't say anything, didn't ask if it was camped, or if I'd mind sharing.

Amelinda responded 6 hours later "is he still there?". Never diss the current GMs, they're way way more helpful, quicker and more pro-active (particularly liking the clampdown on cheating in the News forum).

[OMGWTF420]

i started this server broke like everyone else, my main was a rogue that i leveled up with an sbd and burning rapier w/ no haste until i did my first sky raid. if i choose to put a cof and trak bp on my twink i feel like i have earned that right

[myriverse]

Bottom line for this thread, imo, is that "it's hard to start off from scratch on p99, but it was hard for everyone; play smart and don't focus on how everyone else is playing and you'll have a great time on the server."
This server being hard to start from scratch has not been my experience, at all. I didn't know a soul when I got here (and still really don't, considering my play schedule). But I've done pretty well earning what little I've gotten through hunting tradeskill supplies, selling them in EC, and finding good deals at vendors. My character seems better equipped than I remember being on Live, and I'm not even trying to twink him.

Perhaps it's because I don't care how anyone else is playing, but I just think it's that people are generally playing really well (not counting any of that raid drama that I will never be a part of).

[Feanoir]

I wasn't complaining about the rough starts, Like i said, i think it makes the game for fun to hunt for my gear. Just pointing out that most of the known camps that provide good cash are pretty well taken, and if you want to get your character geared up you pretty much have to do it the old fashioned way the first time around. I've had an awesome experience in P1999, about as much fun as I've had on live. Starting out new is rough going, but thats the whole point of the adventure right? :)

[Swish]

There's good cash camps out there that aren't so well known about, people know that the forums are a fountain of information and choose not to share them, sadly :/

[Sithel1988]

dude you can get fucking bronze armor by just running to mistmoore and trying to loot groups mobs. most the time they are twinks not needing the loot. god you people really are lazy pieces of shit.

[citizen1080]

Keep it constructive...this isnt RnF

[veejur]

Hey guys wanted to follow up. Did mistmoore on my monk and said screw the weight limit, made about 100p in 3 hours. Used this to get a few much needed noob upgrades and it's helped me quite a bit. I'm up to 29 on the monk and can at least kill greens and light blues in upper guk and contribute to a group without too much trouble.

The only problem I see now is finding mid level groups. Whenever I go back to mistmoore, there's just a lake or graveyard group and they are perpetually full. I get in them sometimes but it's tough. Have tried upper guk, maybe I'm not going on in the right time but it always seems to be me, and a necro or shaman camping AC. Going to lake of ill omen the exp has slowed down a bit (did 15-28 there with some breaks) but I may go back.

Any advice for good spots that seem to have groups in the 30s? Made the trip to HHK but it was dead as well.

[Lyra]

/who all 30

/tell AnyOrAll Do you have room in your group for a 30 monk?

/who all (zonename) will tell you if there is someone there...so you don't go all the way there to find no one is there. If you do see someone there, you can ask them if they have room in a group for you.

[Swish]

You could probably solo a lot of the Fireplace area in Unrest if there isn't a group there. FD splitting the room above it (on the stairs to the hag room) won't be easy but if that's splittable you're in for a good time.

Keep LFG tag on, even try and form a group for MM or something while you're at it - all you really need to get started is a healer.

[SirAlvarex]

When it comes to groups, you'll be forever bored if you are looking for a "holy trinity" + 3 group. Especially if you aren't part of said trinity (Tank + Cleric + DPS (rogue)). Every other class is at an immediate disadvantage when trying to get a group together from scratch, even CC (enchanters/bards/rangers[?]).

What works pretty well, and honestly is sometimes a ton better XP, is to just group with a class that compliments yours really well. DPS + Fear Kiter/Shaman Tank makes an awesome due. Cleric and a Monk can do some damage too if you keep the mobs blue. Even a Monk+Druid can do some damage if you have the druid do the kiting with snare/flame to keep aggro and a Monk doing the "DoT" damage.

Get creative. Typically a person will be more than willing to duo as it can make the grind less boring.

[webrunner5]

dude you can get fucking bronze armor by just running to mistmoore and trying to loot groups mobs. most the time they are twinks not needing the loot. god you people really are lazy pieces of shit.

Great post. Could not have said it better. Bunch of sorry ass new people lately. Like all of us started with a Fungi and 500k?? Get off your butt and earn it like all the old timers here did.

[Swish]

I see both sides of it. New guy turns up to the server, sees L5 bards running around in full cultural/singing steel etc...and feels like he's months if not years away from getting that gear.

Entry level items like dragoon dirks are priced at 50-75pp...well that's a lot of money to someone who just started.

On the flipside, there's the players out there that expect too much help. I mentioned in this thread (I think, if not one similar recently) that I had a guy in the early teens send me a tell asking if I'd 96% rez him while I was sat in EC. Someone pointed out that instead of spending time sending tells that he'd probably be able to make up the lost XP in about 5-10 minutes.

I had help when I got here, so I like to help out. I guess not everyone was so lucky, grinded everything out themselves, and feel like everyone else should do the same.

Whichever category you fall into, try not to look at the big picture too much... enjoy the experience of playing old school EQ again, gear up as you go, and chances are you'll have a little help from one of those twinks in terms of gearing :)

TL;DR - new players should stay positive and try and enjoy the game for what it is. Don't expect an abundance of help but at the same time realise to yourself that you won't be that naked L1 with a wooden sword forever :D

[HeallunRumblebelly]

Y'ever have one of those big farming days when you pull in like 300k and you're like man, it must suck to be a newbie :3

[Swish]

Y'ever have one of those big farming days when you pull in like 300k and you're like man, it must suck to be a newbie :3

What happened to you man... it used to be about the music...

[JonathanHancock]

Yea the server's economy is in ruins.

Basically one guild controls the server's economy, and they do so through rampant use of real money transactions.

1500pp for a skull shaped barbute? L-M-A-O

[Tecmos Deception]

Yea the server's economy is in ruins.

Basically one guild controls the server's economy, and they do so through rampant use of real money transactions.

1500pp for a skull shaped barbute? L-M-A-O

Your mom's face is in ruins.

Yeah. I'm being a troll. But there's no point in actually talking to Jon here, just like all too many people on these forums. I'd ask for proof of this TMO conspiracy to control the economy through RMT, he'd yell something about me being blind for not knowing it as fact already, I'd reiterate my initial request, he'd decide I am part of the conspiracy, then I'd call him a retard and get another infraction point.

[HeallunRumblebelly]

Yea the server's economy is in ruins.

Basically one guild controls the server's economy, and they do so through rampant use of real money transactions.

1500pp for a skull shaped barbute? L-M-A-O

SSB is an amazing head slot and when's the last time ANYONE has killed the ghoul lord, lol. They were cheap in classic only due to ssoy being a boss weapon, now they're circulated less and inflation adjusted they really haven't risen that much.

[HeallunRumblebelly]

What happened to you man... it used to be about the music...

I dunno. I've just lost that spark. You buy a 60 of everything and you're like man, do I wanna go sit at Trak ledge? It's all so hazy :P Shame the sleeper server ended up being fucking terrible, maybe I'll try again later on Sleeper <_<

[billpaleq]

I think you all have the wrong idea. I remember on red where plat was useless. The only armor or items you could get were farming your self or having your guild help out. Remember this game was played with people in bronze gear killing in SolB. Just because you can not buy crafted items for 50pp etc does not mean the economy is broken.

[Stormhowl]

If the economy is "in ruins" and items are costing way too much (supposedly)...

Then doesn't this technically help YOU as items you can still get are proportionately inflated to some degree? Like Bone Chips, Spider Silk, Pelts, and the occasional rare drops you might encounter? Not to mention, other than the pelts, these things are incredibly light and found almost all over the world.

[Swish]

Moral of the story: hoard items that will stay in line with the economy, not 500k plat.

[citizen1080]

Moral of the story: hoard items that will stay in line with the economy, not 500k plat.

aka manastones

[Kagatob]

If the economy is "in ruins" and items are costing way too much (supposedly)...

Then doesn't this technically help YOU as items you can still get are proportionately inflated to some degree? Like Bone Chips, Spider Silk, Pelts, and the occasional rare drops you might encounter? Not to mention, other than the pelts, these things are incredibly light and found almost all over the world.

This is a flawed argument. Low level players get the bulk of their money from vendored items and coin drops. These factors are unrelated to the increase in prices of the items in the EC tunnel.

In actualty your argument amounts to: suck it up, farm twice as hard, your fault for not having joined 3 years ago, etc.

[August]

The server is experiencing inflation.

Why? Because the only input of platinum pieces is from mob dropped currency and items that can be liquidated at a vendor.

There is no 'plat sink' in EQ, not in the normal sense -> Tradeskills will sink plat. So will food/drink, but it's minuscule compared to everything else.

Other MMOs get around this w/ auction house fees, repair bills, etc. No such thing here.

The longer you play, the more money goes into the system. Those that have been here longer, experience more money getting into the system. When they farm items, more platinum can be had the longer the server has been around because, once again, there's more platinum. At the beginning of the server launch no one even had 10k.

So, you're new. How do you beat this? You need to farm items that have risen with inflation. This includes: Bone chips, spider silks - anything that older players / people with resources are willing to pay $$ for. Low level camps for twink items (Kindle - i'm looking at you) are especially lucrative.

Simply 'farming more' won't work. You have to work in items that will hedge against the mountain of plat that already exists.

Adding a casino, a la Shadowhaven style, adds a platinum sink. It might be a good idea.

Source: Someone who ran DKP for a raiding guild Luclin-GoD and experienced inflation on a daily basis.

[Stormhowl]

This is a flawed argument. Low level players get the bulk of their money from vendored items and coin drops. These factors are unrelated to the increase in prices of the items in the EC tunnel.

I don't think so. My enchanter only netted about 7 platinum by the time he had hit level 8 and that was with grabbing every single Rusty weapon and cracked staff I could find in Toxx (and there were a LOT of Rusty weapons).

By comparison, my SK managed to snag over 3 stacks of Bone Chips from grinding 1-4 in WFP and sold them for 30pp within moments of zoning into EC.

/shrug

In actualty your argument amounts to: suck it up, farm twice as hard, your fault for not having joined 3 years ago, etc.

Never said this once. Not to mention I've only been playing for about a year combined due to all my breaks and casual game schedule, yet have somehow managed to get spell money for my characters just fine even with a "ruined economy" and no twinking to speak of.

So since neither of us can really "prove" anything due to this entire argument (at least, the one occurring between myself and you) being subjective and circumstantial, I would suggest we move away from over simplifying other people's arguments like a common politician, shall we?

[veejur]

When I played on live, there were plenty of high level characters. There were also people who had alts that they wanted to gear up, and they would spend some of the money they made on their main equipping them earlier. None of this bothers me in the slightest. You're absolutely right - you were there earlier, and you have a right to profit from the inflation.

The only thing that bothers me a little is that folks don't seem content with leveling up characters at the rate the game takes and go to absurd levels twinking with the goal of farming spots or raiding with multiple accounts when it's the same person. If you have 6 characters that are all uberly geared from your efforts - hats off. If you have 6 characters but they are on separate accounts that come from a couple IPs that's really just you playing, that kind of bums me out.

I really hope that most of the people I see geared out there are just folks enjoying the game that have done the work and love it. I gotta admit though I read some of the threads on here about camping spawns and have experienced myself the "spawnlock" that seems to exist in some areas (ala the person camping AC camps and relogs each time the spawn is back up) and there's a fine line between "dynamic game mechanics" and just generally being a loot whore / douchebag.

Everyone defines that line differently and everyone's free to enjoy *their* game. But I do lose respect for people that don't consider others. I can't say what the balance of that is on this server. For every guy who is cockblocking a camp or training people, I've run across folks that have ported me refusing payment and helped me recover a corpse.

[veejur]

To clarify - I don't have anything wrong with camping and relogging when your spawn is up at a named (though if your gone theoretically someone can claim the camp due to server rules if I'm interpreting it correctly). It's when you have a bunch of chars all camped at farm spots. Maybe that's all we have to look forward to at 60 for some people and I just have no insight to the raiding scene though.