No. You don't want fewer places to level. This idea is too radical for anybody to support.

Only need support from Nilbog/Rogean. There's evidence if them being quite supportive of not letting exping become too trivial - cf. chardok, bard AE.

You think what, people will go like "oh noes I can't level my 15th twink in MM in a week, imma go play another game" ?

Everyone will still play because everyone is addicted to the bone.

Also it isn't about having fewer places to level, quite the contrary - it is about making more places attractive.

Zones that need fixed Zem are the kunark zones that were popular on live but have terrible Zem here. Frontier mountains loio

Maybe dreadlands.

Otherwise the faydwer zones are popular because they are cool zones.

Argument could made for any zone. Rotation only viable option.

I suspect 90+% (99+%?) of this server would be in favor of periodically raising the ZEM of unpopular zones and lowering the ZEM of unpopular ones ... although I doubt anyone except OP and a handful of others would want anything as extreme as what OP proposed.

But here's the problem: the staff isn't dumb, and they've been doing this for years, so they must have thought of this already. The fact that they not only don't rotate ZEMs regularly, but almost never change ZEMs at all, suggests that it's either a lot of work for them (which seems unlikely, as it's just changing a number in a database) or they just don't like doing it.

Either way, if they're not going to rotate ZEMs then I think Secrets hit the nail on the head:

After all, we're all here for the "classic experience" right? And what makes for a more classic experience than classic experience (modifiers)?

Permakilling ZEM on certain zones isn't the answer. If people like that zone, they should be able to level there fairly well. A certain other server rotates ZEM bonuses between sets of zones and it's a rather nice idea.

Exactly this. ^^^

They should not nerf the good zones, they simply should improve the other zones so that they are worth XPing in.

I don't get why they don't just make all the zones equal for XP, anyway. That would stop the bottlenecking of XP zones we have so often.

People are fighting over lvl 20 mobs in MM like they are named mobs during peak hours, it's ridiculous.

I'd love to see the amount of petitions the guides are having dumped on them over mobs and camps being KS'd or infringed upon in UR and MM alone.

If other leveling zones had the same XP modifiers as UR and MM, you would see a lot more people exploring other spots too.

Classic ZEMs: Most classic option possible
Different but Fixed ZEMS: Not classic but classic feel
Rotating ZEMs: Not classic, but how EQ should have been (and would later be)
No ZEMS: So un-classic it makes Aradune give up drugs

As a side note, I just realized ZEMs are one of the only things on this server where the staff prioritizes a classic "feel" (most people in classic didn't know the ZEMs) over true classic mechanics. On almost every other decision (eg. multi-questing, corpsing lore items, etc.) the staff goes with the classic mechanics over the classic feel. Kinda strange that they depart on this one topic.

Those zones you posted as most popular are so because they make it easy to level in. take away the Zem or just normalize it and people WILL STILL go their. They will go to what is most comfortable and safe for them.

The zem helps but people on this server as a whole will not take risk. Zone has to many casters cazic , run eye, etc etc NO WAY to hard. They want non caster mobs that can be pulled easily and consistently.

BUT HEY the devs want ti the way it is in regard to ZEM right! otherwise they could have changed it years ago 8).


Meanwhile those of who enjoy other dungeons either bring our own group or quickly out level it then go explore 8).

Also have to keep mind, the less populated zones where noone levels is because they're dangerous. There is high risk, low reward. Dalnir's Crypt is a badass zone and can be done, but like this zone and many others it's a challenge and will test your group.

It's all about incentive, basic human behavior. The classic experience is an unpolished one, so there will be lots of gray areas on "how classic" you want the server to be. Of course the devs could change the game in a custom way to try and populate dead zones, but is it worth straying further from the classic elements that are already being changed in other ways? Nah, I don't think so.

Just make friends and play how yall want, people were alot more sociable on EverQuest back then because online gaming was still pretty new and you'd find alot more tight-knit players who met online, irc chats, muds, etc.