[Derubael]

Originally Posted by Stasis04 [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Instead of the usual dumb questions I've prepared a few off the top of my head which would better serve the community.

1) Was this the desired result of EXP reduction (removal of mostly newer players, low pop, bad server morale).

2) Would you agree that people aren't willing to commit the amount of time required into this box to make it to max level and raid PVP(It took my rogue about 10 months to get 60 with bonus, and Nihi Trak/Fear/Hate exp grps.)

3) Are you aware that GM's before you have tried to remove the EXP bonus with the same logic and it always leads to the same result that we are in right now.

4) Why would you remove the EXP bonus after your thread received criticism from 90% of the people on the box across all guilds, the other 10% opposing being trolls.

5) Were you aware there were 3 competing guilds before this EXP nerf, one open guild to lower players, and a lot of excitement on the box prior to the nerf and pop breaking 200 often.

6) Why would you feel it was the best time to implement the EXP nerf against the opinions of people that have been here from the beginning and all stated the box was finally turning around.

7) Do you understand PVP servers are harder to level on significant especially in an FFA setting where no one trusts anyone.

8) Do you understand people have done the grind many times over and this box would be better promoted towards PVP(not in my ideal world of nostalgia, in reality.)

9) Do you think keeping classic EXP actually improves people in PVP like your long winded thread said (really)?

10) What are the big plans that you cannot say because it puts pressure(?) on Dev's on the project 1999 forums by 50 nerds that play here. Why can't we know? I know you won't answer this whatever.

Stasis, I'm going to respond, and then I will never respond to another question you ask again, because this has all been answered before.

1) Was this the desired result of EXP reduction (removal of mostly newer players, low pop, bad server morale).

No

2) Would you agree that people aren't willing to commit the amount of time required into this box to make it to max level and raid PVP(It took my rogue about 10 months to get 60 with bonus, and Nihi Trak/Fear/Hate exp grps.)

This is Everquest. What people are or aren't willing to do to get to 60 and join Nihilum or Azrael is not our problem. As it currently stands, there's a bonus from 1-50. That being said, your question is highly subjective, as some people are willing to do this, and some are not.

3) Are you aware that GM's before you have tried to remove the EXP bonus with the same logic and it always leads to the same result that we are in right now.

Let's be clear on three things. First, there is still a bonus. Second, XP was never left at the rate it was the past ~6 months. Third, our intention was to lower the bonus, then modify it in a way that promotes community growth rather than individual achievement and an all out rush to 60.

4) Why would you remove the EXP bonus after your thread received criticism from 90% of the people on the box across all guilds, the other 10% opposing being trolls.

The XP bonus was too high, and needed to be pulled out in order to change it. While we agree an xp bonus of some kind is still needed, this is not EZ server or LoZ. If we'd removed the 400% scaling on the same day we put in the group bonus, it'd be viewed as an overall nerf rather than a great new feature.

5) Were you aware there were 3 competing guilds before this EXP nerf, one open guild to lower players, and a lot of excitement on the box prior to the nerf and pop breaking 200 often.

This isn't even really a question. You're wasting your valuable GM time on rhetoricals.

6) Why would you feel it was the best time to implement the EXP nerf against the opinions of people that have been here from the beginning and all stated the box was finally turning around.

This is a repeat of a previous question. But to further expand, as we've seen before in the past, Red will peak at around 200 players, and then slowly dwindle back down to 100-150, even with your sacred XP bonus. You all seem to be forgetting that this was the pattern when the bonus was initially implemented last year. We want a sustainable population, not 100 new burnouts every 6 months.

7) Do you understand PVP servers are harder to level on significant especially in an FFA setting where no one trusts anyone.

I played here for over a year, so yes. That's part of the reason why Red has the scaling bonus.

8) Do you understand people have done the grind many times over and this box would be better promoted towards PVP(not in my ideal world of nostalgia, in reality.)

Do I understand? Stasis, I don't even think this is a coherent sentence, let alone a question.

9) Do you think keeping classic EXP actually improves people in PVP like your long winded thread said (really)?

Do I think taking longer to get to the 50's where all the box pros prey on scrublets like hungry wolves on sheep? Yes, absolutely. Having more lower level pvp experiences to build your knowledge base and skill upon will drastically improve peoples chances to thrive in the "red zone" of the 50's.

10) What are the big plans that you cannot say because it puts pressure(?) on Dev's on the project 1999 forums by 50 nerds that play here. Why can't we know? I know you won't answer this whatever.

I'm not going to repeat myself. We already hinted at a few of these changes. We aren't revealing anything until we are ready so that we don't kill the hype for the day they go live.


And now, Stasis, after answering your list of questions, here are mine, sans the ridiculous format your questions were asked in (DO YOU UNDERSTAND, DO YOU REALIZE, ARE YOU AWARE?!?!)

1) In speaking with players who have quit Red99, or talking to players who have decided they don't even want to try, I would estimate 70-80% of them say they left or did not join because of the community and the way it presents itself. What is Red 99 doing to improve it's image in the eyes of a new player?

2) How do the forums effect this image, if at all?

3) How do the in-game chat channels effect this image, if at all?

4) What do you think the red 99 community looks like to a new player?

5) If the XP bonus is the end-all-be-all of box pop and good times, why did the population peak last year, then fall back down to the ~100 level, only to slowly rise back up when Heartbrand went on a strong recruitment drive, promoting a non-grief, family atmosphere?

As an aside, we understand that XP is a little too low, particularly post level 30. But we need you to understand that we as a staff can only do so much to fix the box. I've been trying to drive this home for months now, and the only thing people can focus on is XP. The XP thing is going to happen, but when it does, this community needs to already be prepared to show it's best to the new players who will come when this all goes live.

So why don't you guys work on your end of things, we'll work on ours, and we'll all enjoy a more populated box when we're finished.