[Stasis04]

Derubael
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?

Tallon Zek was similar with the mentality here, I heard Sullon was worse, VZ might have been better. RZ I don't know some say it was hardcore others just a blue server.

Appealing to a grittier player base and not the standard blue version of "the boats fucking sweet bro" isn't an issue, if the people have problems with shit talk, mob stealing, dying, revenge, frustration, glory etc and everything that comes with it, peace? Regardless, I'm sure if the server gained population, and the server staff worked with us to make it easier for the new comer, and more appealing with things like legendary item dropping days, or a solid grp EXP bonus so it doesn't take a year to get into action, or really anything other than come grind fucking classic with nobody then this problem would naturally solve itself by improving morale.

We don't want VZTZ speed or instant 60, I think the former bonus divided into a group bonus was the answer, but that's irrelevant.


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

One of the best parts of Tallon Zek was Tallon Zek Times, and project 1999 are the forums, although recently they have been a bit boring, it's a shame you guy's don't get this, did you play on a PVP server? We don't have nearly the creative talent from the live forums, myself included, but a lot of the rivalry starts here, which is what it's all about.

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

OOC is a bit of a shit hole, you could do something about it with actual punishments, I don't know - people can turn it off, I personally like it, I'm neutral on this I see it from both sides.

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

Right now? A barren shit hole with an unattainable grind for no purpose or reward at the end.

A month or more ago? 3 guild rivalries with each guild trying to recruit and PL the lowbies on the box to add to their numbers.

Don't get me wrong, I understand there's a lot of loud mouth losers, I truly believe a lot of this was developed over the years of how the box was ran, which I'll get more into later.

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?

Now we're getting somewhere, the right questions ! If you would have asked this before I could have explained the type of situations guilds and players went through on this box prior to Nizzar taking a break and Azrael taking over.

There was no PNP. There was no Simulated Patch days, and there was a zerg of Nihilum who out numbered and geared anyone else on the box by far. They would use this advantage to sit on other guilds that raided(even planar trash) and then corpse camp them at their guild bind until they quit the game. This guild never leaked one mob for years, there was a couple Trak's here and there after that, but ultimately it was one guild (who was RMTing? you know more than me) squeezing every new player into joining or quitting.

Planar trash raids sat on for the entire night, wipes trying to contest Trakanon with Tune/others roaming TT/EJ for days, chasing lowbie grps around.

People aren't fucking stupid, they get to 60, see what it is (very little PVP, a lot of bullshit by people who played the game like a job, no rules to help the little guy, non varianced head to head only option)

The EXP bonus is not the end all be all, it's the vessel of getting new players into the game. Once there, if the game is a bunch of career virgins farming raid mobs back to back and spending ridiculous man hours making others quit then obviously it's a flawed fucking system no shit.

You saw a problem with people not sticking around in the high end, and drew a completely incorrect presumption which is why the players wanted that changed. How the GM's can see one guild acting the way they did for years, get 100% of raids mobs, and think this custom designed server was working correctly is another story, but if you'll remember I was there for awhile preaching about PNP, variance, sim repops turned out to be a better idea but I still realized there was a problem.

PS the Heartbrand family guild bullshit, cmon everyone knew that was just a shtick to try to gain players, no one bought that shit and it was never ran like that - was just a guild that helped each other which is necessary, you know real shit not perceived bullshit.


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.

Make the rules and journey to 60 accessible and encouraging for new players, by increasing the speed DRASTICALLY for GROUPING, access to legendary items, and into a high end of simulated repops once the population gains, not a completely cock blocked end game by career virgins that will fuck people over till they leave and I promise u I'll tell people to STFU or die. I told Cast off in TS for giving Amelinda shit, yelled at him, told him to shut the fuck up and pointed out why he was being a hypocrite. Don't act like we're unreasonable players here. (turns out Cast was right she was a piece of shit accepting bribes to give in game advantages, no wonder she kept telling me two groups of lvl 30's did naggy legit, bitch.)

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.

Then try to fucking make it attracting to new players, because I promise you, you attract people and make it better and NOT FUCKING SHITTIER and people's attitudes will improve, at the very least don't fucking kill what players were trying to fix without you.

Stop worrying about bullshit like players impressions of the forums or OOC, and focus on real actual shit in-game to make it fun, and accessible, if you just turn your head and say everyone there is a scumbag that's why it sucks and Stasis is an asshole they deserve themselves i'm out you're just like the ones before you who just don't, fucking, get, it.
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