This is a bad idea because: a) veterans don't want to start over (i assume) b) it would fractionate the population with 2 servers. Since your'e innocent and ignorant of the details, I forgive you readily.
EQ is a group-based game. It depends on a broad population to survive. This is probably one of its fatal flaws. If I could have a chance to design its next incarnation, I would address this part of it immediately. But we can't since this server is not about changing EQ it's about reliving the glory days. So we're bound to the laws as they were then. Thus, we have to respect the laws that forbid us from ignoring population. This means we need a population AT LEAST 1000 but 1500 or more would be preferable, especially when velious comes around. This server is becoming increasingly top heavy too. Finding groups as a new player and feeling like you're part of a community is going to get harder and harder without a rich supply of new players coming into the game.
In regards to new players we need to think about incoming new players, not total population. Sure, veterans will make alts, but we can't depend on a population of alts to give new players groups to join unless our total populations were, i'm guessing, in excess of 2500 or more. Plus, alts tend to solo since they're twinked.
I always point at MMOcharts.com. According to their data for EQ - which is prone to error but the best we got since SOE hasn't officially published the exact details - incoming rates of new players decreased all the way from 1999 onward to the current period. It's this variable that we must set our eyes on most when addressing the experience of a new player. This variable is like aging in people. It slowly kills. Without a fresh and adequate supply of incoming new players then each segment of population that's leveling up will find itself broken without enough population to meet its needs. This will lead to predictable outcomes. No one likes to /shout Lfg!
I think what we need is a next generation MMO that has an open environment like EQ does (non instanced) but with new features that set it apart from other open environment counterparts, like Vanguard. Basically, the game needs to be able to operate at low population as well as it does at high population. To do this it must solve the biggest problems that come with non-instanced worlds: finity, high competition, etc. There're a variety of ways to go about it, but what the market needs are concrete answers that solve the problem simply and economically. We need working examples, not discussions. The sooner the better, for these games.
In the process of solving those problems we also need to solve: camping, repetitive gameplay. Next to the problems that accompany open environments, I think these are the next in line.
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