Quote:
Originally Posted by stormlord
[You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]
Bottom line, if it takes hybrids longer to learn a new level, then they can't keep up with their friends. That, however, is fairer than letting the entire group suffer the penalty.
|
You're missing the point here. It isn't about fairness, it is about being true to EQ in 1999. No one knows for sure why SoE added class penalties. Perhaps they had originally planned that hybrids would be more powerful at high levels than other classes, who knows. In the end, this ended up not being the case, and everyone, including SoE, eventually realized that the penalties were unfair.
The problem with the hybrid XP penalty on this server is it is NOT implemented like it was in actual EQ. As others have mentioned, a hybrid would level at the same speed as others when grouped. Whether this was by sharing the penalty with group members (as the '01 producer's letter seems to suggest) or by giving hybrids bonus XP when grouped (as someone suggested in the thread) is another question.
Because of this, the "because that's how it was in classic" argument for XP penalties on this server is thrown out the window, and instead we're left with a horrible, non-classic game design decision that is obviously unfair.
The penalties should either be fixed to function as they did during classic, or removed.
It can be argued that the penalties in their current form are no more closer to classic than having no penalties.
Classic EQ:
Solo: Hybrids leveled slower than a non-hybrid soloer
Grouped: Hybrids leveled at the same speed as others in their group
Project 1999, current approach:
Solo: Hybrids level slower than a non-hybrid soloer (
LIKE classic)
Grouped: Hybrids level slower than the non-hybrids in their group (
NOT LIKE classic)
Project 1999, no penalties:
Solo: Hybrids level at the same speed as non-hybrid soloers (
NOT LIKE classic)
Grouped: Hybrids level at the same speed as non-hybrids in their group (
LIKE classic)
I would argue that being able to level at the same speed as others in your group is MUCH more important to the integrity of this server than making hybrids level slower while soloing (most hybrids aren't soloing much anyway). In classic, a group of friends could create new chars of any class and level up together without having to worry about anyone outpacing anyone else (maybe Wars and Rogues would slightly outpace others). Currently on P1999, a group like this is not feasible unless you make sure everyone has similar or equal penalties (which is a ridiculous thing to have to consider when forming such a group).
I am not against having classic XP penalties on this server. However, non-classic penalties that are not even objectively closer to a classic experience than having no penalties at all is all kinds of ridiculous.