Solution to lower level grouping woes: hotzones or group XP?

[Galaa]

After years of hopping around different MMORPGs (even played FFXIV, Rift and still having an active SWTOR sub), Im coming back to Everquest again LOL.

Just started a character and cant seem to find much people playing around in the newbie zones. I did a /who all 10-20 and saw that everyone is scattered around in different zones, probably soloing. Im sure not everyone wants to solo, but many lowbies are forced to due to unable to find people to group with.

Makes me wonder, if there are hotzones (level 10-49) and group XPs, will it encourage people to gather around specific zones? With more people within the same zone, it will lead to more chance of grouping IMO.

With a small XP gain in hotzones (10%), it will encourage low level characters to congregate in specific zones, and giving an additional XP bonus for grouping, it makes people want to group as well.

These measures will encourage more new players into the server as well IMO, as they know they have a chance to group with people again (the reason why we all wanna play EQ), as well as encourage players to create alts (again adding to more chance for grouping for new players).

[Kassel]

Not classic

[formallydickman]

~ 10 people in blackburrow atm
~ 20 people in oasis in their teens
~ 15 people in unrest
~ 12 people in mistmoore
I can't remember /w all command for upper guk but I'm sure its pretty full as well.

Seems pretty good, not great, but it is Monday night and about 100 less people online than the last few days had.

[Kika Maslyaka]

that's inherited problem with running EQ on a smaller scale - too many low end zones, too many starting cities - causes high population scattering.
EQ world was designed to support 1.5-2.5k population per server. With about 500 as average max, server still only at 25% capacity.

Nothing can really be done about it without breaking the "classic" set up, other than player driven "hubs"...
Or, recruiting another 1k-2k prime time players [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

[Flunklesnarkin]

you didn't just put FF14 as the first of your mmo credentials did you?

[bizzum]

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

you didn't just put FF14 as the first of your mmo credentials did you?

I remember the time I got beta, installed it, ran it for 15 seconds, turned it off, and uninstalled it. FUN.

OP > 1-15 is probably the hardest but there are always groups in the good zones, even late at night. It's not hard to find groups if you try to put it together! If you can't find one, find some people to do it with. There is a big influx of new players now it should be easier than a few weeks ago to find some people to play with.

[classic_o]

http://thepiratebay.se/torrent/7014906/

^ Possible Fix?

[fischsemmel]

The grouping issue is simple, really.

Groups are shitty.


I have yet to be in a group in this game, after 52 levels on a necro, 50 levels on a cleric, 49 levels on a bard, and ~20 levels on each a shadowknight and a rogue, where any group earned better xp than I could have earned solo (excepting the rogue, of course).

I don't know if players are bad, or if they don't pay attention, or what. But group xp is just terrible on the whole, and even in a great zone with a balanced group of good, attentive players, group xp is only "good."

Because of this, anyone who can solo decently or better (aka everyone except rogues and warriors) WILL solo. They will avoid having to spend time and effort moving to groups, dealing with bad players, putting groups together, sitting around with /lfg on. And they will earn more xp for less effort.

There being too few people grouping is just incidental to this.

[Caridry]

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

The grouping issue is simple, really.

Groups are shitty.


I have yet to be in a group in this game, after 52 levels on a necro, 50 levels on a cleric, 49 levels on a bard, and ~20 levels on each a shadowknight and a rogue, where any group earned better xp than I could have earned solo (excepting the rogue, of course).

I don't know if players are bad, or if they don't pay attention, or what. But group xp is just terrible on the whole, and even in a great zone with a balanced group of good, attentive players, group xp is only "good."

Because of this, anyone who can solo decently or better (aka everyone except rogues and warriors) WILL solo. They will avoid having to spend time and effort moving to groups, dealing with bad players, putting groups together, sitting around with /lfg on. And they will earn more xp for less effort.

There being too few people grouping is just incidental to this.

not entirely true, i have been in some guk groups where we were raking in some monster xp. thats pretty much it though >.>

[Bohab]

35-40 seems rough, not sure what happens to all the people you group with up to 35? They all seem to vanish... haven't found a group in days for my rogue. Looking like I should just farm plat on necro to have him powerleveled at this point.