Project 1999 needs to evolve with the players, just a bit

[theguyy]

Hello I've been playing here off and on for awhile now and really love this server. I do think it has some major issues that actually take away from the original EQ, namely the evolution of players.

I've found that although fun, this server doesn't have alot in common with EQ 1999 due to the extreme learned playerbase.

The newbie population is healthy but once you hit the higher levels melee vanish off the face of norrath with the exception of monks. People know now that casters completely rule this game and as a result parties get less and less balanced with each level.

The majority of every group consists of a pet tanking or a caster manipulating the game in order to bypass the use of any form of trinity. At higher levels paladins, rangers and sk's are all but extinct compared to any spell casting class. This hurts the group game alot as well because casters can also solo very well, making duo's alot more popular then full groups, xp wise.

It just doesn't pay to be melee in EQ and the EQ of today knows this. That's the biggest difference between now and then. All the good melee races have xp penalties, most the melee can't solo, giant gear requirements and worst of all pally/sk/ranger have unwarranted xp penalties.

Now I realize this is all classic stuff here but I believe even EQ99 needs to evolve with the more experienced players, if only a little. I'm proposing a small incentive to play those rarely leveled tanks/hybrids. AKA the xp penalty changed to 10% for pally/sk/ranger. Start with that for a few months then consider other small changes or none at all if it begins to alleviate the issue.

[Ephirith]

The experience penalty for class is removed completely in Velious.

Besides, I think it has more to do with class balance. In many ways monks are just flat out better than pally/sk/rangers. If you want to incentivize playing a hybrid, you need to address the massive morale hit many of them get in their 30's and 40's when they watch monks out-dps, out-tank, out-pull, and out-solo them. Then again monks being godmode is completely classic.

[theguyy]

Although I agree with you, baby steps is the only answer on this server. They will never make class changes and I wouldn't want them to; whereas, every class could argue much needed changes/bug fixes.

Toning down the penalty now will hopefully see the class more played, even if slightly. Necro outshines every caster but there is no shortage of non necro's so I don't think it's purely a balance issue except in the case of rangers.

For instance, monk will never outshine paladin/sk aggro without the randomness of procs. My point is pally/sk can still easily get the job done, rangers do have some major issues which only big changes can solve but I don't know how one would go about it without endangering the server.

[fadetree]

Well, I know there's quite a bit of negative to playing Rangers, probably the most of any hybrid. But I went into it knowing that. It'll get better in Velious. I kind of like playing a difficult class, anyways...makes success more significant I guess. The exp penalty is kind of an unfair burden, but oh well.

As far as 'fixing' the class goes, what I'd be happy with would be some form of AM3/EQ, not as AA's but some sort of other earnable ability. MAybe after velious, if i'm still alive then [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Monk can't generally out pull me outdoors, bind sight + harmony I can single anything. Monk can't out aggro or out CC me anywhere. Probably able to outtank and outdps me, but I haven't seen it be significant yet. Monk's definitely a better soloing class though.

[Danth]

Shadow Knights are roughly on par with Warriors for popularity (albeit more often as alts relative to warriors which are more often mains), so they're mid-range and hence fine. Rangers and Paladins are less common and probably the two least-played classes on P1999. Most folks well know that Kunark was a bad period for hybrids in general and Rangers/Paladins in particular. During Velious the class penalties are removed and hybrids are also subject to class balancing improvements, so most of what you hope for will happen during that period.

At the end of the day, some classes will be more popular than others. I'm not convinced that's a bad thing.

Danth

[Lagaidh]

The reason you don't see a lot of paladins and shadowknights is because in the intervening years between original EQ and now, folks just aren't willing to grind certain combinations. With each passing year, the entire human population's attention span grows shorter. Long term goals are almost met with sneers. Hell, commercials even play background music proclaiming "I want it all, and I want it now".

You deserve it!

This is ultimately a game and it's just a tide of the times that people know where the time sinks are and they steer away from them.

I've been here since 8/2010 and am L52. Seems about right to me as a pally =)

I block out a lot of knowledge. For an old-school player, sometimes what I don't know surprises folks. The same goes for some of the things I do know. That's how it used to be. A lot of people each brought a part to solving the puzzle.

The puzzle has been solved. We can't be as naive again in a world that so nearly matches what it used to be.

[godbox]

part of it is gear. Caster game changers are all spells. (minus manatsone)
tanks needs a large plat investment to be able to make it 1-60 without crawling.

[theguyy]

This server has no shortage of extremely rich players though. Yet sk/pally/ranger are all but extinct at high level. The warrior population is a little better so I'd have to say the giant xp penalties plays the biggest role. Oddly enough it's also the easiest fix with no negative impact whatsoever server wise.

[Tecmos Deception]

The OP's post is full of misinformation.


Of course druids, clerics, shamans, and enchanters are more popular than anything else, but shadowknights, warriors, and monks are all VERY popular classes at high levels. Rogues are more common than wizards and magicians, generally. Only paladins and rangers are actually rare, but neither of those classes was exactly abundant on live either.


It pays to be a melee, it just pays in different ways. You're right that melee are basically incapable of solo xp when compared to casters, and you're "right" that xp penalties were applied in an odd way in the EQ, but that's about the extent of your rightness.

Melee are very important in a lot of duos and trios, and are crucial to anything involving 4+ people. Casters are generally buffbots in raids, while melee get to do the killing/tanking/pulling. Casters are more versatile, but outside of clerics, shamans, and enchanters, groups are always going to be looking for rogues, monks, and tanks before they look for magi, necros, or, lolol, druids/wizards.



I have a hard time agreeing that the exp penalty on sk/pal/rang is the reason these classes are so rare. Yeah, those exp penalties are brutal. But you know what else is brutal? Being a class with a small xp bonus that is earning no xp at all because he can't find a group. My 59.1 has spent countlesss hours sitting around doing NOTHING while /lfg. I've spent dozens of hours pissing time away on red while I sat LFG, I've started multiple alts and spent several days of time playing them because of how frustrated I would get being unable to find a group on my rogue.

Yeah. Needing 50-70% more xp to level a hybrid compared to a rogue would suck, but it's not like the tank hybrids aren't in pretty decent demand, and at least those classes aren't 100% reliant on groups to accomplish anything whatsoever.

Also, I can't count the number of times I've said "Ah, I would gladly pay an xp penalty to have _____" where that blank is FD or tracking or a freaking 50% clicky haste item or whatever.

[Bohab]

With the exception of my rogue I've quit each of my melee/tanks (War, SK & Paladin) once they reached 51-54... groups only need one tank. The lack of groups makes the 55+ grind unreasonable to play on a casual playtime. If I only have a couple hours I'll jump on my necro which gives me many options on how to spend my playtime.