A wall of text on the global XP modifier, global OOC

[Faerie]

Maybe if we donated enough the devs could pay people to play?

[Kergan]

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

Will take a little while to see a positive effect, but it will definitely be there. 400% xp bonus is like a poison for the server.

Curious to hear your logic on this point in particular.

[HippoNipple]

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

Maybe if we donated enough the devs could pay people to play?

It would be a form of Project 1999 quantitative easing. Get the economy going to spend more on RMT.

[Derubael]

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

Curious to hear your logic on this point in particular.

It's in the OP.

[Kergan]

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

It's in the OP.

Fair enough. I guess I disagree with some of the fundamentals behind it though.

For example:

It's like flying a model airplane a couple times, and then being thrown into the cockpit of a 747 and being told 'hey, its np, you'll figure it out. sucker.' Fortunately on this server we have some experienced pilots who take these people under their wings and teach them the basics, but I'd argue these are fundamental skills and knowledge that should be learned long before someone reaches the train pain that is 52-60.

I doubt very much we have a huge population of people who have never played EQ. Nearly every one of us is here based on nostalgia and to recapture a time in gaming that we enjoyed. I agree life gets brutal at 52 but wouldn't a +/- 4 be a better solution this problem? By the time you hit 56 you've invested significant time. Exp bonus or not, 54 is brutal.

These are the experiences that form bonds and keep players coming back for more, and having a ridiculous XP modifier essentially nullifies their presence on Red 99. Being thrown immediately into the teamspeak/vent-srs-fckin-bsns-and-dont-u-fcking-dare-fckup-or-we'll-fck-your-life-and-everyone-will-shame-you-forever trakanonspawn pvp 2 weeks into rolling on the server does not retain players. While this is definitely fun, I imagine the people who really want to be in that environment on this server are already in it. Not only that, but the people who DO want to be in that environment will be playing on the server longer, simply because it will take longer for them to get there.

You are DRASTICALLY overstating how fast you can get to 52+ as a legitimate new player not being plvl'd. If I felt it took 2 weeks for a semi serious, untwinked, unplvl'd character to make level 55 or so when you are going to contest Trakanon then I'd be much more inclined to agree with your other points. Realistically playing 2-3 hours 5 days a week it is going to take over a month at minimum.

What I will say is you do level at a brisk rate...then you hit the point where the exp bonus shuts off. 51-60 feels like an eternity. Couple that with the fact you're only seeing the goonsquad gankers when you hit 50+ and I can see how people just say "fuck it I'm out" when they hit 52 or 53. The way it is setup now you spend the vast majority of your EQ experience in the absolutely shittiest set of levels where the exp rate grinds to a halt and you're being attacked constantly.

I'd say if you cut the bonus in half but made it count 1-60 where new people didn't feel blueballed every time they try to grind exp post 50 might help. And +/- 4 of course, shits classic.

[HippoNipple]

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

Fair enough. I guess I disagree with some of the fundamentals behind it though.

For example:

It's like flying a model airplane a couple times, and then being thrown into the cockpit of a 747 and being told 'hey, its np, you'll figure it out. sucker.' Fortunately on this server we have some experienced pilots who take these people under their wings and teach them the basics, but I'd argue these are fundamental skills and knowledge that should be learned long before someone reaches the train pain that is 52-60.

I doubt very much we have a huge population of people who have never played EQ. Nearly every one of us is here based on nostalgia and to recapture a time in gaming that we enjoyed. I agree life gets brutal at 52 but wouldn't a +/- 4 be a better solution this problem? By the time you hit 56 you've invested significant time. Exp bonus or not, 54 is brutal.

These are the experiences that form bonds and keep players coming back for more, and having a ridiculous XP modifier essentially nullifies their presence on Red 99. Being thrown immediately into the teamspeak/vent-srs-fckin-bsns-and-dont-u-fcking-dare-fckup-or-we'll-fck-your-life-and-everyone-will-shame-you-forever trakanonspawn pvp 2 weeks into rolling on the server does not retain players. While this is definitely fun, I imagine the people who really want to be in that environment on this server are already in it. Not only that, but the people who DO want to be in that environment will be playing on the server longer, simply because it will take longer for them to get there.

You are DRASTICALLY overstating how fast you can get to 52+ as a legitimate new player not being plvl'd. If I felt it took 2 weeks for a semi serious, untwinked, unplvl'd character to make level 55 or so when you are going to contest Trakanon then I'd be much more inclined to agree with your other points. Realistically playing 2-3 hours 5 days a week it is going to take over a month at minimum.

What I will say is you do level at a brisk rate...then you hit the point where the exp bonus shuts off. 51-60 feels like an eternity. Couple that with the fact you're only seeing the goonsquad gankers when you hit 50+ and I can see how people just say "fuck it I'm out" when they hit 52 or 53. The way it is setup now you spend the vast majority of your EQ experience in the absolutely shittiest set of levels where the exp rate grinds to a halt and you're being attacked constantly.

I'd say if you cut the bonus in half but made it count 1-60 where new people didn't feel blueballed every time they try to grind exp post 50 might help. And +/- 4 of course, shits classic.

The devs make such drastic changes to the server without even understanding what the game play is like. Exping on red is still tougher than on blue with the 2x experience. If you are in a prime leveling spot you are at least spending half your time pvping or on corps runs. There are always level 60's roaming around with 0 interest in getting experience and are just there to help their team by holding the opposing team back. There is 0 going afk. You can't sit around and aoe all of chardok in a half hour for easy levels. If you want to play it safe and get any sort of steady experience you need 2-4 level 60's watching your back in a prime leveling spot or you have to exp somewhere horrible getting about 1/4 the exp of a prime spot.

A full group of level 50-54's can be wiped by 1-2 level 60's if engaged during a PvE encounter. It is so easy to disrupt the flow of exp gain and waste 30-60 minutes.

Dev comes on here one day and looks at the formula and says, wow 2x the experience, this server is full if whiners. In reality the exp bonus still doesn't make the 50-60 grind easy and the game is fine as it is in this regard.

[runlvlzero]

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

The devs make such drastic changes to the server without even understanding what the game play is like. Exping on red is still tougher than on blue with the 2x experience. If you are in a prime leveling spot you are at least spending half your time pvping or on corps runs. There are always level 60's roaming around with 0 interest in getting experience and are just there to help their team by holding the opposing team back. There is 0 going afk. You can't sit around and aoe all of chardok in a half hour for easy levels. If you want to play it safe and get any sort of steady experience you need 2-4 level 60's watching your back in a prime leveling spot or you have to exp somewhere horrible getting about 1/4 the exp of a prime spot.

A full group of level 50-54's can be wiped by 1-2 level 60's if engaged during a PvE encounter. It is so easy to disrupt the flow of exp gain and waste 30-60 minutes.

Dev comes on here one day and looks at the formula and says, wow 2x the experience, this server is full if whiners. In reality the exp bonus still doesn't make the 50-60 grind easy and the game is fine as it is in this regard.

Me and gobbles had no prob chasing 60's out of lower guk in a duo at 51-54 (pally exp is stupidly slow).

+/- 4 levels and the exp could never move and people could have plenty fun even if it took 1 week per level (which at 55+) is like the difference of 100hp, 100 mana, and a few decent spells. Slightly better resists.

+/- 8 is not a prob for pros but it lets douchebags grief the fuck out of newbz

Would a lot of flowers be sad they couldn't attack 60's in guk pre 56... yeah

But they would also be able to go level in KC without everyone nutting all over their celebrity.

[HippoNipple]

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

Me and gobbles had no prob chasing 60's out of lower guk in a duo at 51-54 (pally exp is stupidly slow).

+/- 4 levels and the exp could never move and people could have plenty fun even if it took 1 week per level (which at 55+) is like the difference of 100hp, 100 mana, and a few decent spells. Slightly better resists.

+/- 8 is not a prob for pros but it lets douchebags grief the fuck out of newbz

Would a lot of flowers be sad they couldn't attack 60's in guk pre 56... yeah

But they would also be able to go level in KC without everyone nutting all over their celebrity.

Spells, abilities, gear, levels don't mean everything but they are important. What is most important is having the jump on the other player and knowing what they are trying to accomplish. If a person is trying to level or camp something they have a huge disadvantage vs someone sitting there waiting for an opportune time to attack them. This is why leveling is tougher since there are wipes all the time.

I was talking more about exp groups and not the ability to gank a level 60 with a 54 and a 51 out of range healer as he is trying to camp a SMR for his epic. This is completely irrelevant to any exp discussion.

[big mouth chew]

WTS SMR MANY AVAIL

[HippoNipple]

The main point is I think a 2x bonus on exp 50-60 still makes it harder to level to 60 than on blue. You mention 1 level a week? That is awful. Can't you do that in 3-4 hours on blue with an AoE group?

Red is tougher than blue currently, nothing needs to be changed.