If you could go back in time and get on the EQ dev team

[EdTuBrutus]

Surely there are two different answers to this question.

First is what you would do back in 1999 with the knowledge of 2016.

And its pretty obvious. You would make WoW.

Second is what you would do back in 1999 with only the knowledge of 1999. I'm fairly certain you wouldn't choose to use it as a way to punish players, the learning curve would be much, much easier and the level requirements would be smoothed so hell levels don't exist.

The thing is, eliminating hell levels isnt that damn hard. You just dont use a formula. You get someone in the firm to set the numbers, it takes a couple of hours and it stops players leaving en masse at certain points. Its numbskullingly obvious.

Then you would make stats actually matter. I still cant believe that they made this game where stats mean virtually nothing. Not only did they make stats meaningless, but they made an entire class where the rest of the game wants them to waste their time buffing those stats despite much better stuff that class could do.

And then there's camping. Does it seem even remotely reasonable that you should have to spend 14 hours to camp a spawn? Especially when the rest of the game will think that spawn drop is necessary for your class to work (as it was for FBSS). Or camp for 12 days for the Cleric Epic. 12 days. 12 DAYS.

The problem back in 1999 was that McQuaid didn't understand the genre or the bulk of the players. They didn't want punished or to spend a year on a single character. They wanted a fun game and if they got to 50, they could do another class/race combo.

The worst thing EQ did was fail to understand the players, they thought that players when they maxed would leave. (I wont rant about the terrible end game here). But they dont they go make a new char and level that.

[lowner411]

1. Change the exchange ratio between the copper, silver, gold, and platinum coins from 1:10 to 1:20 or 1:25 or even 1:50. That way the smaller coins would mean something.

2. I also wonder what would happen in the numbers had been more hidden in the game:

- No /loc
- Weapon and armor statistics given as descriptive or comparative terms
- Hits given descriptively (scratched, clawed, stabbed, skewered, mangled, destroyed)
- HP/END/CON/EXP limited to a bar.

I think the player base would spend a lot of time trying different weapon combinations to figure out what killed what most efficiently, and min/maxing would take on a different flavor.

3. Open up the boundaries to the Oceans so someone can swim or lev into the zone with out being on a boat.

4. Add more flying options than levitating, but END is drained by any flight--the higher up you are, the more endurance is drained.

[Bristlebaner]

Give rangers wolf pets.

[Izmael]

Make mage bolts to not require having something targeted - it would just fly straight ahead and hit whatever obstacle it would hit first.

[jolanar]

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

2) Give Wizards haste and clarity, refocus Enchanters entirely toward CC, illusions and charming. Wizards now desirable for groups, Enchanters still OP but to a lesser degree.

I've seen suggestions in the past to just get rid of the wizard class entirely and then give ports to mages and I think that's a pretty good way to handle it too.

Alternatively, give wizards an easily obtainable clicky nuke better than JBB or Burnt Staff. AFAIK they don't have one, yet Shamans and Mages do? That seems back asswards to me.

[myriverse]

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

Races with really high stats and amazing racial benefits need more penalties, not less IMO.

The only thing wrong with the exp penalty is that it effects how much exp others gain too.

Experience and class restrictions just are not the way to balance them. See D&D.

[Jimjam]

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

Experience and class restrictions just are not the way to balance them. See D&D.

It would be interesting if there was an xp cap rather than a level cap. So a Halfling warrior could reach a higher level than a troll shadow knight for advantage.

[alphys]

Iksars from classic, non KOS, can be bards, rogues, rangers, druids, clerics, enchanters

[Bummey]

halfling rangers, gnome paladins

[fadetree]

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

halfling rangers, gnome paladins

DIAF

It was SK's anyways, wasn't it?