So... How classic do you want it?

[GhostCow]

I think if we did a poll we'd find that it's not a minority. I know EQ has always been a game for masochists but I just find it hard to imagine that people actually want and enjoy things like blind medding and hybrid xp penalties.

[Mblake81]

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

I know EQ has always been a game for masochists

This is joked about but its wrong. Very wrong and totally misses the point.

[GnomeCaptain]

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

I think if we did a poll we'd find that it's not a minority. I know EQ has always been a game for masochists but I just find it hard to imagine that people actually want and enjoy things like blind medding and hybrid xp penalties.

Making a game based on what the 'majority' thinks based on 'polls' would really, really suck.

If you want an easy-mode game that appeals to the masses and polls really well, go play WoW or some other trash.

[El-Hefe]

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

I think if we did a poll we'd find that it's not a minority. I know EQ has always been a game for masochists but I just find it hard to imagine that people actually want and enjoy things like blind medding and hybrid xp penalties.

Listening to the majority is why modern EQ is terrible.

[Kraznor]

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

Listening to the majority is why modern EQ is terrible.

Um. EQ just had it's 20th anniversary, so your "terrible" analysis is purely your opinion. Tens of thousands of people disagree with you or EQ would not exist.

Listening to the majority is NOT why EQ lost so many people. The majority was not calling for WoW... the MINORITY was...but Sony saw that as the cash grab because of WoW's popularity with kids so they went that direction to attract back more subs that they were bleeding.

When you make uninformed statements, expect backlash.

[GhostCow]

A lot of EQ was designed the way it was because they were originally planning to charge for the game hourly. I would guess blind meditation was one of the mechanics that came about because of that. More deaths = more time played = more money. Many bad mechanics were fixed later for a reason.

[Mblake81]

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

A lot of EQ was designed the way it was because they were originally planning to charge for the game hourly. I would guess blind meditation was one of the mechanics that came about because of that. More deaths = more time played = more money. Many bad mechanics were fixed later for a reason.

There is no reasoning with you, you are pretty dead set on its bad and should have been changed.

Have a good night.

[Wurl]

Blind meditation was likely added in because in a lot of Diku MUDs you are "blind" while sleeping or meditating. If you're interested, these are from the Diku MUD that Brad McQuaid played on:

< P: std (AFK) > WAKE REST SIT STAND KNEEL RECLINE ALERT

As in the real world, your character will eventually get tired and run
out of energy or get injured in the line of fire.  When this occurs,
you may wish to sit and rest or sleep for a quick bit.  You recover
more quickly when sleeping than when resting, and more quickly resting
than standing.

Persons who are magically put to sleep may be awakened with the "wake"
command.

The new position/status system commands are as follows:

         Command               Does

          stand                 stand up and become alert
          sit                   sit down
          kneel                 go to your knees
          recline               lie down
          rest                  relax, and sit down if you're standing
          alert                 pay attention, doesn't change position
          sleep                 go to sleep, doesn't change position
          wake                  wake up, doesn't change position.

At some point your character may end up standing and resting.  If you are
standing and unable to do much, try "alert".

See also:  SLEEP

< P: std (AFK) > MEDITATE
Applied/Reflexive skill.

Syntax:        Sit or rest, then meditate
Aggressive:    No
Class/Level:   Enchanter/Invoker/Necromancer/Elementalist/Shaman/Cleric/Druid,
                Illusionist/Psionicist 1st

"Meditate" allows the player to memorize/pray for spells with a chance
of halving the time.  A single proficiency check is made at the half
way point for each spell.  If successful, the spell will be memorized/
prayed for at that time.  If unsuccessful, the spell will take the
normal time before it is memorized/prayed.

Meditation is automatic for casters while praying or memorizing spells.

Psionicists and Yuan-ti can use the meditate skill to regenerate spent psp at
a slightly faster rate.

[Mblake81]

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

Blind meditation was likely added in because in a lot of Diku MUDs you are "blind" while sleeping or meditating. If you're interested, these are from the Diku MUD that Brad McQuaid played on:

< P: std (AFK) > WAKE REST SIT STAND KNEEL RECLINE ALERT

As in the real world, your character will eventually get tired and run
out of energy or get injured in the line of fire.  When this occurs,
you may wish to sit and rest or sleep for a quick bit.  You recover
more quickly when sleeping than when resting, and more quickly resting
than standing.

Persons who are magically put to sleep may be awakened with the "wake"
command.

"Meditate" allows the player to memorize/pray for spells with a chance
of halving the time.  A single proficiency check is made at the half
way point for each spell.  If successful, the spell will be memorized/
prayed for at that time.  If unsuccessful, the spell will take the
normal time before it is memorized/prayed.

Meditation is automatic for casters while praying or memorizing spells.

Psionicists and Yuan-ti can use the meditate skill to regenerate spent psp at
a slightly faster rate.

/\ yea, that stuff. Which other people just called 'Downtime' and it was rejected later. Other games didn't have these influences and were fast paced.. "Look I click this melee attack and it sets up a special then a super special attack" and they never sat down or had reason to. RPG can be defined in different ways, those games had the marketing brand to benefit. Turns out, who really cares about RPG elements in a MMORPG.. the RPG just got in the way.

Edit: The racial visions, part of the RPG setting, were later stripped out to give everyone decent night visions as an improvement. In madcows mind, "those RPG elements were so terrible they took them out. If they were not bad why didn't they leave them in?" .. because they started catering to people who didn't care or give a damn about any of that, They just wanted to raid and anything that didn't facilitate that end were rendered pointless. I personally think it was cool as a wood elf seeing things tinted reddish-orange glow at night and dark elves having things tinted violet and could see a long ways in the dark. Certainly added to their flavor. But you know, they eventually made player cities pointless for an all in one XP starter zone.. because why have player cities in your RPG?.. lol that's dumb

[Mblake81]

Cleric using their spellbook.

Originally Posted by Mblake81 [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

[You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]