Long term Survival of this server, some thoughts

[xblade724]

PVP
not exp losss
not lvl loss
not sitting around for decades waiting for mana bars to refill
not digging through your spell book for your pvp spell load out

^ this

PvP - we like. Exp loss = bad. Level loss = worse. Mana bar? When you die and not only your exp and coin are gone, but your mana bar is depleted for further morale loss. PvP spell load out is so useful as well -- some things were patched in wishing they had done it at the very beginning, like so many features we have (/tell queuing, improved UI, giving back items if wrong, etc), why not this one too?

One more thing to add is guard protection .. make factions useful other than 1 pker getting ally and just slaying everyone in city (and 1 person that challenges gets slain by guards), make it more fun to strategize how to kill someone/pk AROUND the guards (if possible) .. also takes away that feeling of security that's so satisfying. There really aren't that many places where this is useful ... by the time you get ally faction with a guard, you don't need the damn guards anymore or don't ever go there

This server has the highest population of any eqemu pvp server

Of course it is .. it just released what, yesterday? The population will drop quickly once people realize that not even the guards protect them and you'll die an exp loss for even the cheapest of deaths -- not fun. If you want hardcore, it's not about exp deaths. Rallos Zek ruleset was great -- loot an item and coin, BUT, so many rules to follow .. could only be a non-weapon slot item or inventory item, had to NOT be in a bag, and had to be droppable. It was fun because everyone had 2 sets of gear: Their pvp/no drop gear, and their "trust gear" they would risk wearing. Very fun. I miss my constant quest to find a full set of no drop gear, even if it sucked

[Vandash]

I agree 100% with OP.

Leveling right now is insanely boring. It's not that it's too hard for me or anything, it's just extremly boring. Sure it's classic, but most people will give up, so if you want to keep players, you got work to do...

[Tombom]

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

I have played on the Zek servers since 99 (well thats not quite true, I quit years ago) had toons on Rallos, Tallon, Vallon, and Sullon with the vast majority of my time spent on Sullon, I post this from a perspective of a long time eq vet and a long time pvp gamer.

....(edit) {the Short short list: boost mana and hp regen outside of combat between 3x and 5x would be my guess. back when EQ was THE game 15 minute med sessions were acceptable, not so much anymore. if you arent fighting something you are sitting on your ass medding, we dont play to med, we play to pvp.}

....Read the rest if you want, that one single change would make this game a lot more playable.

the way the server is set up is just like p99 blue but with pvp, and that is a potential mistake. Many pvp gamers are only here to pvp. How many? I have no idea, but as I have seen happen many many times the server pop starts out huge then dwindles to a small core group after the pvp crowd leaves for a better game, and there are much better games out there.

the nostalgia factor is cool but on a zek we play to fight. on p99 they play to play and the difference is night and day, the Zek crew tolerate the lvl grind and the gear grind for the sake of the pvp. on p99 thats the only reason to play besides all the cool peeps you get to chill with at the stripper bar in Neriaks 3rd quarter.

my point is pretty simple. if this server pop takes a major nose dive (or maybe before then) you should consider what it is that the Red crowd wants
PVP
not exp losss
not lvl loss
not sitting around for decades waiting for mana bars to refill
not looking for a month to find a bind
not digging through your spell book for your pvp spell load out

look at Sullon Zek, server wide exp bonus, server wide exp loss Cut
on Sullon you had hard coded teams, and while I hated the rp aspect of those teams you knew there were people who had your back. the team aspect made Sullon a great home for a lot of people in spite of the rather insane 5-85 pvp lvl limit.

some thoughts and or suggestions

implement an exp bonus, a significant one. 5 times would be a bit much but 2.5-3 would be on target for most players.

if the above goes into effect consider upping the loot tables from 1-25 or so. you cant even afford spells when you out level your money making abilities.

remove exp loss on pvp death. punishing people for pvp is kinda counter to a pvp server, and when I say punishing I mean over and above the insanity that is the eq corpse run...easily the most punishing game mechanic of its type outside of character deletion.

if at all possible put an end to deleveling, its a bad mechanic period. (hell remove ALL exp loss other than the self inflicted kind)

boost mana and hp regen outside of combat between 3x and 5x would be my guess. back when EQ was THE game 15 minute med sessions were acceptable, not so much anymore. if you arent fighting something you are sitting on your ass medding, we dont play to med, we play to pvp.

access to locked zones, either perma break access to those zones or make them open to all. nothing and I mean nothing breaks eq pvp faster or more brutally than a guild/team with safe havens to pve in and gain a massive gear imbalance. On a Zek there should be no place safe to hide.

that's a start, my short list. I am sure others will be along. some will say that the above changes would make this like the EZ server. maybe but the red crowd doesnt play on the EZ server because its blue...we might just stick around on this one, if the grind doesnt chase us off first.


{this post came about after a conversation with some of my old Sullon crew, ALL of us felt basically the same way, the current state of the server is boooooooooring and actively hostile to fun (no spell sets? really? this wasnt a game breaking mechanic it was a needed function) so much removed that was good for game play, so much not added that was in eq back in 99. all I am asking is you give it some thought}

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[UrsusMajor]

To the OP...are you shitting me?

Man the reason this server is great is because it is like EQ 1999. There are risks to pveing just like 1999 and what you want removes many of those risks.

The reason I am playing on this server is because I like PvP and I like the risks involved in it. Yes you have to sit on your ass and med but if you liked EQ 1999 then it's no fucking big deal.

My opinion, just deal or leave.

[Darwoth]

i love the retarded suggestions from blue players that dont comprehend how their stupid ideas would completely shit up the dynamic of pvp, yeah lets respawn with full mana for the bindrushers and lets allow quick change spell sets to completely eliminate the whole having to intelligently choose what you have loaded thing.

and everyone is going to quit if they dont have fast levelling dont you know, thats why there is only 600 players on the other server.

[valithteezee]

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

Sounds like you want VZTZ server it's over........

Oh yeah it doesn't exist any more because no one wanted to play it except like 5 people.

Sorry man, but he's right. This is the best way to ensure long term health of the server.

[Rust1d?]

I am actually having fun not rushing to 50. I already did that on 4 other servers.

[Nirgon]

Honestly as a proponent of item loot, I think this XP death thing is working out quite well. I feel like I've hurt someone when I kill them. Not to mention pre lvl 12 and binds, I've seen people straight log on deaths (dwarves etc in commonlands). I'm pretty happy and see this as a way of hurtin' people trying to contest raid zones esp "that guy" in the guild who is always BARELY lvl 50 at all times.

Originally Posted by Rust1d? [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

I am actually having fun not rushing to 50. I already did that on 4 other servers.

And yes, I missed this. It's fun fighting people using shadow step and fire bolt and not everyone having 55hp rings. These are the glory days bros and they don't come around very often. Bust out that rusty 2 hander.

[inimegalg]

I'm suprised so many people are gluttons for punishment.. I think the line is somewhere in between. You don't want it too be TOO EZ, but it shouldn't be ridiculously hard either. For the guys out there that like it, you're a hardcore bunch.

For me personally, I'm at a way different stage of my life now than I was when I originally played EQ.. I doubt I could even invest a quarter of the time I did to this emu as I did to original--and I think many people are like that (or I'd hope) and we'll soon see how that effects the population after the nostalgia wears off.

I'm only level 9 and I kept asking myself everytime I took a XP loss, or regenned mana after 25 minutes wtf I was doing.. but something kept pulling me back to the computer screen, lol.

[Nirgon]

Dude, you don't have to rush to 50. Most people (except real psychos) will burn out doing it. Go to work, get your shit done quick, come home and game it. All this calling in sick and shit is for fucking crazy people. Just make good use of your time and don't ruin ya'lls lives.