Boxing

[Xumosa]

I dont think theres anything left of the poor horse :/

[karsten]

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

[Elysium]

I was extremely pro-boxing before the server launched. I also adamantly believed this server required NPC porters at spires, as well as Soulbinders.

But I really never ever expected this server to reach 600+ players online. I'm more than happy with the no-box rule, and to be honest I wouldn't mind seeing more stringent tabs on those with exemptions.

[Olorin]

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

Is there ever going to changes to allow boxing up to 2 characters?

Classic for me, was playing 2 chars, SK / Shaman. I liked going off and doing my own thing. I liked to see what I could do by myself. I liked to raid on the SK, but when it was my own time, I liked to go off and do other stuff. I did not like to be dependent on groups. If I had 30 minutes to play, I could log in and be killing stuff right away.

This may be classic to a lot of people, but not for me. There are plenty with the "so called wife" playing the other characters going on. It is pretty easy to see that this isn't always the case though. Yes, the wife may play the char some of the time, but not always.

I think allowing up to 2 characters per IP address should be proposed.

No exceptions beyond 2 characters per IP address. None. Ever. Period.

This will take away the time wasted on "making sure exemptions arent boxing". No more time to process special cases where "the wife wants to play too". Etc. I think the time policing boxing, exemptions, etc., can be better utilized to improve the server.

Haynar

To be honest -- I would like to see no boxing and no exemptions. This rule is being abused over and over again. I would definetly be nice for the limited development resources to not have to spend ANY time on this.

To those who have a 'brother' or a 'wife' or need several exemptions, thanks the people abusing the rules.

[finalgrunt]

Boxing trivialize content. If you think there are already too much content soloed by magicians / necro or enchanters ... well it would be 10 times worse with boxing allowed.

Same for raid targets. A bunch of people would just monopolize most of raid content.

Also, boxing kills social links on the long run. True that a soloer won't group much, but still must do it for stuff that can't be soloed. Wouldn't be the case with boxing allowed.

No boxing is awesome and should be kept this way.

[Messianic]

I've read this entire thread. Good info for someone who wasn't around for the multiple other boxing debates.

Here are my conclusions based on this discussion and lots of mmo experience:

1) Boxing has a minimal to moderate negative effect on actual individual person server population as a whole. It does, marginally to moderately, depending on circumstances, affect individual ability to group across all levels, far moreso for levels 1-30ish. After you pass those levels, 2boxing is less of a detractor, but still has a negative effect, especially for people who play group-centric or weak solo classes, or people who want to group at heavily contested camps (Frenzy/Lord in lguk, etc).
2) Boxing has a net benefit to the economy of a server because most goods are farmed faster than pure platinum (since a good chunk of platinum is lost to the black hole of vendors for mats, spells, etc), and therefore prices on very good twink gear tends to fall, meaning buying that set of lambent or crafted actually becomes easier because people farm more effectively. However, this does also decrease grouping in areas where those items drop, since individuals now use platinum to acquire good gear and not groups. This even moreso makes the game more plat-market-farming centric as opposed to grouping centric. It gives incentive to those people who specifically farm platinum as opposed to actual drops. Example: since the other guy with an awesome geared-Necro/mage/Enc is farming that FBSS for you and selling it to you for 60% average price (I remember FBSS dropping in value very quickly after a month or so into Kunark), you'd rather just pay the cash or farm a different drop which you can sell than group for it.

Because of 1 and 2, boxing makes the game far more economy-centric. I actually like that, because I enjoy buying-selling and playing the markets, and i'd prefer to just build up cash (which can be done on an as-you-go basis) as opposed to camping for some item for hours.

The logic that states that "no one changes their playstyle because boxing is illegal" is valid, but not entirely accurate. It's over-idealized. People will resist heavily things that seek to change their playstyles, but they will seek substitutes for what they would ideally prefer (2boxing) or they go the illegal route and get taken care of (for the most part). The high server population of Enchanters, Shaman, Magicians, Druids, and Necros is evidence of a pressure valve for this slight playstyle change (From boxing to building up a solo class to farm and twink your class which you actually wanted to play).

Granted all of this, I would prefer if 2boxing were enabled because I simply do not have consistent, large blocs of time to devote to EQ. Every now and then I get a few hours, but I don't know when I might have to quit. I might have 30 minutes, I might have 4 hours, but it depends. My playtime is far too erratic to group effectively (although I have been in a few good ones). I generally lose so much time trying to find a group as opposed to camping Osargen in HK or Saben Tucross in lfay, then have to leave less than an hour after entering the group. I am currently 24, and it hasn't been easy to come across decent groups that exceeded my solo xp (I am a wizard) up to this point.

I prefer not to put groups through all that if i'm just going to have to bail in a short period of time. That's why I would prefer to 2box. I'm okay without it, and would really like to have it at my disposal now (with my perpetual desire to play every single class), but I understand that it does have a negative impact on the server as it stands.

Would it kill P1999? I strongly doubt it. Is it necessary right now? Nah. I think most people don't think it's absolutely necessary. But I don't understand people who say "OMG 2BOXING IS THE DEVIL." I've played too many mmos (some more group-centric than EQ) where people 2boxed and the evidence showed that it wasn't a game-killer.

I also find it silly to leave just because it is or is not banned. It may be slightly more difficult for you either way, but the game is still very playable.

I have sympathy for you EU folks, and I think you're the hardest hit by the ban. But there are always solutions available for those who are willing to do the hard work of finding them. I know plenty of European players who band together and form a tight-knit community of people who play during the same time, and they are almost always grouped.

In conclusion, this isn't as huge a deal as people make it out to be, and that's from me as a person who really wants to 2box, but wants to preserve the integrity of the server as best as possible.

[azeth]

i read that whole thing

[Maidikament]

Someone was talking about economy.... the number of people who have over 100k in bank is alot bigger here then it was on EQ after 1 year. Dunno if its because gem or cash drop too often but i dont think boxing can do worse then what it is actually.
Btw, it was possible to buy a manstone during velious for under 30k on live.

About boxing, even if i box alot on PEQ, i dont mind to dont box here. The problem is Im sure there are some people who box, even without the permission of 2 ip. Just need a non protected wifi around and a second PC.

[Cogwell]

If you think boxing is bad, you should check out what Mercenaries have done to grouping on live.

Like a lot here, I love to box, but understand the effect it will have on the server. Allow boxing and you add at least 50% to server pop.

[Keerarae]

I like and dislike the policy. I like it because when I'm grouping I know I'm with 5 other real people and I get to know them decently well.

I don't like it for the fact that I can't log in a char to port/buff/rez myself but that is really just a big convenience that I don't really need.