I've lost the desire to play everquest

[R Flair]

Game simply wasn't designed to exist in a static state for as long as it has. 5 years of Kunark or whatever took its toll.

The game was meant to be hard. Every time I create a new character I have to actively turn people away from giving me shit when they see me rocking cured silk and the like. Still, finding 5 other people to group with that are militant about playing the game without external help seems to be all but impossible.

MMOs should 100% have a persistent world, but to successfully accomplish that there must be systems in effect to combat mudflation and keep the economy healthy. Those systems largely did not exist in classic EQ.

[Ahldagor]

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

Game simply wasn't designed to exist in a static state for as long as it has. 5 years of Kunark or whatever took its toll.

The game was meant to be hard. Every time I create a new character I have to actively turn people away from giving me shit when they see me rocking cured silk and the like. Still, finding 5 other people to group with that are militant about playing the game without external help seems to be all but impossible.

MMOs should 100% have a persistent world, but to successfully accomplish that there must be systems in effect to combat mudflation and keep the economy healthy. Those systems largely did not exist in classic EQ.

New server with Kunark and Velious in place and 50% exp?

[R Flair]

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

New server with Kunark and Velious in place and 50% exp?

I think it should start without any expansions. Pure vanilla, classic xp rates. New server should last 1.5-2 years, in three phases > vanilla > kunark > Velious > transfer character's to persistent server, start over again.

People can still have their ssdd p99 experience on the persistent server, but the true classic experience will be on the new servers following a proper EQ timeline.

[Daywolf]

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

New server should last 1.5-2 years

meh too quick. They even mentioned considering a slow progression for it. For some, summer off from school and 12hr+ days in EQ are long over. Should be enough time to level a couple characters at a casual speed. Even 1.5 someone with time to kill might struggle just gearing one char with the best. Agreed though, starting from the old world, no doubt. imo best part of the game.

[R Flair]

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

meh too quick. They even mentioned considering a slow progression for it. For some, summer off from school and 12hr+ days in EQ are long over. Should be enough time to level a couple characters at a casual speed. Even 1.5 someone with time to kill might struggle just gearing one char with the best. Agreed though, starting from the old world, no doubt. imo best part of the game.

Ya 2 years might be about right, but no longer. I mean the time between live launch when people knew absolutely nothing and the end of velious was only 2.5 years.

[Brontus]

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

Game simply wasn't designed to exist in a static state for as long as it has. 5 years of Kunark or whatever took its toll.

The game was meant to be hard. Every time I create a new character I have to actively turn people away from giving me shit when they see me rocking cured silk and the like. Still, finding 5 other people to group with that are militant about playing the game without external help seems to be all but impossible.

MMOs should 100% have a persistent world, but to successfully accomplish that there must be systems in effect to combat mudflation and keep the economy healthy. Those systems largely did not exist in classic EQ.

I agree with both of your excellent posts. Project 1999 is only classic EQ in appearance and mechanics. The level of twinkage going has completely ruined P1999. P1999 is not hard at all given the mudflation has plagued this server.

With no expansions in sight, this will continue to get worse and worse. The gods have indeed gone silent.

For example in Highpass Keep the goblin area used to be at least 3 separate camps. Now it's one big camp. This is because players are overpowered due to their gear.

Most named are perma farmed 24/7. They may as well call EC tunnel the Farmer's Market because in truth that's what it is. We farm so you don't have to (tm).

Powerleveling is a big problem too with bards swarm kiting in almost every zone.

Another problem is that these days due to the min/maxing philosophy players are smart and choose the path of least resistance. Many normal experience zones are ignored and others with inflated ZEMs are preferred such as Mistmoore, City of Mist and Karnor's. The only place you get get a group is in these zones which compounds the problem and creates a sense of boredom and predictability when you roll alts and experience the same old content over and over again.

Many dungeons such as Cazic Thule and Runnyeye are ignored due to bad loot tables, terrible mob pathing issues and just horrid design.

Other dungeons are ignored due to the fact that it's very hard to get there thanks to a lack of ports. Many of the dungeons in Kunark have this problem. For example there are 2 dungeons in the Field of Bone that are impossible to get to for non-iksar players because there are no druid or wizard ports available nearby.

Even worse, Iksar don't even have a porting class so they can't even leave the continent of Kunark legitimately. Again, just more evidence of terrible design.

I've been playing P1999 for about 10 months and it's starting to wear thin too. I'm noticing a revolving door effect in the playerbase. Friends that used to play no longer play anymore.

I'm starting to wonder why I keep playing. I had the same feeling about 3 years into EQ as well. With no expansions left to look forward too, and I'm not even near the level cap, I'm sensing the end of my P1999 career is drawing nearer.

[big_ole_jpn]

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

I agree with both of your excellent posts. Project 1999 is only classic EQ in appearance and mechanics. The level of twinkage going has completely ruined P1999. P1999 is not hard at all given the mudflation has plagued this server.

With no expansions in sight, this will continue to get worse and worse. The gods have indeed gone silent.

For example in Highpass Keep the goblin area used to be at least 3 separate camps. Now it's one big camp. This is because players are overpowered due to their gear.

Most named are perma farmed 24/7. They may as well call EC tunnel the Farmer's Market because in truth that's what it is. We farm so you don't have to (tm).

Powerleveling is a big problem too with bards swarm kiting in almost every zone.

Another problem is that these days due to the min/maxing philosophy players are smart and choose the path of least resistance. Many normal experience zones are ignored and others with inflated ZEMs are preferred such as Mistmoore, City of Mist and Karnor's. The only place you get get a group is in these zones which compounds the problem and creates a sense of boredom and predictability when you roll alts and experience the same old content over and over again.

Many dungeons such as Cazic Thule and Runnyeye are ignored due to bad loot tables, terrible mob pathing issues and just horrid design.

Other dungeons are ignored due to the fact that it's very hard to get there thanks to a lack of ports. Many of the dungeons in Kunark have this problem. For example there are 2 dungeons in the Field of Bone that are impossible to get to for non-iksar players because there are no druid or wizard ports available nearby.

Even worse, Iksar don't even have a porting class so they can't even leave the continent of Kunark legitimately. Again, just more evidence of terrible design.

I've been playing P1999 for about 10 months and it's starting to wear thin too. I'm noticing a revolving door effect in the playerbase. Friends that used to play no longer play anymore.

I'm starting to wonder why I keep playing. I had the same feeling about 3 years into EQ as well. With no expansions left to look forward too, and I'm not even near the level cap, I'm sensing the end of my P1999 career is drawing nearer.

did not read

[R Flair]

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

I've been playing P1999 for about 10 months and it's starting to wear thin too. I'm noticing a revolving door effect in the playerbase. Friends that used to play no longer play anymore.

I'm starting to wonder why I keep playing. I had the same feeling about 3 years into EQ as well. With no expansions left to look forward too, and I'm not even near the level cap, I'm sensing the end of my P1999 career is drawing nearer.

It is a revolving door, and this would bring much of that to an end.

I love EQ. In its pure form, there isn't another game that can even approach it. The perfect pairing of challenge overcome thru coop play, addictive progression and gameplay, offerings for both casuals and hardcores, but the entire house of cards tumbles when the process is trivialized.

People won't play EQ forever, but if P99 can at least preserve the above it will not only keep players here longer, but it will draw more players to a better, more true to form emulation.

[Hailto]

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

It is a revolving door, and this would bring much of that to an end.

I love EQ. In its pure form, there isn't another game that can even approach it. The perfect pairing of challenge overcome thru coop play, addictive progression and gameplay, offerings for both casuals and hardcores, but the entire house of cards tumbles when the process is trivialized.

People won't play EQ forever, but if P99 can at least preserve the above it will not only keep players here longer, but it will draw more players to a better, more true to form emulation.

I dunno, I'm betting people are going to play EQ until the generation that grew up with it dies out. I'm betting 30 years from now there will still be 100 or so people poopsockin dragons in one form or another on classic EQ.

[Brontus]

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

I love EQ. In its pure form, there isn't another game that can even approach it. The perfect pairing of challenge overcome thru coop play, addictive progression and gameplay, offerings for both casuals and hardcores, but the entire house of cards tumbles when the process is trivialized.

Very well said!

Now if I create a new warrior today on P1999 blue and only acquire gear myself from mobs or via quests, I have no chance of getting a group as tank with a server population that is twinked out. I also will have no chance of properly fulfilling my role as tank with twinked group mates as they will have larger mana pools due to twinked out gear. They will draw too much agro that I can never successful taunt off. Also, my lack of gear would cause healers to expend far too much mana to keep me healed.

It's like going back in time and expecting an NFL player from the 1950's to play at the same level of expertise and physical conditioning of a modern NFL team in 2016.

Creating a great MMORPG is one thing. Continuing to manage a MMORPG and create a path of meaningful advancement for players is something entirely different. It's not easy.

The glacial gap between release in expansions in P1999 has further compounded the problem creating a situation where people reach the level cap and are forced to create more alts and even create more accounts which erodes the authenticity of the classic EQ experience.

EverQuest in it's classic and pristine form is the finest MMORPG in existence bar none. SOE got intro trouble along the way with conflicting design which created a lack of cohesion as they released further expansions. Add into the mix that no expansions will be forthcoming after Velious in P1999 and you have a big problem.

I am really hoping that the admins will someday engage the P1999 community in a productive and constructive dialogue about the future of these servers.