Translocators! Your opinion.

[Kreigore]

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

The issue is this: timed TLs are more "classic," yes, but it is a matter of whether or not devs wanna see gameplay end up much LESS classic as a result. It simply makes the "I'm not sure it's worth it to travel 20 min to that MM group" consideration turn into "no effing way." All this talk about classic-this classic-that, well groups were pretty well spread out throughout all dungeons, no matter how good (guk) or how much they sucked (befallen). Due to the population, groups are concentrated in key areas. I know you guys don't want this, you mentioned it when talking about sola exp and replicating the bonus to other dungeons. But the simple fact is that having timed TLs are making the gameplay decidedly LESS classic due to how it interacts with a low population.

For example, everyone and their mother between 12 and 18 are in oasis. Oasis was always a popular zone, but you had other options in 1999. But here, due to the population, you usually don't have any other options. Unrest is an option sometimes, but it's not reliable in any way.. So any, say, mistmoore group, is gonna have to recruit people from oasis. That extra time is enough to make potential group makes say "naa too far."

Currently the vast majority of players are focused in a few key zones. Oasis, sola, solb, and now on occasion guk. It's pretty rare to even have a MM group formed (though not exceedingly rare) even with instant TLs. What I've noticed since the timed TLs are in, is that I very rarely see MM groups formed anymore. It was already a borderline "is it worth it?" consideration with instant TLs, and has now turned into "hell no."

So the issue is this. In classic EQ you had multiple options for where to level. This was a key aspect of gameplay. In P1999 you have much fewer options due to the population. Adding timed TLs is more "classic EQ", but the result of it is a decidedly LESS classic gameplay. That is, the reduction in grouping options since people are much much less likely to leave their comfy boring oasis group to join a MM group that might break up 20 minutes after they arrive. We're not talking about nexus books here...the instant TLs didn't make the trip convenient in any way...just not as often inconvenient enough to totally remove any motivation to travel across the ocean.

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[Bubbles]

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

The issue is this: timed TLs are more "classic," yes, but it is a matter of whether or not devs wanna see gameplay end up much LESS classic as a result. It simply makes the "I'm not sure it's worth it to travel 20 min to that MM group" consideration turn into "no effing way." All this talk about classic-this classic-that, well groups were pretty well spread out throughout all dungeons, no matter how good (guk) or how much they sucked (befallen). Due to the population, groups are concentrated in key areas. I know you guys don't want this, you mentioned it when talking about sola exp and replicating the bonus to other dungeons. But the simple fact is that having timed TLs are making the gameplay decidedly LESS classic due to how it interacts with a low population.

For example, everyone and their mother between 12 and 18 are in oasis. Oasis was always a popular zone, but you had other options in 1999. But here, due to the population, you usually don't have any other options. Unrest is an option sometimes, but it's not reliable in any way.. So any, say, mistmoore group, is gonna have to recruit people from oasis. That extra time is enough to make potential group makes say "naa too far."

Currently the vast majority of players are focused in a few key zones. Oasis, sola, solb, and now on occasion guk. It's pretty rare to even have a MM group formed (though not exceedingly rare) even with instant TLs. What I've noticed since the timed TLs are in, is that I very rarely see MM groups formed anymore. It was already a borderline "is it worth it?" consideration with instant TLs, and has now turned into "hell no."

So the issue is this. In classic EQ you had multiple options for where to level. This was a key aspect of gameplay. In P1999 you have much fewer options due to the population. Adding timed TLs is more "classic EQ", but the result of it is a decidedly LESS classic gameplay. That is, the reduction in grouping options since people are much much less likely to leave their comfy boring oasis group to join a MM group that might break up 20 minutes after they arrive. We're not talking about nexus books here...the instant TLs didn't make the trip convenient in any way...just not as often inconvenient enough to totally remove any motivation to travel across the ocean.

Winner winner chicken dinner.

1. ) Wizards are pretty non-existant.

2. ) Druids are't pulling their weight.

3. ) If you can #zone, you really shouldn't be making this decision for others.

4. ) Your FP melees headed for Mistmoore/Unrest already got another time sink on their hands trying to get bound in Kaladim/GF on their way to MM/Unrest.

[Clueglue]

I assume this change was made due to people using translocators as a way to escape death while fighting guards in BB. An easy fix: Don't let people translocate while in combat.

[President]

I'm glad I finally out leveled the MM entrance. I liked it, quick fighting, good xp, low risk.

However, after the TL change, it was a NIGHTMARE to get replacements.

I wish they would go back to how they were.

[aVoided]

20 mins? I waited 15 mins for the transloacator in freeport. I pop into OOT only to watch the translocator there poof before me... wait yet another round for him to respawn.. what was it 23mins? Sucked. So total of 38 ish minutes. and that doesn't even include the run time to get to where i was going. So if you are getting replacements to MM in 20 mins grats to you :P

classic it is though i guess hehe

[Torrinn]

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

I assume this change was made due to people using translocators as a way to escape death while fighting guards in BB. An easy fix: Don't let people translocate while in combat.

Again I say, what about the red mob who randomly wanders by while you're waiting for the tl to pop or the one who jumps you while en route to the tl? Those people should die with XP loss and possibly a difficult CR just because you say they should? You'll be saying that right up until the moment it happens to you then you'll be cursing the devs for not making the tl's 24/7.

[jawtoe]

Here's an idea.
Put a structure out in the water away from any NPC's on land at all of the translocator points (this is where you'll port to, to simulate the option that evil races had to jump off the boat before docking to avoid aggro). If the structure doesn't have a bridge to reach it, then you could have a translocator in the original spot to teleport to the safe-dock area and back)
Have the translocators up for maybe 3 or 4 minutes at a time, and have them respawn every 10 minutes max.
Maybe even make this structure out in the water one of the old boat models - but make it stationary and stable. Have the translocator on the timer spawn ON the boat.
Juzzt some thoughts. But I do like the idea of having to wait to travel. It shouldn't be instant. Travel times were part of the cost of being a melee class, it's also a social game - make friends with a porter or make a deal with someone where you each have a porter class as a secondary character so that you can port each other.
The time sink argument doesn't feel right to me. Regenerating after a battle is a "time sink", maybe we should all heal like in Live, where once you're sitting for a min you regen like 5% hp per tick no matter how many hit points you actually have. No, the game itself is a time sink. or what you're all calling time sinks are just the mechanics of balance in this particular game. If you want different rules, you really want a different game, but haven't realized it yet.

[Torrinn]

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

Continuing my post as I was editing it when the power went out this morning...

This this changes:

1) encourages us to learn how to fish (gawd knows I need to train it) [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

2) makes the trip more challenging for evil races - which is as it should be (you didn't think those stats/regen were free did you?).

3) quests in the area that were made when traveling was slower to now function again.

4) further increases the value of ports like druids and wizards (there will be more porters when/if this goes into effect)

Having said all that... do we have the population to help compensate for the downtime? Back in 1999 there were more people, and more porters. That had to reduce the frustration somewhat. Additionally, traveling on the boat was fun the first few times (or fun everytime if you're like me). Translocaters are not boats and shouldn't be confused with them - they're not fun in the same way.

I really don't think it's a problem though. I know people complain, but if you're making the trip that often then you should rethink your plans. I'm absolutely honest when I say that traveling from one continent to another is something I do very, very rarely (haven't done it yet). So having to wait is not a problem for me. Instead, it's an opportunity to get a fishing pole and fish while I wait. Now, if I was bound in freeport and hunting in OOT, it might get me mad. But overall, I think most of the population will rarely use the boats/translocaters. If anything, this mechanic will decrease the numbers of people that hunt in OOT or zones that're in the path of the boat/translocater. I expect casters to still go to those zones since they can bind in them without having to translocate.

And before anyone tells me I don't know what I"m talking about.... I do. I played when everyone used boats. I had to take a boat to get to get to velious. I had to take a boat to get to erud's crossing and erudin (which I did several times in my career). I took the boat from freeport to faydwer as well (even tho my corpse was lost at sea because of a boat bug). I did lots of fishing. I remember it very well.

Btw, the need for binds has already pushed me to make a druid alt. That's one more future porter at your service.

And when everyone rolls up a porting alt like you say, the price of ports will drop because of competition so not leaving the tl up 24/7 does nothing to protect the income of the porting classes, it makes it worse. When everyone can port it will do to the value of a port what the PoK books did to them. Drop it to nothing.

[jawtoe]

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

And when everyone rolls up a porting alt like you say, the price of ports will drop because of competition so not leaving the tl up 24/7 does nothing to protect the income of the porting classes, it makes it worse. When everyone can port it will do to the value of a port what the PoK books did to them. Drop it to nothing.

This isn't something worth worrying about. Yes it's an option that everyone roll porting alt's, but MOST people don't have the time for that or don't care to. People who are willing to level a porting class to 29 might become a little more common, but not by much. It just so happens that one of the two porting classes (druids) are one of the few really good soloing classes. On a server with a small population, these solo classes are also going to be more common.

[magic]

Wizards are also an amazing solo class. Once they get jboots they can quad kite their way to victory. Ice Comet / Root / Diamondskin allows for a lot of solo farming potential