An Update to Selos and Mangler - Coming March 16, 2019

I am hugely disappointed in the lack of changes. A server for the "ultra-casual" players was a pipe dream.

Thanks for the update! Pretty cool all around. FV with Selo ruleset for 21st anniversary though = b

Are there plans for a progression server that will allow boxing? I love to box. I have played on Phinny. I do actually have enough machines to run 3 accounts... but my friends do NOT. I want to be able to play 2 (maybe 3?) characters per machine at once. You can implement a single EQ Client per machine, why not bump that (slightly) to 2 or 3 per machine? That would limit the 'bot armies' but it would allow avid players like my friends and I to play how we enjoy.

Not everyone has the resources to do that.

Mangler will be a ghost town day one, Selos will be the most populated TLP in history. All you did was push 99% of your potential players into one server. Swing and a Miss!

What is your idea of an ultra-casual ?

Most would consider Ultra-Casual as everything in game is easier to get/do, x2 exp, loot, faction,etc but longer lockouts so you can have fun between them and only have to log in a few times a week to stay current.

A harder server is everything remains standard, EXP is in the middle of all the TLP's averaged, but short lockouts, so you have to buckle down work harder to get geared before the next lockout to remain #1 or #2 on the guild race/ranks. This caters to the 7-day a week EQ raider.

Currently, every hardcore TLP guild will go to Selo's, and demolish all milestones in mere hours on lockout openings. All they care about is lockouts and rankings which is the only thing that provides them the "Bang" they are looking for, a hardcore race to #1. Hurdles do not stop them, never have never will. All Selo"s did was remove the hurdles.

Let me start by saying I love EQ, I love the idea of celebrating the 20th, and I applaud you listening to the community.

In an effort to comprehensively describe what I would *love* to see, let me take a crack at it:

1. Server launches with original EQ content (this is the issue I have with Selos). I believe many players want this. I know my friends and I do. I want to experience the original content, and have the time to take my own pace at it. I work a 9-5, have kids, have responsibilities, and while I would happily spend hours grinding EQ, its just not in the cards. I need something that can accommodate real life

2. Expansion unlocks need to be spaced far enough to not conflict with point 1. 12 weeks could be enough spacing if the exp / spawn rates etc could accommodate the feeling of a casual player "being caught up" when the next expansion unlocks. If I'm 20 when Kunark launches, I'm gonna probably gonna quit.

3. Casual players would like to raid, but can NOT make normal raiding schedules. Its just not the definition of "casual". I can't sit around in a 4-8 hour spawn window waiting for Naggy, CT, KT, or whatever to pop (instancing helps here a lot!) Also, while I would love to be able to clear all content without needing "a full raid", there is still value in having a tier of gear that requires that extra level of coordination. This is more or less an observation than something that I want... but let's just say I want to be able to raid something interesting once or twice a month as a casual player, and if I want to put in the time to do more, let me do that.

4. Let me box. Let players box with a limitation. We don't need to be self-contained raids. What we want is to not be LFG for hours to get anything done. I want to play a warrior / cleric combo, or a monk / shaman. Its not about being selfish or anti-social, its about being able to log in and GET SOMETHING DONE without waiting around forever. Limit the clients (per machine) to 2 or 3 accounts. That let's regular players box in a way that is human-doable. I'm fine banning bot armies and macros, but if I can alt-tab with the best of them, let me do that. I did that in 2000/2001 and it was my favorite time of EQ.

I think, at the end of the day, your original idea of a "casual" and a "hard core" progression server was awesome. But to me, Casual means faster exp, faster spawn rates, limited boxing, and the like. Casual means I can log in and put in 2-3 hours one evening (maybe 10+ a week) and still feel like I am making progress. If I am LFG for 1.5 hours, I am not going to play. This is why LIMITED boxing and instances matters. 2-3 friends can make a self-contained group.

If I had my wish, I'd define a casual server that looks like a hybrid of Selos and Mangler:
1. Launch original EQ content, unlock 12 weeks.
2. Faster exp, more rare spawns, etc
3. Limited boxing (2-3 clients per machine). This is development work I know, but as a programmer I am sure it can be done.
4. FV rules would be fine with me (I love alts, but if I can box then I can get my 'alt fix' by paying you more $$$ to do it with more accounts).

This all comes down, for me, in that I want to "re-live" the experience of EQ in 1999 (I started in Nov of 99). That's what I want, in a format that fits the new constraints of my life. That seems like a great target to aim for to celebrate the 20th.

Daybreak you missed the mark on this again, but are a tiny bit closer. TINY BIT.

But. You. Arent. There. Yet.

boxers helped you get to where you are now, 20 years later. If it wasnt for boxers, this game would have met its untimely end several times, but was bailed out by the subscriber numbers that boxers bring to the table. We are as much a part of this 20th anniversary as anyone else. We just want to be part of it.

So by releasing multiple servers as you are, you had the most opportune time to include a server for us so we could feel as appreciated for our efforts, but instead got a firm cold slap in the face.

Mangler would be 2-3 times more profitable if you take Truebox off it. Just do it already. I dont know what you're so afraid of.

I'm mostly new to Everquest. I'm really looking forward to Mangler, it seems like the perfect experience for me

Betcha Selos is depopulated first. It'll hit Live before we're out of PoP.

--Silly Jade

Would have loved an actual casual server so I can actually something. Using the AoC would have been something that would have kept my interest in the casual server idea (Now Mangler server) but fighting for raid spawns is the furthest thing from a casual play style. I Exp is ok, not using FV loot system would have been cool but I could live without it. It is my thought that for casual you would need either AoC or FV system. Guess I’ll just keep the good memories from yesteryears and hope you all have fun playing this amazing game. <Insert sad face here>

@Roxxly @Mepps

I love the update. Glad you didn't change Selo! Only question I have and it is important to ensure people can request time off from work is: will Selo count LoY as a seperate unlock expansion or will it be rolled into PoP or LDoN? I hope it is rolled in.

This isn't a comment against you, but if you are requesting time off work to tackle content, I'd argue that's the definition of NOT casual. I really wanted a casual server... I am 100% fine with a fast progression server though. Having the time to do it is not something I have, I'm envious though!

That's great you have an opinion, except Selo is labeled as a fast server now.

I know, still had the concept of Casual in my head. I liked that concept, and wish one of the two (or even a third) was. Hence the edit.

Funny that most of the feedback was how selos wasn’t “ultra casual” as it claimed and instead of making an “ultra casual” server casual play style and calling it whatever server name you wanted they just icksnayed it altogether. I agree with above post that i am envious for those of you that have the time to knock out the fast progression server. Good luck to you all and may the odds ever be in your favor!

Hello,
Regarding Mangler. Will I be able to do a race change on my future Dark Elf Necromancer to an Iksar Necromancer once Kunark Expansion starts?. Thank you.

Thanks for the update on the servers; personally I would have loved a little faster XP and a 4/3 unlock cycle for Mangler, but this is good enough in my eyes. Glad you basically didn't change anything on Selo except the title for it since there was a large contingent of people wanting to play it as is. Can't wait for Mangler to open up now; will be fun.

Usually they have the race change items available in the marketplace at launch so as soon as the xpac drops you should be able to change (pretty sure that is how it worked on past TLP)