It would be nice if moderation wouldn't just close threads if they got derailed. Possibly split them into 2 threads, one that gets closed and one that contains actually relevant discussion. Example: https://forums.daybreakgames.com/eq/index.php?posts/4123642/ Just closing it down is easy, but you are also silencing the relevant discussion. It's like stubbing your toe and cutting it off instead of cleaning it and adding a bandage.
I don’t think they have the appetite to actually issue bans, and even bans won’t solve the issue. The most effective tactic DPG could employ would be to integrate features from the 3rd party software applications. There is a lot of functionality within those programs that would dramatically improve quality of life and accessibility for the player-base. For example, expanding the melody function to the rest of the classes which would reduce repetitive strain injuries (RSIs). There are other features like travel or improving merchant interfaces that improve the game. DPG really needs to address EQ’s overall accessibility for an aging game population. Mercenaries are terrible and very limited. Playing multiple characters is a necessity to do the most basic gameplay. Automated characters are the response to a group oriented game without the population and replacement features for a group. So, you get this explosion of program users amongst the normal player that just wants to play a single. TLDR: Treat the roots of the problem and not just the portion that can be see .
If I stub my toe, I hop around on one foot and cuss loudly and then go on with what I was doing. Its seldom bad enough to need a bandage. As I am sure many of the suspended will.
So instead of getting rid of players who cheat with these illegal third party programs, you propose the game implements these illegal third party programs into the game so that everyone is on a level playing field and everyone can cheat? El. Oh. El.
You can already automate a bard, but it’s a basic and suitable to address the accessibility issue. Mercenaries are automated characters but aren’t effective. Why do you think so many people across various guilds, including raid guilds run automated boxes? EQ needs more accessibility to accommodate its audience.
Ban them. Then ban their families, their lawyers, their accountants, and their dogs. Seriously though - no to automation.
I guess a lot of players cheat? They want the easy way out? They want single player Baldurs Gate in a MMO environment? They are anti social and cannot work in a team setting with other people? They are selfish and want all the loots to themselves? I don't know. Just throwing darts at the dartboard.
While some of the features of 3rd party are easily definable as QoL - such as the "improved autofollow" and would fit well into EQ most are just flat out cheating. Visibility on the locations of every object, player & npc in the zone being one clear cheat. "Melody for other classes" is on one hand arguably just a more complex macro system but on the other is far too much like partial automation, in the case of Bard songs it's justifiable since their playstyle was carpal-tunnel syndrome inducing and they are doing a lot of other stuff beside melody if being used well. Melody in bards is not 100% of their playstyle, but giving it to other classes would be hugely problematic unless it is restricted to just maybe the "spam" abilities, and even then I would say that reducing the button-mashing bloat of most combat should be a very serious consideration of any UI revamp rather than seeking a fix like this. We do not need more whack-a-mole, EQ needs a lot less, EQ2 went full on whack-a-mole combat and it harms the game imho, of course Classic EQ had too few buttons for players to click in order to interact with their characters but there is a point at which furiously spamming dozens of hotbuttons is deleterious to the game and EQ has already passed it & needs to peg it back some, so I do not see the "melody for other classes" as the right solution, it's just a grab in the dark for "a" solution. Full Automation of Player Characters is one of the funky areas you would never want EQ to be doing unless it is allowed for everyone. Until then boxing should always be an "extra attention/activity required" equation but automation makes it as easy as breathing - a clear advantage over anyone not using it. Again I see that as the wrong solution to a problem, I believe a better solution would be multiple-Mercenaries and at least some low-level content that is suitable to 1 player plus 2 mercs - such as mercenary tasks (naming convention fits well). Why? If you are running actual player characters they all need gear, xp, aa, flags, keys etc. While mercs only need Merc AA (and arguably that should be removed and the mercs just tuned to be approximate to a group-geared player). What a player who has actual characters as boxes needs to do is maintain those boxes, or else they fall behind in usefulness and that reduces their willingness to group by dropping a box, many would see a pick up grouper as being vastly inferior to their well-geared, high AA boxes, but even more so if they can automate these. With Mercs you lose nothing by suspending it except you then have to contend with AFK's maybe, so I think a multi-merc type of soloing functionality is more "grouping friendly" than boxing. Only reason I really 3 boxed was that it was a way to have 3 mercs, campfire, etc. a 3 box 3 merc box team is basically 50% Automated by the game itself when you think about it, but it's above board & allowed.
I honestly, think that most people's issue with autofollow has more to do with the settings on the EQ instances running in the background not being set up properly either with the settings or runspeed differences. I can run around on my 13 year old system with a 1080Ti and run through a zone with a lot of trees and stumps and my boxes are right behind me just using the /follow command. Now if buffs fade and my shaman and cleric start slowing down, my monk will lose them if I am not watching the map for them. I think that it is more that splitting a thread is far too much work, especially when there can be posts, such as mine here that address both the original point of the thread as well as the detour of it.
Googles Baldur's Gate Adds to Steam cart Buys Yep, I've basically played EQ solo since 2005 with some minimal flavors of interaction. A brief stint on Agnarr being the one exception. I could say my character names and likely nobody on FV or Xegony would say they've ever even seen me except maybe AFK in PoK while I grab some food. I'm never playing the current expansion so inherently avoid most foot traffic without even trying. I'd lease my own EQ server if they'd let me. Alternately, give me a server where I can mind my own business and play like I have the past 17 years in peace.
Daybreak should institute and articulate a 3 strike rule. 3 suspensions = permanent ban. No appeals For example: "Effective 1 June 2022, Daybreak will institute a 3 strike rule regarding violations of current anti-cheat policy. Any previous suspensions will not count towards the counter. The counter starts on that date." The strikes are a warning against continued use of 3rd party software. The leverage would help to rule out any false positives or past actions. Continued violations would lead to permanent ban from the game.
Make an emulated server. It's allowed, and would be way way cheaper than leasing one from Daybreak would end up being.
I've played on a few (have multiple groups of max toons on PEQ) and have had a personal one since before moving mobs were even a part of it. Xpacs stop around OOW. I want to play all of the amazing content since then. I also want to support DPG for all this hard work and continued development of the game. Anyone is free to contribute to my thread on the topic. https://forums.daybreakgames.com/eq...-get-a-live-version-of-rizlona-server.282027/ Also welcome to contribute to Benito's thread. https://forums.daybreakgames.com/eq/index.php?threads/prison-server-mega-thread.282026/
