EverQuest Producer’s Letter April 2023

On live servers maybe.

TLP don't get F2P until they hit live-status.

Good point.

Personally I think the Legacy Character Idea is a far better fit for Live servers than it will ever be for TLP servers.
After being a TLP player on Phinigel I had maybe 1 alt per account I bothered to level up at all, all of the rest were exclusively for bank space or traders.

That's a lot of text to admit I was right & you were not.

It doesn't stop training in general. And good luck to it not being exploited (it's going to be shredded).

Indeed there is. Which just circles back to my initial question in asking how many of these posts vehemently against FTE are actually acknowledging there are indeed pros and cons to *both* FTE and absolute dps racing?

That FTE might be an initial headache to implant isn't a good overall reason to *not* at least try it either. Especially if it has the potential to make the gameplay experience more bearable overall for a lot of people.

There's isn't a pro that outweighs 2.5 decades of precedent with current combat system. Just like everything else, bugs will be placed on the back burner until something like RoS happens.

Pro list for fte: you can snipe mobs if you have low ping , an auto clicker etc.
Pro list for status quo : we dont break a number of long established gameplay, impacting pulling, raids, leashing, leveling alts and friends, healing mobs, mob social behavior, the list goes on.

I think the developers labor could be better spent implementing fun features or content, rather than trying to find a problem with a very complex solution.

Sure there is. You just refuse to see them. Or don't care to since the those pros and cons aren't checking out in your preferred favor. Or both.

Regardless, I'm excited and intrigued to see something different. Especially the effect it could potentially have on what the game world leveling scene looks like as a whole after the initial launch wave concludes. As despite all the talk about this change revolving solely around a desire to kill PL krono sales, I suspect an interest in possibly tuning back the "over-optimization" that has happened there over the years in the game world plays a fair role in Daybreak's decision here.

Like In my last 3 TLP and 100+ unique player guilds, I literally don't know a single person who ever once twinked a toon up post classic and then simply journeyed out in the world to level. Not one. They either don't level alts, or it's always the same'ish and much less socially interactive industrial level PL plans starting the moment you leave the newbie yard. There is no in-between, and I don't necessarily think exploring ways to at least somewhat pump more people back into the non-end game and interactive game world is a bad thing for TLP# whatever at this point.

If EQ has really just turned into a pay-to-level kronos farm I probably don't want to play anymore. I always level the legit way because that's what EQ is about for me. I am beginning to see why so many people are against FTE now if it severely handicaps everyone's PL plans. Hope all of you take a good hard look at yourselves and ask why you even play this game. Daybreak - thanks for trying something new to get people to actually play the game the way it was intended.

Not what happened, but if you want to pretend like low level monks bare fist damaged being balanced around 5 or 6 expansions, if not more, after berserker's came into existence proves that berserkers and beastlords would not be over powered in classic feel free to think that.

Maybe some people really played this game for too long. Claims like
"8 weeks of Classic is too much"
"Nobody levels alts"
"Merge expansion X and Y and Z"

seem to indicate that people just want to get to the endgame fast and start raiding. And you can see the same attitude in many other games like WoW or really any MMO.

But not everybody is like that. For example I started playing Everquest specifically because of the leveling. Yes, you heard that right. I just find the slow game pace super relaxing and I very much prefer getting a group together and camping a dungeon for several hours than the theme park approach most modern MMOs take. I am here for the journey. And I already looking forward to going to Unrest with my Cleric alt after my main is max level.

MMO content creator Josh Strife Hayes touches on that subject in many of his videos, the best brief summary is this one

(where he is playing EQ and someone is offering him a level boost)

Feedback for this year’s TLP

- Release Oakwynd just as you intend.

You guys obviously want to test some things and you should. I do not think a first to engage system is a good fit for EQ1; however, I’d love to be wrong and it actually be better, so go for it!

- Alternatives to resolve player conflict and reduce CS inquiries.

All conflict is rooted in two or more parties vying for the same limited resource. This can include raid encounters, group xp mobs, and rare mobs for gear/epic pieces.

Raid mobs – you already fixed this with instancing. This was an amazing change to the game for the better. Leave open world for racing to keep the competitive spirit. We all have access to all the content now.

Group xp mobs – You partially fixed this with pick zones. It’s very helpful, but often there are still not enough picks. Consider reducing the spawn time of mobs in popular xp zones to lower the amount of spawn points a group can keep down to support more groups per pick. Revert when necessary.

Named/Camped mobs – You partially fixed this with random loot. Being able to get a quillmane cloak from other named is helpful. But Cazel’s spoon, Berg’s crown etc are only accessible the traditional way because they are not flagged as rare. Consider reducing the spawn time/increasing drop rate to meet the demand. Revert when necessary.

- Why folks are confused/upset by the ruleset

From my perspective, people have been waiting a long time in anticipation for this announcement for the new fun thing that you guys make. This ruleset is not awful, but it comes off as more of a beta test for a system as opposed to a new fun way to experience the game.

To test this system, incentivize players to play on it by giving account rewards or something. You will need a good sample and play test to know if FTE is a positive change so you will need players. All the same, you will need to release another fun to play server to satisfy everyone’s anticipation and excitement for this year’s TLP.

- Second Server Idea

The goal of this server is a journey through time. For players to make it to live. For that, it will need to support independence, support playing with others, move quickly to reduce burnout, provide regular stimulus to keep people engaged, and allow new players to get caught up quickly.

Ruleset:
Relaxed Truebox from launch – 3 clients per computer. People who have short play windows can be minimally viable, but still want to group with others for a bonus. Guilds benefit from people having pocket clerics. People have more characters to gear and AA and stick around longer. Some may try boxing for the first time.


Persistent Double XP for all characters under the previous unlocks level cap – stacks with potions. Not everyone will be able to join this server at launch. Friends may want to join in later. Allowing a quick path to catch up with the rest of the server might make the difference between new players late in the server’s life, and those players deciding not to play due to how far behind they are. Keep auto-grant in as well.

Mischief free trade and random loot – For many, when you guys did this, you fundamentally improved the game. It fixed lots of conflict issues, made it easier for guilds to distribute loot, made it fun to gear out boxes and alts, and made every kill exciting. Its just better…not a gimmick.

Bonus xp when in a full group (stacks with catchup bonus, must be in same zone). – Encourages people to play with each other. Sometimes groups want optimum group make-up to maximize exp rate, this allows for the exp rate to be great by just grouping with randos. Will need to acknowledge same zone to make sure it’s not exploited. Faster xp is less burnout from grinding and allows for a faster release cadence where people don’t feel like they are getting left behind. But you need to play with others!

Merge with Mischief/Thornblade/FV at the end

Release Cadence (8 or 12 week unlocks):

- Classic & Kunark
Pairing these will allow people to use the Kunark zones as much of Kunark’s content is for leveling. Kunark and Classic have raids that get old quickly and rewards people do not care too much for. This era is for leveling and getting your guild cohesion. There being more leveling zones will reduce overcrowding.

- Velious & Luclin
Velious has great gear from raids; however, not much else to do. Having access to AAs early give us a reason to login outside of raid times to get some AAs. Having luclin unlocked means this era is all about keying and getting your guild geared up. Beastlords will be happy not having to wait so long to get in the game.

- POP, Ykesha, & LDON
This era is a ton of fun, but also an era when many burn out. LDON’s raids are nearly meaningless and not that engaging, this results in guilds continuously farming plane of time. This will not harm balance or play experience at all.

- Gates of Discord
There is quite a bit to do in GoD and the gear is necessary to prep for omens, this can stand on its own. Many swap to berserker here

- Omens & DoN
DoN does not really provide much engaging content outside of completing the progression for the AAs. The loot is not great compared to anguish outside of a few pieces. These will pair nicely as many drop out from being tired of doing anguish and MPG trials repeatedly

- Depths & Prophecy
DoDh provides plenty to do, while prophecy not so much. PoR is great for tradeskilling though! This adds lots of group focused content to do in between DoDH raiding to keep folks logged in.

- TSS+
From here I would continue 8 or 12 week releases with one expansion as a time as I believe the vast majority of the TLP player base has not experienced EQ from this point on.

Sorry for the lengthy post…I just love this game.

TL;DR
- Oakwynd should be an experiment server with incentives to play
- A second server should be created focused on reducing burnout and players wanting to make it to live

Possibly, some of them are OK some I'm not so keen on.

IF it is Legacy Characters going to live I'd like to be able to turn it off. If not it could be my time in EQ is done. EQ doesn't need to be made easier, leveling in the early game is far too fast for the content available.

FTE doesn't stop PL. Do you even play the game? or are you just out touch with reality?

Everyone against fte sounds so dumb. There was litteraly a guild called "That's EQ baby" that was made because they just dps raced, stole camps, trained, and camped mobs to sell loot rights. When anyone complained they said "That's eq baby" only people complaining are the krono farmers/ guilds with the dps to do whatever they want.

That being said this new TLP still sucks the rules are make it mischief 2.0

FTE doesn't do anything people suggest it will at least not well. It's not going need further combat restrictions in order to prevent the things people are suggesting it will (PL, Camps, and Training).

in fact, the only thing it had potential for is trains, that is until people figure out reverse trains. It's not worth gutting combat to half ss fix one problem that only is a problem on TLP.

And those same type of griefers will likely be in the new rapiers guild which is, surprise surprise, rolling on oakwynd. The tactics will just change.

Ease back on the rage over the change that is spilling out in every other post you make, take a breathe, and re-read my post. I don't say "stop". I said tune back, and which from a speculative view to how many are roughly guessing FTE will work based on the information they gave us that most certainly looks to be the projected case.

Assuming that behind the snap back comment there *you* actually have some extensive firsthand familiarity with what you are talking about, I'm left guessing you already know that though.

Nothing you said changes the reality, all you did was explain why it was there at no point have you disproved what I said in fact you have confirmed it just by circuitous means, call it whatever you want, I was right.

The one thing about FTE I like is that it will be great at keeping guilds from being able to weaponize trains to wipe an in progress raid so they can take it. I dont like the group play changes it will bring though.