Boxing isn't a problem, it is a population density issue.

We were telling DBG more than 4 weeks in advance of the new server that population density issues would be a serious issue past the noob zones.

All the noob dungeons such as Crushbone, BlackBurrow, Mistmoore, etc would become complete bottlenecks. DBG ignored us and launched as is.

We were screaming for weeks beforehand that a second server would be required on day one to alleviate congestion issues. Here it is almost a week later and...oh hey look...they're finally bringing up a second one. Another DBG ignored issue that was WELL known about beforehand.

So now what happens? The very limited number of people playing THEIR way (boxing) are being targeted more and more because they're obvious about what they're doing. This leads to jealousy and people screaming "boxers are ruining the server!"....no...it is simply a population density issue. The SAME number of boxers, if not less, are playing on RageFire than played on Fippy. Believe me, I was there, there was a LOT more people boxing.

So what happened? Why is Ragefire getting more boxer hate than Fippy? Well, boxing has become more popular over the years in other games therefor giving more publicity for boxing in general. Then Ragefire comes out and it is all people see due to congestion issues in later level zones causing a larger focus on boxing itself. If they had launched with TWO servers from the start we'd not have all this minority hate going on.

Stop crying about boxers, they are NOT the issue. The problem is Holly Longdale, or whomever has been calling the shots so far, DRASTICALLY underestimating the popularity of this new server, and outright ignoring the experiences from the last several TLP servers and the issues they've faced.

-Still having population density issues
-Still having later zone congestion issue.
-The queue system was FINALLY added after years of needing one.
-Instancing is not the solution for latter zones, but more content is (kunark/velious etc).

At the very LEAST it should have been a requirement to launch with Classic+Kunark to spread out the population so zone congestion wouldn't be as bad of an issue.

Yet again, DBG completely ignoring past learned issues and letting them happen AGAIN.


-> TLDR; Boxing isn't the issue, but is a population density & congestion issue that DBG could have easily solved with little modifications to the server before it even launched. Anti-Boxing rulesets will not work, and won't happen. Give it up!

yep, this place is like a clueless angry mob. as soon as the second server is opened and the population is thinned out, you are going to see a lot less whining about multi-boxers.

I don't know what boxing is. Ban boxing everywhere.

I posted a similar conclusion in a different thread https://forums.station.sony.com/eq/index.php?threads/roshen-please-read.222566/page-3#post-3244536

But yes. I think boxing is just getting blamed for what is actually a content availability problem

The thing that kills me the most is the outright ignoring the experience of the previous progression servers.

We saw this coming, we knew what would happen and the people that COULD do something about it chose to do almost nothing. I saw just as much boxing on Fippy/Vulak, but with people more spread out it is not nearly the problem people are making it out to be.

Kunark takes NOTHING away from the Classic experience. All it provides is additional content for the 1-60 game that will alleviate every single concern -- aside from the login queue.

But, hey, what the f*&# do we know, right?

Boxing is blamed because it's kind of easy to point the finger at.

-I can't log in, but another guy got on and his five other accounts. Therefore, boxing is bad.
-I struggle to kill one mob, the other guy killed over a dozen because he has mages.Therefore, boxing is bad.
-I was KS'ed by another guy because he boxes magicians and I have no recourse. Therefore, boxing is bad.
-I can't find any mobs to kill because someone nearby controls several (magicians) accounts. Therefore, boxing is bad.
-My wife left me for someone else who has three accounts to Ragefire. Therefore, boxing is bad.

you have more people playing on this server than on servers during classic. on top of that, player characters(especially casters and priests) are far more powerful than they were during classic, which means vastly higher kill rates for the same number of even more contested mobs.

its a recipe for a laughable situation

kunark most certainly does take away from the classic experience. it adds 10 new levels and gear that completely trivializes most of the classic era.

Agree with you 100%.
This is MMO, yet some people want others to play their way.
The issue here is contention for camps and lack of accountability for bad behaviors, not boxers.

I used to two box with two computers for years, starting before Kunark first came out. If EQ was ruined by boxing, it's been ruined since the beginning. There isn't a difference with 6 boxers. I easily held camps with my 2 boxing setup.

People know the game inside and out now. They are naturally going to do better this time around. For that one reason alone, you won't ever get the true "classic" experience. It will never be 100% like it was back then. Not even Project 1999 is true 100% classic. Just play and enjoy the experience. I am, even right now on Ragefire at it's worst I still enjoy it.

10 levels? you got me there, death blow.

Completely trivializes gear? No chance, hot shot.

Plane of Sky is still the #1 zone for top end gear in both expansions. Kunark class armor with high AC and clickies is fun, but not game breaking by any means. A few Seb/Chardok pieces here and there may replace some of your lower guk gear, but overall you're going to be farming Classic zones well into Kunark.

Classic content is trivial. Naggy died to 18 people, the highest of which was level 46. Kunark gear is not meaningfully more powerful in this context

@ the OP...

I don't think anyone is "jealous" of boxers (as you indicate in your 4th paragraph) - I think there is a lot of animosity toward boxers in general that is likely caused by a few bad actors.

I have been right next to boxed groups that are functioning mostly like an old time group - holding an area, etc...

I have also been more or less ravaged by boxers who fall on you like a bad wind that keeps blowing - they run around the zone and as they are running past you, kill everything in site - including the mob you are killing.

It leaves a sour taste that then gets generalized out to "all boxers"

I think if I were boxing on this server, and not being a "bad citizen of the server" as it were, I'd be rather ticked at the boxers on the server who were giving me a bad name and a bad rep.

one zone being the outlier isnt a good argument, cool dude.

theres also the fact that top end sky was never beat during original classic at any rate, and its only beatable on progression servers due to the increase in character power at level 50. not to mention VP gear is better at any rate.

the kunark armor has the only stat that matters in the old world, AC, and its better than planar in that regards. the weapons from mid level zones are better than planar drops. theres a slew more examples.

your argument was kunark takes nothing away from the classic experience, and thats simply not true. its an entire expansion, it changed the game.

Yea pretty much, but I have seen a LOT of jealousy towards boxers holding a normal sized camp. I've even seen death-threats against guild members whom are boxing from random passerbys.

I always make it a point to be nice to people if I'm boxing or not. So lumping boxers in with everyone else is just dumb.

ALL content is trivial, up to GoD and even that isnt particularly hard any more. so lets jump right to Gates.

This is nothing. Wait till the problem chain works it up to raiding.

The Hole is open right now. Minor stat upgrades on gear all over that zone, including a GASP! 20 AC shoulder item. Guess we should just close up shop because Classic is officially ruined.

They probably ignored you because you guys whine and cry far too much.

id have prefered it not be in. adding one high level zone as a compromise to help with overcrowding seems like a good compromise over skipping over an entire era.

going past the entrance in the hole at level 50 is going to be more challenging than guk and sol b, and the gear seems appropiate for that challenge compared to other classic gear.

OP nailed it.