@Devs something should be done about the small part of the TLP server population that uses cheap tactics to bypass lines in these classic expansions. Specifically the insta-gate pots and clickie charms. An issue for the players with integrity: Last night people were in line for one of the VP key mobs. The line had been going for most of the day without any issues. No one cut in line, people were waiting their turn and making the best of a long camp. Then comes along a person who from a guild that shall remain nameless. The key mob spawns they insta-charm and insta-gate. They kill the mob in another location on the map. They tried this for their main toon and all of their alts, already having the key. Some folks had been in line for 4 hours that could easily have disbanded and ganked one for themselves. However those folks played with a code of ethics that prevented them from trying to by pass the line. The people that agree to help each other is what make EQ great. My question is, the insta-gate pots are out of era. Why are they in the game? On Phinny the devs removed all the loot from Kunark and Velious that was out of era, why not the potions off vendors? To help get around this problem for future progression servers could you: Make each of the kill mobs for the VP key immune to charm. Or Add the same same cast time to the insta click charm as the equivalent charm spell and remove the insta gate pots? Also is it possible to add a distance on charm where it auto breaks if the player gets out of the range of its charmed pet ? Flag the quest as not being a multi-quest option. It may be too much of a resource to do something where you get a container to combine the items in (like a warrior epic) but this would be ideal. Seems like a reasonable request to help the honest players of the game.
Seems to me that having to wait 4+ hours for a single key piece is not a reasonable request. Instant charm + gate is the solution. What's broken is the 4+ hour wait.
Pretty sure the Vial of Swirling Smoke (the insta gate potion) is classic. Vendors spawns with only 2 of them and they cost about 1050plat with good charisma. I'm positive i recall them on the vendors at release commenting on how absurdly expensive they were at that time
What should be done is fix the way they can charm and gate to kill a mob destroying the experience for people waiting in line. I agree, on a TLP having a mob that didnt spawn in 2.5 hours for a key is a little over the top (yes i know then he may spawn 3 times in a row). How ever players are dealing with it in a civil way. The DL skelly is regarded as being a very nice camp, go get in line and wait your turn. When you get people exploiting the items like Swirling Smoke, that is where they get the nerf stick. Here a strong argument can be made for nerfing the cast time. You were right I did go back and look it up, the reason i think they cost so much is because of the Red Dragon Scale armor quest. Since you need a scale and the vial to get a decent BP. The easiest solution (it seems I know I am not a dev and as such, i havent seen the code) would be to make both the charm devices and gate pots be equal to the cast time of the spells. Then they can't just come in and Charm Gate. Happens with HS keys, which is a huge nightmare on the server, happens with these keys to VP; and that just ruins the experience. IF you want people coming back to these servers to re go through the content (Cash cows from all the exp pots and other misc bags you sell) keep the spawns fair. Build the community, don't let the folks running illegal programs and plat farming ruin the game for those legitimately trying to enjoy the experience.
