If the EQ main players like a cleric could survive encounters with yellow mobs with only a merc we might feel the need log on every day. As it is, if you don't box your play choices are limited. If it's all about money then add the ability to 'purchase' a Squire from the marketplace that can be both healer and dps like a pally for time locked periods you purchase with station cash. Expand the choice cost to an extra $2 monthly if it would let this feature happen. Let players have BOTH a merc and a 'squire' so we don't have to waste our time off LFG or only being able to hit very old content to play. A Squire would have a control panel strip like a pet where he can help heal when in that mode with small DPSing or you can put him in high DPS mode (like an SK) with no healing. Make it so Squires are not available in actual Groups if you worry about people being over powerful. Since you have to pay for his service he/she/it is not permanent unless you have time on the timer.. A simple clock on your screen (smallish) with time left counting down so you know when to buy more time. Two modes, active and inactive. Time does not count down when 'inactive'. It's just a thought from someone tired of always having to box.
So, your answer to not being able to find groups is to add more automation, further decreasing the desire to group - for an additional cost? No.
You try to sound like a decision maker but you are not. Why don't you explain your standpoint in stead?
Actually it's not such a bad idea... I'd have the 'squires' behave a bit more like actual mercenaries (not EQ mercenaries, actual mercenaries). Go to a room in Pok and there's assorted classes for hire for various amounts of plat. You pay upfront by the hour. They aren't cheap. The 'squire' leaves when his pay runs out. And the rub - they're only available for hire at certain times - say 1am - 4pm (ie not peak times) They wouldn't be available in groups; they would be in addition to the 'normal' merc Rationale: Those who play outside peak times, even in large guilds, will rarely find a pickup group, much less a pickup group willing to help with the task/mission you need. Some classes really aren't great at soloing. Personally, I've never liked the 'you need to play EQ 'this' way ethos - some folk like to play alone (sometimes/all of the time/whatever) If we want the game to continue we want to facilitate that without changing the fundamental nature of it
It's been that way for over 20 years. EQ1 is a group/raid centric game, and most of the remaining players on this old antic game love that specific aspect. It's different. There are many, hundreds, TONS of solo oriented MMOs (a little bit strange, but whatever). EQ2 for instance is more solo friendly. Or you can even choose the «Big One», WoW, which is basically a solo game 99% of the time now. Merc is already a big help for solo players. As the bandwidth lover said : more automation? No. The OP request sounds like : I don't want to box (I'm lazy), I don't want to group AND I want another automated lackey on top of my already automated mercenary. Next step? Full automated groups like these bot groups everywhere? Yeah, I'm trolling a bit, but imho, with mercs, it's enough and sufficient. It's not perfect, their AI is often stupid, it's limitated but it does the job. I don't want to sound pedandic, but if you don't want to group, and if you don't want to box, which is super easy and free (or almost free) : play another game. If I want to ride a bike, I know I'll have to pedal. If I don't want ... well, I use a moped
I'll never get the notion that less freedom is a good thing. They could implement the OP's idea on a single server to try it out and then collect the OP's money for transferring to that server. Where's the harm in that? Some of us are not people persons but we still want to play the game. Why should you hate on me because I don't want to do things your way?
I don't think anyone is arguing that the fundamental nature of the game should be changed, or that anything should be tweaked to facilitate soloing. Current mercs are automated, sure, but there's no reason at all why the 'squires' could not be configured to require a level of skill to play. Not sure how boxing is free - it requires a computer capable of running 2 or more toons plus another account. It's also a skill on its own - some folk seem to be able to box a dozen toons with no problem; some can't manage more than 1; some have disabilities which make playing one more than challenging enough - playing 1 toon vs boxing does not make someone deserve to be dismissed as 'lazy' There's an awful lot of posts in here with folk arguing for/against stuff just because they personally don't like it/wouldn't use it. There's loads in the game I don't use - doesn't mean I want it taken away from others, surely that's the point - to keep a large and diverse group of paying for this thing so we can all go on playing it our way? Back to the OP - I don't think they said they didn't want to group. If you play at offtimes it's nigh impossible to get groups. Even folk who do have regular groups want/need to go off and do a thing for themselves sometimes (we all know all those solo missions are far from solo).
box a bard, use two mercs? keep the bard FTP and just buy expansions maybe eat a krono a year to max out aa
How about they provide a tank merc that can actual tank and hold agro?They don't even function as a speed bump.
He's better off with a mage or bst, at least that way he has a tank, not a something less than a speed bump.
You should not even be able to box to begin with, if boxing means logging on with different accounts and or PCs or anything in between and playing more then one character at a time and I hate automatic macros if that is even a thing here in EQ. I am not sure when the green light for boxing got approved, but that is not or should not be EQ. If you don't like to group, then don't. I don't. Most of my characters reflect that. Unless I am asked mostly and then I do it out of concern for another player and their needs, even breaking character or making an excuse to. But mostly I am on my own as I prefer it. If leveling is slower than so be it. But EQ has always been about grouping with others or if you are stubborn enough, on your own. I am surprised they even had mercenaries added to be honest with you.
Boxing isn't new at all and a pretty good percentage of players have more than one account. The OP actually wants to group but can't find groups easily at the times he plays.
