I would really like to know what specifically would take so much time. The old freeports are clearly preserved (a lot of EQEMU servers have them) so what would be so hard in setting the TLP's to use the old freeports until they activate PoR and just have a like 1 hour downtime to change the server to use the new map files then bring them back up with PoR active.
You mean like going through lists of NPCs and dialogue and trying to figure out which ones would be missing from old Freeport and then finding places to put them all, making sure they don’t spawn under the world, etc?
I think the most Everquest part about the Freeport upgrade was that they didn’t create a copy of the old zone or archive it. Isn’t that like day 1 of learning about computer stuff even just a Word doc? Also, DPG makes a nearly infinite return on investment for TLPs. Talk about like a no cost money machine. I will give them credit for using some of that money towards experimental customer service, lol.
I didn't hate the old Freeport and I don't hate the new one (but like you, I started on Faydwer for a lot of time). The new Freeport feels much more like a big city than the old one did, so I can see what they were going for.