I think they changed it but not sure if it was in the link below or later https://forums.daybreakgames.com/eq...es-to-group-level-ranges-in-instances.206206/ For modern content, we feel the level spread of 10-15 is no longer relevant. We'd like to increase the level spread to 30. But there are tons out there that have other restrictions
Increasing the Level of Heroic toons is nice, if you want to rush max level to play the last expansion. But you can consider doing an a la carte menu of heroic toons upgrades to various level for people slowly navigating their path in the older content. Not anyone are playing last expansion. Newer expansion group content is so scarce that it does not make sens to rush anymore unless you want raid. Oldest expansions like SOF, SOD, HOT for exemple are much richer and more enjoyable that last 5 expansions.
I don't know about older expansions being more enjoyable. I didn't care for House of Thule at all. I loved SoD. SoF I could take it or leave it. Current expansions? I thought ToV was amazing. Enjoyed every second of it. CoV was getting a bit much on the ice theme, but I felt it was a competent expansion. ToL is great. Went too fast - really liked it a lot. I do agree some granularity in the Heroic Character options would be nice. But if they're going to do that, they might as well sell levels in Marketplace by expansions. Choose your expansion, cost ramps up the closer to the latest expansion. To buy levels, gear, and progression for a level 1 to level 110 (through RoS to match autogrant) would be XXXX. Scale price down accordingly. This allows people to jump in where ever they choose. I like it.
How is it any different from raising heroics even higher than 100? Oh yeah, cause you could still do this on top of 110 and be even closer to "done" without any work.
I know most circumstances disallow over 30levels, but that doesn't mean there aren't exceptions I may not know about, and that is the reason I said that. Plus of course there will always be some not at max able to do the missions and still be in the range. Oh, and I used to be on the CRT way back before Daybreak entered the fray. Heroics are no different than taskadds and powerlevelling, don't fool yourselves, they're just bought from DBG instead of other players.
"100 is fine, new players can just beg for help until they get to a point where they are high enough to group in a group-centric game"
Heroics are there to avoid the wasteland that is levels 1-115. Sure it's fun to revisit the old days and you can do so solo effectively from 1-70, then xp grinds to a halt and you are left having to box to get your way to 115 where you can finally play with the rest of the population. Honestly at this point in EQ anyone calling "pay to win" needs to re-evaluate their priorities. What exactly is anyone winning? Maybe on a TLP where there is some form of competition (just a guess based on reading the TLP forums). On live EQ servers is there any real competition that you can "win"? L
Realistically, how many brand new actual players are actually starting in Everquest in 2022 on a Live server? I am not talking about current players who want a third or fourth box and would love a 110 heroic to make it easier on them. Which I think is the hidden agenda for some of the replies in favor of 110 heroic. No, I am talking about a person who has never played Everquest. Or hasn't played since 2004 or something like that. Someone who knows no one in the game, and just wants to start a new game and decides on Everquest. How many of those are out there? Maybe a dozen, two dozen across all Live servers? So we are debating a topic that affects... a dozen. I am not sure that is the best use of developer time and thought. I rather focus on the masses still playing and keeping that carrot dangling in front of us, than trying to add 20 more brand new players to Live.
I totally agree with your first sentence - I think that is why they are raising the level - to keep the boxers happy without actually coming out and saying its mostly for them But I disagree with your count of new players. Everyday on my server there is at least 1 or 2 new players or players who have not played since for ever who are asking questions in chat. And that is just during the hours I play - am sure there are more during other times. Are you in Newplayerchat? That is the chat channel that sub level 20 and F2P accounts are only allowed to get into. Which may be why you don't see much of this activity. Only Silver and All Access are granted full general chat channel access at character creation.
It really doesn't have much to do with boxing. If you were boxing PL's then it wouldn't matter if it was 100 or not. It is just 110 is a much cleaner area to start with. On the issue of new players, they do appear here and there. I would never suggest Heroics for new players though. I once did that for a friend who never played EQ before and they had to deal with learning: Whats a Spell Book How do you Learn a spell? How do you PLACE a spell on a spell gem? Whats an AA? How do you slot AA's on a hotbar? Whats my rotation? How do I bring up my map? Wait. How do I install my maps? On and On. EQ is not only a complicated and bloated AF game, its got a poor UI to deal with it all (Thanks Daybreak for UI revamp!), so really those heroics are exactly what you mean. They are meant to sell to boxers or people making alts. Needless to say they left EQ with a poor outlook. They said maybe if they played the game from the start it would have been a bit easier.
Which part? I was saying that I look at Heroics as good for alts or boxes. The part I disagreed with was "Hidden Agenda" comment in favor of 110. If there was some sort of "Hidden agenda" people would probably argue for 115 heroics.
A friend just got into the game. Bought a HC. We are playing together. Your assertion that HCs are for boxers or alts is not entirely correct. While HCs shortcut the PL process for boxers and alt-makers, they are for new players too. All the things you mention in the new player chat are just as easily learned at 85 or 100.
At first I was ok with 100, but I've been convinced about 110. My reasoning is this, yes you could in theory get TA to get to 109/110, but realistically they are not going to be widely available. We are talking September, those TA although trivial arent really goingnto be common. It can be difficult to get Velks or Kael TA now, and thats on BB. 2. Starting off at 100 means a bit of grinding of PL to get to the *new* style of leveling. If you are trying to introduce players to EQ, shouldnt ypu do so with what they will be doing going forward? 3. Even with RoS AA (assuming level 110) a new HC is still 20-30 thousand from Max, for some of us thats a month or two of work. But we also know where to grind AA efficiently, what AA to shoot for, and likely have a main or crew to support the new HC. 4. Assuming EQ is around 3+ years, a 100 will be in the same spot they are now in 30 levels behind, not able to group with max level chars etc etc. Not a huve problem now, bit how long did it take before it was fixed. Why not simply avoid the issue for a much longer time if possible? Yes this is a what if scenario but still possible. 5. Even if we assume new HC get a merc, all AA to level, gear, rk 1 spells, most of us would still say that they have a number of things to accquire to be viable. If that is epics 2.0, clicks, flags, heroic AA, keys, etc. As others have said EQ is really huge, there is a ton of little stuff that each of take for granted that a new player or new HC wont have or may not know about. They still wont have these things at 110, but they wont have to spend as much time deciding they could use to level to hunt down some obscure item. And yes I am aware that is a core part of EQ, but also very aware that its MUCH more fun in era or within 1-2 expacs after.
Why ? When there is a level increase expansion we don't magically get bumped to max level. Nothing. Sounds right.
I know people that buy heroic's to catch up their alts quicker, if you're casual getting from 1 to 85 can still feel like a time sink.
yeah it's completely wrong to think that only people who multibox buy heroics, when you could just powerlevel your character from 1 to 110 in a day if you had a group lol
