Favorite idea for next TLP

My favorite idea for the next TLP (some parts or probably all have been suggested) is a copy of Mischief with the random loot and free trade but with ALL expansions unlocked and levels time locked. i.e. 1 month level 50 lock, 2 months level 60 locked etc etc. This would be a blast. I can imagine people trying to beat PoP bosses with level 50 toons. Every level increase would see people trying new much more challenging content. Housing would be in, Guild halls, etc etc, lots of cool stuff. *Mercenaries would be locked until the expansion level range that they were originally created in. *

The HUGE benefit of this setup for dpg is that it would not only likely be a popular server with the bags and whatnot but it would sell CURRENT expansions.

Anything that would go with this that would make you guys like it? Would be great to see them heading in this direction.

I would want to see defiant gear removed if they did something like that.

This comes up a decent amount, level locked tlp is probably the last good idea they haven't tried yet but people keep posting about.

Agreed. Mercs and defiant gear are out until much later.

Would also suggest DPG also lock item effects from The new terror of luclin expansion unless you own the expansion. Would like them to see the path to making some good bucks from this server idea to give them some extra motivation. Example, look at the owlbear mount, nice new kind of mount blessing, that's something that should require the latest expansion be owned, not just unlocked.

DPG, Just think of all the people that would see all that great content you're creating in the latest expansions that will otherwise never see it on TLP servers.

I think Blizzard's approach of tweaking the difficulty at launch to make obsolete content more challenging, as well as balancing classes, is the right approach.

The problem with TLP though IMHO is the fact that there are a ton of boxes, and content drops too fast. After 6 months of playing on TLP I was desperately craving P99 again because it feels like real EverQuest. Right now nothing feels challenging. There's a box Cleric/Shaman/Enchanter outside of every group I join, you can get gear that would normally be super difficult to obtain for 5P, and the content releases so fast that it feels like the only time you should ever play this game is during the double exp weekends. Very low incentive to grind at normal rates when you know the next expac is dropping in a month.

Even solo classes that normally feel amazing on real EQ / P99 are useless on TLP because there's never any situation where solo'ing is optimal due to boxing, instances, and the way exp works.

My favorite idea is this :

Do a normal TLP server, if you want to do the random loot, go ahead, it won't effect it. Might make it a bit better. But here is the kicker :

Change the hot zones every week or 2. Give 2x XP to out of the way zones that no one go's to anymore because everyone uses the same exact zones to min-max in the TLPs, I am so sick of going to unrest because its the only zone anyone is in, and don't get me started on Velks, or KC.

If they changed the hot zones from say 10-20, 20-30, 30-40, etc.. every week, giving players 2x XP in ONLY those zones, and slowed down Xpac releases a bit, a lot of us old school people would enjoy all of Norrath instead of min-maxing in the same zones. We could have a "slow down" server, which would cater to the nostalgia in all of us. Highpass group anyone? Runnyeye has the bonus this week? SWEET! Lets group up.

You'll have people who cannot think outside the box comment on this, they always do.. They say "There is more mobs in some zones (that's what instancing is for), they'll say, the tracking is really horrible in some old zones (Deal with it like we did in 2000, it creates a new experience) .. among other excuses.

I would be in absolute heaven if they did this.

You don't have to xp in unrest

This has been brought up quite often, but could be fun. I do like mischief rules a lot, and think just a slight twist or improvement on that would be smart. The only thing that could be better is a)dont start in classic and b)no truebox or c)this level locked idea. Or all 3.

This is exactly what I’m hoping to see. Mischief ruleset (which is awesome), open everything, and level locking - it would even be cool to do smaller level caps also - level 20 for 1 week, the. 30, etc. Part of the problem is that they don’t have random loot figured out yet past PoP I’m assuming.

Couldn't have said it better myself. *chefs kiss*

Except no one thought of an idea like randomized loot (except one guy in a vague way in some old forum post). Who knows what idea they may have that we haven't even considered yet?

This is actually a realistic idea for once. Not my cup of tea but sounds interesting as a spectator. What would go with this? Some type of leaderboard to brag about your accomplishments other than these forums and the ServerKills.com websites.

Yeah, actually, I've been asking for a leaderboard website or api for everything exactly the same way Runescape does it for ages. Everything from number of deaths to max hit to tradeskill items created, kills per mob name/type, all server firsts for any achieves, achieves completed, number of maxxed tradeskills, etc, etc. Would be fun and it makes the world seem more "solid" and would be a history from tlp to tlp. Also, would like to see modes like hardcore (one life) and ironman (no trading or grouping).

Do you know how many people I spoken to in game and in RL, that don't want to go to Unrest because they have done the last 3 TLP's the exact same way and are so tired of it? A lot of people. They end up going there because everyone flocks there, they grind out the lower levels as fast as they can because that's what everyone else is doing, but they don't actually want to. They just follow like sheep for good XP, because that's where they are going to get it.

Thanks for the dumb answer, I know I don't have to XP there. But if DarkPaw created a server and said Ok, Crypt of Dalnir is 2x XP for 2 weeks, or Cazic Thule, it would be super cool to see other zones flocked with people just for the fun of it.
Just my 2c

Leveling that's a little slower. It's about the journey on a TLP server, at least for me. Start with Kunark and maybe Velious open as well, but then don't go on to the next expansion for a while, maybe six months. My start was playing in the trilogy. I actually started during POP but back then you had to buy expansions individually. I only had the trilogy with classic and the first two expansions so was limited to those for quite a while when I started. No random loot. Instances are OK. It doesn't need to play exactly like it did when I started.

I never use Unrest anymore. There is a much better path in classic

I'm surprised I haven't seen more people discussing the EQ2 Lore and Legend server, and if they would bring that concept to an EQ TLP.

That seems like something they could also do here if the basic concept would work in EQ's code. Maybe you start level 85, but the server opens at Velious. Imagine the amount of casual people who generally quit when they are left behind able to immediately raid Kunark and Velious? Would that hold attention longer? No leveling needed except perhaps AAs until 85?

I don't hate the concept.

Fair point, I was just commenting that the level locked server is probably the only good idea WE'VE had, that hasn't been implemented.

I think a level-lock server, with Classic thru LDON open at the start, phinny clone, and maybe mischief loot but mostly everything is heirloom, would be awesome. Would definitely encourage alts!

I'd break the level locks down into smaller increments - maybe something like:

First Week :: L20 Cap
Week 2 :: L30 Cap
Week 3 :: L40 Cap
Week 4-7 :: L50 Cap
Week 8-14 :: L60 Cap
Week 15-25 :: L65 Cap

etc.

I don't hate this idea if you mean batching many expansions together but level locking far far ahead. However, I think more expansions need to come sooner. The only reason I could live with that is because I know they may need more time to configure all the random loot and loot groups for later expansions. Would like to see first month's batch include at least through OOW though (with levels locked at 50 still). The idea is that the expansions available need to be far beyond the level cap so there are crazy challenges to try. Best solution for me is still all expansions avail from launch with level progression locks because it opens many new features of the game that make eq a far more complete game, again, things like guild halls, housing, overseer, missions, etc.