Multiboxing is a sign of a deeper problem with the game.

Discussion in 'The Veterans' Lounge' started by Strawberry, Mar 14, 2022.

  1. Aussieguy Lorekeeper

    I box because no groups. If there were groups available I would not bother boxing, gets a bit boring like that..
    Xyphen likes this.
  2. yepmetoo Abazzagorath

    With how many people that say that, its like the people that say no one drives in NYC because there is too much traffic.
    Nennius likes this.
  3. Qimble Augur

    If you spread the population of NYC relatively evenly over the entirety of the americas they probably wouldn't have any traffic woes.
  4. Sissruukk Rogue One


    True, but spamming "LFG" every 5 minutes in Genchat is a good way to get one ignored as well.
    Skuz likes this.
  5. Skuz I am become Wrath, the Destroyer of Worlds.

    And trying to form up groups isn't the fast-lane to groups it is frequently claimed to be either, unless you happen to be on one of the most populated servers perhaps, if you want groups you need to join a populated server but also you have to join a large & active guild - a high percentage of players stick to their own guilds for groups almost exclusively, and that's before you even get to the established cliques who only group with each other.
  6. Qimble Augur



    Maybe it's better on other servers. On mine after about 7 or 8pm PST I can advertise "Pal/Clr/Brd looking for DPS for mission run" in general and I will likely get 0 response. Especially frustrating since in ToL the missions don't even have a hard DPS checks, even the garbage DPS put out by mercs is completely sufficient.
    Skuz likes this.
  7. Truetotheblue Augur

    I've noticed this too as being far more of a thing in EQ that the population playing on PST schedules is relatively low. Maybe just a symptom of not having server timezones where those players can pool. Even on TLPs I always knew around the end of the evening PST most camps would be dead and open. We're all just old and in bed by 930 I guess so that 7pm PST window just becomes primo time for a solo adventure.
  8. Windance Augur

    This is also a function of the having 6h lockouts. Those who do actively join groups for missions are going to have them done.
  9. Truetotheblue Augur

    Having played on a few TLPs it's still the case on those servers as well. So that problem doesn't exist with trying to get people for camps in Seb or Guk. It's been pretty consistent across all of them that I have tried after that time frame.
  10. Alnitak Augur

    Don't many guilds raid at that time ? (Or even if they have finished the raiding night people are logging off after that) And something of that nature could be indirectly affecting TLP servers.

    From my non-raider perspective I still see not much attractiveness in such invitation. Let me explain:
    Let's say my mage/zerker/rogue is sitting in a guild hall and sees such invitation of yours. Why would it entice me ? I have done those mission for progression and even twice or thrice for Achievements and have collected most of the augs already. Why would I do those missions again and again and again, why would I group with you?
    45 coins per mission has made me annoyed already, because I had to do those 17 times just for the bag. And doing those 12 more times for +13HDex (or other stat) to upgrade my CoV type 5's is simply boring. Tier 2 gear is not a candy anymore, same as ores and runes. Experience simply inadequate for the effort (there are many ways to earn quite more experience doing other quests for the time).
    In the months of December and January I was very interested in groupping and doing missions for my mains and alts, but not this time, I am at the point of deminishing return on those. Anniversary tasks, progression in older expansions, Hunter, Collectibles and such are more entertaining.

    I even PL guildmates instead of doing ToL missions.

    I generally just mind my own business with my neat tankless half-group and pass on groupping invitations. Again, just 2 months ago I was quite eager to group with guildies, friends or strangers.
    What happened? Reward is not attractive enough. Perhaps a group game replayability is not at the best level at this time.

    In my opinion, being in a good group was quite benefitial up to and including in-era RoS. And starting from TBL (which was an overtuned disaster) there was less and less insentive to group with real ppl. I have done in-era progression through ToV, CoV and ToL with my 3-box crew. I just did required missions with real group of guildies for progression purpose.
    On another hand - I did farm GMM mission ALOT, because of a very decent reward prior to the nerf. I have equipped my entire horde of alts with Tier-3+ invisibles, weapons and nice unique aug. And I always tried to get a full group of ppl, because those orcs were mean at the time.
  11. Qimble Augur

    Guys, I was using mission runs as an example. Obviously you're gonna have less responses now that we're far enough into the expansion that anyone who wants the augs + bags is probably done with them. But you can change it to doing missions in the week after expansion release or offer hunters / aug / AA grind camps and the end results is gonna be basically the same.

    Re: raid times I think every guild on the server starts raiding somewhere between 4-5 PST and knocks off somewhere around 7-8 PST. S-Tu or S/M. (progression/raid launch nights notwithstanding)
  12. Vumad Cape Wearer

    Many people have been incorrect when stating the issues with PUG. The problem isn't about the there being players or their attitudes. People are mostly friendly and you can control the loot by LFM instead of LFG. Establishing a camped item is claimed.

    The actual problem is what you can accomplish with that time.

    If you want an aug, you have to form a group, get everyone to the location, and stay there... a long time... 6 hours camping a named for hunter isn't a far stretch. Add on it you want a specific item and it doesn't drop... Now during that 6 hours you lose some people. Mercs fill the gap but if you are a due or a trio you are in a bad way. Now add in there is no play nice policy, you get the named to spawn but your group can't handle it, or you try to handle it and you wipe, someone grabs it. All that time wasted.

    Compare this to 3-boxing with mercs. You camped where at your aug. You log in, kill the PH 3 times and camp back out. You need to go to raids, you drop a camp fire, do raids and campfire back.

    No non-sense. Get in, get the job done and get out.

    Example, having the best tank aug drop from a single named in the expansion. The spawn rate of named for hunter. Etc. That is the core problem in the game.

    EQ's main problem is a time management problem and boxing is how players overcome it.
    Skuz, Metanis, Saux and 1 other person like this.
  13. Windance Augur


    Well stated.
  14. Bernel Augur

    This wasn't a problem in the olden times because camps were popular. Sometimes there was even a waiting list to get into the camp. You could be in a group at the camp as long as you wanted. If people left the group, others would join. Obviously that's not the case anymore. Other than at the highest levels, it seems that the era of PUGs is pretty much over on live servers.

    I'm not sure if this would work out, but perhaps EQ could have a way for players to make a calendar of camps they want to form at some future date so other players could plan to join. So if I want to camp an aug, I post on the calendar that I'll be doing it at a certain time and day. Other people who also want that aug can plan to join if they also want something from that camp. It could also be done for progression quests. I could say I'll be doing HoT Tier 1 this Sunday at 2 and others who also need that progression can plan to join in. Something like this could facilitate semi-planned PUGs among random players who happen to have the same goal without having to spam LFG in general for days on end. It would still be more efficient to box, but system like this would give non-boxing players a way to accomplish group tasks without resorting to boxing.
  15. Sissruukk Rogue One

    Camps still are popular, depending on what is dropped at the camp, and where the camp is located. During CoV they put Type 5 augs on certain named mobs, and there was hardly a pick where Morwenna Undertow wasn't camped 24/7. She was the easiest to camp, and her camp would be monopolized by box groups who had 3-5/6 toons that needed dex augs. DPG decided to not go that route this year.

    I don't know how camps are on FV with (most) everything being tradable, so camp popularity may be different than on other live servers.
  16. Smokezz The Bane Crew

    If everyone was going to the same place in any big city in North America... car pooling would be a much easier thing too.
    Skuz likes this.
  17. Seefour New Member


    I’m a returning EQ addict, came back right before Terror of Luclin. I admittedly don’t have the history of those of you who are 20 + year veterans. What I do have experience with is trying to level my Berzerker to 120 (he is 117). Maybe it’s because I am on Povar, not sure about that based on conversations with people on other servers who are having the same issues as me – There has been many, MANY nights where I would LFG for hours, or attempt to make/build my own group to only log in frustration at the lack of leveling options.

    Some groups I made were great, I leveled with what I think was a raid geared Necro and Enchanter, they murdered the mobs in Umbral Plains for hours and they showed me a great many things about how the game has changed. Sadly, we were unable to do any missions due to a lack of a tank but the exp was excellent and I am very fortunate to have grouped with them. Other times, like I said before I would sit for hours, or days with nothing to do. The worst was sitting for an entire Saturday LFG. Now, I was able to pass the time by trade skilling but that doesn’t beat smashing bad guys with my axe! One can spam in general LFG for so long before it annoys people.


    What has been nice is the free Task Adds that people tend to hand out in general chat. I have been relaying on two separate guys to toss me extra adds when they are doing missions. I didn’t notice it until they were suspended for a week or more each, but they were boxing the missions with almost a full group. After inquiring with both of them, they mentioned that they had the same issue as me – A returning player who couldn’t find a group. Now, I am not advocating the use of additional programs to play the game. It does however, make me pause and wonder if you don’t have an old group of friends or are in a guild with a lot of people who group what is one to do? I have been thinking of making a Pally or SK and using a healer and rog merc so I can enjoy the game more and finally hit 120.

    -Seefour
    Windance and Skuz like this.
  18. Qimble Augur



    Check if I'm online and shoot me a tell next time you're LFG.
  19. Skuz I am become Wrath, the Destroyer of Worlds.

    This definitely holds some truth, though PUG'ing has multiple problems this is for sure one of the big ones I think server population, player mindset & the length / design of missions all factor into it as well.
  20. Nennius Curmudgeon

    To join the true confessions subtext of this thread. I box two characters. I am passably adequate at it. Sometimes I really suck at boxing. I do it because I have to take frequent breaks and that sort of thing quite rightly irritates the hell out of most players I might group with.
    Yinla and CatsPaws like this.