Idea: live server without mercs, truebox enabled

It could be fun to have a non-TLP server where mercenaries are completely disabled, and truebox is enabled. It would be for people who want to group more with others, and have a chance to play lesser utilized (in the group game) classes like Cleric.

I think some of the draw of the TLP servers is knowing that people there are looking for group members, because there are no mercs and fewer boxes. I don't see why the same couldn't work on a live server, to encourage more social gameplay for people who want it.

While I think it would be interesting, I'd even play on this server but I don't believe that it would do that well. To get it started I think it would have to also be some kind of event server as well just to get people on it. But people who are established on other servers would be really unlikely to play on a server like this so I don't think it would happen.

And to repel people who do not want it? Forcing a middle-aged person to interact with some strangers, which they do not even like is a sure way to lose the server population.

Alternatively - ask yourself a question why those "true-box" TLPs lose the population after a while? Perhaps the social novelty effect is not nearly as strong as some think.

LOL

All TLP servers are asking for truebox to be removed and you want to add a live one.

Your best hope of ever getting that is a TLP making to to live and them keeping truebox as a ruleset instead of merging to another server

This is a horrible, horrible idea. And is out of touch with the player base. 1999 is long gone. People playing have obligations and folks can't idle for hours LFG trying to find groups.

People would end up doing what they did on mischief and go out and buy some potato someone was selling cheap to run boxes. you think boxers are bad? Apparently, you haven't seen what happens when people who can barely do it in the first place try to do it on multiple computers that barely can keep up with EQ.

What you want: a server where people aren't boxing, are more depending on grouping and will be more likely to send out invites or join your group

What you'll get: a dead server because all the people who also want to box move to another server.


Play on the next TLP, there will be a ton of opportunities to group and by the time the server relaxes truebox and gets mercs, you'll probably have moved on.

Would the server start at lvl 1?

On one hand I do think a "Fresh Start" live server with some special rules would be interesting and a welcome change of pace, especially with rules to limit (not restrict) boxing. Especially without Mercs as most classes are not getting past (((The Wall))) without those. I would go one step further and, since this would be a non-TLP do something to limit the Krono economy on that server in some way if that can even be done and also remove AA caps from F2P accounts.

However, on the other hand said server would take developer time and resources - how much is debatable, but it is fact that it would. And as some posters have said, TLPs do have grouping and we have a new one coming up soon, and some servers have still been staying lively beyond TSS -- so it couldn't hurt to join those and support the game up to whatever point you own the expansions for.

It is a good idea, and I would support it myself -- it's just that there doesn't seem to be a community will for it, sadly.

We need cross server grouping.

Miragul already died.

I do see a problem with the leveling process after the crowd has reached the level cap. Without mercs and finding other players that would be nearly impossible. Playing without mercs does sound nice but it won't work in the long run. However it could work with nerfed and therefor unattractive mercs. Mercs with a more limited mana pool and less HP regen who would produce more med breaks and who would make encounters a bit more difficult but ensuring experience progression. It then would be a more difficult server for molo players.

True box servers with no mercs will never work because the game would need balanced classes, and it has the literal opposite of balance. To the developers credit, they've tried over the years and it's helped, but still it's pretty bad.

Certain classes can cheese through so much content when others struggle the entire way. This is especially true at some of the lower to mid levels. A game can't cultivate that type of resentment among the player base and end up with anything other than a toxic environment.

Adding mercs was the best things they did. How the merc system never got expanded on is the real mind boggle. They could save server bandwith and make more money by transitioning people away from box teams into merc teams. The reason they will make more money is people are still going to keep their alternate accounts. They are just going to use them for non-combat, or use them to create their own merc team.

There is always project 1999 for people that wish it was still 1999.

What makes it a good idea if nobody else but you wants to play on it?

I'll never understand how ppl can stand boxing a bunch on 1 machine myself. The one one I box on has 2 identical toons, both displayed on screen at all times. The rest are each on their own computer, cept a trader behind one but I don't consider that boxing cause I don't swap between them. Idk at any given time which of my 2 twins is in the foreground unless I look for the cursor or whatever. I just hit keys, alt tab, hit same keys(that's why they're twins, I'd never keep track of which toon I'm on in active play). I guess it's how my brain works vs other ways ppls brains work. Spacially oriented, muscle memory, I know who is where and what keys to hit without focusing my eyes on each one every time. Others may be better with the order, but I forget what I got up to do by the time I've left the room, while I never forgot the physical arrangement and which keys on which keyboard to hit after I took a 6+yrlong break etc.

Sidenote, EQ will run pretty well on a ton of ~10yrold $120 refurbished office throwaways which is what all but my main run on. I doubt these"potatoes" were the issue rather than pebkac lol

I wouldn't play on a TLP myself, but they do seem to be the audience that would be better suited to such a server OP posits.

Cross server grouping or raiding would require essentially a clone of Test Server. Do a /Groupcopy, link up with whom ever, obtain a win and get a reward (if applicable) that is applied to Claim, available from any server/character of appropriate level. No plat or items can go back to home server. so any trading is locked on the Group server, and there would be no /testcopy from it. Although it would provide a place for guild wars or other such things, I question there being enough demand for it, and have no idea the cost to run a server.

This idea is just about as bad as the one in the OP. Its not a good idea and there is a reason there is no community will for it, nobody wants it.

Agreed. And to be honest I doubt cross server grouping would do as much as folks think.

This server would be DOA. Maybe the 6 people who play it would group.