EverQuest Producer’s Letter April 2023

On one hand would you want to wade into this?

On the other hand, It's rather hard to not take the silence as anything other than "We don't care, this is happening no matter what the players think about it." Which is pretty in line with how DBG handles TLPs.

Hey now, FFXIV has a decently implemented encounter lock system. It still wouldn't work terribly well in EQ, but it's better than the... Thing.. That's in the letter here.

Bro come on, its 25% more? So 1 extra trash item from mobs in kunark, that does not guarantee it to be anything related to an epic piece. 25% more faction cool cool so most things give 5-25 default, not really going to help people with the grind. Most people do raids behind the throne in kael for their faction so the bonus does not really help there.

And excuse me but you cannot call my opinion which most people other than you, specifically you, possibly only you are saying a gross exaggeration. So keep your minority opinion around but check out the 95% of other posts, no one is agreeing with you.

These early percent bonus's need doubled to even make them worth being considered a perk otherwise they can pretty much be ignored.

I didn't say FFXIV is nonsense, although it is not my thing. Trying to turn EQ1 TLP into FFXIV is pretty nonsensical though.

which was how? I wasnt playing during that time

This is just not true. I know its the trendy thing to hate on everything Darkpaw does, but they absolutely listen to feedback on TLPs, and do so pretty much every year. Its how Selo and Mangler got changed, a free trade server was long in the asking for and they implemented in a creative way. Vaniki was tweaked based on feedback, tho admittedly not enough, but it was tweaked.

They absolutely will listen to the feedback, and make changes if they feel its appropriate.

Just because they may not do what you want in this case, doesnt mean they never listen and give players what they want.

The alt exp bonus needs to be reversed. I know you want to sell potions but not to many people play alts, they play boxes on different accounts.

If you want people to play alts, I suggest you start at 100 or 50 percent bonus. When the main gets max lvl, the you loose 20 percent or 10 percent xp bonus on the 2nd toon, and on down the line to a max of 5 alts at max lvl with no bonus xp.

Lol, people have been asking to combine DoDh and DoN for years, and the closest to feedback we've gotten is "it's too late for such and such server, we don't change release dates after a server has launched." So It's entirely reasonable to expect that no response is a confirmation that they're going ahead with their plans.

They could just as easily sell a potion on the marketplace that grants a player 5 levels of xp. It is basically the same thing.

If they are hard sticking to FTE, reverting the change so groups can still enjoy bigger pulls. BUT i still dont like the idea of not being able to out of group support. This is a fundamental change to the game im not willing to waste time testing.

Find another way to limit big business PLing without taking PLing away from the regular folks and without completely changing the average group/raid enchanter. Its already hard enough to find good raid enchanters.

EQ doesn't need to turn into FFXIV but in this case it would be amazing.

Even better Start a PLing service themselves in game and make Powerlevelers apply for it.

There should be some sort of feedback rating and possible this can be extended to other "guide services" to help new players. Would be really cool way to help people find the resources they need. whether its paying for some help with an epic fight or just a tour of the game as a learning resource.

Players can sign up for the PL/Guide session via a new UI window, similar to LFG. We'll call it "Cragslist" after our beloved Cragbeast Queen

No more global recruitments, just a "Looking for PL window" that allows PLers to invite from when they have room.

PLer can spawn a dz of their zone and not affect anyone.

PLer would have to pay X krono to spawn a dz and daybreak gets a cut of krono exchange.(removing krono from the market will be great for future profits)

Its almost entirely a win win. Less drastic changes. More revenue. Less casualties from a train derailment.

Similar to how implementing Krono was a scheme to take over the global platinum market.

Okay but this probably wont ever happen but one of us should turn this idea into a website. TLP-PL.com or something. Very unique idea.

I once suggested back on Mischief when noone would leave camps that some of us should band together and become a Doordash style delivery system. Anything you need, EC Tunnel or Town, delivered anywhere by our FASTEST bards.

*Note: Please tip your bards, they're hungry after all that running!

I agree BUT, one of the big complaints is how Yelinak general chat is flooded with WTS PL messages. If those didnt exist people wouldnt even have PLing on their radar as most reputable PLers are not toxic

Also the idea you described is RMT >.> so that would anger the gods, even those its pretty cool. I think the devs just need to embrace the entire demand for casuals and find a way to monetize it without making so many game changes

The later time is when a new TLP comes out and everyone shifts that way... which is why these bonuses are a joke... 25% in kunark is nothing... 25% faction in velious is nothing ( wolf gives you 1 now it gives 1.25, 5 gives you less then 6, 30 gives you 36ish, and this is when the grind is needed.... you cant even faction tag big mobs in open world now with this rule set, aka cool theres a group xping or doing plate cycle Im just going to hang back and help them dps for faction, nope cant do that anymore... so this is a waste), 25% aa in luclin whoopdie freaking doo thats the lowest pot you can buy so youll get an extra aa in the hour you level big deal... nothing helpful then plat for pop.... wut? and low any behold its the 25 year anniversary and now we all leave this TLP to move to the next one.

Sorry I was referring to the rating system, because on such a site PLers could rate players and vice versa hopefully establishing a fair environment. Im not condoning RMT.

ahh okay, that makes sense. having a silent PL recruitment source verse in game spam is a barebones approach, but does solve part of the problem without making massive changes , other than server side banning PL WTS messages.

Would be better if they could figure out a way to get in the middle of the revenue stream

just put a token on the cash store that levels you up to the previous levels expansion cap and call it good if they are trying to "get rid of PL." IF that is one of the driving factors of the FTE stuff, id rather Darkpaw just get in on the PL action and make some of the money themselves than change fundamental game aspects.

Im sure people will complain it will make eq "PTW" but it already is in the exp/leveling department. Darkpaw may as well get a slice of the action on their own game

I think this TLP rule set is fine. Some nice little bonuses that basically end up making it like a 2-3x server for loot/exp at the end.

They still haven't figured out how to do the proper time allotment per expansion. A really simple solution would be to go to Aradune/Mangler/Mischief and literally ask in discord if you can eat up 15 minutes of the guild leaderships time to get feedback. I would be amazed if the feedback isn't near unanimous that shortening certain xpacs is highly favorable. These unlocks in the 70 stretch are huge strains to deal with.

When it comes to FTE - I don't care if they want to run it on this TLP and make that unique to the TLP. I think its fundamentally a bad decision for EQ. It changes the way the game works at it's core and doesn't work really for EQ. EQ1 != EQ2. Unless you plan to change the way agro, pulling, mob groups etc work it just doesn't fit in EQ.

I seriously hope Jchan's comments about an experimental feature coming to the TLP that might get moved to live is the Bonus Exp for having max level chars and not FTE. Once again, a poorly thought out mechanic as well. What percentage of the player base has multiple high level toons on the same account? I have 5 accounts and not a single one has more then 1 toon at max level. It just doesn't make any sense.

I also don't plan to play here as I am invested in another TLP, but hope it boosts EQ population in general.

Here's the scenario I'm seeing. <soandso> attempts to hold NPC hostage. Guide summons <soandso> over beside the NPC and then dispels any mezz if required. NPC slaughters <soandso> and goes home.

I witnessed a trainer be summoned back into their train by a guide on Ragefire and it was hilarious to see.

Legacy: Allow the bonus to carry over expansions where levelling and experience are at a premium. Decay it over time (maybe 10% decay per day for 10 days), or make it a long duration buff (like XP pots are now - but longer; and preferably in a bard song window).

Also, Legacy as a concept would be "better" if it benefitted character stat sheets rather than just experience. +1 heroic stat per max level character, 1% haste/over-haste per max level character, 1% spell haste/crit rate, .5% AC, .25% HP, and other concepts would encourage people to continue maintaining alts. It also better aligns to a "Legacy" character concept that gets stronger as your account builds stronger (higher leveled) characters.

Both types of changes would be a better incentive to keep people subbing and actively playing between expansion releases than an xp bonus that disappears like flatulence in the wind the moment a level increase is available.

As it stands, the only measurable benefit of this current Legacy concept in the first year would align to when Luclin unlocks and when GoD unlocks where you're the same level when there is new experience to obtain (AA for Luclin and GoD).