Next TLP Proposal

I wonder how many of them are from players who wanted to mess around, died at a low level, and left the server to never return. Not to mention low level deaths appear to be a big chunk of the numbers.

https://www.gameleap.com/news/wow-hardcore-classic-has-over-3-million-deaths-officially

True. In summary massively popular game mode on WoW, that wasn't anticipated.

Perma-death adjusts gameplay enough to encourage social interactions, attachment to characters, achievement, failure, and drama. A few gameplay tweaks to DT mechanics and some self healing abilities would make it viable for EQ.

I think one of the strengths of the Hardcore server is that players aren't looking at it as a long term commitment, and simply a fun test to see how far they can make it. Adding some achievements, titles, cosmetics would be enticing for many.

A massively popular game mode that has a total of 2 servers when there are over 600 servers total for the game? That doesn't even make up 1% of the total game servers.

All right y'all, here's an idea.

Two servers. The first, a TLP in the traditional sense that you have to have an All Access status to play on it. Argue whatever ruleset, but it better be good, because 25th anniversary and all. The second server would be a new LIVE server, let's say it launches with Luclin open. Even free to play accounts can access it. Content unlocks over time with longer than usual periods between each unlock. Pair this with merging of multiple low population live servers, just not into Vox.Make some QOL changes, such as extended target window working at level 1, move all versions of Selo's to the short duration buff window, make frogloks available from the start AND allow then to choose enchanter and magician. I'd even argue for allowing beastlord. Aside from wood elf, all the other races that can also play shaman, can play beastlord.

I don't foresee any reason I wouldn't continue to have an All Access status, I am just thinking that for a 25th anniversary, it shouldn't be behind a pay wall for any portion of the community.

Some QOL suggestions for future TLP servers, froglok available from day one. The city is already on the geometry, just populate it with the NPCs. Allow hybrid class selection for gnome and halfling from day one. When Luclin does go live eventually, allow wood elf beastlords that same day. Open the Warrens with Classic. As I mentioned before, have the extended target window active at level 1, and move Selo's to the short duration buff window. Also, start with relaxed true box with Classic, if the devs won't just get rid of true box altogether.

Well, it's not "No one" as many of the forum cultists say

And how many were on Oakwynd? You don't really know if that's half of the paid server or not. Since they don't publish actual numbers. Plus - consider how many 2-6 (or more) box teams exist in 'paid', even if it 's "half the population of a paid server" - there are likely still more actual living people playing on Quarm than on many the paid ones.

Heck, probably half the population on the paid TLPs are running more than one account. Even I used two accounts and I'm super casual.

If a free server can't compete with a paid server population wise why would Daybreak want to use those rules and get a lower population that is paying to play on it?

So what's the population on Oakwynd? How many were on last night?
How many real players vs. Bots/boxes?

If you don't know - how can you say the population is greater, less than, or equal to?

Still shows as one of the few high population servers and what the population of Oakwynd is doesn't change what the population of another free to play 3rd party server is.

No, doesn't change the population on the free server, of course.
But you can't say Oakwynd's population of "X" is greater than 2000, when you don't know what "X" is.

So we really don't know if it's "lower population" or not.

I still support DBG - I'm paid. But it doesn't mean that I like what EQ has become over what EQ once was. What EQ once was is what drew me into the game to this degree.

I can, however, find that "old EQ" on private servers as do many others. It's DBG's call of course, but I see many new players on the Private server and tons of returning players. It should be a given that new players and players returning after 20 years, don't want a zerg-rush fest to PoP in less than a year. That's a lot of content that they'll just never see due to the speed of the experienced players.

The experienced players are going to get things done to prepare for the next expansion more than just enjoy the journey of EQ. That's really what EQ was about in concept - the journey.

But the TLPs aren't about 'the journey' - they are just an express bus to the end game. Think new players or returning players actually want that?

Just saying there may well be interest in a server that progresses slower and sticks around longer. That's all. Not saying they should change every TLP or anything.

Daybreak doesn't publish exact population numbers but we do know it is one of the highest population servers based on the fact that it is one of the few servers that maintain a high population level on their tracker.

And why would Daybreak want to support a ruleset that has shown to have a lower population on free to play servers when a paid subscription would be required to play on it on their servers.

Lot of people just don't want to play on the free servers at all. Not due to the concept, but they are unsupported and there's no guarantee on how long they might be around.

It's why I didn't play on P99 for years. But I started up on Oakwynd and it was just "so much the same" - I started getting outright bored and started playing single player games again, even though I really did want to play EQ. I think this hamster wheel of the same TLPs over and over just has lost it's charm for me. TLPs just don't have that 'feel' anymore.

With that boredom, I was just going through the EQ reddit and found info on Quarm and thought.. "Why the heck not, the setup is super simple?"

Yeah, the rules vary slightly on TLPs - but the unlock timers are the same, everything's the same. Just getting old now to be honest. There is so little difference in them, it's meaningless.

Conversely - the "old EQ" and it's corpse runs and such - just aren't at all boring. Perhaps it's also largely due to the concept of people actually grouping.

The whole idea of actually HAVING to group to do content just changes the game entirely. On the TLPs they have tried to scale the XP to prompt people to group, but it's not like the old EQ - where you almost HAD to group.

People aren't going to be running into Lower Guk at level 25 on a server with corpse runs, lol.
And that single fact - adds a reason to actually need to group. One that simply does not exist on TLP servers.

Don't say you have to group on TLPs either. I can login a brand new toon right this second. Buy a couple Krono, twink out and be in Lower Guk at level 25 by the end of the day.

Honestly.. where's the challenge in that?
How are relationships built?

I've built more relationships in the last two weeks in level 5 orc groups than I had in the last couple years on TLPs.

It's not that I don't like EQ - the exact opposite is true, Love this game. And I don't hate on DBG, I fully support them. But I'm not doing this same TLP grind again. I want what that old EQ offered in terms of the journey and community.

People will say it's still here - but when you actually take the step and walk back into the "old EQ" world - you realize, no, it's not still there on the official servers.

So maybe it just won't work and I suppose I'll be stuck on some private server. Be that as it may - I can't do another of the 'same' TLP again. Mischief was a fun 'pay to win' concept, but it wasn't the EQ that got me hooked to this game.

It doesn't matter what excuses are used for why the server population is low the fact remains that it is low and that Daybreak only sees evidence that it is not as popular as the servers they are running.

If you want to use a private server as an example of something Daybreak should do you should expect to show that it has a large enough of a player base in order to support itself.

I like some of your ideas especially about BST and a Luclin start. Classic is horrible but has improved with instances/shards. Quarm has brought new players to EQ but I feel like the population is going to start dropping without AoC/Instances. It will really snowball with Kunark.

I would love for them to find a formula that would naturally reduce the need to multibox but I feel this will never happen. It would also be nice for BST and BZK to be at launch. With this new persona idea it could workout but I feel bad for those who main BZK. The server is usually on fumes by their release. As a BST main, when I do a new TLP I already know I will be burning myself out to catch up.

Aradune actually held many guilds. That ruleset worked.

What are you talking about? On TLPs you do have to group. The classes that could solo back in 1999 can still solo now.

First, EQ was only ever challenging when we were stupid and didn't know anything. EQ is a very, very easy game. Most classes dont have more than a couple buttons to press.
Second, maybe you would build real relationships if you didn't reroll on a new TLP every year lol. I met some of my best internet friends on Agnarr, then we played again on Selo together, now some of us play on Bertox or Mischief together.

I'm sorry you weren't around for the leaks last year when total logins and unique logins data got posted. And again, you are comparing a free server to a paid server (which is a huge barrier these days)