I started on Oakwynd hoping to make this my main server. I wanted to enjoy all the content I missed over the years. I invested money and time (I got to level 28) which takes a little while on early progression servers. Some of the things important to me that I wanted to enjoy is fully exploring the dungeons, while not being too high a level to gain exp, and killing the dungeon bosses for loot and exp. I realized after days of LFG and LFM for dungeons that this would not be possible on this server. For anyone looking for a good server to find groups in. This is not the one. Also, from what I hear from players, the economy was ruined with exploits. I don't know much about it.
There are a number of guilds you could join on Oakwynd that you can find groups in. I know for a fact that my guild has a very active core of players that continually form ad hoc groups for xp, or even getting together to do fun things like a Plane of Fear clear, as we did Friday evening. All on the fly. And if you look at the TLP recruiting forums, there are a couple other guilds that aren't focused on content clearing specifically, that probably wouldn't mind making a new friend or two. The tldr; conventional TLP wisdom says join a guild and make friends, because the LFG game is pretty much a losing venture. I would suggest sticking around, and doing just that. At least until we know what the new server rules are going to be, and you can modify your plan as needed. The evolving rules on Oakwynd are just going to keep getting better over the next year. As far as the economy, things have settled down a bit, I found some critical spells on the bazaar for dirt cheap for a new friend on Saturday, when I paid a pretty penny for them a month or more ago. And the dupe wasn't limited to our server, we were just impacted the most. EDIT - speeling
Other than within a few months of release of a new TLP, pugging isn't a very good way to play EQ. It's better to do what Doranur says and build up a network of friends. Then, you can just arrange for a time to meet up and have your group ready the moment you log on.
This was actually my experience with the two TLPs I've attempted in the past (Yelinak and Oakwynd). In between the professional farmers and the closed-off organized cliques, getting to do much of anything is basically impossible if you're not already coming in from the beginning with an established guild. In the end I didn't stay there very long and just decided to play on a regular server with mercenaries that can't reject or deny you from groups. xD
Not wanting to put up the effort to build a PUG or join a guild and make friends is explicitly a YOU thing, and not the fault of the game. I speak from experience.
It's just the truth these days that it's a lot harder to make true lasting friends in these games. In between the closed off guilds, and the silent professional krono farmers, most folks simply don't seem to be interested in chatting and becoming friends. On top of that, not everyone is as socially adept as others.
I dunno lately I have been meeting more nice and interesting people in the game. Try being more vocal in the general chat. I ask people at camps I am after how long they are going to be around and if they would mind sending me a tell when they are done. You would be surprised how often they offer me a raid invite for the named. It very well could be the server you are on or the content you are doing. I stick to current stuff basically.
Well Oakwynd is just worse than any other TLP was at this stage (PoP) - it is deserted, PoK has 20 people around main bank during off peak hours and PUG scene is non-existent generally at most levels. Do look at the 25th TLP and if the ruleset is good - it should thrive way better than Oakwynd.
There were complaints about not being able to PUG even before Velious unlocked and worse after. It's a TLP thing, not exclusive to Oakwynd. There is a wave of new characters at launch then a smaller wave of new iksar when Kunark unlocks (though many will just use a race change potion on a character they already have). I suspect the wave of new Vah is even smaller but I left before Luclin unlocked (for reasons entirely unrelated to the server ruleset by entirely related to TLP "norms") with the wave of new 'zerkers likely even smaller. On Oakwynd, even before Kunark unlocked, if your character was not 33+, getting a group wasn't easy, even from guild of over 250 players let alone PUG.
On one hand, I can tell you that your success in finding a group on Oakwynd will vary dramatically depending on what time you play, and your willingness to use more than just the LFG window to find others to join or invite others to join you. If you are playing from after midnight until around 8AM USA time? You will have a difficult time, especially from level 1-20 because most folks by now just solo those levels or box and/or invite a guild mate. I have leveled three characters from 1-65 this month, 2 boxing, and I have spent most of that time in a large group, usually filled with randoms. I invite as many as I can and I don't care what level or class, as long as we got the basics covered. Part of the problem with leveling anymore is a lot of players on Oakwynd are burned out on leveling and so they look for a PL instead. And this isn't new to Oakwynd, of course. At this exact point in time on Mischief, there was a ton of PL'ing going on too, AND a ton of gear buying because no one needed to level or raid for gear when you can just buy it.
On the other hand, Oakwynd is not as popular as some of the previous TLPs, and it is noticeable. PoK is often not as populated at this time as it was on some previous TLP's, during prime time or off time, comparably. I suspect that a lot of players are in two camps when it comes to Oakwynd: They are on Oakwynd because they look forward to increasing server modifiers as the server progresses through expansions -- making the later expansions look pretty attractive compared to "regular" servers. And these players aren't here to experience it with a hardcore raid guild. Others are holding out for the 25th Anniversary server, and really have no interest in Oakwynd and possibly had no interest in Oakwynd from the start.
Oakwynd's population levels are terrible compared to mischief or phinegel or even Aradune around PoP. The low pop during off-peak hours doesn't help with grouping much either.
We get it, y'all REALLY don't like Oakwynd. It's been the same boring story since the server was announced. I can't wait til the new TLP is announced, and y'all start hating on that instead.
When Daybreak did not rollback the server when the trade skill depot exploit happened, it went downhill fast. That killed the economy. They can say it did not, but that would be a lie. No way anyone could experience enough to pay over 1 million plat for a krono. Yeah, a lot of items went up in price when it started and you could make some good money, but those prices fell fast and a krono was still 1 million plat. This is when a krono was anywhere from 60k to 80k plat before the exploit. I am sure DB wanted kronos to be expensive so people had to pay cash to play on Oakwynd. Whatever the reason for not rolling the server back, it screwed normal players on Oakwynd that depended on farming enough plat to pay to play on it.
The grind to max (especially while maintaining gear to be effective vs content) is simply too much investment for your average players' short-lived bursts of charity. Heck, I've seen some pretty snide comments in response to simple LFG and buff requests. And the folks advertising PL, well... they aren't working pro bono.
I can't speak for everyone else, but when I see a request for buffs, and when I am at the meat pile, pass them out as a courtesy. I also often cast MGB focus, especially if someone announces they are going to do one of theirs (HoV/HoQ). As far as PUGs go, while I've not seen what you are claiming in chat, such as snide comments about LFG, I'll take this opportunity to throw out a recruiting message. <Dargons Three> is not jumping to a new TLP. We already are merging another existing guild into our ranks, and likely will be picking up other players and possibly guilds by TLP launch. We are a casual guild that raids, Tue/Thur 10p Eastern/7pm Pacific. We have a lot of new members at all level ranges, and a lot of us are leveling up alts, boxes, and personas. Any member can send a guild invite.
What is this trade skill depot exploit? I missed a few months recently, and now I see people saying that there was some big exploit that ruined the economy. Was it just some exploit to create pp or something?
