Boxing Is The Plague Of EQ

One of my closest friends ran three characters on three different machines (and a packet sniffer on a fourth). That doesn't mean everyone was doing it. I certainly wasn't, nor were my other 10 friends who played the game during that time. It existed, yes, but it wasn't commonplace like it is now.

And to be clear, it's the exception because it's a minority. Not because it never happened.

Conceded the point it was not as common in 1999 that was due to technology and as early as 2004 everyone was boxing the people who did not box were the minority.

so 20 of the 25 years EQ has been around most people boxed to some degree, most boxers I know gladly sit their box if a real person can fill the spot the boxer is holding...Meaning a real cleric shows up a person will parked the boxed cleric...groups would not drop a cleric box to add a ranger....lol

And at the end of the day we are in 2024 not 1999.

Boxing is not going anywhere if they tried it would cost them a lot more active accounts than it would ever bring back.....lol

And then you know what will happen when / if that time comes that I no longer enjoy EQ?

I will stop playing.

Like I do with any game that I cease to get enjoyment from..

And then I will move on to something that I do enjoy. Because there are countless games out there that I love, either that I have played before or that are waiting for me.

It is not some huge offense to me or some injustice that a game goes in a direction I don't like. Plenty of persistent games that I have enjoyed have gone in directions that I don't like, and it is sad and disappointing, yes, but ultimately, I have no control over that, I can only control what I spend my time doing. And I will spend my time playing games I enjoy, and currently, that game is EverQuest.

There are certain things about EverQuest that I don't enjoy, some of them may be worth discussing, some of them, like boxing, are too far out of anyone's control at this point and you either accept it or you don't. I still overall enjoy EverQuest quite a lot, and I am happy to see it still living on and enjoying the successes it still has, even if it's much less than what it enjoyed 25 years ago.

But as the other person above me said, I don't need someone else to try to "save" me from my enjoyment. If my enjoyment changes, if EQ changes beyond what I want it to be, then I will cross that bridge when I come to it and make my decision at that point. I'm not going to sit here and deprive myself of something I enjoy because others don't enjoy the monetization, or because someday down the line Daybreak may take it too far for me. That would be foolish to worry about things that may or may not happen.

In regards to the bolded, I'd believe that, except for the fact that boxers are running rampant on Teek and Tormax which are flooded with new players and grouping opportunities.

Boxers don't want to group. They want maximum rewards with minimal efforts.

Most boxers 2 box and need to group or the kill rate is way to slow....

and for the record it takes a lot more effort to play 6 characters than to play one...so this notion they are out to reach minimal effort is laughable.....

This idea that boxers are all 6 boxing and refusing to group with anyone just strokes your bullsh*t narrative...lmao

I don't know if this is actually true, though. I hear it a lot, but there's literally no precedent proving this to be the case. What I mean is, I think there's more evidence that multi-boxing is hurting the game through self-fulfilling prophecy, rather than being the only lifeline capable of keeping the game afloat. There might be sub drops in the short-term, but I believe there are far more people that would return to a socially driven EQ experience, covering the losses of those who leave due to multi-boxing changes. Especially now, being that there's a literal classic MMORPG renaissance occurring across the spectrum. I don't know of any truly successful MMOs that promote this level of severely anti-social gameplay. Except maybe EQ2.

Sure, people who box will also group sometimes, but many won't. That is also a laissez-faire expectation to put on new/returning players that they will likely never experience.

And yeah, it would require DBG to make some changes, upgrades, and/or updates to certain things, as well, but that's the crux of my entire argument. They'll never buy the cow when they can get the milk for free.

Then you are ignorant and refuse to see the situation...it has been pointed out many many times...that the additional revenue of subscription accounts that comes from boxers is what keeps all the games that all access grants you access to running.

Boxing is good for Daybreak games bottom line and there is no denying that.

Boxing is less of an issue than mercs are it is just mercs are not available on a TLP for a long time.

I pay for three accounts they are about to expire and are not getting renewed because it was FTE that brought me back and the only server that has FTE has a completely messed up economy and a dying population.

Since the 22nd there have been no more than 5 people online in my guild...a week before the 22nd there were always 40-50 people online in the guild at any one time and 60-70 in prime time.

FTR the most I have ever boxed was main + 2 boxes and did not enjoy it...even with the third being a passive bard using melody...I typical always play 2 character and have since 1999. Although full disclosure I stopped playing in early 2013 on Fippy and returned for Oakwynd in 2023.

Dude, I'm not here to save you. As I've already stated, I'm not trying to change anyone's mind. If anything, I just want you to acknowledge how little you care about the game you're actively defending. Mission accomplished. You don't care. Thank you.

Some of us do care, though, and if I'm trying to save anyone at all, I'm trying to save us from you.

Where has this been pointed out in anything other than anecdotal forum posts? Also, please point to a single successful MMO that currently exists where multi-boxing is a core gameplay element. If you can do at least that much, I'll agree to disagree.

Like, I don't care about the 5 people you know who do a thing. That proves nothing.

We call it MATH...

One person paying for multiple accounts is what keeps this game going if not for boxing it is highly unlikely that Daybreak buys this game from Sony Online Entertainment.

IF all we had was one account per individual doubtful it keeps the game on, it certainly would not get us expansions to 25 year old game.

I have played EQ, EQ2, WoW and Vanguard and boxed in all of them...The only one that was really well done was EQ and Vanguard would have been the the attempt to move beyond mana was a mistake.

If EQ3 is EQ game play and Vanguard graphics....it will be a major winner.

Boxing drives away customers, which is bad for business. Boxing also makes it look like the company doesn't really care about people (like a box is just as good as a real human being), and that is bad for business too. I doubt the extra revenue from boxed accounts makes up for the damage that has been done.

I think boxes are a lot like a prosthetic leg. Yeah, it can keep you upright, but I think most people would prefer being held up by their real leg.

Game has been around 25 years with boxers all 25 years.

FYI...Boxers are also played by a human being, just a human playing 2 or more characters.

PS if they disabled auto follow the number of subscription would be more than cut in half and there is no way that many people would return because there are no boxers....lol

Great analogy, lol. I think you’re also right on the money about the company’s feelings toward its customers. DBG is an asset on a balance sheet. EQ is a P&L. Customers are LTV/CAC. Nothing more.

IIRC, customers are actually referred to as contracts on E7’s financials.

lol k

Cheating, training, RMT, and harassment have been around for 25 years too. Should we keep those too? Are those good for the game as well?

And your extra box is not a real person. You're thinning out the humanity of the game.

Okay but tell the truth would you rather it be like that or be forced to play on a P99 server?

Because at the end of the day that would be the choice...

A great many people are totally unaware of boxing in game and most of the rest accept it and do it themselves. Most people don't approve of automated gameplay at all and have no issue with the suspensions handed out to cheaters.

The only people being "driven away" by boxes are the self righteous "have fun my way or the highway" sort who can't be depended on to stay subscribed at all

I play two characters...If I play one character we get less characters but the EXACT same number of humans. I am not thinning anything by boxing.

Why are those my only options? I choose neither.

Boxers wouldn't be boxing if it weren't the easy way out.

Bunch of sweaties that want everything handed to them without having to do the work for it.