Changes with the February Update: Developer Updates

Grant General/Archetype AA's - Do not grant Class AA's.

Do this and I absolutely will not have a problem with the auto-granting feature. This catches people up on the boring mindless grind AA's while it still forces them to earn, purchase, and even hopefully learn the AA's that make their classes unique.

I don't understand one simple thing.

The root of the problem is that all of the mobs in a zone can be pulled and either kited or parked in a single spot. If something is possible, then anyone with half a brain should expect players to be resourceful enough to do it. Players are remarkable in figuring out how to use, break, abuse, exploit any "feature" in the game to their benefit or advantage.

The problem is not that players have the tools or means to kill 50 or 100 mobs all stacked up in one spot. Or that stacking that many mobs in one spot causes server lag. The problem is that mobs can be pulled or trained across wide areas in zones. Servers lagging or crashing is not the problem, it is a symptom of the real problem. So fix the real problem.

I came back to EQ more than a few times after I quit in 2003 - logging in when SOE would do a free 14-days or whatever. I was 65 with 200 aa in PoTime gear....

Each time I would log in, do a nostalgia run through old zones, and then log off... not to return for another 2-3 years. Why didn't I continue playing?

All my old friends were gone.

I believe decisions that are made, despite the protest of loyal veterans, to entice new or returning players to subscribe will ultimately will hurt the return rate - not help it - because a lot of old friends won't be around anymore.

When I finally did come back and decide to resubscribe it was because there was an old friend whose named popped up when I hit my /friends button... not because of the AA modifyer or whatever ezmode had been implemented.

But I guess maybe I'm the exception...

I've been playing EQ since it began, and I am mostly saying "just quit you whiners" to those who were massively PLing for cash or just wanted free stuff. So what you just said registers as a LOL to me.

The biggest whiners in my guild are those with silver accounts. They complain that they can't get into the new expansions, they complain they have an aa cap, they complain that they can't wear prestige gear. Why should you get what I paid for and why should you get what I worked/played hard hard for for free? I'm sure that many of the supporters for aa gifting are silver accounts or those that buy kronos and don't spend any hard earned cash. Sure, I'll take a free Mercedes, I'm entitled to it because I am unemployed and live in my Mom's basement.

And, don't you all realize, Sony is eliminating their competition here? Cutting out the powerlevelers while simultaneously beginning to sell a product that includes powerleveling?

Survey says? CORRECT! you are hearing from long time players who's chat tag may say new member, but the blood in the arena will say otherwise, ya know?

People are posting for the first time ever in a long history of playing EQ and that should say something to the devs.

Essentially these threads are going to FULL OF POSTS by those in complete support whom already frequent the forums, and those who are at their end because they are so upset by the very thought of this.

I liked the original changes. EQ is mostly longtime players or new people looking to be power-leveled. Why not just give gold accts everything, throw in J5 mercs also. Let us start new toons at 95 with all AA and raid gear. It's just a game and a damn old one I don't see what all the complaining is about. We should all be thankful it's still here and not whining about every little change.

Why single out those few who use there abilities to mass kill or kill faster ? Why not monks who swarm ? limit them to 12 mobs or lower there burn disc to 12 seconds like a zerkers riposte disc

.... i'm sorry, but they should be thankful that WE are still here ....

Not at all, really? So in two months when I log on one of my 50s or 60s lvl range alts that there will be people to aa grind with? You're telling me this isn't suggesting tha the only game in EQ That matters is the level 85+ game?! If you don't realize the detrimental impact this will absolutely have on the game, I fear you don't grasp the bigger picture and points beig brought up by those who are fed up

Monks riposte (whirlwind) is also only 12 secs ... so same same (This was in response to CAM81 .. sorry doesn't look like it added the soandso said this )

The level 60 game was rocking already?

These changes will have people skip level 60?

Except that those people who sit AFK while being PL'd in game can generally be identified and avoided. All those "WTB PL" spams filling general chat do not go unnoticed.

Is being granted you AA's worse. No. It's equally as bad.

I am having trouble seeing the downside of the AA change here. It is optional for your characters, so no forced AAs. I hear people saying that it will kill the low level population as everyone will rush to 85 when they don't have to grind AA. The problem with that is, with my highest level character being level 77, and having 6 other characters ranging from 52 to 67, there already is no population in the lower levels looking for groups. There is no reason to be upset at the AA change.

As for the other changes, classes get buff and nerfed all the time. Business as usual in MMOs, get used to it.

what I cant belive is us people that are vets that don't log on here to talk and just take it all. now we are logging in to tell you this is not ok, over 90 percent of this is negative do you not see the outpouring of people that think this is a bad idea? can you not stop and say geeze people really are not happy here perhaps we should rethink this

Umm.... you still have to level the character

Many people are happy. While the most discontent people generally generate the loudest voice, there are plenty of people that are perfectly content with these changes.

It was actually a case of too much XP for doing absolutely nothing which is exactly the case with the auto-granting of AA"s. Well, actually it isn't quite exactly nothing. Pay a one time $14.99 entitlement fee (SoE makes money.) and, voila!

We do have an issue with being PLed. It is not discussed within the forums because PLing is not an issue with game mechanics, it's a personal issue with players. With this change, PLing is being implemented into the game. That is why we are discussing it here.