Devs, pls help us “explore” ZEMs in future expansions through mob placement

Discussion in 'The Veterans' Lounge' started by IblisTheMage, Feb 6, 2021.

  1. IblisTheMage Augur

    Situation:

    - Zone Experience Modifiers (ZEMs) exist (and I think it is a super cool feature)
    - Devs wants us, the players, to discover the ZEMs through exploration
    Prathun: https://forums.daybreakgames.com/eq...es-and-discussions.247706/page-2#post-3639178



    Complication

    - No player-driven analytics is being shared among players - we have absolutely no clue of the ZEMs (other than that dungeon and Hot-zones are likely better)
    - It is (likely) very dificult to do this analysis, because we have nothing to compare with, nor anything to establish a baseline.



    Resolution

    - Give the players the posibility to collect data through (low cost) mob placement in future expansions:

    place a few of the _same_ mobs in _multiple_ zones in the new expansions, for example in a camp. That way players can hunt these camps, and compare the xp. It doesn’t have to be the same mobs in all 6-8 new zones, but enough mobs to link the zones’ comparative results together:

    example

    Zones: A, B, C, D

    Mobs: Orc’ies, Sanark’ies, Skelli’ies (made up for this explanation)

    Orci’ies camps in zones A, B —> possible to do experiments and find the relative ZEM modifier between A and B.

    Skell’ies camps in zones B, C —> possible to do experiments and find the relative ZEM modifier between B and C.

    Sarnak’ies camps in zones C, D —> possible to do experiments and find the relative ZEM modifier between C and D.

    Option: give out a baseline by having one of the zones’ ZEM being revealed, for example with a term by an NPC in a quest; a bit like “scowls at you, ready to attack”, a “zone-con”

    Share this table of “zone-cons” with the players, something like: “exploritative” =+5%, “dynamicative” = +10%, etc. I used made up words for this explanation, a game designer can solve this element so that it feels good and “EQ-y” (I am just a layman with a suggestion, and not a native english speaker).

    Outcome:
    This would enable player driven analysis, which could drive community engagement, and would also enable the Vision(Tm) that Prathun shared with us, but that is not being realized today. Players are unable to explore the ZEMs, rendering this (very awesome) game feature impercievable for the players. We can’t see it, we can’t think about it, nor act upon it, the exception to this being Hot-zones.

    Cost/effort: this should be relatively low cost, seen from a laymans point of view. It is just spreading a few mobs from one zone, into the neighbouring zone. It can make narrative sense, for example if the camps in the two zones are somewhat in the vecinity of the zoneline, or a bit “hidden away” in the zone. It is of course an added design parameter to plan for, but it would appear that for a given zone, the assets could be reused.

    Simplified alternative: Place the same single mob in all zones, static and immobile spawn, fast respawn, in a remote location, reuse mob asset across expansions, can cover 2 level ranges. This alternative is significantly less immersive, but also a lot easier to implement. Also, make it a gnome.


    ——-
    stretch target: roll out this feature, progressively, to all previous expansions, enabling it on TLP and Live over time.
  2. Yinla Ye Ol' Dragon

    I asked about ZEMs in ToV, and was told all zones were set with the same ZEM. I assume CoV is the same.

    It is somewhere in the Q&Q the devs did when the first lockdown started.
  3. Zamiam Augur

    and you do know when your being shoveled a pile of dung right :p

    ZEM's are not the same in all zones in all expansions . i recall when my baby bst was lvl 80's and spent alot of time in HoT doing the yard quests used to get 2 to 3% per quest or a few AA's now you go do those same quests with a lvl appropriate toon 80's and your lucky if you get 2% for completing all quests in there not just 1 quest.. and AA's lol takes like 4 or 5 of the snake/dog quests to get an aa now .. so the ZEM was screwed .. and thats all the way thru rest of expansions .. they do it so your forced to play in the newer expansions .. accept for lvl 80's cant play in the newer expansions ..
    hence why I just get PL'd or PL myself now up to 110 and go play with the big boys .. experience in lower expansions just really suck..

    yes in ToV or CoV the xp is prolly evenly the same in those zones.. ToV mob xp crappy .. CoV mob xp better . ToV mission/task xp excellent .. CoV mission/task xp crappy .. although you should be max xp just about after tov so the xp downgrade from missions from CoV shouldnt matter .. AA xp in CoV is nice 1 AA per mob kill .. and i think ToV also AA xp per mob is decent ..