I see lots of people complaining about the amount of content you're receiving from these expansions; but, you all still buy it. You know how you show Sony you don't want expansions? Don't pay for them.
the current/persistent UCS bs (2 weeks now) is just one in the latest string of unacceptable issues that proves to me that they are letting EQ circle down the toilet bowl.
I'm not sure about this being SOE's last expansion, but this could well be the last expansion for me. I don't like the direction EQ is going in, changing a class description, moving more and more content into instance, lack of new zones, no way to progress for my main, no way to pass un-needed exp on to others, raids lacking in challenge, trying to force us Euros into using a German company instead of SOE, i half expect to be told if we want access to all SOE games we have to go to them. Someone bring this thread up and remind me how disappointed in CotF I am, when beta for the next expansion starts.
I am glad EQ is still fun for you, but many people, myself included, will disagree with this statement. EQ ceased being fun a long time ago for a lot of players. I continue playing because of the relationships i have made with other players over the years. If they were to pick and leave for another game, i would move right along with them and wouldn't look back.
Oh I'll be the first one to admit that EQ is nowhere near as fun as it was up through PoP or so, not even close. My only point here is that the other MMO's available out there, for all their shiny graphics engines and updated gameplay style etc, still don't quite offer the depth of EQ. And as sad as it is to say, despite the incredible drop in difficulty that EQ has suffered... the raids here are still more difficult than most content in the other games. There are of course exceptions... my brief foray into Rift included a few difficult raids, but still nothing that would slow down the hardcore EQ raid guilds. I guess what I'm saying is, in even it's now diluted form... EQ is still the lesser of several evils. I'm hoping they can capture lightning in a bottle again with EQnext, but I'm not holding my breath... only time will tell.
What would be awesome - turn off the proverbial "cruise control" that we see. How much of this looks familiar: Add 5 levels Copy/paste old spells with updated level caps and/or add 10-15% Add ranks to existing AA or create hastened/etc lines Spreadsheet itemization: T2 WAR BP, T3 INT caster ring, etc. 'kill x' quests 1000 achievements for doing the same stuff with different names Here's a new design approach: TERMINATE OLD TRENDS WITH EXTREME PREJUDICE So now, to mix things up, here are a few ideas: 20-25 level cap increase Eliminate focus decay Convert level-capped abilities to a "playerlevel+X" variable "Nightmare" difficulty at top tier; type 8 tier between group and raid Classic/random style itemization Enemies with large pools of abilities that they choose from randomly NEW abilities for every class, every level Redefine/re-balance class roles
One other thing... I don't think any game will ever live up to the mark set by original EQ. It was a perfect storm because it came at a time when it was a relatively new concept; an open adventure with thousands of other players and a constant feeling of discovery, fear of the unknown, and excitement of rising to meet some challenge. There was a time when logging into Norrath after school or work was nearly Euphoric. Over the years we've learned too much, gotten too good, and know the system behind the game itself... which has killed off much of the magic. In this way, EQ is similar to a really great song... the kind that you love the first few times you hear it, but after a while... once you've learned every word, know the melody inside and out, it's just not quite as compelling. You still love it and know it's great, but its effect on you is lessened.
There were earlier games that set the stage, you may not have played them. EQ helped establish the industry, but later games definitely made their own marks in huge ways. Dark Age of Camelot - mass PVP Planetside - mass PVP FPS World of Warcraft - mass appeal/brand marketing
Great Idea of Next Expansion... the New Lands when You reach them places a Curse on you making you Level 1 while in them. In order to proceed you have to Level your character all over again but only in those zones. If you leave and go to the older expansions you revert back to your original level/ability. But only while in new expansion you are a newbie again. Your equipment is stored while there so you are litterlay going to have to replay the game and level back up in new zones and worlds untill you max out again... This new Expansion will contain around 50 zones all for different levels. Low level players can also go to this zone as it does not matter what level you were in older expanisons.. almost like a new Progression server within the original game... This would be the way to bring back the challenge.... and keep players from getting bored by maxing everything in couple days and then spending weeks and weeks complaining about how sucky the expansion was.. Make it epic... and they will not have time to complain.
Funny, they changed the UCS a while ago because people were complaining about having to zone to rejoin the UCS whenever it went down. They actually listened to player concerns. Amazing, right? Unfortunately, the new system is broken, and we really should go back to the old system until the new system has its issues worked out. Indeed, good grief.
I enjoy EQ. It is different from what it was, but its not like anyone that experienced that era first hand has the time to invest in that game (if you do, then you need to get a freaking job since you're in your 20s at the least now =P). Tons of stuff to do if you like ticking stuff off your checklist. Can always make alts too, can play on different servers, lots of group content to do. I wish I had the time I used to (when I was in grad school I *averaged* 8 hours a day for like 4 years straight), but even though I don't, I still have fun. Can raid, can do group stuff, work on alts, whatever. The day it isn't fun is the day I stop paying for it. Saying you "hope" for "no more content" is just dumb. If you want to quit, quit.
When you have a brand that has built up a player base for almost fifteen years, you are going to keep making money from said base NO MATTER WHAT. And if you keep making money, you are not going to decide to stop making money. Every perceived mistake, water downed and/or buggy content, imbalances and so on and so on...none of these matter in the grand scheme of this games survival. EQ bought its meal ticket a loooooong time ago. Our player base has too much disposable income to let such an enjoyable game not make them profit. It's a fun game, but it's also a business. Why are you asking coca cola to stop making coke?
I just hope they goto an every other year for expansions model even though I know that wont happen. Sony is in a 0 development cost business model. The problem with that for all the MBA's in the room is sometimes you can't deliver on the commitments and will take the occasional upset client. In this case I feel like the lack of deliver is on the first attempt and it is shown on the forums. I read through some of the heroics that were added and lets just say this screams "not enough people working on this game anymore ahhhhh." Honestly SOE one of the new missions in EW has you in the south east corner of the map. Go hail person x Kill 10 of an animal. Go hail person y Kill 10 of a human. (Isn't this how the first quests in WoW go to get you use to the combat system?) Most of us are beyond that point. Then look at the new group mission in WK. Kill Five guards each with their own abilities........ Cool, that must have taken months to develop. The producer has promised new free content for the anniversary, we are still owed a T2 and T3 (dare i Hope for T4) structure AND they need to have a T1 structure in place for the next expansion all in 10 months. It took them almost 3 months to add a handful of Heroics to already completed zones and finish out the gear for each of the classes. By that rate it will be 9 months to get to T4 with no new level development, you also have promised some new stuff for the Anniversary so who knows how long there. And to develop another four zones with content for the next expansion and gear another what 3 -4 months which puts them out a year by the time tables.
You do realize no raiding correct? just a bunch of ppl spaming to kill xxx mob together then ninja the loot?
