New TLP Timing

Discussion in 'Time Locked Progression Servers' started by Ionscout, Jan 20, 2017.

  1. Ionscout Journeyman

    Has there been any word about how freq DBG plans to release new TLP servers? My concern is investing in a TLP and then watching it degrade when a new TLP comes along. I site the example of the previous TLP's. While I dont have accurate numbers im guessing Rage/Lock's populations dropped when Phinny was opened.

    Thanks!
  2. Ootax Augur


    They are coming out with one this summer they announced a couple weeks back. RF/LJ really isn't a good measure because Phinny in most peoples eyes is a vastly better server rule setup that DBG didn't have the capability to do at the time RF/LJ launched. Also I think Phinny is newer hardware/software able to handle a larger population which RF/LJ isn't thus the reason there had to be a second(LJ) opened.
    Xanathol likes this.
  3. Hdizzle Augur

    Ragefire got hit very hard when Phinny opened. Debate the reasons, the fact is the server lost a very noticeable portion of the player base.

    Very valid concern.

    All tlp's degrade over time anyway. Fippy is the most recent tlp to reach live (might be another expac behind /shrug) but theres basically one guild pushing it along. I don't think they can make a TLP server that will reach live and be in the same condition as when it launched. Phinny will be down to a guild or two eventually and that is with a population that is exceedingly high.

    Unless stated otherwise by the dev's I'd just prepare to see a new one every other year or so. They will undoubtedly milk this cow over and over until they get nothing from it.
  4. Baldur Augur

    I doubt Phinny loses as many players as Ragefire/Lockjaw did with a new server.

    Most people are content with the ruleset on Phinny and have put a lot of time into it.

    I know I won't be switching, I'll be staying on Phinny.
    Borune likes this.
  5. FurySoul Augur

    I dont think they have a set method to releases of new TLP styled servers. They have a loosely structured plan to do seasonal Event (true box) Server releases.

    Fippy/Vulak is an example of them taking too long with a new TLP release though. Fippy/Vulak had attrition-ed quite substantially before they made Ragefire.

    They made lockjaw in response to not having the ability to maintain the large capacity that initially joined Ragefire and players had to que to enter the server.

    Phinny was made out of a response to issues in both ragefire and lockjaw and introduced the Truebox design along with the raid instancing and pick zones. Also when released the vote to make it a 3 months expac with no voting for expansion realeses.

    Phinny has a strong population and I don't for see a heavy decline for some time. However, at some point in the future expansions, you'll see normal attrition from players unable to dedicate time or by being uninterested in future expansions.

    Well timed releases of new TLP servers allows people to continue enjoying and building within the expansions that certain players really enjoy, thus it will continue to be a thing as long as it turns enough of a profit.
  6. AgentofChange Augur

    It would make the most sense for them to release it in July-August, as that will be about 5 months into PoP and 2 months into Ldon and people on phinny will be incredibly bored.

    They may even do it earlier, like April as 3 months of PoP will bore people as well, and who looks forward to Ldon.
    Hdizzle likes this.
  7. Moonii Elder

    It's a valid concern, I wouldn't jump on a new server if it starts in classic after already being on Phinny personally. It's not worth it, however if the new server starts further along..it might be tempting. Further along being well past where phinny is though, after OOW. Otherwise..why start over ?
  8. Machen New Member


    It would make the most sense, if the intention is to divert paying customers from Phinny to the next new thing. Which, if that's their aim, will work for a while but will ultimately run dry when players realize that all the progression servers are now are an elaborate shell game.

    If the intent is to create healthy long term subscribers who commit to a server and stick with it, and are maybe still paying/playing on the same server 3-4 years from now... And if 6 months of PoP+LDoN creates bored players who are ready to jump ship... The better solution is to not force 6 months of PoP+LDoN on Phinny. No reason for LDoN to be a standalone 3 month expansion; whether you combine it somehow with PoP or GoD, doesn't much matter, but it shouldn't have 3 months all to itself. Players were ready to scratch their eyes out after 1 month of LDoN raids on Fippy/Vulak. Even groupers get bored of it with the cookie cutter content, but at least if you combine it with GoD the groupers will have some extremely easy content to go along with the very slightly challenging GoD content.
  9. Hdizzle Augur

    I find this topic fascinating.

    I wonder what percentage of the new TLP server daybreak is expecting to be new and returning players, not currently subbed. The producers letter says "for those who missed the start of Ragefire/Lockjaw and Phinny" (paraphrasing). I'm really skeptical that another server's worth of players are waiting in the wings to start on this new server. Are they expecting players to bail after they've had their fun in PoP and start over?

    I would love to hear the endgame goal for these TLPs.

    Is the plan to roll out a new server every two years or so?

    Are they just rolling these out due to unforeseen popularity in an attempt to capture untapped dollars?

    What happens if this new server isn't overly successful? Does that sour their ambition to produce more season and / or TLP servers?
  10. Machen New Member


    If so (which wouldn't necessarily be insane) they are about 9 months premature...
  11. Zanarnar Augur

    At this point, all I can see them doing that would be interesting to people is a Phinny server that allowed boxing; or maybe a FV-style TLP where everything is tradable... but even then I finally got to roll my character on Phinny, there is no way I'm leaving to sit on my hands through original,kunark,and sov again.

    I honestly hope they reconsider and instead do something to help LJ/RF.
  12. -Denizzen- Lorekeeper

    I always found it funny when people talk about "why start over?" and how things like this "don't make sense."

    You folks do realize we're playing an 18 year old game, don't ya?

    For many, it's a matter of feeling like you're winning by means of comparison. Look at this shiny thing I have that you can't get because it doesn't drop anymore! DE Masks, Manastones, Rubicite, pre-nerf Fungi Staff, pre-sleeper awakened resistance stones, the list goes on. Remember when that thing came out with the lotto tickets you had a snowball's chance in hell at getting some of this stuff from? I dumped millions of plat into that. No exaggeration, millions.

    I'm not sure of the population on the Phinny server, as I just joined a couple of days ago, but I can tell you it's pretty damn high for a game of this age. Almost reminds me of the Firefly TV shows. There's a cult following, just like us die-hard EQ'ers.

    As a player who has a history for striving to be the cream of the crop, and finding out this server existed much later than most, I am excited to hear about a new server.

    I'll also remind you there are a few thousand folks playing Project 1999's Time-Locked Velious server, many of whom become disenchanted upon hitting 60 and entering the raid scene / epic grind quest portion of the content. Myself being a prime example. The entire guild of BDA who defected over being an even better example.

    A new server is a win/win for DayBreak. The majority of the population will either choose to stay where they are, or jump ship to the fresh sand box and start building their castles. I project very little attrition, while adding the benefit of attracting more non-currently subscribed users with the enticement of a level playing field to start on.

    There's a good chance I'll be on there farming my balls off for items that will stop dropping, then spending some time admiring my treasure horde, followed by the unavoidable boredom that ensues, then doing it all over again when the next server drops :p
  13. Ootax Augur


    Most people are referring to this because it's such a short period of time between servers. If it was 3-4+ years then it would not make sense for people to say that, since a lot would either be gone or way further in to the game. When this new server will be out Phinny will still be in PoP or just entering GoD while RF/LJ will probably either be starting PoP maybe or still in Luclin(not sure on the exact time frame). So the memories/fun of Classic, Kurnark, Velious will not really worn off.

    I personally don't see this new server being that big of a hit subscription wise. Will probably get some new subs but I think a lot of the population will be people playing the new server and one of the other TLPs going back/forth.
  14. -Denizzen- Lorekeeper


    Yup, yup.

    I hear ya. I suppose what I'm getting at is I'm viewing this through my own lens, which is what I've observed as far as the "die-hard" EQ fans I've referenced previously. For example, p99. The reason it's got popularity is because the old school crowd isn't particularly interested in EQ past PoP/LDoN.

    For many of us, the game started to lose playability when content we used to strive so hard to complete (buffing at Naggy/Vox and logging out into chat to save buffs and pick which piece of loot you wanted to roll on, mutliple day PoF/PoH raids, etc remember that ?!) became literally soloable.

    You'll find that things such as Chardok Royals or PoH Mini's are being 1 grouped or less on p99 right now. I was slightly disheartened on Phinny to find that the L52 Nagafen/Vox cap doesn't exist, but there are so many other benefits my preferential scales are still heavily weighted towards spending my time here.

    I guess what I'm saying is, yes I love to farm my pixels and yes making my character stronger is fun, but part of what brings me back to EQ over and over again is making it more difficult again. I did play some WoW, but it was just like EZ-Mode content-saturated EQ. Nothing wrong with that, just not my favorite flavor of MMO.

    It was nice when people didn't blitz through the content and had to figure out! I suppose a fresh TLP server is the next best thing.
  15. Taladir Augur

    Welcome to Phinigel, Denizzen! I hope you and your guildmates have a long stay. I couldn't agree with you more on the potential for success of a new TLP. Some people really enjoy the Classic-LDoN era, because that's what we played on live. I relived it once on Phinigel and had more fun than I ever expected, so if a new server had a compelling ruleset, I could definitely see doing it again.

    By the way, the level 52 cap still applies to Vox and Naggy in open world, just not in weekly instances.