Everyone has their own opinion. And here's mine -FV Loot -Agnarr or faster xp rate. -All of the live QOL changes at start, including mercs. -All race/class combos unlocked from start (except races introduced in later XPacs) (yes, BLs and Berzerkers might not have the most prestige gear selection in classic and we're ok with that) Anything less will simply be casual, not Ultra Casual
I am willing to bet it is not possible to change BL/BSR and Mercs without changing when they launch on ALL TLP servers. According to Prathun these things are flagged to come out at a certain expansion in the code and if you changed that for one server it would change for all servers. I could be wrong and I am sure Prathun or Ngreth could say for sure, but I suspect it can't be done without a large fix in the code. This is the same reason why we have new zones and not old zones (which Prathun has said he CAN fix on TLP's but it would take a huge amount of effort and work that he does not have to do it).
Ultra casual server just gets rid of classes altogether. Pick any race, and your character has all spells and abilities that are possible. No reason to not invite someone to your group unless you're just a boxer scum hoarding pixels.
Flick all the server specific toggles you want. Global changes have to fit the overall global picture. Early mercs would turn a fair number of people off --standout feature of the much later modern game (Phinny aside, we still lose most population by the time "that newfangled GoD comes out")
Not a bad set of suggestions, Op. However, early mercs would be too overpowered against classic mobs; even casuals want a challenge---lol. I'd be happy with the following: Full FV Ruleset Agnarr XP rate AoC, MotM, True Box 3-4 month unlocks This is a simple & basic setup that Daybreak would have no difficulty implementing and that most casual & semi-casual players could enjoy.
We all know DBG keeps pulling the same strings - they just pull them either a little bit harder or softer depending on how "hardcore" they want to be. Ultra-casual server is probably going to be Coirnav with increased exp rates and 4-6 month unlocks. Basically, cruise to 50 with a handful of characters before you even need to worry about Kunark. Hardcore will likely also be like Coirnav but with slower exp rates and 6-8 week unlocks. If hardcore was really hardcore it would, as others mentioned, just have instant unlocks when each expansion's boss is beaten. I'm not hardcore, but I'd probably play on that server just to check it out.
Personally I hope they put mercs in from the start and let them in on raids for the Ultra Casual server, simply because Ultra casual guilds always have number problems, and if they remove the 12 min timer on The Rath Councilmen in PoP, they don't even have to change the merc's AI as long as they are beefy enough to tank the mobs. For group, I would prob just pop my merc if no other real players are around or the family is bussy doing RL stuff. If you have merc's and good XP on the Ultra Casual servers and low pick spawn numbers, the hardcore people will burn out of content and get bored and go to the Hardcore server. I don't know if they can do this, but maybe have a special raid version of the merc's that can only be summoned in AoC/raid zones and buff them for Ultra casual 6 to 24 person raids, or have mercs in AoC/raid zones get a revers MotM so that they get buffed for raid content?
They’re marketing the new server as “ultra-casual”, not casual or semi casual Lots of people are going to be disappointed when they announce the ruleset because they’re setting their expectations based on their wants/desires to fit their play style and DBG can’t satisfy everyone. Someone has to be unhappy
