I don't agree with all of the fancy TLP ideas people come up with, they're usually things you could have done around 1999-2004 when the game was huge for its time, but I also admit the idea behind classic/TLP servers can grow and mutate. I'll keep my post short and swift. I feel like instead of starting a new TLP server every so often to start new, maybe there is a way to add life to existing ones. Perhaps, a server that moves really fast that is intended to catch up to another server and then merge in. I won't float meaningless details but I think this is a great way to capitalize on people that enjoy the classic experience or want to catch up to an existing TLP(Mangler in this case), but don't want to start fresh on an existing server. Basically, I feel this sustains the current TLP and could help it maintain a higher population into the age that TLPs start to fall off, while bringing back people that felt left out somewhere along the way. I bring this up because I feel like eventually there will be a new TLP release and i'd rather see something that helps Mangler rather than hurts it.
What is needed is a parallel expansion. Something that is new, but isn't high lvl. Remember when things like The Warrens showed up? We need multiple new zones, at lvls appropriate to pre GoD expansions so they can give up and coming characters, returning players, or new players, new interesting areas to explore and loot.
You have to realize at least half the people do not go to new fresh servers to relive 1999 over and over or because of some new, fresh and wonderfully thought out set of rules .... they go there because Krono's are cheap again. That is all.
What you seem to be suggesting sumnayin is fairly similar to a "feeder server" idea proposed several times before, whereby EQ has instead of separate TLP a succession of possibly linked expansion-locked servers but they have free transfers from one expansion-locked server to the next one - while the idea has some merit it creates a lot of work for DBG insofar as it would be generating a lot of transfers, unless they have some cloud-type technology solution/infrastructure to enable a large volume of transfers easily or to have a single big server that operates like a multitude of smaller ones. The idea of parallel expansion content is also a problem as in order to do that with the current sized team it would take away dev time for the next expansion for players already at the live endgame & simply will be too much work to benefit too small a slice of the population. The best this segment of players can expect is perhaps some small additions such as Veksar, Solusek C & Chardok B were, the majority of the new content needs to be at the endgame as already those new expansions are very small in terms of new zones, ToV has what 6 new zones? put on a new low level zone & you then end up with the expansion following that only being able to sport 5 or even 4 new zones - that's going to cause more problems than it solves. For now the TLP "churn" is what seems to be working, I'd argue it is losing steam & the TLP release schedule should be slowed down as all it is doing is recycling the same audience for the most part but I don't have the actual numbers of people who returned for the last few to hand to quantify it, but certainly the boom 'n bust cycle appears to this casual observer to be happening quicker now.
For the umpteenth time, they already have a fully automated system that can handle a large volume of transfers easily. The devs don't have to do anything and the software works fine for server to server character transfers (but not server mergers or account to account transfers currently.) You could buy ten thousand transfer tokens on the store and transfer ten thousand characters tomorrow if you wanted. Adding the word "cloud" to what they already have won't magically make it better. I don't think you even know what the word means in the context of a game like Everquest.
The way to reinforce what's there already is to encourage people not to keep jumping to the new server when it launches, and instead look at staying put, or if they simply have to restart, jump to an established TLP. Leave the new TLP to the krono farmers/bot teams, and go and have fun with players that actually care about the game. Phinny should hopefully be getting heroic toons soon, which should make it easier for 'fresh' starts, not that catching up is overly hard without them, but i suppose it's psychological. Ultimately though, it's down to the server populations themselves. Be welcoming of new starts, answer questions, chuck a few buffs, and help them along. I'm not saying do PL sessions every night, It's more if people feel welcome on a server, and that they feel part of a community, they're much more likely to stick around.
So, which guilds on Phinny will be doing classic->Gates progression? (self-imposed loot/item/etc locked to the "era" that guild is currently in) Wait.. none? not one? How then, is that a valid option compared to a fresh TLP? I'll admit, I'm playing devils advocate a bit here, since I can't ever start on a TLP before Luclin.. I always end up missing 2 of my favorite eras. (True classic, and velious.) So I'm always starting late compared to most and missing (IMO) a lot of the fun in the process... but I don't think there is any chance for a similar experience on a server that already has all those expansions unlocked. In the same manner that I never seem to find a guild with my beastlord raiding classic for 3 months, then moving to Kunark and then Velious.. everyone's working luclin content when luclin drops. ::shocked face::
Oh there's plenty of choice of Era looking accross all the TLP's currently out there, not just phinny. Classic to GOD does get a bit old after the multiple rehashes of Phinny, so instead of doing it yet again, stay where you are when the next TLP lands, or go to one of the older TLP's, who are always glad for new players. It's really up to the players if they want to reinforce the older TLP's is my point.
Always has been and in general - they don't. Krono farmers go where the market is. Krono buyers go where the cheap supply is. Nostalgia buffs go to the new shiny for a while then quit when they get bored, can't keep up or it moves past where they liked to play. These people quit playing til it happens again or go back to their comfort zone where they play sporadically or in between. New/first time returning people go to the new shiny, probably mostly cause they get to relive a little but mostly because that's where the crowds are - in the zones they are leveling in. etc, etc. Lot of reasons why people don't go to the older TLP to start over. The established guilds on those servers would probably have to do a hard core marketing campaign to get very many people to try it out without it just being blind luck.
Agreed. Both OGC (EST) and RG3 (EU) are promoting a Phinny 'come on home' policy. There are posts in the guild recruitment forum, There are entries in the in-game tool in the lobby inviting players to connect, and there are multiple posts in the TLP forum about choosing older TLP's over the new shiny servers. I can honestly say it's working, we're seeing a steady stream of people returning to Phinny, who then get any help they need to get caught up, and many are already raiding (it's really not hard at current xp rates).
