Veteran player here looking to return, been out of the loop now for a little over a year (finished TDS then RL aggrod). I don't wish to go back to current content, I'd actually prefer to start from scratch in classic EQ. I'd love to experience it all from the very start (i.e. Vox/Naggy/PoF/PoH raids) but it looks like that ship has sailed on the current TLP servers. I have a lot of catching up to do. From what I have been reading: RF is already knee-deep in Velious LJ is currently voting to unlock Velious Phinny auto-unlocks Velious on May 25th I understand Phinny auto-unlocks every 12 weeks but I am unsure how the time span for voting on RF and LJ work. If the population on LJ chooses not to unlock Velious, that would make that server "last" to get Velious...so would that be the best server for someone who is starting late? Am I better off waiting for the next TLP server to launch to experience classic (is that even an option?) or jump on one of the current three already up?
Depends on a few factors. If you like to multibox, probably RF would be best since it has better XP rates and you make your own group to level up with, assuming you want to drop the krono or cash. Phinny would be good if you want the best player base, in terms of numbers. Plenty of guilds are still doing instance raiding of classic, and of course Kunark. I doubt that will end just because Velious dropped, since instanced raids make it easy for guilds to hit targets at their leisure. Some factors would be how much play time you expect to have, as well as your end goals. Do you want to group with people and experience content as you work to 60, then start the raiding (though with classic you could theoretically start sooner)? Or do you want to rush to 60 and jump into raiding ASAP? Personally I say it's not too late, either way. I just started mid April, with limited play time, and have been trucking along fine on Phinny, making friends and having a jolly time. The XP isn't THAT bad, especially compared to classic levels. It is definitely not a regular live server though, that's for sure. Anyway, there are so many people on Phinny, combined with instanced raiding of ex-open world bosses, that you can undoubtedly find a guild progressing at whatever level you are at or interested in. Just look at the guild recruitment page on the forums. Jam packed in there. Bottom line is, it's not too late! Remember, the max level will remain the same until February of next year, assuming the time line stays the same. Plenty of time, even for a filthy casual like myself, to catch up. Good luck out there!
True, you might wait a long time for another TLP. By their nature they can't really be announced too far in advance.
There will always be another tlp. These are people who want to play classic and 2-4 expansions. Then they get bored and leave.
Phini locking has been changed (and will change again I think.) Velious and Luclin will be on an 18 week timer before the next expansion. Right now, the plan is for PoP to come out, 12 weeks later LDoN and then 12 weeks later GOD/OOW, so it's not a strict 12 weeks anymore. This is still a great time to play on Phini. There's lots of time to catch up (we'll be locked at level 60 for a long time yet, and Beastlords come with Luclin). There are still some lower level groups here and there that look for people to play.
Thanks for the info fellas. I do not box and I'd like to enjoy the older zones as I (casually) level, then hopefully join a guild who is still doing Classic/Kunark bosses if that is an option by then. It seems like Phinny may be the way to go due to the population numbers. Can someone explain to me why the LJ population is so low? I was under the impression that once it launched people flocked there to get away from the boxers and/or because RF was packed.
They never really "flocked" there. People went there because RF was overflowing, but once the initial hype died down, LJ was left with only a modest population. The bulk of the playerbase was still on RF. Then Phinny came along and lots of people from both servers left for the new one. That left LJ's already modest population severely hurting. This is because TLP playerbase is only looking for the next new thing. They're not going to stick with a server for the long haul. Many of the players you see on PH/RF/LJ currently will jump ship when the next server(s) come around.
Lockjaw was looking good when free transfers came.Population was about equal between Ragefire and them. Then we got the raid rotation going in shamble due to the fighting between Modest Man and Faceless Insanity.Soon after that Phinny got announced and a massive amount of Lockjaw people decided they would play there instead of Lockjaw.Ragefire sustain more of a population because in my opinion there was much more boxing armies there and they we're not interested on playing just a few characters and on different computers.
Well perhaps if they would stop fooling around with the rule set and get it right ( a few days of actual play testing perhaps???) things might stabilize. Same thing would happen to Phinny when another is released with yet another rule set that is seen as an improvement. Heck use the same rules as Phinny with 3x the xp and Phinny turns into a near ghost town just like the others. The only reason a TLP lasts any length of time is not releasing any more TLPs. But no new TLPs means far fewer krono and other DBG store items (pots) sold. See what I mean? Is that footsteps yall hear on Phinny? Yes it is Bunky... indeed it is
Started fresh on Phinny last night, let's see how things go. This has probably been answered somewhere else already, but did DBG enable the newbie armor quests? Edit: NM, found my answer. Cloth armor it is!
There is a lot of factors involved if they we're to make a new tlp.One is raid instancing i don't see any new tlp having any success whatsoever til phinny is there if there is no raid instancing.Second is the xp.Third would be how fast expansion release.Let's take rhodz idea triple the xp but expansion change every 6 months.Not sure that would empty phinny.Fourth would be if you have a vote to release a new expansion.As you can see lots of factors to take into consideration.Another 1 would be what expansion release at launch.I don't see people restarting with just classic at the moment.A lot of people have done classic 2 times already 1 time on ragefire/lockjaw and 1 time on phinny so most don't want to see classic anytime soon.
Cant afford it? If you can play as you like, when you like and however you like. They should make all kinds of new servers, and merge most of the live servers since they are spaced out with little to nobody left. I feel badly for those in the server all sitting in Guild Lobby LFG when they should go play on a TLP server and group up and guild up to continue that experience.
They can recreate the scene given the correct team working on it. Splice out the other addons and put out a time download release. They have the original files, dont kid yourself. They just have to make cash for it to work. They have the admin tools to do so, since they created the back end tools to handle addons. I would rather they release it to open source projects, and release all the admin tools so we can host our very own servers. This way we can custom down our very own.
Was not an idea only an example of possibility. Xp rate should go with release cycle, faster releases should have a higher rate of xp, slower may have lower rates. Were Phin on a high enough rate starting behind would be playable but it isn't so cannot with any conscience recommend doing what I would not. I doubt many are left that wish to spend six months in an expansion on a TLP. Pretty sure we all got that out of our system already. If not there is P99 waiting if you can spare the bucks for a legit copy of the software, one without all the extras people like to put in for the unwary.
What makes you think they'd ever consider completely giving away their IP so that they can lose their entire customer base to mass private servers?
@ Kelandi - What armor quests do you speak of? I just came back after many years and can't remember of any armor quests. On a side note, I still cant decide whether I am rolling a Wizard, Mage, or Enchanter
