Shocked any business would choose to destroy itself.

You want to know whats wrong with this game? It's the 21st century. People aren't children anymore. The median age of players in this game is probably 40 years old+. That means they're adults with things to do. Playing a game for 3-4 hours straight is antithetical to their life. I have time to play, but its not until the kids go to bed -- then I have maybe a hour or two to myself. And guess what? Very few other people are on and grouping, doing missions or hunting nameds. And thanks for eliminating the group tasks. So helpful to try and make sure all 5-6 people in a group are all on the same steps while dealing with people who have to afk 5-10 mins for a work call, kids are fighting etc. fast forward a hour nothing is done and it's time to log.

I didnt start boxing till I joined a top 15 raid guild. People log on to blow through the expansion in the first week it drops, you know the BIG race to finish FIRST! Then they rarely log on outside of raids. When they do they just hang out with their little fellowship of 6-12 people and rarely help anyone else. Yet they like to sit there and pontificate about people boxing to get anything done because they cant find a group.

You have a valid argument that EQ's design philosophy isn't relevant anymore. This needs to be addressed for the longevity of the game. There needs to be more opportunity for people to log in and play without associated time sinks. There needs to be more incentive to log in outside of raids. In my opinion design philosophy needs to shift away from being box friendly and either bring back the social interdependence that made the game good, or introduce more solo friendly content and progression opportunities.

Automating your own group isn't the answer. Start a thread focusing on these issues

If they merged some of the servers, so that people could get groups easier, would you play within the rules then?

The lack of grouping opportunities is a valid problem on some servers. Semi-automating 24 chars with dodgy software is not the solution that DBG wants...

The rules were designed under the assumption that the servers had a lively community with many players(not few players controlling entire raids).

The question is:
Should they change the rules, or should they merge servers such that they have a healthy population?

If they merge servers, then I think some players would have to reduce their number of boxes(simply because of server-load). However it would also feel more like the MMO that I think DBG originally intended.

SOO toxic.

Like posts that call rule abiders "toxic". Sounds to me like you've got a bruised ego.

Larger perspective? It's clear cheaters are being targeted. If you're cheating and benefitting from cheating, I can see where you feel attacked. Cheaters are supposed to feel that way - you're breaking rules and justice is around the corner.

Toxic or not, please don't defend cheaters unless you enjoy looking foolish and being called out on it.

Pot Calling the Kettle Black. I said I wasn't defending them you didn't read past the first line obviously. I'm saying target the Krono market, power-leveling groups and fix mercenaries. Not going to bother talking to someone who just wants to attack others. If you haven't noticed a decrease of players but the plat farmers and people making real money from using these programs are still active as ever. Even your satirical statement about how mercenaries are bad and that's good proves your bad attitude.

I dont know if merging servers is necessarily the answer. Maybe? However, EQ is so old now (its legal to drink in all 50 states) I'd like to know how many ORIGINAL developers are still around that worked with Brad and knew his vision? Did Brad imagine EQ would make it this far? Also I would like to know if any of the devs actually play the game outside of work?

And, Ariana, thank you for your constructive response. I also would like to see some form of solo opportunities for all classes. The days of me being able to log and and play for 24 hours straight while eating Dino Nuggets and pizza in 7th grade are far gone. Socialization is a factor too. Why do I sometimes see 2-3 well rounded classes announce they're LFG in Genchat but don't group together? lol. People get frustrated of being LFG after a while they just stop logging in.

All I know is people should only play the game the way that I play the game. If their experiences and situations aren't the same as mine, they're wrong. And also probably bad people too.

Tbh, I do think the devs are trying to adjust to the changing userbase. If we look at the direction the game have taken over the years, most of it has been a reaction to the (valid)needs of the players:

Players complain about downtime --- we get OOC regen.
Players complain they can't get groups that satisfies the "trinity" --- we get mercs.
Players complain the user-interface is "clunky" --- we get advanced loot.
Players complain we need a way to catchup without timesinks --- we get overseer.
Players complain the UI is crap in hi-resolution --- we get a new UI-engine(next year).
Etc...
You get the idea. Im sure the devs are thinking hard about the solution to this problem too.

Automation is a long form plat dupe.

Automators can leave their computer unattended to farm platinum, TS loot, chase loot, and collectibles. They in turn convert their ill-gotten wealth into Krono for RMT or membership. They can also use that ill-gotten wealth to acquire tradable expansion keys, chase loot, collectibles, illusions, mounts, teleports, and other items of value.

Daybreak has to regulate software for what it could do and not what the user would do.

If you're using 3rd party software to do that...absolutely you're a cheater. No amount of "But I'm AT the keyboard!" bs will ever change my mind on that.

They probably hate clams, too.

If they hate clams, then clams hate them. And I always side with the clams.

Your faction with Othmir improved!

To clear up this entire mess all that needs to happen is for Accendo to state one sentence:

Input broadcasting software is allowed.

Or:

Input broadcasting software is not allowed.


Then everyone, including the support team which hands out the suspensions/bans knows what is going on. If the company wants to continue losing business then keep on the current path where confusion exists in the player base and in the support team on what is or isn't allowed. If you just want to blanket state that all 3rd party software is not allowed that interacts with Everquest, then state that. Don't keep it in the dark. Right now no one knows whether or not broadcasting is allowed.

The thing the community can do to get the company to make a stance on this topic is to have a consistent message to the company. Right now, there are all kinds of inconsistencies on these forums. Come together and make a stance to point out that input broadcasting software means the player MUST be at the keyboard in order for things to happen by the character(s). Without a consistence message, there is confusion by everyone as to what is allowed or not.

Don't get derailed by the cheaters that want to discuss automation software. That's already a given that it's NOT allowed! Never has been! Never will be!

Nobody is getting banned for keystroke broadcasting. They get suspended for automation and then lie on the forums claiming they were only broadcasting keystrokes.

If they lost the rights to their engine what else do you expect them to do? Seems they either remake the game or they just shut it down.

The problem is that the automation crowd will conflate, convolute, equivocate, and obfuscate to justify their behavior no matter what Daybreak says. Many are resorting to the "essential customer" argument, however.

We have even Daybreak straight up saying that automation is not allowed on Rizlona but some still bring up Rizlona as justification.

https://www.everquest.com/news/eq-rizlona-aradune-progression-server-launch-2020

Your statement is incorrect! You're now unintentionally derailing what was stated. I know 100% that using broadcasting software and nothing else will result in a 7 day suspension. As stated, if you stay on a consistent message, leave out biases and beliefs and get the company to make a clear stance on input broadcasting software then this mess will be cleaned up and the company will not lose valid players.

I agree with you, but don't let them derail the discussion, we need to get the company to make a clear stance on Input Broadcasting Software. Otherwise players that use it will continue to receive 7 day suspensions and/or get banned.