[Suggestion] More leveling rewards for Vaniki.

Vaniki Server will reward the Vaniki (ratman) illusion for reaching level 60 alone. I am concerned that some casual (Live) players will leave after obtaining the Vaniki illusion. May I kindly suggest that the 'Illusion: Gigyn' reward unlocks for simply reaching level 80 and 'Illusion: Clockwork (Leadbetter)' unlocks for simply reaching level 100? I think it important to reward players to keep their character levels up (as they can join raids after a hiatus or busy Live raid schedule, as well as encourage players who play casually).

Based on Vaniki's server population dip, I think more rewards need to be offered for casual play (for leveling or completing hunter achievements).

Casuals aren't going to keep this server going given how brutal the raid scene is. There shouldn't have been any recommended levels and certain types of spells (or even all spells) should have been available 10 levels early. It is going to be more punishing over time as it stands. There shouldn't have been any achievements at all based on leveling due to how quick it is to level. Instead, there should have been a much larger variety of raid achievements that included much more reasonable targets. There even could have been some group level achievements like Quarm with the MPG trials having rewards linked to them. As it stands now, there is essentially only 1 raid guild doing targets they intended on people raiding and that isn't based solely on population. Vaniki was poorly thought out and has been even more poorly supported by the devs. Giving live players a reason to log in for 1 day a month isn't going to save the server population so there is no reason to devote already limited resources to it.

This is not a thread about raid design or an any other TLP (Yelinak) vs. Vaniki. We agree the server has reached a tipping point. We agree that "missing a raid achievement" is the punishing mechanic.

While the server is focused on the challenge/raid aspect, I do think there is room to allow a part-time/background population who wants to play at a slower pace (or be rewarded for catch up or maintenance). At this point, Darkpaw needs to go beyond the "raid challenge paradigm" to keep the server afloat (if it's not too late).

Accendo shared an additional list of rewards for Vaniki a few months ago. They would only need to put a handful of rewards (perhaps illusions and merc contracts) to incentivize continued play for part-time raid or casual players. Even if folks miss an era of raid achievements, they'll get rewarded for maintaining their characters.

The ruleset is unpopular, a lot of people are forcing themselves to play on the server simply for the rewards or they feel like they are missing out on them. Adding more rewards to keep people feel like they have to play isn't a good way to build the server up. Better to just forget vaniki

The rewards is the driving motivator for Live players to play a TLP.

Shuttering Vaniki is not going to send Live players to Yelinak or Mischief. They will simply return to their home server (Bristlebane, EMarr, Xegony, Bertoxx, Luclin, etc).

If they are enjoying live more, then good for them, they shouldn't be held hostage on a server they don't enjoy just for the rewards

Playing on TLP is fine with the goal of claimable rewards. Playing for the sake of a rat race, bragging rights, an annual marathon, or Krono buying/selling is not something most Live players find appealing.

This is the entire draw of TLPs. This is why they are so popular. Live servers already exist. TLP players are looking for fresh takes on the exact cycle you have described.

If anything Vaniki has shown there is no reason to cater to live players in TLP selection at all. Given the current achievement list, Vaniki would have been a lot healthier if achievements hadn't been included. The devs simply didn't know enough about how the older expansions function to pick reasonable goals with a 10 level handicap. Providing a better basic ruleset and letting players pick their own goals would have been dramatically more popular with the type players attracted to fast unlocks and brutal raid schedules. There also would be none of the current stigma of guilds unable to accomplish anything of value in the achievement department.

Changes made to the server at this point need to be at a fundamental level unless the entire achievement system is going to be redone.

I'd like to avoid a derail. I get it - different people have different agendas.

Do we really need a 2nd Yelinak or Mischief ruleset server?

This thread doesn't concern other TLPs but some people seem to think that Vaniki is "poaching" players or we need a duplicate TLP ruleset (however defined). Even worse, some seem to imply forcing a captive audience (force Live players into TLP Krono seller's paradise). Tearing down Vaniki won't raise Yelinak or Mischief or someone's "perfect ruleset" server.

Vaniki is fine as long as dynamics are improved within the server. I don't get why people want to blend a broader TLP narrative in this thread.

I want a much better Vaniki. Catering to live players in no way helps that. Vaniki has shown me that almost all live players can't play well on truebox and don't want to put in the time for a challenge server.

This thread is not about another TLP or finding the perfect ruleset. You are free to play on any other TLP or suggest future rulesets.

My impression is that you believe Vaniki should be "your perfect ruleset" (which applies to any other TLP server).

I am merely saying they can improve Vaniki by adding easier-to-obtain rewards (leveling or hunter achievements). The focus of this thread is narrow (and not a broader TLP critique).

My point is that the dev energy should definitely not be used for your suggestion when there are dramatically better improvements to be made that could actually make the server viable long term. Live players logging in once a month doesn't generate any extra money for darkpaw or actually keep the population healthy.

Many Live players and accounts can choose to be and are Free-to-Play.

TLP forces people to buy a subscription. Vaniki targets people who don't find the appeal in Yelinak or Mischief. The people who like the rat race (no pun intended) have already self-selected for those servers.

Yes, putting easier-to-obtain rewards on Vaniki will encourage people to maintain a sub (even to log in "once a month") and generate revenue.

Vaniki should become the new, de facto Stormhammer (Legends) Server. Pay a sub, play on Vaniki, and get claimable rewards. Unless Darkpaw comes up with a Battle Pass TLP server, this is the next best thing (to cater to folks who like cosmetics or rewards).

They don't have the resources to do something like that. They need to provide basic server functions that attract as many people as possible who spend lots of money on the game. The hardcore tlp groups fit this because they buy bags, mounts, and potions every year on the new servers. Live players with free to play accounts shouldn't even be considered because they don't provide enough financially. If they are going to consider that crowd they might as well just admit a failed concept and merge Vaniki this summer.

-1 for more "free" rewards. Like Hober said any effort put into the server should be put into things that actually improve the server. Move the rewards that are already there to raids that might actually be completable and make some simple tweaks like removing or at least reducing rec levels by 10 and lowering the level to cast spells.

Ignoring things like not having corruption cures in TSS, raids were balanced around how much damage you can take, how much you can deal and how much you can heal. It's not a challenge to beat most of the raids underleveled, it's either super easy to burn and hope it dies before you do or impossible because you don't have the tools to keep up with the AE damage going out.

Either way nothing is going to happen. The devs have made it very clear already that they don't care about Vaniki. It took them 50 days of a 85 day unlock to fix Theater of Blood (if the fix even works.) If this was Mischief they would have fixed it same day taking the servers down if needed.

Vaniki's rewards have already been chosen and listed:

https://www.everquest.com/news/eq-vaniki-server-faq

Devs would merely need to shift a handful of them to level or hunter achievements. Possibly, a small effort for a major return.

You need a sub to log on Vaniki.

I get it. You seem to think any "improvements" (however small) to Vaniki is zero-sum to affect your TLP server (whether that means falsely perceived "poaching" of players or dev time). Or, even worse, by sabotaging Vaniki you may hope to force Live players to more "toxic" TLPs as a captive audience (Krono seller's new constituency). Likewise, creating another Yelinak or Mischief or "locking TLP at Classic, Velious, PoR/OOW" (however subjectively defined) won't be the sought-after panacea.

Devs would only need to shift 5-10 of future rewards to level or hunter achievements.

This is not a gargantuan task.

Nor are most of the other things they could do. But they choose not to spend any time on this server. If they do what you're asking instead of actually fixing things it would be a huge slap in the face to anyone who rolled on the server to try to complete the raids, ya know..the entire point of the server.

Having played on Vaniki every day, I have seen zero players complain about the Visage of Vaniki being granted at level 60.

The majority of rewards would remain with raid challenges.

A minority of rewards would incentivize people in maintaining their characters (keep up on levels and gear) or catching up (new players see some rewards). These characters would be a pool for raid guilds to draw from (due to turnover from seasonal inactivity or churn, etc). Win-win for all.