The toxic environment is caused by...

I would like to hear other people`s thoughts.

I personally think it is derived from DBG/SoE policy decisions to allow 3rd party software and to have no pnp in place. It was like giving a loaded gun glued to someone who has seizures in a crowded room. It was inevitable some stupid and not fun stuff was going to happen.

all of the below

I agree with you.

DBG is at fault, they are the cause, the asshattery is simply a symptom.

DGB shouldn't allow it, agreed... but it's the people acting like a$$hats that cause the problems.

Oh, and how toxic it is vastly over stated on these boards... so far on RF, I have had only one very bad apple to deal with.

I agree, but to flesh it out some more, the third party programs allow a player to know that if they want to increase their power and world-reach, they can do it without ever relying on another player. They don't have to join guilds, they don't need to invite anyone to group, they can sell stuff on alts.

That is for GENERAL toxic behavior; guild-level/raid-level is another but related story. I guess it's a similar mechanic; except guilds can recruit from players like them and don't need to recruit from their victim pool.

Then consider yourself lucky or simply not in contested hot spots.

Of course, however there was no need to arm AND support these already self serving people.

If people need a nanny to hold their hand and tell them whether they are doing the right thing or the wrong thing.... well, never mind, I guess maybe they do.

It is a combination of a lot of things. The primary being that classic everquest was not played competitively by most people. On a TLP server, people have played the content, know how it works and know the progression lines. Most people are there to kill things they enjoyed killing or may have missed in the past. They know how to kill it, too. Saying that killing these mobs require skill is a joke, it requires warm bodies and a few key presses, classic is simple. The most complex thing might be Cheal rotations. And taunting after a DT.

You combine that with content that is put in the world that isn't up all the time, and it creates competition. This was in everquest originally, however..

You add the combination of technology that can play multiple instances of Everquest on one device, and a program that makes it easy to play groups worth of players while only controlling one character, you are asking for trouble. This is not as easy to fix, because boxed players are not the issue, it's the bot characters that are.

Finally, combine that with droppable items, and a way to convert those items in a subscription and you are left with what we are seeing, aka The krono. No-drop items can be sold, as well, so this leaves us with the real problem in this as the Krono.

If any points in this pyramid are broken, it alleviates the problem. However doing so can alienate the subscriber base, and to some extent greatly, so you have a developer base that is unwilling to make compromises for the health of the game in the guise of "Impossible" because they have a short term goal of profit, and can't see implications of canceled subscriptions because this always happens. But it only happens because of poor design.

The players really aren't the issue. If TL was not in the spot it was in, another guild would be. The raid environment would have been just as toxic, just a different guild name.

Lockjaw had a reprieve because the toxic players were already on RF.



My fix: Instancing or expeditions, would make the experience enjoyable for all to a certain extent.

Other fixes could address the end result, but would change the nature of game play much more greatly. That's at least my take on the situation.

Rofl what a thread. You know what causes Toxicity here? Humans + Internet Anonymity, That's it. You can talk all you want about 3rd party software, policies etc, it doesn't matter. With those two things you will always have a bad environment. The human species is very bad.

The lack of PNP will cause it. without PNP, people will act like jerks.

Enforce the terms of service as it was in the past. 3rd party programs, no matter if they are invasive or command broadcasting used to get you a full on ban. Play nice policy was enforced. Being a total jerk would get you a scolding by a GM or Guide and continuing would get you a suspension and eventually a ban.

Disagree strongly. I hope you only experience with the "Human Species" isn't through EQ.

The pnp change right before the server release was huge. When some people saw that they got some crazy ideas. It multiplied the boxing problems a ton. Krono also allowed a lot more people to mass box while using isb.

I am finding it hard to disagree with any of you. Unfortunately we are left with managing to some degree the way we all interact. It reminds me of the early days of EQ and those who came up w/ the need before greed aspect of looting.

I know my group of friends and I had to come up with it on our own and have others who joined us tune in as well. This is the stage we are at, albeit with much more experience but perhaps not wisdom.

Computer types have become so bitter the last few years as well, and I'm not exactly saying that as an outsider. Most of my close friends throughout my adulthood have been in software and technology, and it gets to the point where you can almost smell the years of being affected by pebkac wafting off of some posts.

It's really sad.

I envy your optimism. I still have hope for the "Human Species", but not nearly as much as I once did.

EQ can not help but emulate real life, it is virtual reality after all. The good and the bad and the in between all happen here on the forums, in game and of course in conscious life. The only way to find balance is to manage it with the best of intentions.

Kronos. Boxing doesn't help as certain people obviously need a little peer pressure to behave and the ability to solo *everything* means they don't have to answer for their actions. But still ultimately kronos. Financial incentive means you'll have cutthroat douchebags.