This will be a fairly long post, without a TL;DR. I wanted to convey something that has worked in the past and was very successful. However, it all comes down to the priorities and vision that DBG has that they want to achieve. Without those truly being known, my recommendation would be: 1) To Build something that brings back old and invigorates existing players 2) To think outside of the box so that #1 can be achieved 3) Achieving #1 and #2 will bring me profit. Why #3? Simply put, if its not about the money, its about the money. At the end of the DBG is a business, which has to report to executives whom report to an investor somewhere. They don’t care about the “art” or “vision” but rather return on investment. So therefor, to make all of those achievable you need a priority list and it is important to not forget one when remembering the other…but make sure the priority is set in case a lower priority “need” conflicts with a higher one. So why did I put it #3 then? Simply because too often profit is put before product, which causes significant dissatisfaction and $ here only happens in three ways: Expansions(active members), Marketpace(active members), and Membership(active, but the point of entry to new customers). So if the first to places are existing revenue, the only real way to greatly expand is by somehow increasing memberships. I would assume DBG already has a marketing board on how much membership is most likely to produce the other two and project probable income with a net % increase. (if not, I can prepare) Now, lets talk about #1 and #2. First off, there is one last thing with #3…everything before today is a sunk cost. That includes hardware, IP, and “vision” of those before you. This is your world now and you’re the custodian of the game, so your #1 and #2 need to be yours otherwise you’re just creating a clone of existing servers (even with minor tweaks)…so how is that going to achieve either of those? If #3 is that important, you’ll do #2 more to make #1 happen. So how to achieve that? Well a big misnomer to first cast away is the DBG-communicated “casual” server. This has been a gravitated to issue, to which really won’t achieve much in any of the 3 priorities. WHAT?! That’s right, if you finally come to a conclusion of what Hardcore vs. casual is…in all honesty it doesn’t matter because ALL servers have both types and both types may become the other over time. So trying to use that as your marketing item is…pointless and not going to meet the priorities. Ok wiseguy, what should I be using then as bumpers to my roller game? Well, you got the topic…People…right. Similar to that one may become the other, BUT does differentiate(and frustrate the other) is when it comes to boxing. If you haven’t figured out by now True-Box is causing a lot of pain. Let’s just get this out there, no matter what you do you can’t make everyone happy. Repeat that…10 times. All right, you brought up boxing what about it? Obviously it’s a playstyle that some love. I’ve done it, didn’t like any more than 2. Others like playing armies and other absolutely hate it. Unfortunately, it does cause a hygiene problem with they coexist. Since both are types of players, you should accommodate both. Wait, I just said they cause problems? Yes, when they are on the same server it tends to cause problems(as well sometimes it doesn’t) See where I am going with this? Well you have two servers coming up, make one FOR BOXERS and one FOR GROUP-SEEKERs. Ok, I’m going to run away…and come back to this point later. Forgetting how they employ clients(meaning solo or boxing) what is the next thing that players want? Throw away the details, those will be easier to determine later. Well FUN! Ok, that was too easy and we actually need to go deeper. Regardless of being a MMO or offline game its all about environment(check!), a great system(check!), free(jk!), and a sense of accomplishment. What no comment? Well actually, this is where I think #1 and #2 could use some help. Ok, accomplishment…what do you mean? Ya’ll remember that first named you took down…or came back for vengeance on LockJaw(or those Specs!), or when you got item XYZ and paraded around with its graphics/tint/etc? That stuff. How did you get those? Well, primarily by playing the game. That was too easy and doesn’t make sense? Well its about setting goals(raid/loot/named/quest) and completing them. How do you usually accomplish that? Typically by grouping up, raiding, or over leveling so you can do it yourself. See a commonality? Yea, yea…its playing the game. This aspect and those factors have been pretty stagnant over the years. Sure some rules change, new features, additional AAs, but it is still more of the same to make things EASIER and not DIFFERENT. Yawn, put in a Monty Python “Get on with it” meme now. Ok, obviously changing players/AAs/spells is part of expansions and a revenue generate aspect. Don’t change it!! So if you’re not changing the player, that leaves…that’s right the NPCs. Remember #2 and that previous visions are sunk costs. Ok keep an open mind here. Since P99 has been validated, I want to talk about another server that had already done this and was VERY successful and probably the fasted growing server with 30k+ accounts. (yes some of those were boxes) That server was The Irreverent. So what did they do? Their vision was an “Even Con” meant you…as an individual…had a 50/50 chance of killing that mob by yourself and that everything in game could be achieved by yourself. WHAT THAT KILLS EQ! Actually, it didn’t. All it did was make things more accessible and created NEW challenges. Like could an army of 40s kill Naggy or what was the lowest sum of levels to achieve it? It created new races, bragging rights, and well opened up the server to folks who were “casual” and “Guildless” to progress at their spead and do it alone. So they make the server lamesauce, lame. Actually it didn’t, if you went up to a yellow con you probably would get your @#$ handed to you too as now the factors where in their favor. What The Irreverent did was go in with the idea of make things accessible…without handouts. That’s right, you still had to earn it. (Remember accomplishment?) But I can already solo in EQ! Great point, a lot of those encounters were not changed much and a lot of EQ was still EQ. But, had you ever done PoTime solo? Wait…but certain events need groups like the M Behemoth! True, those were tuned too so that bugs didn’t come in from 4 corners but rather 1 random one…FIND IT FAST! So if I keep everything at White con or lower, I win? Not always..and that’s why groups were NOT destroyed as there is still an element of groups making it easier as ADDs are always a PITA…and well, now it becomes a question of how many did you need to accomplish it? (New Challenge!) So yes, you /may/ be able to solo something and maybenot. Did you think about ways to combat that DoT? Or have the right resists? Those planning factors are still the same. However, some things needed to go because they did get rid of that ability like DTs or summons(cotz) A new mechanic introduced, which is easier for DBG since they now have a better instance system, is to select a zone as “respsawn” or dead when dead. That way you can have grind zones if camping a place, or have a real whipe-out to achieve your goals. That way you could progress…slowly to get to your target. (Another challenge?) Ok sound far fetched or a lot of development hours DBG? Not really, but we’ll come back to this too. Irreverent’s system was that every NPC had a zone, race, and class. He took a “similar player” and cataloged their stats, resists, AC, attk, etc for all levels with period appropriate gear. Then for NPCs he set their BASE to that value. Then depending on zone and race, it modified those values. (like Fire Elementals more resistant to fire? Weird!) While it wasn’t perfect, it did level the playing field. White-con-50-50. But what about 2 blues? Ahh…see how its not lame sauce but a different challenge? Ok, lets bring this all together. This is obviously anti-known-EQ, but it does achieve #1 and #2. Regardless of boxer/solo or casual/hardcore there are still challenges for everyone. Yes, this lessons raids…but of the /historic/ population how many were raid-centric-players? I would say the minority, however they are probably the HIGHEST population now. So going to #3, does this provide something the historic players couldn’t achieve? Think they would come back? Imagine the headlines promoting this…you’d get old players back to sub(since it is a member-only server) and probably grab some new folks as current MMOs are getting boring. So in summary: 1) Build two servers, one char limited per IP and another box-away! (big debate avoided) 2) Employ some of these ideas, build a new world for players 3) Reap the income from returning and new subs 4) Build new loyalty, whom will want expansions and spend money on the marketplace Right right, this is is now in less than a month…how do I do this? Well Irreverent did it in a weekend, but remember those 1-month timeframes between releases? Well, you just gave yourself a development window to get NPCS right…classic…then kunark…etc Since this is about the money…won’t this ravage my existing servers? Maybe. Those who like the challenge as-is will stay as they already have guilds and an economy. If not, another way to make a profit is to minimize cost. A lot of those servers are already a weak population, this may get the majority of folks in to a living breathing new server and provide enough reason to consolidate. So couple that with the influx of cash, you reduce your overheads/maint as well in the long run. However, this shouldn’t’ be an aspect to go this way or not…but a long-term strategy. In the end, its all a chance. The current plan, or something like this could fail, and some people will gravitate or avoid it. Again this isn't an xpac or something that would upset current folks. They'll continue on as-is for now. However, this thought may appear to old and new...and if they come with money? That meets the goal of #3 and makes DBG happy...by "tuning" the game you add a new challenge and accessibility that hits most people and tends to drive them away from the game. Reduce that glass ceiling. If you build it...they will come. You can do this! Feel free to contact me as there was pages omitted on this that went into further details.
Really? I read this whole rambling mess, you use too many words to express your ideas. You almost make half a point but it's lost in the Coke Addict Role Play Fanfic you've produced here. Here's the executive summary for anyone that doesn't want to sift through it; he likes the EQEmu server "The Irreverent" and thinks just randomly messing with all the mob values so that they are different would bring people back. Also it would solve the True-Box/No-True-Box debate somehow. In response I'd just like to say,
TLDR: Make 2 servers. 1 unlimited box and 1 account per IP. Then a bunch of rambling ideas they will never actually do (legitimately). You're welcome.
