Producer’s Letter: New Fabled, Ethereal Items, Server Stuff and MORE!

Agree totally with this part. There is nothing that makes me ill as fast as having to wander around forever looking for something, basically accomplishing nothing whatsoever in the process! It is frustrating and not at all fun! The only way to do this is to use the idea already stated here--make it where people have a choice--toggle on or off! I may play this game many, many hours (and I do--too many really!) but every one of those hours are precious to me, and if someone takes such a very cavalier attitude toward my time, I will resent it with extreme prejudice!

If you want to make people "put their thinking caps on," you really should take a hard look at The Secret World. The investigation quest lines they did were awesome, and took a good bit of "burning the ol' sawdust" to figure out. That's the right way to do it. Blacking out a map and making people run around in circles just trying to find where you hid something is the WRONG way to do it! There is no challenge in THAT!

I agree with the rest of Melodica's post as well. If you want to roll it all back on a single progression server, be my guest. The only reason I would play on a progression server anyway is if the suburbs and quests in Freeport (esp. half-elf quests) were reinstated. Otherwise, the chances of me playing on the server at all is between 0 and 1 on a scale of 100. I have no desire at all to go back and get the excrement beat out of my level 9 toon by a level 9 albino bat! Been there, done that, wasn't fun the first time around. I like the game just the way it is. So please do not get all giddy and try to make EQII into the new "tough" game--it never was the champ in that department anyway. And never forget the lessons of Vanguard, or Pantheon RotF (aka Pantheon ROFL).

As far as server merges go, why not have a poll on each server. like the one you did on AB, and let the players decide if they want to be merged, or if they are happy as things are now? Make the decision server-by-server--if two servers both want to be merged, well then merge them, and any server that votes not to be merged, just let them be! Maybe offer transfers for people who vote for a merge but get voted down. It really does not have to be one size fits all, y'know?

If you get this right this could be huge, I know I'd resub a couple accounts for T8 or before PvP, and I'm sure many more would too.

I have to agree with Trilly on that one. Why should we be "forced" to group with people? And just because it's attuneable most likely means it will be up on market for 3,000 plats or something outrageous. I've been playing Everquest 1 from day one and a lot of players like to solo, due to drama guilds. You need to have some equally nice items for the solo players too.

Sure, with stats and stuff you'll need for SOLOing.

This really should not be a hard concept to grasp, honestly.

I have to add my 2 cents to this thread to say that I really REALLY appreciate the markings on the maps...without them I would be totally lost..(I have no sense of GPSness lol) so perhaps there could be an option where some ppl could turn off the map markings and do it solo..or... ppl like me (with no GPSness or quest smarts lol) could keep it on plzzzzzzzzzzzzz and thank u ! =)

I am VERY happy to hear u are adding more agnostic dungeons I have soooo much fun doing the ones u have now =)
I currently have a few alts level locked so I can run them and enjoy the whole experience while learning how to play each toon! I have recently returned to eq2 after a long break and I am so thrilled to be back, thank u to all the developers for the huge amount of work u have been doing I can't say how much I am truly enjoying myself with such greatly improved gameplay from years ago...keep up the great work! /cheers!
ps: loving the mounts and decorating!!!

This sums up my thoughts perfectly.

I used to raid, at least 5 nights a week or more. For years. In Eq1. I retired. I like to piddle around now, and solo so I can go afk whenever I want and take my time over content.

I don't expect the same level of loot that people that group and raid get. It wouldn't be right. Yes we all pay the same amount, but this isn't supposed to be pay to win, its supposed to be reward for effort, and grouping and raiding are EFFORT above and beyond just paying the account every month. It requires a commitment of time and patience, and building relationships and maintaining them. Which is why I am retired = )

Since I am NOT doing raids and Heroic content, I only need loot good enough for what I do, and eq2 supplies those paths to loot via crafting and questing. Yeah it may take me awhile to finish an old dungeon just barely on the edge of still being green solo, but it's a challenge = )

The point of grouping should be to socialize while playing, to make friends/acquaintances, to meet prospective guildmates, and of course, to tackle higher-difficulty content by combining abilities of multiple classes. And I'm totally okay with the fact that the gear which drops from Heroic and Raid encounters by players grouping is (by far) superior to anything that a soloing player can get.

The point of grouping should not be because it's the only way to participate in special or seasonal events. Grouping should not be the only way to acquire special/seasonal items. If such items are going to drop randomly from mob/mission chests, they should at least have some chance (perhaps a lower % chance) to drop from mobs/missions in Solo and Advanced solo content.

If the game and its owners don't benefit from the subscriptions and purchases by those who primarily solo, by all means let's not waste any more development time creating solo/adv versions of missions and dungeons. But if solo content is being enjoyed by a good number of customers and those players are contributing significantly to the bottom line, let's not overlook them when designing seasonal content and random rares.

Ok I have to ask will the Isle of Refuge be put back in? Will it be the old way of choosing your class Archetype then intermediate class then subclass at 20? and will the citizenship quests be put back in for Qeynos and Freeport?

I'm almost positive the way of picking your class is going to be how it is now. Essentially all that old code is gone and there have been many changes to skills since then. About the Isle coming back, not only would I jump for joy, I think it has to be something they look at. If we are expansion locked at base game or during KoS, then we wouldn't have access to newbie starting zones like GFay and Timorous Deep. You'd almost have to open the Isle back up at that point. It would also make sense story-wise to start on the isle again.

I play pulled back...not first-person...because pulled back, I can see around me instead of limited side view and mainly front view.
I like to see what is going to try to get me from the front, sides, or behind. Pulled back, I can see a much wider view.
And..you are correct...too much first person is unsettling.

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Just curious, since I don't really understand your comment, what did you mean by "stats and stuff you'll need for SOLOing" ?
It "appears" to be a sarcastic comment signifying the lack of need for stat gear if you are soloing, but I may be mistaken.
I can't see your face or hear the tone of your voice, so the inflection of the words is not there for me to discern whether or not it is sarcasm, a joke, or a true sentiment of agreement.

There is no gear in game that is totally devoid of stats for a good reason.
Even solo players need stats...because the mobs still hit instead of seeing a solo player and assuming that if they are solo, they are too tough to tackle, so they lie down and die automatically. Solo, you need stats and skills to stay alive since you don't have someone or some group coming to your aid to help you kill the mob/s that you are facing.
Many people have very good reasons for soloing...Real Life problems or interruptions top that list.
Groups don't like it when the tank has to drop because one of the kids is running through the house with a butcher knife after the dog and the tank is suddenly "not tanking," or someone is sick...possibly the player...and they have to drop game immediately, leaving their spot in the group vacant. For some people, interruptions are common, so they solo.
Some have visual or other difficulties that make them less than great group members. They solo.
I, personally, have trouble with dungeons because the textures are often uniform, and if there is a hole in the floor, I can't tell it from the solid areas of the same material, and because of severe injuries, I am much less coordinated than I used to be, and I often have trouble jumping gaps or jumping up onto ledges without falling down a lot and having to climb back up.
I solo. I would like nice gear when I do, because it will possibly help me stay alive long enough to complete my mission.
When I first started EQ, I couldn't even stay sitting up. I'd slowly fall over sideways. I'm alive...blasted hard to kill, but have undergone a lot of damage that can't be fixed. Now, if you saw me on the street, you'd not have a clue how close to being a vegetable (brain damage as well...memory capacity of an earthworm) I once was.
Gaming helped me gain strength and memory...painfully, but it has impacted my entire life in a great way by bringing me back to what appears to be "normaility."

People who solo should have the expectation of a great gaming experience, just as those who group do, and should have gear that has stats that benefit them in their experience rather than making them more vulnerable because they aren't contributing to the Group Experience.
Gaming is therapeutic. It is also a personal choice for some who just want to achieve things on their own.

I have a problem with the, "If you don't play like I do, you shouldn't even be here," attitude that some groupers tend to display. Not everyone is going to do dungeons or raids. I raided a lot in EQ. I don't feel that I have lost a lot by soloing, or doing the occasional duo run.
You may not want trashy gear an armorer makes...it didn't come from a major Mob Boss in a dungeon so it has no prestige or bragging rights, but some player who is soloing will love it.
Fortunately, the game accommodates all kinds of people with varying capabilities. That is another thing that is great about this game.

I do have a problem interpreting "intention" at times. If I am mistaken in seeing your comment as sarcasm, I apologise.
If it was sarcasm, I hope that you will consider the fact that not every one has all of the same abilities and understanding of game concepts that you may have, and that diversity is a good thing. It gives a wide range of people the opportunity to leave Real Life for a bit, and experience something new....perhaps make new friends, and do things that feel like they are real accomplishments...because they Are. They bring satisfaction in achievement, fun, and the possibility of new social ties.
Just as you did, WE also paid for the privilege of getting away from RL for a bit and playing here.
(Those who solo content aren't necessarily hermits who never speak to others).

I'd like to highlight this point, because it's a good one.

While content designed for groups is obviously more challenging, the largest benefit to grouping is that you're not limited to buffs, heals, cures, dps, utilities, and tanking ability possessed by your class alone (and perhaps a merc), but rather have access to the buffs, heals, cures, dps, utilities, and tanking ability of up to 5 other classes besides your own.

And again I'll emphasize that I don't have a problem with much better gear dropping from heroic/raid content than from solo/adv content... but saying soloers shouldn't be able to get gear better than what is "necessary" in solo content, would be like saying if a group or raid CAN accomplish a mission with what they're already wearing, improved gear isn't "necessary" for them either.

The main thing is -- What do you need it for in solo content?

Gear designed for soloing is dropped in content designed to be soloing, making you able to solo better. Since they added the upgradeable gem gear, Solo has dropped a set and given you a way to get the gems to upgrade it in the form of ADV solos.

Mastercrafted gear gives you an advantage in ADV Solo instances, making you stronger than some stuff you might normally obtain soloing. This again, allows you to get the gems to upgrade what you earned from a normal solo situation.

You do not that shiny +900 STR/900 STA 75 Flurry 50 Strikethrough 50 AE Auto 100 WDB sword however, that is reserved as a reward for people doing more challenging, situational content.

Yes, soloers need stuff they can earn. No, it should not be group or raid equivalent. And if you raise the numbers on what is considered a "solo" reward, you can bet the numbers on what is considered a "group" or "raid" reward will rise even more. The cycle becomes endless when Solo wants to have the highest numbers, because if you give all incentives to soloing nobody would group.

Stats and stuff for soloing are EXACTLY what they sound like -- stats/procs/whatever that allow you to adequately solo the content built for soloing. Just like Raid Gear is a requirement to join higher-tiered raids, or Group Gear is required for higher tiered dungeons.

The stats on the gear in dungeons or raids IS necessary for them, because it is tiered content that gets progressively more difficult with each zone you are entering. Solo zones do not fluctuate in power much at all (Trust me, I did mostly the Advanced Solos in ToV and there were very little difficulty changes compared to the "next one" from the previous). You have zones like Hive that are entry level, and drop weaker upgradeable armor, and then the next step up you have your stuff like the offshoots of the Temple of Veeshan, and finally the raids where each zone's raid is one difficulty tier.

In fact, most of this content is designed FACTORING IN the many buffs you have because of your party members or items/pets.

Until they make Solo content the equivalent of a 6-player dungeon somehow, you do not need gear that exceeds what you need to manage overworld/solo dungeons/advanced solos. Soloing just doesn't need the same stats as Heroic or Raid content, period.

This completely. I don't group any more (except with a good friend who is in the military and currently on a Tour of Duty posted elsewhere in the world, and will be for some time to come). I currently have a number of quests on various characters (including one particular heritage quest) that are about to be deleted because their script calls for at least 1 other person in a group to complete them (usually right at the end of the quest). So all the work I have done to get to that point is wasted, leaving me very disappointed that I cannot complete the quest because I have been "given an incentive to group" (i.e. forced). I'd rather delete the quest.

I don't care if I don't have raid-quality gear. I'm not asking for it. I don't care if I don't have gear that is stuffed so full of gems and adornments that I sparkle when I move (I don't understand all that gems and adornments and reforging stuff anyway - makes the whole thing way too complicated for me). Again, I'm not asking for it. I would, however, like the chance to get some decent stuff from solo/molo zones that will help me progress and improve my soloing characters.

Although I would quite like to see some of the raid gear (armour and weapons) made available as appearance only (i.e. NO stats). I'm more than happy not to have the items themselves, but something with the look of them would be good - some of them are cosmetically really very nice.

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The main point was that Solo gear needs basic stats...not NO stats because if they solo--they aren't "worthy."
Who in the world said that soloers are all asking for Raid-Quality stats on gear?

Crafting Gear has stats...related to Crafting..what the player is doing at the time. That is why there is special Crafting Gear.\

Solo players need decent stats on their gear as well...mitigation, class stats for damage, attributes, etc.
I don't think that anyone is suggesting that soloers want Raid Gear with Raid Gear Stats for their solo jaunts into the wild.
Quibbling over whether or not soloers need gear with stats is rather unproductive.
Solo players need basic stats based on their class and level. If they get a piece that has bonus stats, fine...who, exactly,
does it hurt? Does a raider die every time a soloer gets an adornment that gives some sort of bonus that benefits them?

It's nice that many do not want or need anything crafted by a player...food, or ammunition or spell upgrades, or anything else they can get in game without the intervention of those who spend their time killing mobs to clear nodes for farming, or running from high level mobs when farming mats for crafting rather than grouping and doing things that are actually worthwhile like running dungeons and raiding.
Some die-hard crafters can fly at level 30 or lower...because they completed the crafting requirement of getting to level 85 crafting, which rewards them with the ability to fly before they are anywhere near Class level 85. They try to skirt high level mobs to harvest items in high level areas. They don't have raid gear to help mitigate damage long enough to escape alive if a level 91 mob attacks their level 30 (or lower or higher) self. They are cautious, and pick the time to drop down on the node when mobs are out of aggro range. There is a lot of tension there.
I know...I've done it over and over again, and have flown in my 20's.
Independence and variety are both good things.
As for soloers (for whatever reason) we have also paid real cash to Play the game.
We need basic stats on our basic gear...and crafting stats/abiities on our crafting gear.
Raiders and group players...you have your own gear with great stats. Be satisfied with that, and don't begrudge those who have a different play style from having gear appropriate for the way we play-which offers some protection from mobs we may face.

I think there should probably be separate servers for those who primarily group and or PvP, and maybe another for those who primarily do dungeon runs or raid, with a free, one-time transfer for each of your accounts from your current server to the
server of your choice...PvP or Raid.
Then, casual players would stay on their own servers, and we could solo or group as we pleased, and it would not disrupt the play of those who want PvP or Raiding to be prominent features rather than casual play.

Frankly, I didn't know that we did disrupt the play of anyone else, but if they feel that we don't deserve basic stats on our clothing (since we do have to take on mobs..solo), it would be better for everyone if we were separated into distinct group type servers so that everyone could play they way they prefer with others who have the same preferences.

Yeah, the crafting there sucks...almost as bad as Neriak. :-/

Uwk
who's SOOOOO glad Gorowyn exists!

can we jump a server straight to sf?

When I was first playing back in 2006, I was on a Win98 on dial-up, of all things, and could barely play at the lowest or second-lowest graphics setting (ironically, City of Heroes wasn't too bad that way, and WoW worked just fine [one reason why I stayed in there as long as I did] :-/). Which meant that the main tank (me) couldn't even SEE the opponent until we were in melee range, or the nukers and DPSers pulled them to us. And when they did, I couldn't really see the 8,000,000 other li'l itty bitty things at our feet that would add whenever I would try to do an AoE attack with my 'Zerker, so even my regular group could get exasperated with me (one of them finally just wound up ignoring me and had her Monk buddy, even more of a noob than myself, take over the tanking). So when my group members couldn't play much any more after even their machines got de-specced for this game, I learned to be self-sufficient, to the point where I don't even really think about group tactics much, even when I'm in one. Fortunately, my guildies (which are usually the only ones I will group with) are a lot more forgiving, and I have a better machine and DSL now. ;->

Uwk