Producer's Letter: August 2015 Updates

I agree that I find myself just doing other things instead of playing EQ2 during my down time. Soon it will be where no one plays and the TLE server will then suffer due to people leaving the game in general.

You can barbecue it, boil it, broil it, bake it, saute it. Feldon-kabobs, Feldon creole, Feldon gumbo. Pan fried, deep fried, stir-fried. There's pineapple Feldon, lemon Feldon, coconut Feldon, pepper Feldon, Feldon soup, Feldon salad, Feldon and potatoes, Feldon burger, Feldon sandwich.

Would be nice to have different selections in your zone selection that would allow you to select a version of the PvE or PvP map. (Example: PvP Antonica or PvE Antonica)

This would solve the issue of that server and still allow one to either PvE or PvP one another depending on what choice they make when zoning. I mean it is not like they do not have the means to do so since the introduction of Warzone. And why not have this option since the Naggy server has been dead over the years.

This will give them the option to migrate into a PvE / or PvP community.

Thanks
~Z

This is a really good idea. If they can actually code it that way, that would be awesome. When you click on a travel globe, you should get an option to make it default, so you don't always have to deal with that extra click to pick between PvE or PvP. I'd want to click the globe, and only see the PvE map all the time, because I never PvP. IF for some reason, where I want to PvP, then that is when I'd have to click a PvP button to go to PvP zones.

This idea then also would require that all classes are finally neutral on PvE servers, because all classes are neutral on PvP servers.

LOL that is fine that you will not group with them but I have been advocating for a merge when all those trolls would bash anyone that said the word "MERGE".

I rather group with people and it is hard to group with people if there is hardly anyone on to fill a group. So you tell me that I wasted hours at hand looking for a group and non are filled or the others that continue to look for a group and can no longer find one nor form a group. One may tell me maybe it is me but tell the ones trying to form a group (lol). In the end we end up not running a zone and find other things to do other then playing EQ2. Not only grouping is affected but your marketplace and tradeskill are as well.

The trolls back before the released information of merges would bash every idea when it came to the "fixing the issues". Well to tell you the truth the trolls are now silenced as it is coming and there is nothing they will say or do to change the consolidation / merge which is coming up real soon. Darn I said the word "Merge" again. Where are those trolls in telling me that it will not happen and my advocating for it will not change anything? LOL

Thanks
~Z

Actually I was just being a little sardonic and borderline trolling. But, coming from Nagafen I do agree with the spirit of your post. After years of EQ1 and EQ2 PVP I know it's a poor PVP MMO experience in contrast to games that are designed with PVP in mind at all stages (DAOC, UO, Warhammer, etc). But, pure PVE in EQ2 just gets too boring...

It would be such a welcome addition to have PVP integrated into the PVE servers so that the two populations no longer have to be segregated. An innovative approach that keeps the PVE folks safe and insulated from PVP. Sadly, nothing has ever been explored with the factions in this game. EQ1 felt more faction driven.

Agnostic versions of Zones and Dungeons where PVP is permitted along with bonus exp and higher drop rates? Or, play vanilla. I don't know, but something different injected would help.

All that old content needs a single mantra in my opinion anyway: Relevance. Clearly TLE has stood at the pulpit and demonstrated that this general term can paint an old landscape with new and old populations. Now, if PVP, Agnostic, and Old content can be married with instancing...

Sure wish they'd make a PVP oriented expac with 3 city factions (ala DAOC), and the PVE oriented folks can fight / craft a PVE experience that boosts the faction efforts, while PVPers have activities that contribute to an overall faction effort too...instead of this boring damn individual progression of gear gear gear. Anyway, another game I suppose.

Thank you and it should help with their population issues as well. I mean, I would so enjoy to choose the PvP Map's and even join a PvP guild community if I wish to play one of my toons on the server using the PvP map selection. It will also give the PvP community the ability to raid with other members and guilds. It will only help the server population then harm it as we are all aware of how the community is so far.

If PvP is not your thing then have an option to disable PvP Maps on your global travels. They have battlegrounds and warzone so why not use the coding and make it helpful on a much larger scale where everyone would be happy with the content they play.

Thanks,
~Z

Said it before, saying it one last time, the problem isn't population, it's people refusing to group with people not in guild or on friends lists. The berserk itemization vs difficulty plot of the last several expansions has made people crazy, and this last one was the worst by far. Until that changes, you can force the world to log in at gunpoint and still not get groups.

But that's a rant for another thread. Now I'm out for realz, yo.

I posted a similar idea somewhere
I suggested to have war fields go on all severs only instead of having to mark yourself to be part of it , so if you don't want to do it you can still leap or fly or such , it will be you mark yourself to do the warfields
You could even go so far as to marking yourself to do pvp anywhere
that way if somebody wants to craft in piece they can do so but make it that way that you can only change this setting in town so people don't kill somebody and get away by simply changing to pve .

not necessarily. if you have less than 100 on your server, there are several things you should look at. like the time of day, the day of the week, the season. during the summer, while parents work and kids are out of school, you may find a lot of kids on or they may be off with their x-boxes. the best time to look is during the evening - but then, there is also timezones and some people work nights.

i think the best people to judge whether a server is low or high are the people with the statistics to see the overall picture- not someone who judges by a "/who-all" once a day or so.

hmmm transferring characters onto a server of MY choice
I would like to transfer my toon with the 847 plat onto the locked pvp server please
JK

Funny how anyone who disagrees with a post or has a different opinion becomes a "Troll." The same could have been said about all those who were asking FOR merges as well. My post was in reference to the comment that "everyone" was screaming for merges, and now they are filling their pants in fear of losing names, etc., once they got their wish. All kinds of things are being suggested now--it's like a free-for-all--OMG they will change things, so here is what I want!

The introduction of the TLE servers and the siphoning of people from all the servers that occurred is the only thing that made the argument of the server merge crowd viable--at least across all servers. Before the TLE intro, Guk had a very viable population, and I rarely ever saw people LFG that did not find one in a short time. Even now, I still see groups forming every night, and see "Full--thanks for tells!" announced nightly--sometimes more than once. Maybe a few of the lowest population servers should have been merged together, leaving the ones with viable populations alone, which I suggested multiple times--but I suppose that makes me a troll, since I didn't jump on the same band-wagon you were on.

As far as being silenced goes, I think not. As Holly stated that their final plan is not yet set in stone, and while some consolidation is coming, none of us know if it will be affecting all servers or not. So I think your statement about nothing can be done about it or nothing can be changed is a bit premature, if not outright smug. I wouldn't be so quick to gloat if I did not yet know what exactly is taking place.

The truth be told, the reason I said I would not group with these people is simply because they feel they can MAKE people group, not only by throwing them together but also by changing game mechanics to disallow viable progress solo. Some of the same ones who were screaming for merges were the same ones who were calling for content that could only be done by groups or raids. When you look at the people who were saying "Merge--I have no one to group with" and those who were saying "Mercs and Solo content has killed grouping--nerf it so they have to play with me" you find some of the exact same people. My opinion is a culmination of my reaction to both issues--not just one. It is a reaction to those who were so self-centered that they wanted the game changed to facilitate their play style and cripple other's play style badly enough to MAKE them change their play style.

I am not against grouping per se. You want to know why I don't group now--it is very simple:
People will not SLOW DOWN long enough for me to even see where I have been while in a group. That's it--the entire reason--anything else is just frosting on the cake--just reinforcement of the ultimate reason: PEOPLE JUST WILL NOT SLOW DOWN LONG ENOUGH TO EVEN SEE THE ARCHITECTURE OF THE DUNGEON. This has become the rule, not the exception. If I actually take the time to look at the stats on a piece of gear before passing, greeding etc., the group is already gone and pulling again. It is a miserable, chaotic experience, especially to someone like me who took pride in being able to deconstruct an encounter by splitting mobs, creative pulling, feign-dead pulling, giving tank time to get some aggro, but no, not now--it is hurry, hurry, hurry! Pull the whole room and give it he11, "cause we gotta get finished and do another, and I don't really give two sheets who you are anyway, and I won't even see it anyway, cause it will be scrolled up by the time you type it because I will be pulling the next room by the time you type it, blah, blah!"

2002-2008 EverQuest--Grouped constantly, nice groups, people talked and took their time, making steady progress, joined mant PUGS that were very enjoyable, camping bandits or at the nexus--forgotten the names unfortunately. Raided a bit too.

2007--The End, Vanguard--Grouped constantly, Raided End-Game, helped kill every mob in game (except Tharridon, which was introduced in a horribly broken state at the time I was trying to retire from raiding anyway.) Most groups would take their time, but I started to see some of the "Rushers" turning up here.

2006-Present EQII--From 2006-2013, I dabbled in EQII, as I was still engaged in EQ for a while, and Vanguard was taking all my time, but even so, EQII was my "go-to" game when I just needed to get away from Vanguard (No, I do not want to do Chickens again tonight! But if you logged in, you know you would say 'yes.') Since Vanguard went away, I have spent far too much time (and money!) in EQII. The times I have done groups here, it has been rush, rush, rush, hurry up!--much more like WoW than EQ or Vanguard. Just not fun. I require FUN of a GAME.

I liked EQII just the way it is--or at least just the way it was before the TLE server-assassin was released. I have spent far too much time and far too much money building up my little army of characters to start over again--especially naked in some pseudo-tough-mode. EQII never was the toughest game around, and some people are just kidding themselves. If I wanted tough combat, I would (and do) go play Age of Conan, or The Secret World (with it's 'no mistakes allowed or you get one-shotted' dungeons).

I guess time will tell if the TLE is really the saviour some feel, or if it is the spike through the heart of this game--tearing long-existing communities apart, and pushing the game along the path of Vanguard--down to four servers, then three, then one, then the wailing and...the silence. We shall see.

I wouldn't call it borderline. Posts made just to incite others to anger is plain old trolling, plain and simple. And I get called a troll for expressing a true sentiment! Hah! That desreves the old Bugs Bunny Award, so here you go!

but maybe they aren't trolls except in your own mind. if to you, anyone voicing the opposite viewpont is a "troll" then you have a problem of perception and no one can fix that but you. in a democracy or a debate, opposing views are not silenced but encouraged. both sides need to be heard, their objections addressed, and a compromise reached. that is called reasoning together for the good of all. glad you would rather group and wish there was either a public group option or maybe a server on which you are automatically grouped with all willing people of your level.

however, it is what it is. there will always be people who prefer to solo. and some who want to group, and some who want to raid. those are called playstyles. when all playstyles are addressed and allowed for, there will still be those who fall through the cracks and won't be happy. that is life. but if the majority feel they have been heard and their needs and desires met at least part way, then it will be a job well done. after all, you can please some of the people some of the time, but no way can you please all of the people all of the time. you just have to find the most reasonable compromise and stick with it.

Ok you have until the end of August to change the plan on the consolidation/merge and convincing the populous.

No matter which servers will be or not be affected.

Go!!

Thanks,

~Z

That's the way it was decided last time while this game was a subscription base. If they were to go by the above rules this time around, and being that the game model has changed to Free to Play, being a member (with a recurring subscription for X amount of time) should be a deciding factor as well.

i totally agree except for one thing and it is the one thing i hear repeatedly in this thread. the server populations have not changed.

before everyone begins getting on their high horse to dispute this, think about it. no one left their servers to go to the TLE. they created a new toon there to try it out. some decided that it was fun and wanted to continue playing there. but those are extra toons. no one transferred. no one left.

most people who are playing there now will eventually get tired as the newness wears off and return to their home servers and their main toons. some already have. again they didn't transfer. their toons are right where they left them. they have homes there, and maxed toons, and plat and who knows what else- like guilds. they are still right there. they are just on vacation in a new server reminiscing the old days. that is not a move. you can go back to where you lived in childhood and visit, but you don't have to move there to do it. it is just a visit and a vacation. yeah you might stay for weeks there. but eventually you go back home to your house and your kids and your pets and your jobs.

so stop thinking of the TLE as a move. it isn't. it is a vacation. the people who live on each server are still living there. they are just away for a short while and will come home- totally upset when their homes are gone and their toons are gone --because they didn't see the posts about the move because they didn't read the forums or wherever else it was posted.

there are people in the game who only play the game. they don't read the media about it. they don't read the forums. they just play. they don't even empty their mailboxes so you can't send them an email about it. but you can bet your bottom dollar that they will be affected and some of them will be very upset.

the only difference between earlier mergers and now is that they can't call the office to complain.

When your forced by another by choice words that your opinion is garbage and that I should not have one about a merge (meaning I should never say merge for even forecasting one) and trolled about it is a troll. Especially when those certain members where reported for the comments and those comments where deleted due to forum guidelines is definitely someone trolling. Wish I could post the archive messages but then again the messages where butchered by SoE at the time.

That is a troll if you must ask.

Thanks,
~Z

no one can force you to do anything. you can choose not to comment on them and simply report them. if you are being bullied, that is not trolling, that is bullying. there is a difference. a troll is one who enters a forum to cause dissension or derail the thread.

however from wiki:

and you are also advised on another site to please don't confuse "do not feed the troll" with "do not bite the newcomers"

You are missing the real point--neither of us even know what the plan truly is, as it has not been announced. All either of us know for sure is that "some" servers will be "consolidated." Therefore I do not even know if I want to change the plan. All I have been advocating is not to over-do the 'consolidation' to the point where any server has a population higher than AB at present. To jam every remaining server except AB together into one, as some have advocated, would make for a big mess, with population far higher than AB is today. "Just don't over-do it" doesn't seem like a very radical request!

Edit--Forgot to add, Suka's comment that many will be returning from TLE to their real home is a very valid one, and I hope the devs consider this when consolidating servers!

This is the reason I've been asking for a while if there was something other than an X that could be used. I've hated the X since I got it way back in EQ1 during some of the server mergers there. You could count on one hand the number of times I've played that character since it happened, even though I was actively playing at the time.

There is actually nothing WRONG with the old way of handling server merges.

• In the event of duplicate character names as a result of this server merge, priority will be given to the character who has logged in to the game within the past sixty (60) days; if both characters have logged in within the past sixty (60) days, then the character which has accrued the most gameplay time overall will retain its name. Other characters will have an "x" added to their names until a unique name has been determined.

When they did this they also did a name purge of low level characters with little coin as well. If they updated this method to include purging locked herioc characters and change the X to something else it would work pretty well I think. We've been long overdue for a name purge like this anyway.

Using my name as an example:
There could be Finora, Finora_, _Finora, _Finora_ That would be four people who have unique names would keep the general look and idea of it. Adding extra letters changes things greatly. Finorax and Finoraxx and Finoraxy is NOT the same and would feel pretty awful if the person was at all attached to the name.