Sony needs to get with the times If this game is going to make it the next 2~5yrs+

You've said multiple times that the solution is people need to actually play less. That sort of solution is unacceptable and utterly asinine. SOE wants people to play more, not less. People want to play more, not less. The solution is give people more content or make the content progression more challenging so it takes more time and effort to clear... or both.

He also want's servers to be merged too. Despite Guk having a lower population I do not feel the servers "need" a merge just yet. Indeed though 2 Months for many people from all walks of life to be running low on non-hardcore (Challenge Mode) type encounters is not a good thing in my mind.

Well, SoE needs to advertise this game and Orginall EQ) hehe I see WoW advertising, and after how many years and too many Chuck Norris jokes, they finally got HIM to endorse them. They ARE watching the content and are making changes to keep up with the times. Or there would no loyal player base at all. 13 yrs and still up and running is nothing to sneeze at for Orginal EQ, and I can almost say half the player base here, still plays it for "old time sake". There's something to be said for nostalgia and lore.

Mercenaries are fine in a bind, but I agree with the other people saying, you shouldn't have to play a game with any "dependence" on them...you won't know how to play your class when you DO get a group. Mercs I think were designed to be an addition to, not a must have. Slow down and enjoy the content in the game! You miss SO MUCH, by being PLed and running with a Merc attached to your hip. Around level 50, there is SO much content you can't seem to catch up to it all!

Now, as for grouping, I'll go out on a limb here and use *cough* WoW as an example. I played (wasted my time), for over 6 yrs there and came "Home" again to EQ. There is an ingame all server, grouping system for all dungenos. The benefits of this goes far beyond people in queue for hours. There are people looking for groups at low server population times, that this feature overcomes. No server hopping, hoping for a higher population to group with. You jump in queue and the system scans ALL servers for other looking for the same instances. *poof* You're in a group. Well ok, not *poof* but it's an option. Instance is over, *poof* You're back on your Home Server again, with no ill effects from transferring over just to group...no saying g'bye to those people you have grown fond of, no fudges with houses you had on one server and got lost in the tranfer, nothing lost but something gained for the whole of the player base.

I do love the solo content here and will try to protect it at all cost. I have played many games in my time from strictly soloing to being a hard core raider; and for alot of players... occasional grouping is just fine. For hard core Raiders, I cannot speak. I have no characters of raiding levels. But I do enjoy the fact that this game is not PvP dependant. I hated games that turned into a PvP must do or not have. I've enjoyd many a games content until that time where you become PvP active, and people waited until you were combat with mobs while questing, only to jump on you. In those games, you had to PvP to get the best armor to do Raiding. If there is a "hole between getting geared for raiding and raiding itself", then fine...there needs to be an inbetween here. If the changes that need to be made could be kept out of SC buy or not have at all, even better.

We come to MMORPGs for the fact that we can play a game with people from all over the world. Kind of unites us all in a common cause hehe At least it does for me, and I treasure every person in a game I meet. We're attracted to these games for the storyline, not just the goodies at the end game. EQ2 and Orginal EQ are steeped in Lore, and those loyal players stay here for that, really don't want to see this game turn into a hack, slash and grab the loot...cookie-cutter game. You younger players are in such a hurry to get to the end game and miss all that the game itself is about. Everyone wants to be in the shiney, gleaming armor and loosk like "if looks could kill, you'd already be dead"...but don't miss the trip here ingame, on the way there.

i like the game but some of the restrictions for freee players are kind of dumb

not being able to use certain gear you worked hard to obtain and loot because its legendary and you arent a gold member(at least leave it unlocked for silver members at the very least) not being able to send MAIL unless you are a gold member -.-