EZ Server

Few items I'd like to see... these are just suggestions - not trying to start a debate.  ::)

1.) Double loot should be permanent. Right now, the server has great content, but I think everyone knows EZ has a huge amount of progression, much of which requires a massive time sink. I feel new players frequently become dismayed by the slow rate of progress - often quitting or going back to p99. Since I joined EZ in 2010, the number of active players hasn't gone up, and appears to have decreased. This is particularly troubling when you consider people have more toons on average now than ever before (eg. 150-200 players is really ~25-50?).

I actually find myself waiting for double loot, and only logging in during those hours. The progress is much more satisfactory during DL (and the time sink is still massive). We could do quad loot on special occasions ;). Benefits of permanent DL include: people playing more and higher player count, more new players sticking around for end-game content, more opportunity to create new content as more players approach T9, and more $ for the server as more people buy EZ credits for more expensive, higher end gear.

I realize some people might not like this proposal, particularly those who are already T9 and did it the hard way, but more players for the server means more $ which means more content which benefits those at the end game. ;)

2.) Much smaller proposal, but I would like to see guilds added to the Leaderboard. Maybe guilds with the most T9 flagged, largest guilds, most active guilds, or guilds with the most plat etc. This could also help new players identify guilds they might want to join, or at least give them something pretty to look at.

3.) Lastly, I'm sure this has already been proposed, but I think the solo instances should allow invites beyond the 6 man group. The limit seems unnecessary nowadays.

Red: If the players do not move fast enough, they will move back to a slower server. So, make it faster to avoid the slowness before people move back to a slower server. That isn't even logical. Sorry friend, not happening.

In addition, faster time to completion will actually mean LESS players as it can be completed quickly and people fall off from boredom.

---

This is possible. Will assault Akkadius with questions about this. :-)

---

Just making note, re-read that with particular attention being paid to the bits in red. The raid and guild instances exist for this. :-)



-Hate

I don't agree or disagree with a lot of this but you were on point about one thing. Recently this server has been dead, as simple as that. I saw maybe 350-400 on during dbl loot which is semi around normal but not as high as it could. As soon as it stops, we're back to seeing 160-180 at prime times. I don't know the current solution for that but I hope in the future that does change.

Content is the short answer.

I'm about to finish up the T5 minidungeon (within the hour). Then I'll finish up the ultimate aug combines. Lastly, I'll likely convert TACVI into CT(t0.5) mini-dungeon.

After that, going to make get a scalable dungeon or dungeon series going soon. Also, Halloween is up in the air between three things right now. Won't spoil the surprise though :-)


-Hate

Ok, your post count is 4.  You do not appear to be an active player on EZ...you even state:

The way I see it you are part of the problem, not part of the solution.  Move along nothing to see here.

I think there is a reason why more people play on p99. It may *feel* slower, but in reality there is much less to do to reach the peak. It actually feels within grasp once you invest some time. On EZ, the peak seems 100,000 miles high and hard to even comprehend even after you move into T3 and T4. On p99 you know the max level, the good guilds and the hardest mobs pretty quick.

I disagree with faster time to completion = less players. I really think EZ is too much of a grind right now. You have to weigh the impact of lower level players getting disheartened against high lvl players getting bored. The reality is, we have very few players right now, and most of them are T5+. We have very few active below T5. I did the CG/FG quests, LDON, and potime for 9 new characters over the last week or so and saw maybe *one* other live player the entire time in all pub zones. The server is clearly low on new players, not end-game players. As an alternative, perhaps double loot wouldn't apply to T5+?

I know about raid and guild instances - I just think it would be nice to have three options that work for all players instead of 2 1/2.

My post count has nothing to do with my /played or my donations.

If you want the server to have more players, you might want to listen to players who have been on the fence. Don't be a troll - I'm just making some suggestions ;)

Asking people not to troll a dumb QQ post like this, is like asking water not to be wet.

You say you have time /played (since donations don't really matter in the grand scheme) then you should KNOW how this server is setup.  You should KNOW this server doesn't have but a few devs...therefore you should KNOW that content will be limited to what THEY can produce...so yes that is WHY this is a grind server.  If any of THOSE don't apply to your play style or you want to ride the train to WoW-ville, then by all means climb aboard and GTF out.  Just sayin'.

Very productive thanks ;D I'd wager my suggestions are less dumb than your response.

Donations matter a lot by the way...

I never said anything was wrong with the content - in fact I said it was great. There is a huge amount of content here. My suggestion was about the grind pre-T5. You know what would be a really easy way for limited devs to improve the number of players? Perma DL :)

Quick tip for ya.  You're smarter when you're quiet.

Don't need your tips.

I think you are dead wrong on the double loot aspect of this. Hate nailed it. The only thing that needs tweeking is the drop rates for individual stuff which has been addressed (essences). What you are asking for, and you probably don't mean it, is to pass go and collect your T9 gear. That's the way this came off to me and I'm sure others.

It's just a suggestion. I thought some would feel that way.

There isn't anything wrong w/the suggestion if it's for the greater good. You just tailored it to yourself a little too much. The server is a grind server and was intended that to be with big rewards. You start the end game progression faster than P99. Think about it, you get to 50 after months. You get your planes gear after months. You get your kunark gear after months (think they are on that now...). Here one day you are starting epic rewards with less amount of time. Just because you make it to T9 doesn't mean the game is over. You got strike augs, SoA, UW and alts. Don't buy your way through the game, its not enjoyable.

You can't compare progression in EZ directly to p99 in terms of gear/level. The question is, how much content is there, and how long does it take to move up. My point is, EZ actually has significantly more content, and can seem insurmountable to new players. You can get to the highest level with the best gear in p99 significantly faster than you can in EZ. Plus, the learning curve is way way lower on p99. As for buying your way, it's insane to play EZ without spending at least $150. That's my take.

You have the right to make suggestions.

I invoke my right to tell you they are bad with the exception of 2 which has no impact on the game.

I would like an explanation on how this benefits.  The emu servers can not make profit, as it is suppose to be hobby/learning deal (which keeps from copyright issues)....and as the devs are not getting paid it's not like you are hiring more people to come up with content.  Al you can use donations for is to upgrade the server equipment, which has been done.....

So then let's do 2 :p

 ::)

It's all about the grind, imagine the things you could've accomplished in-game, if you hadn't wasted your time talking nonsense on the board.

Carry on.

Imagine the things I could have accomplished in-game if I hadn't made suggestions on the board? In the suggestions section? When did this community get so "my IQ is 150!"

Hate said he would talk to Akkadius about it.

Folks are getting short with you because of your first suggestion which does not go over well with people who have years invested in the game at normal drop rate.

I get it. I expected that. However I think it should be pretty clear I'm making suggestions to make the server better. Not so I can hog all the "phat lewtz" without putting in the work. Sorry you guys don't see it that way. I get it would be frustrating to put in the work then watch others do it in less time - not a surprise.

That said I have one more suggestion to the community. Be more open to suggestions and less antagonistic - it serves no purpose.

heh...

#2 is pointless busy work that stretches the devs time further. it's more offensive to that the first suggestion.

The issue you bring up that's important is the roughness of playing without donating. It's a solid point, and here's some real counter arguments to that point:

1. ) FWP is vital for t5/t6/Eon farming. It is. But if you think outside the box there are ways around it. People farm t5 for essences or kill credits all the time and have no issues inviting extras along. If you say 'i don't play this game to sit at zone in and have someone do the work for me', then kill some effing corals, you slacker!  :)

Join a guild. Like joining a love commune with dudes with hot wives, there is always an alternative to being a viable financial sound member of society yourself. I've repopped a ton of anguish/abyss instances for guildies, joining a guild with ppl who have fwp's is the next best thing to having your own.

EONs can be bought, or if you've joined a guild, instances (even without repops) are essentially doubling or tripling your chances to get named eon mobs.

2. ) Fastest run speed.  It's 5 credits, can buy that with like 3.5 mil plat. done.

3. ) Group Levitate. Air elemental disguises are free, just farm up a buncha illusion cards while farming v1 charms on ldon 6. done and done.

4. ) Group COH. Make a mage. That will help for most tiers. Some don't allow COH. Oh well. It's a beautiful convenience.. but just that, a convenience.

5. ) Mass Rez. Don't die. Or just hold a couple cheerleader toons back. You get full rez on gloves starting in t3 anyways for all classes. Never owned this one, never wished i had it.

6. ) Group Cure. There's these things called hero stones.. they drop in all tiers now. Thank Hate for that. They are useful, and plentiful. Help you not get hit by spells as badly. There's also these things called paladins. They cure groups by swinging a sword. It's really neat. Another reward item i've never owned.

7. ) 98% of the rest of reward items. Are cheaper bought from players, even using ez credits. My first purchases first time i donated were a fire V and Ninja V. ugh, don't remind me. The only other thing i've ever bought was final t5 kill credits. Hate finished a dungeon today that assure you are far less likely to actually need to do that.

---------------------

As for your worry we are having incredible difficulty attracting new players to a 15 year old elf-simulator, it's just par for the course. Other games out there being released every day, and people at the baskin robbins internet MMORPG store aren't generally keen to choose this particular flavor. And there's a rough learning curve just getting the client and getting it set up.

The most amusing part is a lot of us would not be here if it wasnt for p99. Whats more amusing than that is MOST of the ppl there would not have found out about p99 if it wasnt for eqclassic, a venture that gained steam being attached to eq nostalgia vids on youtube.

Sadly that project became vaporware the second Sony told Yeahlight 'wow, you did a whole lot of hard work backwards engineering a game designed to appeal to the consumer base that basically launched our online gaming empire.. But umm.. no, we'll do nothing to support it and refuse to give you our blessing to even bring the emulated game out in even a non-profit situation'..

So yeah, I fully trust in our staff to make us happy. I have zero faith in them to reinvent the wheel and make this 15 year old emulated game suddenly the hottest thing in gaming in regards to mass appeal. They spend the time they can tinkering and generating new content and fixing old issues, with minimal thanks and support from us. It's a miracle they do it at all.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you for calling them out and warning them of the imminent mass migration to whack moss snakes on p99 because loot doesnt drop here daily like its welfare christmas. It's about time they f*cking knew that. /rolleyes.

At least you have a lot of good points. Not sure why you need to end with the ridiculous snark. This board could use a little pick-me-up - everyone is so angry.

I never called out the devs - don't be ridiculous - in fact, I complimented the content more than once. I was proposing something which I thought might get them more $ for the server, and more players. We know for a fact DL leads to more players online. As for "mass appeal" - I think you're exaggerating a little bit - don't you? Everyone needs to get off their high horse and stop acting like such a tool. I had a different opinion... on the suggestion board. Sue me.

Sorry for wanting to play with more people. Hopefully you'll still be proud of your UW when there are 6 other people online to share it with. My bad for making a suggestion.

Tools..

(http://memecrunch.com/meme/26VDX/joker-here-we-go/image.png)

No more like this:

(http://www.thetinylife.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/tools.jpg)

I seriously hope this is fugi's obscure alt-account and some sort of meta troll.. It's genius if that's the case.

It's no crime to make a dumb suggestion. I've made plenty on this board, as others will tell you. It absolutely is a crime to not own up to it when a dozen ppl respond by calling a spade a spade.

It's patently hilarious that you keep claiming you want to 'play with more people' when you haven't gotten along with a single person in this thread.

If your goal is to make Hate and Akk richer than they already are, tell them to buy laundromats and parking lots, swing by on monday to run the quarters and dollars to the bank, and golf for 6 straight days.

You give everyone double loot they'll just cry for quadruple loot. In fact, you're basically insulting the devs by claiming their vision of balanced progression is so retardedly askew everyone needs TWICE AS MUCH CHANCE AT EVERYTHING.

In fact, you've been continually attacked by us, the nice guys on the server...

*You haven't seen the actual trolls come out yet*. I don't think you're ready for it. Your only hope is this gets locked immediately.

This thread has degenerated into useless bickering. I don't condone censorship, but this pissing match is done.


-Hate