Eq Resurgence Server

[Quinner Sparrowhawk]

I have an idea for a new server that might attract some veteran players back to EQ. It incorporates some of the old school feelings without being a coding nightmare for the Sony Devs.

1. The new server would start with the same guarantees as Stromm, no server transfers in for at least one year.
2. The server would have a level restriction on PoK of level 30.
3. The Luclin Spires would have a level restriction of level 10.
4. All transport spells would have a level restriction of level 15.
5. Soulstones would only become available at level 40.
6. There would be no tutorial but players would have hometown quests that could result in getting the kobold skull charm.

Those factors alone I think would contribute to making players have to work for those first levels and make the world seem large again.

Can anyone else think of some restrictions other than no expansions that would make this server cool for veteran players?

[Prelgor]

I have an idea for a new server that might attract some veteran players back to EQ. It incorporates some of the old school feelings without being a coding nightmare for the Sony Devs.

... (snip) ...

Can anyone else think of some restrictions other than no expansions that would make this server cool for veteran players?

While I admire your enthusiasm, I am skeptical whether enough interest would be generated.

I was part of an "old school" guild about two months ago. We picked a server that none of us played on, and we agreed to a code that basically boiled down to "no bazaar" - everything we used or wore, we would loot or earn for ourselves. We had about three dozen people join the guild, about a dozen were "regulars", scattered across assorted playing times. After a month, the founder decided he was no longer interested, and the rest of the guild evaporated within days. One person said, early on, this was the third "no twinks" guild she had joined that year, and hoped it wouldn't crumble too.

Anyway, I'm sure some interest could be generated, but it's not clear to me whether it would be enough for SOE to justify a whole new server.

[KyrosKrane]

I remember Absor (I think; it may have been another dev) posted on the Sony boards about an idea like this at some point. His gist was that if the "rules" of the server could be emulated by players as self-restrictions, then there was little reason to create a new server for that purpose. On the other hand, the devs weren't opposed to the idea of a new rules server. They just hadn't yet heard an idea they'd liked.

The server rules would have to be a change from what players could do for themselves (e.g., the FV and PVP servers have functionality that is generally not possible on "normal" servers) AND you would have to show that your ruleset would get attention from a large number of players.

[Quinner Sparrowhawk]

The rulesets which I suggest are all beyond the control of the player....at least in terms of setting other players off on the same footing.

1. A player cannot control server transfers in of other high level characters.
2. A player can refuse to use the PoK books but that will not make other players appear in zones for grouping
3. A player can make all of the banded and plate armor he or she wishes yet other players will not buy it.

With enough thought and advertising, Sony could bring back enough old players to start a new server with the rule sets I mentioned plus any others that would help create the old school feeling.

Perhaps having the server start off with only the EQ old world and slowly unlock each expansion over the next year, like one every thirty days or so, would be intriguing to veterans. The nostalgia factor can be a powerful thing.

[Turlo Lomon]

Personally, I would have no desire to play on a server like that. Old school? Nastalgia? Let's see. Been playing for over 6 years. These are the things I would like to forget.

1) Sneak and hide did not work together.
2) There was no poisons for our make or apply poison abilities.
3) All traps had damage disabled because it was considered unbalancing to require a rogue in a group.
4) No evade as I hadn't invented it yet.
5) Largest taunt in game was a missed backstab.

The most amazing part of EQ 6 years ago was not the limitations, but was seeing the world... for the first time. That is what keeps expansions coming. I have, and still visit, the "old school" zones frequently. Now, let's look at the exacts of your proposal, because "old school" and what you describe are different beasts all together.

1. The new server would start with the same guarantees as Stromm, no server transfers in for at least one year.

They just consolidated a lot of servers to help manage population and resources. So, we are talking a server that needs to attract about... 5,000 players during prime time or so? Ok, fairly optimistic.

2. The server would have a level restriction on PoK of level 30.

This can be self imposed. PoK is definitely not old school.

3. The Luclin Spires would have a level restriction of level 10.

Luclin is definitely not what I consider old school. This can also be self imposed.

4. All transport spells would have a level restriction of level 15.

This can be self imposed.

5. Soulstones would only become available at level 40.

Requires guild lobby. Once again, not old school.

6. There would be no tutorial but players would have hometown quests that could result in getting the kobold skull charm.

This should be enabled now, on all live servers, for the players who were created before the tutorial was updated. There is no need for a seperate server for one quest.

Mmm. Your post is filled with contradictions. So far, all you proposed is a style of play but nothing significant to warrent a new server based on this. So, let's see your second post.

The rulesets which I suggest are all beyond the control of the player....at least in terms of setting other players off on the same footing.

I disagree. Everything except for one quest are well within a player to control.

1. A player cannot control server transfers in of other high level characters.

This still doesn't warrent a seperate server unless that server was truly unique and had enough to interest others.

2. A player can refuse to use the PoK books but that will not make other players appear in zones for grouping

None of your proposals would help that at all.

3. A player can make all of the banded and plate armor he or she wishes yet other players will not buy it.

Funny, I just sold a set of banded the other day.

With enough thought and advertising, Sony could bring back enough old players to start a new server with the rule sets I mentioned plus any others that would help create the old school feeling.

You can't get the old school feeling back because you already experienced it. What made it so significant at the time is because you never saw it before. Now, it is like watching an old rerun on TV.

Perhaps having the server start off with only the EQ old world and slowly unlock each expansion over the next year, like one every thirty days or so, would be intriguing to veterans.

30 days? A good PL team, starting from scratch, can get level 50 easy in that time. Nothing intriguing about this. If a person shows up after 30 days, they are already late one expansion.

The nostalgia factor can be a powerful thing.

You can experience the nostalgia now by creating a new character and playing the game the way you want. I play non-twinks. Everything the character has they have earned themselves, and I don't visit bazaar. I don't need a new server to do this.

I am still failing to see what is unique and special about your server. FV has a special rule set. Zek has a special rule set. All you have proposed is a style of play in the name of reliving an experience that can never be experienced again.

[Turlo Lomon]

Another thing of interest, Quinner. You have stated yourself in other posts that you are only in your mid 30s. You haven't even experienced the end game of the original expansion, let alone explore other end game areas. There is still so much to see. I would suggest taking the time to work on levels, explore new areas as you become more powerful, and enjoy the excitement that the rest of us do when we see something for the first time.

There is no need to feel an urge to play catch up if you enjoy the game for yourself. This is definitely not a good reason to start a new server.

[menssia01]

As much as we dream/remember/cringe/laugh at the 'old days', nothing will bring them back.

What took us 4 years to learn took Stromm 1 year to learn.. add another server .. How long do you think it would take..?

Everyone I am sure would love to roll back the clock, in game and in RL (somehow only Sony knows how to do this by 15-30mins ) but sadly it just can't be done.

[Prelgor]

This should be enabled now, on all live servers, for the players who were created before the tutorial was updated. There is no need for a seperate server for one quest.

Really?? My older characters can go back and get the tutorial charm? I couldn't find information on how to do this on Allakhazam. Any hints on who I should talk to? Hey, I'll go depopulate the Warrens, Stonebrunt and Steamfont twice each, if that gives some kobold-hater reason to give me that charm. My 60 Beastlord still doesn't have anything that good in the charm slot (no planar progression at all).

Or are you just saying that characters created since the tutorial was introduced have had their faction (or whatever) bumped up so that no one with a tutorial charm should not have maxed stats on it?

[Turlo Lomon]

Sorry, slight miswording there. I mean they SHOULD enable this. It is something that is long past due.

[Prelgor]

Sorry, slight miswording there. I mean they SHOULD enable this. It is something that is long past due.

Ah. Bummer. I was hoping I had just been asleep while they had already gone and done it.

[Quinner Sparrowhawk]

Turlo - I can impose all of the restrictions on my own character all I want and it will not make other players suddenly appear in the old zones for grouping. Nor will my self imposed restrictions encourage veteran players who have quit the game to come back. I guess I can go to HHK and talk to myself and train myself but I somehow don't think it will be the same as it was when Stromm was birthed.

BTW - Is there any reason why you had to attack my post and ridicule my idea? And what does my age of 37 have to do with my experience of the game?

[KyrosKrane]

And what does my age of 37 have to do with my experience of the game?

I think Turlo understood that your toon's level is 37, not your age. =)

[Turlo Lomon]

My response was based on these quotes:

I have yet to reach level 70 with any character and have yet to max out on any of the tradeskills.

I'm 36 and only started playing in June of 2002. I have yet to have one character reach 65.

I interpretted this as your toon being level 36. Your RL age is irrelevant to what we are discussing, so my apologies if I misunderstood. However, you still haven't seen a significant portion of the game if you are under 65.

Nor will my self imposed restrictions encourage veteran players who have quit the game to come back.

This is the part that I am being a realist about. Your server suggestion offers nothing that could seduce enough veteran players to come back for Sony to turn up a new server.

The points I made in my previous response I still think are valid. What I am trying to do is to get you to convince me that this is a good idea. Think about it. I have no monterary investment in this. If you can't convince me that it is a good idea, how would you convince Sony who would need to invest six figures for another server farm and ISP bandwith?

[Grenoble]

This idea has been tossed around with some variations for a long time. And suddenly, on almost every class board, I'm seeing it resurge, altho folks are saying guild instead of server.

It makes me wonder if one person is posting on every board, but the poster names are all different.

Even if the interest were there initially, folks would get bored quickly. Limiting progress is ultimately going to end the game.

If you enjoy old zones, we now have the ability to shroud...heck, I've been regearing my SK (he's 55) since I'm at a standstill with my wizard. I shroud him up at level 40 and go solo in OT, which gets me clovers, and fairly decent exp when I switch back over, and it's a short-term goal of unlocking shrouds. I've got reptile fully unlocked (raptor form is cool looking!), and now I'm working on animals.

No reason your friends and you can't try this, even hit an old-school dungeon like Dalnir's, without limiting yourself from all the game's options, and its a fun break from the grind grind grind.

[Bumkus]

This idea has been tossed around with some variations for a long time. And suddenly, on almost every class board, I'm seeing it resurge, altho folks are saying guild instead of server.

Is it possible that people are becoming unhappy with some of the game mechanics that have crept in to help steer game play? Like, you need 3 members in group to get into an instance, like certain loot only drops in an instance, like you need average group level of 68 to get certain loot.

Even just the plain ol' xp bonus for grouping is a pretty hard game mechanic to ignore. I know that if I power xp solo, balancing hp and mana bar, using all my disciples and watching spawn timers, I can only xp at about 2/3 of my rate in a WoS group running at 1/3 throttle.

Is is possible that a call for a resurgence server is a call for a time when the game world, not game machanics, was the primary driver of behavior?