We are doing GREAT! As far as server population goes!

[Chrushev]

I was pleasantly surprised!

We know the following:
- This is an official screenshot I found in a manual from my copy of EQ that was a re-print of 2001.
- It was taken post Kunark since the Manual features a screenshot of an Iksar.
- Being an official screenshot it had to be taken during SOE's business hours. So not in the middle of the night when the numbers are lowest. This was most likely taken during the week during mid day when populations were average.

Considering that we during the week, during mid day have around 600 players on signifies that we at this stage (when this SS was taken EQ was out for 2 years... p99 has been out for 2 years), we are equal to about an average population server of the time.

I think were doing great!!!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v309/Duxa/EQplayerNumberIn2001.png

[strosz]

Nice find!

I was a player on Rallos Zek, and those numbers seem to be consistent with what I can remember. Although we must take in consideration that the server list can be scrolled down to show the more populous servers.

I don't remember how many servers EQ had back in the day, but I think it was more than that (Veeshan, Antonius Bayle, Firiona Vie etc.). So.. I believe the average players online was about 800 really.

We could use a few hundred more active players, especially Europeans during the off hours -but I think we're doing great anyway. I'm sure we'll see a few more when Kunark is out.

[Chrushev]

Nice find!

I was a player on Rallos Zek, and those numbers seem to be consistent with what I can remember. Although we must take in consideration that the server list can be scrolled down to show the more populous servers.

I don't remember how many servers EQ had back in the day, but I think it was more than that (Veeshan, Antonius Bayle, Firiona Vie etc.). So.. I believe the average players online was about 800 really.

We could use a few hundred more active players, especially Europeans during the off hours -but I think we're doing great anyway. I'm sure we'll see a few more when Kunark is out.

Yeah you are right about scroll down thing.. although it goes up slowly to 800ish but then the bottom ones are really close together I wouldnt be surprised if rest of the list is within 800-900 so average would yeah be between 700-800..

I just thought it was in 1500ish range..

[tj218]

VZ/TZ around that time usually had 1600 on during peak hours (I quit shortly before Veilous).

That screenshot was probably taken early in the day. Start of business? Heck start of business day here we are at 180. Last night I think we had 700 on during prime.....on live back in the day you were easily looking at 2000+ on the care bear servers during prime.

Our 180 seems more crowded though because there is little exploring and most go for the good "camps".

[Chrushev]

VZ/TZ around that time usually had 1600 on during peak hours (I quit shortly before Veilous).

That screenshot was probably taken early in the day. Start of business? Heck start of business day here we are at 180. Last night I think we had 700 on during prime.....on live back in the day you were easily looking at 2000+ on the care bear servers during prime.

Our 180 seems more crowded though because there is little exploring and most go for the good "camps".

I swear i read somewhere that you could not have more than 2000 players per server back in the day. It would lock the server. And I would think Kunark era is when EQ hadits peak.. so that SS would represent the best time? Also dont forget SOE is west coast.. and doesnt start work till 10am, doubt that screenshot was taken right at the begining of work day. So id say around Noon to 5PM pacific.. or 3PM-8PM eastern time... I think we see 700s at that time on P99

[Kvappe]

and thats exactly why you would log on late evening in europe and find yourself waiting for about 1 hours in que.....

[tj218]

Never heard about a server pop cap.

From 3pm EST onward (time I got home from school) there would always be at least 1200 on Vallon Zek. Oh, how I miss Vallon....

Nevertheless, P99 is doing something right if it can get even 500 people to play a 12year old game fanatically.

[Uthgaard]

http://web.archive.org/web/20000815225355/www.everlore.com/status.htm

This is 5 months into Kunark.

http://web.archive.org/web/20010417020442/www.everlore.com/sstats.asp?mode=2&server=17

This is a 24 hour population graph of bertox (first server on list alphabetically) shortly before luclin.

[corradojeff]

http://web.archive.org/web/20000815225355/www.everlore.com/status.htm

This is 5 months into Kunark.

http://web.archive.org/web/20010417020442/www.everlore.com/sstats.asp?mode=2&server=17

This is a 24 hour population graph of bertox (first server on list alphabetically) shortly before luclin.

Ahh Tunare...

Yeah that is more like the numbers that I remember during peak times on Tunare. Both EC tunnel and Kelethin bank were packed with traders. The /auc would scroll so fast you could barely catch it.

[jtaddei]

http://web.archive.org/web/20000815225355/www.everlore.com/status.htm

This is 5 months into Kunark.

http://web.archive.org/web/20010417020442/www.everlore.com/sstats.asp?mode=2&server=17

This is a 24 hour population graph of bertox (first server on list alphabetically) shortly before luclin.

No tholuxe paells so i doubt it was that far into kunark. I think tp opened a month after kunark. I moved from the tribunal to tp on opening day.

[DevGrousis]

remember though even at 1500 players or even 2500 players, if they had Luclin, thats about 4x the content that we currently have. i think our population scales with the content perfectly. 300 more people and everything would be camped to death. 800 in Kunark + Classic = it looking a lot more empty than it does now.

[Chrushev]

remember though even at 1500 players or even 2500 players, if they had Luclin, thats about 4x the content that we currently have. i think our population scales with the content perfectly. 300 more people and everything would be camped to death. 800 in Kunark + Classic = it looking a lot more empty than it does now.

yeah player scaling vs world size is a good point. Plus those servers posted how high pop were those? Were those some of the high pop servers? I think it would only be fair to compare p99 to an average server.

[Droop]

I remember Kunark days ~1200 on Xegony. I also think we'll hit that when Kunark drops.

[tj218]

yeah player scaling vs world size is a good point. Plus those servers posted how high pop were those? Were those some of the high pop servers? I think it would only be fair to compare p99 to an average server.

The Zek's were consistently the lowest pop server (due to people hating pvp). Lowest I ever saw post 3pm EST was 1200, with 1800 avg in evenings. This was pre-Veilous. In fact before P99 the last time I played EQ was in Fall 2000.

P99 is great, and the server population is something that is a credit to the P99 team and the original game. However, it doesn't match EQ during it's classic days. I don't know why you keep trying to insist it does...

[Pyrocat]

I remember Kunark days ~1200 on Xegony. I also think we'll hit that when Kunark drops.

First day of Kunark will have a crazy high population, I'm betting 1500+

[shuklak]

as a new player, I've found the population to be very healthy. I enjoy it.

what someone pointed out, however, is a characteristic I would agree with - most people tend to aggregate to certain spots. blackburrow back in the day was always full of life. on p99 it's a lot tougher to get a group there. however, if you go to oasis there will be numerous groups and well over 20-30 people there.

overall though, I've found the population to be quite nice. a little more would probably be good for grouping, but ultimately people are probably going to go to the same, already-populated areas.