Did something happen?

[Quizlop]

It seems like the server population has been higher the past few weeks.

It's almost at 1800 players on blue at the time of this posting, which is the highest I've seen it in a while.

Was p99 featured on some notable streamer or website or something?

[rajax]

Not being an authority on weather for the rest of the world while living in Florida, I would speculate the more snow and horrible conditions outside the more folks probably escape to life in EQ. Conversely July probably has the lowest server population numbers.

[aaezil]

worst president in modern history, lots turning to MMOs

[rajax]

Or, the more entertainment of all kinds: comedy, movies, TV, late night shows, sports etc go political- the more people want an escape from all the crap they hear all day long.

[ShiaLuva19]

worst president in modern history, lots turning to MMOs

Dude, I promise, the surge in player base here isn't due to the Obama presidency. It's been a couple of years now, no need to continue blaming Obama, America is in and will continue heading toward a better place.

[Heebs13]

I'm just glad that you guys were able to bring politics into a p99 thread. I don't hear enough political crap literally everywhere else, so it's nice to see it showing up in my video games too.

[Swish2]

Daybreak is going under this year, probably the best long term bet in terms of making characters that'll still be playable long term.

[dela7460]

I've noticed a lot of streamers playing on p99 in preparation for Pantheon. And in doing so they have realized that there is a reason why us crazy's still play p99 and they are staying.

There viewers are also sticking around.

[Ruppet]

I think it is a combination of visibility from Pantheon discord, Reddit r/mmorpg, and probably some streamers like acgamer.

I was pretty surprised by how sudden the recent upsurge in population is.... coincidentally, login issues started around the same time.

[Octopath]

Definitely have noticed good bit of bigger names streaming it for the new year

[Maxamos15]

Personally I started playing again because WoW has become a dumpster fire and the live EQ servers do nothing for me and I do not trust Daybreak as a company to right the ship. I think there are a lot of WoW refugees looking at other MMOs right now and those of us that played EQ back in the day are bound to find a home on blue, especially because of the agreement with Daybreak not to shutter it. Its a fun way to pass the time until pantheon or classic WoW

[ScaringChildren]

Dude, I promise, the surge in player base here isn't due to the Obama presidency. It's been a couple of years now, no need to continue blaming Obama, America is in and will continue heading toward a better place.

lol :D

[TheSurgeon]

I volunteer at a developmentally disabled center and installed P99 on all the computers. I figured it would be good for the people to play a game with others whom share their level of capabilities.

[Maxamos15]

I volunteer at a developmentally disabled center and installed P99 on all the computers. I figured it would be good for the people to play a game with others whom share their level of capabilities.

did you get an ip exception????

[Goodest]

For the most part yes a very popular WoW streamer with over 100K subs and active followers did a stream back in Novemberish??? playing p99. since then p99's noobie areas have been PACKED like 20+ in all noobie areas. Alot of his followers joined p99 due to no entry cost (free iso) of the disk's and free accounts, and they are sticking around and having fun word of mouth is getting out and the p99 server is starting to gain more and more every day it seems. with it being time locked server that top ends starting to get nasty again.

[dela7460]

You that's why I left the progression server. Although it was nice to go from 1 to 60 in 2 weeks. It takes away the from the character being meaning full to me. Since I can relevel so quickly.

[Champion_Standing]

A lot of IP exemptions just got processed.

[mickmoranis]

ninja is now streaming P99 on weekends

[Champion_Standing]

ninja is now streaming P99 on weekends

Not sure if that would be hilarious or horrifying.

[dela7460]

I'm leveling up a new character; and I can tell you the new population is a bit off. Most don't seem to want to group with anyone they don't know or they are being assisted by a higher level.

Last night there was like 37 people in Oasis and random 2 man teams would just run into our camp and take mobs. We asked if they wanted to join us, but just ignore us and kept doing there own thing.

Kind of reminded me of folks that are 2 boxing and didn't want to join a group because they knew they would be found out...

[Jimjam]

DanTDM did a p99 video. He was AMAZED coz it was SO COOL GUYS!

[mickmoranis]

Not sure if that would be hilarious or horrifying.

could u imagine? I wish i had the ability to make millions as a streamer, gain millions of followers, and all have it be a ploy to introduce to P99 and throw it all away after 90% of them unsub on my 49th straight hour of grinding.

But that last 10% that knocks the newbie pop up to 2500 woulda been all worth it.

[Mytral]

worst president in modern history, lots turning to MMOs

Good thing Clinton didn't win. They would have had to start another server....

Oh wait.. That actually would be pretty nice. Guess I'm voting Democrat in 2020!

[YendorLootmonkey]

"On this week's Twitch stream, I will be camping Raster and Pained Soul..."

[ScaringChildren]

I'm leveling up a new character; and I can tell you the new population is a bit off. Most don't seem to want to group with anyone they don't know or they are being assisted by a higher level.

Last night there was like 37 people in Oasis and random 2 man teams would just run into our camp and take mobs. We asked if they wanted to join us, but just ignore us and kept doing there own thing.

Kind of reminded me of folks that are 2 boxing and didn't want to join a group because they knew they would be found out...

Could be Chinese invasion.

[Foxplay]

MMO's as a genre are kinda dead atm... there is some hopefuls in the works but nothing more tangible than a thick fog yet so makes sense that people look to the past for something solid

[mickmoranis]

MMO's as a genre are kinda dead atm... there is some hopefuls in the works but nothing more tangible than a thick fog yet so makes sense that people look to the past for something solid

yeah, tbh I think they were dead the day I quit EQ

meaning, everyone else who was expereiencing them, i had friends that started EQ around the time I quit (velious) and i remember thinking 'what are you getting yourself into? Longstanding regret, that's what'

then world of Warcraft came out, it felt like the same thing. People that havent 'experienced' an MMO, getting all sucked into one. They hit all those gamers that were too softcore for EQ

Basically the point Im making is, MMO's are fun, once. And then you quit, and you think "holy shit I wasted my life" so you never want to do it again.

What can I say, looks like about 10-15 years is the shelf life for those feelings, its when I came back.. its when nost came back...

So whats my TLDR? 15 years from the hottest MMO's decline, is when we can expect another, new, successful MMO

We're a few years away from that maybe? Maybe 6 or 7?

We'll see another breakout hit around then, watch! :cool:

[aaezil]

Good thing Clinton didn't win. They would have had to start another server....

Oh wait.. That actually would be pretty nice. Guess I'm voting Democrat in 2020!

Hmm no government. At least you aren't getting your vote's worth.

[Hrothgar]

Could be Chinese invasion.

When Vice did a coverstory on the Chinese prisoners-turned-gold farmers in WoW, it blew my mind and made me wonder when/if they’d come to p99. They very clearly came to EQ live... everyone join Firiona Vie they say...

[kaluppo]

What I noticed was that the server population went up during the long holiday XP bonus that lasted from Christmas to New Years Day. A lot of people taking time off work and an XP bonus made the increased server population logical for that period. But I always thought that the moment January 2nd came around the population would go back down to pre-Christmas averages. But so far they have remained higher then I expected.

I think it's a combination of two things. One is the time of year. Winter in cold climate areas will tend to keep people looking for indoor entertainment. And second is maybe some people got so much XP grinding in during the holiday bonus time that they are still in high play time mode even though the XP is back to normal.

[Eveready]

New player here. I knew about P99 since 2012 or so but never had the time do play it because other games interested me more. Now I have the time and really enjoy it!

[Coridan]

I think if Chinese Plat farmers show up, P99 will just blanket ban Chinese IPs

[Pint]

Global warming

[Vart]

After returning from a 5-6 month break and seeing the population explosion and after being back in game for a month part of the increase is a sadly a new influx of boxers.

Like many of us I enjoy this server and the last thing I want to see is it trashed by a bunch of people from WoW or the daybreak servers playing boxes moving in. Really hope someone drops the hammer on these guys, and does so rather quickly.

[mickmoranis]

I think if Chinese Plat farmers show up, P99 will just blanket ban Chinese IPs

this server has had some of the most twisted megolaminical manaics farming plat for thousands of straight hours, and you're worried about the chinese?

[dela7460]

sadly a new influx of boxers.

All these new players avoid grouping with people because they busy playing with themselves.

It really upsets me too.

[Champion_Standing]

All these new players avoid grouping with people because they busy playing with themselves.

It really upsets me too.

Most of em are boxing tunnel rats imo. Nobody is going to convince me that someone who's on 7 days a week for 12+ hours a day trying to resell the same low end items for 100-200plat over the going rate for weeks is only playing that character.

[NegaStoat]

Most of em are boxing tunnel rats imo. Nobody is going to convince me that someone who's on 7 days a week for 12+ hours a day trying to resell the same low end items for 100-200plat over the going rate for weeks is only playing that character.

A lot of players that take a break from the game to play something else can easily set up a laptop to tunnelquest with next to their gaming comp. I've bought and sold a lot of crap while playing Total War: Warhammer. The boxing issue is pretty rampant though, especially after the rash of free level 35 druids that the server handed out with the bread delivery quest. I honestly don't know how Dial A Port can compete. That's not to mention the stone cold quiet Anon druids that are PL'ing melee alts in WAY too many zones.

[Caldwin]

Global warming

More like global cooling... thanks to the grand solar minimum. Parts of the world are getting snow that haven't seen snow since the last grand solar minimum that ended a couple hundred years ago.

Think of snow in the Karanas or G. Fay.