I'm loving this classic server... but

[Smoker]

I'm not trying to state everything as fact, it's my opinion.

but.. the population average is around 350. Maybe due to the PVP server.

On live back in the days, there were enough people playing to make a good economy. You could buy items at a reasonable price because enough loot was around.

If there were 1000's of people on this server, it would work as is.

I admit I'm new to the server, been just over a week now. My voice don't hold any weight..I don't expect it to.

But it must have crossed the minds of the Dev's how the economy is going to work?

There was, what was it.. 365 people ? who had their pp reduced to 0. I agree some punishment was needed. But that's gotta of had a ripple effect on honest people trying to sell/buy, what little loot there is.

But saying that, with an average of 350 online.. 365 cheaters, wtf?

Anyway, I'm thinking what can be done to help the economy. More loot drops in grouping dungeons? more named spawn in dungeons made for grouping in order to distribute loot around, more coin drops off mobs? free food, drink, spells? I'm just clutching at ideas.

I know this is dangerously close to breaking the “classic” feel, but what’s the point if it’s just classic for people who played when the server first started, when there was more playing at that time and are now strong enough to play the “classic” raids. It’s a bit like playing on EQ Live now and starting fresh without any help and just a few people to group with. You just would not progress at any reasonable rate.

I'm sure some people that are raiding now wouldn’t want this, it would bring more people into the raid zone rotations. It's understandable.. it's human nature to protect what one has. Some people might also like having things just as is even if they have no guild, no friends, no groups, no pp.. etc etc. As I said, this is my opinion.

What made me make this post was seeing the clear cut between the haves and have not's on this server. The same people selling the same stuff in EC and a bunch of high lvl's with top gear just afk.

I play on euro time, this might be part of the problem, but only a small part of it.

Dev’s .. thank you for making a great server, I really appreciate you running this server for us, the players. I know this is your private work and you get the right to run it as you feel fit. But if you are true to providing a classic feel.. maybe just think about finding a balance allowing people to progress like it would have been on live 1999 – 2001.

[fuark]

You're trying to say that there isn't enough loot already on the server. That's just wrong -- there is a ton of loot on the server. The problem is that so much platinum has entered into the economy that it has caused huge inflation in prices.

Taking away platinum from 365 people, in theory, actually reduces the prices on items.

There is nothing really wrong with the prices on Blue99. Fungis are way overpriced, and Iksar BPs IMO. But other than that everything is really reasonably priced.

[Flunklesnarkin]

I'm relatively new to p99 and i think the population is fine... maybe a bit overcrowded sometimes... i get ran out of camps sometimes by high levels farming stuff >_<

[Timarian]

There has been a noticable drop in population the past couple of weeks - probably caused by MW3/Skyrim - Red Server and holidays approaching which is making it hard to sell in EC tunnel and find groups. Hopefully it will pick back up from Jan onwards.

Tim

[Handull]

I play on euro time, this might be part of the problem, but only a small part of it.


During peak hours there are plenty of lowbies playing in the lower lvl zones, plenty of groups to be found, and plenty of loot to be had. There are also plenty of people with alts who take the time to level them up the old fashioned way, as opposed to getting a powerlevel.

That's just my experience at least so far. It also seems much easier to start a group then to wait for one to form.

[Fultun]

I'm not trying to state everything as fact, it's my opinion.

but.. the population average is around 350. Maybe due to the PVP server.

On live back in the days, there were enough people playing to make a good economy. You could buy items at a reasonable price because enough loot was around.

If there were 1000's of people on this server, it would work as is.

I remember on live when 4-500 was average, and when 800 on a night was record breaking. (and in the case of Bristlebane was often server breaking :) )

[Smoker]

You're trying to say that there isn't enough loot already on the server. That's just wrong -- there is a ton of loot on the server. The problem is that so much platinum has entered into the economy that it has caused huge inflation in prices.

No doubt there is a lot of loot by now, the server has been around long enough. But I think most of it don't get sold anymore as it is on old unplayed chars. I sent tells to so many people asking if they had any old gear for sale. I was given a +2 INT ring, which I was very happy about, but noone had something they could sell to me. Only what was being pushed out by the same people over and over again in /auc for high prices. But I think you backed me up by saying there is a huge inflation in prices, because these prices can only met by people with enough money for twinks.

I'm relatively new to p99 and i think the population is fine... maybe a bit overcrowded sometimes... i get ran out of camps sometimes by high levels farming stuff >_<

High levels farming stuff...

During peak hours there are plenty of lowbies playing in the lower lvl zones, plenty of groups to be found, and plenty of loot to be had. There are also plenty of people with alts who take the time to level them up the old fashioned way, as opposed to getting a powerlevel.

That's just my experience at least so far. It also seems much easier to start a group then to wait for one to form.

Oh I didnt say there isnt enough people to group with, i've had a group each day i've played. When I mentioned my playing time being european, it was refering to the status of EC during that time of day.

The last 9 days I played about 12 hours a day. I made some friends and we tend to group together now.

When you say there is plenty of loot to be had, I agree.. But imo the population is too low for it to be had.

---

My main point was about scale/ratio. It was clearly set on live (we all know they tweaked drop rates) that based on the amount of players a certain amount of loot would be distributed in an amount that keeps a good economy. But it's not the same as live, there is nowhere near the same amount of people, but the drop rate is kept the same. How can that work?

[Smoker]

I remember on live when 4-500 was average, and when 800 on a night was record breaking. (and in the case of Bristlebane was often server breaking :) )

Don't you remember the days when you could do a / in almost all zones and get a cut off list that was too long? :)

I can remember Oasis being so full it was like a concert, trying to move past all the people at the docks.

Going in to EC.. lagggggg

Camp check..., ok guys we need to go somewhere else, everything is camped. /tell player can you please tell me when your grp is leaving so mine can move down :)

Going into a dungeon and at the zone getting stuck between people mid jump when your trying to get to your grp? heh that was funny:)

Do you remember when they use to list the actual amount of people online in the server lists, before they changed it to population low,mid,high? They were packed.

[loopholbrook]

Just want to point out before November there were 500+ people on, usually. Also if there are 365+ accounts that were banned probably around 100 people.

[MrSparkle001]

Try to get a bind now. You can wait a very long time.

[Atmas]

Back when those people had their plat stripped server pop was like 600+ at peak times. The population has diminished a lot because of holiday/game season and the red server. I also suspect the amount of time Kunark has been out has had an impact. When Kunark launched the numbers were more than double what they are these nights.

The stratification you are seeing is more a result of longer times between content and exetensive knowledge of the game already available. There are a bunch of people who have been generating tons of plat a long time mixed with some new people. If anything the plat removed helped lower inflation.

[Daggerswan]

When I played on Veeshan (ages ago) all the auctioning was done in North Freeport. The participants could easily access the bank and pull out their old newbie equipment for sale. I suspect having the market in the Tunnel would dampen that.

[boromn]

i honestly dont see much difference in prices except for items like FBSS (used to be about 5k rather than the 15k they are here). 225k for a Fungi Tunic is also a bit outrageous, but I'm not buying once, so who cares lol.

2k for TBB seems in like with classic, and many other items are actually cheaper. Full class gear such as crafted or Ro used to sell for 1k a piece. Can get each piece now for only a few hundred plat in most cases.

The only real difference that has effected play, is the mid 20's lvling. It used to be that there were so many groups you had to get put on a list for the next spot to open up in HHK. Now I never even see anyone in there. even LoIO sits low on players most of the time.

[Diggles]

The combination of Skyrim, BF3, MW3, WoW 4.3, SWTOR beta, and other huge releases kind of kills population

[Diggles]

also for those who still play live EQ i believe an expansion just launched

[necrosaurio]

Yeah, there is a new expansion in EQ and Luclin just opened on one of the progression servers.

also for those who still play live EQ i believe an expansion just launched

[Vondra]

Loot far better than what you need to level is available very cheaply in EC.

There's an abundance of it already, increasing drops/adding more nameds etc would just make it worth even less.

For the most part, the expensive stuff is the top stuff in a slot that you don't need.

All those mid level drops from dungeons are cheap or sometimes even just given away.

In short, obtaining serviceable gear is not at all difficult for someone that starts today.

[Lindalind]

The amount of people on at any given time is usually a fraction of the overall users.
Most of the users seem to be from North America so at night the population is greatly decreased.

[kris28tx]

What Vondra said depends on the class. Warrior weapons are /auc very cheap in EC from what I see, daggers for rogues can be, but are usually high ie: Dragoon Dirk can be seen anywhere 100-400pp this should be considered a low mid lvl weapon. Robes for INT casters are expensive as are held items for INT casters, Oracle Robe can be found usually 150-300 but a robe of enshroudment for a necro only, from a necro only quest is 500 but way less stats, FBR from najena is usually 150-300, very rare 500.. So most low lvl items are either not sold or are expensive due to price gouging by twinks, mid level items are very expensive and top end level items are well, they are what they are...

As for making money, well if you are around 12 and want to keep making and saving money then do not group in Oasis (where 90% of the 12-15 population group) as there are no drops here and only the orcs drop money. You can go to Upper Guk for good money and drops but you will find only 1 group around lvl 14, all other groups will be 20+.
I play mostly off times as well unless I get a chance at work, so I usually play after midnight cst and usually around 8am cst - 11am cst, groups for levels 13-20 is 0. All I can suggest is do a /who all lfg your level range, mine is /who all lfg 14 21, and ask everyone on that list LOL also do a /who all your zone you look at, mine daily is /who all lfg 14 21, who all guktop, who all lakeof, who all oasis, who all bef, who all high (forget the exact typing for highhold), who all unrest.. So basically just make groups yourself, don't depend on others and hope it all works out lol and eventually you will start getting them.

[Waffen]

When I played on Veeshan (ages ago) all the auctioning was done in North Freeport. The participants could easily access the bank and pull out their old newbie equipment for sale. I suspect having the market in the Tunnel would dampen that.

confirmed troll/throwaway account.

[Vondra]

What Vondra said depends on the class. Warrior weapons are /auc very cheap in EC from what I see, daggers for rogues can be, but are usually high ie: Dragoon Dirk can be seen anywhere 100-400pp this should be considered a low mid lvl weapon. Robes for INT casters are expensive as are held items for INT casters, Oracle Robe can be found usually 150-300 but a robe of enshroudment for a necro only, from a necro only quest is 500 but way less stats, FBR from najena is usually 150-300, very rare 500.. So most low lvl items are either not sold or are expensive due to price gouging by twinks, mid level items are very expensive and top end level items are well, they are what they are...

As for making money, well if you are around 12 and want to keep making and saving money then do not group in Oasis (where 90% of the 12-15 population group) as there are no drops here and only the orcs drop money. You can go to Upper Guk for good money and drops but you will find only 1 group around lvl 14, all other groups will be 20+.
I play mostly off times as well unless I get a chance at work, so I usually play after midnight cst and usually around 8am cst - 11am cst, groups for levels 13-20 is 0. All I can suggest is do a /who all lfg your level range, mine is /who all lfg 14 21, and ask everyone on that list LOL also do a /who all your zone you look at, mine daily is /who all lfg 14 21, who all guktop, who all lakeof, who all oasis, who all bef, who all high (forget the exact typing for highhold), who all unrest.. So basically just make groups yourself, don't depend on others and hope it all works out lol and eventually you will start getting them.

I think you'll find the prices you listed are extremely high in comparison to what is offered during normal U.S hours. For example dragoon dirk is usually 50p, FBR is usually 100p.

[Pringles]

low level game is a ghost town here, but the 40+ game isnt too shabby.

Its an old server, so everyone has their high level toons that they play already.

[pickled_heretic]

Dragoon Dirk can be seen anywhere 100-400pp this should be considered a low mid lvl weapon.

this is not relevant information... dragoon dirks are used for the leatherfoot raider cap quest which is an item desirable by any high lvl raiding character. a rogue can get something like a gloomwater harpoon which is statistically far superior for about 200p. and to even consider selling something worth less than 200p for most people is just a waste of time, 200 is realistically the lowest you can expect any item to go for just based on the inconvenience of selling it in east commons.

[HippoNipple]

No doubt there is a lot of loot by now, the server has been around long enough. But I think most of it don't get sold anymore as it is on old unplayed chars. I sent tells to so many people asking if they had any old gear for sale. I was given a +2 INT ring, which I was very happy about, but noone had something they could sell to me. Only what was being pushed out by the same people over and over again in /auc for high prices. But I think you backed me up by saying there is a huge inflation in prices, because these prices can only met by people with enough money for twinks.



High levels farming stuff...



Oh I didnt say there isnt enough people to group with, i've had a group each day i've played. When I mentioned my playing time being european, it was refering to the status of EC during that time of day.

The last 9 days I played about 12 hours a day. I made some friends and we tend to group together now.

When you say there is plenty of loot to be had, I agree.. But imo the population is too low for it to be had.

---

My main point was about scale/ratio. It was clearly set on live (we all know they tweaked drop rates) that based on the amount of players a certain amount of loot would be distributed in an amount that keeps a good economy. But it's not the same as live, there is nowhere near the same amount of people, but the drop rate is kept the same. How can that work?

Just play the game and find your own loot.

[Splorf22]

I wonder if the OP is just trolling us all. I'm getting very depressed about this server because the low end is just flooded with items. An *untwinked* L20 character is going to have a Cane of the Tranquil, Nathsar Greatsword, Green Jade Broadsword, or whatever. These all have stats that are not much worse than true classic god gear (11/24 blood fire with proc vs 11/25 cane for example). Every group has at least 1 twink who can bring in a high level char for ridiculous buffs like C2 or thorns. I joined an Upper Guk group of twinks (my warrior in full sebilite scale with a Staff of Battle, the rogue with a sebilite croaking dirk and a CSS, and an SK with a fungi and ebon mace, etc) and we were levelling every 1.5 hours or so. It's just nuts. Even at the high end hate and fear are trivial when you roll in with 20 55+ characters.

I think I'd actually vote for a server wipe right now, just cause this doesn't even feel like everquest.

[Splorf22]

Sometimes I think about playing on the PVP server, and then I remember the types of people that play there :P

[Threepoint]

There is nothing really wrong with the prices on Blue99. Fungis are way overpriced, and Iksar BPs IMO. But other than that everything is really reasonably priced.

a lot of this is due to how rare it was, but it was recently tweaked to reflect live better or so I have been told.

I expect them to drop a good deal in the next mo. Already a bunch have dropped in the past week.

[georgie]

increasing loot rate? lol... then there will be no economy son...

[Mcbard]

Just play the game and find your own loot.

I agree with this. It's a lot more fun/classic this way! I think I've bought and paid for maybe 10 items since I started over a year ago. Everything else is farmed or raided/grouped for. I treat all of my alts the same way, although i did help my druid get the mace from kith by killing the ghoul and I also killed starshyne in hhp for him. I don't transfer money or gear to them though, I like to "earn" it all. It's so much more economical/fun that way imo!

[Cyclone]

Smoker, not to be mean but it is obvious you have not played long here at all. Currently with the holidays here the population has predictably lowered, also if you did not know Red99 PvP server just opened up, so some players have moved over there to either stay or play around on a fresh new toy.

Prices for Item may not be good in your opinion but you have to realize prices fluctuate on certain facts:


Kunark just came out on P99 not long ago, all loot from these zones naturally are high.
Original Zone loot went way down from a year ago because of Kunark, I remember when 'Ruined Mithril Bracer' went for over 1k, now is about 400pp.
Amount of Money rotating in the game.
Now the most Important Fact of them all *What people are willing to pay for a certain Item*, If someone is willing to pay 10k for a weapon, then that is the price that is set till someone cant sell it for that anymore.
Supply and Demand -Sums it up-

You may not like it, but this is how it is on this server, or any server for that matter. If you do not like it, tough.
Hate to say it but dont let the door hit you in the ass on the way out.

[Mardur]

who all high

I show up on this all the time.

[Smoker]

I wish I never posted this now.. totally taken the wrong way.

I had 2nd thoughts before I made this post. But thought, na.. It might be worth thinking about. Then it's mentioned if maybe I was just trolling....

I might just go edit and delete the whole post.

forget it..

[Daggerswan]

confirmed troll/throwaway account.

Wut what? How did you confirm I am a troll? Actually, if anyone here was from Veeshan in the old days THEY can confirm that what I said is true. So stick it up your @$$, I'll confirm that.

To everyone else, that was my first post because I just recently discovered Project 1999. That Waffen guy reminds me of the good old days when FoH would post stuff to try to make even more enemies than they already had.

[pickled_heretic]

there's plenty of money to be had, you just need to put yourself on the supply side of things. i lvled with a guy who made 2k before he was lvl 20 by selling hand made backpacks and bone chips, and 2k will buy you a few really nice kunark items if you know what you're looking for.

[philbertpk]

I spoke to a few of the high lvl people who sit in ec and sell 100k items all day. Many of them seem to think prices will be skyrocketing mainly due to the combination of people banned recently and Kunark becoming the mainstay of the population centers. KC, Seb, LoIo, ect instead of lguk, solb, and so on. long story short. if you picture the game as a flat plane, and the items and money are big spikes like mtns on a topographic map, the majority of the biggest of those hills just went back to 0 ft sea lvl.. it may create a large swell and then crash of prices..who knows. I wonder if any micro economists have any idea of the kind of data they could get from fake cyber economies like this one.

[pickled_heretic]

I spoke to a few of the high lvl people who sit in ec and sell 100k items all day.

of course they'll tell you that, they're trying to sell something. ask them if they're trying to buy something, they'll tell you the opposite.

i don't know about items in general, but i can tell you this: the drop rate on fungis has been significantly increased and the price is about to plummet, so if you're selling, now's the time to get it unloaded.

[Splorf22]

I predict the fungi will go to 100-150k within a month. Which means a solid 50% of twinks will have one . . . .

[pickled_heretic]

I predict the fungi will go to 100-150k within a month. Which means a solid 50% of twinks will have one . . . .

too high. we're only a few days or a week before we start seeing them sell for 150 or less. 50k is the floor i think.

[oldhead]

There has been a noticable drop in population the past couple of weeks - probably caused by MW3/Skyrim - Red Server and holidays approaching which is making it hard to sell in EC tunnel and find groups. Hopefully it will pick back up from Jan onwards.

Tim

FUS RO DAH!!!

[Cyclone]

Prices wont sky rocket, they may go up for a bit or stay as they are but eventually they must go down, again Supply vs. Demand. People will sell for what people will pay for a certain item, this is how it always has been.

Something comes out that is new and rare, you better believe that it will be high priced, but when the market starts to get saturated with any type of item, Example would be a Fungi Tunic, the prices will gradually go down.

Mind you it wont go down fast, it will be gradual, and it all depends on how long the person selling the item is willing to sit in EC spamming what they are selling. This is another one of those economy caps, the time vs profit scenario.

Take the Paw of Opalla as a example, some people want to sell it for top dollar, say 2k, and are willing to sit for a day or two selling it till they get their asking price. Now take the second person, he would like the 2k but is unwilling to stay in EC longer than a few hours, sells it for 1k. Same goes for any item out there, does not matter what it is, Paw or Fungi, Time willing to spend vs. Profit gained. This is another one of those things that drive the economy and will always drive it.

[Motec]

Why do people care? If inflation sends prices higher, its across the board. The amount of plat in active accounts dictates the economy.

The fact that EC is full of tryhard dickheads is what makes it so painful. I just cant find a reason to go sell something that isnt worth 10k+, I'll just vendor or give away anything under that because EC is so difficult to deal with.

Economy would be a lot better if EC specifically didnt have people who play 5+hours a day attempting to get rich, so they can twink a bard and level to 35 and realise they suck at the game.

[kris28tx]

I think you'll find the prices you listed are extremely high in comparison to what is offered during normal U.S hours. For example dragoon dirk is usually 50p, FBR is usually 100p.

Really? Today multiple Flowing Black Robes for over 150...ie someone just said 175..that is well above 100. If I need to I can name drop, point being, prices are NOT that low

[Vondra]

Really? Today multiple Flowing Black Robes for over 150...ie someone just said 175..that is well above 100. If I need to I can name drop, point being, prices are NOT that low

Not particularly surprising. As was said earlier, you'll find people these days are less likely to bother even collecting and selling such items for low funds anymore.

Best bet is just buying slightly higher tier items, which likely even aren't any (or much more) expensive.

[stormlord]

I wonder if the OP is just trolling us all. I'm getting very depressed about this server because the low end is just flooded with items. An *untwinked* L20 character is going to have a Cane of the Tranquil, Nathsar Greatsword, Green Jade Broadsword, or whatever. These all have stats that are not much worse than true classic god gear (11/24 blood fire with proc vs 11/25 cane for example). Every group has at least 1 twink who can bring in a high level char for ridiculous buffs like C2 or thorns. I joined an Upper Guk group of twinks (my warrior in full sebilite scale with a Staff of Battle, the rogue with a sebilite croaking dirk and a CSS, and an SK with a fungi and ebon mace, etc) and we were levelling every 1.5 hours or so. It's just nuts. Even at the high end hate and fear are trivial when you roll in with 20 55+ characters.

I think I'd actually vote for a server wipe right now, just cause this doesn't even feel like everquest.
You speak some truth here, but low level players would have it a lot harder without these bonus items. This was one of the reasons kunark mudflated things back in the day - to give new players a leg up.

I just looked at the pvp server population and it's close to 400. If there're no boxes on that server then I'm sure probably -at least- 150 are from this server (probably more). When I left this server a month ago there were about 500-700 on at peak times. I remember a while before that it was 1000+.

1) Pvp server
2) EQ Live just released an expansion
3) Age (people are burned out on this game and want new things)
4) (i'm sure there're more reasons)

Most of my characters are low level here. I play em every once in a while. Started in early 2010.

I don't hate this game because of its mechanics or because of corpse runs. I just get tired of hte same ol same ol. I'm also tired of the WoW-clones. They're so full of themselves. I do all sorts of things in my free time. I even program in vc++. People have a million different reasons for not playing.

Btw, I'm tempted to give the pvp server a spin. Sad, ain't it.