Quote:
Originally Posted by Snagglepuss
[You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]
When people say red was 'toxic' during 2011-2013 or whenever, what do they mean? I don't have any experience there besides one night when they shut down the blue server. I've read some of the pvp threads and find them funny, but I don't get what is so bad about the server culture.
Was it people griefing noobs or training?
|
Its really the same toxic pixel lust you see on blue, but has the added stress of people being able to kill eachother in game.
Generally it was the griefing that was referred to as toxic. People seemingly taking pride in killing helpless victims over and over again.
Originally, PVP deaths resulted in full EXP loss. I am guessing this was really implemented to keep people from suiciding to avoid exp death. However, this rule combined with the lack of item loot meant there were severe penalties for weaker or less equipped players to engage in PVP combat, and literally zero benefit at all.
Additionally, there was a global OOC channel, with server announced "yellow text" from a pvp death. This global OOC channel gave psychopaths an opportunity to speak to an audience and deepened the toxicity for these guys. The yellow text further de-incentivized actual PVP activity, and a player made leaderboard with kill / death ratio tracking made this even worse.
As you know, many classes in the game are not going to be getting any kills at all, so those players look like garbage on a board focused on K / D ratio which is the only thing that can be documented based on the yellow text announcements.
Basically, every single custom aspect of the server contributed to the "toxic"
That is why, as fun as a custom ruleset server sounds, a classic full rallos zek server is the one I feel would be must successful and is most in line with the successful track record of the blue project. Item loot also means there is some reason for low level players to try to kill twinks. The noob player has no gear to lose (so only loses his time), but has some gear to gain, even if it is a small chance. Without item loot he has the risk of losing time, and no chance of any gain from fighting these types.
The only alternate ruleset that is viable is a teams based unrestricted pvp (1-60 can kill eachother) because it completely eradicates the concept of a twink PK. This is the only ruleset that makes any sense without item loot. It is a sad compromise because the low level PVP experience is one of the best parts about EQ pvp to me. Choosing a level and creating strategies around your class abilities at that level and the class abilities of your potential opponents 4 levels above and 4 levels below you. Its basically a completely different game which to me is a lot of fun. It allows people to enjoy the game without feeling the absolute need to get to level 50 or 60. A guy can be a tunnel rat and have a level 16 character and do battle.
The full open sullon zek 1-60 pvp ruleset just fully throws level 1-59 in the dumpster and creates a world that is optimized for level 60 play. No OOR healing, and your team mates at high level can assist their team lowbies at all levels instead of being forced to watch them be killed in unrest by an ogre SK with a fungi.
I think most people see the current red server as being "basically" rallos zek style, but since it is missing the core element of that server, its really just a bad custom server. Its like saying a server is "mostly" classic but has POK and books, and the bazaar.
But because the current ruleset settled to +- 4 pvp range (it used to be variable based on level range, which also was a dumb custom compromise that was designed in a silo) I think the next server is going to be a Nilbog custom 2 teams sullon zek ruleset, which I would enjoy, though a lot less than rallos zek real red99.
I for one would be happy with a server that doesn't have ANY legacy item bullshit in it. I do not enjoy the race to get a guise, the race to get a manastone, the race to get lockets of escape. Having a character bound at the pots. These things should be in the server or they should be removed. I don't enjoy a false sense of scarcity. If I can have a tool to get mana faster on my druid or wizard I would rather it be something that can be earned forever than this kind of weird pixel lust item.
I especially hate bind items that totally change PVE strategy. Its just not fun to me feeling like I need to protect this never-gunna-get-more item. F that stuff.
Let it not exist or be a pain in the ass for a player to craft. Like foraged items from 25 zones kind of pain.
I also don't think the sleeper should be wakeable on a server stuck in velious era since its only effect is to fuck your fellow players and limit the pixels they can get.
That all said, a full classic rallos rules replica would be my choice.
Back to the toxic question, it isnt any more toxic than blue. Just a little more intense, and since the community got smaller and smaller you start dealing with really psychotic guys on a regular basis on their 100th alt. The grief in PVP is more humane to me than the disgusting displays of pixel denial I see from people on green server trying to prevent Teal from opening because of a fear of too many manastones existing.