Spice it up!

[yaeger]

That's my whole point Putrid. The server can make all the changes it wants to try and be exactly like Classic, but it'll never be exactly like Classic.

Sure the a_froglok_shaman will cast Freeze, and hit for 50 damage in melee, and run at 20% health. Whatever.

What's more glaring is the discrepancies between the gameplay in a comparison. There is no discovery, no exploration, no unforeseen danger. The standard is to level up a solo class first because it's been proven that it's 'easier' and you can easily farm solo.

None of that is Classic. The thing that more defined Classic EQ was the gameplay aspect. The reliance on groups that formed a strong community on the server and encouraged players to do thing together.

We have 11 years to know all the strategies, shortcuts, tactics, and differences in balance. We have our characters all planned out through Velious while looking ahead at all the patch notes we'll ever see.

I loved Classic, this is the closest approximation that I've run across, by why does that mean that we can't try to make it more Classic. I recommended that we change some of the loot tables, because I feel it'll bring back the old classic 'dungeon crawl for loot' that it not in P1999's gameplay. I feel like adding that would bring it closer to Classic than what we have now.

That's what I was proposing, not moving away from Classic. But moving gameplay towards classic.

[RKromwell]

Want something that isn't a flame?

The loot tables for each mob include quest items. Each mob has a % to drop any item on it's loot table. It is set for that one mob. How would you like to farm a mob for hours and hours for a quest item, that because of your random world loot idea, was now dropping from something else? I was in DC for a week killing Aqua Goblin Tidal lords for that freaking water ring. In your vision, that ring could have been dropping off something else, in another part of the world.

[Putrid]

There is no discovery, no exploration, no unforeseen danger.

well theres no way thats going to change man i understand where you coming from, past is past and now is now, deal with what you got and make the best of it. It you have ideas to make it more like it was in 1999 then do so, but things off the wall just aint going to debated at all

[yaeger]

Originally Posted by RKromwell [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Want something that isn't a flame?

The loot tables for each mob include quest items. Each mob has a % to drop any item on it's loot table. It is set for that one mob. How would you like to farm a mob for hours and hours for a quest item, that because of your random world loot idea, was now dropping from something else? I was in DC for a week killing Aqua Goblin Tidal lords for that freaking water ring. In your vision, that ring could have been dropping off something else, in another part of the world.

Sorry if I confused you. I said high-profile items. Low level gear, quest items and such would remain unaffected. Raid drops would remain unaffected.

What I meant were things like FBSS, Fungi Tunic, GEBs, etc. 'Handpicked' items by the Devs. Every couple of months just discreetly move them to another named mobs loot table.

[RKromwell]

And that would take up a ton of time that is better spent on other things. The devs here do not collect a pay check and keeping things the way they should be takes far to much time as it is.

[Noselacri]

why does that mean that we can't try to make it more Classic. I recommended that we change some of the loot tables

You keep making these insane contradictions. How would implementing something completely new and non-classic make it more classic? It won't, nor will it change the gameplay environment to something more similar way to your seemingly skewed perception of live classic where apparently noone farmed, soloed or twinked. People did all those things back in the day, and the main reason it's more common now is the fact that we're all a decade older and might find frequent soloing to be better suited to our current lives. "Spicing it up" wouldn't change much more than the size of the playerbase.

The only thing you've brought up that isn't completely outrageous and entirely at odds with the chief purpose of this server is the somewhat unimpressive group vs. solo exp rate, and that has been discussed for some time now and will probably be officially addressed at some point. Making custom changes to the game would invalidate the entire reason for the server's existence, cheapen the experience, open the floodgates for endless wild ideas and demands, and alienate most of the players. If you're looking for a new experience, go play a new game.

It's not as if everyone plays a magician or druid. There's plenty of grouping going on, there's plenty of players who play group-oriented classes, and soloing has relatively little influence on those who aren't looking for solo content themselves. With the exception of a select few of the most profitable named mobs, every dungeon is wide open for groups and often full of them.

[yaeger]

Originally Posted by RKromwell [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

And that would take up a ton of time that is better spent on other things. The devs here do not collect a pay check and keeping things the way they should be takes far to much time as it is.

I realize that, that's why I've been focusing on easy to implement changes. Copy and pasting to and from loot tables shouldn't be too difficult. But hopefully the effect on gameplay will be enough to justify it.

[Noselacri]

Well, it's a useless thing to keep discussing. No amount of arguing will ever get the devs to so much as briefly consider your idea. There's simply no chance that they would ever do it; it's not about selling the idea, everyone is obviously strongly opposed to it. It's a bit silly to keep fighting for a change that's absolutely impossible.

[mgellan]

Personally I think this idea will be poorly received on a Classic server - the players are here for one reason, a Classic experience.

Now, if you wanted to make a custom server with death penalties, CRs, complex quests, new zone layouts IN THE CLASSIC STYLE (ie hard!) I'd play there.... but not here.

Regards,
Mg

[yaeger]

Originally Posted by Noselacri [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

You keep making these insane contradictions. How would implementing something completely new and non-classic make it more classic?

It's not so insane.. you can explain it with math. Now, there are common spheres that make up an MMO (content, gameplay, balance, etc).

Let's represent these contributions as to how they'd compare to Classic EQ with respect to group gameplay and content:

(ContentP1999/ContentClassic) * (GrpgameplayP1999/GrpgameplayClassic) = % P1999 is of ClassicEQ

so if currently the server is at:

95% * 85% = 81% true to Classic

if we calculate it with the proposed changes.. -2% to content but +3% gameplay:

93% * 88% = 82% true to Classic

So, while I didn't define the metrics or provide a method of objective comparison, I have proved that you CAN introduce a change away from Classic and yet end up with the server being closer to Classic.

Originally Posted by Noselacri [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

It won't, nor will it change the gameplay environment to something more similar way to your seemingly skewed perception of live classic where apparently noone farmed, soloed or twinked. People did all those things back in the day, and the main reason it's more common now is the fact that we're all a decade older and might find frequent soloing to be better suited to our current lives.

I'm sorry, you misinterpreted me. I'm not saying that NO ONE solo'd, farmed solo, or twinked. But rather few did/could successfully due to knowledge (no focus items, camp timers, splitting techniques, etc) or availability.

People will always take the path of least resistance. However, the goal should be to promote cooperation when such a non-classic class demographic has been show by database queries that have been sorted by class.