Recent Decline In Population

[naekko]

The biggest problem for the server is that there's nothing to do at 60. There's one raiding guild that's getting everything (last spawn cycle TR got every raiding target but naggy). You either join TR or you don't raid Kunark.

Kunark isn't like classic where casual guilds could still get some of the best gear in the game by clearing fear or hate for armor drops. In Kunark if you're not capable of mobilizing and killing Trakanon, you're never going to see new content. That same armor set you had at 50 last year, you're going to be wearing until Velious. Just wait until epics are released and anyone who needs a scale is blocked because TR is still killing every dragon, you're going to see real frustration then. Don't get me wrong, nothing against TR, Kunark raiding is just badly designed and will hurt the server population the way things currently stand.

[falkun]

Which came first, VP or epics?

[Muligan21]

In regards to Fippy, just roll in FP and you'll see a brand new zone, music, etc. There is nothing classic feeling about it. I tried Fippy for the free 45 days and i'm sure many have/did as well. EQ is no longer the EQ it was and if you are like me, even the music is important in respect to the nostalgic experience.

This server is really solid. Population for all games go up and down. The server might need to do exp weekends for like Memorial Day, 4th July, Father's day, etc. or even a item giveaway event. Just a little creativity and advertisement would go a long way. Though, I think we are just fine. Maybe in honor of our winter months, maybe part of Velious this year and the other half next year. I don't want the server to cap too fast.

[Athrix]

I've pretty much leveled in seb since 52 and I noticed an instantaneous population drop when the xp bonuses went away and the most recent patch that 'nerfed' a lot of classes. Not sure if they just got frustrated and are taking a break or what. The week after that patch the pop in seb was down to 15-20 during the evenings. Previously it was around 25-30. Taking those two factors into consideration right around the same time the weather started turning for summer is probably causing the lower population.

[Odeseus]

I attribute the slight decline in population to 2 things.

First, its the beginning of summer. People's schedules change drastically. For me, I went from having a set play time because I was in school and so were most of my friends. Now that school is over, some of my friends have a lot more time to do other stuff than p99. I personally have less time because I'm working and as since it is a temporary position, my schedule fluctuates pretty wildly from week to week depending on what's going on. Its also nice enough to go to the beach, to the pool, go play some basketball outside or just generally hanging out away from a computer. A few months ago the weather was shitty and none of us really wanted to go outside to do much of anything.

Second is burnout. People worked so damn hard to grind to 60 that they severely burned themselves out. Getting to 60 is a HUGE time sink. But it is also the absolute best way to improve your character. No amount of gear can make up for those 10 levels. The increase in overall power is just huge. So you grind and grind and grind and grind, and congratz, you're now 60!.......but now what to do?

Before, people just rolled an alt to mess around with. But the thought of leveling anything after the grind to 60 is just horrifying. If you're a solo class, you can farm up some plat.........but kunark didn't add too many new "solo" cash areas. Seb can be great cash solo, but it can be somewhat difficult solo even for a skilled necro. Few ill-timed FDs and a few lucky ice-comets and you're toast. So you have to group and not everyone is up for that, unless you want to go back and farm furies and get KS'd by a mage or see a druid or bard quad 4 furies for a half hour for the millionth time....ugh.

And then, as many people have accurately stated, the raid scene is pretty well locked up at this point. TR has a strangle-hold on all the bosses, and many people have no desire to raid PoSky (ugh) or Fear/Hate for trash drops. So there isn't a ton to do raid wise at the moment. This will probably change when VP is released and TR will be spending most of their time in that zone. But that is a ways off yet.

TL;DR - burnout + other RL shit to do = people don't have the same desire to log on at the moment

[jerus]

Fippy is anything but classic. Mage pets are more powerful, monk damage ratios for h2h are much higher, they still have augments allowed for weapons last i heard. Revamp zones weren't taken back. The only thing fippy has that is better than p99 is pet agro isn't wonky. Or at least that's all I have seen. p99 imo >>>> fippy

[Doors]

Dot nerf really hurt because theres a shit ton of dot classes. Monk nerf hurt because there were a shit ton of monks. Also Sony's networks came back up. Granted I haven't been here that long these three things combined all hit at once so I imagine they all impacted server pop in some way.

[WizardEQ]

+1 for P99.

I was on Fippy; 2 days later SOE had it's debacle; I called them to get my $$$ back; I cancelled LIVE; I now play on P99.

-1 for Fippy

[WizardEQ]

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

I take it they still used their "new zones" and faster experience gain, etc?

Seemed that way. I started a bard in Fay, did the newbie stuff around the lift to lvl 3, hit CB with a group until 8. All that took a little over 3 hours. I was amazed at how fast I leveled.

Left all that for the slowest ass-leveling class in the game, wiz. At least it seems that way!

[Kassel]

its summertime yo !