Staff - Players - TMO, a Treatise on the Future of the Server

[Shiftin]

It's the same set of basic ideas to fix the raid scene that have been offered for over a year and a half. I've never seen you respond to them. Every single time the thread comes up of "how do we fix the raid scene??" the answer from people who raid is always "patch days or fake ones that bunch up mob spawns and reduce the variance".

Every.

Time.

[Tanthallas]

Shiftin is mad that he didnt get enough weapons in VP this week imo

[Autotune]

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

The solution is an incredibly simple one of significantly reduced variance and at least bi-weekly simulated patches. It's impossible for 1 guild to get everything on a patch or pseudo patch and having most or nothing in window forces guilds to choose and allows more than the top 1-2 guilds to get stuff even on non patch days. It also burns people who choose to pursue raiding out much slower because they get off days.

I've mentioned this so many times now it's not even funny, both on the forums and on IRC. It's never once been commented on or replied to or, afiak, given any thought by the staff.

Changing the variance to 2 or 3hrs, and doing bi-tri weekly repops is probably the best fix for the raiding scene and has been the best that I've seen out of all the suggestions given.

you could possibly even make all raid targets have the same respawn window, forcing guilds to have more choices. Which means higher guilds can block less targets. Then the small guilds to large guilds all have a chance at targets. Even if a guild chooses to sock a raid target, they take the risk of having to wait an hour or so while other targets spawn.

I also think the bi/tri weekly respawns be somewhat random and not the same time/day predictably.

[Razdeline]

But I understand where Nilbog may be a little hesitant, by making any changes he would be walking a tight-rope that could affect the balance of the server.

Although, the only way to know if anything will work is to try. Similar to the development cycle of any software program.

[Ele]

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

Not to discount that FTE shout is a good idea in itself, but the responses to this are correct. LvL 1 gnome enchanter, sitting down, first in zone, sitting there for days. Should that really be the deciding factor of a claim?

An FTE shout, while "not classic", would obviate the need to bring GMs in to determine which raid had a right to first engage/loot after a contested boss dies. Granted there might be other issues such as training, but trying to figure out who had FTE is nerve racking when two raids think they had it without getting a GM involved.

It would also provide immediate notice for the raid without FTE to either stop attacking and back off or to provide assistance. The lvl 1 gnome wouldn't get far if the other raid backed out. At the same time I could see arguments made that the lvl 1 gnome could get lucky and sneak it in and trying to camp a raid at that point would result in a wipe.

[Razdeline]

..........

[Razdeline]

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

Not to discount that FTE shout is a good idea in itself, but the responses to this are correct. LvL 1 gnome enchanter, sitting down, first in zone, sitting there for days. Should that really be the deciding factor of a claim?


The players themselves have opportunities to change the raiding scene. They do not.

Mob shouts the first few people to attack it, if anyone is not of appropriate level getting the FTE it obv~ wouldn't count.

[Visual]

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

Why so large, raid guilds?


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We have killed numerous targets with ~20 players lately due to low turnout. Some of these like Talendor were up for some time before we even recognized it due to spot checking.

There has been plenty of opportunities for other guilds to get raid mobs.

[Flunklesnarkin]

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

Not to discount that FTE shout is a good idea in itself, but the responses to this are correct. LvL 1 gnome enchanter, sitting down, first in zone, sitting there for days. Should that really be the deciding factor of a claim?


The players themselves have opportunities to change the raiding scene. They do not.

you are right about FTE being a bad idea to enforce on low level characters... so simply make it a raid rule that a player must be a certain level before being allowed FTE.

This in no way limits lower level players from participating in raids.. just claiming FTE.


you are also right that players have an opportunity to change the raid scene themselves..


but just like any other unregulated human endeavor.. people strive to get better and better.. eventually one group/business/person becomes powerful enough to crush the competition and it makes sense that they would do what is necessary to stay on top because its by no means easy to get there.


competition cannot exist in a free market unless it is forced to exist.. the US government realized this over 100 years ago with monopoly busting.. I'm sure the same sort of sentiment can be applied here.. no meaningful competition can exist when there is one overly dominant player.

[Danyelle]

Lower spawn variance to anywhere between 2 hours to 1 day MAX (max variance length dependent upon difficulty of encounter).

Simulated "patch" days anywhere from 2 weeks to a month apart. Don't schedule them, at least not often, make it a surprise. Hell, make up some bullcrap "we fixed this" excuse. Or even just post old patch notes from Live. Could even have the EQEmu launcher update eqlsnews.txt and force the News window to display upon patch like Live did/does if you want to emulate legitimacy.

Don't limit guild sizes. It's just stupid imo. In fact, I can only see that making this worse.

Don't GM enforce rotations. But the players SHOULD take it upon themselves to set these up from time to time, and not just on an epic mob or two, and they shouldn't be permanent when set up. Maybe a month or two at a time before it goes back to FTE.

Done.