"Who gives a %#$" - EQ devs on Bard NPCs, 1999

[Rhaj]

Do you think other NPC mobs would bitch about NPC bards hogging all the PC spawns?

[Sadre Spinegnawer]

well, it is a rather large gap in the lore and immersion aspect. The Maestro should be a bard. I always thought it was pretty lame he wasn't.

[porigromus]

And "twisting" songs does not ruin your immersion? I think it's ridiculous that they never fixed the issue, that being single songs being too weak rather than allow people to continue to "sing" all songs at once (Imagine how that would sound?).

If bards were ever customized on this server, I for one would hope twisting wouldn't exist anymore and all songs would get a boost as well as bard's melee dps.

[citizen1080]

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

Bard raid mob fight, how would that go?

1. Mob Highsuns maintank
2. Mob AoE Mezzes raid
3. Mob charms rogues and turns them on clerics
4. Mob AoE DoTs
5. Mob DAs at low health to return to full with Dragon Regen
6. Mob runs away at Selos speed.
7. Mob cures itself of DoTs.
7. Mob hospitalized for carpal tunnel.

I giggled

[Vexenu]

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

And "twisting" songs does not ruin your immersion? I think it's ridiculous that they never fixed the issue, that being single songs being too weak rather than allow people to continue to "sing" all songs at once (Imagine how that would sound?).

If bards were ever customized on this server, I for one would hope twisting wouldn't exist anymore and all songs would get a boost as well as bard's melee dps.

Behold, the Bard!

[You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

[t0lkien]

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

And "twisting" songs does not ruin your immersion? I think it's ridiculous that they never fixed the issue, that being single songs being too weak rather than allow people to continue to "sing" all songs at once (Imagine how that would sound?).

If bards were ever customized on this server, I for one would hope twisting wouldn't exist anymore and all songs would get a boost as well as bard's melee dps.

It would sound fine if they were all in the same key, or related keys.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0YpAE8HwWA

Twisting was by design. It's brilliant as well, and resulted in the best class mechanic I've ever played.

[Swish]

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

Behold, the Bard!

[You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

They really get an invis song? They must sing that very quietly..

[falkun]

Originally Posted by t0lkien [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Twisting was by design. It's brilliant as well, and resulted in the best class mechanic I've ever played.

This. Twisting is a fantastic mechanic, especially combined with only allowing 8 possible songs at a time. While the "twitch finger" mechanic is very similar to WoW, WoW allows you to utilize all your spells, so it becomes a cut and dry rotation due to spell_A always outDPSing spell_B. EQ limits you to 8 spell slots, so you need to pick the best variety for your expected encounters. Also, unlike WoW's "rotation" button mashing, twisting changes depending on situation. I have to drop a song to add another to the rotation, so what song do I skip when I have to charm/mez a mob?

EQ Bard twisting is the genesis of WoW's rotation button mashing, but has a much better system than WoW for checks and balances to keep it interesting.

[Droog007]

There was a chick in Katta Castellum (?) that I think was supposed to be a bard. Tangling with her was always a chaotic mess. Couldn't say she acted anything like a PC bard, but it was a different experience, at least.

Not sure I fought Xygoz on live... is that NToV or VP?

[Stinkum]

Thread is all over the place.

But yeah, twisting songs is what made EQ, EQ. What you are describing is how Bards/Minstrels were on DAoC, which was a great game and might be more your style.