Economy barrier for new players

[veejur]

Folks,

Long time EQ player, loved pre-luclin, loving the concept of this server. Have made several chars just messing around over the past couple months while trying to figure out which I want to really level up. Highest so far is a 26 monk. Her gear is pretty pitiful and I find every group I join is full of insanely geared twinks. Sure, it's part of the bane of a new char on a new server that your not going to get that kind of gear out the gates - I get that.

I remember on live being able to do some greater lightstone quests or sell some weapons and pick up some starter gear in EC tunnel. I'm talking items from upper guk, befallen, najena etc. that would sell for 10-25p.

On this server, these same items are 100-300p. I understand how there are so many high level chars equipping alts, so I can see the "if people will pay it, charge it" mentality. I wonder though if people have considered how difficult this makes it for new players to push prices up so fast. I've been duoing a necro with my wife who's playing an enchanter with the hopes that less gear dependent (read caster) classes will not hit into the same issues. I'm convinced there has to be a serious real life transaction thing going on or plat duping occurred at some point and went out of control.

Any others have similar experience who came to p1999 recently, or advice for how to work around it? Just doing the ol' grind in groups until the zone your in drops some stuff and hope you win a roll for now.

[Seredoc]

I agree with this. I am just now 17 on my warrior and keeping threat off rogues who already have their epic has lead to me soloing and only grouping with casters, people I can see don't outgear me or guildies.

I've had to spend every spare cent on making banded to be able to live, and only through kind people and guildies have I received true upgrades. I've managed to find a deal here or there but when I look at prices for some things I just can't believe people are charging what they are.

Another thing that gets annoying is how often I see gear that could be sold to lowbies/newbies but is instead treated like vendor food. I understand high level toons don't want to keep cheap items on hand but if you're already sitting on 100k what difference does just giving it away instead of vendoring it make? YEah that person may get it and sell it but with that many on the market at the time they truly would be 10pp.

Grouping with twinks is no fun because: they either are some elitist raider who thinks that since I haven't spent 100k on my gear I'm worthless; or they're someone who you can be almost certain they RMT'd for pp, bought gear and a PL, and now have low to no skill and can't play their class. I have only once met someone outside of this cause that wasn't a guildy, and all in all it leads to a poor impression of this server.

My take away from my experience so far is that if I'm not in a leading raiding guild on blue or spending 8 hours a day playing then people act like I'm not worth it, excuse me if I have a job.

[fuark]

I don't even understand how this is an issue. If you want stuff from Upper Guk, Najena, or Mistmoore, why not level to the appropriate level and go get it? All of those items are incredibly easy to camp. I have leveled my alt ranger from 1-49 so far in simple Ivy etched (that I quested myself), a few 350-500pp pieces of Tolan's armor and with weapons like a swarmcaller (100pp).

The only items that are truly inflated in price that stay inflated in price are things like fungi tunics, hiero cloaks, and epic MQs, which I assume is not what you are looking for.

If you go to OOT you could literally ask someone to kill the Oracle for you for a free robe of the oracle. It's up all day and every time I gate I kill him and give his robe away for free. Advisor robe is incredibly good for the 100pp or so it costs. Dragon Horn Ykesha is about 25p. Green Jade Broadsword you could pick up for 100-150pp. Bronze costs nothing. Nightshade wreaths cost nothing. Silver Swiftblade, Gloomwater Harpoon, Goblin Parrying Spear, Wu's Quivering Staff... there is an almost unlimited list of really good items that you could buy by farming 10 - 15 spears off halfling guards. At even lower levels make that bandits in Lfay.

I find very twinked players rarely care about how twinked their group mates are. Players that are twinked and grouping are already getting less exp than they could simply by grabbing a fungi tunic and soloing.

[citizen1080]

I think they addressed most the concerns in your post veejur. It is easier to group and get the gear then try to farm to buy them. Another option is approuch someone of your class who is higher level. Don't beg as that will get you ignored quickly but just asking some questions on the server/class etc will 9 times out of 10 get you a few donations. The vast majority of the people on the server are great people who are happy to help those who are just starting here. I got taken under a high lvls wing when i first started here and through tunnel whoring was able to pay it forward many times. And I know countless other players who have helped newbies with gear and advice.

Hang in there, dont beg and be cool and it will all work out =)

[Handull]

While the high end items are expensive, I find the low end items to have dropped in price. Most items at the low end only have any value at all because people find no reason to farm them anymore. Also I find people are more generous the more plat is floating around.

The key is that once an item's value is low enough, there is no reason to sit in EC and try to sell them. Even selling on the forums takes more time to set up a time to meet with the other person and log on a mule just to sell a 25pp item, you might as well vendor it and kill a hill giant or wisp in wc for the same profit. The likely hood of running into someone in a random zone who both wants to buy the item you have and has the plat on him to afford it is equally small. Some things you still see bought/sold commonly in niche areas (CB belts/pads around Kelethin) but that is because the market exists for those specific items.

Is there a specific item you are talking about? The only najena items that i see people looking for are the mage focus items, and those seem really rare, so the price tag makes sense. The only befallen loot I can honestly say I've seen posted for sale has definitely been in the 10-50pp range, unless you are talking about the very rare rings for paw of opolla. best of luck

edit: and yeah, what has been said and what bob said is right on. farm the early stuff and level up. have fun with it. asking for donations is slightly annoying, but if you ask a higher level how they got started, many on this server would probably share a story about where to hunt for the gear you want and at what level to consider hunting it based on your class.

[citizen1080]

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

While the high end items are expensive, I find the low end items to have dropped in price. Most items at the low end only have any value at all because people find no reason to farm them anymore. Also I find people are more generous the more plat is floating around.

The key is that once an item's value is low enough, there is no reason to sit in EC and try to sell them. Even selling on the forums takes more time to set up a time to meet with the other person and log on a mule just to sell a 25pp item, you might as well vendor it and kill a hill giant or wisp in wc for the same profit. The likely hood of running into someone in a random zone who both wants to buy the item you have and has the plat on him to afford it is equally small. Some things you still see bought/sold commonly in niche areas (CB belts/pads around Kelethin) but that is because the market exists for those specific items.

Is there a specific item you are talking about? The only najena items that i see people looking for are the mage focus items, and those seem really rare, so the price tag makes sense. The only befallen loot I can honestly say I've seen posted for sale has definitely been in the 10-50pp range, unless you are talking about the very rare rings for paw of opolla. best of luck

Also a valid point,

[Woahnelly]

I'm all for the "play whatever class makes you happy" mentality, but you guys should roll a necro or mage. A class that is not remotely gear dependant and can solo with little to effort. There are some good money making guides in the p99 wiki that you should check out.

[dscar23]

I made 20k as a level 20 flipping gear in ec. Take advantage of the inflation. [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

[Estu]

1) Play whatever class you want.
2) Don't freak out about gear.
3) Group with twinks if they'll have you in their groups, and enjoy the ride.

No twinked rogue is going to care if your new warrior can't hold aggro over his epic backstabs. You'll just get EXP faster for playing with people with good gear. If you want to buy up some low level items, there are ways to farm some plat (bone chips, high quality bear skins, spiderling silks, nybright sisters in lesser faydark) at low levels and get some really basic stuff that can make a difference (like some proccing weapons for a warrior). But really:

* You DO NOT NEED good gear to level. When the server (or any server) started, everyone had nothing, and they leveled up just fine. Once you are a high level, you can get good gear more easily.
* If other people in your group DO HAVE good gear, it just means you get to EXP faster because they are more of a help to you than they would be if they had the same kind of gear you do.

So, what is the problem?

[Barkingturtle]

Low end stuff is cheaper now than it was in 2010, even. I paid 500pp for my first advisor robe--and I spent thirty levels before that wearing gossamer.