51/50 Rules Set Wins Poll; Worley Leaves Team

A new dev blog has been posted by Clint Worley on the official EverQuest site, and he has announced that the winning rules set in the new anniversary server poll is 51/50! As you may remember, we held our very own ZAM poll on the topic and the progression server received the most votes from our readers, but 51/50 came in a close second. So do you think you'll be playing on this new server?

The dev blog also announces Clint's departure from the EverQuest team. "I have enjoyed working with the team and spending time with the players," he said, noting the development team always strives to make a game that's fun and challenging for the players. In fact, he states the team is devoted to listening to feedback from the EQ community: "I do believe that the EQ of 2009 is a game made for the players — in many ways by the players — and that loyalty and creative friendship is what is truly magical about MMO gaming."

We wish Clint the best, and as he said, always submit feedback to the EverQuest team. He promises they listen to suggestions. You can read his entire blog entry below.

It has been a wonderful time…

Being a part of the EQ franchise starting with EQOA and then Champions Return to Arms and now EverQuest has been a great experience. Moving onto the EQ team in a time of transition from 6-month expansions to 12-month expansions, and working to ramp up the amount of content we roll out for free throughout the year was a very challenging time for both our players and the developers.

We ultimately focused on the quality of our expansions more than ever and made sure that we spent time on addressing not only expansion related tasks but also long standing bugs and issues that had been pushed down the priority list in the past. I am happy to say that we have had more than our fair share of victories in the last few years and we will continue to progress towards making the game even better, cleaner and more fun for all of our loyal fans.

One of the core principles we focused on bringing to the EQ community was listening to player feedback. It is very easy for developers to focus on what we think is right and what should and shouldn’t be in the next expansion. But we leverage the strong fan base that is an amazing resource for creative input and feedback in the EQ Live environment. Listening to the players and setting aside time to implement great new features and fix old broken features creates a dynamic relationship between the developers and players. EQ started out a game that was created and made for players to experience, driven by the developers for the players. I do believe that the EQ of 2009 is a game made for the players — in many ways by the players — and that loyalty and creative friendship is what is truly magical about MMO gaming.

New Server Ruleset Announcement

We recently did a poll for a new server set through the in-game polling system. We have done many polls in the past through the webpage but there are plenty of players that play the game and don’t go to the webpage for information on it. We really wanted to get everyone who plays to cast a vote to accurately represent the players’ choice.

The winning server rule set was… 51/50 server!!!

We are pleased to see everyone cast their votes and can honestly say that we are very excited to see this server roll out to the EQ community. We are starting the work on getting the backend setup and ready to go, and will announce the details soon.

I had a great time and will see you all again…

I have enjoyed working with the team and spending time with the players. Fan Faire, Block Party and a few really funny April Fool’s Day events all ring a bell. The EQ development team has a passion for the game that founded this company and drove the entire online gaming industry forward, and although such a creative environment can get a little complicated at times, they always aim to make a game that will keep you the players entertained, challenged and actively involved with the future of the game.

So have a great time in your EQ adventures, and keep up the creative feedback and suggestions; I promise you that the developers listen! I am not going far, as the world of Norrath has plenty of adventuring left in it for generations to come, so I hope to see all of you in game again in the future!

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well..
# Jun 09 2009 at 4:46 AM Rating: Default
google: eqemu and make your own rules. 'Nuff said.

Edited, Jun 9th 2009 12:47pm by Lochrin
WTG SoE
# May 07 2009 at 8:40 PM Rating: Decent
SoE dropped the ball by only letting current subscribers participate in the poll. Wouldn't it have made more sense to open it up to everyone, you know like the people that AREN'T playing the game atm. Those are the people that SoE should have been interested in hearing what they wanted. Perhaps maybe draw some of them back to the game, boost up the sagging server populations. 51/50 is a joke imho, that's about half a days worth of work with a merc nowadays. But then again, when did SoE ever do anything that actually made any sense in the grand scheme of things. I (& a large amount of people on a certain website) would have gladly come back if a new progression server had opened up... instead I will be wasting my hard earned dollars on XBox Live & laughing at the amount of time that I used to spend on a game that is entering its last legs.
I got your Classic Server right here...
# May 06 2009 at 7:09 AM Rating: Decent
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All of you people screaming about wanting a Classic server should be taking a look at the Al'Kabor server. EQMac is only up through PoP and will never be getting new expansions.

Know what else we'll never have?

Station Cash
LoN card games
Tutorial zones
Updated zones (Freeport, BB, etc...)
Patches to fix the patch that broke the patch fixing the patch that had to correct the emergency patch.

What do we have?

One hell of a community that has some of the most helpful players in the game.
Most of PoP 1.0 gods! (We're still working on killing them...1 guild in the EP's..no EP gods engaged as of yet)
Working Inner Acrylia caverns
Working Ring of Fire
20% xp bonus across all zones and an additional 20/40/60/80/80 grouping bonus (no penalty for the 6th player)
A sleeping Sleeper (and we want him to remain that way just to keep things "Classic")
GEMS!!! ;-)

Lots of ex-PC players picking up older Macs or building Hackintoshes just to play on Al'Kabor. We're alive and well and growing fast since SOE turned their backs on all of you that wanted something Classic! Can get a Mac that will work just fine for eqmac for about $200-300 or a brand spanking new Mac Mini for $599 with an Intel processor and the ability to dual boot Windows without having to tweak the configurations!

http://www.eqmac.com <--- Click the link and check out the community. Free download of the game from SOE's Digital Download and a free 15 day trial so you can see what we're all about.
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I got your Classic Server right here...
# May 06 2009 at 11:06 AM Rating: Decent
Man, I am so tempted to move over to the mac server...but..it's a mac. =/
I got your Classic Server right here...
# May 06 2009 at 9:19 AM Rating: Decent
Where is this Al'kabor server? it's not on my server select screen.

Edit: Never mind, I clicked the link :D. unfortunately I use game cards to play EQ. EQmac won't take game cards. I would really love to play old EQ as PoP was the furthest the game had expanded when I first started playing. I also feel all these expansions have ruined EQ. For one thing they give us a tank merc with some kind of super regen that makes you practically invulnerable. Not to mention the crazy regen they slapped on our characters at some point in my 2 year break from playing. It's now possible to log in a new character with no money and be lvl 50 with good gear in less than a week of real time (24 hours played). And that's just a single account. 2 boxing has become bot leveling. Guy can park a healer merc and tank merc in the middle of a hostile zone and go play golf while his bots level him up. Where's the challenge in that?

Edited, May 7th 2009 1:36pm by Shedder
Laughing quietly...
# May 05 2009 at 8:42 PM Rating: Decent
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91 posts
I'm not sure why everyone is yelling at Sony about the outcome when it was the players who made the decision... Whatever, it never mattered to me because a new server isn't going to be a game changer by any means unless it was unique ie: classic.
Waste of time imo
# May 05 2009 at 6:21 PM Rating: Default
Can't see many people changing servers just because you start at 51. Everyone I know worked long and hard at the chars and social networks they are currently in. They are not going to throw all that away to go play on another server that is exactly like the one they are on now.

It is what I expected from Sony though.
free?
# May 04 2009 at 11:36 AM Rating: Decent
Is this gonna be a free server like the progression server? Not free like play this server and avoid paying subscription fee, but as in no additional cost.
If it is free I might play when i get bored doin same old thing and want to run around, but not worth it if costs extra like a second server.
free?
# May 05 2009 at 12:58 PM Rating: Decent
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166 posts
Should be just like any normal server. I think they did away with the whole, "pay to play another server" deal when they got rid of Stormhammer.
Really now
# May 04 2009 at 7:11 AM Rating: Decent
33 posts
Quote:
After anniversary event, I will cancel 3 accounts to protest defiant gear, and the discontinuation of new fableds content.


And you really think that Sony who runs Sony Online Entertainment aka SoE really cares if you cancel your 3 accounts ? Really. Get over it.
Choices.
# May 03 2009 at 12:33 PM Rating: Decent
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101 posts
Jeezus people, stop your ********* Spend more time playing and less whining here. I've never posted a reply to something of this sort, but I have to say:

"You have choices."

Don't want 51/50, then don't access that server. What's it to you if someone else does? You wont' be interacting with them, anyway. They, like you, pay for their account.

You want old content, then go for it! You don't have to do what everyone else is doing. Don't attune the Defiant gear, then. Sell it off and go get your old world gear.

SOE is in the business of making money, just like your dentist and your therapist. I think people tend to forget that. Do you think the suits as Sony are gonna allow the devs to cater to the minority of subscribers and lose $$$? The answer there is NO. Who do you think calls the shots, the devs? Again, NO. Think about it.

Choices. You have choices.
Choices.
# May 04 2009 at 5:47 AM Rating: Decent
I dont really think the people complaining about the new server hates the concept. They (we) hate the fact that we dont got to experience the part of EQ that was fun, or at least that we remeber was fun.

I dont care that that 51/50 won, makes no difference if that, or PvP, or a normal server won. I do care that there wont be a new preogression server. SoF and SoD have changed the rules of the game, and I personally reall dont care for the new rules. I was looking forward to being able to play a good game for a while at least until someone unlocked SoF and destroyed the game once more.
50/51
# May 03 2009 at 10:14 AM Rating: Default
23 posts
Maybe it would be fun to go back to old EQ: Eliminate no drop, anybody can buy any spell, no faction to buy spells, once you make a level any and all spells are and have been always available, no attuneable, no keys/flags/levels making zones unavailable or restrictive , anybody can loot anything off any mob. Sony "rationing" of armour, weapons and zone availability has made this game very time consuming, unpleasant and imo unreasonable. Sony Rationing is a lot like the present state of America's health Care. 47 million people can't afford or get health care and that is financial rationing just like Sony's rationing of all desired items in game. Maybe it is because Sony is basically set up to mirror a Japanese culture. And, that is why WOW is now the 800 pound gorilla in the USA room.
Survey says...
# May 03 2009 at 9:19 AM Rating: Good
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148 posts
So do you think you'll be playing on this new server?
No.
Ridiculous!
# May 02 2009 at 9:49 PM Rating: Default
I can not believe he said they listen to us! The way they ninjed the eq marketplace on us and the way they have THROWN the defiant gear at us to make "playing the game" obsolete really sickens/saddens me. This is a great game...why? Because of the lore, the old zones, the difficulty, the never ending questing and countless other things which are being destroyed one by one by SoE pandering to the "Gimme more faster coz another dude has it" Childish demands by the lazy minority of eq gamers.

Who cares if the raiders have more. They raid so they have more! It makes sense and now the Defiant gear that makes eqs great raids obsolete by throwing forcing us to all be geared exactly the same. How boring it is to have the same gear as everyone else.

After anniversary event, I will cancel 3 accounts to protest defiant gear, and the discontinuation of new fableds content.

Ridiculous!
# May 03 2009 at 11:15 AM Rating: Decent
waaaa, waaaa, waaa... Defiant gear isnt really that good. I mean it's not bad for a poorly twinked alt, but it's not really that good. So I fail to see your point, most decent players by this point have much better gear then this. And if they dont they are either an alt, or a casual player and thats the reason that defiant armor was made for. SO if your gonna be a baby and cancel your acct b/c defiant armor was made? All I can say is HUH, and bye bye.
Sad
# May 02 2009 at 6:52 PM Rating: Decent
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Start at level 51 and with 50 AAs? Sad.
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After 16 years, I'm not listing every friggin character.
SOE Listen?
# May 02 2009 at 3:21 PM Rating: Decent
"I do believe that the EQ of 2009 is a game made for the players — in many ways by the players — and that loyalty and creative friendship is what is truly magical about MMO gaming."

You have got to be kidding me? Made by the players? Who the 13 year olds? SOE has never listened to what the players wanted in this game. Otherwise we'd still have in game GM's that actually helped people instead of a stupid system they have now!

We'd also have a game that was balanced between fun and difficulty. Nothing in life worthwhile is easy. Those words echo what my parents told me so many years ago and it applies to gaming as well.

I am tired of a new expansion every year, when I have hardly completed the one from last year. Raiding? Why raid when in a year's time the trash that drops will be almost as good.

It's sad to see good zones, and good content go by the way side cause the newer stuff is easier and better.

If old raid zones are no longer used then make them group zones now. Do something! Some of us love to explore the game and not due to the fact that the new content is so much better getting into an old raid zone is next to impossible cause no one does them any more.

Bring back uniqueness to the game. I don't want a shield that every class in the game can use and can get.

Their are many of us that long for the old eq, the one that took a year to get to 60, there is so much good content that is skipped over now, cause you can level to 80 in a week, (if not faster).

As to SOE listening to what the players want, it's for sure they are not listening to the older people who first started to play this game 10 years ago.
SOE Listen?
# May 02 2009 at 3:49 PM Rating: Decent
True, very true. I agree with all of what you have said. When I first started playing EQ banded was the best armor out there and if you had anything with stat mods it was great. I remember being overjoyed going to the bottom of Orc lift and being able to get a hill group right away. Rolling on CB belts was by far the greatest and everyone who is truly old school knows exactly what I'm talking about. I was always taught that there is something to be said for loyalty and as far as my grandfather goes loyalty and the lord are all that matter.
SOE Listen?
# May 03 2009 at 3:51 AM Rating: Decent
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123 posts
I just came back after two years away and I had though when I left things where getting out of hand. The defiant gear is way to over powering. Just to give an example i started a brand new enchanter and am tanking giants with no buffs.
More EQ Welfare
# May 02 2009 at 2:52 PM Rating: Decent
First it was the easy levelling, the mercs, then the EQ marketplace which most EQ players were against, now this nonsense. EQ has turned into a virtual version of the US, everyone wants it given to them and not to earn it.

Nothing good EVER comes easy. This server is designed for the lazy bums of the world, you know them, they sit on general chat and type obscenities in all day. The population of this server will be filled with people who cant play their class, 15 year old nitwits and 25 year old adolescents.

Anyone who has played for a while will not play on it, since they appreciate what their character is and what it took to get them to where they are now. This server will be a joke.
More EQ Welfare
# May 03 2009 at 11:17 AM Rating: Decent
The server is a choice, if you dont wanna player there, HEY GUESS WHAT.. you dont have too. it's not overpowering, cause well everyone there is going to start excatly the same so stop complaining and go play.
New server
# May 02 2009 at 11:53 AM Rating: Decent
I would like to see a server that would allow you to play as things used to be. I liked EQ from the beginning to about Lucin. After that it kinda "jumped the shark". Bring back hell lvls and the focus on grouping to lvl up. I miss not having to group to lvl and 1-20 never took only 1-2 hours. Bring back the EQ I fell in love with, because now I'm looking for a new game.
51/50
# May 02 2009 at 10:03 AM Rating: Decent
If I wanted to do that I could go to World of Warcraft power level to fifty and get a new character more powerful than any I could develop. That's fun???
Sigh
# May 02 2009 at 9:47 AM Rating: Excellent
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1,577 posts
I see absolutely no point in playing a 50/51 server as everyone will be max level and leapfrog most of the content. I doubt anyone will do the older raids and as such, what's the point. I really hope they decide to do another progression server in the future. Anyone else have any feelings on the subject?
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Sigh
# May 03 2009 at 5:02 AM Rating: Good
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Well, I wasn't a fan of any of the choices (I was one of the "classic server!!" lamers :P), but the 51/50 had to be the worst choice out of all of them. It seems like a waste for a server, it's ridiculously easy to obtain level 51 now. I've never played a progression server, but really I'm surprised it didn't win.. maybe there's too many bitter feelings out there still about the merge.

I'm sure people will play the 51/50, be 85 in no time, and yes, none of the older content will be touched.
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Sigh
# May 02 2009 at 7:26 PM Rating: Decent
20 posts
/agree completely.

I am so upset by this decision by Sony. I was very much looking forward to a progression style server, but I guess this won't be. I can't for the life of me think of what was/is going on inside of the heads of EQ developers. Maybe it really is time for me to retire. Who knows.

B
Sigh
# May 02 2009 at 1:55 PM Rating: Default
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1.) As for Worley, good riddance. Now if only Smedley followed suit.

2.) As for 51/50, welcome to the latest "Easy Button" version of Everquest, the "gimme, gimme" generation's idea of "accomplishment". Select class, click play, boom. Voila! 51 levels, 50 AA's! No work or time involved. No need whatsoever to actually KNOW a thing about the class or the game at all. SoE's in-house "ebayed" toons are now at your disposal.

What next? Pay your monthly subscription fee, log on once a month to check your progress and get an e-mail from SoE congratulating you on achieving Void G?
Sigh
# May 02 2009 at 7:30 PM Rating: Decent
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If you're overly concerned with advancing too quickly or playing with PCs who don't know their class very well, the easy solution is to avoid the 51/50 server.
Sigh
# May 03 2009 at 4:07 AM Rating: Decent
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123 posts
I dont think thats Adanis point. We want what everquest started out as not what it has grown into these last couple of years. I believe the game was awesome up until PoP. After that they just exxagerated on everything to make it so easy. Before then you had to know how to play I mean really play the game. Right now you dont earn anything its just put in your lap. I have come back after 2 years and its kinda absurd the direction the game has taken. Like seriously the level cap should still be 65. If it was it would force larger raid forces etc.

I started during the eq trilogy days. That means Hell levels, Corpse recoveries, earned gear, more groups, etc etc etc. This game is becoming a graphically enhanced runescape. Sad /cry.
Sigh
# May 03 2009 at 3:36 PM Rating: Decent
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159 posts
Quote:
I believe the game was awesome up until PoP. After that they just exxagerated on everything to make it so easy.


Uqua would like a word with you.

I'm rather against the 51/50 server, though I guess there is nothing we can do about it. It is still not as bad as coming back from a break, and seeing that they removed flagging for zones up to Deathknell. That just made me want yank my hair out a bit.
Sigh
# May 04 2009 at 1:46 PM Rating: Decent
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57 posts
I'd have to disagree about the decision to unlock old raid zones. I'd left EQ in jan 2004 and came back Jun 2006. I missed a lot of raid content and now I can at least explore some of those old zones, even if I can't take down named mobs.

The 51/50 server would be a good idea for those who want to return but are put off by the fact that no one has low level toons anymore and they prefer to group. The 51/50 server just removes a lot of low-end grinding, even if it does cut out the old game (which was way better).

I think the current problem is the growth rate. EQ needs a couple expansions where the level cap does not increase and we get more choices. I'd love to see a new class added.
Sigh
# May 05 2009 at 5:50 AM Rating: Decent
Well just my opinion but Eq has gone bad due to lose of players and soe killing the fun in the game. first loss of players means that you can no longer progress as needed to reach end game because no groups or raids. so no progession with SOD you cant solo all those events to do so, so your playing a progression game for what reason cant even acheive spells and such unless your a strong raiding guild. i have played WOW game is way more fun and at level 70 i can play and have way more fun than my character of 81 in EQ sorry sony but lame. Have played EQ since they started.
Sigh
# May 06 2009 at 9:02 PM Rating: Good
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morganster writes:

Quote:
Well just my opinion but Eq has gone bad due to lose of players and soe killing the fun in the game. first loss of players means that you can no longer progress as needed to reach end game because no groups or raids. so no progession with SOD you cant solo all those events to do so, so your playing a progression game for what reason cant even acheive spells and such unless your a strong raiding guild. i have played WOW game is way more fun and at level 70 i can play and have way more fun than my character of 81 in EQ sorry sony but lame. Have played EQ since they started.



Granted one needs to be in a "raiding guild" to achieve "Raid" content, items, etc., however, progression to Void E in Seeds of Destruction is one groupable. One can obtain most, if not all, of the rank I and most, if not all, of the rank II spells doing group content, One can also obtain many, if not all, of Tiers 3, 4 & 5 armor drops by doing group content. EverQuest, unlike WoW, isn't designed as a "solo" game although much of the content can be soloed by most classes if the player so chooses. If, however, you want "Raid" content, gear, items, etc., you naturally needs must be a part of a raiding community.

Edited, May 7th 2009 5:05am by Adani
Sigh
# May 10 2009 at 1:00 PM Rating: Decent
Well totally not true an 81 shaman on eq with 300 AA's is kinda gimp given i have played this game forever seems to me if some players have maybe like 1500aa's or way better i suppose they can solo some things and maybe some content is groupable but you gota get a group first err i mean a real group not someone with no life 5 boxin characters and doesnt even no how to play. Heres the low down solo till 50 like in lets say a week really easy in EQ then comes the dol drumes called AA's that should never be sucking up experience for things you should be able to achieve from regular leveling, just a way to slow down players so they can stay locked in the game forever trying to hopelessly gain AA's to still be gimp at 85. Again just my opinion a game should be fun to solo and group thus making it fun for all not endlessly trying to fill 2 experience bars to make someone else rich so they can have fun Eq is just way outdated and figours attempts to keep people playing a gimp game including a card game which by the way was added without the options to choose if you wanted it or not. some people will still like it true but those are the ones with nurmous buddies helping or a uber guild. The game above all else and still something to be said for WOW 4 months of play 70 shaman could woop 81 eq shaman with ease do sosl content and still step up for some nice raids but then again they have lots of peeps to group with. just MO
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