Any New Content Added?

[Riklin]

I run a server (Hall's Havoc) and we update semi-frequently (around quarterly). I'm trying to see of any new content has been added. Last time we did a build (November 2013) there were a lot of changes, but no new content. By content I'm referring to new expansions or additional regions of EQemu being populated. Last I saw, the basic server was mostly complete through OOW, (the upper half of OOW wasn't complete at that time). Has there been any major content added since then? I've read the changelog, but I did not see anything referring to additional content. It would be nice to have content up through Seeds of Destruction. Heck it would be great to get expansions populated through The Serpents Spine.

If no further expansion of content is planned, then how do people get it? Do you make people go capture zones, then wade through the zones looking for quests to recode, again and again? This seems like a terrible waste of effort, when people have already populated nearly all zones and nearly all expansions.

I've had a dedicated server running for around 5 years now and from what I can recall, the basic server was pretty much at OOW back then, with only minimal new content since then. Yes, there have been many MAJOR accomplishments for EQemu in the last 5 years, but what about new content? Is there a server "package" that needs to be purchased, to get more content or some such?


Thanks,
Rick Hall

[Zaela_S]

databases != server program

[Riklin]

Please don't pick the words. You understand the message, don't you?

[Zaela_S]

I don't know the answer -- I'm not sure why anyone would bother making (yet another) copy+paste server rather than designing their own content.

But, I'm pretty sure content for the database is considered a separate project from the server program one way or another, thus why it wouldn't be in the changelog. Probably want to ask here, since it's probably where you're getting your database from if you're following the usual instructions? I don't know.

[ChaosSlayerZ]

Last I heard PEQ is close to finishing/polishing OoW.

[Riklin]

I believe my usage and reasons for setting up and running my own server are not unusual.

I play with a group of friends and we don't want to create an entirely new EQ world. We just want the whole EQ world as it is, or at the very least, periodic additions to total content. We don't want to spend 40 hours a week coding new content after working 40 hours a week developing applications for someone else. I'm 55 years old and would rather play EQ rather than spending every non work hour writing new code and spending countless hours capturing packets from live. A few hours here and there for tweaking is fine...

Yet we want the ability to add things that others do not have. For instance, we've added a rezzing NPC in the guild lobby. Not only that, we've added buffage characters that are all around the big chair in the center of the guild lobby. These make it much easier for small groups and solo characters.

Regarding the server itself, I have the hardware sitting around and so far, it works fine for up to 20ish people, but that's the most we've ever had on. There are 6 people on fairly regularly and the server gets the job done.



The key point I'm trying to make is that the "copy and paste" server content has not significantly changed in years, yet there are servers that have done the work to create that content, and almost match live. I'm not necessarily looking for more FREE content, but there really do not seem to be any options. I don't see anyone offering database and quests (or a server package) for sale. The options seem to be stick with "copy and paste" or spend hundreds, probably thousands of hours customizing a server.

The content up to OOW is interesting, but how many times can you play characters up to level 70 with that same content?!

[Akkadius]

In summary, it is a massive amount of niche based effort to reverse-create all of the content. Populating zones is one thing, having actual content function is something that requires actual implementation and reverse-engineering from alot of aspects.

A lot of people here choose to go the creative route and do not care to redo what's already been done.

The PEQ team continues to work on the 'Live-like' database, and for anyone who wants to see it go faster, they have the opportunity to step up and contribute.

[vsab]

Of course you can always play 16 expansions to level 95 for free with Sony.

[knowom]

You could also play the same content that is available with self imposed restrictions in place to make it overall more difficult. You have plenty of options available. Your complaining about the current live like content being too stale and lacking replay value, but at the same time basically asking they speed up development of it essentially. Either get involved or enjoy it as it's comes no one is going to reverse engineer the game instantly or more quickly than they feel like doing so. Consider yourself lucky to have what's all ready been provided for your enjoyment.

[Leetsauce]

I'm currently doing SoD content now. Kinda custom, but pretty similar to live. The droptables are the biggest part of this. If you have an import device from the client, you could go walk around live and collect packets to get the info yourself, this is basically what Akkadius is referring to, I believe, in contributing to PEQ's work on furthering the DB. You could have someone parse the info if you were to collect the packets, and give it to someone familiar with how to do this.

The easiest way to do this, in my experience, is to blanket alter the trash mobs via EOC NPC editor, and then go back and do the bosses/named manually as there are far less of those than trash mobs.

Then, the loottables - what I did was basically take all the group-named loot tables from a specific zone (old blackburrow as an example) and attach it to each individual named. I had 1 table with ~25 items on it, threw a 50% probability on the table, and a droplimit of 1. So a 50% chance to get the table, and roughly 4% chance per item. With their large loot tables, you get a lot of randomly mixed in loot from that zone on any of the named mobs within the zone thus less work for you as a dev, but still attaining the same goal.

I did this in all the T1 SoD zones, and so far it's working perfectly. In playing live, the npc's are even pretty close in terms of difficulty and dps.

One thing I will mention - if you plan on putting SoD raid encounters and respective gear, I would recommend updating to the live spell file as once you hit that expansion or the one before it (SoF) you start getting weird focus effects / worn effects on items because some of those referenced spells are not in the spellfile. Some don't even exist in stock UF spellfile. I have a replace insert sql query to do this. If you'd like it I will be happy to shoot it to ya.

[vsab]

IIRC the PEQ crew import loot tables from Magelo which collects the droprates. You can scrape drops from Alla's and Lucy but they won't have the droprates.

Not sure if NPC spells/effects come from Magelo/lucy too. They can also import npc locs from there, but not pathing, which relies on packet collects. In terms of mob damage I don't know if they guess or more likely, they try to match collected parses.

[Kayen]

I play with a group of friends and we don't want to create an entirely new EQ world. We just want the whole EQ world as it is, or at the very least, periodic additions to total content. We don't want to spend 40 hours a week coding new content after working 40 hours a week developing applications for someone else. I'm 55 years old and would rather play EQ rather than spending every non work hour writing new code and spending countless hours capturing packets from live. A few hours here and there for tweaking is fine...

The irony of this complaint is that you fully acknowledge how much work is required to implement live content yet your demanding SOMEBODY else should be doing it for you. Everyone involved in this project is just a volunteer and the vast majority have full time jobs just like you.

The real solution to 'more content' is more people need to be actively engaged in the process of developing it.

[sorvani]

Originally Posted by Kayen

The real solution to 'more content' is more people need to be actively engaged in the process of developing it.

Or you can cry about it and let the rest of us who do actually work on this tell you to piss off.

[ChaosSlayerZ]

Originally Posted by Riklin

I believe my usage and reasons for setting up and running my own server are not unusual.

I play with a group of friends and we don't want to create an entirely new EQ world. We just want the whole EQ world as it is, or at the very least, periodic additions to total content. We don't want to spend 40 hours a week coding new content after working 40 hours a week developing applications for someone else. I'm 55 years old and would rather play EQ rather than spending every non work hour writing new code and spending countless hours capturing packets from live. A few hours here and there for tweaking is fine...

Yet we want the ability to add things that others do not have. For instance, we've added a rezzing NPC in the guild lobby. Not only that, we've added buffage characters that are all around the big chair in the center of the guild lobby. These make it much easier for small groups and solo characters.

Regarding the server itself, I have the hardware sitting around and so far, it works fine for up to 20ish people, but that's the most we've ever had on. There are 6 people on fairly regularly and the server gets the job done.

The key point I'm trying to make is that the "copy and paste" server content has not significantly changed in years, yet there are servers that have done the work to create that content, and almost match live. I'm not necessarily looking for more FREE content, but there really do not seem to be any options. I don't see anyone offering database and quests (or a server package) for sale. The options seem to be stick with "copy and paste" or spend hundreds, probably thousands of hours customizing a server.

The content up to OOW is interesting, but how many times can you play characters up to level 70 with that same content?!

Well, if you have your own team of player going, and you don't mind custom content (since you even willing to pay for it), you can just roll up on to THF or Storm Heaven - easily two most developed custom content servers with dozens of raid tiers.

I do realize that you don't want to abandon the characters you already invested into, but there is simply no other way. PEQ is moving at pace of 1 expansion in 3 years, because its unofficial EMU test server, and has to get every little detail right, and I don't think community will look kindly at developers who start "selling" their DB for cash.

Obviously, not many active server devs are willing to part with their customized world for free - they want you to play on THEIR servers, and i think it is reasonable.

PS there are some free to use custom DBs floating around from shutdown projects - I am not sure how much content they have, but if one looks, he may find something useful.

[Riklin]

... and this is why people are reluctant to ask questions... People ruthlessly assume the worst and ATTACK!

I asked a difficult, but legitimate question. I had ZERO intentions of pissing anyone off! It was an informational question, not a complaint!

I received 11 replies. 3 replies with legimate information in the answers. The rest were either attacks or quit and go play elsewhere answers, neither which is helpful! Thank you those that tried to provide helpful information! Shame on you that attack first and think later!

Can someone private me with details needed to try and provide some help with development efforts, please... I have been in the software industry most of my career (albeit from the aerospace perspective). I have written several quest scripts in perl and created some custom content. I've spent most of my career collecting requirements and testing them. If you need the help, I'd rather do it in such a way that it makes a difference, rather than tinkering on my own with something that will likely be thrown away...

If you don't know how to help or that help is even wanted, you have to find out BY ASKING QUESTIONS!

Rick