I respect everybody's opinion on here, there is no need to fight. All I can tell you is I have had almost 2 years to think about the events of my last server and what made it so overwhelming to take care of. I lacked scheduled downtime, I put my focus on stuff that didn't matter or really affect the vision of the server, donations became a huge controversy and I made quick foolish mistakes without thinking things over. That is why I am getting rid of a lot of unnecessary stuff on Ruinspire so I am lazer focused is on what matters the most: The vision of class paths and their roles, progression, balancing, content, prevention of mudflation and others.

Also Eriviyn and other servers I had were up well over half a year or longer. Varlyndria was over a year. In my defense Maze was way off in that regard.

The whole "flaming" thing seems to be an individual favourtism. You say "back history" ? I did some research. There is popular servers active right now that have left in the past and returned. But I don't see people like you and maze flaming them ??

Our server got a cease and desist order from Sony after being up for five years.

Probably not the same thing, right?

(No insult or flame intended)

Welcome back. More server developers is good for emulator IMO :)

I don't think this is the place to discuss unnecessary semantics and arguments.

Thats kind of the point though. Everyone has their reasons for a server having
to shut down, whether it was out of their control or maybe mistakes, but in a
nutshell, I don't think anyone would ever start out with negative intentions.
Maybe it's just me, but I don't think anyone should be flamed just for putting
effort in to something just because it didn't work out. Just keep trying until it
comes up positive :)

I'm curious - with having 80 potential "paths", you've even said yourself that anticipate very similar paths, just with different names. Why so many? Personally, I'd rather have a few very well thought out ideas rather than a whole bunch of half-baked ideas. You say you're hoping to be more focused on things that matter, but you're going to have 80 paths that matter, balancing them, and then you have content to deal with after that. I'm just thinking you're biting off a bit more than you can chew, but if it's what you really want to do, all the more power to you.

Very good question.


The goal is to treat classes in eq as a theme to build on. Not just a single role. Each theme will have 5 roles and 3 out of those 5 will be available on a single toon. There is 80 because 5 x16. Ruinspire will be the first server I've ever allowed multi-pathing so there needs to be a large variety to make things interesting and add replay value.

Can I handle it? Piece of cake. The main thing that will make this easier to do is roles are set from the get go in creation. All classes have a Tank, Healer, Support, Pet Dps and Non Pet Dps for players who don't like pets.

Going to repost this update so you can read some things I covered.




• UPDATE


I have been hard at work on designs and ideas as well as getting to learn the UI and controls for GMing the server again. I have a test bed now so things are underway.
Here are some things I am looking at doing with the server I haven't told anybody yet:

• Instanced Raiding with a lock on the original zone..
- Multiple raids planned within a tier so you don't just go to one place for gearing until next update.
- Each raid will have progression to get to the next tier.
- I would like to release 3 or more raids every content update.
- This will allow players to get into raids every week with no competition of a single zone.
- Restricts bosses from being farmed for all loot in 1 day.
- Adds carrot on the stick value.
- Raid bosses will be well scripted.
- Removes elitist attitudes of 'WE OWN THIS ZONE.'

• Dungeons and Solo Content
- Dungeons will be very solo/single group friendly and provide good gear upgrades.
- Dungeons will get players ready for raiding.
- Content updates and new raids will also provide some new dungeons that will get players caught up a little bit.
- Content update dungeons will NOT make the previous raid update content obsolete but they will make them easier to go through.
- Dungeons will eventually make VERY OLD raid content obsolete.

• Raid Loot - Making it fun
- Killing bosses should be rewarding.
- I plan on having augments to empower your path items drop.
- I plan on having quest items drop that can get you more PATH powers to really strengthen your character.
- There won't be random clicky effect items I am going to make that path powers only and very special to have.
- Paths will have end-game upgrades. Example: Path Epic Weapons, a new armor piece with path powers etc.
- There won't be any class specific gear besides path related stuff. This will make itemization development a lot more flexible and not so restrictive.

• Secondary Item Affixes
- All secondary item affixes on all gear will be completely removed for balancing reasons.
- Only path gear will have a clicky added to it.
- One piece of gear with an OP affix that makes class X OP shouldn't be in the game.
- Secondary Affixes will ONLY be put on augments that ALL classes can use and they will be very rare, trade fiendly, lore and attuneable.
- Secondary Affixes are things like: Kick Damage, Bash Damage, Cleave IV, Improved Heal, Improve Damage, Haste, Hp Regen, Shielding, Clickies etc
- This makes affixes and augments have incredible value and it also makes it where gear is not so dependent on a certain affix over another allowing more flexibility.

• Primary Stats on Gear
- Being lowered by 50% on all items.
- Gear with good stats will be hard to find.
- Stats are based on EQ rules and don't have such a huge impact on dps.
- Makes augment Affixes very sought after for power increases.

• Class Path Items
- Path items will scale based on level up to max level. You will no longer have a charm vastly inferior to a ring in stats etc.
- Path item clicky spells will scale based on level.
- Path spells will be SLIGHTLY stronger than other powers based on the item clicked but nothing like Eriviyn where it felt your charm/powersource spells were useless.

• Skills and Class Vision
- All classes will have taunt.
- All classes will have 5% base critical strike chance.
- All classes will have bash/slam
- Every single class is now considered a THEME and will have the option to be any role through paths.

• Alternate Advancement (AA's)
- Being removed completely.
- Causes massive balance issues and doesn't fit the theme of the server.
- Server is focused on paths not the original class which can now fit any role.
- Saves a headache on development and lets me focus on paths.

• Crafting
- Being removed completely.
- Only causes confusion and is a pain to balance with dungeon/raid content.
- Most players hate crafting and it takes too long.
- Not having crafting as an option will feel like freedom and focus players on adventuring for gear.
- Let's me focus easier on content that matters.
- Makes merchants and items found that can be traded more valuable.
- Crafting items will be removed from loot tables, merchants and deleted completely.
- Fishing will be disabled.
- Quests involved in crafting will be removed.
- NPCs selling crafting items will be removed.

• Normal Class Epic Weapons
- Being completely removed.
- Classes are now considered a theme with many roles so epic weapons do not fit them.
- Path Epics will be added later.

• Set downtime schedule..
- I plan on having a weekly downtime period starting on friday afternoons MST.
- The goal is to eliminate sporadic restarting so players can enjoy the server with no worries.
- This includes content updates so players can get excited about every friday probably having something new.

• Homogenization in Paths
- This server is about personal flavor and theme (different particle colors, various minion types, elements or whatever you enjoy)
- Some paths might play the same but I will do what I can to make things different from each other.
- I expect a lot of paths to feel the same mechanically (not fantasy) but that's to be expected with this much variety.
- Play the game and have fun with the fantasy of your class path and don't worry so much about mechanics. I am not here to re-invent the wheel.

That was the point I was trying to make. Thank you for making it more clearly.

I have enjoyed your previous servers keep up the good work and let us know when it needs testing...

Thanks for the support!


UPDATE

EDITED We have decided to change the old Eriviyn Forums to the new RuinSpire Forums: ruinspire.forumotion.com

NOTE: This forum is in very early stages of development.

I will be releasing info on these forums as I work on the server, so if you're interested check it out.

UPDATE:

Here are some other things I came up with I would like to do for Ruinspire. I feel my other servers were lacking terribly on these topics below.
The original Varlyndria was successful over all others because it had the most challenge. I want to bring that back and more in Ruinspire.

CARROT ON THE STICK FACTOR
• Lower the drop rates on all PEQ items significantly so gear is more rare.
• Stop handing out stat gear so easily with quests/merchants. It needs to feel special.
• Make many dungeon (not raid) NO-DROP items Trade Friendly.
• When you do get a drop you can't use from a dungeon or named, you can run out and sell it to players who might need it.
• Make getting a piece of gear with even 3 sta on it feel good. (Like Original EQ)
• Add a hard cap on Platinum per character to around 999,999 or so. (Not easy to reach)
• Add mystery boxes to merchants (Gets rid of Mudflation fast) that can be bought for large sums of platinum.
• Mystery boxes have a rare chance to offer a random stat affix augment, cosmetic item, exp potions, stat food etc.
• Delete all PEQ augments and remove them from shops/drop tables and create my own.
• Add custom augment types to armor/weapons and another custom slot to path items for upgrades.
• I also plan on using material like this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mudflation to keep Mudflation out of RuinSpire.

CHALLENGE FACTORS
• Path Clickies won't be as spamable like other servers, but they will offer awesome results when used.
• Path Clickies will also drain Mana/Endurance from the character. (Need to check on this)
• Makes Mana/Endurance important again.
• Gives the Paths limitations of power which all other servers lacked severely.


The challenge goal in Ruinspire is to get #TheStruggleIsReal back in the game.

I have a question about your class paths. You mentioned you get 3 of 5 possible paths. Is the character all these paths at the same time or are you only 1 at a time and have to switch?

Very good question.

PATH SWITCHING CONCEPTS (NOT OFFICIAL)
• When you become one of your 3 chosen paths you are THAT path and not a mixture of the other 2.
• Path gear currently planned is: (Charm, Source, Earring, Bracer and Ring) - These all come with clickies to form your character.)
• Mix/Matching different path gear sets will un-equip those items and give the player notice with a pop-up.
• I would like to add a quest option that can equip players quickly with one of their 3 chosen paths so it's fast play.
• The entire system is currently under development and in a whim's notice I could come up with a completely different way to do things.
• I have been considering the CHARM system from Varlyndria: Ascension as well. The charm acts as a reagent to cast path spells etc.

Right now I am focusing on getting the fantasy and basic ideas of the paths manifested so I have something to work with.







Here are a few more paths I revealed recently for the Necromancer.

http://i.imgur.com/QJ4P45g.pnghttp://i.imgur.com/Re9tHam.pnghttp://i.imgur.com/mYTuJba.png

I like what you're doing with it so far, Drak. Keep it up! As I said earlier, we can wait for you to balance stuff and make sure its something that will stick with us like Varlyndria did.

I never got to really experience varlyndria because it went down, no joke, about a week after i started playing it and I've heard nothing but good things about it. Do you mind indulging me what the server was like?