[lupisnoctum]

Just came back after a well-deserved absence from Emuland. I've noticed that the deep-basement types have pretty much totally taken over the scene. I mean, yeah, autists have always dominated the scene but there used to be the occasional oasis in the high-adipose desert. It's pretty much a given that the unemployable and unfuckable are the gold standard when it comes to EQ EMU but I always (sadly) hope for better in the community.

I guess my question, in short, does anyone have a server in development that isn't run by or for the high-BMI types? A custom server that isn't OMG_BOX_OR_DIE_WARRIORS_ONLY_PLSKTHXS0082? A server that doesn't require the roundboy grail of boxing at least? A... dare I say it, server oriented around gameplay and skill instead of just how much time the player has on their hands or how many toons the player cares to box?

OK yeah, I know. Boxing is a fun-tastic way to artificially boost server population. But really, how many numbnuts really fall for that any more? Log in, check box limit. Call that x. Divide population by x, get the real server population. Bang, done. Shit. There's a server that made green by having a couple or three chunky boys running massive unlimited teams of boxes. Population means the square root of dick squared if you've got a small number of individual players actually "playing."

So. How 'bout it? Any of you lads with the MADD keyboarding skillz working on a legitimate server that doesn't require one lives in an apartment above their grandmother's garage or having a lair in their mother's basement as a pre-req for playing? Believe it or not, there are real people who like EQEMU who play too. In fact, appealing to real people might be the last hope Emuland has. I mean, why bother spending all the time dicking with a server only to attract the same old crowd of losers who will move on the moment something they think shinier rears its head?

tl;dr: While chub might be the short-sighted present, longevity is based on quality. Learn2code chubmeister. Give good gameplay, strive to appeal to quality players. It's not rocket science. Otherwise you're really just wasting your time with your Next Great Idea For A Server!!!11!! Anyone up to the "challenge?"

Bottom line: Chub or not, if you want a legitimate server with legitimate numbers, appeal to the "solo" player. There are more than a few of us out there and we tend to be the higher-qualitly player than Johnny Roundboy_0039. Real people don't want to box, they want to play.