Going solo - suggestions for where to start?

[Rhodan]

I want to create a server where characters are a lot tougher than in Live. I always hated the fact that at level 5 you could kill yellows and at level 55 many blues (and even greens) would kick your arse!

I also don't like the fact that gear makes the character. A level 55 with a rusty longsword should not be so completely useless as it is in live. That level 55 still has its skills and knowledge so a rusty longsword should be a deadly weapon. Not to say that good gear shouldn't make a difference, just that I think it shouldn't be such a huge difference.

I'm brand new to EQemu and, though I have been examing the DB, I'm really not familiar with what happens in what area of the engine. I have this (vague) notion of increasing the effect of player stats on things like melee damage, AC, Damage mitigation, spell damage, etc, but I don't see anything in the database that would appear to have anything to do with this.

So, I'm wondering what you folks would think is a good approach to the concept of tougher characters and where should I look to find the data/scripts/etc that deal with it? Is my appoach practical or should I concentrate on weakening NPCs? I really don't want to boost gear stats (I'll probably end up nerfing a lot of the Uber stuff).

Increasing XP awards isn't really in the cards. I'd rather concentrate on making characters tougher and recover faster (medding/healing) so they can kill more mobs per hour, which results in faster overall XP gain anyway.

Not asking anyone for code, I'll figure that part out eventually, just educated opinions on best approach and some pointers on where to start looking for code etc.

[paaco]

I think you will find this extremely helpful. At least I hope so. Breaks down the different tables in the database and tells exactly what most are for.
http://www.eqemulator.net/wiki/wikka...DatabaseSchema

Also a good item editor would be very helpful unless you like to do it in sql directly, which is much much harder. This is my favorite one, made by GeorgeS. he also has a ton more very useful tools on his website.
http://eqemulator.net/forums/showthread.php?t=21442

Good luck!

[John Adams]

A simple approach to making your characters seem more macho is to gimp the NPCs they encounter. Reducing their AC, HPs, offensive spells they cast, effects, etc. You should not necessarily have to tweak a players abilities... because that's what the gear itself does. Not sure of your familiarity with EQ, but gear past the noob areas have stats... those stats hunk up your characters - thus, making them more macho like you propose to do anyway.

By tuning DOWN the NPCs, those stats and abilities of your player characters would seem much greater. Try making yourself level 255 sometime... (if that still works). Talk about sick power.

[Dr Zauis]

Increasing XP awards isn't really in the cards. I'd rather concentrate on making characters tougher and recover faster (medding/healing) so they can kill more mobs per hour, which results in faster overall XP gain anyway.


I think if you want to modify just the characters like that. You are going to have to modify the source files. I would try to modify amount of extra points to give. Or basic stats in World files/client.cpp. I dont if just modiying those tables will work though. As I also seen in there a checking rutine to make sure no one cheats. But maybe thats based on the table Im saying to modify.
Its worth a shot if you can compile the sources.

[Rhodan]

Thanks for the tips guys!

Got the server up on the public LS (though it'll never be a truly public server - just for a group of buddies since I'm using my cable connection which is only 1-2Mbit upload and my TOS says NO SERVERS!. Gotta keep the traffic low and stay below the radar heh).

I'm digging through the database, already fixed the zone destination from nexus to the bazaar (it plopped me outside the geometry) as well as the gfay scion. shouldn't take too long to get up to speed now that I'm past the unfamiliar config stuff. SQL and databases are familiar at least.

I hadn't looked until now, but I thought a lot of the server functionality was scripted in perl but I see that's mainly quests. I'll have to concentrate on learning whats here before heading off to C++ land. I've used C (literally decades ago) and I've used Java, but never C++. I don't suppose it'll be massively difficult to learn enough to modify existing code (fingers crossed!).

Making NPCs weaker would definitely work, but that means modifying a hell of a lot of database entries! I'll have to refresh my SQL knowledge... I know I can do something like a nested query where I can pull the value of something (say level) add 1 to it, then save that. I just have to remember how for one, and learn what to change, for two.

Gonna be fun learning though!

[John Adams]

Couple things...

Originally Posted by Rhodan

I'm digging through the database, already fixed the zone destination from nexus to the bazaar (it plopped me outside the geometry)

I've found that the Titanium client has the new fancy zone layouts for many of the older pre-PoP zones. Like Nektulos Forest, for example. Sure, you can fix zone-in points to match these new graphics, but if you rename the shortname.eqg to something else and zone in, you'll likely be spot on where you should be. Newer gfx are nice, but I've been toying with this for the whole "remember what it was like to be a virgin" rush.

Making NPCs weaker would definitely work, but that means modifying a hell of a lot of database entries! I'll have to refresh my SQL knowledge... I know I can do something like a nested query where I can pull the value of something (say level) add 1 to it, then save that. I just have to remember how for one, and learn what to change, for two.

If you know anything about ASP/VBScript/PHP/Perl, your task wouldn't seem so daunting. Sub-queries are cool, but MySQL seems to have fits so much, I gave up and started writing VBScripts where needed.

Sounds like you know what you want though, so you are ahead of many. I've been playing with my server for 4 mos, haven't coded a line because everytime I think I have an idea, I get too busy and can't get to it... stupid real life!!

I'm definitely going custom-server though... while Live-like is nice, I've already done that - and so have most. And I think there are plenty of those anyway.

[Dr Zauis]

Originally Posted by Rhodan

Thanks for the tips guys!

Got the server up on the public LS (though it'll never be a truly public server - just for a group of buddies since I'm using my cable connection which is only 1-2Mbit upload and my TOS says NO SERVERS!. Gotta keep the traffic low and stay below the radar heh).

I'm digging through the database, already fixed the zone destination from nexus to the bazaar (it plopped me outside the geometry) as well as the gfay scion. shouldn't take too long to get up to speed now that I'm past the unfamiliar config stuff. SQL and databases are familiar at least.

I hadn't looked until now, but I thought a lot of the server functionality was scripted in perl but I see that's mainly quests. I'll have to concentrate on learning whats here before heading off to C++ land. I've used C (literally decades ago) and I've used Java, but never C++. I don't suppose it'll be massively difficult to learn enough to modify existing code (fingers crossed!).

Making NPCs weaker would definitely work, but that means modifying a hell of a lot of database entries! I'll have to refresh my SQL knowledge... I know I can do something like a nested query where I can pull the value of something (say level) add 1 to it, then save that. I just have to remember how for one, and learn what to change, for two.

Gonna be fun learning though!

My cable provider dont allow public servers either. It never stopped me LOL!
Note that eqemu is set up for the old bazaar. I once set my server up for new bazaar and couldnt figure out why trading didnt work. LOL. Now that I think about it. I think trading works but only for old bazaar. You might want to check that out.
You can always do like I did and provide Big Soul Devourer http://lucy.allakhazam.com/item.html?id=11000 and Fungus Covered Scale Tunic
http://lucy.allakhazam.com/item.html?id=2735 to the players. But you will have to modify them so all players can use. Or make you own.

[Rhodan]

Ah, thats right - any post-luclin expansion client will use the new graphics and geometry. Personally, I far preferred the old bazaar - too much running around in the new one. But then again, Live Bazaar's were massive lagfests due to the huge number of models in the client's line of sight and Sony had to do something to make it better.

Since pretty well everyone that would use a server these days is going to have the newer clients, I think I'm stuck with using the new Bazaar. It'll be a good opportunity to learn though since I'll have to fix the zones for PoK, Nexus, and ... I forget the name of that moon city now.

Hey, Lavastorm and the DE areas were changed in Live too - lol, more editing!

SQL is actually pretty easy once you get going. Setting up joins is a bit cerebral particularly when you get into multiple nested joins - but hopefully it won't be required for what I want to do.