I decided to open a new topic about this so Zarkor's topic doesn't get hijacked (it being more about OF in general) as I believe all the points there should be discussed equally. The solo/smallman issue however demands separate attention, because it is the only reason some people play/played here and it has been hit the worst with the implementation of Old Frontiers.

So first the basics:


OF killed solo and smallman RvR.


This has been said on the forums many times, and I believe even the 8man and zerg players will agree with me on this. There is almost NO solo RvR going on in OF, except for people going to suicide on keeps and an occasional stealther. Emain has become (as predicted) a 24/7 zerg, Odins and Hadrians are empty. I have a friend minstrel who stands around in Odins for HOURS literally, unstealthed, and is forced to play Diablo 2 on his laptop while doing so because there is NO ONE THERE.


On other hand Thid is 100% full all the time, there are DF raids almost every day, taj1 and 2 runs also, and even I've been thinking of leveling a crafter, becouse even that's more fun than soloing or duoing in OF. A crafter!! If I heard myself say this a few months ago, that I'd rather craft then RvR, I would've shot myself in the head. Not to mention the situation with non-primetime players, they might as well all quit right now.


When Agra porters were removed, you had so many people whinig about that. Do you think these people just disappeared? That they're suddenly happy with OF that is a hundred times worse than Agra for solo/smallman RvR? Well many of them have, because they left, as this server is becoming not even an 8vs8 server, but a zerg vs zerg server. Others won't speak up becouse your every answer to OF complaints is "You wanted it".


Well, we DON'T want it any more if it's going to be like this.


Poll results are not an all-mighty guide to what's right (take the latest Swiss referendum for example, or the SI classes removal poll right here). You can't implement something you're not willing to adjust to suit your players.

I won't make dramatic statements like " OMG OF will kill Uthgard" or something like that, because it probably won't. However, it WILL change it, and not to the better. It already has.



Solutions:

1.) Remove OF, bring back Aggra. (2 milegates, less zerg, faster action, more modern design, better exping). Make a new poll about it if you want.

2.) Customize OF with insta porters for every realm to just one zone (Odins/Hadrians). Eman and on other zone would still have normal porters. Maybe make porters work just for ungrouped players.

3.) Make a solo-only (and duo if it is possible in game code) Battlegrounds

4.) Bring back Aggra PARALEL to OF. So we have a choice on where we will RvR. I think this is the best idea as it will let you see what the players really prefer. Make it a last only a month or two in the begging and then see what happens.

5.) Zarkor's suggestion about a solo only XP bonus in a specific zone.

6.) A combination of all/some of the above, or something else entirely.


Just one comment before everyone starts yelling stuff about "SPLITTING THE RVR POPULATION!!!!!!".

You're not splitting anything. We, who want these changes, are not playing at all. We're either in Thid, farming, crafting, exping or something else. Some of us have already quit the server. Many are thinking about it. It is the implementation of Old Frontiers that splitted the RvR population. We just want to get back in RvR.


To everyone: Feel free to comment and add your own solutions
To Staff: PLEASE work with us on this, a significant part of your playerbase is very unhappy at the moment.

I would vote for

7) Remind player of their own responsibility. If you want solo / small group RvR it is up to you to get it started.

I.e., go consequently to Odin's only (for example) and tell everybody about every fight you have there and how great solo / small group RvR there is.

When people tried to get other people to go to Odins on the forums it was said that they would be banned for it.

Also, you can't tell anyone how good the fights in Odins/Hadrians are because, newsflash: There are no fights.

Next suggestion please.

Nymeros wrote:When people tried to get other people to go to Odins on the forums it was said that they would be banned for it.

I do not see any reason why you should be banned for mentioning great solo / small group fights in the forums, and mentioning great solo / small group fights and how everybody enjoyed them is the only thing I suggested.

Yeah well I agree with OP.

I used to leave my minstrel on the AMG in Odin's unstealthed and went to take a dump for a good 15 minutes. My character was still there when I came back, so I'd go play Diablo to pass the time. About three weeks ago there was some action, now there is none whatsoever.

As we have 3 frontier map layouts - OF hib/mid/alb, i dont see why we could have 4 frontier maps, with Agramon too.

As you can see those players that voted NO for OF are unhappy and they DONT play, no map will force them, they will rather stop playing. Even some from those who voted YES are unhappy.

I want to go NF like i went since 3 years ago. Even without ToA tower port like it was before OF. Agramon was awesome.

So why not add Agramon for those who want it? You should think of the other players too, stop being selfish.

Der_Eisbaer wrote:

Nymeros wrote:When people tried to get other people to go to Odins on the forums it was said that they would be banned for it.

I do not see any reason why you should be banned for mentioning great solo / small group fights in the forums, and mentioning great solo / small group fights and how everybody enjoyed them is the only thing I suggested.

Well, you might not see the reason, but you will get banned for trying to get players from the enemy realm to RvR in a specific zone.

Also, stop living in an inexistant world, like Nymeros said: there are no fights in Odins/Hadrians. Everyone knows that, which is why everyone will laugh at you when you make fabulous claims about action there.


In fact, do you even play on Uthgard? If you are, please get real... The problem is real, your solution isn't.

Runis wrote:As we have 3 frontier map layouts - OF hib/mid/alb, i dont see why we could have 4 frontier maps, with Agramon too.

As you can see those players that voted NO for OF are unhappy and they DONT play, no map will force them, they will rather stop playing. Even some from those who voted YES are unhappy.

I want to go NF like i went since 3 years ago. Even without ToA tower port like it was before OF. Agramon was awesome.

So why not add Agramon for those who want it? You should think of the other players too, stop being selfish.

I'm afraid this will not work. It will most likely just end up in another Odins/Hadrians, in the sense that it will just be empty.

Spreading out action is not a good solution I think. A new solo hotspot is way more interesting, especially if it is separated from Emain/the FG+ action zone.


Translating this to your idea you would have to remove Alb and Mid frontier and add Agramon instead, with a solo RP bonus in the middle, to recreate a new hotspot for soloers there.

But I think this is rather unrealistic.

Zarkor wrote:Also, stop living in an inexistant world, like Nymeros said: there are no fights in Odins/Hadrians. Everyone knows that, which is why everyone will laugh at you when you make fabulous claims about action there.

I do not care what Nymeros said. I go to Albion frontiers from time to time solo and I always find enemies there. Maybe that is due to the fact that I am not standing around waiting for inc but roam around instead, try to find expers that will call for help etc. It worked on live-OF, it works here.

Der_Eisbaer wrote:I do not care what Nymeros said. I go to Albion frontiers from time to time solo and I always find enemies there. Maybe that is due to the fact that I am not standing around waiting for inc but roam around instead, try to find expers that will call for help etc. It worked on live-OF, it works here.

No it doesn't.

And since you don't care what other people say, kindly relocate somewhere else. I am not interested in a ****** contest, it's not just your word vs mine, it's your word vs the words of every solo players I know from every realm.

Nymeros wrote:No it doesn't.

Yes it does. For me at least it works perfectly. Maybe you are simply lacking the necessary patience. Assuming this is true you cannot blame OF for that.

Nymeros wrote:And since you don't care what other people say, kindly relocate somewhere else. I am not interested in a [I am a little bunny and like flowers] contest, it's not just your word vs mine, it's your word vs the words of every solo players I know from every realm.

Now imagine all the lonely solo players consequently doing what I do. Problem solved I'd say.

Der_Eisbaer wrote:I would vote for

7) Remind player of their own responsibility. If you want solo / small group RvR it is up to you to get it started.

I.e., go consequently to Odin's only (for example) and tell everybody about every fight you have there and how great solo / small group RvR there is.

oh, I did. first Nixian threatened me with a ban and even though I kept returning to OG for days, there would be noone else there, during primetime.

If OF is here to stay, try to do something to cultivate solo/smallman RvR in Odin's or Hadrian's. We can come up with a formula that would give bonus RP based on the group size, with solo player gaining the greatest RP bonus per kill, and groups of 5 or more actually receiving a penalty to RP gain, which would discourage them from coming to these zones.

Der_Eisbaer wrote:7) Remind player of their own responsibility. If you want solo / small group RvR bla bla bla.

this has been repeated so many times my head hurts, and is so f'ing pointless. Unless I can come to both forum and IRC and announce "Hey everyone, I'm standing on AMG in Odin's. Anyone interested in giving me a BJ please come ASAP.", this will never solve anything. You can't synch players. You can't make them all roam the two rather large empty zones for hours until they actually bump into eachother.
If the relics didn't provide any bonus, would anyone actually bother raiding them?

A change MUST come, in one way or another. Hell, I think even Eclipsed's suggestion makes some sense, in putting all realms' PKs in one realm's frontiers thus making Briefine a hotspot.

Current situation is just... demoralizing. I thought I'd never make an alt since I happen to play a great solo class and can get myself into groups when I want to. But I did. And I can't wait till I get to Thidranki so I can actually experience RvR. And F me, but when I get there, I'm there to stay. Yes sir, level 49 for the rest of that character's life if need be. As long as situation doesn't change for the better.

Der_Eisbaer wrote:Yes it does. For me at least it works perfectly. Maybe you are simply lacking the necessary patience. Assuming this is true you cannot blame OF for that.

Now imagine all the lonely solo players consequently doing what I do. Problem solved I'd say.

Maybe you are just very lucky? You should maybe go play the lottery? And yes, I can blame OF because the situation was 10000 times better in Aggra.

And yes, let's imagine them: without speed, with 10 minute runs or 8 minute ports, with 2 huge zones to choose from, with some soloers still going to Emain so 3 zones, with 24 hours in the day, with non-primetime players. Maybe you should write a book witch such good imagination while you take breaks from the lottery.


To everyone else: Don't let this idle chatter stop you from contributing in any way you can, either by new solutions or by supporting some already offered. Just because some people are trying to close their eyes to the problem doesn't mean they can close yours too.

Zarkor i didnt say anything about removal of OF alb/mid frontiers. Just Agramon added for those who wanna play there. I can guarantee you that many soloers/smallgrps will go there and have fun. Including me.

Afterall its about choices right? People should choose for themselves how and where they wanna have fun. I choose Agramon. Those who like OF should stay in OF.

Der_Eisbaer - can you tell me your solo experience on this server? Your solo chars and smallgrp rvr? I can tell you mine, Runis - sb, Thorhall - hunter. How about you? If you dont have any that means you have no clue about solo RvR, and posting in this solo topic is just a waste.

Zarkor wrote:

Runis wrote:As we have 3 frontier map layouts - OF hib/mid/alb, i dont see why we could have 4 frontier maps, with Agramon too.

As you can see those players that voted NO for OF are unhappy and they DONT play, no map will force them, they will rather stop playing. Even some from those who voted YES are unhappy.

I want to go NF like i went since 3 years ago. Even without ToA tower port like it was before OF. Agramon was awesome.

So why not add Agramon for those who want it? You should think of the other players too, stop being selfish.

I'm afraid this will not work. It will most likely just end up in another Odins/Hadrians, in the sense that it will just be empty.

actually, I'll bet you plats out of Nymeros' pockets that most, if not all playerbase will instantly switch to Agramon. No more running for Hibs, instant ports for all realms. it would not spread the action, it would relocate it.