I've decided to dip my toe into the launch of a TLP sever for Everquest.
A Time-locked Progression server generally starts at a specific expansion of the past and then progresses through the expansions at a set time interval that is significantly shorter than the original expansion release timeline. Additionally, each TLP has its own definitive ruleset, i.e. mechanics for the server which may or may not be the same as a Live (non-TLP) or other TLP server. Only those accounts with an active All Access 'subscription' (or month to month with Krono) can participate on a TLP.
Everquest is wholly owned by Daybreak and Fippy Darkpaw games with whom I have no fiduciary affiliation. All trademarks of the game and server are theirs.
NOTE: I made add more information or clarifications to this page in the days to come. These are my initial notes on some of the differences between Live (current non-TLP servers) and TLP Classic and original classic. Also, I do not claim to be an expert in anything other than being me. My information here is slanted to my own perceptions and/or biases. I might also be missing key information. If you know of things I am missing, please comment.
Oakwynd
Oakwynd is the new TLP to be launched at the end of May in 2023.
Oakwynd will start with Classic, the original zones, races, and classes that were available at the original EQ launch and before the first expansion. Every month or so an expansion (or two) will be added in the same order they were launched originally. There will also be server wide bonuses added with each expansion that's added.
The server ruleset also has a Legacy feature with XP bonuses for max leveled characters on the same account and Heirloom vs No Trade for most items. Heirloom means the items can be traded between the characters on the same account kind of like passing down a hand-me-down to someone in your legacy. The bonuses will be a boon to the alt-a-holic but only one who keeps some characters at max level as the level max increases.
The most "controversial" part of the Oakwynd ruleset is the announcement of FTE (First to Engage) or encounter locking. The first character to 'tag' an NPC (or mob) will have the encounter locked to them and their group unless they explicitly release the lock with /yell. This is a change from the most DPS wins style of encounters where if one character or group is fighting something and someone comes up and does more damage to it, the "kill" goes to those who did more damage (51%+). This may reduce "kill stealing" by those who delight in griefing others by taking what's already engaged, or it might provide a new way to grief by 'tagging' and holding everything to prevent others from having anything available. Frankly, the toxic of the server will go out of their way to be toxic and will figure out new ways around any attempt to reduce the toxicity. They have the option of going and finding their own encounters but like the "race" element of PvP and griefing instead. All TLPs have the ability to create new "instances" of a zone when it's crowded so it is even possible to go to a new /pickzone to get the same encounter, but that's too polite for them. (Ironically, that same toxic griefer crowd is also dead set against PvP, though that is exactly what they're doing.. just without the character kills.)
I have decided to ignore the toxic crowd or at least to do my best to do so. A lot of them have declared they won't play on Oakwynd because it doesn't have exactly what they deem is an acceptable ruleset, so I am also hopeful for that 😋
How classic is Classic on a TLP?
Back in the early days, I started playing Everquest with the Shadows of Luclin expansion, the third expansion for EQ, thus missing the days of the original release (now called Classic) and the first two expansions (Ruins of Kunark and Scars of Velious). I still remember quite a bit of how the game was when I first started playing along with several of the changes that occurred until I left (shortly before the seventh expansion, Gates of Discord) and the plethora of changes I found on each short return and then my final and lasting return mid-2020.
I know some features and zone art cannot be 'rolled back' to the original code, others are too desirable to be rolled back, and others, as well, would be too disruptive to all servers to remove from one. So, I know that TLP Classic is not "true" classic. But, from what I have heard, the 3rd party set-in-amber P99 servers that only have the first three expansions have also had new features added over the years. (P99 is completely non-affiliated with Daybreak and were originally pirate/emulation code.)
So, in prep for Oakwynd, because I tend to overthink things, I wanted to try to find out "how classic is Classic" with various queries.
Zone art and content
Those zones which had a zone art "revamp" (no judgement) since Everquest originally launched are generally the new version:
- Freeport, both north and south
- Commonlands, both east and west
- Ro, both north and south
- Toxullia Forest (no yellow haze *sniffle*)
- and a few others
Kithicor Forest at original launch was, day and night, a tranquil newbie zone forest. After launch there was am in-game event (Bloody Kithicor?) that changed the night to a higher level (40s-50s?) undead horror show. In a TLP Classic, the undead nights are still in place.
Paineel and The Hole didn't exist at original launch but were added a bit later with, as one person wrote, the evil Erudites started in tents in Toxxulia forest. Paineel and The Hole are in TLP Classic.
NPCs added to support specific quests and questlines added later are likely not present with Classic, such as those for tradeskilled class armor sets noted in a section below.
I am glad that the in-game maps will be available even if they weren't
in the original classic. I really don't want to go back to paper maps
and too frequently get lost in the game without the in-game map.
Races and Classes
Only the original races and classes are available on TLP Classic and each starts in their original starting cities. A few races have a choice between two cities and a few can be either of the main alignments (good or evil) or agnostic.
From what I have heard, a few original classes weren't available on the original races that are available currently on Live, such as gnomes and halflings not having paladin as an option. I'm not sure what TLP Classic will offer.
The other races and classes were added in later expansions. Iksar with Ruins of Kunark (1), Vah Shir and Beastlord with Shadows of Luclin (3), Froglok with Legacy of Ykesha (5), Beserker with Gates of Discord (7), and Drakkin with The Serpent's Spine (12).
UI
Other than the aforementioned in-game maps, there are other aspects of the UI that won't be as at the original launch. Most of them were vast improvements greatly hailed when they were added or otherwise changed.
- No need to open the spell book (which originally covered the full view area) to meditate and regain mana, just sitting will work. Sitting on a mount enables meditating even in combat and doesn't draw extra agro; however, mounts aren't available until SoL (3).
- Movable, filterable, customizable chat windows and Hot bars. When they first enabled having more than one chat window that could be repositioned, I was so very happy and didn't lose as many conversations to combat spam. Then they allowed windows to 'fade' and even disappear when not in use and I was even happier.
Loot and Itemization
The original armor drops and other loot are still available with some no longer available on Live making a reappearance. The drops generally have their original itemization or maybe they have a few tweaks that happened a bit later.
On Live, Defiant armor and jewellery is king up to level 80. To my knowledge, for Live, the addition of Defiant was the last wave of low level itemization but to supplant the former items rather than improve them. Defiant armor and jewellery were added with Secrets of Faydwyer (expansion 14) so are not present on a TLP Classic but with the Legacy server it might be worth noting when they're added.
One thing I know will be there from the current Live game is the Advanced Loot window. I first encountered that when I returned in 2020 and have gotten more proficient in using it and making it work for me ever since. While I am the the sort to default to 'greed' on all but tradeskill stuff and things I actually can use, I suspect I will be going all "need" if I am in a pickup group without a "need before greed" policy.
Another consideration for loot is the night blindness of several races. Most current head armor on Live has a continuous vision buff on top of the not-quite as dark as Classic changes. I have heard there is a night vision (ultravision) nimbus available on the Marketplace to offset the blindness.
Tradeskills
Several of the low level tradeskills that use enchanted materials, especially for jewellery, are disabled on live with only the unenchanted versions available to skill-up. This is because the resulting products are completely superseded by the itemization changes over the years. On a TLP, these recipes are available and, due to the type of drop items available, might actually be useful on a TLP.
Around the time Planes of Power (4) was released, 'newbie' class armor quests using tradeskills were added to the original starting zones. Since these weren't there until that expansion, they likely will not be there on TLP Classic. However, for a Legacy server, they might be helpful with a later alt.
Inventory and Bank
I remember when the first shared bank slots were added! I also remember when they expanded the personal bank space, too. The bank when I started had 8 personal spaces and no shared. Later 2 shared slots were added and then 8 more personal slots. While I was gone from the game, the bank expanded even more to be a total of 24 personal and 6 shared. From what I have heard, TLP Classic should start with 16 personal and 2 shared bank slots, i,e, the same as in the first increases.
When I started, I'm pretty sure you didn't have any free bags. Now, characters on Live start with two free 8-slot backpacks. From comments, I suspect TLP Classic will start with those same two free 8-slot backpacks, one in inventory and the other in the bank.
While Daybreak does have large capacity bags for sale on the DB coin Marketplace and some of those will be available for the TLP, I'm "frugal" when it comes to buying in-game things with real money so will likely be working on my tailoring after I find pelts I can make into bags. Bags also drop in the zones next to the starting cities, but the tradeskill made ones have a slight weight reduction and/or slightly bigger size.
Knowing I can fill up multiple 40-slot bags if I'm not careful, I will need to stop at the bank a lot.
Oh. and the 10-slot Trader Satchel won't be available until the Bazaar is, SoL (3).
Bazaar and Player Market
The bazaar was added to Everquest shortly after the Shadows of Luclin expansion (3) as part of that expansion. It was later modified to also have a buyer option and the current physical layout. When it was first added, it was a single area just off of Shadowhaven. Prior to that, sales were done by trade often in the Commonlands tunnel. In both cases, buying and selling from other players requires a logged in account.
Bazaar won't be available with TLP Classic until SoL is added. I wonder if it will be the new layout or the original? That will be about 6 months after the server launches, I think.
More to come, I'm sure... these are my initial notes.