Hot Zones!!!!

[Kiara]

<p><img src="http://eq2players.station.sony.com/content/en/news/banners/newbanners/hot_zones_banner.jpg" width="600" height="150" /></p> <p>It's a Hotzone weekend in some old-school zones!</p> <p>Play with boosted XP all weekend long in some of the zones from the original EQII release!</p> <p><a href="http://eq2players.station.sony.com/news_archive_content.vm?id=3079&section=News&locale=en_US"><strong>Read more!</strong></a></p>

[Gaige]

<p>Since when does this game have Hot Zones?</p>

[Calthine]

<p><cite>Gage wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>Since when does this game have Hot Zones?</p></blockquote><p>Apparently since this coming weekend!</p>

[Slowin]

<p>I always loved hot zones!  Too bad adventure xp already comes very easily -- it's AA that is the time crunch now.</p>

[Noaani]

<p><cite>Slowin wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>I always loved hot zones!  Too bad adventure xp already comes very easily -- it's AA that is the time crunch now.</p></blockquote><p>IMO they should reset all named and disco AA XP in hot zones. Then there would be a real reason to go!</p>

[Lodrelhai]

<p><cite>Noaani wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p><cite>Slowin wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>I always loved hot zones!  Too bad adventure xp already comes very easily -- it's AA that is the time crunch now.</p></blockquote><p>IMO they should reset all named and disco AA XP in hot zones. Then there would be a real reason to go!</p></blockquote><p>Or boost the AA xp for folks mentoring in those zones too.</p>

[TheSpin]

<p><cite>Lodrelhai wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p><cite>Noaani wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p><cite>Slowin wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>I always loved hot zones!  Too bad adventure xp already comes very easily -- it's AA that is the time crunch now.</p></blockquote><p>IMO they should reset all named and disco AA XP in hot zones. Then there would be a real reason to go!</p></blockquote><p>Or boost the AA xp for folks mentoring in those zones too.</p></blockquote><p>In LU52 they are going to make grinding AA via adventure xp a valid option.  It should basically make this request come true since there's a big xp to AA conversion bonus from mentoring already.</p>

[Thunderthyze]

<p>XP gain is already very fast and it will involve most people rolling a new alt (if they have the roster space available) in order to take advantage of this. It may have been more warmly welcomed if the xp gain rate in t8 was increased for this short period instead.</p>

[ValleyKing]

<p><cite>Kiara wrote:</cite></p><blockquote>It's a Hotzone weekend in some old-school zones!<p>Play with boosted XP all weekend long in some of the zones from the original EQII release!</p><p><a href="http://eq2players.station.sony.com/news_archive_content.vm?id=3079&section=News&locale=en_US"><strong></strong></a></p></blockquote><p>Does it technically mean a new hotfix or it's been included in the last one and will be just activated at some point of time? </p><p>Will this feature be available on the Russian servers? Seems that last year we couldn't enjoy such bonus...</p>

[Zorastiz]

<p>Welcome to EQ-1!</p>

[MrWolfie]

<p>It would be nice if activation and cessation dates and times were listed with announcements like this for all the servers, including the international ones.</p><p>I saw the MOTD yesterday, was it live from that point on or what?</p>

[Brook]

<p><cite>MrWolfie wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>It would be nice if activation and cessation dates and times were listed with announcements like this for all the servers, including the international ones.</p><p>I saw the MOTD yesterday, was it live from that point on or what?</p></blockquote><p>Like any of them would have a clue.</p><p>How much faster can exp be vs what it is already?</p><p> If you want people to get exited about this kind of stuff then balance out AA and Vit to adjust for the increase you already have in place, or is this to much math for you.</p><p>We know you see this stuff, now fix it already and give us a reason to have at least a little respect for you guys.</p>

[MurFalad]

<p>Sounds good to me, and its good to pick up news of this before the event, just wondering if Everfrost is Froglok friendly <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></p><p>I do like the idea of hot zones though, it could solve the problem of populations becoming ever more spread out, this could have some great grouping opportunities too.</p>

[feldon30]

Would love to see this but with AA XP bonus for completing quests, killing named, discovering areas, etc. Would REALLY love to see either AA for killing names in level 20-60 zones increased by about 400%, or add a quest to each zone that, when complete, gives an ENTIRE AA point.

[Lethe5683]

<p><cite>Kiara wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p><img src="http://eq2players.station.sony.com/content/en/news/banners/newbanners/hot_zones_banner.jpg" width="600" height="150" /></p> <p>It's a Hotzone weekend in some old-school zones!</p> <p>Play with boosted XP all weekend long in some of the zones from the original EQII release!</p> <p><a href="http://eq2players.station.sony.com/news_archive_content.vm?id=3079&section=News&locale=en_US"><strong>Read more!</strong></a></p></blockquote><p><span style="color: #00ccff;">Why?</span></p>

[Froed20]

<p>..... no Lavastorm?  Isn't it the "hottest" zone of the oldworld?</p>

[Brook]

<p><cite>Fayle@Mistmoore wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>..... no Lavastorm?  Isn't it the "hottest" zone of the oldworld?</p></blockquote><p>The lava doesn't even burn you now... whats a nice way to say stupid so I don't get in trouble?</p>

[Powers]

<p><cite>Kiara wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>It's a Hotzone weekend in some old-school zones!</p> <p>Play with boosted XP all weekend long in some of the zones from the original EQII release!</p> <p><a href="http://eq2players.station.sony.com/news_archive_content.vm?id=3079&section=News&locale=en_US"><strong>Read more!</strong></a></p></blockquote><p>Is this "boosted" XP or "bonus" XP?  In other words, can it be turned off with /toggle_bonus_xp?</p><p>Powers  &8^]</p>

[einar4]

<p> It would be nice to see a few old world public dungeons added to the list also, like Stormhold, Fallen Gate, Runnyeye, Black Burrow, Varsoons... even Permafrost. </p>

[Hellswrath]

<p>I'm wondering exactly how much bonus experience we are going to receive in these zones.</p>

[DragonShroom]

<p>I had a question about this...For those of us who had level 50s when AA was introduced, we sorta got screwed on the low level zone AA.  If I were to go back and do some of the quests I didn't do in these zones, would it be to my advantage to mentor someone around that level or would it balance out to about the same as me running around doing gray quests?</p>

[Yimway]

<p>Hmm, these are all solo zones...</p><p>Can we get a clarification on what 'Boosted XP' means?</p><p>I just don't see kill xp bonuses in these zones to be anything too interesting to explore is all.</p>

[Dimhammer]

<p>This is just to get more activity back into these old zones is my guess. </p><p>We definately don't need to level any faster.  I already have a few alts that are over lvl 50 and only have like 50/250 defense and horrible other skills from leveling to quick.</p>

[GreenArmadillo]

<p><cite>Slowin wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>I always loved hot zones!  Too bad adventure xp already comes very easily -- it's AA that is the time crunch now.</p></blockquote><p>Yeah, I've actually been questing in Everfrost, but I'm not sure if I shouldn't AVOID the hot zone for the weekend.  My problem is keeping up with my crafting and AA levels, not a lack of adventuring exp. </p>

[Crolack]

<p><cite>Brook wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p><cite>Fayle@Mistmoore wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>..... no Lavastorm?  Isn't it the "hottest" zone of the oldworld?</p></blockquote><p>The lava doesn't even burn you now... whats a nice way to say stupid so I don't get in trouble?</p></blockquote><p>Really? WoW.</p>

[Liral]

<p>SOE does soemthing nice and the response form the playerbase is............ whining..  what a shock... sheesh...</p>

[steelbadger]

<p>That's all very well and good but you seem to have forgotten to turn it on in some of the advertised zones (Enchanted Lands on Runnyeye for one)</p>

[Thunderthyze]

<p><cite>Liral wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>SOE does soemthing nice and the response form the playerbase is............ whining..  what a shock... sheesh...</p></blockquote><p>Why do you class it as "nice"? No-one has been asking for it whereas there are quite a few threads on here that keep saying the XP gain is far too high. The problem we have in levelling up alts is that one's level quickly outstrips the AA and you have REAL trouble getting your last 30 or so AAs, NOT getting to cap.</p><p>Oh well...</p>

[Spyderbite]

<p><cite>Holymoly@Runnyeye wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>Why do you class it as "nice"? No-one has been asking for it whereas there are quite a few threads on here that keep saying the XP gain is far too high. The problem we have in levelling up alts is that one's level quickly outstrips the AA and you have REAL trouble getting your last 30 or so AAs, NOT getting to cap.</p><p>Oh well...</p></blockquote><p>If I hadn't met Steven Wright one time, you'd be the most negative person I'd ever met. <img src="/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></p><p>But, I do agree.. the additional experience gain wasn't really necessary. I've seen people level to 80 in less than two weeks these past couple months.</p>

[Grumble69]

<p>Kiara, this is great & all.  I know it's well intentioned.  But I'm having to completely turn off my combat xp and negate my "bonus" because my skills are not keepiing pace.  The zones may be hot, but it's creates meh characters.</p>

[Dreyco]

<p>*SOE Gives cake*</p><p>"But I wanted PIE!!!!!!!!  THIS IS AN OUTRAGE!"</p><p>((*now for the seriousness* I can level a few alts now!  Woo hoo <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /> ))</p>

[Thunderthyze]

<p><cite>Spyderbite@Venekor wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p><cite>Holymoly@Runnyeye wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>Why do you class it as "nice"? No-one has been asking for it whereas there are quite a few threads on here that keep saying the XP gain is far too high. The problem we have in levelling up alts is that one's level quickly outstrips the AA and you have REAL trouble getting your last 30 or so AAs, NOT getting to cap.</p><p>Oh well...</p></blockquote><p>If I hadn't met Steven Wright one time, you'd be the most negative person I'd ever met. <img src="/eq2/images/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" /></p><p>But, I do agree.. the additional experience gain wasn't really necessary. I've seen people level to 80 in less than two weeks these past couple months.</p></blockquote><p>LOL....you call me negative then you agree with me?</p><p>I prefer to think of myself as playing devil's advocate, antidote to the fanbois and representative of the silent majority. The voice of reason if you will.</p>

[Powers]

<p><cite>Dreyco wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>*SOE Gives cake*</p><p>"But I wanted PIE!!!!!!!!  THIS IS AN OUTRAGE!"</p><p>((*now for the seriousness* I can level a few alts now!  Woo hoo <img src="/eq2/images/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" /> ))</p></blockquote><p>Yes, but it's bitter, dry cake and they're forcefeeding it to us.</p><p>Powers  &8^]</p>

[Seablade]

<p>On my alts I turned off Combat XP.  I've got an alt at level 18 now and I would have been 28 already if I hadn't turned it off; it's more in line with the xp gain as it used to be and it gives me time to complete all the quests without having quests turn grey and be worthless.</p><p>There is a real problem that no one seems to focus on and that's the balance between making it up to the level cap and actually enjoying the travel to it by completing quests and working in groups and raids.  When I was in a group this past weekend all of the players I was with leveled to the next level except me because they had combat xp turned on.  We were in Blackburrow and I remember playing there with my first character and we played for several hours then without loading.</p><p>Instead of increasing the player level cap for the next expansion and thus making it a very difficult trek to the highest level from the lowest level (which supposedly has been mitigated by the super xp gain that everyone gets), I would like to see some alternate forms of "gain" such as we have with AA points or another type of "xp" system altogether.  I think that you could have several types of experience lines that a player could follow (or all of them) other than just the standard level grind each with their bonuses.All zones, including the older ones, would provide some form of points for tasks completed in them or beasties killed in them regardless if they're "grey"; the grey ones would give substantually less "xp" points than their level, but would give something.</p><p>I'm really not sure what needs to be done but something should change to make it harder if someone wants it harder and easier if someone wants it easier, and not make it a one-size fits all.</p><p>Here's several suggestions for EQ2 that I think would make it better:</p><ul><li>Make all cons below 10 levels green (not green agro) instead of grey and provide AA and xp comesurate with your current level and the level of your character.  For example, if my character is level 10 and I kill a level 10 npc I should get all the standard xp (X) and standard AA points (Y), but if I'm a level 80 (70 levels more) I should should get (X / 700) xp (or some such calculated value) for the XP and (Y / 700) for the AA points; it would make it just slightly better than not having any at all.</li><li>Provide an XP slider that adjusts the percent of XP gain you get from 0% to 100% of what you normally would.  This would include Combat and Quest XP gain.  So instead of just getting 0% for Combat and 100% for Quest I could get 5% for Combat and 75% for Quest.</li><li>Provide other types of "gain" instead of just combat xp, quest xp and AA points.  For example, we could have another line of points that could be spent on purchasing a pet (or helper) that can actually quest with us for those of us that have no intrinsic pet but like solo play more than group play; or even purchase another pet even though we already have one.</li><li>Provide the ability to purchase NPC's to come on quests with you and they do they're own fighting and healing.  You could by one or two of the various types to assist you.</li><li>Provide Guilds and cooperating Guilds the ability to create their own quests for guild members that would provide alternatives to XP and AA points.  These quests would be completely unique in the game and provide a change of pace for members but wouldn't necessarily give an advantage to large, well-established guilds.  The prizes for the quests could be house items that give status point discounts, pets, show clothes, an XP potion, or some other such item.</li></ul>

[Hirofortis]

<p>We have had hot zones in the past.  The only reason I could even think about having this is to promote alts while we waiting on the new content. lol. Of course some of us are maxed on alts anyway, so meh. <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></p>

[Kiara]

<p>Plans are in the works to give hot zones some extra oomph beyond just an exp boost <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></p><p>Once they get all settled out and implemented, you should see them popping up from time to time when we do these.</p>

[Yimway]

<p><cite>Kiara wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>Plans are in the works to give hot zones some extra oomph beyond just an exp boost <img src="/eq2/images/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" /></p><p>Once they get all settled out and implemented, you should see them popping up from time to time when we do these.</p></blockquote><p>Cool Beans!</p>

[Undorett]

<p>I think I saw hot zones and everfrost in the same sentance earlier...</p>

[GlitterPaws]

<p><cite>Spyderbite@Venekor wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p><cite>Holymoly@Runnyeye wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>Why do you class it as "nice"? No-one has been asking for it whereas there are quite a few threads on here that keep saying the XP gain is far too high. The problem we have in levelling up alts is that one's level quickly outstrips the AA and you have REAL trouble getting your last 30 or so AAs, NOT getting to cap.</p><p>Oh well...</p></blockquote><p>If I hadn't met Steven Wright one time, you'd be the most negative person I'd ever met. <img src="/eq2/images/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" /></p><p>But, I do agree.. the additional experience gain wasn't really necessary. I've seen people level to 80 in less than two weeks these past couple months.</p></blockquote><p>Yep. Some folks are multi-boxing with keyboard software and getting their alts up quickly.</p><p>Some folks like to play the game differently. </p><p>It's becoming obvious on the forums that not getting to 80 either by adventuring or crafting ASAP is unacceptable to the very vocal over 80 posters.</p><p>The complainers need to remember that they are not the only ones paying to play EQ2.</p><p>MMO can include Multi-gameplaying styles as well as multi-player.</p>