big ol thread on the main eq forum at www.everquest.com
click on message boards, then click on the one with the most posts.
On Wed, 8 Dec 1999, Bennett, Brian wrote:
> From: "Bennett, Brian" <BRIAN.BENNETT@...>
>
> I've wanted to read this log for a while - any ideas on where i can find it?
> I've cursed myself for missing the thing.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Sheldon Jolson [mailto:Sheldon_Jolson@...]
> Sent: Wednesday, December 08, 1999 12:42 PM
> To: EQ-Monks@onelist.com
> Subject: Re: [EQ-Monks] Letter to Brad
>
>
> From: "Sheldon Jolson" <Sheldon_Jolson@...>
>
>
>
> I think you are giving these guys WAY too much credit. Check
> the log from the monk sit in. Smedley told us a bald faced lie.
> Not something that he was considering but something he said he
> was doing. He has yet to do it obviously and he never will. As
> far as I'm concerned, I have no reason to accept their word or
> that they are working with us in good faith.
>
>
> From: "Greg" <greg@...>
> > From: Aaron Braunstein <aaron_spam@...>
> >
> > Just sent this off to Brad and Smedley... was hoping that if
> > others felt as I do, we could continue to work them in a similar
> > manner.
> >
> > Mr. McQuaid,
> > I have just finished reading your rather long and impassioned
> > eMail/Producer letter on the topic of Everquest's evolution. I found
> > it to be one of the most effective communications from any game
> > company to its customers that I have ever read, and for that I
> > congratulate you. I hope that people read it, think about it, and
> > take away from it that which you intended: that the EQ team cares
> > deeply about Norrath and its citizens.
> > As a software developer myself (although truthfully, I don't
> > do as much actual development as I'd like any more - I tend to spend
> > more time in the design and management process these days), I also
> > understand that there must be a primary focus to every project. For
> > me, this doesn't necessarily mean that the primary goal be "create
> > the best possible system"... it goes beyond that to a deeper goal:
> > "Make sure that the client is happy". Sometimes this involves
> > difficult and painful decisions, Herculean efforts, and the ability
> > to case aside profit considerations at times in order to fight for
> > what is ultimately the best way to solve any given problem.
> > I suspect that you and your team have a similar goal, except
> > yours would be to keep your subscriber base happy and to attract new
> > members to that subscriber base. Another parallel between what we do
> > is that our clients (or subscribers, in your case) don't always know
> > what it is that will truly make them happy or are at loggerheads
> > about what any particular change might do to forward that goal
> > (witness how many people cannot even agree on whether or not an item
> > on your recently released change list is a "+" or a "-".)
> > Most of us understand that tuning needs to take place. If
> > things were too easy, then there would be no challenge to life in
> > Norrath and therefore there would be little enjoyment of the
> > surmounting of those challenges. If one class is too powerful, a
> > surfeit of players using that class results, just as a underpowered
> > or less useful class suffers a dearth of interested participants.
> > The fact that it requires a group of people to do most worthwhile
> > things in EQ is one of the more attractive things about the game
> > (although there are of course those who would argue that this is also
> > one of its greatest downfalls). The fact that each and every class -
> > once it reaches maturity - can bring something unique to a group is a
> > wonderful and fragile thing. Adjusting the balance of the classes so
> > that their value to such a group is maintained is a task of
> > monumental delicacy, and your efforts at maintaining this balance
> > should be commended.
> > Unfortunately, as people are by definition human, mistakes
> > are occasionally made. Over time, the development team has
> > recognized some of these mistakes and have made efforts to address
> > them. By way of example, Warriors got some serious boosts some time
> > ago, and with the introduction of the expansion, the presence of a
> > Rogue in a well-rounded party will become very important indeed.
> > These were both well-considered and well-deserved changes, and the
> > players of those classes have (or will have) reaped the rewards of
> > these changes over the course of time.
> > Other classes who have been 'nerfed' may complain
> > vociferously about it, but if they go over those issues which
> > generated the most complaints (kiting, pet damage, etc) I think that
> > people will realize that while these changes were made to the
> > possible detriment of the solo player, they were certainly done to
> > enhance the value and necessity of other classes in a group. If this
> > was indeed your goal, then I must certainly say that your mission has
> > been accomplished.
> > With this in mind, I am still at a loss to explain why the
> > Feign Death skill for Monks was recently so seriously altered. I
> > understand your reasons for doing what you did, but the consequence
> > is that the usefulness of a Monk in higher-level (40+) groups has
> > been seriously compromised. True, we can do the damage of a
> > decently-equipped warrior, but that's it. The warrior offers so much
> > more to a group (stun, taunt, the ability to take huge amounts of
> > damage, etc) that the role of a monk has been diminished greatly.
> > The one thing that we could bring to a group - that of feign-pulling
> > - has for all practical purposes been eliminated and replaced with a
> > reputation for being the "Master Train Engineers". For this reason,
> > monks are beginning to be refused entry into impromptu groups because
> > they do not bring anything special and are often dangerous companions.
> > As a level 50 monk, I no longer use FD for fear that on those
> > occasions where it is necessary, I'll end up wiping out half the zone
> > as I get up to work my way back to a zone point. I would far rather
> > die individually than wipe out other innocent players in a ploy to
> > save my own skin - and have now done so on a number of occasions.
> > How has this change made your player base happier? How has
> > it enhanced the role of a Monk in a group? How has it positively
> > affected group dynamics? I really want to understand what the
> > desired affect of this change was... perhaps if I did, I could lose
> > the bitter taste in my mouth and not continually toy with the idea of
> > dropping out of Norrath in disappointment. As it is, I only stay so
> > that I can help twink up friends.
> > Don't get me wrong, I am not saying that Norrath is an
> > impossible place to live in without Monks being able to Feign in
> > their accustomed fashion. Groups will just load up on more Warriors
> > or Paladins in their stead, and the more difficult areas of Norrath
> > that could previously be handled by a single well-organized and
> > balanced group will now have to be taken by multiple groups just
> > charging in willy-nilly with no plan more sophisticated than "kill
> > this one first, then that one, and if we're still left alive, we go
> > for that other one last."
> > I understand that your decision is made and that further
> > revision to the Feign Death mechanics is unlikely. I am not
> > therefore asking for you to do so - your team seems to be happy with
> > FD in its current form, and we as players should respect that and
> > make our own decisions accordingly. I just wanted to ask for a brief
> > explanation of the motivations behind this change and to also bring
> > again to your attention the fact that the balance you strive for is
> > an exceedingly delicate thing that is all to easily thrown out of
> > kilter by even the best-intentioned and well-discussed changes.
> > Thank you for your time.
> > --
> > Aaron Braunstein
> > Pacific Data Management, Inc.
> >
> > <aaron_braunstein@...>
> >
>
> Hemmm, I can see it now
>
> Brad: "u twink ur friends?" *BAN*
>
> Sorry, I'm a cynical bastard and I just had to add that little bit.
> Really, it is a sensible letter, but when has an MMORPG team ever made
> sense?
>
> >