EQ2002: The Better Planes of Power [ROF2]

[Secrets]

Hey folks,

It's been a while since I had an EverQuest itch, let alone any sort of itch for EverQuest :)

I'd like to share with you all what I have been working on, and would appreciate some feedback regarding the concept.

What is EQ2002/BetterEQ?

EverQuest 2002: The Better Planes of Power is a new server similar to The Al'Kabor Project or Project2002 - but instead of recreating the era as it was in to a tee, I am allowing modern conveniences that are seen in servers such as Phinigel to exist.
Consider it a server that is aiming to recreate the feeling of 2002 EverQuest, but with modern conveniences that do not compromise the experience such as instancing, IP limits, mercenaries (at 10% effectiveness), the extended target window, and aggro meters.
One thing that will be removed, however, is the resting feature from modern EQ. This is the only feature I feel that is too extreme to keep in. The lack of resting would only

Why do we need this? What separates the server from Phinigel and what separates the server from TAKP/P2002?
Phinigel does not recreate the era and mechanics close enough that you would find the experience enjoyable or challenging, but TAKP/P2002's clients, 3-boxing limit, and contested environments leave out the casual player that just wants to play EverQuest through rose-tinted glasses using a single character.
To come to these conclusions, I ask myself, "is this a game I would like to play?" and make changes based on that. In a traditional Dungeons and Dragons sense, it is up to your game master to create the world and for you to embrace the experience within.

Policies, Rules and Regulations

• Experience gain will be close, or similar, to the P99 rate of experience. The reason for this is the modern benefits of being able to progress all the time.
  
  
• MacroQuest/Cheating/Automation is high treason. You will be executed for using exploits of any kind if found out. By executed, I mean de-leveled to 1 with all your gear nuked. There won't be punishments for guild drama as every raid zone will eventually be instanced. As such, there will be little rule enforcement outside of this.
  
  
• Corpse runs will be disabled, however, res effects will be applied for full duration upon death above level 30 or higher, or rez - additionally, your mana pool and endurance pool will be set to 0 if level 30 or higher. I realize you all have lives, and some of you wives. Medding for 5 minutes won't kill you.
  
  
• You choose when to have an experience bonus via the once-per-day 30 minute experience buff, located under your AAs. When this is depleted, you have to gain experience the old way for 24 hours.
  
  
• The Vet AA that returns you to guild lobby functions once per day, and takes you to PoK; One of the most frustrating functions of classic EverQuest is that you will end up getting left behind on a raid or group as a melee, with no port out. This is also a great way of getting a level 1 to PoK to get a mercenary.
  
  
• Mercenaries are enabled, however, they have 10% of the stats they normally do on live. This is in order to re-balance mercenaries and provide a method for soloing on melee classes. Or maybe you just need to fill a spot in your group; I am not your dad, I don't tell you what to do. There is a single mercenary vendor in PoK near the Main Bank. If you prefer a chick to follow you around, there's one at the Dark Bank, because girls are edgy.
  
  
• High ZEM (zone experience modifier) zones, such as any zone that has a ZEM over 110, are now set to 110. This is to allow for variety in dungeon crawls and to prevent the situation where Highkeep is the only zone to play in.
  
  
• IP limit of 1 character. This is to ensure you don't get carpal tunnel or frustration from boxing multiple characters. Unless you play a bard on P99, then you have other issues. Strictly speaking, this is one of the defining features of the server.
  
  
• Instancing. We're all adults now, I don't think there is/was a person who used to play EverQuest that is still in highschool/college unless they saw their dad playing it at one point. Camping/socking NPCs is something I would like to keep in the past.
  
  
• IP exemptions will not be handed out until the server is more established. I don't care that your mother/father/gentleman/wife/dog wants to play EverQuest, they can play it later.
  
  
• All zones have been returned to their classic variants except for the Bazaar and Arena. This is just, in general, a good idea and adds to the experience. This includes highkeep.
  
  
• The spells file used on this server is from the latest Rain of Fear client, in order to provide modern focus/worn support and general gameplay enhancements. In addition, spells from later eras, such as Salve and Discs are in. There are optional text file downloads that you may have to perform to play this server, more information in the MOTD when you log in.
  
  
• Tradeskills function like live. Not much to say here. Less carpal tunnel.
  
  
• Extended Target / Threat Meter is in.

Feedback
I would like to hear feedback, so please post in this topic with your experiences or if you have any suggestions. I am open to suggestions but very concrete on this plan for the game server.

Testing
There will be an open test this weekend based on what I have completed thus far. The server will be open from 12AM EST March 11th, 2017 until 12AM EST March 13th, 2017 and changes will be made based on your feedback.

Special thanks
Lastly, I would like to give thanks to the EQEmulator, PEQ and TAKP team and contributors for making this possible and for maintaining the codebase for all of these years. The emulator is in a shape it's never been before, and it's all thanks to you guys.