MM helping or hurting?Follow

Most folks don't seem to be realizing why MM exp really is so bountiful. A bit of history will make it fairly clear. If you look back carefully, you will remember that every single expansion since Velious had INSANE exp and loot...initially. Then it was 'corrected' and 'balanced' by SoE. This is for a very simple reason: To sell expansions. SoE figured out very quickly that players are far more inclined to rush out and buy expansions if they hear about the unbelievable exp and loot their friends and guildmates are getting there. This goes on for a few months until SoE make sure they've sold every last copy they possibly can. They then nerf the expansion back down to normal levels, either stealthily or overtly. It's a marketing tactic, pure and simple.

Give it month or two more and MM exp will be nerfed down to basically the same as DoN stuff. SoE will claim it is 'rebalancing' or 'preventing exploits'. But in reality they are merely undoing the unfair advantage they put in place to make sales. And amazingly enough, this will be at almost the exact moment they announce work on...wait for it...A NEW EXPANSION!!!

I understand EQ is a business, and I have nothing against folk making money. I do have something against folk that utterly unbalance the rules and fairness of their own game to do it though. DoD basically penalizes everyone that doesn't buy the expansion and rewards all those that have, not with innovative gameplay and enjoyable content, but with extremely unbalanced and inappropriate exp awards. If shrouds were a true means to correct the growing problem finding groups, it would have been made available to all freely, not stuffed into an expansion to help it sell.

I know it seems like I'm just a hater here, but a lot of people really don't understand just what SoE does behind the scenes and how utterly mercenary they are. The 'vision' died long ago, and these folks no longer care one bit about the integrity of the game as long as it looks good on the surface. As long as folks still pay the money, they'll do whatever it takes to squeeze as much as possible out of us, while giving as little as possible in return. Huge exp and loot bonuses are a very cheap and easy way to stimulate revenue while most folks are completely unaware of it. I'm just trying to make sure that maybe some folks WILL be aware of it. :)

SoE already tried to push the 'pay for gear' line and ran into huge resistance. But they've actually been doing it quietly with gear AND exp for years now, without anyone ever knowing. They call it expansions. Pay the money, get faster exp and faster loot. Sorry, but SoE has enough of my money already, and if it means I level slower, I'm not really bothered. More power to those who do of course, but it's just not for me.