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Why PC players should care about MacFollow

#1 Jan 31 2012 at 5:11 PM Rating: Excellent
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Simply put: we stand silent while they treat a portion of the playerbase (but not us, not really...) this way, well then how can we be surprised later when it happens to us? [There a famous WWII poem along these lines for the literature-appreciating among Alla users]

They put up an official poll:

http://forums.station.sony.com/eq/posts/list.m?start=0&topic_id=182908&#2764177

I voted yes and gave my two coppers.



The obvious solution (if they insist on closing it in its current form) is what most of the posters have already said:

Lock us at PoP on the new mac-port, move all our characters over(so probably actually LDoN by the way SoE has locked on progression) and leave us alone.

#2 Jan 31 2012 at 6:51 PM Rating: Excellent
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Thanks for posting this here Snailish. I voted and posted.

I own a PC and a Mac. The one thing keeping me from playing on Al'Kabor was the fact it was a separate sub - but with EQ going F2P, there is no barrier to entry into EQMac... except that they want to shut it down.

edit: Just wanted to say that their reasons for this are clear and honestly, understandable. They are recoding EQ to a F2P tiered model. They don't have the resources to recode the EQMac code for the (pulls number from air) 4000 people that subscribe to EQMac. It was already an orphan, and would be even more so after this transition. What they aren't considering, IMO, is that if they expend the resources to recode it for tiered F2P, more people would want to play who prefer Macs!

Edited, Jan 31st 2012 7:56pm by Samatman
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#3 Feb 01 2012 at 6:42 AM Rating: Excellent
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That's just it... a Mac server (especially locked somewhere before Prophecy of Ro even..., though I still think Ldon would be ideal) that was on the regular server listing would actually grow, especially once current PC progression goes past its era.

I've come very close to buying a mac just to play on the current Al'Kabor as it is, and that's a server capped at an expac era I don't like very much.
#4 Feb 01 2012 at 7:16 AM Rating: Excellent
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Snailish wrote:
They put up an official poll:

http://forums.station.sony.com/eq/posts/list.m?start=0&topic_id=182908&#2764177

I voted yes and gave my two coppers.


Just voted yes also. Even though I've never owned a MAC. The Al'Kabor playerbase need all the support they can get to let the devs keep a MacIntosh option open.

The fact that the Mr.Smedley actually started a poll on this indicates that they might create another (reasonably easy) option for Mac users to play EQ.

Best wishes for all the Al'Kabor users.
#5 Feb 01 2012 at 7:40 AM Rating: Decent
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In real world situations, where Macs are not being forced on you by schools with government funds (our hard earned and more oft than not misused taxes),

A world like a commercial enterprise...say an online game...that has to make an income to survive...

Macs. Don't. Prevail.

If you go to this website and vote yes...even though you never plan to play the game from a Mac base...much less ever buy one of the over-priced-over hyped by some kool-aid drinking Mac-er...

You will force this commercial enterprise to waste money to support a portion of the player-base that doesn't support itself...

With a portion of the funds that you pay...that might have been spent on your player-base...

That you deserve to be spent on you...because you are possibly a self sustaining player-base...until you go and vote to keep open a drain on the resources...that increases the speed of the death-spiral of eq.

It is your choice...use your vote wisely...not emotionally.

/waiting for the delusional Mac lovers to strike now...
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#6 Feb 01 2012 at 10:04 AM Rating: Excellent
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I said I own a mac, not that I love it. It's a tool not a lifestyle. Macs represent upwards of 10% of computers now. Sure even I could make the case for ignoring just 10% of a potential base and this, coupled with the fact that even getting activated to play EQMac has been a major hassle has (probably) left the Al'Kabor server far less populated than even Mac numbers might suggest.

But I have read that the EQMac dev, Hobart, logs into the server using a PC, with a PC launcher. Now, suddenly this isn't about Macs vs. PC (which seems to be a valid issue initially). This is about preservation of a gamestate and codebase that could be taken and opened up to all EQ players, Mac OR PC. This is about a better "Classic" experience than the sad excuse they actually spend dev time and $$ on, Fippy and Vulak.

Al'Kabor is a set of code that requires essentially no maintenance. All it needs is destroying the artificial barriers to entry that have existed since it started. Get a PC launcher out and put the damn server on everyone's launcher list!

What boggles my mind is that here you have a man in charge that really only cares about monetizing his player base. Yet he has sat on this classic code as if it was anathema while spending dollars on TLP servers that are only a shadow of what classic should be.

Bottom line, open Al'Kabor to all. This isn't about Macs at all.
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#7 Feb 01 2012 at 3:52 PM Rating: Excellent
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alwayslost wrote:
If you go to this website and vote yes...even though you never plan to play the game from a Mac base...much less ever buy one of the over-priced-over hyped by some kool-aid drinking Mac-er...

You will force this commercial enterprise to waste money to support a portion of the player-base that doesn't support itself...

With a portion of the funds that you pay...that might have been spent on your player-base...


Points understood,though I do not agree with all of them.

I believe that any business has to have ethics and that the playerbase on Al'Kabor should not be just abandoned.If SOE has to close the server ,so be it.

However, SOE/EQ should have an easy option for the MAC players to move their characters to another server. Even if it simply incorporates a link from EQ Players site or the patcher for a program to be downloaded that will make a seamless entry to EQ pc type servers. Some EQ players cannot deal with the technical issues if it is just left for them to find and make work a third party MAC to PC/Windows mode program for playing on regular EQ servers.

Believe me it can be done in a cost effective manner, and it would mainly be a one time cost to SOE/EQ.

If EQ takes some resources from me on my regular server...no sweat. They have been doing that off and on for years now for a myriad of other reasons and I probably wont see the difference anyways..

I say, give them an easy option to continue playing EQ even if its on another server.
#8 Feb 01 2012 at 5:49 PM Rating: Excellent
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Samatman wrote:

Al'Kabor is a set of code that requires essentially no maintenance. All it needs is destroying the artificial barriers to entry that have existed since it started. Get a PC launcher out and put the damn server on everyone's launcher list!

What boggles my mind is that here you have a man in charge that really only cares about monetizing his player base. Yet he has sat on this classic code as if it was anathema while spending dollars on TLP servers that are only a shadow of what classic should be.

Bottom line, open Al'Kabor to all. This isn't about Macs at all.



rated up for smelling the bigger picture.

Note: I may not agree with my old chum alwayslost on this one, but I rated him up too for a counterpoint requiring thinking about.

Edit: and grats to Hexeez on the guru ding from this thread --I love it when I see that change happen :)

I would be playing on Al'Kabor years ago if my PC could have logged in. I've read many Al'Kabor forums over the years (before they got legit status on the Official boards). Amazing people there.

My coughing and sneezing PC could be replaced by a Mac easily any time. I happen to be tied to the PC EQ game by my brother.

Al'Kabor's unique ruleset is a major attraction... at this point SOE might just give Mac users a new-port but locked at _____ server. Once they clue in and let us PCers access it too... it would be a robust server that people pay full subs to play on for an indefinate period of time.

So basically... the most likely "compromise" to help out the Mac players is a good thing for everyone, even those that never would even login there. (subs paying for no content development and happy to do so = gravy. I understand they need to do a new Mac port to make this viable in the FTP codebase world. So do it.).

Edited, Feb 1st 2012 6:50pm by snailish
#9 Feb 01 2012 at 6:56 PM Rating: Excellent
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Grats Hexeez on Guru! I didn't really have a comment on the EQMac, but do agree with Samatman's last post.

Yther Ore.

Edited, Feb 1st 2012 7:57pm by Yther
#10 Feb 01 2012 at 9:09 PM Rating: Good
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alwayslost wrote:


snip



Neverminding all that pointless stuff, the server isn't getting shut down because it is losing SOE money, in fact it seems that it has been profitable enough to even have its own dedicated developer. The issues seem to be entirely seperate from a simple monetary issue.

They simply don't like the idea of an eq client that is so different and "out-of-date" compared to modern EQ, add to the fact that this guy is apparently the only one with the knowledge of working with the code on the server and they're afraid of the possible disaster in having only one person able to service the game. I kind of cringed reading Smedley's address to the playerbase because it feels like they are flat out embarassed by the server, which is a whole other ridiculous thing I'll just avoid rambling further about.

You seem convinced that the Al'Kabor players are stealing from us by getting some love from SoE on keeping their community alive, they have been loyally subscribing all these years just like us, maybe its their turn to get some focus outside of whatever basic maintenance and small attention they've received over the years. The regular EQ servers will not be simply allowed to atrophy away if a Mac client or whatever else were to happen. There is a reason Smedley made a "no promises" poll, they will not do this if it will irreparably harm the rest of EQ. The sky will not simply fall.

I've never owned a mac or even touched this server, but I find it silly to get so wrapped up in biases and whatever else while seemingly not even stopping to read up on the real issues with the Server. (This could not have less to do with the real world and political gripes, seriously.)





Edited, Feb 1st 2012 9:16pm by Saeel
#11 Feb 01 2012 at 9:30 PM Rating: Excellent
GBATE!! Never saw it coming
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First they nerfed the monks,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a monk.

Then they nerfed mana burn,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a wizard.

Then they started dropping defiant gear,
and I didn't speak out because I was greedy.

Then they came for the Mac server,
and I didn't speak out because I play on Stromm.

Then they came for me
and there was no one left to speak out for me.
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#12 Feb 02 2012 at 7:30 AM Rating: Excellent
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For those of you who don't get Bijou's reference.
Substitute the words Communist, Jew, Trade Unionist, Catholics and you have what Pastor Martin Niemoller wrote, and what snailish referred to in his orginal post.

#13 Feb 02 2012 at 3:01 PM Rating: Excellent
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Yther wrote:
Grats Hexeez on Guru! I didn't really have a comment on the EQMac, but do agree with Samatman's last post.

Yther Ore.


Thanks Yther and Snailish,

Wow! I'm very happy and surprised indeed. Thanks to all who recommended me though I think there are some others that deserve it more than me, particularly the man who started this thread.Smiley: nod

I promise I will try to always conduct myself befitting of a ZAM contributor no matter how heated the threads topic is Smiley: smile.

Edited, Feb 5th 2012 7:53am by hexeez
#14 Feb 02 2012 at 5:58 PM Rating: Good
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Quote:
alwayslost wrote:
snip
Neverminding all that pointless stuff,


yeah, I can be pointless...

I honestly think it is silly to compare the economics of a commercial enterprise to the persecution and attempted decimation of a religous group...and more than a little insulting to them.

I read this stuff you guys post because we are a community...with ideas that need to be expressed...keep up the good work...
even if some of us get

Quote:
snip

;-)
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#15 Feb 02 2012 at 8:18 PM Rating: Excellent
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alwayslost wrote:


---gently snipped---

I honestly think it is silly to compare the economics of a commercial enterprise to the persecution and attempted decimation of a religous group...and more than a little insulting to them.

I read this stuff you guys post because we are a community...with ideas that need to be expressed...keep up the good work...

;-)


I'd love to see every registered user that has logged on in the past post regularly, there is no way we all agree (on anything) nor should we.


The allusion to the poem was simply the idea that community is community as large as you allow it to be. I think the original poem captured the same idea, it just has horrifying significance in reality whereas we are talking about a company treating a slice of its customers poorly.

The Al'Kaborians have been a part of my EQ community since I found out they existed (seriously, I've browsed their old independent server boards years before SOE gave them official board status).

The economic argument put forth (thus far) by SOE is pretty weak.... it translates more as "we're embarrassed that only one dev knows how to manipulate this out-of-date code we don't want to use for other things (sigh... I'm pretty sure they have the real Plane of Mischief there...)and we can't monetize it with our move to free to play so its gotta die!"

If the end result is they transfer all of Al'Kabor onto a modern PC server locked at PoP (ala TLP progression --so likely includes Ldon)which "maintains" the community but makes it just a special rules progression server... that is still better than deleting some players entire EQ existence.

The only PC eq server to be destroyed was Discord server, and it launched under that premise. Any other EQ character ever made (above the low-level limit) still exists somewhere. PC players filled forums with rage over losing their server tag... imagine losing all your stuff when you didn't even quit.
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