VIP server?

[damionmarcus]

Would just like some opinions on this idea...Before mod 9..It was so much easier pugging high level quests....Now it seems lfm's for high level groups have become less and less frequent. And for obvious reasons groups are harder to form as people are worried about less experienced players joining thier groups. Pre-mod it was easier to choose a time that you wanted to take time to show someone new a quest or teach someone new, and now it seems every time you put up an lfm you are spening the quest teaching at least one if not all of the people who join. In onbe respect its kinda kool that we have so many new players, but also it makes for grouping very difficult. I hate to be a complainer but I for one and many others think it just plain sucks. It would be nice to have a VIP only server IMO. Any one else feel that way?

[FluffyCalico]

Would just like some opinions on this idea...Before mod 9..It was so much easier pugging high level quests....Now it seems lfm's for high level groups have become less and less frequent. And for obvious reasons groups are harder to form as people are worried about less experienced players joining thier groups. Pre-mod it was easier to choose a time that you wanted to take time to show someone new a quest or teach someone new, and now it seems every time you put up an lfm you are spening the quest teaching at least one if not all of the people who join. In onbe respect its kinda kool that we have so many new players, but also it makes for grouping very difficult. I hate to be a complainer but I for one and many others think it just plain sucks. It would be nice to have a VIP only server IMO. Any one else feel that way?

I don't mind helping and teaching...But for **** sake if the LFM says started you better be able to find the quest because we are in it and not comming out to get you

[damionmarcus]

Mostly I guess im not complaining about teaching so much as the lack of groups....look at your lfm list 99% F2P 1 % VIP....Look at the who list....Lucky if its 25% long time guilds and VIPS....rest F2P....makes grouping VERY difficult...I play late hours and I used to be able to get a raid group full within 30 minutes on slow nights.... Now lucky if it happens at all

[Maetrim]

Just because someone is a VIP does not mean they will be a better player or more experienced.

PUGS are PUGS, be they VIP or F2P

[damionmarcus]

Just because someone is a VIP does not mean they will be a better player or more experienced.

PUGS are PUGS, be they VIP or F2P

I never said that that was the case. I meerly suggested that before the new mod it was easier to get groups together as well as to get into groups, and that there were more high level quests posted at all hours as lfm;s. And also suggested that I thought it would be nice to have a VIP only server. I also gave a couple of reasons that people may or may not be placing lfm;s. I never said a f2p player was better or worse than a VIP.

[damionmarcus]

And as an after thought....How many f2p players have ran sayyyyy 150 shrouds, or even 15 for that matter? The likelyhood that a VIP is more experienced than a f2p player is pretty good. Does that make them a worse or better player? No. But you should be able to expect some kind of experience level from a level 18 VIP.

[Maetrim]

And as an after thought....How many f2p players have ran sayyyyy 150 shrouds, or even 15 for that matter? The likelyhood that a VIP is more experienced than a f2p player is pretty good. Does that make them a worse or better player? No. But you should be able to expect some kind of experience level from a level 18 VIP.

I have and I am F2P (from the european servers). There are quite a few of us playing over her on the F2P model.

But your right, what I said was incorrect and you have my appologies on that.

[Uska]

Well I wouldnt play on it but why not for those who would want it, but one little problem what about people who down grade to premium? what happens to their characters on that server do they get locked until person is a vip again or what? I cant see givning them a free transfer.

[Arnya]

There are just as many high level groups going on, at least on the 2 servers I regularly raid on.

They just aren't advertised in the general LFM area

[Cyr]

And as an after thought....How many f2p players have ran sayyyyy 150 shrouds, or even 15 for that matter? The likelyhood that a VIP is more experienced than a f2p player is pretty good. Does that make them a worse or better player? No. But you should be able to expect some kind of experience level from a level 18 VIP.

This shows the classic misunderstanding in DDO atm. VIP != the only experienced players. F2P surely have not run 150 shrouds yet, BUT PREMIUM PLAYERS may have run that many. Raises hand, oh yeah I've done that. The only thing that a VIP only server would accomplish was someplace where you could run characters where you were stuck forever being a VIP if you wanted to run them (or pay large server transfer fees). And less high level LFM's? Surely the OP understands that more noobs does not equal less high level players? Perhaps it has more to do with the dynamics of a new raid being run in guild mostly due to the boot requirement. Or maybe with the fact that a new class is available to play so some vets are playing noob Favored Souls?

[Kistilan]

I wouldn't really care if they made a VIP Server or not (I'd like alternate servers, which is why I'm playing Cannith atm).

However, a few points on a VIP Server.

1. Limiting Players -- you're now only encouraging VIPs to come. Why do they want to come?
2. VIPs have home servers more than likely. WHY would they restart here, where the population is even smaller because F2P are not invited?
3. Does VIP equal experienced and Premium equal inexperienced? No, no it doesn't.

If there were some other attractions to VIP-Only Server (Demigod Builds, etc) then I could see this being an attractive alternative to playing my regular server. I enjoy Cannith because the server is "pure" in a sense. Nothing has inflated too much, there are heaps of new players, and grouping is easy because there are players at the levels you're currently at there running the content you're wishing to run.

A VIP Server is extremely limited (to VIP accountts) and we have 5 servers that sustained the total VIP Account Population pre mod9. Adding a Sixth Server where ONLY VIPs could be (and aren't even established yet!) is counter-productive to the Server Merger in 2007.

[GlassCannon]

Veteran Only server

1) Must have had account activity for a total of 2 years
2) Must be a current VIP member

Done.

[Saice]

I'm currently F2P and making a Us vs Them server of this type would kill it for me. There already is a pay vs free issue with the pay only content but I can deal with that. I unlock it as I need it. But a whole server off limits if I don't drop 14.95 a month? I think that would just set a bad image of rest of the servers view as 'slum' servers were the poor kids get to play.

[ddaedelus]

Veteran Only server

1) Must have had account activity for a total of 2 years
2) Must be a current VIP member

Done.

Wow. I hope you're not in marketing or public relations.

[Minor_Threat]

And as an after thought....How many f2p players have ran sayyyyy 150 shrouds, or even 15 for that matter? The likelyhood that a VIP is more experienced than a f2p player is pretty good. Does that make them a worse or better player? No. But you should be able to expect some kind of experience level from a level 18 VIP.

At this point in DDO any idiot can have 100+ Shroud completions, just because you've been drug through the shroud 150 times the experience you have doesn't count for much because so many people still don't understand the basic mechanics of the quest.

[Purrp]

I don't really see how further fragmenting the existing player population with an extra server would make finding groups easier for anyone. But hey, if it gets some of the (hopefully minority of) VIPs who have elitist tendencies off the regular servers, I'm all for it

[Sabatha]

Not to mention that the real divide isn't between FtP and VIP. It's between mature players and immature players, and/or between people who are experienced with the game and those who are less experienced. Some of us are mature players who aren't yet experienced with the game, but who understand the concept of teamwork and would prefer to play with other mature players. I've also seen a number of vets who have gone FtP talking about it on the forums.

Really, the dilemna here is a classic one for MMOs. How do I get a group of people who are willing to work together to overcome challenges, communicate, and understand their role in the group? It'd be silly to have a VIP-only server, especially if newer players decide to subscribe and you've got new people on that VIP server anyway. You'd have the same problem you have now, while at the same time losing out on grouping with quality FtP players, be they new players or vets who have stopped subscribing.

[Missing_Minds]

Wow. I hope you're not in marketing or public relations.

Why not? I support that idea of GlassCannon's. Why make a VIP if any new player could join. Get rid of the new players completely.

Stop the ***** footing for what you are wanting.

In all cases, /NOT signed.

Heck, I'd rather see a permadeath server created before any form of a vip server, and I've been against those since the start of just a small number of forum posters wanting one.

[Minor_Threat]

Not to mention that the real divide isn't between FtP and VIP. It's between mature players and immature players, and/or between people who are experienced with the game and those who are less experienced. Some of us are mature players who aren't yet experienced with the game, but who understand the concept of teamwork and would prefer to play with other mature players. I've also seen a number of vets who have gone FtP talking about it on the forums.

Really, the dilemna here is a classic one for MMOs. How do I get a group of people who are willing to work together to overcome challenges, communicate, and understand their role in the group? It'd be silly to have a VIP-only server, especially if newer players decide to subscribe and you've got new people on that VIP server anyway. You'd have the same problem you have now, while at the same time losing out on grouping with quality FtP players, be they new players or vets who have stopped subscribing.

I'd agree, however the stereotype comes from the fact that a large portion of the F2P players are younger and less mature than the general DDO population is used to. I would say that DDO's average age is quite a bit higher than most MMOs.