- Aug 27, 2014
- 200
- 17
- 45
Hi, I've been playing Mir since EU beta, and private servers since RZ first opened (@Robert on there). I'm a systems engineer as my day job, creating systems for the company I work for, based mainly in MSSQL (not sure if mir can use that?). That is my brief bio. I am interested in creating a new server based on my extensive knowledge of mmos, and personal opinion on where/how many servers fail. As a systems engineer, I'm all about creating stable systems which will last long time/indefinitely, and be self sufficient. Something Mir on a whole lacks, and why most mmos incorporate regular gear resets. I've spent well over a year thinking about how this server would work, and I think the following would work best.
Firstly, the server would be based around reducing the barrier of entry to new players. A healthy new user count is the life blood of any server, getting new players to be relevant will be a priority. With this in mind, the first unique characteristic of the server would be a 100% increase in EXP per level under the max level. This might seem like a lot, but in the grand scheme of things it entirely depends on the exp rate, which will be incredibly low;
Levelling - very low rate up to 26. Around 2 weeks. That's when the game really "starts". Most classes have their basic skills, so PvP would be interesting and intense. I'd be open to changing skill levels around this level to make it balanced between classes. At this point exp will drop off massively, ~1 month per level (consistently, the curve will be mostly removed/balanced with increased kill speeds).
The idea will therefore be every month there is a soft gear reset. At which point everyone not at the bleeding edge is boosted to catch up. This will promote new players and casuals (this will be the main system to keep those players interested and relevant to content).
I say soft gear reset which brings me onto next point. Gear will be released for every level after 26, and only drop once a player is that level (possibly base drop on highest level of group?). Each level will have 4(+?) tiers, common, uncommon, rare and legendary. Common will drop from normal mobs, uncommon rarely from normal mobs, rare from sub bosses and legendary from bosses. The idea is everyone will be running around in at least common gear, the more time invested (hardcore!) the better the player is geared. Generally speaking each tier is around +1 lvls of stats of current level (so common 26 would be 26, uncommon 27, rare 28, legend 29, so you could be set for 3 months with 1 legendary drop) The stats would be auto generated based on tier+lvl+class.
This will in turn have to work with the skill system to balance all skills, so healing should be equally powerful at lvl 26 or 36, scaled for the HP pool. With that in mind, all similar skills will need to be looked at to make sure there is a reason to use them. I'm thinking some should be efficiency based while others would be max damage. Possibly damage over time from fire spells, or added flinch etc. There should be enough variance there that every skill would have a place, and the possibility of adding more skills.
For skill books, I was thinking a system where books are rare, can be deconstructed for pages, and made into a skill book by someone who already has the skill. Higher level the skill, the more pages required. I think would could make a very interesting market for books. The hardcore players would likely find the books, and be able to charge a large premium (or try keep the skill to themselves for a while!). Eventually the skill would be learnt by more people, and slowly distributed to rest of player base, likely over the month. The demand for skills should be high with everyone being similar level, and being alt friendly. Making friends with people the same class to share books would create positive community per class.
Speaking of community, guilds would be capped at 12 members and be easy to create. The buff system guilds have would offer permanent buffs rather than the pointless temp ones most servers have. These should be hard choices, do you go defensive buffs to help all members, or all in MC to help your wizzies? Exp rate to catch up to the highest level quicker? Guilds would compete mainly for towns, the number of which would depend on the number of players on the server. I'd want enough towns to provide some conflict, but not enough that everyone gets one. Secondly, guilds would compete for bosses.
Bosses would be another unique feature of this server. They'd be balanced for a minimum of 6 players, and each boss would be similar in power but different in mechanics. Every boss would 1 shot smaller groups (who should be killing subbosses, which would be unsoloable). Bosses will have fairly long spawn timers, take a large amount of time to kill, drop fairly well but also give every player in the killing group a box once a week. This box will give a random legendary item (possibly based on class and bound?). The idea would be every player would really want to kill every type of boss at least once a week. Pushing players into more PvP.
PvP would hopefully be the most balanced server Mir has ever seen. All players fighting will be fairly similar level, with reasonably equal gear. Ideally everyone within +/- 20% power of each other. Being a long time player will give you an advantage, but winning won't be a sure thing. Player skill will matter far more. A casual player who's played Mir forever vs a new player who has lots of time (ie gear) would be a close fight.
That's the general concept for the server. At 1 month per level, the content in basic Mir would last well over a year (with big events for milestone levels like 30 and 35?). The bulk of content would be player based around bosses and PvP, so should keep people entertained. New players would be up and running within a month or two, so fresh blood would keep coming in and casuals would stay relevant. Hardcore players would be well established each month, already having many legendary's, with strong social connections and towns to defend, to keep them playing month to month.
Thoughts?
Firstly, the server would be based around reducing the barrier of entry to new players. A healthy new user count is the life blood of any server, getting new players to be relevant will be a priority. With this in mind, the first unique characteristic of the server would be a 100% increase in EXP per level under the max level. This might seem like a lot, but in the grand scheme of things it entirely depends on the exp rate, which will be incredibly low;
Levelling - very low rate up to 26. Around 2 weeks. That's when the game really "starts". Most classes have their basic skills, so PvP would be interesting and intense. I'd be open to changing skill levels around this level to make it balanced between classes. At this point exp will drop off massively, ~1 month per level (consistently, the curve will be mostly removed/balanced with increased kill speeds).
The idea will therefore be every month there is a soft gear reset. At which point everyone not at the bleeding edge is boosted to catch up. This will promote new players and casuals (this will be the main system to keep those players interested and relevant to content).
I say soft gear reset which brings me onto next point. Gear will be released for every level after 26, and only drop once a player is that level (possibly base drop on highest level of group?). Each level will have 4(+?) tiers, common, uncommon, rare and legendary. Common will drop from normal mobs, uncommon rarely from normal mobs, rare from sub bosses and legendary from bosses. The idea is everyone will be running around in at least common gear, the more time invested (hardcore!) the better the player is geared. Generally speaking each tier is around +1 lvls of stats of current level (so common 26 would be 26, uncommon 27, rare 28, legend 29, so you could be set for 3 months with 1 legendary drop) The stats would be auto generated based on tier+lvl+class.
This will in turn have to work with the skill system to balance all skills, so healing should be equally powerful at lvl 26 or 36, scaled for the HP pool. With that in mind, all similar skills will need to be looked at to make sure there is a reason to use them. I'm thinking some should be efficiency based while others would be max damage. Possibly damage over time from fire spells, or added flinch etc. There should be enough variance there that every skill would have a place, and the possibility of adding more skills.
For skill books, I was thinking a system where books are rare, can be deconstructed for pages, and made into a skill book by someone who already has the skill. Higher level the skill, the more pages required. I think would could make a very interesting market for books. The hardcore players would likely find the books, and be able to charge a large premium (or try keep the skill to themselves for a while!). Eventually the skill would be learnt by more people, and slowly distributed to rest of player base, likely over the month. The demand for skills should be high with everyone being similar level, and being alt friendly. Making friends with people the same class to share books would create positive community per class.
Speaking of community, guilds would be capped at 12 members and be easy to create. The buff system guilds have would offer permanent buffs rather than the pointless temp ones most servers have. These should be hard choices, do you go defensive buffs to help all members, or all in MC to help your wizzies? Exp rate to catch up to the highest level quicker? Guilds would compete mainly for towns, the number of which would depend on the number of players on the server. I'd want enough towns to provide some conflict, but not enough that everyone gets one. Secondly, guilds would compete for bosses.
Bosses would be another unique feature of this server. They'd be balanced for a minimum of 6 players, and each boss would be similar in power but different in mechanics. Every boss would 1 shot smaller groups (who should be killing subbosses, which would be unsoloable). Bosses will have fairly long spawn timers, take a large amount of time to kill, drop fairly well but also give every player in the killing group a box once a week. This box will give a random legendary item (possibly based on class and bound?). The idea would be every player would really want to kill every type of boss at least once a week. Pushing players into more PvP.
PvP would hopefully be the most balanced server Mir has ever seen. All players fighting will be fairly similar level, with reasonably equal gear. Ideally everyone within +/- 20% power of each other. Being a long time player will give you an advantage, but winning won't be a sure thing. Player skill will matter far more. A casual player who's played Mir forever vs a new player who has lots of time (ie gear) would be a close fight.
That's the general concept for the server. At 1 month per level, the content in basic Mir would last well over a year (with big events for milestone levels like 30 and 35?). The bulk of content would be player based around bosses and PvP, so should keep people entertained. New players would be up and running within a month or two, so fresh blood would keep coming in and casuals would stay relevant. Hardcore players would be well established each month, already having many legendary's, with strong social connections and towns to defend, to keep them playing month to month.
Thoughts?
