Forums » General Pantheon Discussion

Flagging

    • 6 posts
    February 13, 2019 7:20 AM PST

    Vandraad said:

    I like flagging in any form and the greater the variety the better.  There wasn't a single EQ1 flag quest/task that I didn't thoroughly enjoy.

     

    Same here. I enjoyed the process of getting into Anguish the most I think.

    • 2138 posts
    February 13, 2019 7:42 AM PST

    I didn't mind flagging dynamics- nor those in PoTime. But Backflaging did get to be a nightmare as someone suggested earlier, at least with the known mechanics.

    This coincides with friends joining later and hence the progeny/mentor idea. I mean if a guild took a year or two to form by new people finding each other randomly and having common goals or schedules enough times that an idea of a guild is a good idea and then the guild decides to flag themnselves through an event. great. If they happen to be the first guild, most newer players will want to tag along but the questions will be, where were you, new player, back when we were forming?

    So in this social dynamic I think the new player needs to realize, the Top guild may not be for them and perhaps to take a year or two to make friends, and enough on the same page and level to maybe start a guild and perhaps 2 years later- go through that 2 year old content to flag themselves. There is no stigma because its two year old content as the content is just as challenging as it was, and the drops will be just as uber- the only difference is when they are going through it. This way the game remains new for any who join at any time.

    Granted there is some leeway, but as far as flagging especially if the flagging is intense, then it needs to be decided to what extent flagging will be done, if 5 members back-flag 3 different people 3 times, that is enough for those 5 members I think then its someone elses turn. If there are no members left, then it is on their whim to back-flag an 4th person, otherwise, that person will need to find other ways to get flagged so as to not hold up the guild- even if that means chumming up to another guild and getting enough influence to dare to be asked to go with them on a raid- as a guest where you get NO loot and dont expect anything- but just to be able ot get the flag.

    It is from this that I never understood why Broad guilds (we invite anyone and everyone) didn't have tiers of leadership where there would be a leader for levels 1-30, doing small raids and then another for 30-40. and so on. The information of the strats or INtel alone would be priceless and make such a guild valuable just on the strategy intel alone. The Top guild would have to decide if that is feesible within thir structure and if so would be very desireable necause any new player would get to go through the content, with guaranteed strats, and perhaps get some of the leftover  raid loot as hand-me-downs from the top end players. IF itemization is the same as old MMO's

    Nor did I understand the somewhat selfish concept some players have where the guild needs to give them or do stuff for them. Leveling guild? what do you mean? there is no such thing- make friends and level yourself. Like a back-flagging guild, no such thing- why put the burden on the members to cater to your needs? If enough of your friends do the same- guess what, you're a guild! and you will do the content when it is good for you to do so and maybe get a leg up because someone may tell you the strats- or better yet immerse completely and try to figure it out for yourself. But lets be honest, a win is a win and it feels good to win so if strats are available, no harm in taking them. 

    • 3852 posts
    February 13, 2019 9:00 AM PST

    Perhaps the ideal answers to flagging depend on the game's life cycle - as one can see looking through this thread - which implies there *is* no uniform answer and what is best will vary with the circumstances.

    I gather from this thread that "flagging" in this context means the need to do certain prerequisite content either to enter certain dungeons or areas or to get credit for killing certain bosses. Not the way I ever used this term but then again I didn't spend much time with EQ.

    At the beginning and perhaps for a year or more there will be a large percentage of us leveling and going through the content mostly low level to higher level to higher level. With a relatively low percentage of "alts" actively adventuring (as distinct from crafting) since many players will focus on one "main" with much of their time even if they do run "alts". Maybe to get to level-cap fast so they can do whatever high level content there is (people that live to raid and view all else as a barrier for example). Maybe to get more in-game coin or resources to support future "alts". Maybe to be able to help guildmates or others. Maybe just because that is how they play - focus on one character and making it as good as possible.

    Fast-forward a bit. There will be a high percentage of characters at or near level-cap. There will be a reasonable percentage at the low levels. There will be some in the middle levels. Getting groups "at-level" will be harder except at level-cap. Getting high levels to come in and help will be easier - a lot of people that are either very nice or very bored.

    I won't even speculate what this means to the issue of flagging - my point is somewhat different. Simply that whatever flagging system Pantheon had day one need not be the system year two. They can and perhaps should modify it as needed to accomodate the demographics. So let's not debate what is the perfect flagging system for the ages. The perfect system for the first year or two is all we need to worry about.

    Many of us know that a major issue for established games is the time it takes for new players to get their characters leveled and geared. Even in Pantheon many new players may not be content to start subscribing knowing they won't be able to play with friends for years unless the friends mentor down or create new characters - which the friends may not want to do. VR will need to deal with this and since they are well aware of the issue I suspect that they will deal with it - somehow. So best to brainstorm the relatively near future not the distant future.

    • 81 posts
    February 14, 2019 7:39 AM PST

    I'm not fond of flagging. I think you should gain access to an area when you can reach it in one piece. If people are travelling too fast too soon, make it harder.

    Kithicor forest in EQ is a good example (not a flagged zone ofc), but it restricted access quite well. And if you were brave and cunning enough to get accross it at a lower level, you were rewarded with a face full of goblins waiting for you at High Hold.

    Come to think of it why was flagging introduced? Was it just to stop zerging? In which case flagging isn't the issue at all it is encounter mechanics.

    • 696 posts
    February 14, 2019 11:47 AM PST

    With enocunter locking, flagging becomes less of an issue. I just don't care about flagging as a mechanic. I think gear should be your determining factor and skill. Those two things will naturally be your flagging and not some artificial magical bs.

    • 1281 posts
    February 16, 2019 4:59 PM PST

    I don't have a problem with flagging at all.

    I do think it would be neat if they could include an in game way to track the flags. Maybe a UI screen that shows what zones you have access to? Might be a place to also keep track of the areas that are keyed that you have access to.

    • 379 posts
    February 16, 2019 5:17 PM PST

    bigdogchris said:

    I don't have a problem with flagging at all.

    I do think it would be neat if they could include an in game way to track the flags. Maybe a UI screen that shows what zones you have access to? Might be a place to also keep track of the areas that are keyed that you have access to.

    This is a good idea.