EQ1 Hot Spot Zones and New Items - Cool Idea

[Aethn Anvel]

I kinda found this to be a nice idea from SOE Dev to revitalize and change up some of the older zones. Every now and then, SOE changes up a theme of zones and calls then Hot spots. What they do is take the ZEM (Zone Experience Modifier) and pump it up a bit somehting close to 2x the normal EXP for that zone. They pick one zone for each 5 lvl range up to 60 (adding lvl 65 zones next run this time).

But they added a new permanent twist this time. Each hotpsot zone has a few new named MOBs that can drop new modern style loots. Like augments or even evolving items. Also, they added a new script called "call for help". Its a rare occurance, but a mob might call for help and a similar type mob will spawn a bit away and come to help that mob thats dying. This mob is a little stronger then the original and drops a nice item for the level of the zone.

I think this is a pretty nice idea by SOE Dev. The new items will remain permanent to the zone after the hot spot code is removed, Thus reintroducing older zones to people that might not otherwise have tried them out. This also gives a bit of eventual reitemization to the game over time. I like it.


http://eqforums.station.sony.com/eq/...cending&page=1

Nodyin-Dev
EQ Designer
Posts: 702
Registered: 10-23-2005



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I hope that everyone is enjoying the new Hot Zones released with the update this week. Now that the first players to hit the zones have had a few days to run through the content I wanted to discuss what some of you have already noticed, namely that there are some new items dropping in each of the Hot Zones.

This is something that we've wanted to do for some time now. I very nearly was able to itemize the Hot Zones that went live when PoR came out but we just weren't able to complete the items before that set of zones went live. Rather than tack on the items partway through the Hot Zone period I decided to hold off until we released the next set of items. This is not by any means a complete re-itemization of these zones and does not mean they were "revamped" in any way. New items were simply added to the zones in a variety of ways that I will discuss below.

The first and most obvious source of items in the new zones are the new named NPCs to be found in all of the Hot Zones. Some zones have more new named npcs than others but each zone should have at least one new npc. These NPCs have brand new drops that should be a bit more level appropriate for current day EverQuest than some of the items that might drop elsewhere in the zone and are older.

The second source of items are global rare items. A number of the Hot Zones have new global rares. In some zones nearly any NPC can drop these items. In other zones the global rares are restricted by race so only certain types of NPCs drop these items.

The final loot mechanism I used in the Hot Zones is something new I came up with for these zones - feedback is welcome! I did something I call the "Call for Help" mechanic. Basically it works like this....

Some (not all!) npcs in the Hot Zones will, during combat, realize they are in trouble and are not going to win. If they decide to call for help at this point a new NPC will spawn somewhere nearby. This NPC will be the same race as what you're fighting but will be just a little bit stronger. This new NPC will then run over and, well, start hitting you. Obviously a new NPC hitting you isn't fun so the up side to this is that the new NPC is a Named npc with loot that essentially spawned just for you and your group.

The chance of this happening is about the same as the chance to get one of the global rare drops found in the Hot Zones.

I'm hoping that this will add a bit of excitement and danger to normal experience grinding while offering a chance at some nice items in the process.

I hope you all enjoy the items and the zones in this set of Hot Zones.


- Nodyin

[Bralkan]

neat. These are the experiences I was under the impression EQL would have when I started oh so long ago. When hate was opening I just assumed they finally got enough "base" stuff underway to start doing events like kithicor.

[Aethn Anvel]

Forgot to post the zones for this latest round:

Level 20: Swamp of No Hope
Level 25: Overthere
Level 30: Timorous Deep
Level 35: Emerald Jungle
Level 40: Dreadlands
Level 45: City of Mist
Level 50: Skyfire
Level 55: Karnor’s Castle
Level 60: Veksar

Last round of hot spots:

Level 20: Najena
Level 25: Iceclad Ocean
Level 30: Rathe Mountains
Level 35: Frontier Mountains
Level 40: Gulf of Gunthak
Level 45: Velketor's Labrynth
Level 50: Fungus Grove
Level 55: Old Sebilis
Level 60: Cazic Thule

[Soygen]

Pretty cool.

[Algrinon]

But damn, this is one of the better ideas to come out of SOE in a long damn time. Dare I say..... Kudos!

[Saban]

no new items could ever get me to go back to karnors castle.

[Bongk]

that sounds bad ass, will it apply to progression server? although none of the zones are until at least kunark

[FulorianC]

I doubt it. The items are supposedly updated for mudflation, to make them desirable to the level range in question in the current state of the game. Much like newbie armor, they would be completely out of their time.

[Hebbin]

Originally Posted by Algrinon

But damn, this is one of the better ideas to come out of SOE in a long damn time. Dare I say..... Kudos!

I am reading this while playing shadowbane, and the current hotzone is Ymur's Crown with double exp/loot for the next 2h13min. Overall, it's a very fun game mechanic.

Sony should keep the exp bonuses rotating between zones every 6 hours or so to keep people moving and trying new things. If you run a month long event, the hotzone becomes the the new PC or sola. People become accustomed to the exp bonus and sony will have to maintain the bonus exp in those zones to keep them attractive when the bonus no longer exists.

[ElGallo]

Originally Posted by Bongk

that sounds bad ass, will it apply to progression server? although none of the zones are until at least kunark

I'm pretty sure that's why they are all Kunark zones. I bet they'll move the hot zones to Velious + when Kunark is unlocked, to Luclin + when Velious is unlocked and so on until progression is also mudflated to hell.

[Wizerud]

That's usually what happens. The hot spots usually have a fairly decent population in them. Even in Dreadlands last night, this is at about midnight PST, there were 22 people in the zone which is completely unheard of. Before being a hotspot I'd bet half the time you ran through that zone you'd be the only person in it. They usually rotate the hotspots every 3-6 months, they probably should do it more often. I'm not sure about the zones retaining the hotspot xp as that kind of defeats the purpose of having new hotspots.

We also encountered one of these new named in the giant fort. Dropped a caster shoulder item appropriate for a level 30-35 character. Pretty weak loot but it was nice surprise to see something we weren't expecting. Yet to see a call for help scenario or a global item drop yet in about 4 hours of killing.

Also, I doubt you will see ANY hotspots on the Progression server.

[rukidding]

While they have been at it, did they ever go back and add a rare drop to the Evil Eye in Guk? They removed the mana stone like 6 years ago, but never replaced it. Totally lazy, and it always was indicitive of SOE's lack of attention to their game.

[Chaid]

I haven't played EQ1 in quite a while, but this sounds very cool.

[Soygen]

Originally Posted by rukidding

While they have been at it, did they ever go back and add a rare drop to the Evil Eye in Guk? They removed the mana stone like 6 years ago, but never replaced it. Totally lazy, and it always was indicitive of SOE's lack of attention to their game.

Yeah, that was the beginning of the end!

[Kluz]

Am I missing something?

EXP Bonus in several zones, scaled to level, rotated every 3-6 months, and a new named in these zones that drops new gear.

I'm not seeing the 'coolness' here. I'm definatly seeing its purpose, and it's a good one, but...I dunno. I thought that EQ1's Time Travel Quests were much cooler idea than this.