I can understand the need to nerf the enchanted items to a degree. But if it was reduced to what I am reading then it seems like an utter waste of xp points. It will make people less likely to even use the system. It could be handled differently, lower the bonuses by half or some such.
With all the changes that are being made, some certainly needed, I've heard it said that people are starting to feel like this server is less geared towards story and becoming more and more a 'hardcore server'.
I love this server and I really do not want to see it loose its members, and it seems to me like things such as this are going to cause that.
I do understand why it was done, it had to be, the +6 was insane, so it was not balanced, but what I am reading isn't balanced either. It would be good to get some clarification on the exact reason this was done, along with what items are affected and how badly.
I agree with all of this. I love this server, I want the staff to be communicative, heck the whole community needs to be communicative, otherwise problems are left to fester and it causes poison in the community. Yes, the server is meant to be hard. It is. Yes, enchanted gear was too much, half the stats. This change is a slap in the face for a lot of people (I have been very lucky in that my gear is almost untouched and still serves the same functions).
People say make 1s a fail? Force people to prepare. That needs good casters and buffers. But other people think that magic is too plentiful and they get mad about that, even though the world is full of hidden magics. Beef up the spawns, more HP, more of them. That will increase the challenge without completely wrecking progress.
Enchanted gear comes at the OOC XP cost, but also with IC weight and gravitas. Getting a bit of enchanted gear is a big moment and can be a big thing in RP.
The server population is reduced at it is. I've noticed far fewer people adventuring because they lack what is needed to face the enemies. As such, the same people are being relied on to carry others through places. Those who buff well and such are being overworked because they are good at it, which I imagine makes them look like OOC-heavy dungeoning powergamers to many, when they are simply picking up the slack!
So yes, I will echo the point I made as have others. The enchanting nerf was too heavy. A change like this needed testing and pre-warning. Please be more careful with changes like this in future, lest alienation, confusion and a feeling of wasted time and energy cause the server population to dwindle further.
Who remembers when there was no enchanting system? Oh god the horror, how did we ever manage to level at all without +8 reflex boots when +1ab weapons and saves gear were the stuff of rumours and not found in every garbage pile!?
First, not everyone has been playing as long. Secondly, please spare us the hyperbole, there is a problem here, don't gloss over it with sarcasm.