Based on the above written text, i had a very good chat with Eonwind.
He asked me to put the above text into a list of tasks, which resulted in this list:
Tasks:
DEVS:
1. Create some sort of aggro management system, which includes other action than only damage. (from Eonwind: Already in place)
http://planeshift.top-ix.it/pswiki/index.php?title=NPC_Scripting http://planeshift.top-ix.it/pswiki/index.php?title=Behaviors_and_Reactions But might need finetuning
2. Put distance on healing spell with a target.
3. Make group members easy selectable (from group windows and/or shortcut keys).
4. Share experience point to all group members within range of the kill.
5. Create/change mobs to work more intensively together, so some require groups to kill.
6. Create high lvl bosses with high regen of hp, which require a large group to kill.
7. Increase loot reward from certain group-based mobs.
8. Calculate effects from high density of players/spells on one spot and the responsiveness of the clients. (grouped with a high lvl blue mage, made my computer freeze)
9. Make command to change loot method for group (all-leader, current roll)
Player Base:
- Group together, even while changes aren't made yet.
- From grouping experience, bring in more tasks/requirements for successfull grouping.
- Help with quests/storyline for bringing in new mobs/bosses.
- Help with defining roles in groups. Spells that are usefull in groups, create a grouping guide for new/returning players.
- Since there is aggro management already in game, test it, and generate input for DEVs to finetune it.
Above task list has been discussed in IRC, resulting in the following steps.
1. Let players test the current aggro management system and read the links about the current system.
2. To be discussed further on, really something to consider. But considering the effects/balance in the game.
3. Very difficult in current engine. Workaround would be scripting, since you want to select the tank most. /target player and /assist player would work for 90% of the cases.
4. This should already be the situation and every group member should receive the same experience, maybe except healers which should be tested. I've tested it with Lerras in the Arena, and my share of experience was marginal to Lerras (who actually did the most of the killing indeed), so it seems it's damage based.
5, 6, 7: Already work in progress.
8. Hard to change, but hopefully the new Unreal engine will help. Players can turn of some effects as a workaround.
9. Not fully discussed. Talked about the current /loot commands, but it does not answer the question for groups.
As you can (and hopefully have) read, there's a lot going on and still a lot to do.
Since a group has a minimum of 2 players, i can't do this alone and i need people to help me with this.
The most you have to do is just play, but you also write down results from tests, and suggestions/wishes to you think could improve your group play.
Thank you for reading!