Well I remember that chadz did release an X-mas Crpg which I believe was a version of the patch just before the original upkeep one.
It was a lot of fun... and I was worried it might have just been nostalgia fueling my love of the older patches, but unfortunately it petered out because I think in people's minds if it isn't the latest version....then it isn't quite the right one...or it isnt as good. Of course not everyone thought this way.
Many may have lost interest because they found it boring...or the system takes too long for you to level without a large group of people hamming it up in the middle. Others would have left because of the perceived imbalances in the older patches....which in all honesty were actually far less extreme than people realise.
Yes archery and throwing were like machine guns, especially archery, but then again you could make a ridonkulous agi guy to speed around at mach 10 smashing them up....or you could tank on ridiculous armour and ride an elephant. In fact the only real issue I ever had with the old version was perhaps the xp and gold system and maybe the fact that too many people didnt realise how many options they actually had in those patches.
Seriously, everything had it's counter and if you were good enough you could make anything work. I made fucking stones and sticks work back then....I cant do that now. I do agree that there was an issue with heirlooms being introduced into that old environment, it didn't work that well with the levelling system, but I cant see how there isn't a solution to that somewhere.
Also I never would blame the mod team for this...they couldn't help but adhere somewhat to a rather loud minority who were screaming for nerfs and buffs based mainly on perceived imbalances; mostly created out of over inflated ego-rage at dying.
Id love to see a patch like the x-mas one happen again, maybe with the current systems of xp and gold though, but I doubt it will ever happen, afterall why risk it? The mod team made this in their spare time, im thankful at least I got to enjoy the earlier patches and that they allowed me to spend so much time having fun, which is what video games are partly meant to induce.
And finally: If you dont think making a half-naked monk with a huge lol-axe isn't fun...I dont know how to help you.
