Questions from one who has never played...

[Noraxium]

...Everquest on the computer, but I've played EQOA for PS2. I hope there aren't too many EQOA-haters here! :P

Anyway...

*What is this "Skill trade" stuff about? I'm very curious. Could someone explain to me how this works? What do you do, exactly? How does it benefit you in the game? Does it make the game better, and more interesting?

EQOA is new, but I've heard they're going to add this, and many other things in the near future... so I really want to know what this is!

*What do you like most about the computer version of Everquest?

*What are the major differences between the PS2 version of Everquest compared to the computer version? Good AND bad?

Thank's for your time, and patience, in dealing with a 'newbie' like myself!

[neipa]

i've never played the ps2 eq yet but the bonus is the computer like the xbox is (i hope theres no xbox haters out there) much better than the ps2 graphics and in speed

trade skills are basic skills like the ability to fish and to sew or blacksmithing it alowes players to make there own items and armour out of raw materials the find on mobs like furs into leather armour and stuff

[Noraxium]

...

Hi neipa!

That sounds cool! Can you make any level armor? Or does it only pertain to low-level armor?

How does one get their skill trade? Do they roll for it? Pick it themselves? Or just have it for their class right from the beginning of the game?

And fishing? What's that all about? You have to fish for food, instead of buying it? Or...?

How long have you been playing?

Do you use a controller, or just the keyboard, to control your character?

As you can see, I'm a very curious person. 8)

I hope you don't mind all of my questions!

[Delfontes]

I hear there is no tradeskilling at all in the PS2 version for one, so if you are getting that one, this site is useless.

Basically in EQ anyone can do any of the 7 mainstream tradeskills. Here they are and what they mainly do.

Blacksmithing (Armor, Weapons)
Tailoring (armor for casters and other classes that can't wear chain/plate)
Fletching (arrows/bows, they are same skill in EQ)
Baking (make food, some add strength and stuff)
Brewing (make drinks, also make stuff for Smithing/Tailoring)
Pottery (they make a lot of useful ceramic type stuff)
Jewelry (your basic rings/earrings/necklaces, that also can add stats)

In EQ it is fairly straightforward, the recipes are listed here.

For example if you want to make a very basic silk piece of armor... you find and kill a spider, which drops silk, then sew the silk to make a swatch out of it... then get a pattern from a tailor vendor, and combine them to make a fancy new raw silk piece of armor.

[Heartsong_Steelsoul]

And for computer EQ you have the keyboard and a mouse, no game controller (unless there's some way to set one up that I, having no interest, have never found). Most people (AFAIK) use the keyboard for control mainly, and mouse for clicking on things. You can set up hotkeys for different abilities, as well.

You can make armor appropriate for all levels, or close to it. The better armor takes better skill. Do you have numbers for, say, your weapon skills? Tradeskills have skill levels just like that, but aren't capped per level. As you work at them, you get better.

You CAN fish for food, but you can also buy it from vendors.

I've been playing since Oct or Nov '99. I like the fast amounts of space and the interaction. I dislike how the amount of roleplaying has gone down and the 'dude quotient' has gone up. I've heard that's worse on the console version, but I cannot say for sure.

Heartsong Steelsoul
49th level Warrioress of the North
Tholuxe Paells Server

[Phabos]

What is this "Skill trade" stuff about? I'm very curious. Could someone explain to me how this works? What do you do, exactly? How does it benefit you in the game? Does it make the game better, and more interesting?

Welcome, welcome welcome! Phabos at your service! Come, let me show you around! I'm primarily a baker and brewer, so I can at least tell you more about those.

Tradeskilling is the art of taking things that are useless by themselves (parts and meat that drop off kills, eggs, berries, herbs, spices, ect.) and turning them into semi-useful goods. Once you've done that for a while, you progress in skill level by trying harder recipes that require more patience and work but turn out even better items, some of which are highly coveted.

Before we go into details, let me introduce you to my good friend, the Random Number Generator. *bows down and sacrifices a halfling ranger* He is the tradeskill god. He decides, much like the emperors of Rome (only the RNG has less accountability), who will live and die in the tradeskill sense. Sometimes he is in a good mood. Most other times, he isn't. Theoretically, based on the higher of WIS or INT (and possibly others depending on the tradeskill), the RNG will award skillups for trying a recipe that "trivials" above your current skill. The success rate for a recipe working or failing is based on your skill. Thus, those recipes that trivial near or under your skill level will (supposedly) be easier to succeed when attempting.

The process is the same for all skills. Find a recipe (listed in the "Recipes" section of this website), gather the ingredients, place them in the appropriate container, and hit "Combine". After thousands of attempts at various recipes, one can attain a skill of 250 in one of the main skills. Three AA points will allow you to purchase the opportunity to raise another over the 200 cap.

Tradeskills are an interesting way to spend time in game. We make new things. Smiths make armors that are sought by characters of all levels. Bakers and Brewers create foods and drinks that will boost certain stats while they are in your first food/drink slots. Tailors create armors for classes that can't wear smithed armor, as well as weight-reducing containers. Fletchers make bows and arrows with great range and damage potential. Potters make many useful utensils for other skills (pie tins, mana vials, etc) as well as figurines that will add stats. Finally, Jewelcrafters create enchanted (in most useful cases) jewelry such as rings, earrings, and veils which also add various stats to a character when worn.

However, there is a downside. Tradeskilling can make a person masochistic, sarcastic, depressed, and addicted. If you are already that type of person, tradeskills can bring out the worst in you. *pokes Lilosh* In all honesty, though, tradeskills are fun, and can be a decent source of money for those who don't have the blocks of time needed to endlessly camp spawns or who don't belong to guilds big enough to enter the zones needed to earn large amounts of money.

Long as this has been, it is but a brief overview. Read the site, look at the guides, and see the explanations. I've been playing EQ for almost 2 years, and have just begun tradeskills in the past 5 months. I wish I had started much sooner. If you do enter the computer world of Everquest, I suggest you seriously consider starting tradeskills as soon as possible.

Good luck.

Phabos
Drunken Paladin of Brell
Tarew Marr

[Lilosh]

Tradeskilling can make a person masochistic, sarcastic, depressed, and addicted. If you are already that type of person, tradeskills can bring out the worst in you. *pokes Lilosh*

Hey!

Stop being so accurate, you short bearded cleric wannabe.


*grinning*
-Lilosh