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  • Fan Faire Prep, Oct. 2004

    Once again, we’re preparing for a Fan Faire. Here is a list of outstanding issues from the last Fan Faire, along with the responses Nolrog conveyed to us a few months back. The thread can be found here. I also got some ideas from Nolrog’s copy of the thread on the EQ forums here.

    UPDATED 2004-10-19
    Final update. I'll be submitting this in a few minutes. I've re-ordered the items in my own (personal) view of what's most important at the top. Don't like the order? Come to New Orleans and ask about the stuff YOU find most important.

    OUTSTANDING ISSUES FROM LAST FAN FAIRE

    Rotating stock on vendors
    Tanker said it wouldn't be too hard to code vendors to erase the oldest item sold to them, rather than the newest.

    Spiderling silk drop rate review
    Maddoc said he would review spiderling silk drop rates, particularly in Everfrost. Based on data from EQEcon going back two months (the longest they show), the volume of available silk in the bazaar has dropped significantly, while average prices have either held steady or risen. This has led to a direct rise in the cost to skill up smithing, either in platinum paid in the bazaar or time to farm the silk. People consistently post that drop rates have decreased; almost none post that they have increased or held steady -- though this, of course, is subject to a number of personal biases. The only true resolution is a review of the drop rates from actual server logs. (The EQEcon data I quoted is based on my own server, plus a few other servers I chose at random. I couldn't figure out how to make it show summary data for all servers combined.)
    Update: This is being tracked and analyzed here.

    Tradeskill Super-trophies
    The discussion of a super-trophy you can only obtain at 1750 skill or after having all seven normal trophies is still a hot topic for discussion here at EQTraders and here at the SoE forums.
    This is likely to be done, but not sure when -- Possibly a future expansion feature.

    Mid-to-high tailoring bridge recipes
    Maddoc mentioned that he would consider new recipes to bridge the gap between 190 and 240 in tailoring, but most likely that would be part of a future expansion.

    Disparity in component requirements between Plate and Chain/Leather for PoP armors
    The devs agreed that there is no in-game or game balance reasons for plate armor to require so much more by way of tempers and bricks than chain or leather. I posted a detailed analysis and proposal on my site here and linked it at this EQTraders thread and this EQLive thread for discussion.
    Very time consuming to evaluate -- I'd like to do it, but it's not on the radar for the next few months at least.

    Excessively low drop rates for PoP temper components
    On a similar note, the drop rate for temper components (used for plate, chain, and leather armors) compared to saps for silk armor appear severely out of balance. As Chenier noted in the EQTraders thread linked above, it's all but impossible for even an elemental guild to gather enough supplies to make a reasonable number of plate, chain, and leather armor pieces. The general consensus appears to be that the drop rates on temper components should be raised, though to my knowledge no one has posted an analysis proposing a new rate. To pull a number out of thin air, I would say the rates need to be doubled or tripled, but again, I just made that up.
    Very time consuming to evaluate -- I'd like to do it, but it's not on the radar for the next few months at least.
    Update: Putrescent Blood from the Plane of Torment only drops from the Baraguj Szuul "Stomach" event, and only rarely even then. Is it possible to make this blood drop from other mobs in the zone, preferably outside Saryrn's tower? Additionally, there is one report that the event is bugged -- you continue to get attacked even after you are ported inside the stomach. Since you cannot retaliate or defend yourself, you die inside the stomach.

    Bag tokens showing bag stats
    Another idea the devs seemed to like; they noted it was on the list of things to do.
    This is something that's not horribly difficult to do, just time consuming.
    Update: On a related note, people have been asking whether the tokens can include a note that you should hand them to Caerlyna in the bazaar to get the bag?
    Update 2: Could we add a label to Caerlyna, something like "Bag Check Service", so people can find her more easily?
    Update 3: "Bag Lady" seems to be a much more popular label. Another proposal is to give her a new mob model: "stooped-postured NPC in tattered garments, with lots and lots of bags at her feet and in a cart next to her."

    Nitram Anizok's plight
    Tinkerers are concerned about the ability to get to Nitram in Innovation, as he is the only vendor for certain non-stacking tinkering supplies. The problem is due to both see-invis mobs along the path to reach him, and the fact that he is also used for a quest (Xanamech). Thanks to Sanna for pointing out this thread.
    Haven't had a chance to look at this -- Moving him is easy, checking to see if the quest or combines he's needed for will now be trivial because of the move is a little more difficult.
    Update: Alternative to moving Nitram, consider putting in some sort of teleport to and from Nitram. Have the port only work for one person per 6 hours game time (about 15 minutes real time). That’s enough to give tradeskillers easy access to Nitram without breaking any quests or interfering with Nitram’s role in the Xanamech quest/raid.
    Update #2: Another proposed alternative is to create a new vendor in Abysmal Sea, with the same inventory as Nitram Anizok in PoI. To make it interesting you could increase his Greed modifier to make the items slighty more expensive than buying from Nitram. If players want the items cheaper, they have to brave PoI to buy from Nitram. The storyline would be that Tramin Anizok (Nitram's cousin) has recently set up an import/export business in Abysmal Sea, importing parts from his cousin in the Planes. He sells all of the parts needed for the Anizok family recipes, although at a markup due to the dangers of exporting the raw materials.

    Velium weapon to Velium ore conversions
    This was one of the items listed as "likely." It is not yet live, as far as anyone can tell.
    Yes, this is something we can do -- It's going to take some time to evaluate the conversions to make sure that we don't create any more plat-macro exploits.

    Making quest recipes learnable
    Maddoc asked for a list of quest recipes that have secondary uses and are made often. To my knowledge, no such list was compiled; only Enchanted Velium Bits was mentioned. Does anyone know of such a list?
    According to Maddoc, no list has ever been compiled or given to him, so he's not done much on this.
    Update: There is a list in progress on the Sony boards here.

    Portable or multi-user tradeskill containers
    The developers said they would look into adding additional portable tradeskill containers, possibly as collapsible items. Tanker also mentioned the possibility of allowing multiple people to use stationary containers (like forges or brew barrels) at once.

    Balancing the Grand Robe / Grand Tunic / Phylactery quest for melees
    Maddoc said he would look at adding an alternate reward for melees who wish to do this quest, since they cannot use the Grand Robe/Tunic. Discussions included either adding a new reward for melees or making the Token of Service tradable.
    This is probably something that's very easy to do, and again one of the easiest things to do which will get done before any of the others.

    Cultural armor review
    The devs indicated that they would be willing to review and (if need be) overhaul cultural armors, but they noted that this would take lots of time.
    Very time consuming to evaluate -- I'd like to do it, but it's not on the radar for the next few months at least.


    NEW ITEMS:

    Omens tradeskill materials are too rare.
    The rare parts for Omens augments, (Slugworms, Discordant Scoriae, and Trean Flies), plus the gemstone augments themselves, seem to drop very rarely indeed. Given the risk of failure at multiple steps during the aug tradeskill processIs this intended?

    Similarly, many of the other tradeskill items such as bloods and hides seem disproportionately rare.

    Tool Belt
    Allow certain commonly-used items, such as chisels, files, dairy spoons, etc., to go on a "tool belt" -- you don't need the item to be physically in your inventory or bank. When you find a recipe in your UI that requires one of these tools, the UI checks if the item is either in your inventory OR on your toolbelt. The idea is that only items that are normally returned on both success and failure would go on the tool belt. This is analogous to how soul-bound keys work.

    Make tradeskill container windows lockable.
    It’s too easy to move them around by mistake. On a related note, could we make ALL bags lockable?

    Bazaar Search Filters
    Could the "Select By Type" filter in the bazaar be updated to include new filters for Runes (for OoW spells) and tradeskill-tagged items? Also, could the existing search filter "combinable" be renamed to "stackable"? Combinable suggests that the item is usable in tradeskills, but the devs have confirmed that the filter actually searchs for stackable items.

    Tradeskill UI Suggestions
    1) Add a destroy button on the tradeskill UI.
    2) In the UI, change the small number in the bottom-right corner of each item stack to represent the *total* number of that item in your inventory. Note that non-stackable items would need to get this number also.
    3) Make tradeskill messages and text go into a separate log file -- this should be an option that each user can set.
    4) Make tradeskill messages actually list what item you made or failed at -- such as:
    - You can no longer advance your skill by making FOO.
    - You have fashioned the items together to create FOO!
    - You lacked the skills to fashion the items together into FOO.
    - You have fashioned the items together to create an alternate product: FOO.
    and so on.
    5) Increase the number of favorite recipes that can be stored from 100 total to 100 per tradeskill.

    Maker's Marks
    Add a way for a tradeskiller to tag an item he or she makes with his or her name. This should either happen automatically whenever a new item is created, or by combining some sort of item (a literal maker's mark) with a finished product. This combine should be no-fail and consume the maker's mark.

    Research Pages
    Could the item names for the half-pages be modified to include a left or right tag? Something like "Part of Yaeth's Compendium pg. 22L" or "pg. 22R" would be fine. "Left Half of Yaeth's Compendium pg. 22" and "Right Half of ... " would also work.

    Ghoul of Takish-Hiz spawn rate and drop rate for Spiritual Anchor.
    The Ghoul is an insanely rare spawn, and almost impossible for a non-tracker to catch without using tools-that-shall-not-be-mentioned. In addition, even when he does spawn and is caught, his drop is way too rare. One person suggests that the Anchor drop rate should be no worse than 1 in 3 kills, and preferably better than that.

    Bag Management
    Would it be possible to dye existing bags, or make recipes for colored bags? This allows for better management of items in inventory and bank. Alternately, would it be possible to rename bags, kind of like chat windows?

    Base Prototype
    Can this recipe be made learnable?

    Karana's Heartfruit Salad
    Is this a real item? Are all the ingredients for it, including ingredients for the subcombines, in game? If so, could you provide us with any tips on where to look for the missing bits?

    Add the missing cookie cutters and their matching cookie recipes: vah shir, shissar, grimling, and sonic wolf.
    It would also be lovely to have new recipes for pottery/smithing to make them if not vendor bought.

    Risk vs Reward of the Ice Cream Churn and Ice Cream Recipes
    The churner itself has a very high trivial, for something that is really just for fun. And some of the Ice Cream recipes require no drop ingredients. Are the ice creams intended to be this hard?

    Incomplete GoD tradeskills
    Many GoD items tagged as tradeskill-usable have no recipes; the devs have confirmed that no recipes that use them are live. The tag should either be removed or recipes using those items should be added.

    Research needs a tradeskill trophy.
    Proposed stats:
    Grandmaster Spellcrafter's Grimoire
    LORE ITEM NO DROP
    Slot: PRIMARY,SECONDARY,RANGE,AMMO
    Skill Mod: Spell Research +5%
    Effect: Spellcrafter's Grimoire (Cast Time 10.0)
    STR: +10 CHA: +50 WIS: +10 INT: +10
    WT: 0.1 Size: SMALL
    Class: Enchanter Magician Necomancer Wizard
    Race: ALL

    Recipe: Artisan's seal + quill + parchment, to be combined in one of: Phantasmal Tome, Arch Magus Grimoire, Warlock's Book of Binding, Sorcerer's Lexicon

    Spellcrafter's Grimoire
    (universal container that any of the 4 INT classes can use for all spell research recipes)
    Container: CLOSED.
    LORE ITEM NO DROP
    WT: 2.0 Weight Reduction: 0%
    Capacity: 10 Size Capacity: LARGE
    Last edited by KyrosKrane; 10-19-2004, 03:26 PM.
    Sir KyrosKrane Sylvanblade
    Master Artisan (300 + GM Trophy in all) of Luclin (Veeshan)
    Master Fisherman (200) and possibly Drunk (2xx + 20%), not sober enough to tell!
    Lightbringer, Redeemer, and Valiant servant of Erollisi Marr

  • #2
    I would like to see ALL ore breakdown yields increased. It's unrealistic for a Block of any ore to yield just one Large Brick of an ore and a Large Brick to yield only one Small Brick. A Block of an ore only yields two Two Small Pieces when you're done breaking it down? Complete nonsense.

    If there's still a problem with coding larger yields, then they should just make Blocks, Large Bricks, and Small Bricks STACKABLE! I don't know about you, but I'm quite capable of stacking one brick on top of another.

    Scapa Orkney, 64th level Wood Elf Druid of Tunare
    Master Potter, Journeyman Artisan
    Cnoc Sixovus, 56th level Halfling Cleric of Bristlebane
    Master Baker, Journeyman Brewer
    Jura Sixovus, 40th level Gnome Enchanter
    Master Jeweler, Expert Tinker (284)
    Bertoxxulous - Tholuxe Paells
    BrindleWood

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    • #3
      We should be getting some feedback on at least the top 10 issues (which were derived from this lis) tomorrow.




      Comment


      • #4
        If it hasn't been mentioned already, I'd like to know if it's intended that augment upgrade materials (slugworms, trean flies, discordant scoriae, etc.) are so rare you're lucky to see them. Been in OOW zones every day since it's release spending on average 6 hours a day grinding and only ever seen 2 Slugworms, 1 Dust of Discord, and a Citrine drop.

        Comment


        • #5
          Originally posted by KyrosKrane
          Add the missing cookie cutters and their matching cookie recipes: vah shir, shissar, grimling, and sonic wolf.
          It would also be lovely to have new recipes for pottery/smithing to make them if not vendor bought.
          How about add ALL the missing ingame ingredients? the ones for Karana's Heartfruit Salad? and anything else? not just the cookie cutters.. Cookies are *nice*, but actually having working recipes for bigger things that are driving us nuts would be better.
          Last edited by Elyssanda; 10-07-2004, 09:41 AM. Reason: fix a spelling error

          Alliance Artisan
          Proud owner of Artisan's Prize.

          Comment


          • #6
            How about reviewing the Risk vs Reward of the Ice Cream churn and associated ice cream recipes.....

            The churner itself has a very high trivial, for something that is really just for fun. And some of the Ice Cream recipes require no drop ingredients....
            Master Artisan Maevenniia the Springy Sprocket Stockpiler of the really long name
            Silky Moderator Lady
            Beneath the silk, lies a will of steel.

            Comment


            • #7
              If you want your containers to stop moving I recommend my Stayput container mods, which are available at EQInterface.com. It's a modified container with no borders so the bag can't be moved accidentally.
              83/1000 High Elven Enchanter on cazic (8x300 tradeskills)

              Comment


              • #8
                concerning the bag token update....


                If they are going to put the stats of the bag on the token why
                not also add a note there saying hand to x (ok I forget the name of
                the barbarian) in the bazaar to recieve this bag.

                Most people know but for the bag token newb out there this could
                reduce the frustration especially the rare one who would buy the token
                see the stats and think its a bag already.

                -Byelka

                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by byelka
                  concerning the bag token update....


                  If they are going to put the stats of the bag on the token why
                  not also add a note there saying hand to x (ok I forget the name of
                  the barbarian) in the bazaar to recieve this bag.

                  Most people know but for the bag token newb out there this could
                  reduce the frustration especially the rare one who would buy the token
                  see the stats and think its a bag already.

                  -Byelka
                  Thats a really good idea Seems like you find a confused newbie wandering around the bazaar a couple times a week looking for the bag lady.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Originally posted by byelka
                    concerning the bag token update....


                    If they are going to put the stats of the bag on the token why
                    not also add a note there saying hand to x (ok I forget the name of
                    the barbarian) in the bazaar to recieve this bag.

                    Most people know but for the bag token newb out there this could
                    reduce the frustration especially the rare one who would buy the token
                    see the stats and think its a bag already.

                    -Byelka
                    The only issue I have with this is how many other things will people suddenly be demanding to be made "idiotproof"?
                    Jmorgaia Tinybubbles
                    70 Coercer
                    Xegony


                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Originally posted by Brodybeard
                      I would like to see ALL ore breakdown yields increased. It's unrealistic for a Block of any ore to yield just one Large Brick of an ore and a Large Brick to yield only one Small Brick. A Block of an ore only yields two Two Small Pieces when you're done breaking it down? Complete nonsense.

                      If there's still a problem with coding larger yields, then they should just make Blocks, Large Bricks, and Small Bricks STACKABLE! I don't know about you, but I'm quite capable of stacking one brick on top of another.
                      Hear, hear!!
                      Savage Spirit Sharrien Dreamstalker the Kraftin Kitty, Master Artisan
                      Primal Elementalist Ravingronn Blazewarden, Master Artisan, Master Researcher
                      Celestial Navigators, Maelin Starpyre

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        In all fairness of technicality: "idiotproof" and "noobproof" are not exactly the same thing. Noobs are an untested bunch; some, with a little bit of training, will turn out to be quite intelligent, capable people. Idiots, on the other hand, have already been tested and proven to be, well, idiots.

                        My roommate's first character was a high elf mage who fell in the water in Felwithe and drowned because she didn't know that PageUp would make her look up so she could swim out of the water. When she left EQ, she was one of the best geared clerics on her server at that time.

                        Such a note as, "Turn this into Caerlyna to recieve the appropriate bag" would, imho, harm nothing, and might help.



                        Stackable bricks/blocks would be /wonderful/. Wouldn't be surprised if they didn't, though. And if possible, I'd take a portable forge instead.

                        Altho, yes, the conversion rates really could use a glance or three.


                        pleasepleasepleaseplease deal with Nitram Anizok.... or make what he sells stackable, or make what he sells not NoDrop, or at least make what you make with what he sells stackable /and/ droppable? please? something? anything? I'll send you chocolate if you do?

                        Velium weapon to Velium ore - *does a dance at the thought!*
                        the I-don't-like-to-sell-anything-to-vendors-that-i-can-use-myself part of me LOVES this idea !

                        Spiderling silk drop rate review - *does another dance*

                        ""Tanker also mentioned the possibility of allowing multiple people to use stationary containers (like forges or brew barrels) at once.""
                        pleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepl easepleaseplease
                        *deepbreath*
                        pleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepl easepleaseplease
                        pleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepl easepleaseplease



                        Spiffy list, Kryos. Best of luck getting as many of these as possible dealt with.

                        -- Sanna
                        I wonder if we could get all the researchers to speak in unison and get Left/Right tags added into the names of the spell components.... hmm....
                        Mistress Tinkbang Tankboom - Ak'Anon, Tarew Marr
                        Gneehugging Chantaranga of the 66th Mez Break - AA:59
                        Assisted by Nakigoe Sennamida, Druidess of 65 Foraged Steamfont Springwaters - AA:8
                        Quartic, Darkie Wizzy of 52 Self-Snares - Best Crit: 1680.
                        [BK-210 // BR-250 // BS-203 // FL-200 // JC-240 // PT-200 // TL-200 ]---[ TK-179 // RS-182 // FS-165 ]-- Points: 1503/1750 -- Shawl: EIGHT and wearing it ^_^.
                        Icon by Kenshingentatsu

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          I wonder if we could get all the researchers to speak in unison and get Left/Right tags added into the names of the spell components.... hmm....
                          That's a good idea, add it to the list!
                          Master Artisan Maevenniia the Springy Sprocket Stockpiler of the really long name
                          Silky Moderator Lady
                          Beneath the silk, lies a will of steel.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Gonna hold off on updating my top post for a day or two, to give Nolrog a chance to get back to us with the update.

                            I'll prolly update during the weekend some time. Keep the great ideas coming! =)
                            Sir KyrosKrane Sylvanblade
                            Master Artisan (300 + GM Trophy in all) of Luclin (Veeshan)
                            Master Fisherman (200) and possibly Drunk (2xx + 20%), not sober enough to tell!
                            Lightbringer, Redeemer, and Valiant servant of Erollisi Marr

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Another Solution to PoI vendor

                              For Nitram Anizok's plight, I would think a much easier solution would be to have a new vendor created that has the same inventory as Nitram. This would require no balancing or script changes, and therefore would be doable by a designer, not a programmer.

                              ***Proposed Storyline***
                              Tramin Anizok (Nitram's cousin) has recently set up an import/export business in Abysmal Sea, importing parts from his cousin in the Planes. He sells all of the parts needed for the Anizok family recipes, although at a slight markup due to the dangers of exporting the raw materials.

                              (New vendor named Tramin Anizok, with the same inventory as Nitram Anizok in PoI. To make it interesting you could up his Greed modifier to make the items slighty more expensive if you buy from him, but cheaper if you brave PoI to buy from his cousin)
                              Thorvari - Walkers
                              Feral Lord - Vazaelle

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