Upcoming Cultural Changes

[Ngreth Thergn]

Sorry that I was not clear with my question. What I mean was, will the quests for Ancestral Books and Seals of Darkhollow be changed together with the quests for the Symbol Books when the day comes in the near future?

I know that changes to these two quests will not mean much to most people, but I suppose there are people like me who has more than 4 sets of components for the Ancestral Book in bank (grab a few sets on one trip and save the time needed to go back). If these component sets are handed to the quest NPC and converted into Ancestral Books (not lore), they will take up more than 4 inventory slots if we have more than 4 sets of components. So, umm... just want to know if I should hand them all to the quest NPC before the quest changes.

when we eventually get to changing the quests... the darkhollow seals is already so simple, probably no change.

The Ancestral book will probably be changing to a "loot" type task, so yeah, you would want to use your stuff, though I could possibly do the new "collect" type (if all the bugs with it are ironed out, which I think they do already, but I have not researched it yet) but that is quite a bit away so you have plenty of time.

[Ngreth Thergn]

Ngreth said Lambent Stones are going away? I thought they were used in a Quest or two at least I know of a Bard Quest they are used in and I think I remember a Wizard Quest as well...

Yup I thought so:Bard Lambent Gems
Darkwood Staff

Their use in cultural will be going away. They will still drop.
They are one of the reasons I cannot do a raw item exchange, and only a "swatch" exchange. I cannot stop lambent stoned from dropping, and if I am going to have proper control over the drops, I need to be able to have just one source. We don't mind an initial influx (with people converting swatches) but don't want a continued extra source of them coming in.

[Ngreth Thergn]

Let me start with, I think the changes to the system sound well thought out and sound like it should ease a lot of the disparities amongst the races. The advance notice is also great.


I am a bit confused why the seals will be changing at all. If the inks, parchments and tablets are not changing and if the seals are the "easy" part, why would they need to be changed at all?

I guess the guild needs to not change any of the LB Steel / Silk into Seals except on a per use basis as to not end up with worthless Seals.

That was more a "consistency" thing than a true necessity. Plus at some point in the future, we can reclaim the extra items (the various silks, leathers and steels) to use as cash loot or some such.

[Ngreth Thergn]

First I would like to thank Ngreth for the many responses to the posts in this thread. I think its great.

Will the recipes for Alchemy and Jewelcrafting be changed? The Alchemy recipes went through an overhaul a few expansions ago, so I don't know if that tradeskill needs revamping. And Jewelcrafting seems fairly straightforward for the majority of recipes: a precious metal and a jewel.

I have seen many references to soft and hard caps in this post, and I am not really sure what they mean. Would someone be so kind as to explain this, or point me towards an existing source that does? I would greatly appreciate it.

Neranya
Shadowknight of Stromm

Alchemy no, it has had its revamp. It will get new recipes using the existing revamp at some point, but not another revamp.

At some point in the FAR future, jewelcraft will be getting a revamp.

[Ngreth Thergn]

I agree with Neranya 100% -- this post has been really interesting to read especially with Ngreth's concise answers.

I realise that there are many factors affecting when these changes will come into effect, but I am curious if we are talking hours, days, or a week passed the upcoming (4/18/07) patch? Will there be any "final" warning (say 24 hours in advance) that the changes are being implemented?

Sorry to be such a pest, it's just that (while I have used up all my TS material) I don't want to put my TS advancement on pause indefinitely. If the changes are still a week away, I would like to continue buying components and skilling up.

I don't know yet. It is held by thing I am not in control of.

Possibly the patch after that, but there I definitely do not know when. As for "final" warning... you will have to watch the boards.

It is of course entirely possible that the changes I need are made, I put in the data I have been holding, and an emergency patch accidentally puts in in early. And that is the nature of an emergency patch unfortuantely. But these are, despite all peoples complaining about them, reasonable rare outside of an expansion release (OK they are common at an expansion release). Since we are beyond expansion releases, it is reasonably safe that there will be warning.

All that said. don't keep collecting pieces and waiting for the last minute to do a run, that is just a formula for sadness. Something could happen in your life that delays your ability to come in and do the combines, and then you are sad again, and it has nothing to do with patches. You have your warning, do your combines now

[Flessan]

Announcement of Changes

I heard about the changes from a guildie, but otherwise knew nothing about them. One of my biggest complaints about the changes that go into EQ is the lack of communication before its done. Sure, the people here, or over at Sony's EQ boards get advanced notice, but what about the people who are not visiting the boards regularly?

Please - Make sure they do the following...

1) An ingame MoTD that states the changes are coming. Give people at least 2 weeks to use up their old ingredients.

2) News after a patch - While not EVERYONE reads the ENTIRE news file, be sure to highlight in the top of a patch message that changes are coming.
**** Important changes coming to cultural tradeskills! ****

If you don't do that, you (well, not you directly) will get lots of people complaining that there was no warning!

Thanks

Flessan

[Strokker]

WOW Ngreth has been one busy Ogre this morning 4 post here in just over 10 minutes...Thanks for the clarification on the Lambent Stones Ngreth...Is there any official ETA on this change, I might have missed it.

[Nilbus]

That was more a "consistency" thing than a true necessity. Plus at some point in the future, we can reclaim the extra items (the various silks, leathers and steels) to use as cash loot or some such.

Wouldn't it fit more in line with the other changes if the Seals were still used, but just had different recipes to make them with new drops? That way people can make seals now and still have a use for them

[Qaladar Bragollach]

Here's me with a Last Blood Seal and guild not quite in demi-plane yet. If seals dont need to be changed then dont change them.

[Yank]

Dear Ngreth Thergn (House Ogre) SOE-DEV,

Thank you for this information.

I agree with the above request/statement that a MOTD needs be posted explaining that this major change is coming. Prefereably with some LINK mentioned where the official "this is what im doing" statement exists.

On Fennin Ro there were a number of people shouting about this in pok, and a LARGE number of false statements (based on your msgs) were made about the changes.


People spent a lot of time farming to gather parts for these combines, its NOT all X farming and hording. Anyone in the existing game can farm and acquire the drops they need unless its the non-existant hides halflings need. Piles of gravel? they also drop in other zones besides the ones listed.

People like me are causal players who cant farm w/o help. Im a nerfed enchanter. Try as a chanter w/o uber gear to farm diamond dust. It does drop and that fact has allowed me to get my smithing to 275. I CANT farm the other mobs and other drops... Soloing was killed with the charm nerfs.

I double dog dare you to make a chanter - in todays world. and solo your way up... trying to get your TS' to 300.

[Kcalehc]

I double dog dare you to make a chanter - in todays world. and solo your way up... trying to get your TS' to 300.

Why should you have it easy? Dont expect to have things handed to you on a plate because you can't or won't put in the effort to get them. I wouldn't expect to be able to solo in Time as a warrior, because of the limitations of my class (and the fact that the place is pretty hard). Get groups or lose unrealistic expectations.

Not to mention that if it was made easy enough for you to solo, imagine how flooded the market would get considering all the multi-boxers and raid level players that might be farming.

Sorry.

[beryon]

Will cultural waters still be usable or will they be obsolete once the recipes change?

[dragonfire]

All that said. don't keep collecting pieces and waiting for the last minute to do a run, that is just a formula for sadness. Something could happen in your life that delays your ability to come in and do the combines, and then you are sad again, and it has nothing to do with patches. You have your warning, do your combines now

for everyone asking for WARNING guess what he just gave you one~!

ok think i understand books i quested for augs are staying? correct?
what about waters, patttens, molds? these all get dumped too destroy? understand useing up all ingredients just curious main ts'er has bags setup for all 4 lvls of armor and has books still for all of them will be one of the upset ones if after killing 120spiders and looting 80 clusters in don only events be mad set back too square one. sorry for rant

[Maevenniia]

the quests for the books are not gonna change right away, and once the new quests DO go in, Ngreth stated the old ones will still be complete-able, you just won't be able to GET the old quests after the new ones go in....

...so do not panic!

[Twistagain]

for everyone asking for WARNING guess what he just gave you one~!

Actually, I think the biggest concern is that the warnings have been on here and on EQ's forums...people who don't check the forums may not have a clue that it's coming.