Full Capacity Gnomish Vanishing Device on Test

[splunge]

Yay! I said this 5 weeks ago.....

/beats head on table

[Bushnell]

Indeed you did. I am sorry - I read the beginning of the thread, then went out to try to get raw infused dark matter, which is nearly impossible to find on Fennin Ro. What with doing Christmas on top of working 50-60 hour weeks, it was not until now I did the combine, with an old half capacity, and was so excited that that worked that I carelessly posted.

The whole thing IS really moot cause the raw infused dark matter cannot be had, at least on Fennin Ro

Bushnell

[Taadieri]

The biggest problem with the new recipe is that while it does increase the number of uses between recharging, it does not significantly increase the number of charges you have for a given amount of inventory space.

Previously, 1 GVD + 1 stack of mana batteries + 1 collapsed toolkit (or use deluxe toolkit as a container) = 105 charges of invis with 100 additional charges for each extra stack of batteries you carry.

Now 1 FcGVD + 1 stack of infused dark matter + collapsed or deluxe toolkit = 110 charges + 100 additional charges per extra stack of infused dark matter.

In addition, while it is possible to camp the raw infused dark matter or to find it on npc vendors from time to time, it is not particularly common and the bazaar price tends to be insanely high on Tarew Marr.

Changing the recipe for the Full Capacity GVD to use just 1 infused dark matter per recharge would bring both of these issues into better balance.

[Druegar]

I agree with Taadieri, but I would be just as happy (if not more so) if the FCGVD gave us a fixed-duration invisibility instead if the random-duration the HCGVD gives. That would make it worth the extra effort, price, and inventory space IMO.

[Gello]

The root problem is that it uses a dropped component that takes far more time and effort to gather than it takes to buy the equivalent from a vendor. Even if they changed it from two to one infused dark matter, it would not remove this fundamental problem.

Anyone can go up to a vendor in many zones and buy class 5 batteries for 52 plat. One shift+click and you have 100 charges of invis without going out of your way. It will cost 1040 plat but big deal. If this isn't chump change to you, then you're likely not in a position to gather the raw dark matter.

For the full version you will need to spend days hunting in KT or yxxta to accomplish what it took 1040 plat to do and a trip 500 feet from the bank in PoK. You could easily gain much more than 1040 plat and the xp in the time you wasted (and your friends wasted) in KT/yxxta. With this extreme effort, you're unlikely to waste it by having the gnome in abysmal refine the dark matter. So you need to hunt down a tinkerer.

If possible, the developers should try to find out how many mana batteries are made vs bought. I'm certain the number will be enormously on the bought side. Something like 2% made to 98% bought. Even with a cost difference of 2 gold vs 52 plat. The reason is the same as the popularity of the HCGVD: Convenience.

I fear this and the knife stamper are examples that there will never be convenience in EQ again without paying an exhorbinant amount of time, effort and favors from friends. This is not convenience at all.

[Xanafeldier]

With this extreme effort, you're unlikely to waste it by having the gnome in abysmal refine the dark matter. So you need to hunt down a tinkerer.

Not just any tinker. A tinker that's done the quest combines then done 300 to 400+ dark matter refines for the best return.

Once we found out dark matter was only to make batteries many said "pfft" and didn't bother.

[Rinalthelis]

Live?

Full Capacity GVD is for sale for 40k in the Bazaar on Karana right now (1/11/05). I guess this is live now.

[Darkmatil]

On Brell the only Raw infused dark matter i've seen being sold in bazaar was 1500pp a piece, and there were only like two of them. Sounds really worth it!

[Xanafeldier]

On Brell the only Raw infused dark matter i've seen being sold in bazaar was 1500pp a piece, and there were only like two of them. Sounds really worth it!

Most people either
1) don't know what it's used for at all
2) don't know how useful/useless it is
3) figure someone with more platinum than brains will buy it just 'cause it's uber.

20k platinum pieces for a Fully Charged Gnomish Vanishing Device is, quite frankly, stupid. Maybe, MAYBE, a stack of the Infused Dark Matter to recharge the device but not the device itself.
1500 each for raw results in three 10kpp stacks of refined at best, or two 15kpp stacks.

The refined material can be made into class 6 mana batteries.

The recipe is convoluted and takes some staring at it to understand.
A) 1 Raw can= 3 Infused Dark Matter
B) 3 Infused Dark Matter= 6 Portions of Infused Dark Matter
C) 6 Portions= 30 Grains of Infused Dark Matter
D1) 30 Grains of Infused Dark Matter = 5 Class 6 Mana Batteries
__________<...or...>________
D2) 30 Grains of Infused Dark Matter = 6 Class 5 Mana Batteries

(2 of them turned into class 5 batteries results in 12 recharges of 5 charges each instead of just ONE charge of 10. Um... lemme see... 60 casts of invisibility or 10... gee, I can't decide. )

One stack of Raw Infused Dark Matter has the possibility to equal FIVE stacks of Class 6 Mana Batteries. That equals 10,500pp spent at an npc merchant. 525pp best case result of each Raw.

Using it to recharge a GVD?
A) *2* Raw Infused Dark Matter =
B) 4 to 6 Infused Dark Matter =
C) 8 to 12 Portions of Infused Dark Matter=
C) 8 to 12 Class Five Mana Batteries =
D) 420 to 630pp at an npc merchant =
E) 210 to 315pp per Raw Infused Dark Matter.

Also, normal Raw Dark Matter makes, at best, 3 Class 5 Mana batteries. They're cheap on most servers and can even be found for a little over 3pp on npc merchants. 2 raw can get you 4-6 gvd recharges.

This particular item has a limited usefulness and price due to everyone having access to the PoK where an npc (the closet gnome) resides. Perhaps if the only location for class 6 mana batteries was in the Plane of Innovation things would be different.... except you can LOOT them for FREE on the way there. If you clear to the npc and back you have the chance of looting useful numbers of both classes of battery.

Everyone join me in rolling this post up and smacking anyone selling the stuff on the nose. Bad merchant! Bad. Give it to a gnome, make them happy! Make them run! See them run to and fro in delight wasting time on conversions and running to Abysmal Sea for battery casings! See them sitting for hours in The Wakening Lands waiting on a haze panther that isn't blind... See them ask for ports to The Wakening Lands and Abysmal Sea wasting part of what profit they may make just in getting there! Dance, little gnome, dance!

One last thought: Someone screwed up and it should have been 2 Dark Matter, not 2 Infused Dark Matter for the GVD. Looked at from the side of the non-gnome GVD user 2 Raw Dark Matter would be more fair, but let's not even try that mm'k?

(Edits: Many. You try getting all that right with a wife and 5 kids in the same room on a saturday afternoon. )