Changes to Equipment

[sylphan]

What positive difference will it make if there is a set amount of X item, that will appear at any random time...
Compared to each spawn having a decreasing possibility to have said item, with increased numbers of them?

The first version will always result in fewer items available.

Are you saying that we are now running the second of these two models? Was this change announced, and I missed it?

[Cherek]

I'm all for making magic armours more rare. But I'd do that by limiting the amount that can exist at once. For example, x bracers per arma

We had this system before and we changed it because it caused several issues, and something that a lot of players (rightfully) complained about. The main issue in my opinion was that certain players/guilds hogged items for months or even years, making EQ-hunting for these items completely pointless for everyone else.

Once you get hold of ALL copies it's so much easier to keep them and "recycle" them. For example, if you have all five crystal axes, you keep track on their expiry date, and when they are about to expire, you throw them into the Avenir sea, and then go camp the NPC that has it until it spaws with a new copy. Repeat this forever, and you can basically keep all copies of a certain item for as long as you want.

EQ hoarders and/or guilds would also gather every copy of a certain item just to keep it from their enemies, even if they didn't have any use for the item themselves. Not against the rules of course, but not such a fun system either, if you ask me.

The current system, where NPCs always have a percentage chance of spawning with the good stuff, is in my opinion much more fair. There is still a clear advantage to being an EQ-hunter, but everyone has a chance to get something good when killing a boss NPC. With a set limit per armageddon, EQ-hunting will likely be almost pointless for the majority of players, as the EQ-hoarder will quickly claim all available copies, and have a big edge in getting new copies by using the "recycling strategy".

[Cherek]

I can buy that reasoning but please remove the randomness in quality if you make it this rare. It should be top notch if you manage to find one.

Are you referring to any specific item, or just top-notch items in general?

[Skythus]

I do think that really good mundane armors should be something we can spend our coin on. Currency is essentially frozen labor, and it would give something to blow money on other than imbues, herbs, and bath trips.

[Chanele]

I can buy that reasoning but please remove the randomness in quality if you make it this rare. It should be top notch if you manage to find one.

Are you referring to any specific item, or just top-notch items in general?

Some items spawns with different qualities. If you are lucky you get a good one, if you are me you get a bad one.
The point is, if you make the item rare the randomness should be removed otherwise you need "double" luck. First to actually find the NPC with the item, next roll would be quality....not really fair.

[cotillion]

I can buy that reasoning but please remove the randomness in quality if you make it this rare. It should be top notch if you manage to find one.

Are you referring to any specific item, or just top-notch items in general?

Some items spawns with different qualities. If you are lucky you get a good one, if you are me you get a bad one.
The point is, if you make the item rare the randomness should be removed otherwise you need "double" luck. First to actually find the NPC with the item, next roll would be quality....not really fair.

I think random weapon quality is mostly a historic issue. Maybe your weapon was just very scarred by battle?
If you think some item is very random let me know and I'll take a look. Its usually not something we want.

[Cherek]

I can buy that reasoning but please remove the randomness in quality if you make it this rare. It should be top notch if you manage to find one.

Are you referring to any specific item, or just top-notch items in general?

Some items spawns with different qualities. If you are lucky you get a good one, if you are me you get a bad one.
The point is, if you make the item rare the randomness should be removed otherwise you need "double" luck. First to actually find the NPC with the item, next roll would be quality....not really fair.

Yes, I know some such items exist, and I get what you mean. Just wondered which pariticular item(s) you are referring to. I can think of two on the top of my head... tell me or Cot which ones you suspect are like that. You know where to find us!

[Snedecor]

Personally, I think the changes suck. I have been on three hunting trips for sturdy greaves/bracers raking the forests and have found nothing.

That's not fun. That's just hell. Any tank will run through good armours before they have a chance to get new good armours with this rarity rate. This is forcing people to become EQ hunting drug addicts to be able to maintain their ability to have good gear.

[Thalric]

Or perhaps it is just forcing people to begin exploring the realms to find alternatives.
People have become too used to have a specific super item, so thinking about anything else doesn't cross their mind.

If you're hungry and can't get the exact thing you want the most, you don't just go back home and starve.
Most people don't, at least.

[Cherek]

Personally, I think the changes suck. I have been on three hunting trips for sturdy greaves/bracers raking the forests and have found nothing.

That's not fun. That's just hell. Any tank will run through good armours before they have a chance to get new good armours with this rarity rate. This is forcing people to become EQ hunting drug addicts to be able to maintain their ability to have good gear.

There are plenty of other greaves/bracers in the game of very good quality. Perhaps go for those instead? I know almost everyone (even including many newbies) have gotten used to always having sturdy bracers/greaves but, honestly, every player should NOT have the best armours at all times. I don't think that's good game design, so, we're not reverting this back to the way it was. Maybe the droprate of some items still need to be tweaked, but Cotillion is monitoring that and will adjust things if we notice something ends up being _too_ rare.

Considering the quality level of the sturdy greaves and bracers, they SHOULD be rare. They never should have been as common as they were. I get that it sucks from a personal perspective, but I that think if you look at the bigger picture, you'll also agree that they were too easy to get before?