Blight Update 229

[Hoberton]

Blight Update 229 will be applied to the Blight Testing Shard and includes the following additions, changes, and fixes.


Fixes

• Frig Tallowgar, the Imperial Quartermaster at the Imperial Outpost now sells formulas for Master Cut Gem, Master Essence Orb, Master Fabric Spool, Master Metal Bar, Master Stone Brick, and Master Wood Board. As a result, the Cenotaph NPCs in the Eastern Deadlands will no longer offer the master resource formulas.

Please do not mess with the Cenotaphs. I like that you have to get the formulas from them.

Is this just a money sink issue or some other reason that they are being sold now, instead of earning them and braving the dangers of the Eastern Deadlands?

[Sigi]

You can buy them at the QM but the brave can still get them at the Cenotaphs, what about that idea?

[Teto Frum]

I say stay with cenotaph only if we are to have any say.

[Mimir]

I say stay with cenotaph. Hey! why don't we just give all forms to all players, and auto upgrade after so many days played... you don't have to do anything except show up?

Seriously what is the point?

[Teto Frum]

I have never once heard of anyone who doesn't have the master forms now that wants them. It is probably right now the largest time sink in the game to tech the stuff to get it and then get out there and get it. Now you can just buy it and then head to a xpertshop to scribe it. Killing comp hunting and comp sales. Be careful how many time sinks you remove from your game. I really like how hard they are to get, makes having them special.

[Northwind]

Broken Items

• Dragon Broken Items have been added to the game. Formulas for repair have been added to Queriatia in Dralk and Resiata in Chiconis. As was done when we introduced biped broken items, a special vendor, Rose, will be set up on Blight ONLY so that players may purchase the components for crafting these new items during the testing phase. (Biped broken items components have been removed from Rose with this update.)

Just GREAT!

Fixes

• Corrected the description of the Flamestone of Drulkar. It will also now have a proper chance to fire when casting spells, instead of when using melee or ranged attacks.

Erm... Since I'm a fervent user (read: The Flamestone It's always in my fighting claw) of it I can assure you that the proc was actually firing from both spells and breaths attacks and never from melee/ranged
If you improved the chance to proc only, then sorry and many thanks - the proc rate was a bit on the rare side.

Regarding the Master Forms being sold... well I don't mind it at all, but i would leave the Cenotaphs as well.

[Racktor]

I would very much prefer if the formulas were left at the Cenotaphs. Reading their story as a part of lore as well as getting the master formula at the end if you had enough skill felt special and well worth the pain and suffering of getting the tech'ed scales or braving the deadlands. Please leave them at the Cenotaphs.

[Mimir]

I feel less and less like the time and effort I put into the game means a thing. Some things done in game give a sense of pride and accomplishment. I should have just waited. Everything I need or ever will need will be available at the corner Istaria Circle K.

[Arzel Rashemi]

the Cenotaph NPCs in the Eastern Deadlands will no longer offer the master resource formulas.

There will be no getting the forms from the Cenotaphs according to this.

If crafting is optional in this game, then let it be that. Leave the cenotaphs alone please. Those crafters who want the master forms so badly will take the chance to go and get them. Some of us were around when the community busted their hinies to build those things. Seems a shame to waste the hard work, and I agree with previous posts.

I love that it is a challenge to actually have to get something in this game where it isn't just given to you on a platter. Almost every game has those difficult to get items in it, which only those who really want it will work hard to get.

I love the history and game lore you learn from the cenotaphs about some of the plots and schemes the aegis did that went in their favour. To take that lore away makes the aegis look less conniving and capable of intricate thoughts and tactics, certainly where the past leading up to the great battle of tazoon is concerned. It seems that more and more they are looking like boring mindless zombies which are easy push overs, and one would wonder how they were even able to get to be the threat they were to successfully besiege Tazoon, Rachival, Feladan, and Aug. To have a good story, you have to have well thought out conflict, not a zombie apocalypse.

[Peaches]

I hated the many deaths that I got from going to the centotaphs. I think this is a great idea cuz now we dont have to have umpteen deaths from the centotaphs. This is just my opinion, not right nor wrong.

[jerk-o]

I'd be ok with having Frig selling the master resource forms (For a very high price) and also have the cenotaphs giving out the forms like they have been doing.

[Ssilmath]

I see no reason not to make the Master forms available for sale, provided the Cenotaphs provide something else to make them worth visiting. However, I see no reason why somebody who has ground their craft levels to the point of being able to use Master forms would be required to go into the Eastern Deadlands in order to complete their classes. Adventurers don't have to craft T6 weapons to get their level 100 abilities.

[awdz]

I remember crafting master level things to earn tokens to buy formulas from Frig Tallowar. If the basic forms must be bought, can folks still earn tokens by making things or are they stuck trying to get someone else to supply that much material (so that they can get a formula to make intermediate materials, to earn more tokens to buy the final product formulas)? Or am I just out of touch with how formulas are obtained from Frig these days?

[Knossos]

I remember crafting master level things to earn tokens to buy formulas from Frig Tallowar. If the basic forms must be bought, can folks still earn tokens by making things or are they stuck trying to get someone else to supply that much material (so that they can get a formula to make intermediate materials, to earn more tokens to buy the final product formulas)? Or am I just out of touch with how formulas are obtained from Frig these days?

Frig sells an array of Formulas for his own coin - and rank tokens are each worth 4 of his coin. Frig also has quests for level 100 crafters, these to earn a rank token per quest, his quests are craft quests. Near Frig at the Imperial outpost is NPC Burris. Burris offers quests to Level 100 Adventurers. Burris quests reward 1 rank token for Trophies on his quest list. In addition some of the quests from the Lieutenant (or is it Leftenant?) Carmichael at Delgarath reward rank token(s).

Hope this info is of some use in this discussion.

As for the Master Formulae from the Cenotaphs, there is currently a bit of game imbalance. Dragons having craft skill appropriate to each of the Cenotaph Master Forms can obtain the according Master Form while in flight - and thus do not face the possibility of attack from the Cenotaph Guardians (a privilege not accorded to bipeds seeking to obtain the Master Forms from the Cenotaphs).

My vote would be to retain the Cenotaphs and the Master Forms as presently available from them - for the sake of the Lore and the effort to build the Cenotaphs and for the challenge of the adventurer - and also add these Master Forms to Frig's list so that crafters who do not choose to be high level (or Multi-classed) Adventurers can obtain these forms on the basis of high achievement of craft leveling.

Knossos

[Mimir]

Frig sells an array of Formulas for his own coin - and rank tokens are each worth 4 of his coin. Frig also has quests for level 100 crafters, these to earn a rank token per quest, his quests are craft quests. Near Frig at the Imperial outpost is NPC Burris. Burris offers quests to Level 100 Adventurers. Burris quests reward 1 rank token for Trophies on his quest list. In addition some of the quests from the Lieutenant (or is it Leftenant?) Carmichael at Delgarath reward rank token(s).

Hope this info is of some use in this discussion.

As for the Master Formulae from the Cenotaphs, there is currently a bit of game imbalance. Dragons having craft skill appropriate to each of the Cenotaph Master Forms can obtain the according Master Form while in flight - and thus do not face the possibility of attack from the Cenotaph Guardians (a privilege not accorded to bipeds seeking to obtain the Master Forms from the Cenotaphs).

My vote would be to retain the Cenotaphs and the Master Forms as presently available from them - for the sake of the Lore and the effort to build the Cenotaphs and for the challenge of the adventurer - and also add these Master Forms to Frig's list so that crafters who do not choose to be high level (or Multi-classed) Adventurers can obtain these forms on the basis of high achievement of craft leveling.

Knossos

Oh OK, let the bipeds buy the forms as it seems no biped has the master ability now...no wait they are the only race that has the ability to get 2:1 on T6 with relative ease.

I say open up the whole can o worms for master forms. If they are purchasable then make them also usable by dragons. Not just the 5:1 and now the token 3:1 (2:1 with crystals and biped buffs).

This would only be fair dealings for all races... let everyone get the forms for no danger but let ALL races use them to their fullest. Other than that leave the game as it is.

Wonders why we all worked so hard to dig the diamond cenotaph lair?

[Ssilmath]

Is this thread really going to descend into Dragon Vs Biped? Please, please, please don't do that. This is far more to do with allowing crafters the ability to finish out their skills without needing to be accomplished adventurers, not about screwing over dragons. This happens every time.

And also don't get high and mighty over past constructions or events barring the enjoyment of newer players. I notice that there is no Novo, or anything pertaining to that event, around. ((Barring Novians, which is a mechanic)) Nothing commemorating the XP I ground into T5 before Mithril was in game. There are only a few artifacts still floating around from before, and that is how it should be. Denying progress in the name of nostalgia or self righteousness is wrong hearted.

[Marynah]

Actually, this may have come out of the wood cenotaph NPC (and maybe all of them, I didn't check) failing to spawn for over a month now.

[Arzel Rashemi]

My vote would be to retain the Cenotaphs and the Master Forms as presently available from them - for the sake of the Lore and the effort to build the Cenotaphs and for the challenge of the adventurer - and also add these Master Forms to Frig's list so that crafters who do not choose to be high level (or Multi-classed) Adventurers can obtain these forms on the basis of high achievement of craft leveling.

Knossos

I could second this, tho i'd rather they just left them alone, but if it meets a happy medium for everyone, I can go for that.

However, for some to simplify the importance of the past eight years of player contributions, which have shaped this game's history, lore, and world, so that it may be cast aside when they personally believe it is obsolete is exceedingly arrogant, self-centered, and dismissive of the precious few things this game still has around from an eight year long history.

I wonder, doubtful as this is, if the devs would ever run such a world shaping event again like those. Could be alot of fun, that. I don't know why they couldn't work in the revamp of the tiered areas to be an event like that, but its a topic for its own thread.

[Mimir]

How about adding the uber weapons, scales, and other equipment to that npc as well? I thing the demon claw might be desired by a few... Or how about we remove the attuned status on everything, then we (who don't mind dp) can have a means to get cash fetching those items that are hard? to get.

Or much better make getting dead in game something to be feared? As it is now all it costs you is a bit of time, very little silver and sitting in a tavern for a few moments. Other games I have played, we loose ships, equipment quality, and even items in our inventory. Seems dp here is pretty much nothing to be feared but welcomed as a diversion to the grind. Just my two copper worth...done with this thread as already had one post deleted.

[Velea]

I've been following this thread and wanted to take a moment to respond about the Cenotaphs and why they will no longer give out formulas. The honest answer is that when the Master formulas were change in the previous delta set, something in the cenotaphs was broken. We don't know what, and have spent a few weeks trying to determine what, only to conclude that we have no idea why they are not working. In theory they should be, but in practice we can confirm is that they aren't.

So then we started looking at how they fit into the game design over all, and to be quite frank, they don't. As has been mentioned already in this thread, the Cenotaphs are for a variety of reasons something which simply doesn't fit with the game as we have been designing it. We are doing our best to make "just" crafting as an option, though not an easy one, and having the three Master formulas simply handed out by NPC's in the middle of a rather intense adventuring area simply doesn't accomplish that. Further, simply giving players formulas with nothing taken in exchange (no coin to have to earn, no tokes to have to gather) also doesn't make sense.

It does, however, make sense to provide these formulas on Frig, as he already has Master formulas of various types.

As for the Cenotaphs themselves.. it should have been noted in the patch notes that the lore the Cenotaphs have wasn't changed. Anyone who makes their way to them and greets them will still get the lore for now, and eventually we'd like to modify them to have lore which fits into the game on a more long term basis. I've updated the patch notes to reflect that. All that was changed is what was broken with them...that they were not giving out the formulas any longer. Now they won't give out the formulas, but this in on purpose and players can obtain them via Frig instead. Since the last patch, no one was able to obtain those Master forms.

We are also looking at if we have caused a cyclical problem where players can't get tokens to buy the formulas they need from Frig because Frig's quests require you to have the basic formulas in order to earn the tokens.