Hi Sloth,
I’m Gorka, I spend a lot of my time collecting integers. I update these integers on a chunk of metal in a foreign country. It gives me immense pleasure.
I have long puzzled over the mysteries and culture of our game, analysing, observing and thinking. One of these great mysteries is what to do about the divide between the players that “can” and the players who “can’t.” The players that “have” and the players who “have not.” It appears to me that there are two problems in this mystery, big bloated players who have far more than they need, and small whiny players who can’t take self responsibility or work for their own needs. I see both types of players as a different kind of the same evil and the solution in both cases is greater self responsibility. The bloated player needs to understand that to whom much is given, much is required… and the small whiny player needs to understand that there is no such thing as a free lunch, and true reward is EARNED through hard work and not handouts. Of course there are just normal players, friendly and helpful who are always reasonable… they aren’t part of the problem, and they are a pleasure to play with.
I’ve devised an experiment to explore the possibility of narrowing the divide, while trying to be fair and reasonable about it, without undermining the most important principle of the game that makes us all stronger… and that reward is work. It’s a very difficult problem to share what one doesn’t need, without denying the other the value of working for it. How does one share what he doesn’t need without making the culture weaker? How does one acquire something through work for someone who has everything?
A few times I’ve suggested to Breeze that rebirths should be able to trade spare runes for drachma. Breeze was not against the idea, it’s just an issue that requires the type of thought that takes time, and then more time to implement. The most important point I guess, is how much drachma should a rune be worth? My original proposal was that t1 runes should be worth nothing (Reece Trade Only), t2’s should be worth 25 drachma and t3’s should be worth 50 drachma. Obviously a smart player would keep spare runes for contingencies, but even so he will still end up with spares if he plays long enough. I ask would your standard 700 drachma item be worth 14 (x 50dr) t3 runes? It sounds reasonable (if not expensive). Scaind suggested 35 drachma… ie, the same yield as a hardish auto quest. Dingo has suggested 50-100 drachma for a Rhodo, but admitted there was no love for Jasper Runes. So it seems a starting point for the idea was around 35-75 depending on the value of the t3 rune.
So my next problem was that not all runes were created equal. So I spent a bit of time sorting them into 8 groups rather than the 3 tiers to organise their value a bit better. It’s still not perfect but here is what I came up with…
GEM VALUE CONSIDERATIONS:
DOES EVERY ONE NEED IT? Points+
DOES ONLY ONE CLASS REALLY USE IT? Points-
IS THE ITEM ON A DOUBLE SLOT? Points+
IS THE ITEM PRACTICALLY JUNK? Points-
WHAT IS THE TIER VALUE? Points+
Group 1
Bloodstone - 3 POI RING
Carnelian - 3 PETRI RING
Chalcedony - 2 BREATH RING
Brilliant Green Garnet - 1 BREATH FEET
Group 2
Coral - 5 HP SHIELD
Dark Green Spinel - 5 HP BODY
Pearl - 5 HP FEET
Orange Zircon - 20 FLAIL ARMS
Pale Golden Pearl - 20 FLAIL WRIST
Peridot - 30 MV BODY
Citrine - 1 CHAR ROBE
Moss Agate - 1 CHAR HANDS
Quartz - 10 KICK FEET
Zircon - 10 KICK LEGS
Amber - 15 CIRCLE ARMS
Deep Blue Spinel - 5 HPR LEGS
Salmon Pink Garnet - 5 MVR FEET
Silver Pearl - 1 PARA FEET
Freshwater Pearl - 3 PARA RING
Red Spinel - 30 MV SHIELD
Rock Crystal Quartz - 1 SAVES FEET
Group 3
Fire Opal - 15 CIRCLE WEAPON (Prime)
Opal - 15 CIRCLE WRIST (Prime)
Azurite - DEX LIGHT
Banded Agate - STR LIGHT
Blue Quartz - INT LIGHT
Lapus Lazuli - CON LIGHT
Hematite - WIS LIGHT
Jasper - UC ROBE
Jade - 12 SD HANDS
Champagne Pearl - 1 SHOCK WRIST
Crysoberyl - 1 SHOCK ARMS
Water Opal - 12 SD WEAPON
Group 4
Purple Star Sapphire - 2 HIT HANDS
Blue Star Sapphire - 2 HIT WEAPON
Eye Agate - 2 SAVES ROBE
Chrysoprase - 2 SAVES RING
Bright Green Emerald - 5 MP SHIELD
Brown Red Spinel - 5 MP BODY
Aquamarine - 5 MP ROBE
Group 5
Alexandrite - 1 DR BODY
Amethyst - 2 WD ARMS
Pink Diamond - 4 HB HEAD
Smokey Quartz - 4 HB WAIST
Gray White Diamond - 4 HB NECK
Light Blue Iolite - 4 HB WAIST
Sardonyx - 10 MVR LEGS
Moonstone - 10 MVR FEET
Violet Garnet - 0.1 AC BODY
Silvery Blue Pearl - 1 HD HANDS
White Opal - 5 SD WRIST
Group 6
Aventurine - 1 DR WAIST
Emerald - MAX_WIS LIGHT
Jacinth - 0.1 AC WAIST
Obsidian - MAX_CON LIGHT
Tiger Eye - MAX_INT LIGHT
Golden Yellow Topaz - 1 HD WRIST
Colorless Sapphire - 2 WD WEAPON
Group 7
Malachite - MAX_STR LIGHT
Rose Quartz - 4 SB WAIST
Sapphire - 4 SB HEAD
Ruby - 1 MAR HANDS
Jet - 1 DAM HANDS
Black Onyx - 1 DAM WEAPON
Group 8
Tourmaline - 4 SB NECK
Star Ruby - 1 MR NECK
Tomb Jade - 2 WD WRIST
Rhodochrosite - MAX_DEX LIGHT
Now there is a forge in the game for white cloaks… it has the following cp’s… 1 x a hematite ankh, 1 x a glowing sun symbol, 1 x a grey robe, 1 x a long grey cloak. The ankh is essentially 2 grey robes, so basically it is 3 grey robes, a long grey cloak, and a sun symbol. Now this forge gives 3 drachma each time, and it’s renewable. I think it’s the only renewable drachma in the game but as far as I know, no one farms it because 3 drachma just isn’t enough to make it worth it, and the mob which pops the long grey robe isn’t solo for everyone. Everyone kind of expects about 150 drachma+ from a holiday quest, so the 3 renewable dr remained in the game for years, un-abused as far as I know.
Now the 3 grey robes and the sun symbol are newbie mobs, they require an item from the sun priestess which is somewhat stingy and 12 strips of cloths from juniors which have a very good pop rate (but are annoying). My idea is to trade these items for RUNES/GEMS. This way, all desirable outcomes can be met…
I can source drachma and fulfill a certain amount of responsibility I have.
A player (even a Newbie!) can source something they can not get through cycling, and often even gem trading.
The culture (that builds better players) who seek reward through work (not whining) is protected.
GROUP 1 GEM - I don’t wish to trade at this level…
GROUP 2 GEM - 20 points
GROUP 3 GEM - 30 points
GROUP 4 GEM - 40 points
GROUP 5 GEM - 50 points
GROUP 6 GEM - 60 points
GROUP 7 GEM - 70 points
GROUP 8 GEM - I don’t wish to trade at this level… (yet)
EXTRA: Rune dipped in the green blessed blood of a kobold… +50,000 coins.
Long Grey Cloak = 15 points
Sun Symbol = 5 points
Grey Robe = 5 points
Obsolete Forge Eq = X points by mutual agreement (Yes, I am desiring obsolete forge eq)
NOTE: Sometimes I will accept a trade for a gem in the same group… or less of course…!
FOR COINS!
** I will buy long grey cloaks for 3m coins.
** I will sell spell saves runes for 10m each.
** I will sell completed white cloak’s for 5m after I have skimmed the drachma.
** I will buy Grey Robe’s or Sun Symbols for 500k coins.
NOTE: This entire scheme is subject to change at any point. If you wish to get involved, you need to come to an agreement with me FIRST, and I will put the GEM/RUNE to one side. So tell me what you are are working towards FIRST. I promise that if the scheme changes, that what we agreed on before it changed, will be honored.
After an incident today, I just wanted to reaffirm that this trading scheme is still open, and some people have already used it to get gems they needed.
Secondly, I am collecting forges, because I am kind of fond of the days when forges were actually useful for something, and I feel perhaps in someway they still can be… if it means at least you get something out of them that you need. If you have old pieces of forged eq collecting dust in your vault and you need a specific gem/s, catch me in game and maybe we can work something out.