I totally agree, given the number of corpses randomization is certainly good enough. Divvying up will still be "optimal" but the gains probably aren't worth the effort.

Ah I see. You're creating a string array with the "-" separator. Nope, as long as you have an array and know the number of entries, you've achieved the same thing! Just a different array method .

Random will definitely work better than default, but the optimal will still be to divvy up the array you created based on the number of toons looting.

So you've got the number of corpses from ${SpawnCount[corpse radius ${LootRadius}]}, you'd need a new value for how many toons are doing the looting, say call it ${numLooting}.

Divide the num corpses by ${numLooting}, and then assign each toon to cycle through the array starting at the low+1 and ending at high.

For examples sake, 60 corpses and 6 toons looting. Array all the corpses, then divide by the numLooting of 6 = 10, assign a grouping to each toon. Toon 1 loots 0+1-10, Toon 2 loots 10+1-20 etc.

It's the optimal way, but definitely a lot more work on coding than randomizing.

No, random works as well as it does on any computer.

If all toons are working off a random sorting of the same list, they are going to have duplicates and try to loot a corpse ID that is gone and also have the chance of trying to loot the same ID at the same time. Chances will diminish the more corpses you have.

Creating an array allows you to divvy up the list of all corpse IDs to each toon without two toons being assigned to loot the same corpse. The array makes it easy to give each toon the ability to cycle through their portion of the array.

As for how to divvy up the list, I believe an array would be the cleanest/easiest method. If you've got another method you think is better to divvy up, by all means.

Not at all! Love the conversation.

Random will still result in the same issue.

You need to create a list of all corpses in range, put them in an array, and then divide that array of corpse IDs by however many toons are looting. Then you can have each toon loot through their division of the array.

Guild Name: (Next Gen)
Guild Leader: (Knorgar)

Updated. Follow instructions.

I haven't reach HoH yet, but the rest of the combines for getting to there are giving me carpal tunnel anyways.

Code:

|Combine HoH tokens
|Have an empty Magic Box in slot 10
|1 2
|3 4
|5 6
|7 8  
|9 10 <--Empty "A Magic Box"
|

Sub Main
|This is the slot of the Magic Box I'll be using. Use 10 since I'm using Auto Inventory
/declare MagicBoxSlot string outer pack10
|These are the items I'm going to check for, grab 2 of, and combine them in
/declare item1 string outer Split Paw Quest Token
/declare item2 string outer The Oceanlord Quest Token
/declare item3 string outer The Lightbringer Quest Token
/declare item4 string outer The Tranquil Quest Token
/declare item5 string outer The Faceless Quest Token
/declare item6 string outer H-One N-One Quest Token
/declare item7 string outer The Prince of Darkness Quest Token
/declare i int outer 1

/keypress OPEN_INV_BAGS
|Delay 1minute until that condition is met
/delay 1m ${Window[pack8].Open}

|Cycle through all 7 of the items above
/for i 1 to 7
	:nextset
	|Check if I have 2 or more of the item
	/if (${FindItem[=${item${i}}].Stack} < 2) {
	/echo I don't have enough of ${item${i}} I only have ${FindItem[=${item${i}}].Stack}. Going to next one
	/next i
	}
	|Pickup the first one
	/ctrlkey /itemnotify ${FindItem[=${item${i}}].InvSlot} leftmouseup
	/delay 1m ${Cursor.ID} == ${FindItem[=${item${i}}].ID}
	/itemnotify in ${MagicBoxSlot} 1 leftmouseup
	/delay 1m !${Cursor.ID}
	|Pickup the second one
	/ctrlkey /itemnotify ${FindItem[=${item${i}}].InvSlot} leftmouseup
	/delay 1m ${Cursor.ID} == ${FindItem[=${item${i}}].ID}
	/itemnotify in ${MagicBoxSlot} 2 leftmouseup
	/delay 1m !${Cursor.ID}
	|Hit Combine and put it away
	/combine ${MagicBoxSlot}
	/delay 1m ${Cursor.ID}
	/delay 1s
	/autoinventory
	/delay 1m !${Cursor.ID}
	|If I still have more, go through the process again
	/if (${FindItem[${item${i}}].ID}) /goto :nextset
/next i

/echo Done!

/return

Ah...I can pay to skip it and retain days of my life. At least I can play the game now.

Increase the fun, don't chase people away. It seems we're all on the same page that this task isn't enjoyable.

Off to get my wallet.

Thanks for the tips everyone!

As I mentioned in the original post, I am using the instance system and I have become familiar with it. However, I did not realize that you could get a duplicate instance every 2 minutes. Seems like a hell of a server strain! I will give that a try and report back.

As I sit here with 8 dead PH for Arch Mage, I do still believe that shortening (not eliminating) this process has nothing but benefits for players and for the server population. Keeping the drop rates as-is does not encourage server growth or character growth.

If that's true, please let me know how. I will kiss you!

Getting 6 Bronze Shields in Crushbone last night took 3 hours. Getting the Dwarven Boots took 4. I'm now camping spawns and PHs in Lguk. With each camp taking between 2-6 hours of constant attention, I'll be here for a long time.

I think 3-6 hours each or total is a very reasonable and fun experience to run through Norrath. My suggested change up above would turn them into exactly what you just mentioned.

I understand and appreciate that many of the people who have been here for longer went through this. However that doesn't make it good, rewarding or engaging gameplay.

My issue isn't with a grind. I, like many of you, have been playing since 99' and the grind is why I keep coming back. My issue is that the gameplay aspect is to hit a mob once every 15 minutes...and then nothing. The mobs die in one hit and offers nothing.

There is no benefit to this system. You mention a filter, but why do we want to filter out players? Don't we want to bring players in? Emu populations certainly aren't going up.

I want to be out in Norrath battling beasties, getting loot, and leveling up my characters. Instead, I'll be spending weeks doing a single attack every 15 minutes. I'm loving this server and the community, as my playtime can attest to. But this is just not fun, and I don't believe that anyone finds camping a single grey mob for hours is either.

There is no benefit to the server to keep things the way they are just because they've always been that way. This is low-hanging fruit to improve the experience and to get people out there enjoying all the custom content and progression.

[Proposed Simple Solutions]

Hi All!

I'm fairly new here, and I appreciate all the support you've given over ooc!

As I'm progressing, I am finding there are certain stages of progression that are long, tedious, and essentially a waste of time. They make me feel like there is no point to the progress I've made and I shouldn't be bothering even playing.

For example:

I, like so many others, box multiple toons. I of course want all of these toons to progress together. This means that each toon is going through each stage of progression together. One of these stages is the Guild progression (Fighter's, Casters, Crafters).

While working on the Fighter's Guild tasks, each toon, who wants their stats maxed, needs to complete the quest. Great! I love that I have a short term goal with a tangible reward.

While gathering the items, you have to gather the items from mobs of various levels. By the time Fighter's Guild is needed to progress your character, you're very likely level 70. This means that all of the mobs it's asking you to kill are trivial. They offer literally zero challenge.

Dragoon Dirk? Ok, I'll go kill Ambassador Dvinn 6 times. At least I can use instances and he is guaranteed spawn. Only takes about an hour.

Bronze Shield? Same zone, same instance. But now the Bronze Shield is not a guaranteed drop. So I have to kill him every time (one shot with any level 70 toon, of course), and hope he drops it. This step, for 6 toons, took me 2-3 hours to camp a grey mob with a group of level 70 toons.

Dwarven Work Boots are up next. I love this zone! But I'm stuck here, killing level 28 Place Holder mobs with my group of level 70s. I have yet to have the named mob spawn. One he does, I'll be 1/6th (16.6%) completed. It has been about 40 minutes with no spawns.

What I'm trying to illustrate is that this quest is not challenging, boring, and extremely long. I don't mind camping for a mob, trying to get a good drop I can use. But when I'm sitting on mobs 40 levels below me waiting for a named to spawn 6 times over, then I wonder why I'm playing. This is *not* playing the game, and its certainly not enjoyable. However, there is currently no way around it.

LDoNs for 2.0 are similar, although you at least earn AAxp and some gear slot upgrades in LDoNs. This makes it feel like you are actually progressing while doing the same LDoNs 6 times. AAs come quickly and easily enough that the "reward" for doing lengthy LDoNs 6 times is diminished.

Proposed Simple Solutions
It is exciting and fun to run around Norrath killing off old nemesis. However, we should turn that grueling experience that drives players away into a one time trek through the past.

The mobs that drop Quest items need to drop 3-6 of those quest items.

This will ensure players are still moving through the content and enjoying it while still acting as a time gate. Instead of camping 2-6 hours for a grey mob pop/drop, they only need to do it once or twice.

Mobs that are always up and have guaranteed drops could drop 3 quest items.

Mobs that have a PH should drop 6 quest items.

Mobs that give XP and Loot at lower levels should drop 2-6 quest items (progression dependent. This is a smaller issue)

I very clearly have not experienced everything this server has to offer so I can only speak to what I have engaged in. I'm sure there are probably other areas that served the player base well in the past that could use a simple and easy to implement update.

There is no enjoyable game play in camping mobs that present no challenge and offer no rewards. It only serves to drive players away from the game. Especially when these camps end up taking days. I can't help but think I wish I was elsewhere in Norrath battling and progressing. Not performing a single attack every 15 minutes for 6 hours a day.