[Mozenwrathe]

Given the variables involved for a good answer, I decided to quote two messages within the same post. Not often do I do this, but the actual thought processes within each post are solid as far as I am concerned. As you all know, I am all about "stuff." XP can be gained through numerous means, but really good items are normally only acquired through doing the quests or slaying powerful enemies. Anyone who has gained a nice item via a donation or through Durnan's (or another store) has benefitted from the hard work of another. So what I was proposing initially was another way for those people who want to do the quest for some of the not be penalized. Of course, the problem would always be those quest plot items falling into hands that didn't necessarily need them.

Unglaublich Verwustung reminded me of this minor move but brilliant idea: Couldn't it just work like the quest to kill drow for Durnan - as far as I know that one is available to anyone who talks to him (even if you can't get the insignia because someone has already taken them - is it possible to get them to respawn after a set time?). That way, as long as you personally haven't spoken to him within the current server reset you should be able to do the quest.

Not sure as to how much work that would involve, but it does seem like quite the valid move. If nothing else, it would prevent "quest farming" from killing the XP gains for everyone on the server. In theory it does sound easy enough, and it would make for less reset requirements when it comes to quests. With that idea in mind, you could even propose new quests based on recurring monsters which leave behind plot items already. (A second beholder quest, a rakshahsa quest, a dragonslayer quest, and a zombie quest all come to mind.)

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Now, robertthebard read Unglaublich Verwustung's post and shot off this letter which I gleaned more information from: Right now, as far as I can tell, the variable is set on the NPC for some of the quests, such as the Hand of Bane, and Ves'Taki. This means that the quest can only be done once per load, which is all good, when we are in in a big party. Ideally, if the variable were set on the PC, and all characters in party at the time, then for quests where the object will be respawned, such as Lester, non partied chars could do the quest. Moz, the reward for doing a quest is turning in the item. This, there's nothing in it for me mentality isn't what's going on as much as, I know my new char can't do this quest, but I want them to get the xp, so I'll do the quest with this char, and bag up the quest item, and pass it to the new char, so that all they have to do is talk to the quest giver twice. Believe me when I say it's not always about the XP. I like to do some of the quests to check my build. Want to know how good you may or may not do against Merca in the Proving Grounds? Take on Grytelsa, and her buddies. The problem is, when somebody logs in, flies down to 13, does the quest, but doesn't finish it, and then shoots back up and passes the item to a new char, everybody that is working their way towards that quest is screwed. This is a subject that really gets to me; why people feel like they have to cheat everybody else out of the experience of actually doing the quests. Maybe I'm just being an asshole about it, but I don't care. I still have DM responsibiliies on another server, from time to time, and if I catch players doing that kind kind of thing, I'll put them in Jail. The jail on that server is a cut scene, and the only way out is to restart your computer. The char in question is stuck in jail until the next server reset, which is daily, since we have a reloader device that can be used by DM's to reset the server if need be.

The "Jail" thing seems like a fairly harsh thing to do, but if the server only reloaded once per day, "quest farming" would be a far more severe action. Since this server reloads every time there is nobody on the server after a small period of time, an action such as "Jail" would be a little harder than necessary. On servers such as yours where there are a lot of people who depend on those quests being available for their characters, one person going around and snatching them all up would have more impact than on Escape From Undermountain. That, and you'd have to have someone on with DM capabilities all day to prevent hardcore quest-thievery.

I'll freely admit I've done the "pass-back" routine for quests. That was when there was nobody online for at least thirty minutes so the server would reset itself before anyone could be affected. With how busy the server has been now, I wouldn't try that. Why? Because I know as a fact the server won't reset as often due to the resurgence of it's popularity. (Never a bad thing that, I must say.) So for me, I don't mind NOT sliding back quest items any more. I just wish there was something else I could do with them after I've acquired them.

Much like yourself, I believe the idea Unglaublich Verwustung's put up here has significant merit. It would allow those who WANT to do the quests either as individuals or as groups to do so freely. It would not require the server to reset, as the creatures themselves respawn already (such as the Drow Proving Grounds and the Beholders inside of Level Eleven - The Underground Desert). It would still prevent players from gettng the same XP from the quest multiple times while allowing for multiple completions of the quest itself.

[ 01-07-2007, 08:52 AM: Message edited by: Mozenwrathe ]