The Best EQ Distribution System I've Ever Seen

[Llaaldara]

There is another game I play about as often as I play Toril, well actually lately I've been playing Toril more. I’m not going to say it’s name, because I don’t want this to turn into a discussion about it, or to be a plug for that game. (So if you know the game, please don’t mention it here. Let’s just discuss the system as it would apply to Toril.) Here's the thing, there are striking similarities between these two games. For instance:

-The time it takes to reach max level on both, is very comparable to each other.
-The time it takes to discover the entire world and explore it all is some what comparable to each other.
-They both have character classes/combos that make each character very unique compared to other classes/combos, a little more there tho.
-There are special spells/skills that you have to get outside of guildmasters/skill teachers, much like here as well.

Eventually everyone makes alternate characters and maxes themselves out on each, just like here. In fact, it's even faster and easier to max yourself out there then it is here. So why do people keep playing it once they max out? Why does the game have an incredibly active player to player trading system?

One reason is because of how equipment distribution is handled. The system works like this:
The game itself dictates randomly who gets what. When a mob dies, if it had an item, the code randomly determines who gets it and then assigns it to that player. Only that play can pick it up, but once they do they are free to do with it whatever they want. If a major boss dies and drops multiple items, no one can ever receive more then one. A lot of the time you don't get anything. Mobs don't always drop items, more often then not it's gold. Even mobs known to have 3 specific drops, don't always drop them. Which means in a group of 8, the max group size on this particular game, you don’t always get one of those 3 items. Most the time, you just get gold, or even some random other item. When gold is the result of a drop, anyone can pick it up, but it is always automatically split between all group members instantly. You can’t get a drop if you’re not in the group, and you don’t get drops if you aren’t in the same area as the kill

Because of this, there is never any hostility directed to the group leader for getting a bum split because there are no splits. It’s just drops. If you didn’t get the drop you wanted, it was simple random generated numbers that are to blame - no one in particular, just a bad drop for you.

I’m not saying the system isn’t flawed, because there are loopholes in it. For instance, if you wait 5 mins and no one picks up a designated drop, it looses it’s assignment and is able to be picked up by anyone. In the game, it is possible to be the only surviving member of your group, wait 5 mins, loot other peoples drops, and then ress people back. I just don’t think we are honestly going to run into that sort of problem here. I’ve never even seen this happen there. Sure when someone looses link, some folks will stand around that person’s drop waiting to claim it, but otherwise it’s a dead issue. I am being optimistic about it here, but even if it did start to become an issue, it probably wouldn’t be too hard to make a coded solution, such as the ability to loot your item eve if you are dead.

There are also ways to increase your percentages to get a drop, and again it is simple numbers. The less people you have in your group, the greater your chances are. This is because the item assignment is a simple dice between all group members. Because your chances are random, and you never know what you’re going to get on a drop, it keeps you coming back again and again, even doing the same zones over and over and over again.

I’m not asking for Toril to adopt a system that generates random equipment, far from it. But I do think if we should find a way to institute similar code of automatic random equipment assignment, because it would most likely be for the MUD’s betterment.

[teflor the ranger]

Please, no.

[Sarell]

omg totally agree with teflor :9

The reason people are discussing eq distribution is because they wan't a good system of distributing it, not a random dictator that doesn't have the capacity to choose wisely.

[Yayaril]

8)

How about some code that randomly assigns which items you wear. Or how about some code that decides which zone and who you'll be zoning with?

[teflor the ranger]

8)

How about some code that randomly assigns which items you wear. Or how about some code that decides which zone and who you'll be zoning with?

Some of us servicemen might find that a little too familiar.

[Glorishan]

the majority of people/leaders who support/use accumulated point systems have already publicly admitted that they select certain players over others for zoning outside of time able to be committed to said zone.

Yes, the whole (more time = more rewards) theory is nice in theory, but as you guys have already admitted in other threads on this BBS, you are choosing certain people over others for zoning.

I desire the growth of the PBase over my own equipment accumulation. Hands down, no contest.

And then -

There are also ways to increase your percentages to get a drop, and again it is simple numbers. The less people you have in your group, the greater your chances are. This is because the item assignment is a simple dice between all group members.

You can't have it both ways, Llaaldara. Either you want something that promotes more people grouping and having access to items, or you want a system that promotes selecting the same small group of people over and over to do zones over and over.

[kiryan]

do you honestly think that just becaue the code makes you the only person to loot it, that the leader won't make you hand him the eq and split it out the proper toril way?

Really, this is not the best eq distribution system ever, it MAY be the best group / bid culture there is, but theres nothing exceptional about the system except that it creates a 5 minute time sink and opportunity for people to run off with eq they don't have a "right" to.

[Llaaldara]

You can't have it both ways, Llaaldara. Either you want something that promotes more people grouping and having access to items, or you want a system that promotes selecting the same small group of people over and over to do zones over and over.

I agree. In the game this system is from, some (not all) of the harder areas of the game have been reduced to half-sized or even less sized groups to farm for items. There are specific zones tho that going to with anything less then a full even'd out party is suicide. To those who have already posted in this thread, should note that I didn't say just plug this in directly, but instead I said "find a way to institute similar code" here on Toril. Similar, not the same, I was hoping that perhaps thru discussion we might be able to devise a 'similar' system that would work here.

do you honestly think that just becaue the code makes you the only person to loot it, that the leader won't make you hand him the eq and split it out the proper toril way?

Yes I do. Because it doesn't happen there, and there you are even free to leave the zone at any time you want, unlike here where you usually need help. If a leader did demand you give him gear that dropped for you, he'd be laughed at. You seem to be under this missconception that only the leaders have right to equipment because only they know the zones. In this other game, players don't always know the zones, or even the most effective ways for leading said zones, just like here, but there no group leader in their right mind is going to demand the drops of another group member just because he's leading the group by calling targets, directing luring procedures, and coordinating group tactics, etc. for each encounter/zone.

In fact from what I've whitnessed, group leaders there actually have to do a lot more actual 'leading' then they do here. For example, try leading a zone on Toril with no follow command for players, and no rescue command for warriors. So from my perspective, it looks more then a bit odd that leaders here should have more claim to equipment distribution then there.

Really, this is not the best eq distribution system ever, it MAY be the best group / bid culture there is, but theres nothing exceptional about the system except that it creates a 5 minute time sink and opportunity for people to run off with eq they don't have a "right" to.

Kiryan, I didn't say this was the best eq distribution system ever, I said it was the best one I had ever seen, which gives indication that I am admitting to the fact that there are possibly better systems out there I haven't experienced first hand, and was inviting the possibility that other players would come forth with perhaps some system that they have seen first hand. I also don't understand why you referred to this idea as a 5 minute time sink. If you know your drop can be up for grabs, you do your best to not leave.

Unlike here, the leaders there have no stranglehold on equipment distribution. There leaders are constantly popping up and dissappearing. There the world is less then a year old and not everyone knows every zone/quest/area. Here the world is over 10 years old with people knowledgeable about the majority of the world because the remaining few have been playing it for nearly as long.


Teflor, I'm just at a loss why you wouldn't be for a system that helps prevent strangleholds on equipment distributiont. Did you not just start a thread about how a certain guild's similar equipment practices is killing the mud?

[Zukal]

The dynamics of that game and this game are wholly different. The Pbases will never be the same, and while I'm all for increasing the PBase here, all the proposal you're making will do is make many of the older players who like the way things are now leave, and that would be a detrement to the game. The reason things are done here are because through the years that we've played here we've decided that this is the fairest way to do it.

And Yes, I would hand any Item I looted to the leader if the leader asked for it, hands down yes. Because if I didn't than that leader wouldn't invite me to the zone the next time he/she lead it.

Why do certain people get invites to zones while others don't? Because they've proven themselves to be capable of doing what the leader wants them to do. Will the leader give an untested person the oportunity to prove themselves? Yes, but not in Bronze Citadel, Seelie, SPOB, or Tiamat. They'll test them out in other places first then see if they're capable of doing what is demanded of them later.

Once you've proven yourself capable you can then go and earn your positions in zones and onto those desired "been to X # many of times and not won" lists that give you more bids.

The fact of the matter is that the systems that people are coming up with are only for the desire to make things as fair and as even as possible. Imagine going to Seelie 10 times and not winning anything and seeing other players with 5 or 6 times in that 10, it's specifically for the purpose that you've mentioned, a fairer, more even distribution.

[Lahgen]

The only time a person has a right to complain about bidding is if they're not getting an equal chance at it. Just because some people are luckier than other doesn't mean it's not "fair."

[Glorishan]

I'm going to start leading again, and for my bidding system we're going to use mephit hps. And to bring back some old school favoritism flavor, I'm going to make sure the bids are rigged. Enjoy.