Harvesting and Prospecting Woes

[nuitwaters]

So I read through the old mathmatical article on harvesting exp and to be honest, it made a lot of sense
http://ballisticmystix.net/?p=article;23
Especially this section:
Every extra quality point above your level will give you an extra 37 experience, every quality point below your level will subtract 37 xp. Every extra basic mat will give you an extra 67 xp, but every extra supreme mat will give you an extra 79 xp. An explosion will mean that you only get 90% of the usual experience.

This simple explanation right there relieved a lot of frustrations I had last night.

However, one big problem with prospecting is still making my time with these branches unbearable. I am level 71 lakeland with level 51 in all other zones. The problem I run into is the simple act of getting the right nodes to pop so I can harvest them. For instance, I was trying to get some beckers bark yesterday and noticed that the BM site had a loc of West of Yrkanis. I went to the spot and began tracking with my 100m deposit tracking to make sure I was in the right area. Sure enough, within 1m immediately popped up for the fine mats locator.

I went to my propecting (2 spots, knowledge, fine mats, duration, 60 deg angle, 20m range) and from the exact spot it gave me for my tracking, i got no nodes. I ususally at this point just go 360 taking readings every 60 deg angle interval that way I have a 40m circle from my location. Seems logical enough.

My difficulty here is the randomness of the nodes that pop. There is no pattern to it that I could discern. Am I destined to deal with this randomness until I have enough skill points to buy each of the specialization stanzas?

[minirushin]

Mmm, its painful for a while harvesting.

1st question: your tracking was also set to search for fine only?

20m is range 2 right? if it is thats the right one.. so your tracking leads you to within 1m. you stop prospect, nothing. (what was the msg here, there are materials close by/of a different quality/no matierials found?) turn around a bit to try and catch within your angle cone.

when that fails as it still will at lv250 forage, make another action: angle 3 or 4, max range. narrower cone, but above range 5 or possibly 6 that will 99% of the time find your mats if they are choice and lower above ground, and if its not a mixed choice and excellent node.

other thing to do is make good map markers, when you initially find your mats mark out the area with prospects and place a marker somewhere in the middle not on edge.

If you are doing lakelands stick with it though, best to get one branch higher before starting others.

it gets easier and easier and at the same rate more and more fun so dont give up just yet

[altilly]

Another thing worth noting is that the more practice you get, the more of a 'feel' you get for where to prospect. It sounds horribly un-scientific and un-mathematical but it's true. And after a while you begin to just 'know' your node spots. Harvesting is the second-most rewarding skill in the game besides crafting, in my opinion. Stick with it, we promise it just gets better and better and better!

[acridiel]

And don´t forget the seasons influence

And do save your markers by saving your "Save" File... *lol*
Use Rystore to do it for you, in case you encounter the horrid, marker eating, runtime error bug

CU
Acridiel

[nuitwaters]

Thank you everyone for your advice! This will help me greatly.

[altilly]

Thank you everyone for your advice! This will help me greatly.

If you can ever catch me online (as Nillian) I am far more than happy to spend time harvesting with you. I absolutely love it and I've done my fair share now, and though I'm by no means an expert I'm quite happy to answer questions and generally just chill out and chat (besides my Lakes needs some work )

Hugs,

- Nilly

[jeziellia]

I always assume that the 1m message means that the node is somewhere, in any direction, within about 20m. That's helped alleviate a lot of my frustrations.

Of course, when I'm in an area and I get REALLY frustrated... the compass will turn green. (There's some fun to be had being able to prospect 180 degrees, 80 meters out, for 8 spots at a time.)