The fun game I used to play:

[borg9]

I harvested and I struggled to get the mats I needed. I levelled steadily. I hit level 60 I could extract ql100 mats. Someone told me about material specification, I started to get 3k XP from my pulls, but I used huge amounts of focus doing this, I switched to pulling 4xql100 because getting the mats I needed was more important than XP. I used get hurt and used to deplete the sources early. I switched to the 'sit method' of harvesting. (Hit a danger zone, sit). Then I was found the mode changed with each action applied. I started to cancel then reapply extraction, this meant that the time of extraction was used up. I was told about the 'macro method for mode change'. This made Harvesting stupid! 4xql100 with 1500-1200xp per pull. My reason for harvesting was mats. This method gave me those mats. (Around 250-300 mats/hour). At level 100 6-7 mats of ql150 was achievable, using a method 'high rate low quality, followed by a short burst of high rate high quality'. I only need to use extraction and simple prospecting with MAX focus.

This was my history of Harvesting. It was a means to an end, a middle ground between fun and repetitive. It was the effort needed to be done for my career choice of crafting.

Material Specialisation was changed - this had no effect, I wasn't using it because it meant high focus consumption and mat quality levels that didn't stack.

Patch 1 hit the servers.

I bought up to ql70 aggressive and up to ql70 gentle.... Based on what had been posted I was lead to believe that aggressive harvesting would kill me. I max focus and will (21 of each) as these have always been a key driver. I bought terrain and material specialisation for my lands and requirements (Lake and Armour).

I experimented with many different combinations, every method I tried either left me with no focus, silly quality levels of mats, very badly hurt or worst dead.

I objected to this on the forums.

Patch 1 +

Using the same skills:

I can safely pull 7xql60 mats of Excellent Quality on any mode, with zero downtime, as my focus returns after extraction.

So I have gone from 'safe harvest' (mode 1 method) to easy mode super harvest (Patch 1+), with a short 1 day Hell on Ayts moment.

Crafting is my love, I agreed and fought for ql25 mats being the max 'shop bought' mat. This was changed to include up to ql50. Prices meant that with high fame and an outland supplier, neutral/profitable crafting was possible. This made levelling craft easier and not other player/harvester dependent up to level 80. Missions meant that you could boost you fame at a cost or a bonus of a reasonable sum of dapper that covered degrades, purchase cost of mats from other players.

I had found a nice comfortable routine. Harvest the mats I needed for 2 mission, which paid well. Create the items for the mission. The money earned allowed me to contribute to the guild, money for tickets and money to level areas of my crafting that I would normally use (range/jewels).

Occasionally I would hunt to spend time with the guild and have a nice change from the routine.

Patch 1 & patch 1+

Killed this aspect of the game form me.

Missions now have a higher requirement (medium quality look rather than basic), same number of items and a huge reduction of reward. Outland suppliers now don't by the stuff they ask for, so my only outlet for my goods is NPC shops or other players. My source of money has been destroyed.

I tried to fight after patch 1, because the original game I was playing, I could no longer play (unable to harvest, no money to get mats for missions, mission didn't give a reward equal to let alone greater than the items given).

I collected a standard kill 5 x clopper mission from the city welcomer. I marched out of Fair Haven, over the hill to the cloppers, I vig clop went down fast but little XP, I am lvl 50 fight this was to be expected. I went to see a growling clop (My pervious level match was scowling, baying would kill me)

I killed on growling, got hurt, but I knew the mobs had been made tougher, still little to no XP.

I noticed that the 'mission item drops' had gone!

I taunted a growling started to fight, 2 of his friends joined the fight, I have 1500HP I managed to kill all three with 10hp left. I ran for the water and wondered what I would try next, I tried magic, but this is just not my thing. I logged off.

I have not tried fighting since.

Basically Patch 1+ has made harvesting a no brainer! Patch 1 made it impossible, for me anyway.

Patch 1 removed all the content that I enjoyed. This was missions, crafting, harvesting, short unplanned hunting trips.

I am a 1-2 hour player (in two blocks of time real life means that more than this is difficult to achieve.) I occasionally I get a large time block, but this is a 'treat' and not the norm.

I sometimes get to hunt with the guild, but my time commitments, make this a 'treat' not the norm.

So after these two patches, this is how I feel:

I am adapting my play style, I will be harvesting solidly until I have collect 3 full mules of armour mats. I currently estimate this to take about 6 hours. I will craft my 100 armour pieces and place them on the NPC for sale. I will make the guild some armour with what is left, getting more mats as needed.
I will refill my mules.

Then if no-one buys my armour, I am stuck, I won't do missions for fame as I won't have any money for the materials until my armour sells. I can then log off, wait for 6 days, replace any items that have sold with new ones. Rinse and repeat.

What more can I say.

I liked the old game, can someone tell me if there are things that someone like me can do in the game.

[pcheez]

Well if its any help, the "mission drop items" are dropped, its just that if u have a mission to collect hairs when u kill the required animal, the hair will be automatically quartered, even before u quarter the carcass.

[borg9]

Well if its any help, the "mission drop items" are dropped, its just that if u have a mission to collect hairs when u kill the required animal, the hair will be automatically quartered, even before u quarter the carcass.

Thanks!

If we had a little post/note somewhere that actually explained some of the more fundimental changes, would feel a little happier.

The missions process changed, it not featured in the release notes.

You kill a mob after playing for (1 month [9 months including beta etc]) and don't see a drop.... what do you think?

'Oh I will just go get a mission and see if they have made a change to the dropping system. '

I don't want a spoiler sheet, listing all the secrets of the game, but fundamental changes should be listed.

The availablity of ql 60+ mats, not mentioned in the patch notes.

With people posting 'this is broken' everywhere I am starting to see thinks as 'broken', when they may just be different!

*Goes away quietly to re-investigate how this new game works*

[tleilaxu]

Thanks!

If we had a little post/note somewhere that actually explained some of the more fundimental changes, would feel a little happier.

The missions process changed, it not featured in the release notes.

You kill a mob after playing for (1 month [9 months including beta etc]) and don't see a drop.... what do you think?

'Oh I will just go get a mission and see if they have made a change to the dropping system. '

I don't want a spoiler sheet, listing all the secrets of the game, but fundamental changes should be listed.

The availablity of ql 60+ mats, not mentioned in the patch notes.

With people posting 'this is broken' everywhere I am starting to see thinks as 'broken', when they may just be different!

*Goes away quietly to re-investigate how this new game works*

You can reduce your turnaround time by selling direct to the NPC vendors.

[usinuk]

You can reduce your turnaround time by selling direct to the NPC vendors.

Nope, not if you don't want to go bankrupt.

The patch has destroyed crafting as a viable profession for all but the highest level crafters. You're going to lose a lot money of doing it unless you're high end and can sell a whole lot of expensive items...much better off just harvesting and selling the raw mats instead.

[dpkdpk]

Nope, not if you don't want to go bankrupt.

The patch has destroyed crafting as a viable profession for all but the highest level crafters. You're going to lose a lot money of doing it unless you're high end and can sell a whole lot of expensive items...much better off just harvesting and selling the raw mats instead.

My QL50 mats were selling from merchants pretty rapidly. I really doubt high level crafters were buying them.