Lockets of Escape

[GuisedShaman]

Is there an actual GM stance on whats happening with these?
They are apparently still dropping as I see them in EC all the time now.
Has anyone else checked on anything else?

Pre nerf Fungus Covered Great Staff?
Rod of Annihilation?
Maybe a Ton Po staff will drop again lol?

I read some of the RnF thread about people camping these but as usual you have to sift through 500 posts of people calling each other fat.
But seriously are these new lockets gonna stay in the market, has anything been done to it yet?

[KotBK]

The only NPC affected by the most current patch was the Chief, nothing was done in regards to the old mobs who dropped the items you mentioned. Therefore, since other loot tables weren't tampered with there wouldn't have been the chance for those old legacy items to have returned. The quickest way to tell if there was currently implementation of all those items would've been the RMoY in KC considering that place is always over camped.

[Sizzle]

This was recently fixed. I heard some people saying they think that with recent patch he was dropping items with 2 loot slots or something and 1 of those slots was 100% drop of something from his loot table and one of those slots got jacked up and had the prenerf drops attached to it or something. This is just what I heard (and its possible that this is way off because I don't code and don't necessarily know how to) but from what I understand its fixed now and they aren't dropping anymore.

[Briscoe]

I can confirm that the Locket of Escape is no longer dropping with the following two facts:

1.) I camped Chief for several hours this weekend, and saw that his loot table is back to "looking normal." That is, he is no longer double dropping items. When the Eye of RokGus was removed, that loot socket remained and instead of the Eye dropping, the Chief now could drop in that socket either the Sticker, Essence, Idol, or Locket (in addition to his normal first socket which can be either Sticker, Essence, or Idol). As of Saturday morning, he is now only dropping one item.

2.) Divinity is no longer perma-camping Chief. I was told the server was brought down Saturday morning at roughly 2 AM EST; I am assuming this is when the Chief's loot table was corrected (I last observed him holding a Sticker and Essence as late as Wednesday/Thursday time-frame). I logged in to Droga Saturday morning at about 8-9 AM EST, and the ledge was fully popped and uncamped. The fact that Divinity relinquished the camp for the first time in the nearly two weeks that Chief was bugged tells me that he is back to normal.

As I mentioned in Eccezan's thread in RnF, ordinarily the Chief is NOT so as interesting as to warrant a two-week-long perma-camp. If you want Chardok faction, you AE the zone and get it done in a day or two. So I knew that whenever Divinity left the camp, that would be proof that the Chief was fixed.

[Daldolma]

Stopped dropping already, was incorrect for less than two weeks. No other pre-nerf items were dropping. Locket was an incredibly rare drop and I assume the post-patch Chief was dropping at the same rate as the pre-nerf Chief. Odds are you're seeing the same 2 or 3 Lockets for sale over and over.

[Autotune]

Protip, don't buy the lockets for a month or two and pick them up for super cheap.

[Daldolma]

Protip, don't buy the lockets for a month or two and pick them up for super cheap.

^ Probably right. Price will be high immediately, then dip low, then rise again in Velious. Just gotta hope the market doesn't get picked bare by less discerning buyers.

[Nirgon]

Or buy one at high price to ensure you have one while they are still around!

[GuisedShaman]

I'd have to say its more then 2 or 3 if it was 2 weeks of perma camping.

Ploktor and Tricky beverage right after this bug are offering Bind from the locket for money. So there's 4 right there(1 to use 1 to recharge)

Nigmo was sellin one the day after the patch.

And you know some people are just gonna keep them for velious to bind a melee.

But it's not a huge deal just was curious to see if they are even going to let the lockets stay in the game.

Is there going to be any punishment for people obviously camping for these when its definitely a bug to gain an advantage?

Third Party Tools, Exploiting
We do not tolerate cheating on Project 1999. Any program that provides an unintended advantage or gleams access to information not otherwise available is very strictly prohibited. Please be aware that while other EQEmulator servers may allow the use of such programs, we do not. We have many systems in place to detect the presence and usage of these programs passively, with regular sweeps to purge users that have utilized them. This is typically a permanent ban.

Do not make the mistake that you may get away with it because you used it on Live Everquest. We put much more effort into the detection of these utilities than SOE ever did. You will be caught and banned if you use them.

The same holds true for exploiting. If you have the slightest doubt that what you are doing may not be intended, please cease immediately and seek clarification from the server staff. Failure to do so and discovery of your actions will lead to disciplinary action.

[Sizzle]

Each locket that dropped for divinity was reported via bug report/petition. To my knowledge none were asked to destroy them.

[GuisedShaman]

Each locket that dropped for divinity was reported via bug report/petition. To my knowledge none were asked to destroy them.

The same holds true for exploiting. If you have the slightest doubt that what you are doing may not be intended, please cease immediately and seek clarification from the server staff. Failure to do so and discovery of your actions will lead to disciplinary action.

If a GM is willing to tell us that they said it was ok to camp these while they dropped then I got nothing to say about it.

But if each Locket really was posted via petition/on the board and a GM each time said "Ok that seems fine keep farming them till we fix it" thats a little ridiculous

So from now on as long as I find a bug that lets me get a 100k item, I'm allowed to keep doing it over and over till it gets fixed as long as I report each time I do it?

[Sizzle]

Dunno, couldn't tell you I never farmed them I just know they were reported.

[Daldolma]

This isn't really anything new. It happened with Gem Encrusted Rings as well. Obviously a lower priority item, which is why it took much longer to fix, but the situation is the same. Ultimately it's a minor error that lasted less than two weeks on a server that's been around for 4 years. It's created a weird bump in the market for now but it'll smooth over soon enough. Things like this never get removed, it's just not feasible once they're in circulation.

Not too worried about it. Worst case scenario, you've got what? 15 extra Lockets on the server? On the priority list of things that the GMs should worry about, that shouldn't be cracking the top 20. Much rather see these end-game raid mechanics fixed and FTE shouts implemented. And RMT dealt with. Etc, etc.

[GuisedShaman]

Yes overall the lockets dropping are not a huge deal, if they get to keep them sure not a huge deal.

But this just sets a precedent to abuse bugs till they get fixed and don't have to worry about rules.

Would you care if someone found a bug that a merchant buys an item for 100X then what they were selling it for and they made millions of plat, but they posted in the bug forum and continued to do so just to be sure that maybe they won't take it away from them? Then they proceeded to flood the market with plat?
Now its too late cause it flooded the market already, can't get back the plat without screwing someone over.

Im just saying it's not a good policy to let things like this slide

I'm not asking them to do extra work and find the lockets and get them and all that jazz.
But this was obviously against the rules

[Briscoe]

I don't understand why the Divinity crew felt it necessary to deny that Lockets were in fact dropping. Every time I asked one of them about it, I always got some response along of the lines of, "Honestly I've never seen one drop dude, still think it's just a rumor." If you were indeed reporting it to the staff, then why feel a need to hide it?

It's perfectly within their right to not tell me anything, but like I also mentioned in the other thread, it was an interesting tact to take...

For what it was worth, I submitted my own in-game petition and forum petition on Friday 2/22. Eccezan's RnF thread about it wasn't started until six days later.

[Daldolma]

Shrug, I think you're blowing this way out of proportion. This wasn't a mechanics bug where merchants were printing millions of plat. It was less than a 2-week reversion to pre-nerf loots on one mob, for a very rare drop. It'd be better if it never happened, of course, but it's not some kind of game breaking or market breaking error. It's a lot more similar to Gem Encrusted Rings re-dropping than any kind of duping error. Three weeks from now, any effects on the market will be long gone.

As it relates to punishment, I dunno. It would depend on things like petitions and interaction with GMs. I have no idea what, if anything, was petitioned or what kind of responses were given. IMO you're assuming this was done on the sly, when we don't know if that's actually the case. But if it wasn't petitioned, I'd agree that some kind of punishment would be deserved.

[Sizzle]

I don't understand why the Divinity crew felt it necessary to deny that Lockets were in fact dropping. Every time I asked one of them about it, I always got some response along of the lines of, "Honestly I've never seen one drop dude, still think it's just a rumor." If you were indeed reporting it to the staff, then why feel a need to hide it?

Divinity didn't hide it, individuals hid it. In fact, officers highly recommended people leave that camp alone. Individuals locked that down against the wishes of officers. Its unfortunate but in the grand scheme of things I don't think it'll be game breaking personally. Yea these things shouldn't be allowed to slide in my opinion either. However, I am hoping that each of these petitions at least asked if it was allowed or not, because if they did ask it and got confirmation then I would say go for it otherwise who knows if those petitions even were answered. No one but GMs.

[GuisedShaman]

Im not blowing it out of proportion, I know these Lockets aren't going to cause a huge fluctuation in the market and ruin everyone's day. I know they are rare so its not like 100's of them dropped. This situation isn't what I'm concerned about.

Im concerned that people were abusing a known bug. This isn't up to debate to say it was intended for these to drop. Divinity/whoever knew this wasn't supposed to drop, and they stayed there knowing that. This is a direct violation of the rule I posted.

I don't see how this isn't against the rules.

Yes this may be similar to the Gem Encrusted Rings, but as you said this wasn't a high priority item. But if Pre Nerf Fungi's were dropping again you know everyone would have their panties in a bunch.

Just because it didn't cause a huge problem in the market then it's apparently ok to do this? Any bug that doesn't cause a huge problem in the market is now ok to abuse for a little because it's not that big of a deal? Thats a pretty bad stance on cheating/exploiting

[Sithel1988]

people aren't mad that they were dropping. they are just jealous of the people who got all the drops.

[GuisedShaman]

people aren't mad that they were dropping. they are just jealous of the people who got all the drops.

So jelly
So mad bro

[Sithel1988]

i know

[Daldolma]

Im not blowing it out of proportion, I know these Lockets aren't going to cause a huge fluctuation in the market and ruin everyone's day. I know they are rare so its not like 100's of them dropped. This situation isn't what I'm concerned about.

Im concerned that people were abusing a known bug. This isn't up to debate to say it was intended for these to drop. Divinity/whoever knew this wasn't supposed to drop, and they stayed there knowing that. This is a direct violation of the rule I posted.

I don't see how this isn't against the rules.

Yes this may be similar to the Gem Encrusted Rings, but as you said this wasn't a high priority item. But if Pre Nerf Fungi's were dropping again you know everyone would have their panties in a bunch.

Just because it didn't cause a huge problem in the market then it's apparently ok to do this? Any bug that doesn't cause a huge problem in the market is now ok to abuse for a little because it's not that big of a deal? Thats a pretty bad stance on cheating/exploiting

You're just making a lot of assumptions is all. If they sat there for a week racking up loot before making this known, then I agree -- punishment is in order. But if it was petitioned immediately and they were in contact with GMs, then what are you punishing them for? Camping Chief? They're playing the ball as it lays. It all comes down to their openness with GMs. And obviously I'm assuming they didn't disobey any orders from GMs.

It comes down to information we don't have and will never know for sure. If they petitioned immediately and GMs said cool, thanks, we'll fix it soon, then it's the same as any other non-classic error pending correction. If they were sneaky about it and camped it for awhile before petitioning, or didn't petition at all, then they should be punished. By the way, they might have been punished for all we know. That kind of information isn't released. I imagine it all depends on how they went about petitioning, and whether or not they disobeyed orders from the GMs.

[GuisedShaman]

You're just making a lot of assumptions is all. If they sat there for a week racking up loot before making this known, then I agree -- punishment is in order. But if it was petitioned immediately and they were in contact with GMs, then what are you punishing them for? Camping Chief? They're playing the ball as it lays. It all comes down to their openness with GMs. And obviously I'm assuming they didn't disobey any orders from GMs.

It comes down to information we don't have and will never know for sure. If they petitioned immediately and GMs said cool, thanks, we'll fix it soon, then it's the same as any other non-classic error pending correction. If they were sneaky about it and camped it for awhile before petitioning, or didn't petition at all, then they should be punished. By the way, they might have been punished for all we know. That kind of information isn't released. I imagine it all depends on how they went about petitioning, and whether or not they disobeyed orders from the GMs.

Sure if a GM said alright go camp it for 2 weeks while we fix it then don't punish them because they asked and its all good.

But to think they asked and the GM/Guide/Rogean/Whoever's in charge of this sort of situation and they responded with "ya its a known bug but go ahead and farm it while we fix it" is pretty messed up.

If they announced to everyone on the server "oh by the way we messed up and lockets are dropping again, farm them while you can" right after Divinity petitioned then I could see it maybe being ok. But they didn't, no one was even really aware till it was already a week into the bug when Eccezan posted the thread in RnF.

I'm not looking to out Divinity for this, I'm not even really pressed on them getting banned or anything like that.
Im pressed to see why a GM would let this go on.

When VP dragons were being pulled to some spot that was not allowed, Amelinda went and put mobs up there that had the names "Don't pull things here" or something to that extent. It would be incredibly easy for a gm to say oh ok they are dropping and do the same thing. Name them "destroy your lockets that drop or face the banhammer".

Either way its done and over with and for all I know they were banned or reprimanded in some way
This thread will get lost by tomorrow and we all go back to not caring.

[Rhambuk]

One of members was camping chief for a normal drop, after the patch he got a locket drop. He petitioned, nilbog responded with a thank you our member asked if it was okay to continue camping it or if it should be left alone. Nilbog did not respond. He continued camping it for the drop that he originally wanted and sent a /petition everytime there was a bugged drop, not just the lockets as he was dropping 2 loot items instead of one.

[Daldolma]

Sure if a GM said alright go camp it for 2 weeks while we fix it then don't punish them because they asked and its all good.

But to think they asked and the GM/Guide/Rogean/Whoever's in charge of this sort of situation and they responded with "ya its a known bug but go ahead and farm it while we fix it" is pretty messed up.

If they announced to everyone on the server "oh by the way we messed up and lockets are dropping again, farm them while you can" right after Divinity petitioned then I could see it maybe being ok. But they didn't, no one was even really aware till it was already a week into the bug when Eccezan posted the thread in RnF.

So then your problem isn't that there was an error, or whether or not it was correctly petitioned. You're upset that it wasn't common knowledge until it was too late. Which is really another matter entirely.

[Rhambuk]

So then your problem isn't that there was an error, or whether or not it was correctly petitioned. You're upset that it wasn't common knowledge until it was too late. Which is really another matter entirely.

Which it is also against the rules to announce an exploit/bug to the community.

[Autotune]

^ Probably right. Price will be high immediately, then dip low, then rise again in Velious. Just gotta hope the market doesn't get picked bare by less discerning buyers.

Velious is ages away, plenty of time to grab a locket for cheap. (protip, get 2 and not both at the same time from the same person)

Not that it really matters, everyone will be selling binds in PoM which means it will be super cheap to just get it done or the more preferable method will be joining a guild who will bind their members for free.

[GuisedShaman]

I mean I could have gone and camped it myself If I wanted to after it was common knowledge.

And it was common knowledge for at least a week. But I didn't

Honestly it's not a big deal like you said

I'm not upset it wasn't common knowledge, I'm more upset it was allowed to happen for so long. As I said before if it was a different situation and it was 2 weeks before, say it was pre nerf fungi's, they fixed pre nerfs dropping no one would be argueing with me.

If Nilbog did say thanks for reporting the bug, why didn't he take the time to respond and say stop farming them when he knows more then anyone that it shouldn't be farmed. Im upset at this happening more then some people making 150k from one dropping(which is whatever, lame, but whatever)

I'm not looking for anyone really to answer this question besides Nilbog himself or whoever responded to the petition. It just seems weird they would let it happen.

[nilbog]

Fixed it immediately and waited for update.

Specifics regarding disciplinary decisions isn't going to be public knowledge from me. What I said or didn't say to anyone shouldn't be public knowledge either.

Thanks.