Research Assistant Functional Issues

[Kirstie]

<p>If you have any bugs with the RA's or successes with them please post about it in this thread. </p><p>Please keep opinions in the other threads so we can keep this one open to deal with specific issues people are having trying to test them.</p><p>Thanks,</p><p>Kirstie</p>

[Noaani]

<p>8 hours 5 minutes till I am due to get my first master.</p><p>You'll hear from me then.</p>

[Anastasie]

<p>I don't know if it's a bug or not - but none of my needed spells below level 19 were showing up on the research assistant screen.</p>

[Xalmat]

<p><cite>Sioned@Befallen wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>I don't know if it's a bug or not - but none of my needed spells below level 19 were showing up on the research assistant screen.</p></blockquote><p>Your spells either need to be Journeyman or Expert for them to show up on the Research Assistant (formerly known as Apprentice IV or Adept III).</p><p>One bug I noticed is that it takes some spells longer to "go from Journeyman to Adept" than it is for spells in the same tier to go from "Expert to Master". Ie a level 14 spell said it would take 5 days to research to Adept, while a level 20 spell would only take 1 day to research to Master.</p>

[Anastasie]

<p>So if I had adept 1 of a spell it won't show up?  It has to be adept III to show up for researching a master?</p>

[Xalmat]

<p><cite>Sioned@Befallen wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>So if I had adept 1 of a spell it won't show up?  It has to be adept III to show up for researching a master?</p></blockquote><p>Correct (or to use the new names, if you have the Adept, it won't show up, you need the Expert).</p>

[Eveningsong]

<p>Basically, you can only research one level at a time, so you would have to first research adept I to adept III, then adept III to master.  Or buy adept 3 and then research to master.   (sorry it will take me a while to remember the new names lol)</p>

[Noaani]

<p>The easy way to put it is; you can't use the RA to get a crafted version of a spell, because they don't want to marginalise crafters. You can only go from a crafted version of a spell to the next highest dropped version of a spell, because they are happy to marginalise adventurers.</p><p>Thats the easy way to remember what you can and can't do.</p>

[Valdaglerion]

<p><cite>Eveningsong wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>Basically, you can only research one level at a time, so you would have to first research adept I to adept III, then adept III to master.  Or buy adept 3 and then research to master.   (sorry it will take me a while to remember the new names lol)</p></blockquote><p>I dont think this is accurate. I believe the Research Assistant only researches from AppIV to Adept I and Adept III to Master I (still getting used to the new naming). It seems it was done that way so that if you want to get a Master you have to buy the Adept III at some point.</p><p>Kirstie, can you confirm or clarify this point please?</p>

[Noaani]

<p>/points to the post above yours.</p>

[Skywarrior]

<p><cite>Sioned@Befallen wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>I don't know if it's a bug or not - but none of my needed spells below level 19 were showing up on the research assistant screen.</p></blockquote><p>The patch notes say, "They will only assist one character per account at a time and only help those level 20 or higher. "</p><p>Now this could mean only that the player must be level 20 or higher and then the research assistant will help with any spell.  However, it also may mean that the RA will only research level 20 spells and up, as well.  Clarification is in order, I think.</p>

[Noaani]

<p>I'm researching a level 2 spell, so its fairly safe to say that < level 20 spells can be upgraded.</p><p>Only spells that you have a crafted version of will show up, so look at what spells you have in the low level range and scribe an expert version of them.</p>

[Skywarrior]

<p><cite>Noaani wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>I'm researching a level 2 spell, so its fairly safe to say that < level 20 spells can be upgraded.</p><p>Only spells that you have a crafted version of will show up, so look at what spells you have in the low level range and scribe an expert version of them.</p></blockquote><p>Thanks for the clarification on that, Noaani.  I haven't been able to make it to test yet to look at anything myself.</p>

[Vixey]

<p><cite>Xalmat wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>One bug I noticed is that it takes some spells longer to "go from Journeyman to Adept" than it is for spells in the same tier to go from "Expert to Master". Ie a level 14 spell said it would take 5 days to research to Adept, while a level 20 spell would only take 1 day to research to Master.</p></blockquote><p>It was stated somewhere that the amount of time to research a spell is based off level of spell and also quality scribed. So some spells make take less time going to master then a slightly lower spell going to adept.</p>

[Noaani]

<p>I got my master, reguardless of how bad an idea this thing is, it works.</p><p>Why can't devs get the good ideas working at launch instead of the bad ones?</p><p>Edit: <span ><a href="http://forums.station.sony.com/eq2/posts/list.m?topic_id=451739"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span style="color: #0000ff;">A real feedback thread.</span></span></a></span></p>

[Whilhelmina]

I started a research on a my master tank pet on my conjuror (level 52 spell). It started well. I started a research on the level 35 ranger spell from bloodline too (on test_copy) and on a level 18 spell for my mystic on test so the one per account per server seems to work. Could the default sorting order be by level and not by name ? it's a bit confusing at higher levels. I like the fact that only spells that can be upgraded are showing. I had a level 16 char that couldn't speak to the researcher so the level-limit of 20 is working.

[feldon30]

Spells don't change name when you level, but sorting by level would be nice. Or better yet, hide spells you already have as masters and ones you cannot upgrade.

[Xalmat]

<p>Agreed, I would prefer if it sorted by level by default instead of by name.</p><p>I didn't see any spells that I already had Mastered on the Research Assistant.</p>

[Wingrider01]

<p><cite>Noaani wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>I got my master, reguardless of how bad an idea this thing is, it works.</p><p>Why can't devs get the good ideas working at launch instead of the bad ones?</p><p>Edit: <span><a href="http://forums.station.sony.com/eq2/posts/list.m?topic_id=451739"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span style="color: #0000ff;">A real feedback thread.</span></span></a></span></p></blockquote><p>Lot of people feel this IS a good idea, just not those who's pocket book are affected. The is a good addition to the game as it stands</p>

[Valdaglerion]

<p><cite>Xalmat wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>Agreed, I would prefer if it sorted by level by default instead of by name.</p><p>I didn't see any spells that I already had Mastered on the Research Assistant.</p></blockquote><p>It only shows the ones you have which are eligible for upgrades. If you have some that are App I for instance, they wont show because you have to have the App IV or Adept III versions to be eligible for upgrade.</p>

[Valdaglerion]

<p>Just picked up the spell and it auto scribes. So much for the hopes and dreams of farmers who were anticipating the use of this to get free spells handed to them for resale.</p><p>Nicely done devs.</p>

[Wingrider01]

<p><cite>Artemiz@The Bazaar wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>Just picked up the spell and it auto scribes. So much for the hopes and dreams of farmers who were anticipating the use of this to get free spells handed to them for resale.</p><p>Nicely done devs.</p></blockquote><p>this was documented in the original thread that it would be no drop, autoscribe</p>

[Noaani]

<p>They said it was going to do that from the very start, anything else would have been even more ludicrous than what we have on test.</p>

[Valdaglerion]

<p>I must have missed that posting describing it as an auto scribe. Given the time constraints on it then the only reason for the 150 pages of complaints really does just boil down to a potentially reduced market demand for spells that are grossly overpriced now due to low drop rates.</p><p>Works for me. The "key" spells I am still missing are 1400p on the broker combined and that still leaves me with 3-4 that are never on the broker and I have yet to see drop in any instances.</p><p>I dont have bad luck with master drops, just the ones I need. Dont tell me to sell the ones I get and buy the ones I need, the price disparity is too high. Welcome to being a summoner. Outfit a pally for 100p completely mastered between buys and drops, conjuror...lol...couldnt buy a single pet spell for 3 times that amount typically on our server.</p>

[Yimway]

<p><cite>Artemiz@The Bazaar wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>I must have missed that posting describing it as an auto scribe. Given the time constraints on it then the only reason for the 150 pages of complaints really does just boil down to a potentially reduced market demand for spells that are grossly overpriced now due to low drop rates.</p></blockquote><p>I don't think that was ever a real concern of the 1600 posts now argueing over a no-effort in, end-game reward system being added.</p>

[Lodrelhai]

<p>Something we can't test for:</p><p>If someone has a spell being researched and switches servers, do they lose their research time?  If they don't, what about if they switch to a server where they already have a character researching a spell?</p><p>I'll try to check what happens if we're in the middle of researching a spell and betray/switch classes in the next day or two.</p>

[BaronVonPitviper]

<p>are the research assistant rewards no-drop?</p>

[Kizee]

<p><cite>BaronVonPitviper wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>are the research assistant rewards no-drop?</p></blockquote><p>Did you even bother to read the thread? Just a few posts up they said it autoscribes the spell.</p>

[Valdaglerion]

<p><cite>Atan@Unrest wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p><cite>Artemiz@The Bazaar wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>I must have missed that posting describing it as an auto scribe. Given the time constraints on it then the only reason for the 150 pages of complaints really does just boil down to a potentially reduced market demand for spells that are grossly overpriced now due to low drop rates.</p></blockquote><p>I don't think that was ever a real concern of the 1600 posts now argueing over a no-effort in, end-game reward system being added.</p></blockquote><p>I myself have been talking about the need for interaction with the RA but the majority of whiners are set against it being a "free" master and wanting ungodly amounts of plat set against it or removed all together in the name of preserving "spell progression" which is hog wash, I dont care how you dress it up.</p><p>Lets face it, spell progression now is purely based on the RNG luck when killing a mob. If the progression was logical it would be based on each toons individual actions, uses and efforts that would allow them to naturally progress while engaged in the game and not dependent on the RNG mechanics to possibly drop something, and then further dilute the probability by the "potential drop" being for 1 of 24 classes of which any number of them may not even be present in the group responsible for the kill.</p><p>Defending progression by RNG luck is just as assinine as putting in the RA without interaction IMO. If the players were more united in focusing on what progression would mean and real changes that needed to be made to this item rather than trying to preserve inflated spell markets perhaps it would be looked at.</p><p>Personally, the ability to scribe any spell should be dependent on your ability to successfully have mastered the spell level and tier previous. No skipping from tier 1 to tier 8 and buying masters because you pl'ed a toon. Of course that would make all the alt-o-holics cry.</p>

[feldon30]

<p><cite>Artemiz@The Bazaar wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>I must have missed that posting describing it as an auto scribe. Given the time constraints on it then the only reason for the 150 pages of complaints really does just boil down to a potentially reduced market demand for spells that are grossly overpriced now due to low drop rates.</p></blockquote><p>Ok, I'm going to STOP you right there.</p><p>We already have 4 threads about this, totalling nearly 200 pages. The most impassioned responses in those threads were written knowing that the masters would be auto-scribed. We'll be at level cap of 90 for 2 years, so during that time, players will earn 23 free T9 masters. Just so you know the playing field that this discussion SHOULD be taking place on.</p><p>This thread is for BUGS in the implementation.</p><p>And yes, I'm AM the forum police today. I wanted the free donuts. Deal with it. <img src="/eq2/images/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" /> <img src="/eq2/images/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" /></p>

[Noaani]

<p><cite>feldon30 wrote:</cite></p><blockquote>This thread is for the mechanics of whether there are bugs in the implementation.</blockquote><p>This thread is the first time a feature has been on test of beta where the devs have felt the need for a specific feedback thread enough to start one themselves, yet have limited that feedback to function.</p><p>As much as I would like to say it makes me wonder, it doesn't. The devs know this is a bad idea, just like (most of) the rest of us do.</p>

[Geothe]

<p><cite>Artemiz@The Bazaar wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>I myself have been talking about the need for interaction with the RA but the majority of whiners are set against it being a "free" master and wanting ungodly amounts of plat set against it or removed all together in the name of preserving "spell progression" which is hog wash, I dont care how you dress it up.</p></blockquote><p>Actually, a plat value request was more of a "last resort" option for those asking for players to be required to put forth a minute amount of effort in order to get end game abilities.Just some of the player base isn't able to focus on anything but plat sadly.</p>

[feldon30]

<p><cite>Noaani wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>This thread is the first time a feature has been on test of beta where the devs have felt the need for a specific feedback thread enough to start one themselves, yet have limited that feedback to function.</p></blockquote><p>I don't know why Kirstie decided to post a feedback thread and give us all the illusion that she wanted our input, then just implemented the feature however it was originally intended. It's bad form. I bet it will make it harder for other devs to get taken seriously if they create their own Feedback threads.</p><p>So far, the only dev that has unequivocally earned my trust is Domino. You know where you stand with her. She tells you flat out what is negotiable and what is not. What she's looking for feedback on, and what has already been decided and thus feedback won't do as much.</p><p>If there was no intention to make changes to Research Assistants based on community input, it should just have been kept a secret like StationCash and sprung on us.</p>

[Deson]

<p><cite>feldon30 wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p><cite>Noaani wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>This thread is the first time a feature has been on test of beta where the devs have felt the need for a specific feedback thread enough to start one themselves, yet have limited that feedback to function.</p></blockquote><p>I don't know why Kirstie decided to post a feedback thread and give us all the illusion that she wanted our input, then just implemented the feature however it was originally intended. It's bad form. I bet it will make it harder for other devs to get taken seriously if they create their own Feedback threads.</p><p>So far, the only dev that has unequivocally earned my trust is Domino. You know where you stand with her. She tells you flat out what is negotiable and what is not. What she's looking for feedback on, and what has already been decided and thus feedback won't do as much.</p><p>If there was no intention to make changes to Research Assistants based on community input, it should just have been kept a secret like StationCash and sprung on us.</p></blockquote><p>I'll add Rothgar to that list. Used to be just about everyone except Beghn but the gods of irony have seen fit to swap that around.</p><p>No more derailing. We don't need a 4th thread on this, we didn't even need a first from the looks of it.</p>

[Xalmat]

<p>Just got my first Master researched, my level 1 spell Earthen Avatar I. No issues!</p><p>It auto-scribes to your spell book.</p>

[Alienor]

<p>would be nice if the RA could tell, with which other toon A he is busy in case another research is already running and I want to hire it with toon B.</p><p>Expert spells can be acquired in advance to be ready once you level, but to research that one essential spell to master still takes 30 days as you cannot pre-order at the RA. Not sure if this is good or bad, but it will even out in the long term.</p>

[Lodrelhai]

<p>Just to follow-up, if you betray while you have a spell studying, you are creditted 1/3 the research time towards researching a new spell when you get your new citizenship.</p>

[Ember]

<p>Has anyone tested what happens if you put in a request for a master then the next day you get that master from a drop?  Can you cancel your order, does it reset when you scribe the dropped master?</p>

[Shareana]

<p>Let's keep in mind the posting rules please <img src="/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></p><p><strong></strong><strong><a href="list.m?topic_id=451192" target="_blank">Forum Guidelines</a></strong></p>

[feldon30]

<p><cite>Ember wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>Has anyone tested what happens if you put in a request for a master then the next day you get that master from a drop?  Can you cancel your order, does it reset when you scribe the dropped master?</p></blockquote><p>This is already documented.</p>