Original Priston Drops

[Makloud]

Anyone know where to find the original Priston drops?

[MentaL]

[bobsobol]

original Priston drops?

Explain please. What do you mean by this phrase?

The drop rate for all the jPT server monsters will be as they where on that jPT server. It is evident that different official server operators run slightly different drop rates, and even seem to adapt them to suit the evolution of their local economy.

We have "guestimated" drop rates for newer monsters on newer maps and dungeons.

On some other MMOs it's not uncommon to have legitimate "mods" or "plug-ins" which will enhance players UI with estimated drop rates for a specific enemy by logging a drop history and sharing your logs with other player to reduce the margin for error.

Unless we find another insecure server backup from one of the official developers, that would be the only way we could improve on the rates we use on those newer monsters. But PT doesn't have any open API support for legitimate user customisation... except that some servers are now welcoming custom "skinning" attempts.

[Makloud]

Where can I find the official drops a server? JPT or as KPT?

[bobsobol]

That will be on the hard disk of yedang and ndolfin server respectively.

You can hack their network to get a remote administrative login (oh.. BTW, if you try this, please don't tell us about it) or you can get a job as a server administrator with them.

Otherwise, you continue to guess.

--- EDIT ---

I should give that warning more sternly now I'm a moderator actually. It's too easy to misunderstand. When I say "you can hack their network" that's sarcasm. I'm not telling you you should do that.

[Makloud]

Bob, many games post rates of drops of your games, did a search in question with something close to reality, there are many people who create rates based on tests, etc ...
You need not to satirize my question ....

[bobsobol]

I don't know of any game whose operator publishes drop rates. (doesn't mean that no game ever will) I do know of gaming networks like Curse which will provide a web interface to the data players collect when using their plugin (or another common one not developed by them) to log drops.

I wasn't satirizing your question. I asked for clarification, and I gave an answer which is true, and not impossible. However it is beyond the scope of legal discussion on RaGEZONE.

As I say, I have to be clear (as a moderator) that that isn't a recommendation or action RaGEZONE would promote or condone. I also can't tell you what not to do.

If you really want the official files of an official PT server that is the only way you will get them.

[osirus]

Makloud, no one is criticizing you or satirizing you. What bob said is the truth, and all the server that post the rates, those values are based on what they have customized the rates to be after running their tests and such (which you yourself have said). I played Ept back in the day all and the entire time, not once (even under the Yedang ownership) was the rates of the server released. All people knew where certain monsters dropped certain items; that is all.

If you are trying to learn what the original drop rates are, the closest approximation to the official rates would be the original JPT files that were released. Sure they are like 5 years old, but that will be closest approximation. Though I have to say, some of those rates in Ept were pretty crappy >,<. Hope that helps :) and and good luck with it :).

[bobsobol]

I presume that when the Chinese developers first got those files, they where accurate and correct for jPT. I'm guessing that would be some time around late 2005 to early 2006, since we got them not much more than a year later in a form that wasn't really complete.

In any case... it is possible to log drops in a customised client. But it's not easy (or usually within the Terms of Service) to connect a customised client to any of the official servers.

It's also possible to monitor the games memory with an external program which could log drops, or log packets and decode item drop packets. Hopefully you can log which monster died on which map to produce those drops too.

Doing the later isn't usually specified as being against the ToS, unless that information is used to drive an advanced auto-mouser. (bot)

When playing, drop lag means it's really quite difficult to actually log which monster dropped what on the floor. (even harder if there are looters around)

Many MMOs have a "combat log" in game as a secondary text window, like the chat window. It will always show attack type, damage done, damage received, damage type, amount blocked, amount evaded etc. But will also often show death count for AOE and level and other stats of a monster when it dies and a list of the things it drops.

This is often the primary concern of the Loot Master.

Spoiler:

PT doesn't support Loot Masters, so if your not used to the term here's what they do:-

Loot Master is either the Party Leader, or allocated by the Party Leader. Party Leader is usually the first person to invite another to the party, unless they appoint someone else PL, and that other person accepts the appointment.

Once a party member has accepted LM they are able to chose a minimum quality of item to manage control of. PT doesn't support item quality aside from age or mix either, so I'll explain that too. Most RPGs have

• Trash
  detritus, 1 old boot, mouldy bread, a severed hand, half digested meat etc.
• Common
  potions, cash, summer chicken, non-spec items etc.
• Uncommon
  spec items
• Rare
  near perf-spec items
• Epic
  perfect spec items
• and possibly even Legendary or Unique items
  above perfect stats or maybe something like "pre-aged", Kelvesu Amulet would definitely be classed as Unique or Legendary at the rate it drops on official servers

Anything below the quality specified will drop as normal. But anything at or above that level is highlighted on the LMs display, and nobody can pick it up till the LM has "inspected" it. (PT doesn't usually let you "inspect" items before deciding whether or not to pick them up... but it's pretty essential when you get "trash" drops. )

The LM can then choose whether to give the item to a specific party member, or allow party members to "roll" for the item. The member who rolls highest will receive the item in their inventory. But some members may decide they would rather have the inventory space, or carry weight than win that item, and so they can choose to forfeit the roll.

If everyone forfeits the roll, then the item is left on the floor as if it where not high enough quality for the LM to bother with it, and if that happens a lot, then the LM has probably set the quality too low for this party.

When the LM is going to allocate the item to a party member, it's usually because the item is valuable (to vendor) but only usable by a certain class. You don't want some thieving Pike in your party taking all the high quality Mage and Priestess drops to the Vendor when you are out hunting for kit for your casters. XD

If there are multiple party members who could both use the same item, lets say it's a Prs-Spec Wand, and you have two Prs in the party with a lower spec wand, they can say "Prs: Roll" and the two Priestesses can say "/roll" and the server will produce a random number between 1 and 10, or 1 and 12 (typical AD&D 1D12 roll) the Prs who rolls highest is who the LM will allocate the wand to... but they have the ability to discount any dumb Pike who does a "/roll" because the LM is a human.

Additionally, if it's a Clan party, the LM will probably know if there is a greedy Prs-Spec in the party who will roll on anything whether she needs it or not. (not usually an aspect common to people who play Prs, but some other classes will)

LM generally makes it easier to manage DKPs (Dragon Kill Points, "Dragon" being the most common RPG "unique boss" monster.) in a Clan. Unique dungeon drops which require a Clan to take 20 party members into the dungeon and extinct all enemies in order to spawn the boss and close the dungeon down for a random drop that only falls from that boss, and each Clan may only attempt the dungeon once per week before the dungeon resets are typically allocated to the appropriate class member who bids the most DKPs.

DKPs are not a "game feature" but something players and Clans manage. Each time a player aids the Clan in clearing the dungeon and killing the Boss they gain a DKP. It will probably take many kills over several month by many many players for the Clan to attain a single item that several Clan members seek. Those present on the run on which it drops may then spend those Kill Points on the item in question via bidding. The Clan Leader will keep track of who has earned how many DKPs and subtracting the number "spent" on the glorious drop.

It also aids smaller parties who are not part of the same Clan in trusting each other. The most trusted member will be allocated the role of LM, and ensure that nobody takes more than their fair share. ^_^

So if you can catch Combat log prints, you can base your estimation on that. Some MMOs even have the built in ability to record Combat or Chat logs to a file, just as you can with IRC or MSN.

Many people are proud to post their combat log publicly, and from that you can reduce the error margin in your estimation considerably.

Sadly, none of these features are a "normal" part of PT. Though I suspect I could probably implement a "combat log" and could certainly implement logging chat to a file... if anyone is interested. ō.ô

[Vormav]

I'm not sure why anyone would like to have this data. Its very imprecise. Drop rate change from time to time and player reports are usually like: totally this monster drop jera very often for me, but for someone else is not. Don't forget that some peoples will use items that add some % of drop rate. So I think its faster (and more precise) to ask your local clairvoyant ;)

@bobsobol
"combat log"... don't waste time on it. How about EXP per minute (that would be useful)? I can give you source code ;)

[bobsobol]

Hmm. Exp-rate is not uncommon to see in other MMOs, though I think most of them come with Mods / addons or plugins. (so as not to confuse nubs)

Often displayed a TTL, or Time To Level. So, if you are farming at your level the TTL is 3 Months and it you are fighting below it TTL is 5 years or so. XD Equally, farming above your level with a party may go down to 8 Weeks, or on your own may go up to 8 years. (because you keep dying) >.<

Monitoring alterations to the current Exp is not hard to do, and comparing that to a time figure is also pretty easy.

Getting a UI element displayed on the screen at the correct point in code would be the hardest part I can see to this... but I could replace the "1min" notice with it.