Quote:
|
Originally Posted by bobbydole
Wow.. I guess I didn't expect this kind of response, all I wanted to know was the best way of populating the zones based on packets collection. And it sounds like I can't just login to live and collect the NPC names, spawn locs and pathing info, because none of the packet collectors currently work with live. And i haven't been able to figure what to do with the packet files currently at www.projecteq.net/logs/ (which seems like they're what i'm looking for), eqbuilder/eqExtractor doesn't seem to work.. :(
So i'm unsure on the steps I should take next. I would like to get the zones populated as close to EQLive as possible, but i'm not sure I have the time to manually add the mobs to the zones. I don't know how long it would take compared with using the packet logs.
As for the problem with low population and stuff, I'm not really sure I care about that stuff right now. For me EQLive is the reference, which everything else should be based off of, so you want that as good as you can get it. Fine-Tuning it for your population size should be done by a server-by-server basis. So when i get PoD up and running, and submitted it to Angelox's DB or PEQ or whatever, people can do whatever they want with it. But there should always be that reference for every one to access. I think that's what the PEQ guys were aiming for, but it (appears) to be bogged down. That's why I think Angelox's DB is a good idea, like PEQ but with out the data restrictions.
However, getting back on topic, whats the best way of getting the zones populated? |
Don't get your hopes up with the "packet collectors" - at best, I would say they give you starting point on the given zone you're working on.
The only real way to get good work done is to get out there, choose a zone , and start working on it. This zone you choose needs to be one you are familiar with and have playe a lot. You will have to learn how to use and juggle editors around, you will need to learn Perl and Sql (not depend on just the editors).
Here's some of my method of bringing a zone to "live" - let say I want to do BoT;
I've played BOT. so I know a little about it, but not all. I start with my browser and go here;
http://eqbeastiary.allakhazam.com/zonelist.html choose "Torden, the Bastion of Thunder", then I pocceed to copy past a list of all named mobs with their drops- example;
----------
Atle Cloudburst 64 - 64 Monster
Blue Diamond
Brick of Ethereal Energy
Diamond
Fungus Clump
Lightning Encased Signet
Orb of Electricity
Ornate Chain Bracelet Pattern
Ornate Silk Boot Pattern
Peridot
Raw Diamond
Scepter of Lightning
Shard of Pure Energy
Spectral Parchment
Strand of Ether
Earring of Thunder
--------------
That's entry number one with his drops - these drops need to be sorted out into different loot drop lists, such as "general" (raw diamond, strand of ether, etc), rare ( Ornate Silk Boot Pattern, etc), and unique (Earring of Thunder, Scepter of Lightning),. The latter apllies only to this named mob. the first two drop lists, you'll be building on as you go, and will apply to most mobs in the zone. Also, sometimes there is extremly rare drops in the zone which would require another drop list.
After I have made a full list of all named and printed it out - I then dump Cavedudes data for that zone and merge it into my DB. This gives me a "head start".
Then I start to make the named mobs ; I get their stats from whats posted at allakhazam, and looking at what other mobs in the zone are and what they do.
After setting that up, then I look at the grids and pathing add/fix whatever needs it. Also look around for mistakes; for example in droga, Im still removing "cave_guardians" that for some reason are duped all over the zone ( and this was taken from the PEQ db).
the rest is "fine tuning"; if the zone doesn't work, I make a "zoner" - the named mobs get put into spawn cycle.
Finally, there's the quests (raids, etc) , and i still need to a lot of that. The most important thing to this is to "stay with it" , don't give up easy, and finish what you start.
There's no "easy" way around this, no matter what you do, you will end up doing a lot of "data-entry" work.
Edit;
If you do decide to work on a zone, tell us which zone, so we can choose another or you make sure no one else is already building it.