I didn't really know where on the forum to put this, but I had an idea last night. It would be an awesome addition to EverQuest if an item lending system was implemented. I for example, have a load of droppable items suitable for lower level characters (Blade of Carnage, Short Sword of the Ykesha, flayed barbarian skin leggings and so on) that none of my characters can use any more but that new characters could find really, really useful. However, the only option available today is for me to either sell them or give away. A new character will not have the possibility to buy these items because, well, they are expensive. So, if I want to help out a guildmate who's just starting the game, my valid option is to give the items away and that's not the easiest decision to make. I don't want to lose the items. So how about a system where I could lend it to a guildmate for example? My, indeed rough, idea is along these lines: When you lend the item to another character, it gets a "NO DROP, BORROWED" tag, so the person cannot give it away in turn or sell it, and as the owner of the item, I can recall the item(s) I've lent out at any time. Items that are "NO DROP", "EXPENDABLE" or "ATTUNABLE" cannot be lent out, obviously. What do you, the rest of the EverQuest community, think of it? Would it be a valuable addition?
No. 1) There are no new characters, not really. 2) If there were any new characters, the game is so ridiculously easy now (mercs, lol) they don't need your twink items. 3) Massive Exploit/Grief Potential. It would also need to be No Destroy / can't give to PoD or else they could grief you...and if you gave them a ton of items and refused to take them back you could grief them unless they had some way to force return them to you (see #4). 4) It would be a management nightmare that would likely require massive changes to the item system that is simply unfeasible for a cost/benefit for the tiny tiny percentage that would find such a system useful. 5) You can already lend things out now. It does require a bit of trust, but well that's what making new friends is all about. It would be far better to use/implement the FV system game-wide. It has the benefits of already existing in code as well as revitalizing trade/bazaar.
Wow, that was constructive. Would you like to elaborate on that? *EDIT* Nicely elaborated. Thank you. =)
1.) I have loads of new players in my guild. 2.) It is. And with the addition to defiant, well, the gear they can get themselves is in many cases better than the old droppables. There are, however, exceptions. Weapons, for example. Defiant weapons are pretty much worthless. 3.) Of course they should be "No Destroy". And if the character that borrows the items have the option to give the item back, neither the lender nor lendee could be griefed. Or am I missing something? 4.) How could that possibly be massive changes? If the programming of the game was done with OOP in mind, I can see changes made to the GUI (adding another tab on inventory), the item system having another tag and rules for borrowing being implemented. An addition like this should be able to be made with just minor changes if the game was programmed well from the start. Regarding the FV system being implemented: No - that would kill the game for many players. Being able to buy raid gear means the people who can afford to buy the best of the best gear are given the edge. Regular players who can only get group gear would lag even further behind.
Yes, and back in '98 OOP was already commonplace. How d'you reckon that it's not simple? I imagine EQ is coded in C++/C mainly. If the code has a sensible structure, it should really be relatively minor changes. And yes, I work as a programmer, primarily using C# and c++. Using your last argument, all content ever released ever should/would be 1.) raise lvl cap, 2.) add AAs, 3.) new raid and high lvl content. There are players other than lvl 105 max AA players just wanting their next fix of 5 lvls and 1000 AAs. I've been playing for almost 15 years. Still have no character at maximum lvl. But I've hunted every single zone in every single expansion, done every quest, maxed out all my tradeskills and so on and so forth. Actually experienced the game instead of taking the quickest route to getting maxed.
They would have to somehow store the information that item X belongs to person Y. There is no way to do that. That requires a coding change, and not a simple one. Then they would have to add in all sorts of anti-grief /anti-exploit features because players are experts at figuring out ways to do both. It would take a lot more effort than you seem to think for basically no real benefit.
1.) Erm. Local map var for the character instance. Store two pointers. Item and Owner. Not at all difficult and the tiniest bit of code. 2.) How could anyone grief/exploit an item that is no drop, no destroy that the owner can recall or the lendee can resend? 3.) No real benefit TO YOU. You're not the only one playing the game.
The aforementioned items ( i.e. BoC, Barb Mask) are not difficult to obtain in today's game. I would give them outright. It is a nice gesture. The only case to implement this is for "No Longer Drops" for items like Mask of Tinkering. That would beg the question: Why?
Stick them on the wall in your guild hall, let people know that if they borrow them they should put them back. Ok, I understand that's not what you're saying but I don't really think its a needed change. The defiant weapons may not be very good but still your J1 Merc can solo anything up to the mid 60's unbuffed and into the low 80's after spending the night in the Guild Hall, so really the only reason you need weapons for lower levels are: 1) Increasing Skill levels but for this the weapon stats don't really matter. 2) The nostalgia of doing old content with appropriate gear. ie its still pretty cool to take a group of level 45s into the mines of Nurga. I have to admit I think this is actually pretty cool, but if you're going to go through all of the trouble of doing something like this why Twink em? Do it in appropriate gear also. Overall I agree with Corwyhn this would be a lot of work for what you get.
So Chicago has this communal bike thing, When I was growing up it was similar but there was not really any way to control it, you find a bike you borrow it , you leave it somewhere ,someone else borrows it , you hope it eventually makes it way back to where you found it) However, there is a bike rack , sorta like the stroller rental at the mall, you rent a bike , return it to whatever location you are going and then rent one on the way out the same... .... or maybe like a consignment shop, bunch of things can relate... similarly, you could choose to give an item to a lender NPC, another character could come by and browse the lender, items they can use would be visible, each item has a rental cost, they must be returned within a designated time frame and then some of your rental fee is returned or they will be ganked back to the lender and none of your rental is returned ....... There could also be in addition where the lender pc could make a profit , percentage of the rental....
There is no need to add this new tag. Simple solutions. It is called selling the item, or simply giving it away.
