After today's patch, I have seen it sometimes take a long time for the hearts to load visually in Antonica. Often they don't show until after about 5 secs after I actually start the race, even when my character has been sitting for up to 30 secs on the "launch pad". I see other players running in ways that means they must be targeting and riding over hearts, but the hearts are invisible to me. Also, there actually seems to be more hearts not counting when I ride over them than before the patch. There are still way too long stretches between heart areas, though the concentrated pockets seem more dense with hearts in Antonica than before the patch. Good if no one is running the race and the hearts have had a chance to respawn. But to be the only player accessing the hearts for the whole race time is unrealistic, especially on many servers. This is an MMO, not a solo game after all. Also, the respawns still seem to be too slow. --------------------------------- I am curious, was it just the hearts clumping in an inaccessible way in some places the only thing adjusted/fixed in this patch?
1) Essences taking a while to show up - Due to their nature as particle states, and not solid objects, they will load at different rates depending upon your individual computer. Some players have suggested accepting the quest and then standing around waiting for the essences to load before stepping on the starter pad. Lag is the only reason I have found for it to not update. 2) The number of spawns was also increased in the race highlighted area, and they were adjusted to respawn faster. ~Kaitheel
Ah, I understand about the loading of the essences visually. But the main problem regarding respawns is in the areas past the race highlighted area. Those need to be adjusted to respawn faster as well.
I ran the Antonica race twice yesterday/ I usually stand around for a bit after getting the quest to let the hearts spawn. it really did seem like they took longer to show up for me. Then, as I was racing around, I would see a few hearts here and there, but not the concentrations I had been seeing before. Huge areas were completely without hearts. I looked in different places each time, but so few hearts to be seen. I think I scored 67 one time and 58 the next. I think there were two other people running it as well. I think I give up on the race.
The hearts do seem to take way longer to spawn than the stuff from other races during the year, which makes it harder when more than one person is running the race. I've ran the race on multiple characters though and have no problem getting enough for the rose hedge (80) I think. I usually average around 100-105 and my best so far was 117, so not really sure what's causing so much trouble for others. Some tips that might help though: 1) Do it at a less busy time of day and do a (/enter) to see how many people are in the zone. 2) Find a nice performance setting, high enough to see the hearts off in the distance, but low enough to prevent lag. Also, turn up your particle effects, it's the same thing that lets you see shineys that are far away. 3) Plan your path, try to look around while you're waiting for the race to start. They spawn in groups and straight lines. Run out in a straight line, circle around through more and come back in a straight line. 4) Use speed totems, cloak of the harvester, earring of the solstice etc. Anything you have to run faster. Your speed on the race mount should be 150%. It might even be possible for bards to get more than that, not sure. 5) Also, make yourself as big as you can. It really seems to help with touching them / picking them up / getting credit for running through them. I hope this helps some people. The rose hedges are really pretty and it wasn't much fun finding out that they weren't available for purchase with Ero coin or included in the new recipes. Good luck everyone!
The Erollisi mount uses ground mount speed modifier, so Shadow AA, TS AA, guild horse dude, Diamond Rod (clicky) will buff it. That little lot I mentioned should stack for a permanent +30% buff (130% = "normal speed", multicolour hearts = +20%) So you should get to +180%.... Speedy!
I had reported that the number of hearts needed for these prizes was way too high but was told "this is a different race" and still have to this day not been able to get over 65 hearts . I really wanted to stock up on more of those Calla Lillies,, but I guess I'm going to have to pay ridiculous broker prices for an 8 year old item.
Thanks Nailoo and Lament. That is a lot of very helpful advice. However, it should not be necessary to enhance the ground mount speed , lower graphic settings, wait till the wee hours of the morning and pray no one else is doing the race. The race should work for everyone, pure and simple. Lets be realistic, these are fun decorating and cosmetic items. And the race should be FUN to do. Right now, it is not fun....
Yes and no.... it should not be possible to hit 100+ every run IMHO... we need less win buttons in this game. Took me 3 trys to get 100+ if you want better chances to get 100+, then you need to min / max... that is really what EQ2 is about, how to approach the problem in the best fashion. Sure there is some luck, but basically it you want to farm topiary's... be prepared to gear up!
well this explains why there have been scores in the 100s before the patch to the hearts, i myself was aware of the AA and prestige boosts but not the item and guild stables buffs.
Since all the decent prizes require 80, that is what really matters, not the 100. I actually got that achievement on one character on Permafrost. When it was no one else doing it, and the server seemed totally without lag that early afternoon. It is just an achievement, not even a title, so it really does not matter to me about hitting 100. But when all the nice prizes require 80 score, and that can be unattainable for a low level in crafting and/or adventure level, with no way to use all but the lower wolf blood buff items or most if any speed totems. Especially on busy servers like Freeport. It makes it most unfair.
I was totally under the impression that the speed buffs didn't work. They didn't use to work. I guess I'll be diggin those out then, and running it on one of my larger toons. I think one of the biggest problems is the fact that so many people are running the race at once. Some of us aren't able to do it at less populated times. It has nothing to do with wanting a "win" button.. and it gets really tiring to hear some of the people that can do it easily act that way. I just want to be able to have a decent chance at earning the top tier items. As it stands, I have been able to earn one. One out of dozens of races. If it weren't for the kindness of a couple of very sweet people, I would have only that one. It really shouldn't be this hard for some of us to hit top tier in something that's supposed to be fun. This isn't raiding.. it's earning a pretty to decorate with.
Just thought I would mention since I had been trying for a long time (note this is all pre-adjustment to the spawns etc) I did finally manage to get the achievement on all 9 of my chars. It was extremely frustrating but I did do it with others racing at the same time (at one point there were 2 others racing). I got lucky once and was there when the zone was re-populated which definitely helped. All but my last were with no buffs to mount speed, for the last one it dawned on me that the tradeskill aa had a selection that increased ground mount speed and must admit it helped. Even without this on the rest though I managed to get 2,3,4 and 6th position on the leaderboard (different toons). I'm not saying this to annoy people that are having issues with it, more to say I spent hours trying to do it over a couple of days and my boyfriend will definitely agree I was getting more than a little frustrated. The more annoyed I got, the worse I did and usually it was after I had gone to do something else and come back to it that I did better. I have run it a few times since the adjustment and my average score seems slightly better but it does seem still difficult to get that 100. I agree that not everything should be handed out without effort but this stuff is not game-breaking for people to have, no-one is going to have an advantage if they pick up more hedges than someone else and I still think the target should be more reasonable for everyone.
I see a HUGE improvement in the race in Antonica. I was able to get 101 today and I have tried many times before down time and wasn't able to. I just wish that they would have done CL like Antonica. Even when there aren't a lot of people in CL it is hard to get anymore than 80 because they just don't respawn fast enough.
OMG! Thanks for the tips! I used an ogre illusion to make myself bigger, piled on all of the mount speed buffs I could! Now I can get over 80 from time to time! I was actually able to get the hearts better in Commonlands than I was in Antonica. I think I was only against one other person in Commonlands, and maybe two in Antonica. Being something other tna a tiny fairy plus the extra speed did the trick. I can't do 80+ every time, but I did get it several times. So.. 1. every speed buff you can find 2. Get as big as you possibly can 3. turn your setting down to the very lowest.. crank particle effects to the highest, and turn mounts off (if you have a dinosaur comp like me) 4. Get the quest and stand around a bit before stepping onto the pad.. let those hearts spawn for a while. 5. race in third person.. as far back as you can get. /ics_maxcameradistance 30 gets you farther back, so you can see all around you. Thanks to everyone for the tips! I just thought I would group together the ones that help me. It's still not easy for me to get top tier.. but I can actually do it.
Did the races today in Antonica and even with someone else doing it at the same was able to get more than 80 each time. There does seem to be a higher concentration of them and they do spawn faster. I applied the Cloak of the Harvester effect on myself which made me larger. Not sure if it really helped or not, but couldn't hurt. So, from my PoV, it's much better now. Thanks!
Heck Kaitheel, I tried last night thinking, well maybe its just me, but after reading this... I just plain can't see the hearts... I waiting till half the race was over and ran around by the gates, over in the cemetary, etc,..... I still can't see them. I can see them in Antonica just fine though. Guess I'll just keep running them there.
Try this. Get the quest.. but don't step on the starting pad. Just kind of hang out there for a bit. Maybe a few minutes. See if the essences start to spawn for you. You should start seeing them pop up. After they look good and spawned.. then step on the pad to start the race. that's what I have to do.
i got tired, i dont think i would be able to hit 100. it just way too unrealistic in my opinion, i am nowhere any better than last week doing 50-75, quiet big drop from getting 65-88. And, i was speed buffed and rose-tinted goggles to see the heart glows. STILL NEED FAST SPAWN!!! and devs need to stop laughing at players who trying hard, and those others who had exploited get alot of those, and sells for 55 plats or higher, that insane!!! there are other players who trying and it get worse when they are desperately as more players trying to get atleast 1 rose hedge. in my opinion, it is better to get crafting recipe as reward. i will see that achievement forever unattainable
