Educate Me

[Val-Tur]

On my shard the AI archer at the moment is the popular choice for farming drops. Fine, whatever. But can you guys explain to this classic client user, how these people are literally targeting mobs the very tenth of a second they are spawning and spamming AI at the same time? The targeting macro in the CC is still a piece of crap and I stopped bothering trying to use it even after they "improved" it.

Give me details so I can be super AI spammer and join the fun. I assume it has to do with the EC client, which I have used but not very much.

 

[PlayerSkillFTW]

It's illegal third party script programs that are allowing them to instantly target mobs while in a sea of summons. The scripters are literally monopolizing the drops since the devs slowed down the spawn rate.

 

[Jepeth]

I've got Q bound to:

SelectNearest -> Hostile
CurrentTarget
AttackSelectedTarget

Let's me auto-attack what's around pretty fast.

 

[Lore]

In Ec you can cycle a macro easily indefinitely. Just start the macro and then log out. Go into character file and copy/paste repeatedly. Then log back in and press the macro. It'll cycle fast for hours.

 

[Val-Tur]

I've got Q bound to:

SelectNearest -> Hostile
CurrentTarget
AttackSelectedTarget

Let's me auto-attack what's around pretty fast.

This works as long as there are no EV's or RC's nearby. Useless if there are a lot of mages casting them.

 

[Lore]

This works as long as there are no EV's or RC's nearby. Useless if there are a lot of mages casting them.

Smart Target and filter it out.

 

[The Zog historian]

I've got Q bound to:

SelectNearest -> Hostile
CurrentTarget
AttackSelectedTarget

Let's me auto-attack what's around pretty fast.

I meant to take a screenshot the other night that SelectNearest Hostile still doesn't work 100%. I had a half dozen monsters around me, and yet I was told there were no hostile targets on screen.

 

[Lore]

I meant to take a screenshot the other night that SelectNearest Hostile still doesn't work 100%. I had a half dozen monsters around me, and yet I was told there were no hostile targets on screen.

In EC and using smart target it does. Because you can keep neutral targets.

 

[Cork]

In EC and using smart target it does. Because you can keep neutral targets.

Smart Target is broken in the EC. Half the time it works and the other half the time it doesn't target anything. I've had other people try it as well and they experienced the same issues. It would be a great feature if the devs would actually fix anything.

 

[Lore]

Smart Target is broken in the EC. Half the time it works and the other half the time it doesn't target anything. I've had other people try it as well and they experienced the same issues. It would be a great feature if the devs would actually fix anything.

I'll have to test more. Seems fine to me. Are you seeing all the mobs you want to target on your mobiles bar?

 

[Pawain]

On my shard the AI archer at the moment is the popular choice for farming drops. Fine, whatever. But can you guys explain to this classic client user, how these people are literally targeting mobs the very tenth of a second they are spawning and spamming AI at the same time? The targeting macro in the CC is still a piece of crap and I stopped bothering trying to use it even after they "improved" it.

Give me details so I can be super AI spammer and join the fun. I assume it has to do with the EC client, which I have used but not very much.

I use CC . You can put the special on first then add the targeting in your macro. My archer has discord before the targeting, but that would need changed for this since things die fast. Then you have the summons issue still.

 

[Val-Tur]

Is there anyway in the CC to filter out spellcasters summons, necro spawn, etc? Now in Destard people are mixing EV's in with the archers. So I am literally screwed by using the CC.

 

[Val-Tur]

I use CC . You can put the special on first then add the targeting in your macro. My archer has discord before the targeting, but that would need changed for this since things die fast.

Yup. I added it to test. Works fine except for the damned summons.

 

[Cork]

I'll have to test more. Seems fine to me. Are you seeing all the mobs you want to target on your mobiles bar?

Yes they are on the mobiles bar. Targeting just stops working. You can't target anything until you log out and back on.

 

[Silent Singer]

Didn't opening your paperdoll used to make everything on screen switch target to you? Or am I misremembering that? I just drop trees and spam thunderstorms *shrugs*

 

[Lore]

I'm convinced the trees are what started the big lag. Chessy was mostly fine until 2nd day people were spamming reapers.

 

[Anon McDougle]

Didn't opening your paperdoll used to make everything on screen switch target to you? Or am I misremembering that? I just drop trees and spam thunderstorms *shrugs*

In cc opening and closing your pack does aggro everything to you useful at champ spawn

 

[MoonCres]

Easiest answer still seems to be do what you (legally) shouldn't do. Hense most do... I play cc always a blast figuring out ways around certain in game macro issues. Interesting thread sry no input on my end...

 

[Lore]

So yea, smart targeting is broken. I'll figure something else out. I guess the summons I saw weren't in my range or something.

 

[wingnut]

It's illegal third party script programs that are allowing them to instantly target mobs while in a sea of summons. The scripters are literally monopolizing the drops since the devs slowed down the spawn rate.

No its actually not. Its called select next hostile, attack selected. Keep clicking it until it shoots something.

 

[Meat Elemental]

No its actually not. Its called select next hostile, attack selected. Keep clicking it until it shoots something.

Yup! And if you die just stand there dead and keep clinking for hours....

 

[gwen]

With my ping on ATL I cannot target anything on lvl 1 . And since mobs are one hit , somebody will kill them before I will target or before my client will know that mob was born. .
AOE looks like best choice . lots of people will get credit for one mob kill so we will get more drops. this is spellweaving event .

 

[Kylie Kinslayer]

It's illegal third party script programs

Ummm... are there such things these days? I mean not too long ago a certain Producer was saying do what it took to win... just don't macro unattended...

 

[Val-Tur]

No its actually not. Its called select next hostile, attack selected. Keep clicking it until it shoots something.

Then explain why they instant target is always using AI at the se

With my ping on ATL I cannot target anything on lvl 1 . And since mobs are one hit , somebody will kill them before I will target or before my client will know that mob was born. .
AOE looks like best choice . lots of people will get credit for one mob kill so we will get more drops. this is spellweaving event .

After the pile was done away wtih, I gave up trying to thunderstorm my way to drops and switched to my archer (thus the reason for the thread). You simply cannot compete witth 5+ machine gun archers killing things literally less than 1 second after they spawn. Drops are slow but triple what my mage was getting trying to ae mobs that were already dead.

 

[gwen]

@Val-Tur my thrower kills lots of mobs in one hit . If there are 5 archers /throwers around you (if lucky and with same ping software , etc) will be able to hit only 1/6 of them. Which will already look like all other have machine guns. Add reapers, other summons and you will rarely hit something at all.

So personally I am choosing wraith form Weaver with healing and anatomy.
4 independent ways to self/heal (have 5 if add humility but never use it )
Very hard to kill even for para wyrms .
Making one more now so will be able to cross-heal.

 

[Cork]

Then explain why they instant target is always using AI at the se


After the pile was done away wtih, I gave up trying to thunderstorm my way to drops and switched to my archer (thus the reason for the thread). You simply cannot compete witth 5+ machine gun archers killing things literally less than 1 second after they spawn. Drops are slow but triple what my mage was getting trying to ae mobs that were already dead.

Thunderstorm is way too slow for sure. Any spellweaving spell will be too slow. That's why Wither with necro will still work. Also in the EC you can setup a one button push macro that activates armor ignore and targets and attacks. Other than having to tab through all the summons it works pretty well and isn't a script. I have a macro for my Sampire that targets the nearest enemy, activates whirlwind, then attacks that target. It works great when you are grouped up. Unfortunately ranged builds are killing stuff before it gets to me. I ended up switching to a necro thrower char. Armor ignore with a soul glaive does tons of damage. Add in slayers and I'm one shot killing a lot of the non paragon mobs. And I wouldn't even consider my gear to be a super good suit either.

 

[Val-Tur]

Thunderstorm is way too slow for sure. Any spellweaving spell will be too slow. That's why Wither with necro will still work. Also in the EC you can setup a one button push macro that activates armor ignore and targets and attacks. Other than having to tab through all the summons it works pretty well and isn't a script. I have a macro for my Sampire that targets the nearest enemy, activates whirlwind, then attacks that target. It works great when you are grouped up. Unfortunately ranged builds are killing stuff before it gets to me. I ended up switching to a necro thrower char. Armor ignore with a soul glaive does tons of damage. Add in slayers and I'm one shot killing a lot of the non paragon mobs. And I wouldn't even consider my gear to be a super good suit either.

The current devs really seem to be slow or simply lack the ability to actually understand what goes on in this game. It does not matter at all what they intend or think things should be like. All you have to do is log into the event and see how the vast majority of players are participating. Its range, range, range, spam, spam, spam - with everyone in one or two places. And they are doing it on primarily one or two templates. On every previous treasures event, I refused to use my sampire or convert him to dragoon like everyone else - I dusted off another of my melee toons. I was wildly successful at every event in terms of drops, rewards, and cash from selling drops. This event? I am right on board with the lemmings as I do not see much of a choice. Even so it will be much slower than any of the other events to get my drop goal.

I dreaded the day Destard would be chosen for a treasures event due to near instant death regular mobs or instant death paragon breath mobs - you can't outrun most of those. But it turns out to be a whole different set of issues.

 

[gwen]

I don't think Destard is problem. It is trouble how they made this event.
Mobs are too weak. Even most of paragon. We have no trouble wearing both slayers at same time. Fey and Dragon.
Scripture are way better rewarded then players who actually run and kill stuff.

Toon with 100LRC suit made of junk is collecting more eggs and getting more drops then my geared up warrior.

 

[Keven2002]

I don't think Destard is problem. It is trouble how they made this event.
Mobs are too weak. Even most of paragon. We have no trouble wearing both slayers at same time. Fey and Dragon.
Scripture are way better rewarded then players who actually run and kill stuff.

Toon with 100LRC suit made of junk is collecting more eggs and getting more drops then my geared up warrior.

If we are talking about ATL level 1 then I'd agree that the mobs are too weak because even a shadow wyrm / greater dragon paragon dies within 20seconds but if they remove the 2 bot scripting spawns (making it like any other dungeon event we have had) I think Destard is a tough dungeon to balance. Perfect example is go check out level 2 & 3 where it's very small and has a good chance to spawn 2 paragon Shadow Wyrms (or paragon Shadow/Ancient Wyrm). Without the bot scripting pile of 10 people spamming AI those things are tough to take out with just a few people (nearly impossible solo) while also dealing with other potential paragon spawn like the weald protector.

That said, I think just about everyone can agree that the scripters are being rewarded much better than people who actually want to play the game as it is designed. If there isn't some serious change to how the event is working then there isn't much point for me to run around looking for stuff to kill when I can just wait for the scripters to flood the market with stuff in a month and buy it on the cheap.

 

[gwen]

It is not only how scripters are rewarded. But they also affect other people gameplay . Some are not scripting. They are same players as you are just trying to hit a mob.
Some scripting in this game I can accept. Like mining/lumber scripting. Yes they affect overall prices but they do not prevent you to grab shovel and mine metals yourself. There are lots of mountains.

I am trying to improve my gameplay , skills and toons. But my egg collector is still way ahead of any toon I take to Destrard.

 

[Keven2002]

I am trying to improve my gameplay , skills and toons. But my egg collector is still way ahead of any toon I take to Destrard.

I actually just posted on the official forum that I noticed the same thing (outside of ATL). Seems like egg collecting is right on par with the amount of drops you would get from Destard by running around killing stuff. That's a pity for me because I have no desire to collect eggs as it's very boring and would like to fight in the dungeon but I also want to be efficient with my time. The risk vs reward for this event seems like it's very much out of whack.

 

[Lore]

Scripters will always have an advantage. That's why they script. You're always going to be chasing the "why scripters win" argument.

Just try to have fun. If you're not on ATL, it's still tolerable in some spots with an archer. If you are on ATL, well, don't be.

 

[wingnut]

I don't think any of you know what yall talking about. To address yall concerns:

First, this is how you machine gun AI the enemy legally on CC KEEP PRESSING THE BUTTON. It will only actually shoot an arrow at a legit enemy, so just cycle through them as fast as possible with select target -> attack selected. Don't turn AI on in that macro, turn AI on separately so it just waiting for you to find a target.
This is how you do it on EC:

Smart Target and filter it out.

Also all the pancakes it not being a good event cuz xxxx template can't do well? Here proof that's bs:

lots of people will get credit for one mob kill so we will get more drops. this is spellweaving event .

how these people are literally targeting mobs the very tenth of a second they are spawning and spamming AI at the same time?

Toon with 100LRC suit made of junk is collecting more eggs and getting more drops then my geared up warrior.

. That's why Wither with necro will still work

Seems like a good event with a nice spread of templates. I'm doing damn good on LS with my Sampire, so it seems like every template is kicking ass here.

If you having trouble killing enemies before they die, maybe its your choice of shard? But even that's BS cuz I play an archer on ATL and I haven''t noticed this problem at all. Yall know there's other areas besides the entrace to kills stuff?

 

[Troy]

Thunderstorm is way too slow for sure. Any spellweaving spell will be too slow. That's why Wither with necro will still work. Also in the EC you can setup a one button push macro that activates armor ignore and targets and attacks. Other than having to tab through all the summons it works pretty well and isn't a script. I have a macro for my Sampire that targets the nearest enemy, activates whirlwind, then attacks that target. It works great when you are grouped up. Unfortunately ranged builds are killing stuff before it gets to me. I ended up switching to a necro thrower char. Armor ignore with a soul glaive does tons of damage. Add in slayers and I'm one shot killing a lot of the non paragon mobs. And I wouldn't even consider my gear to be a super good suit either.

Hey Cork, are you able to advise on the sequence of options you are using for your macro on EC? Thank you kindly.

 

[Cork]

Hey Cork, are you able to advise on the sequence of options you are using for your macro on EC? Thank you kindly.

For my Sampire? It's basically the same macro for both anyways so I use "Target Nearest Enemy" -> "Primary Ability" -> "Attack Current Target". I have this same macro for both primary and secondary weapon abilities. Again as others have stated you have to hit it a few times if there are summoned pets because it will target them.

 

[Keven2002]

Yall know there's other areas besides the entrace to kills stuff?

I've raised this to Kyronix unsuccessfully... there actually is much much less spawn in the rest of the dungeon in ATL. I spent an hour running around level 1 outside of the spam bot hallway and my drop rate was atrocious (12 with luck statue - no potion) compared to every other single treasures event I'm easily in the 30-40 range with no luck potion per hour. You have to run too far to find 1 thing that spawned.

For my Sampire? It's basically the same macro for both anyways so I use "Target Nearest Enemy" -> "Primary Ability" -> "Attack Current Target". I have this same macro for both primary and secondary weapon abilities. Again as others have stated you have to hit it a few times if there are summoned pets because it will target them.

Does putting the target macro and primary ability on the same button not mess up AI when u target something invalid? I have a macro in CC for my sampire which is "Arm 1" --> "Use Primary" but if I hit the macro more than once it will deactivate my AI. I'm wondering if that would also happen in EC if you are just hitting the macro a few times to find a valid target.

 

[Lord Arm]

lets be honest, many people are using illegal programs, auto targeting/script. this is not new but very obvious to some. its not rocket science but of coarse nothing will be done. you will even find groups of them run by one person. paging seems to be a waste of time for many. so what can you do?

 

[Keven2002]

Yes I am not that naive to think people are actually playing fair and to me it's very obvious who is actually playing and who is afk scripting. If you want to find out, all you need to do is cast wall of stone in front of them and you will see several things spawn behind the wall just sit there because they have no line of sight. You can tell who is there and who isn't usually because the ones there move to kill the thing behind the wall or get pissed at you and threaten to report you; but 9 outta 10 toons there don't do anything.

I know the team is short staffed but you would think that it would be pretty easy for a GM to go directly to one of the 3 spawn piles (it's not like they are hard to find) to check it out. Another very simple test? Just have the GM port the suspected afk bot outside of the dungeon. I bet that's where they would stand for the next X hours too. If it was someone who was actually there then it's really no harm as they just need to run back inside to rejoin the pile. Do that 4-5 times for a day or 2 for the scripters to know that GMs are actually watching and I bet things would change pretty quick.

 

[Troy]

For my Sampire? It's basically the same macro for both anyways so I use "Target Nearest Enemy" -> "Primary Ability" -> "Attack Current Target". I have this same macro for both primary and secondary weapon abilities. Again as others have stated you have to hit it a few times if there are summoned pets because it will target them.

Thanks Cork. I can't find the 'attack current target' option on EC though.

 

[Benjaminseth007]

Yes I am not that naive to think people are actually playing fair and to me it's very obvious who is actually playing and who is afk scripting. If you want to find out, all you need to do is cast wall of stone in front of them and you will see several things spawn behind the wall just sit there because they have no line of sight. You can tell who is there and who isn't usually because the ones there move to kill the thing behind the wall or get pissed at you and threaten to report you; but 9 outta 10 toons there don't do anything.

I know the team is short staffed but you would think that it would be pretty easy for a GM to go directly to one of the 3 spawn piles (it's not like they are hard to find) to check it out. Another very simple test? Just have the GM port the suspected afk bot outside of the dungeon. I bet that's where they would stand for the next X hours too. If it was someone who was actually there then it's really no harm as they just need to run back inside to rejoin the pile. Do that 4-5 times for a day or 2 for the scripters to know that GMs are actually watching and I bet things would change pretty quick.

Seem like it would be that easy for them to get rid of the bots makes you wonder why they are not. I know a couple years ago when I came back to game I found out that if you took bag balls and put them around you in the trog caves you didn't have to heal all the time. I was only at that for a hour or so before I got transported off by a GM and he told what I was doing was cheating (it was just to easy should have know) and he suspended my account for a day no if's ands or buts. I was even there to talk to GM and not afk. They do nothing about all these afk bots all over. I still double click doors to open them to this day and just learning about a lot of different macros options in the last couple of months. Wait for target who knew, so much easier then trying to figure out how many delays to put between cast spell and last target lol. That is part of why I like this game is its vast complexity and options available. When I played in the 90's it was a much different game. There was trade guilds all sorts of different options to choose from. I was part of a miners guild. Bought my first small tower mining ingots. Man to do that today with all the bots selling ingots for the same price as I sold them then. Would take me years of mining to make enough gold in this current UO economy to buy anything. So thanks to these bots more then half this game might as well be obsolete. Just sad back then they always said scripters was going to kill this game and look at it today.

 

[Lore]

Thanks Cork. I can't find the 'attack current target' option on EC though.

It's under the combat section. You can click the title of the section in Actions for a shortcut.

I would guess the inaction is because you all are terrible at identifying people using third-party software or bots. You see people playing better than you and just shove em into a bucket you made up in your head.

 

[Cork]

It's under the combat section. You can click the title of the section in Actions for a shortcut.

I would guess the inaction is because you all are terrible at identifying people using third-party software or bots. You see people playing better than you and just shove em into a bucket you made up in your head.

I have definitely seen people do this. Especially in pvp.

 

[Lore]

Turns out the thing that is causing people's smart target to not work is that they don't have their mobiles bar open. With it open, my macro does work and filters out summons.

 

[Benjaminseth007]

It's under the combat section. You can click the title of the section in Actions for a shortcut.

I would guess the inaction is because you all are terrible at identifying people using third-party software or bots. You see people playing better than you and just shove em into a bucket you made up in your head.

I'll give you that when it comes most things on computers I drew the short straw. I didn't even own one for most my adult life until a couple years ago when the mother in law gave me her old desk top that still has windows 7 office to help me keep all my business records organize. Still have draws full of papers and receipts and have only used the computer for UO. LOL the tax man loves me. I must also mention I play on Atlantic. No offence to the dead shards but I don't play a MMORPG to run around by myself. I can see that standing in one spot with one key mashed down is considered being better these days in this world we live in (will never understand it myself ). I was just looking forward to Destard. I mean it is Destard one of the biggest open floor plan dungeons in this game full of dragons. It was going to be an all out blood bath, people running around franticly just a giant pit of carnage. All the spawn pops up in just a few tight spots where people stand there and kill anything that pops in a fraction of a second? Other levels where fun until you got to many people down there trying to get away for the bots afk or not. It just turn into the same thing everyone running around in tight spaces fighting for looting rights. Why not use the biggest room for a massive spawn? So much potential for a great event. I must also meet these well tuned fighting machines on here that are so in tune with each other that as soon as the gate opens all ten of them are gone like a fart in the wind. I mean if they don't pvp they should. They can gate in and kill a paragon shadow drake in less then a second, no one would stand a chance. Oh wait these are what is left of the pvpers in this game, they are so good no one dares run the lands of Fel, anymore.

 

[Lore]

The "dead" shards have people that play the game. A lot of them. Destard is active on every stream I watch on all the "dead" shards. Be it Sonoma, Great Lakes, or my own shard of Chesapeake. We just had a alliance meeting last night and filled a house with bodies. The dead shards are dead at banks, sure. But the players play and it's easier to develop real relationships with people when you see the same names repeatedly.

 

[Meat Elemental]

The "dead" shards have people that play the game. A lot of them. Destard is active on every stream I watch on all the "dead" shards. Be it Sonoma, Great Lakes, or my own shard of Chesapeake. We just had a alliance meeting last night and filled a house with bodies. The dead shards are dead at banks, sure. But the players play and it's easier to develop real relationships with people when you see the same names repeatedly.

Yup great lakes destard seems busy enough!

 

[Nyses]

This works as long as there are no EV's or RC's nearby. Useless if there are a lot of mages casting them.

in a pinch, you can use Dispel evil to "poof" the ones that get attacked, and that attack you back.

 

[Whitewolf of *VK*]

im goin to have disagree with AI archer getting the most drops, im using a axe swinging sampire and i get drop after drop. ill round up a whole group and mow em down and get 2 to 3 drops at once.

 

[Maith Ceol]

Anyone who has used EC knows that the macros sometimes just stop working. I use it. I can't even imagine using the CC at this point. Still, my point is that even "scripting" with EC, you have to be there because one little hiccup and everything stops. Also, you get the ghost monsters and people so sometimes it will target things that aren't even there. It still sees them but I'm just casting in a empty spot

And while I absolutely agree that there are illegal scripters, you have to take your connection into consideration. I play in a group a lot and they are always saying I'm fast or zooming. I have a pretty good connection with a fast computer. I have a guildmate with a faster connection and a better computer and they are always ahead of me. And ping. And let's face it, some people are younger with better reaction times. I feel it, not going to lie. Playstyle, how you attack, your weapon speed, your dex your this your that ...

Yes, scripters are there. But, sometimes, it's literally just a ... uh ... less fortunate set of circumstances. I've run around with the group and they leave with 20 drops and I leave with two. We killed all the same stuff. We literally worked together. Sometimes ... it just sucks and sometimes you get the drop *shrugs*

 

[Keven2002]

im goin to have disagree with AI archer getting the most drops, im using a axe swinging sampire and i get drop after drop. ill round up a whole group and mow em down and get 2 to 3 drops at once.

In my experience archers do not get as many drops now which is likely because it's mainly single target attacks (my archer uses area damage too though) and it's pretty tough to do as much damage as a sampire whirlwind mowing down 4-5 mobs at a time. Combine that with needing to run around to find multiple things to kill (at least on ATL); it even makes drops on my sampire mediocre at best compared to every other event. I suspect a tamer using a pet with AoE and casting thunderstorm is probably similar to an archer (maybe a little better but not a sampire). That being said, it's not a ton more that I've gotten on my sampire over my archer (again I need to run quite a few screens to kill 1 or 2 things most of the time) but I also die more on my sampire due to all the paragons that people leave so maybe that's part of it.

What I will say is that it does seem like the risk vs reward as it relates to a ranged fighter vs a hand to hand melee toon is correct.