Please change how collectibles are spawned.

[Tilomere]

Please add an option to allow random level collectibles to spawn from the appropriate sources up to the level of that source. For example, a level 30 source will spawn 1-30 collectibles.

Or an option to trade-down collectibles at a trader.

This will prevent people who play iconics-cap from launching and resetting a Mirra's level 5 instance for caravan logbooks 150x in a row in a short time and other similar situations to gather crafting materials.

Which will be a QoL improvement, and a server improvement.

[Matuse]

No, that is a terrible idea. In addition to not preventing* the "problem" you describe, it will create an even larger one: Individual nodes will have VAST quantities of potential drops and the odds of getting what you want out of any particular pull will be extremely low.

*- Heavy collectible node quests will still be quests with a lot of nodes, and people will still be resetting and farming them over and over for drops, except they will be doing it a lot more because they'll be getting what they want at 1/6th the rate they currently do.

[Tilomere]

Not if it is an option, like class specific loot from end rewards you can enable. Besides, how many thousands of brass censors does a player need? Collectible nodes at cap are worthless after you have ... thousands.

But that's just a bonus, the server benefit is to not have someone spawn a dungeons worth of monsters 150x in a row in rapid succession because they get crafting materials while playing.

[Matuse]

That's not a benefit to the server, because it will still happen.

In fact it will be worse because people will go into low level quests to farm all their ingredients instead of just the low level ingredients. And they'll need to do it a lot more because of the dilution of ingredient drops means it will take many many many many many many many many many many many more runs of those low level quests in order to get what they want.

The solution to "I have too many brass censors" is to put a collectible collector in Eveningstar who gives out something useful for brass censors. Prayer beads are far more common than brass censors, but you have Goldscuttle who hands out free lesser restore potions in exchange for them.

[Tilomere]

That's not a benefit to the server, because it will still happen.

In fact it will be worse because people will go into low level quests to farm all their ingredients instead of just the low level ingredients.

Hmm, like doing small problem for that type since it has a buncha nodes. Ok.

How about option 2, putting that trader in Eveningstar or other location to exchange level 30 collectibles down levels? Looking for an option that doesn't spawn as many mobs and dungeons, and uses level 30 materials from end game where people are encouraged to stick around.

[dennisck2]

How about option 2, putting that trader in Eveningstar or other location to exchange level 30 collectibles down levels? Looking for an option that doesn't spawn as many mobs and dungeons, and uses level 30 materials from end game where people are encouraged to stick around.

/signed x10

[Tilomere]

Updated op, to have option to spawn collectibles up to level of source, to avoid abuse case of underlevel farming collectibles, on top of the trader.

[droid327]

Yes, I've often called for this myself. We should have a trade-down vendor - similar to the system in, e.g., Crystal Cove - that lets you trade down collectables of the same type and rarity to the next lowest level band, 1:1. So you could trade a L30 Uncommon Natural collectable for a L25 Uncommon Natural collectable, and then trade that down for a L20 Uncommon Natural collectable, etc.

That preserves the value of rarity and source for all collectables...doesnt let you, e.g., farm a bunch of Common Cultural collectables (which are cheap, the ones that drop from all mobs) for a Rare Lore collectable, and thereby cheapen ones that only drop from specific nodes.

Its silly to have a system that forces you to grind in critically under-level quests to do upper-level crafting, like we currently have. Trade-down for like items makes sure the total grind time remains the same, but lets you do it at the level you actually play at.

[Dendrix]

Please add an option to allow random level collectibles to spawn from the appropriate sources up to the level of that source. For example, a level 30 source will spawn 1-30 collectibles.

No. No. No. Because you run your level 30 mission and 5/6 if your ingredients are the wrong level so you need to run 6 times as many missions to get what you want.
Under your scheme if I want level 5 ing then I still run level 5 missions, because 100% of the rewards are what I want

Or an option to trade-down collectibles at a trader.

yes.
Trade 3 rares for 1 rare of a lower level
Trade 3 uncommons for 1 uncommon of a lower level
Trade 3 commons for 1 common of a lower level

[Zretch]

Hmm, like doing small problem for that type since it has a buncha nodes. Ok.

How about option 2, putting that trader in Eveningstar or other location to exchange level 30 collectibles down levels? Looking for an option that doesn't spawn as many mobs and dungeons, and uses level 30 materials from end game where people are encouraged to stick around.

I'd be willing to bet that the trade-in UI required to allow all the combinations of the various collectibles would cause the client to melt. They'd probably need some kind of intermediate currency. Sell your collectibles for X "collect tokens" and buy for Y "collect tokens". Different tiers and rarities sell for different token values. Kinda-sorta-but-not-quite-like cannith crafting essences which are gained by breaking down gear so you can craft different gear, and the higher the level item, the more essences you get.

I think doing something like this would also help clear out a TON of items sitting in red bags and/or in shared bank storage. Melt down the 1,000 different stacks of collectibles into 10 stacks of tokens.

Edited to say: Oh, and this type of thing could also impact their in-store purchased collectible crates, so who knows. I personally very much dislike those crates as I think it's unethical gambling (pay real life dollars for something "needed" but not guaranteed), but if it's a non-trivial source of revenue, then it's hard to imagine any kind of change being made.