Shop Buyable NoDrop Nanos

[Traderjill]

I logged one of each profession and I believe this list is a complete representation of the shop buyable (with credits) quest nanos.

I don't understand the logic. Some things I'd like to point out:

- Crats, Engineers, Fixers, Shades and Soldiers do not have any shop buyable DB nanos.

- 4 out of 5 of the Agent DB Nanos are shop buyable.

- The solo part of the DB Quest (Nano 5 on my list) only has 4 shop buyable nanos (I'd think this would be 100%).

- Enforcer's can shop buy Mongo's Kraken and Mongo Demolish (formerly known as IMUB and IMongo) which are the third and fourth nanos in the DB quest line but if they buy those because they opted out of doing the quest (or those parts of the quest) then that means they can't do the solo continuation quest to get iMalice.

- Doctor's can shop buy ICH but, again, if they didn't do the quest that means they're not going to be able to do the solo quest for ILC.

- MP's can shop buy Odin's Other Eye but if they do that it means they opted out of doing the quest for nanos 3 and 4 which are healthy manifestation and improved instill with malign intent.

- Traders can shop buy Divest Damage (DB Nano 1) and Plunder/Divest Skills Nanite Improved (DB Nano 5) but if they've bought DB Nano 1 that means they don't plan on getting Improved Health Haggler or Improved Quantum Uncertainty.

My point here is that I don't want to be the one teamed with players that opted out of some of their useful endgame nanos. I'm not trying to be elitist but I think that allowing people to buy just a couple to a few of their DB nanos is a slippery downhill slope that'll result in people turning up to teams and raids less prepared than pre-18.7. Some of the changes in 18.7, to me, will require people to be more diligent regarding their gear, nanos and toolset and this change is passively encouraging people to be less and/or take shortcuts.

I am assuming that the devs believe that the shop buyable nanos are going to be an effective credit sink otherwise I can't imagine why they'd take time out of their already jam packed schedule to make the change. If they are correct, then this will mean that post-18.7 we will have fewer people doing the DB Quest.

We only have to look to the result of the NoDrop Thigh/Ear Beta symbiant change to see how teaming for quest content can be impacted when the loot is available elsewhere. As a result of what I recall as two series of changes regarding Xan progression, it is pretty tough to find a team of people for Neretva. Unlike Arid Rift, Neretva requires a team and because it can be so difficult to find one it leaves those of us that wish to do the content either relying on the generosity of those that don't need it, forgoing the beta symb and just using an intel or 'doing as the Romans' and farming the symbs in 12-man as well.

If this is going to be the way that you guys are going, may I suggest that you make the affected group content soloable. Scale down the DB Quest such that 1 or 2 people can reasonably get through it. While you're at it, do the same for Neretva.

[nat3s]

Scale down the DB Quest such that 1 or 2 people can reasonably get through it. While you're at it, do the same for Neretva.

+1 to that, took me a month and offers of 500m to finally find people to complete the DB quest on my enf. Hardly anyone needs it nowadays, combine this with a low pop and obtaining your nanos is a nightmare (I contemplated unsubbing several times as I simply could not find people for the DB line despite spamming Dnet/Neutnet). Some nights I would find 2-3 to invite but we would be missing a doc or a tank. It was terribly frustrating. Imagine how it must feel for players who aren't prepared to lead a DB quest like I am.

With a low pop the game needs some nice solo content, the Ado, Pen, Inf and Arid Rift quest lines are great solo content, making Neretva and the DB quest soloable would be a huge improvement and give players things to do when there's hardly anyone on LFT.

[Neista]

Agreed on this. When AO was more populus these quests made sense and were a lot of fun (frustration too, but also fun). Now its patently ridiculous to allow some professions to skip quests or parts of quests as this actually cuts down the number of people willing to do the quest.

Quite honestly this is the most half-arsed type of solution imaginable...either make all nanos from all these quests shop-buyable or none of them, in which case yes, simplify the quests so they are more soloable

[Cyberleet]

The faulty design about DB-nanos is that they are too powerfull. When people suggested this they wanted something endgame who gave an extra edge (endgame-nanos could be used long before 220 so) for leet players, but instead AO created nanos that became obligatory nanos for endgame. It's a big diference between 'extra edge' and 'obligatory'.

[Jovial]

With a low pop the game needs some nice solo content, the Ado, Pen, Inf and Arid Rift quest lines are great solo content, making Neretva and the DB quest soloable would be a huge improvement and give players things to do when there's hardly anyone on LFT.

Leveling up, I thought that Dark Ruins having a solo instance version was a great thing. It would be nice if that wasn't the only instance with two versions.

[Traderjill]

Leveling up, I thought that Dark Ruins having a solo instance version was a great thing. It would be nice if that wasn't the only instance with two versions.

DR is another good idea with a failed implementation. Creating a team instance that requires completion of a solo instance only works if the solo instance is either somehow mandatory or has loot drops that are too attractive to skip.

[nat3s]

Leveling up, I thought that Dark Ruins having a solo instance version was a great thing. It would be nice if that wasn't the only instance with two versions.

DR is one of my favourite bits of levelling a toon. Perfect idea of levelling content in my mind. No sitting waiting for a heck or inf team for x hours, you can jump in solo and get a few dings. Would love to see a DR style solo instance in each of the SL zones to help with solo levelling.

[nanoforcer]

DB quest is fun to do so imo it's silly to buy the nanos, i'm at least always happy to help friends with it.

In any case, if these buyable nanos set whatever questflag that would be a solution if guess.
But yes, this fc "logic" sure is ..fun

[Traderjill]

DB quest is fun to do so imo it's silly to buy the nanos, i'm at least always happy to help friends with it.

In any case, if these buyable nanos set whatever questflag that would be a solution if guess.
But yes, this fc "logic" sure is ..fun

I don't mind doing the quest personally, the only part that feels a bit redundant is the Rewind piece that you do solo, at the end, to get the fifth nano. I definitely can understand why they'd put the fifth nano in the shop but as for the profession nanodeck and random nanos.. I just don't understand.

I'm living in a dream world I suppose, but hope that maybe someone will explain the reasoning for this. I only see it causing problems in the long run.

[Roscoe]

The faulty design about DB-nanos is that they are too powerfull. When people suggested this they wanted something endgame who gave an extra edge (endgame-nanos could be used long before 220 so) for leet players, but instead AO created nanos that became obligatory nanos for endgame. It's a big diference between 'extra edge' and 'obligatory'.

This seems a bit out of place here but anything that gives 'an extra edge' is pretty much obligatory. There is no such thing as a leet player.

If you place db nanos in the store it makes sense to make the quests for them easier as Jill suggests. Seems plain stupid that some nanos are not available and would mean doing the quest anyway. My guess is that it's not the full list, hopefully.

[Emma]

I would agree with Jill's OP ...

If you are going to make them store buyable, then make the related quests doable solo or by small teams, since this change will make it harder to get teams together to complete the quests. Allappa has the advantage of shoulder pads dropping to help get teams together.

Also, you should make them store buyable for Every profession and All the steps of the quest-line ... not skip DB 1 & 2, but make 3 buyable.

If Greedy Shade is going to have any SL Quest nano's then he should have all professions.

Separately, there should be an explanation as to which keys a Neutral toon needs in order to purchase items from the Greedy Shade.

Emma

[Caloss2]

I agree with Jill (again) if you put the DB quest item nanos into a store, then other than a first time player, nobody will do the quest anymore. And that would be a shame. I've done it on most of toons now, because those are the nanos + deck to use you have to get to build an endgame toon, if I could have just bought them for 5 other toons, I would have done being honest. And I'm pretty sure most other vets with multiple 220's would too.