luminous ink: a stinking suspicion...

CoronHR · June 13

I wonder if people are farming mats and taking the luminous ink and then leaving the rest, which means when you farm it, there's nothing but the mat. i know it has a ridiculously low drop rate, but in some places where farming isn't done much, i get more ink. in the heavily farmed places though, like starter zones, ink is harder to come by even though there are a ton of nodes. just a thought...

Firstmep · June 13

I have autoloot on, and with infinite crafting bag I see no reason to leave the actual material behind.

Shara_Wynn · June 13

I find that highly doubtful. Those that "farm" resources will likely have a crafting bag and so I don't think they would bother to leave anything behind on the node, as it's all worth something. It would also take more time and effort to do when autoloot just loots everything in an instant.

vsrs_au · June 13

We don't know how many players use ESO+ (or at least, I've never read anything in this forum from anyone claiming to have the numbers), and we also don't know how many use autoloot. So I think the OP's scenario is possible.

davidtk · June 13

On PC you can use "much smarter autoloot" addon or others and have settings that you loot only special mats and leave rest behind (you click and addon take f.e. heartwood and close window without taking rest) not matter if someone have eso+ or not.
Without eso+ I had setting what will take whole chest and destroy rest junk and keep only filtered things, on the nodes same. (So chest and node disappeared then)
It all about who that person is.

EF321 · June 13

It's RNG, no need to be overthinking it.

davidtk · June 13

Anyway I forgot it, agree witj @EF321 it is just low drop rnd. I got one ink in PD after killing about hundred mobs lol.
And IIRC you can get 12inks if you will do scribing line again with alt.

SeaGtGruff · June 13

I was wondering if Luminous Ink is there for everyone, or if it's a per-character drop. After all, players who have not collected the Sigil of the Luminary Indrik should not be able to get Luminous Ink drops, therefore the drops must be per-character, such that if I look at a resource node, see 1 Luminous Ink, leave the node unlooted and ask someone else to look at it, the other person may or may not see the 1 Luminous Ink.

Does anyone remember a few years ago when players were going crazy during certain events about whether it was better to open a node, see an event coffer, then loot the coffer but leave the rest of the node's contents untouched so someone else would be able to look at its contents and maybe get an event coffer? There was an even greater uproar of that nature during The Great Shadowfen Water Plant Lead War. I think some players did actual tests to see whether everyone could see an event coffer-- or Antiquity lead-- inside a node, or whether it was limited to just the first player who saw it, and the conclusion was that the special "bonus" thingy inside the node was a per-player item.

I'm thinking Luminous zink might work that way, too.

CoronHR · June 13

SeaGtGruff wrote: »

I was wondering if Luminous Ink is there for everyone, or if it's a per-character drop. After all, players who have not collected the Sigil of the Luminary Indrik should not be able to get Luminous Ink drops, therefore the drops must be per-character, such that if I look at a resource node, see 1 Luminous Ink, leave the node unlooted and ask someone else to look at it, the other person may or may not see the 1 Luminous Ink.

Does anyone remember a few years ago when players were going crazy during certain events about whether it was better to open a node, see an event coffer, then loot the coffer but leave the rest of the node's contents untouched so someone else would be able to look at its contents and maybe get an event coffer? There was an even greater uproar of that nature during The Great Shadowfen Water Plant Lead War. I think some players did actual tests to see whether everyone could see an event coffer-- or Antiquity lead-- inside a node, or whether it was limited to just the first player who saw it, and the conclusion was that the special "bonus" thingy inside the node was a per-player item.

I'm thinking Luminous zink might work that way, too.

that's something to consider. players without eso+ probably don't have the new chapter and aren't dropping ink anyway.

and to whoever say i'm overthinking it ... overthinking is one of my most creative endeavours lol

AlienSlof · June 13

CoronHR wrote: »

that's something to consider. players without eso+ probably don't have the new chapter and aren't dropping ink anyway.

Having the chapter has nothingto do with ESO+ - chapters on launch are sold through the website or steam. I don't have ESO+ but I do have the chapter.

Not had a single ink drop yet though - still have just the 12 gained from the scribing questline.

freespirit · June 13

I have now collected seven ink in the wild, I have not really been farming it, just picking up more nodes as I pass and killing more mobs.

Two at once from the backpack in Outcast Inn kitchen, which I have opened a lot.

Two from a flower in Hollow City, I was helping a player locate plants so he could get Void Crystal Anomoly leads, I literally picked one and the ink dropped!

Two from a random Enchant node and one that I have no idea where it came from. 🙂

Ishtarknows · June 13

Shara_Wynn wrote: »

I find that highly doubtful. Those that "farm" resources will likely have a crafting bag and so I don't think they would bother to leave anything behind on the node, as it's all worth something. It would also take more time and effort to do when autoloot just loots everything in an instant.

I disagree. So do the Craglorn nodes that contain low level materials that I find with my CP max level crafters. If people are prepared to look for Nirncrux in this way then the new "must-have" material will be treated the same way.

Tenthirty2 · June 13

Wouldn't surprise me if that was occurring. During the last event (Explorer's?) that had better drop chances on nodes I was behind someone who seemed to be doing exactly what you are talking about.
I was looking for nirncrux in Crag, ran behind someone for a short time who went from node to node, pausing at each one a moment, then running on, but the node remained.

I autoloot everything, all the mats are useful for something, but maybe some ppl have limited storage space, who knows.

virtus753 · June 13

Yes, some people indisputably do this sometimes. I’ve found nodes with only Ochre, meaning someone took the dust from them.

But unless you’re habitually farming in the same area and at the same as someone who is doing this regularly, it will not impact your drops that much in the end. Ink drop rates are very low to begin with, so it’s not like you should be seeing them left and right.

You can also loot urns and backpacks, which are individually instanced, so there is always a “resource node” source of Ink you don’t have to fight over or worry about someone taking the Ink and leaving the rest.

Shara_Wynn · June 13

vsrs_au wrote: »

We don't know how many players use ESO+ (or at least, I've never read anything in this forum from anyone claiming to have the numbers), and we also don't know how many use autoloot. So I think the OP's scenario is possible.

Well I play off peak on PC EU and there are always lots and lots of resources for my guy to farm and I rarely see anyone else and the ink drop rate is still just as abysmal. I personally don't think that is what is happening. I think it is just a really poor drop rate. But if folks want to think that is what is happening then there is really no way you could every prove or disprove that it is or is not.

I also always found plenty of fortified and potent Nirncrux in Craglorn.

shadyjane62 · June 13

Considering the amount of heartwood, mundane runes and columbine I am finding, this would be foolish. Besides seeing the amount of ink that finds it's way into my Infinite craft bag without my seeing it is astonishing.

Often after gathering everything in sight as fast as I can I don't even see when I get it.

I average 10 inks a day for 2 hrs gathering.

sarahthes · June 13

It's just RNG.

I was farming Bleakrock very late last night, only saw one or two other people, period. I was complete clearing areas and then coming back to them just as they respawned. No ink for an hour, then 5 in 5 minutes.

It's just RNG.

nina_skydancer · June 13

it is rng like everything else. you can loot a hundred nodes and get nothing then the next twenty nodes give you three. happened to me just like that.

It like perfect Roe. you get one when you get one.

LaintalAy · June 13

sarahthes wrote: »

It's just RNG.

I was farming Bleakrock very late last night, only saw one or two other people, period. I was complete clearing areas and then coming back to them just as they respawned. No ink for an hour, then 5 in 5 minutes.

It's just RNG.

Partial harvesting is a thing. People are selfish and greedy.
The fact that suddenly, you started seeing ink is more likely to be that the player(s) in question have left the area.

sarahthes · June 13

LaintalAy wrote: »

sarahthes wrote: »

It's just RNG.

I was farming Bleakrock very late last night, only saw one or two other people, period. I was complete clearing areas and then coming back to them just as they respawned. No ink for an hour, then 5 in 5 minutes.

It's just RNG.

Partial harvesting is a thing. People are selfish and greedy.
The fact that suddenly, you started seeing ink is more likely to be that the player(s) in question have left the area.

I was completely clearing areas myself repeatedly and then catching them again on respawn. So unless I was stealing the ink from myself that wasn't happening...

virtus753 · June 13

LaintalAy wrote: »

sarahthes wrote: »

It's just RNG.

I was farming Bleakrock very late last night, only saw one or two other people, period. I was complete clearing areas and then coming back to them just as they respawned. No ink for an hour, then 5 in 5 minutes.

It's just RNG.

Partial harvesting is a thing. People are selfish and greedy.
The fact that suddenly, you started seeing ink is more likely to be that the player(s) in question have left the area.

On the PTS I killed 1,003 enemies to test Ink after they increased the drop rates. The two Ink drops came on the 572nd and 582nd killed. That's 571 enemies without a drop, then two in 11 kills, then over 400 more without a drop.

There is no way that another player could have influenced these drops. No one was around for the entire time, and loot is instanced individually. RNG is streaky by nature, as is very clear if you track drops in this game.

Hasenpfote · June 13

Touched resource nodes disappear after a short time after touced. It was changed around 8 years ago, where some nodes dropped junk, that nobody collected and the resource nodes didnt disappear after touch.

tsaescishoeshiner · June 13

This pinged my google alert for "loot conspiracy theories that are actually just RNG". Ty for the good read!

(I doubt this because ink only drops if you have the right Wings done and is exceedingly rare from nodes. Either way, just gotta loot the stuff)

LaintalAy · June 14

virtus753 wrote: »

LaintalAy wrote: »

sarahthes wrote: »

It's just RNG.

I was farming Bleakrock very late last night, only saw one or two other people, period. I was complete clearing areas and then coming back to them just as they respawned. No ink for an hour, then 5 in 5 minutes.

It's just RNG.

Partial harvesting is a thing. People are selfish and greedy.
The fact that suddenly, you started seeing ink is more likely to be that the player(s) in question have left the area.

On the PTS I killed 1,003 enemies to test Ink after they increased the drop rates. The two Ink drops came on the 572nd and 582nd killed. That's 571 enemies without a drop, then two in 11 kills, then over 400 more without a drop.

There is no way that another player could have influenced these drops. No one was around for the entire time, and loot is instanced individually. RNG is streaky by nature, as is very clear if you track drops in this game.

You example is based on killing enemies.
My example was based on harvesting nodes.

You also mentioned that the drop rate was increased. Ok, from 'what' to 'what'?

LyricsEcho · June 14

Trials seems to have dropped ink more for me than anything else. I've started to just ignore scribing all together until I collect more to learn on my toons. Scribing is a bit of a bust in it's current form. I wish I had waited on buying the new chapter at this point.

Elsonso · June 14

This discussion makes me wonder whether people farming Ink should turn auto-loot off so they can grab the ink and leave the rest of the node. The node will despawn after a few minutes, but that might be enough for another farmer to come along and they might have a shot at it.

Circuitous · June 14

I don't really get why they'd leave behind the other resources, though? Seems like it'd be a waste for these theoretical bad actors. Raw mats and tempers are good money still.

Paramedicus · June 14

I'm surprised how quickly some users were able to laugh off the OP's concerns about not understanding RNG, when the problem he's describing has absolutely nothing to do with RNG. Or that they doubt that someone would not want to collect all the items from the node, because they do not do that themselves.

Is it some general problem with understanding someone else's perspective?

Anyway, if the repawn time of the node "with leftovers" and the node from which all the items were taken is the same, the problem is not serious because the players' behavior does not affect the amount of inks that we will be able to collect. It will still be a bit annoying because it will make you feel like your drop rate is lower than it really is. However, if these respawn times differ, that would be a real problem.

If ink were to spawn in nodes in a per-player-way and not per-node-way (as @SeaGtGruff suggested), then there is no problem at all.

Elsonso · June 14

Circuitous wrote: »

I don't really get why they'd leave behind the other resources, though? Seems like it'd be a waste for these theoretical bad actors. Raw mats and tempers are good money still.

One reason: Full inventory, no ESO Plus. Only things already in their inventory are taken from the node. They might not care, or they might be on their way back to town to empty inventory and farming as they go.
Another: They are looking for something specific, don't have ESO Plus, and don't want their inventory cluttered with mats they don't want or need so they have room for what they do want.
Another: They are farming something that they believe will spawn for other players if the node is left available for others to look into. They think they are doing the community a service by not taking everything and denying someone else the chance to check that node.

virtus753 · June 14

LaintalAy wrote: »

virtus753 wrote: »

LaintalAy wrote: »

sarahthes wrote: »

It's just RNG.

I was farming Bleakrock very late last night, only saw one or two other people, period. I was complete clearing areas and then coming back to them just as they respawned. No ink for an hour, then 5 in 5 minutes.

It's just RNG.

Partial harvesting is a thing. People are selfish and greedy.
The fact that suddenly, you started seeing ink is more likely to be that the player(s) in question have left the area.

On the PTS I killed 1,003 enemies to test Ink after they increased the drop rates. The two Ink drops came on the 572nd and 582nd killed. That's 571 enemies without a drop, then two in 11 kills, then over 400 more without a drop.

There is no way that another player could have influenced these drops. No one was around for the entire time, and loot is instanced individually. RNG is streaky by nature, as is very clear if you track drops in this game.

You example is based on killing enemies.
My example was based on harvesting nodes.

You also mentioned that the drop rate was increased. Ok, from 'what' to 'what'?

RNG doesn't care if you're killing enemies or harvesting nodes. It's still RNG. My point is that it's streaky.

Just like when I got 5 heartwood within 9 wood nodes. The chance is 20%, not 55.55%, but RNG doesn't care. Each event is independent. That's also why I can go an hour without heartwood.

They do not publish drop chances for harvesting (with extremely rare exceptions like Potency Runestones from enchanting nodes), so we have to test. Before the increase on enemies, I got 0 Ink from over 1,100 enemies. After they said they increased it, I got 2 from 1,003. Since those are small tests, it doesn't prove what exactly the drop chance is, but for me it was enough to know that it had gone from "negligible, so don't expect it" to "you will see it, but very rarely."

darvaria · June 14

I think it very possible. You have to understand some of the traders in this game and the amount of RWT they do. They run bots, corner the market and then sell this gold. So they would do it in order to limit supply of ink.

I am going to boycott buying any ink. I've done seen too many traders offering RWT arrangements. I despise buying anything from a trade guild unless it is a reasonable price. It was a huge blow when they couldn't buy the cheap crowns and resell. Jewelry upgrades and other upgrades have come down a lot.

ZOS needs to increase drop rate of everything in this game. Or just sell it in the crown store (and don't offer any of those "special" rates to certain countries.