What has happened to the healing nodes for alchemy?

wandering.mind_ESO · August 2016

In the last few days I've noticed a marked decline in nodes used to make healing potions. Sure, we all know how scarce Columbine is...but water hyacinth? They used to be along every water way. Today, I scanned the world...all my known places were totally deplete of anything to harvest. I could always count on finding hyacinth. Today I found one node in 5 zones...what gives? Is ESO another victim of harvesting farmers? The prices on the traders are outrageous. I do not sell, I use for my own personal consumption. Seriously, hyacinth used to be my go to when I could not find columbine. So far as I can see...the plentiful nodes thing is a mess. Anyone got info on this?

drakhan2002_ESO · August 2016

I think you just had a run of bad luck finding water hyacinth; I've seen it all over the place. Especially the vet zones; just head out to your favorite CP160 zone...it's not that populated.

DRXHarbinger · August 2016

Hollow city. Tons of it right by the wayshrine. Respawn in 120s

alexkdd99 · August 2016

Anytime prices for any item shoot up you will see more people farming it. You just had a bad run and had someone ahead of you grabbing them up.

Tandor · August 2016

I've been picking up water hyacinths in Auridon today, the only problem being that what I was really scouring the area for without success was iron ore!

drakhan2002_ESO · August 2016

Tandor wrote: »

I've been picking up water hyacinths in Auridon today, the only problem being that what I was really scouring the area for without success was iron ore!

...and people say that node farming won't be impacted by One Tamriel? Hehe...if we can't find stuff now...wait until that hits!

idk · August 2016

Water hyacynth is not really needed if your making the pots for yourself as long as your using inner light.

The inner light is well worth having on both bars for the max magika it provides. Then you only need lady smock and corn flower.

If your selling the pots by all means use all the ingredients.

Reevster · August 2016

I am surprised that the price of these regents have not gone up much since it takes what seems like forever to just get a half stack of 100.

I still don't know why we cant get hirelings for Alchemy.

KaleidoscopeEyz · August 2016

I don't have this problem. The farming nodes are so plentiful out there I have a problem getting from point A to B because I get distracted by all of the shiny things I can't pass by.

Nestor · August 2016

I have an area that I farm at least once a day, sometimes 2 or 3 times. Sometimes on multiple alts. This is an area dense with various nodes, including Alchemy. I have spent 2 minutes and up to 20 minutes in this area, farming and observing nodes. Sometimes I see a node respawn in 60 seconds, then on other days, that same node will not respawn in 15 or more minutes. I have also noticed that logging off one alt and logging on to another one in the same area from a different alliance (like for a Silver or Gold instance for example) does not seem to always reset the nodes like it does for other containers. But, sometimes it does if I allow enough time between relogs.

So, I have come to the conclusion, Nodes respawn whenever they darn well feel like it. And, if an area that is usually rich with nodes is empty, come back in 20 to 30 minutes. Or an Hour. Or, on an Alt. Or Tomorrow.

Tandor · August 2016

drakhan2002_ESO wrote: »

Tandor wrote: »

I've been picking up water hyacinths in Auridon today, the only problem being that what I was really scouring the area for without success was iron ore!

...and people say that node farming won't be impacted by One Tamriel? Hehe...if we can't find stuff now...wait until that hits!

There'll still be the same number of people node farming, for every AD player that decides to do it in EP there'll be an EP player who decides to do it in AD. I doubt it'll make much difference quite apart from the use of instances.

Robbmrp · August 2016

drakhan2002_ESO wrote: »

I think you just had a run of bad luck finding water hyacinth; I've seen it all over the place. Especially the vet zones; just head out to your favorite CP160 zone...it's not that populated.

I agree with @drakhan2002_ESO as I see them all over the place when I'm running around. Just a case of bad timing for sure.

SirAndy · August 2016

Nestor wrote: »

So, I have come to the conclusion, Nodes respawn whenever they darn well feel like it.

@Nestor
The respawn timer is depended on the number of players in the area. The more players nearby, the quicker the respawn rate.

wandering.mind_ESO · August 2016

Guys, for two days I've hit, Hollow City, upper Auridon, Wrothgar, Golden Coast, Hews Bane, Greenshade, Khenarthi's Roost, and Bal Foyen. I found only Blue Entrope and Bugloss and corn flower (Khenarthi's) on alchemy. I've been playing since Beta and have 5 master crafters. I get the way of things...I'm just saying that in the last two days...someone is either running through before me ...or something is off. Maybe it is due to my harvesting times. *shrugs* I've never had this issue before. I've favorites spots all over the world where I run the loops of harvest when I need to make some potions. Hopefully, it will get fixed or my run of luck with turn. As to not using all the regents...to make what i like/need I do

Thanks anyway.

Moonscythe · August 2016

I have found my success in harvesting, especially the ever scarce Columbine, went up dramatically by adding keen eye to everyone even the non-crafters. That way I can see even in the daylight but I do have to pay attention. I haven't noticed a lack of water hyacinth and really wonder why it would be expensive in the stores since it is the only thing that spawns in its location, as opposed to other nodes which rotate with a warped RNG. It must be warped because respawns will give a dozen of one common mat before the columbine spawns again.

AlnilamE · August 2016

The best way to find Water Hyacinth is to be looking for Nirnroot.

Never fails that all WH nodes will be up!

Nestor · August 2016

SirAndy wrote: »

The respawn timer is depended on the number of players in the area. The more players nearby, the quicker the respawn rate.

@SirAndy

Maybe, and it makes sense in some cases. But I have been the only one around this area (most farming is done as a Gold Instance so it's always empty) and have seen this node respawn in less than a minute, and have seen other players running through the area (when I am farming as a Silver or Leveling instance) and the respawn time has been much longer. Then, I have seen it empty of players in the Gold Instance and the nodes respawn very slowly, if at all before I get bored and go do something else.

So, while there may be a modifier or multiplier function in place based on zone or area populations, the underlying node respawn rate is purely random.

STEVIL · August 2016

drakhan2002_ESO wrote: »

Tandor wrote: »

I've been picking up water hyacinths in Auridon today, the only problem being that what I was really scouring the area for without success was iron ore!

...and people say that node farming won't be impacted by One Tamriel? Hehe...if we can't find stuff now...wait until that hits!

yes... three times the population will be farming three times the zones getting appropriate levelled stuff everywhere so so... uh... wait... huh...

Nestor · August 2016

@SirAndy

I have a theory now, there is both RNG and a Population Factor that goes into the Harvest Node Spawns. The zone population is used to determine how often the game tells a node to respawn, but the respawn itself is based on an RNG calculation. So, for example, the game will tell a node to respawn, but say it has a 50% chance to do so, it will respawn about every other time the game tells it to respawn.

Unless they have nodes that are on the RNG alone, and nodes that are scheduled according to zone population.

SirAndy · August 2016

Nestor wrote: »

Unless they have nodes that are on the RNG alone, and nodes that are scheduled according to zone population.

@Nestor
That might be the case.

I know certain zone spots where the same nodes *always* respawn on the same timer when i farm there alone and always respawn faster if other players are around.

But then there are other zones where the respawn rate seems more RNG based ...

nine9six · August 2016

Moonscythe wrote: »

I have found my success in harvesting, especially the ever scarce Columbine, went up dramatically by adding keen eye to everyone even the non-crafters.

For those leveling, and low on Skill Points, turning off Grass helps as well.

nimander99 · August 2016

wandering.mind_ESO wrote: »

In the last few days I've noticed a marked decline in nodes used to make healing potions. Sure, we all know how scarce Columbine is...but water hyacinth? They used to be along every water way. Today, I scanned the world...all my known places were totally deplete of anything to harvest. I could always count on finding hyacinth. Today I found one node in 5 zones...what gives? Is ESO another victim of harvesting farmers? The prices on the traders are outrageous. I do not sell, I use for my own personal consumption. Seriously, hyacinth used to be my go to when I could not find columbine. So far as I can see...the plentiful nodes thing is a mess. Anyone got info on this?

I was the guy right in front of you grabbing em all bru... Sorry bout that

wandering.mind_ESO · August 2016

Okay first, thanks to all you guys...especially nimander99. Nestor, your theory has more insight than you know. That is pretty much what happens. I've been a harvester since the old EQ games. Random is only to a point...as we all know there are indeed harvesting loops. The reason I expressed my concern is to get it out to the game powers that their fix on the harvesting numbers might have tipped the respawn balance. In design I've been told that for every fix...there can be, potentially, two or three other problems pop up. So...we shall see what happens from here. I had a bit more success this morning...though only with hyacinth, I'd really REALLY like them to up the count on columbine. Has anyone seen the cost of columbine on the traders? I'd rather go without than pay gouged prices. Enjoy your harvesting/crafting. Oh by the way....I use keen eye...of course. (veteran crafter through 6 mmorpgs)