User talk:Waenc

Merchants

Hey, nice additions. I never got around to finishing the "framework" to add merchants but it seems like you've accomplished that quite nicely.

I'll update my scraper tool soon(ish) to use Template:MerchantPage instead of Namedmobpage, and also to fill out the "Items Sold" category.

Anything else needed?

--Ravhin 20:09, 29 July 2011 (UTC)

Scraper Updates

I've updated the NPC scraper to pick MerchantPage template, and also include a list of items for sale.

It will also add a Category: Zonename to the bottom of the page. This is a new thing that I'm not using yet, but the idea for both mobs and quests is just to include a Category: Zonename where they are or start. No need to say "Kaladim Merchants" for example, since we can get that list by intersecting the "Merchants" and "Kaladim" categories.

I updated the item scraper to include a note (under a "soldby=" parameter) if the item can be purchased from merchants. I'm still working on a complete listing of who and where. I was thinking a table (like the spell pages) instead of just a bullet list (like the "dropsfrom" parameter on mob pages).

No items on the wiki up until now were really vendor sold, but since they are now it's important that this is decided and consistent across all items.

Template Substitution

This is a permanent change right? Once the template is substituted, there is no way to go back?

It kind of defeats the purpose of having a template in the first place, we could just write the output in the other (less templatized) format. But that's my only real complaint.

If you really think it's worth it are you willing to change all the existing mob pages on the wiki for consistency?

Perhaps hold off for now. --Ravhin 20:46, 30 July 2011 (UTC)

Classic authenticity

Are you checking these Kaladim merchants you're adding? I'm curious if all the items listed are actually being sold. Some of them (for ex Miners Guide to Toxicology) I was surprised would be classic.

Also, when adding items, the most important thing to check is that the quests it lists are classic. For ex Barley I'm not sure any of those are classic.

I'll add more checking for that in the scrapers but it's something best looked over by having the alla page open in a second window and seeing that those quests don't involve any wierd post-Velious zones. Or are in old zones but not classic, i.e. lots of post-Velious newbie armor quests. --Ravhin 20:51, 30 July 2011 (UTC)

Adding Things for Now

Why don't you hold off adding any more items that are sold from vendors for now, until I finish the scraper/template for that. Otherwise we will just have to redo all the ones already done. But the merchant pages should be done (right?). So feel free to add the rest of those for Kaladim, say, then we can see if anything needs tweaking. Let's avoid the subst technique for now, we can always do it later. --Ravhin 21:22, 30 July 2011 (UTC)

I finished the "sold by" section for items and it's in the scraper, should work fairly well.

I also added a "used in such and such a tradeskill recipe" section though I don't yet see how to (don't have the data to) fill that automatically.

I added new corresponding categories for items: "Played Crafted" "Tradeskill Ingredient" "Vendor Purchased" and "Book". All should be added automatically.

The "related quests" section still doesn't try to filter non-classic quests, still important to do that by hand.

I was updating your additions to this "most recent" template but will have to finish in a few days. Barley and everything after on Aug1 (on Special:RecentChanges) still need to be updated. Also the merchants should be updated with the scraper output. Then we can decide if anything else should be added related to merchants, vendor sold items, and tradeskill component items? --Ravhin 03:26, 2 August 2011 (UTC)

Merchant Scraper

Good point about the spawn percentage, I removed it. I also fixed it from adding blank prices. The prices are from alla, which are the same as in the stock EQEmu DB. Thus I suspect the were the starting point for p99 and likely haven't changed. Hopefully they should represent the "best"/"true" price of an item. I put up a little info at Game Mechanics#Vendor Pricing, Charisma, and Faction.

In terms of non-classic items, it's a problem. It's the same problem with non-classic "related quests" getting added to both item and mob pages. I just don't have any automated source / way to tell if something is classic or not. If you have any ideas let me know.

For merchants specifically it isn't too hard to have a character check their permanent inventories, so the best option would seem to be to have the scraper include everything by default and have the bad items removed by hand?

Still, I've added in a basic check that should be better than nothing. I updated Alanury Stormhammer to the most recent output. --Ravhin 03:54, 5 August 2011 (UTC)

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I think that a merchant page with an "items sold" list which is potentially incomplete or has superflous items is better than nothing, as long as there is a little note indicating the list has not been verified yet on p1999.

That said, I do think visiting in game when adding merchants is the correct approach for now. I always keep an eye on changes to the wiki, so if other people get interested in adding merchants we can revise the approach, but for now let's say only add merchants who you've verified their sell lists ingame.

The cast of Hanamaf Darkfoam is a prime example of why it's needed. Neither the alla page nor the EQEmu DB has him selling either Ale or Brandy for instance, but they must have been added to his table on p1999 - and the only way to get that list is to visit the merchant.

I fixed a problem for the EC merchants, they should work now. It was because EC was removed as a zone and replaced with "Commonalands" on alla. In general zones that underwent revamps on live are going to be hell for the scraper, like all of Freeport, EC/WC/nro/oasis, merchants who were moved in FV, etc. --Ravhin 17:26, 7 August 2011 (UTC)

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About item prices: I agree I'm not sure how useful they are but it seems a shame not to record them, if this is the one chance we have to do it automatically. I'm changing the css class name from ddb to ddp so we can make them invisible by default (you would only see them if you drag-select over the whole area). Sound good?

Also, about adding items, if you just make a giant list of items to add (like 50-100 at a time), one per line, and send it to me / put it on your userpage I can add them all in batch, not one by one. Saves a bunch of time. Fixed that capitalization bug as well. --Ravhin 17:45, 7 August 2011 (UTC)

Freeport/Commons Area Revamp Merchants

Good catch. I've added an EQEmu DB NPC ID cutoff of 150,000 or below. This seems to cut out the revamped Freeport merchants and as you pointed out the originals are still there which is nice. If you see any other oddities keep letting me know. I'll redo the items done so far that were affected, and the list on your userpage. --Ravhin 01:07, 16 August 2011 (UTC)