Albions Crafters : Phobia against low levels?

[oldnick]

Well im happy to craft, but i dont play crafter much now.

The reason is , time. I have become fed up with the time taken even to get 99%.

Other day i made 99% for guildie, it takes just as long (seemingly) as af102 stuff.

as for MP orders they are downright depressing.

Nick

 

[Generic Poster]

For crafters who do take out the time for lowbies, Roalith's been doing it for as long as I can remember and still does. He can kit out your alts with anything you need and won't charge for it either (talking steel-level here ).

Only right to give him business with you higher level goods, so he can keep on helping the low/newbies!

 

[Roalith]

Steel, Iron, and bronze I do for free, provided it's a 1-off attempt for that person.

Alloy, Fine Alloy I usually do for cost price, or depending on how the person behaves towards me for free - again, one attempt basis.

I have followed this rule almost entirely throughout my crafting career.

I can craft up to level 27 weapons, up to level 25 tailoring items, level 20ish fletching items, and of course level 51 armour - all with Roalith.

Generally speaking, if someone below level 15 asks for something crafted, I'll help out. That is, if I'm not in the middle of a 30-item run trying to get an MP, or bored to buggery with a stack of 1000 asterite bars that I want to get out of the way.

Chodax, if after this thread any of your friends do need anything to help them through the lower levels, give me a shout. Before Caer Diogel turned up, I was nearly always in Camelot and willing to help a 'lowbie'.

Hell, even Jupitus has been on the recieving end of my crafting. He entered Camelot one night with an unguilded, level 5 scout who none of us knew he was playing. The scout asked on Camelot /broad for someone to craft them a set of leather armour. I made a full set of level 10 leather, a level 10 weapon, shield, and bow, all without even suggesting payment, and gave it to him.

3 days later I find this scout a member of our guild, with Guildmaster rank no less. Suppose that's part of the reason I'm a Phoenix Legion officer nowadays

Edit: Doh, nerf not reading the full thread before you post. Thanks Generic

 

[minstrel_kyra]

I do and have made armor for free for guildies and nonguildies.

I am the highest level tailor in our guild (over 900 now) as well as the main trinketer for guild funds from df raids. That said, I still take orders from anyone, as long as they are understanding that it might take a day or two for me to fill the orders.

I am fair and often don't charge for under level 20 goods. It has been only lately that I have been charging for retries only because everyone wants 99% or better. If they take whatever I churn out, they get it at cost, but it is always 97% or better as Kyra Fine Crafted cloth and leather must live up to the reputation I have earned. I can also make steel chain.

For your crafting needs you can speak to the following in my guild:

Tailors
Me
Bersac/Stanleycup

Spellcrafting
Choppy (LGM!!)
Olezdad

Alchemy
Slainyou (LGM!!)
Pinvan (baby alchemist!)

Weaponscrafting
Shani (LGM!!)
Boss

Armorsmith
Kayin (past 900 now i think)
Shree
Zarthan

Fletching
Ardas/Ked (LGM!!)
Awimp (past 900)
Doghod

So if anyone wants something made I am usually about. I have 3 big orders I am working on so I can't start new ones till Friday night but if its not a rush job then I'm your woman.

 

[old.windforce]

small note on SC

if you want me to have me smething done (lvl 1- 51 stuff)

1 item: get me materials and gem names and ill do it for free

1 full set + weapons: takes a LOT of time.

BG stuff ill do for non guildies for 100 gold when you provide me materials and gem names and no OC involved. This takes 1-2 hour to do

Level 51 full set + weapons + OC (4 points overcharge on 99%, 5 points on MPs): 1 plat + material

 

[old.TeaSpoon]

I can make upto 99% BG armour and I am happy too. So for all your chain, plate or studded needs, PM me ingame

 

[Slinker]

/Em puts hand up , I waited so long to get a crafter to kit my little reaver out in chain , I dont play him now , fed up of travelling between major crafting areas , just to be ignored . I see lots of people who have replied here , might just give someone a shout

 

[Jupitus]

Originally posted by Roalith
Hell, even Jupitus has been on the recieving end of my crafting. He entered Camelot one night with an unguilded, level 5 scout who none of us knew he was playing. The scout asked on Camelot /broad for someone to craft them a set of leather armour. I made a full set of level 10 leather, a level 10 weapon, shield, and bow, all without even suggesting payment, and gave it to him.

3 days later I find this scout a member of our guild, with Guildmaster rank no less. Suppose that's part of the reason I'm a Phoenix Legion officer nowadays

Absolutely. Only a couple of people knew that character then and she was almost full time roleplay. I must say how proud I was of our guild to see one of our members being so helpful to the new people around the place and I am sure that it was this selfless attitude which is so typical of Roa that won him a seat on the PL council.

As I was reading Generic's post I was going to make a comment about simply roleplaying a female character to get Roalith to craft you anything, but I guess that wouldn't be very fair

/Salute Roalith

 

[Danya]

Playing a female character has gotten me free stuff before (though not off Roalith).

 

[the_smurflord]

I can totally understand people's frustrations at the behaviour of some people leading them to ignoring most people on the assumption they are going to be the same.
Now I pretty much only craft for guild mates, friends and people I've dealth with before and know I can trust (e.g. Breon).

Most common sources of irritation

1) People not knowing what sort of prices to expect, then accusing you of ripping them off when you make it for cost price

2) You offer to make a set for free, providing they provide the materials, then it becomes your fault that they cannot buy 1 piece of thread and have to buy 20.

3) Knowing full well what the prices are, agreeing a price with them, making the order, then they say they don't have any cash.

4) "Can you spellcraft my armour please?"
"Certainly, what stats do you want on it?"
"Oh just some good ones please"
[customer then proceedes to try and give you a full set of 85% merchant bought armour]

5) "Why can't you make MP items at cost price?"

6) [in the middle of an rvr group in the frontier]
"I want a full set of 99% af 102 leather."
"Ok, no problem. I'll make it as soon as I'm free."
"I'll be back in 2 mins after a coffee to pick it up ok?"

7) "Just made a new alt. Can you make me armour to last me from lvl 5 to 50 please? I've got 300g"

 

[Roalith]

It might looks as though Smurflord is exaggerating to get a giggle. But believe me, he isn't. I've had almost identical cases from people I've crafted for.

 

[minstrel_kyra]

omg its happened to me too.

you just remain calm and do what you can. today's noob level 10's will be level 50 someday (probably by the end of the week anyway right? heh) and many of them simply don't know.

Its up to us to explain to them, people still don't honestly understand. I would have thought everyone would by now with everyone having a sc or alc alt but guess not.

 

[ahunter]

Originally posted by Danyan

For low level chain/plate you can use merchant bought leather/cloth base parts. It's not as cheap as getting a tailor to make you one, but it's quick.

The problem is though that as a lot of the other crafters have said, lots of the lowbies can't afford cost price when you make all the bits yourself let alone if you buy the bits from a tailors merchant for them.. Lots of low lvl players have a heart attack when you tell them how much the items will cost to make.. and that's at cost price most of the time.. Then you have a long discussion with them about prices while they are telling you how much money they have, I always feel bad for taking all someones money for an order if they are young and poor, so I tend to be out of pocket a lot...

Saying that though when I'm crafting I am normally in Diogel, but because when I have the time to do some serious crafting I am normally reading or something in real life to try to reduce the boredom I am not even reading /gu most of the time let alone what happens in /b.. but if anyone sends me.. unless there is a genuine snowstorm of tells and I miss it, I always reply at least.

And yes I do often take up orders for lower level players... of less than an hour yesterday online I spent about 30-40 minutes crafting for lower level players

 

[Danya]

Diogel doesn't seem to get many low levels that I've seen, most try camelot, and unfortunately for them a lot of crafters have relocated to diogel (I like it because you can buy ebonwood there )

 

[Myste]

I don't think I'll be relocating to Diogel, or anywhere out of Camelot. It might be good for regular crafts to have everything in one place, but there isn't really that much difference for spellcrafting. Meanwhile most of the customers seem to be in Camelot still.

As for lowbie orders - I'll craft anything for anyone, provided that they know what they want and have bothered to work out what they can use in the first place before hitting bonus caps...and provided that I don't have a 6 hour long queue (often the case).

If a template has to be worked out (and room before bonus caps calculated) then a) the price is going to leap up, because this can be quite time-consuming even when customers don't keep changing their minds on exactly what they want as you make suggestions and b) it's ten times more likely that I can't fit the job in at all anyway.

If you want spellcrafters to craft low level things - chances are you'll have more luck if you know exactly what you want, ask for a few things done at a time rather than 9 items all at once...and above all be courteous, patient and grateful. I'm not talking about a need to go grovelling and offering your firstborn, but you'd be surprised just how many people don't thank or who will spam you with crap if a reasonable price is more than they can afford or if you're too busy to fit them in. Unsurprisingly, this sort of approach doesn't really get anyone very far.

It's also worth considering that there isn't a great deal of point in spellcrafting stuff for under level 15 anyway. You blink...and you need another set. Thidranki is the first level that really makes decent sense.

 

[the_smurflord]

Originally posted by Myste
I don't think I'll be relocating to Diogel, or anywhere out of Camelot. It might be good for regular crafts to have everything in one place, but there isn't really that much difference for spellcrafting. Meanwhile most of the customers seem to be in Camelot still.

Diogel has one important benefit for a spellcrafter, as does Gothwaite Harbour. A spellcrafting material merchant right next to the alchemy table. Just saves time and all those annoying trips through the academy and the magic shop.

 

[Krissy]

I have to totaly agree with the_smurflord here, when i was doing SC and was camped in Camelot (pre-SI) i got lots of /send's about SCing items, only to find they never knew what they wanted on it, thou looking back ive had afew great customers that knew exactly what they wanted and what gems etc.

Cost wise : many ppl dont look at websites to get a "basic" cost, and do think ur ripping them off, which is annoying as hell but its only natural ppl play to have fun and dont bother with the info that comes with it.

But in general many traders wont trade due to a few bad experiences, its sad but does happen alot.

I myself only SC now and then and VERY RARLY take orders, just because i dont like the time it takes and when i do have time im normaly on a comp that cant handle camelot/Si client .

But to all the newbies out there, just look at the XML websites, find a few ppl, give alittle comon curtisy be polite and read the whole of this thread and i think ur do fine with atleast one on the XML lists.

Edit : *looks at the_smurflord's characters* OMG u got enough trade skills!!!, ive been trying for LGM tailor, can i have urs ? Pwease

 

[fatgit]

The situation Im in, with one GM craft, and 2 LGM, is that when I'm crafting, I generally have 2-3days work lined up inguild alone.
Add into that, the fact that in SC particularly, one order fills my pack & vault easily, I just dont have room to do orders for other people :/

If I have time and space, I will do orders, as many people know, but it's just a case of whether I can fit it in.
Hell, I don't have the time (or cash) to make my armsman a set of plate currently.

I certainly wont do BG alt full 99% armour & SC orders for less than a plat over cost - the time it takes is prohibitive - the last one I did (99% adamantium and 8*99% gems) took me over 9hrs :/

 

[shani]

I also craft for low lvl players. Before SI however, it was a pain keeping all the necessary materials in stock. With SI its a lot easier, Diogel has all materials. If you are nice I might even deliver the item to you.

For guildy's I craft at cost price for the high tier materials... lower tier I normally give away.

And I ALLWAYS will reply to PM's for orders, regardless of lvl

 

[darzil]

I'll always try to make anything I can for people. Being only about the 5th ranked Armourcrafter for the Guild, I tend to have time, so if I'm in Camelot, I'll make stuff I can. Between dealing with Middie invasions of the Frontier, I made about 6 full sets of armour, and a few weapons on Saturday.

If you want Metal Armours up to 27th level, Cloth Armours up to 20th Level, or Weapons up to 16th level, I can help out if I'm in Camelot, and will try to. I'm not that high, but that tends to mean that I'm not besieged with orders, so if you don't need that high . . .

The only phobia against low levels I have is the level one beggars. Particularly one recent one who created a character soley to beg with, and when I offered a full set of armour and weapons for them, accepted, then logged off as I tried to pass them over, never to return. Well, not as that beggar, anyway. I also apologise to the Iconnu beggars that I was IC rude to (although I did apologise to most of them OOC!) if any are reading this. My first experience of the new lands

Darzil
Paladin
Armourcrafter
Order of the Knights Templars

 

[sorus]

I am happy to craft Armour for all levels, i usually do Steel and below for free and alloy / fine alloy at cost depending on how you ask me, i also dont give anything out unless its 96% quality. (Just cant stand the thought of 94% or 95% items out there with my name on them)

I can understand some crafters though, the amount abuse i have recieved from a few people when i have given them the cost or said give me a hour to finish up is silly and frustrating.

If you need something just PM me a few times so i notice.

 

[maxgirth]

Originally posted by a-hunter
The problem is though that as a lot of the other crafters have said, lots of the lowbies can't afford cost price when you make all the bits yourself let alone if you buy the bits from a tailors merchant for them.. Lots of low lvl players have a heart attack when you tell them how much the items will cost to make.. and that's at cost price most of the time.. Then you have a long discussion with them about prices while they are telling you how much money they have, I always feel bad for taking all someones money for an order if they are young and poor, so I tend to be out of pocket a lot...

Exactly,not that I mind, because if so, I wouldn`t do it,but how many times have you other crafters made a 99% qua mithral,
fine alloy weapon etc,and it`s taken about 20+ retries?, if we were to charge actual price most times,they would think we was robbing them blind.

Prime example,yesterday I made a mithral spiked mace and tower shield, the customer was very polite and patient as he sat there waiting,on the 25th retry I got an mp mace,the shield took 7 tries to hit 99%,when I told him the final price his response was,are you sure that`s ok,you took a fair bit of time to make it,my response was,if I told you,you wouldn`t believe me.

How could you explain to someone the logic that is mythic and crafting?, when we`re skilling up,each metal gets harder to work with,unlike rl ofc when the more you do something the better you get,bearing in mind the time you was let lose on the more costlier materials you would be ready for them,instead of getting more failures etc, ok, i`ll settle for the reverse logic of basically going forward in reverse,as this will surely reap rewards after conquering the demanding mistress that is arcanium,anything lower than this I can do blinfolded np.

Wrong,the % rate of getting a 99 is actually worse with each lower metal,you would think that the speed you make the secondary items at,compared to how slow the higher tier items take, could mean one thing only, and that is absolute perfection!.


Just before I made the 2 mithral items today Soulfly ordered a arcanium needle mace 99% quality,I told him the base cost plus retries, I then made it 1st go,up steps the next customer,already in my mind I know the cost of his items,and that is base materials plus 4 retries,if I make them in under he`s had a result,but I know that will rarely happen, some strange quirk of fate pops out an mp mace before a 99,wow are you sure that`s enough m8,and as I said earlier, you would never believe me,so yep, that`s plenty.

It`s not so much of a lowbie phobia papa Cho,but more of that ridiculous logic that is mythic, being thrown in your face m8,I will always craft weapons for any level at any time,if im not busy,but I bet im not alone in grinding my teeth,whilst doing some of those orders .

 

[lacroix]

it might be both, tbh ...

... I agree that a lot of ppl (at lower level or general) might not be aware of the cost involved in getting good quality gear, but I remember my own attempts in Hib trying to get some scale armor for my champ when I was in my mid-late 20s .... - and money wasn't an issue there, only FINDING someone willing/able to do it, tbh [many thanks here to Stevie for at least trying, even though it got unstuck with the flaming lack of leather ]

Might be an individual case, but tbh, if I hadn't found a helpful person lending me some drop armor for a few lvls to keep me going till I got my own set together, my life as a tank would have been pretty frustrating, considering the damage I am supposed to take ....

So I also think that the only way to get decent lowby crafted stuff is to have good guild crafters to fall back on; no disrespect to all you crafters there who do lowby work for all and sundry, I am glad you guys are there and can only say I hope you can keep it up