Epic IDOC Guide: How to get into scene

drinn

Grandmaster
Epic IDOC Guide: How to get into scene

epic_idoc.jpg


Here comes the epic guide to how to get into the IDOC scene from an oldschool IDOCer.

Remember that in case you want to succeed at this, you will need a great group of PvPers and people, who will do all the work behind.

At this guide I will get you into the most simple mechanics for example how to set up timers and what you should be looking for.

Personally I have not been doing many IDOCs lately, but I believe the system has not changed much. Just that gold sink vendor the latest addition, whom you give random amounts of money to get random IDOC location. Problem is that it can be an empty and small plot.


Typical IDOC knowledge

1. Like New
2. Slightly Worn
3. Somewhat Worn
4. Fairly Worn
5. Greatly Worn
6. In Danger Of Collapsing

Fairly worn stage is, where you begin timing.

4. Fairly Worn (6 days)
5. Greatly Worn (6 days)
6. In Danger Of Collapsing (6 hours)

666


Setuping characters

If you want to do IDOCs only, the best character setup is to build a Stealth Mage.

In addition to Stealing & Snooping. These skills are used for interrupting other players for example stealing Recall / Gate reagents, or if someone else got the loot you wanted. That way you can get it back.

IDOC char skills:

Magery
Meditation
Evaluating Intelligence
Hiding
Stealth
Snooping
Stealing


Macros

The only macro you will ever need is the house sign clicker, which is pretty simple. This is UOSteam script.

Code:
if @findtype 0xbd2 'any' 'ground'
  clickobject 'found'
  waitforjournal 'fairly' 1000 'system'
  if @injournal 'fairly' 'system'
  sysmsg 'Found a FAIRLY WORN!'
  snapshot
  pause 500
  clearjournal
  // Ignore this sign so it does not repeat until next login
  ignoreobject 'found'
  endif
endif

Please note that you can edit parts "fairly" to something you would like. For example "in danger of".

Below is even more advanced sign clicker.

Code:
createlist 'signtypes'
pushlist 'signtypes' 0xbd2 // default
pushlist 'signtypes' 0xbc2 // diamond
pushlist 'signtypes' 0xbcc // torch
pushlist 'signtypes' 0xbc8 // smith hammer
pushlist 'signtypes' 0xbb6 // anchor
pushlist 'signtypes' 0xbb8 // horse shoes
pushlist 'signtypes' 0xbd4 // orange slash
pushlist 'signtypes' 0xbc4 // grapes wine
pushlist 'signtypes' 0xba4 // bread
pushlist 'signtypes' 0xbc6 // mortar pestle
pushlist 'signtypes' 0xba6 // scissors
pushlist 'signtypes' 0xbaa // scroll
pushlist 'signtypes' 0xbac // ankh
pushlist 'signtypes' 0xbae // crystal ball
pushlist 'signtypes' 0xbb0 // saw
pushlist 'signtypes' 0xbb4 // candle
pushlist 'signtypes' 0xbba // redwhite striped
pushlist 'signtypes' 0xbbc // lute
pushlist 'signtypes' 0xbbe // arrow
pushlist 'signtypes' 0xbc0 // sword shield
pushlist 'signtypes' 0xbca // paints
pushlist 'signtypes' 0xbce // crossbow
pushlist 'signtypes' 0xbd0 // dark orange
pushlist 'signtypes' 0xbd6 // horizontal orange
pushlist 'signtypes' 0xbdc // checkered
pushlist 'signtypes' 0xbde // green white 1
pushlist 'signtypes' 0xbe0 // green white 2
pushlist 'signtypes' 0xbe2 // green white 3
pushlist 'signtypes' 0xbe4 // grn white red
pushlist 'signtypes' 0xbe6 // green purple slash
pushlist 'signtypes' 0xbe8 // purple blue 1
pushlist 'signtypes' 0xbea // purple blue 2
pushlist 'signtypes' 0xbec // purple blue 3
pushlist 'signtypes' 0xbee // black blue quadrant
pushlist 'signtypes' 0xbf0 // blue red slash
pushlist 'signtypes' 0xc0c // gold coins
pushlist 'signtypes' 0xbf2 // blue white 1
pushlist 'signtypes' 0xbf4 // blue white 2
pushlist 'signtypes' 0xbf6 // blue white 3
pushlist 'signtypes' 0xbf8 // blue white 4
pushlist 'signtypes' 0xbfa // purple red 1
pushlist 'signtypes' 0xbfc // red black 1
pushlist 'signtypes' 0xbfe // red black 2
pushlist 'signtypes' 0xc00 // red black 3
pushlist 'signtypes' 0xc02 // purp orange blue 1
pushlist 'signtypes' 0xc04 // red blue 1
pushlist 'signtypes' 0xc06 // red blue 2
pushlist 'signtypes' 0xc08 // red blue 3
pushlist 'signtypes' 0xc0a // gold cross
pushlist 'signtypes' 0xc0e // janus
pushlist 'signtypes' 0xbb2 // sextant
pushlist 'signtypes' 0xbda // 2 triangles black/orange
while hits > 0
  for 0 to 'signtypes'
  clearjournal
  if findtype signtypes[] 'any' 'ground' 1 8
  clickobject 'found'
  pause 500
  if injournal 'fairly' 'system'
  messagebox 'fairly Worn' 'Fairly Worn'
  playsound 'alarm.wav'
  playsound 1636
  pause 2000
  playsound 755
  pause 2000
  playsound 755
  stop
  endif
  if injournal 'greatly' 'system'
  messagebox 'GREATLY WORN' 'GREATLY WORN!'
  playsound 'alarm.wav'
  playsound 1636
  pause 2000
  playsound 755
  pause 2000
  playsound 755
  stop
  endif
  if injournal 'collapsing.' 'system'
  messagebox 'IDOC' 'IDOC!!!'
  playsound 'alarm.wav'
  playsound 1636
  pause 2000
  playsound 755
  pause 2000
  playsound 755
  stop
  endif
  else
  pause 5
  endif
  pause 1
  endfor
endwhile


Map tactics (the Most Important thing)

First of all, group up and divide the world map to different sections. The world can be ran with a few people, or even alone pretty quickly, if you just got the motivation to do it.

For example 3 people are needed to run the whole map in one day. Select what day you want to run the map and who runs what section. Note that you only need to run the map ONCE per week!

Below the most simple map tactic that everyone uses, but its made for more team members than just 1-3.

You will need runes to each section.

idoc.jpg


NOTE that you are first place looking for Fairly worns. Mark every Fairly you will ever find. You can mark Greatly worns and IDOCs too, if you want, but do not pay that much of attention to them, because they will be random timers anyway.

You can think the map this way as well:

IDOC_map.jpg



How to Handle runes & runebooks

Very typical setup for runes and runebooks are fhe following system:

1 or more Fairly Books
1 or more Greatly books (where you know date, when the house is going to collapse)
1 or more IDOC books (where you have exact timers when they will drop)

Of course in case of how many you have found.

When you find Fairly worn

Mark it like FW 1 7/10 (Fairly number date)

When you notice Fairly has turned Greatly

Change the rune name to GW 1 13/10. You will know, which day to set up timers. Move the rune to GW book.

When you know timer, place it to IDOC books

Make sure you take a backup your books before you share them with anyone else. The scene can be greedy and untrustful at its best.

If you have a team

Drop the books to your team house, when you have marked and done backup for them. Then other team members can find them.

Backup is, because there are always untrustful members in your team and due to them the IDOC teams might or will collapse too.


Setting up a Timer

Timer is your alternative character, which only should need Hiding skill only something like 50% minimum. When you know the date, you have to put your computer online 24/7 during that day and get alt online clicking the sign of the house you know that it is going to drop that day. Remember that you can have 3 timers per player. Same as the account amount. There are players like Lamb of God, who pretend to have whole family playing this game with him... So don't wonder why same players have power to place so many plots.

When your screen notices it has changed from GW to IDOC, the macro takes a snapshot to your folder. From there you will find, when it has
snapped the screenshot and then calculate the exact timer of the house drop.

Make sure you place clicker as far away hiding from the house as its possible with your settings.

BE AWARE! Also that there are other guilds doing the same thing, but revealing your clickers and killing them, which is resetting your hard work.

There you will have solution below.


Advanced Timer

The solution to the issue of regular Timer char is setting up Alt char that has Hiding skill with Magery in order to make Recalling work easily without interrupts.

Problem with this is that it will need hundreds of Recall reagents, but if the loot is all worth of it its gonna be good for you.

Basically the idea is to recall to the GW spot, hide, check the sign, then recall back to your home. And repeat that all over again. No-one will probably notice that you are recalling there and timing it at the same time.

Every 5 minutes recall will cost you 3,7k for all day recalling, if I even calculated it right.

The macro I made doesn't even work, but if you are a good coder you will get it work.

Algorithm is shown at this link: http://antti.paasivaara.fi/UO/macros/Recall_Timer_Script.txt or as code below.

Code:
Recall timer script


The idea is to make a Recall timer script for IDOCs since basic timers get dead pretty often by other guilds killing
them even, if hidden due to Tracking skill and Reveal spell.

So idling at GW for one day is pretty pointless as timer can get confused pretty easily.

Setting up a Recall & Sign clicker macro is my answer to it.


How it should work:

1) You set up your runebook and rune, where you want your timer spend all day recalling.
2) When you recall to spot you get hidden immediately.
3) It clicks the sign after each recall (except when you recall Home) and takes a snapshot, if any changes.
4) It recalls every x amount you wish to make it happen. Let's say every 30 minutes.
5) For that amount of Recalls per day you will need specific amount of reagents.


Reagents cost

Black pearl    5gp per
Bloodmoss    5gp per
Mandrake    3gp per


Specific amounts of Reagents needed

1 minute in UOSteam is 60000. Minus every save time (about ~25 seconds).


Every 1 hour

Reagent amount        24 * 1 = 24 each Recall reagents
UOSteam milliseconds    3600000
Total cost        312 gp
IDOC window        1h


Every 30 min

Reagent amount        24 * 2 = 48 each Recall reagents
UOSteam milliseconds    1800000
Total cost        624 gp
IDOC window        30 min


Every 20 min

Reagent amount        24 * 3 = 72 each Recall reagents
UOSteam milliseconds    1200000
Total cost        936 gp
IDOC window        20 min


Every 15 min

Reagent amount        24 * 4 = 96 each Recall reagents
UOSteam milliseconds    900000
Total cost        1248 gp
IDOC window        15 min


Every 10 min

Reagent amount        24 * 6 = 120 each Recall reagents
UOSteam milliseconds    600000
Total cost        1874 gp
IDOC window        10 min


Every 5 min

Reagent amount        24 * 12 = 288 each Recall reagents
UOSteam milliseconds    300000
Total cost        3744 gp
IDOC window        5 min





The script


// Recalls to Targeted Location
useobject 0x40e8612a
waitforgump 0x554b87f3 15000
replygump 0x554b87f3 5
// Goes hidden
pause 2500
useskill 'Hiding'
pause 7500
// Sign clicker
if @findtype 0xbd2 'any' 'ground'
  clickobject 'found'
  waitforjournal 'idoc' 1000 'system'
  if @injournal 'idoc' 'system'
    sysmsg 'Found IDOC!!!!'
    snapshot
    pause 500
    clearjournal
  endif
endif
pause 5000
// Recalls to Home or Safe Place
useobject 0x4038856b
waitforgump 0x554b87f3 15000
replygump 0x554b87f3 59
// Goes hidden
useskill 'Hiding'
// Wait 5min then recall back
pause 300000


Looting certaing items - Using Scavenger

If you just want to loot certain items from the IDOC (you know the price of them etc...), use the Scavenger found from the UOSteam client. Add it to the list and, stay near the item at IDOC and it will loot to you automatically in case, if others have not added it to their lists too.


Having a proper team

The importance to have a proper team in IDOCing is very high, because you will get a lot of gold and there will be other teams fighting for the same loot.

You will need to have your own guards aka PvP team to secure the hard work you have done. Sometimes you can be lucky though other teams not finding that IDOC.


Have fun and enjoy your loot!
- Thormod Thrand
 
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