Thanks for bumping this, I'll address some of the issues on the last page.
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First, it is distinctly possible that stats did change by +/- 11 points. At the moment, we are using the
stratics archive of the Resisting spells page which explains the spell resistance process, and discusses the stat buff and debuff information at the bottom. While it is possible that this is an error on their part, it is a pretty blatant and hard to miss error (unlike the error with katana speed). If at all possible, some more evidence on this subject would be greatly appreciated (I have looked for some and found a lack of information).
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Second, with respect to potions, the demo does confirm +15 stats for store bought potions. Also, there is confirmation that potions were auto-identified at one point during T2A, probably right up until the Taste ID changes on November 23. The
Alchemy bugs section of the archived stratics page suggest that taste ID is useless (please keep in mind that many of the bugs on that page are bugs that were fixed during the era before our cutoff date, despite the archive date of the page in question). This is the quote in question:
# Taste ID Useless:
* Problem:
* Taste ID serves no purpose in the game since potions are now automatically identified. It should be removed or revised.
* Solution: The Proposed Changes page contains some suggestions to make this skill useful.
* Until then: Pretend like it doesn't exist.
* Action Taken: (none)
However, on that same token, the stratics page
on potion kegs has some information about potion kegs that was in testing at the time that the page was written (early November 99). This page, which contains information directly from the devs, suggests that under the new changes, both potions and kegs had an owner and taster list that allowed players to know what the contents of the potion or keg is. The quotes in question are as follows:
If I share a home with a person and make a barrel of a potion, can he just fill a bottle knowing I made a greater heal one? Will it be a greater heal to him? To my secondary characters?
--As it says on the website, they need to taste id it to know what kind of potion barrel it is (or taste id the potion)
-SunSword [posted on the CoB Dev. Board]
If you your warrior has not identified it, he can still take potions from it, the potions will just say "a yellow potion". But they will still be greater heals.
-Calandryll [posted on the CoB Dev. Board]
Also, on another related note, the archived stratics page on
creating potion kegs gives us the failure message when a player attempts to create a potion keg, and fails to do so. The message is:
"You crack the [lid, keg, tap] while attempting to construct the keg, making it useless."
Where [lid, keg, tap] probably means (although by no means guaranteed) that one of the pieces may be destroyed on a failed attempt.
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Finally, with respect to exceptional weapons, there is some information out there that is akin to a "publish that wasn't labeled as a publish" that explains the discrepancies surrounding this information. An FYI update on the OSI website labeled as the
December 8th, Publish contains this line item:
The [exceptional] tag will be removed and replaced with a new system of marking exceptional items. As an example, an exceptional katana made by a non-Grandmaster smith or made by a Grandmaster smith who chooses not to put his makers mark, will now say, "a katana of exceptional quality". An exceptional katana made by a Grandmaster smith who chooses to place his maker’s mark on it will say, "a katana crafted with exceptional quality by..." This will be true for all exceptional items.
This information was likely placed into the patch notes after the new system came into place a couple of weeks later, detailing the new system as a whole.
The above [exceptional] system likely existed for only a short while on OSI servers, namely from the introduction of the exceptional bonus on 11/23 until this patch on 12/8. From the available information, we can build a time line that shows the progression of exceptional quality naming schemes:
Pre-T2A: Exceptional items do exist, however they do not have any naming convention to indicate that they are higher quality than normal equipment (confirmed on demo and by later patch).
Early T2A (1998): Grandmaster marked items begin appearing for blacksmiths and bowcrafters. These items do not receive the [exceptional] tag. These items are detailed in this patch note:
# When a grandmaster blacksmith crafts an exceptional item, the item will have a "maker's mark"--its name will have "crafted by (name)" appended to it.
# It will be possible to craft exceptional and below average quality bows, crossbows, and heavy crossbows. These will have differing damages just like exceptional quality smithed weapons do. In addition, they will have maker's marks if they are exceptional and are crafted by grandmaster bowyers.
Early T2A (February 1999): Tailors now begin crafting exceptional armor and clothing and receive the same markers mark bonus at GM skill as blacksmiths and bowcrafters. The system specifically says
sewn for tailored items, while blacksmith items and (presumably) bowcrafted items would say
crafted. No tailoring or blacksmith item receives the [exceptional] tag (as per the screenshot). These items are detailed in this patch note:
# It will be possible to craft exceptional quality items and below-average quality items.
# Exceptional items made by a grandmaster tailor will carry a maker's mark.
Late T2A (November 1999): All crafting skills receive an update allowing for exceptional quality items. It is during this short period of time that exceptional items, marked and unmarked, would receive the [exceptional] tag.
Late T2A (December 1999): The crafting tags are overhauled, producing the system that is recorded in the patch notes.
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Hope this helps clear up some of the information that's been discussed on the last page.
