Please put the Figment of Splendour NPCs back

[Dragonmuse]

The ONLY reason I was doing festival quests is for the visiting banker.. and it's gone Please put all the rewards back. That vendor should always be available with all rewards since it takes so long to get enough figments for anything. This vendor needs to be festival neutral. eg, not be specific to any one in particular.

[Thoroval]

Listened to Cord of the Rings today. I wanted to address Cord's assertion that there were posts a while back "kind of explaining how these NPC's are gonna work".

From Update 23.4.1 Release Notes...

Cosmetic Items that are available for Figments of Splendour have been moved to new vendors. Items that were available from the Adventurer's and Traveller's Quartermaster have been moved to a new vendor named Curator. The new seasonal items currently available in the Adventurer's and Traveller's Lootboxes have been placed on a seasonal vendor, Filbert Fig. Fig's various seasonal items will become unavailable when the lootbox cosmetics are replaced with new items, to return next year when the seasonal event returns. The items on the Keeper of Mysteries remain untouched.

The note states that some available items will be "placed on a seasonal vendor, Filbert Fig" and will at some point be "replaced with new items, to return next year". The note does NOT state that non-seasonal items on Curator will be replaced, that Curator will be removed/returned, or otherwise that Curator will be a non-permanent NPC in game or that the items on Curator will change over time. So, why would we have expected that Curator would be removed SSG? Does this perhaps explain our surprise?

But wait, Cord posted a reminder so let's look at that...

When we released Update 23.4.1 in late March, it included the following:

• Cosmetic Items that are available for Figments of Splendour have been moved to new vendors. Items that were available from the Adventurer's and Traveller's Quartermaster have been moved to a new vendor named Curator. The new seasonal items currently available in the Adventurer's and Traveller's Lootboxes have been placed on a seasonal vendor, Filbert Fig. Fig's various seasonal items will become unavailable when the lootbox cosmetics are replaced with new items, to return next year when the seasonal event returns. The items on the Keeper of Mysteries remain untouched.

We are currently working on a patch for next week which includes an update to our Lootboxes and Vendors to bring in new seasonal items. Therefore, when Update 23.6 is released, all the cosmetic items that went into the lootboxes with 23.4.1 will be removed and replaced with new seasonal items. Both the removed and new sets will be available on the Spring vendor Filbert Fig for the remainder of this Spring Lootbox season to barter for Figments of Splendour. If you are seeking currently-available cosmetics from lootboxes, and want an opportunity to get these cosmetics from the Lootbox, you'll want to open the Lootboxes prior to the release of Update 23.6.

Nevermind. Nothing new on Curator there. Just a copy/paste from the 23.4.1 patch notes.

It does address 23.6 changes, but only changes to Filbert Fig who, by the way, has now magically become "the Spring vendor Filbert Fig." Well, I missed the significance of that new designation. Is this intended as clear messaging SSG?

So, Update 23.6 was released on Wednesday, May 8th, 2019 with additional seasonal items added to Filbert Fig. For the record, Spring (on the calendar) began this year on March 20, 18 days earlier. Spring ended on June 21. That means that the additional items added to the "Spring vendor Filbert Fig" were not available during the entirety of the Spring season. They were only available during the latter part of the Anniversary Event, the short Spring Festival Encore (which was only added after many requests by players), and just a few days of the Summer Festival (which, for the record, began during Spring). Anyway, we have 23.6...

Adventurer's and Traveller's Lootboxes have new cosmetic items, including modified avatar cosmetics, new dwarven housing items, new Neeker-breeker cosmetic pets, and war-steed cosmetics for the Steed of the Unearthed Kingdom. These items are also available for Figments of Splendour from Filbert Fig.

And that's it! No clarification regarding Filbert Fig, now transformed from the original "seasonal vendor" to the "Spring vendor". Many seasonal items were added late and have now been removed despite the lack of full festivals to help with Figment acquisition.

Absolutely NOTHING in 23.6 about Curator disappearing at any time. From what SSG posted, Curator wasn't supposed to be seasonal. Many of those items are obscenely expensive and it takes a long time for some of us to get the Figments to barter for them. (Are they coming back? When?) Absolutely NOTHING regarding Curator posted by SSG since the 23.4.1 Reminder until the Update 24.1.2 Release Notes which gave players about 14 hours notice that the rules have changed and Curator was going bye-bye.

Add all this on top of a ridiculous Figment cap (a cap for cosmetics barter currency!?) and I think SSG has really fumbled this badly.

[Narthalion]

The note states that some available items will be "placed on a seasonal vendor, Filbert Fig" and will at some point be "replaced with new items, to return next year". The note does NOT state that non-seasonal items on Curator will be replaced, that Curator will be removed/returned, or otherwise that Curator will be a non-permanent NPC in game or that the items on Curator will change over time. So, why would we have expected that Curator would be removed SSG? Does this perhaps explain our surprise?

...Add all this on top of a ridiculous Figment cap (a cap for cosmetics barter currency!?) and I think SSG has really fumbled this badly.

You're exactly right. Thanks for digging up all the relevant quotes.

[Cordovan]

Thanks for the research Thoroval. It sounds like I didn't message things correctly. We'll have to see what's up and what we want to do.

[inkling777]

The only reason I was collecting figments was for items from the curator. Nowhere was it stated that these items / this NPC will be removed or only seasonaly available. Please bring back the curator! Thank you.

[DaystarWarrior]

SSG is also keeping false info on availability of in game items.

For instance, quote from the Collections info about the Black Mastiff, "Available for Figments of Splendour from the Adventurer's Quartermaster"

I just checked, the black mastiff pet is not available from any quartermaster.

[Echoweaver]

FWIW, I think a seasonal vendor shouldn't go away in the middle of a festival. I guess Filbert was supposed to be the SPRING seasonal vendor, but I (and presumably others) assumed that if he was active during the Summer Festival, his items were considered part of this season.

I'm also not clear on what the Curator is supposed to be if it is also seasonal.

[Rugongrod]

I don't know if it's just me, but I am sure the word lootboxes was typed repeatedly by Cordovan. No mystery here black steel key sales must be down.

[Arnenna]

I don't know if it's just me, but I am sure the word lootboxes was typed repeatedly by Cordovan. No mystery here black steel key sales must be down.

All the more reason to keep the figment vendors up then surely? I missed stuff from Fig, but I wasn't actually working towards anything, so I don't feel like I actually lost anything, but seriously, I can't get my head around how they just removed without notice. If they want people to buy keys for figments - best not wind them up. If I had been buying keys to get figments to buy something in particular (not that I ever would, because I'll only consider buying cosmetics directly from store, as fluff items, if I want them), and this happened before I got the items, I sure as hell wouldn't buy into that again.

[Pewpewmidget]

Thanks for the research Thoroval. It sounds like I didn't message things correctly. We'll have to see what's up and what we want to do.

Bring Curator back and put Fig's barter's in Curator's selection.
It's as easy as that to avoid negative feedback.
Some of us love collecting cosmetic pets, such as myself, and were thoroughly angered by the removal of these NPCs as we no longer have access to the pets that we worked hard too save up for and never had the chance to barter for it.

[DaystarWarrior]

I'm not buying any keys to open boxes for a CHANCE at an item that I want. If I'm spending money MC I'm picking what I want.

[Baritone]

Thanks for the research Thoroval. It sounds like I didn't message things correctly. We'll have to see what's up and what we want to do.

In all fairness I understand miscommunications happen and this was one of them, but it was out of the blue and unannounced to have the curator disappear, please put back at least with a set time that it will go away

[Quendendil]

My only incentive for doing festivals is earning Figments for decorations available from Filbert Fig. Removing him was nonsensical. Bring him back.

Hear, hear!
/signed

[chrevnir]

Listened to Cord of the Rings today. I wanted to address Cord's assertion that there were posts a while back "kind of explaining how these NPC's are gonna work".

Thank you for your eloquence, Thoroval, you summed up my understading of the situation much better and with much more detail than I could.

I also cannot believe that a pertinent vendor for a current festival was removed during that festival. A week after maybe if that was needed, but never during a festival when your patrons are currently working towards items supplied by those vendors. Come on, guys.

/signed Bring them back until at least the end of the Summer festival so I can buy the Warsteed I was working my tucas off for. 8k figments is not an easy goal to attain.

Please and thanks!

[Hallandil]

SSG is also keeping false info on availability of in game items.

For instance, quote from the Collections info about the Black Mastiff, "Available for Figments of Splendour from the Adventurer's Quartermaster"

I just checked, the black mastiff pet is not available from any quartermaster.

The Adventurer's Quartermaster is the one in Skarhald. The Curator is a combination of both the Keeper of Mysteries and the Adventurer's Quartermaster, albeit missing a few items. This is the very point being brought up here, apart from the Mirkwood items (which were designated as Seasonal as they were originally on the seasonal vendor) everything else is just barter items available elsewhere and therefore had no need to be removed from the Boar-Fountain.

[Hallandil]

I don't know if it's just me, but I am sure the word lootboxes was typed repeatedly by Cordovan. No mystery here black steel key sales must be down.

Not really, all the items from the removed vendors don't even drop directly from lootboxes. The only vendor there is overpriced versions of stuff that drops with an almost guaranteed chance from a handful of box openings (as per testing done on BR during the Dwarf season). That logic completely contradicts what they've done.

[Hallandil]

Thanks for the research Thoroval. It sounds like I didn't message things correctly. We'll have to see what's up and what we want to do.

It seems like the Curator was removed as it contains the Mirkwood armour sets that were advertised as "Spring Seasonal" when they were introduced. Best option would be to remove them from the Curator, returning them to Filbert Fig. Then returning the Curator to the Boar-Fountain as it otherwise contains items available from Ered Mithren or Mordor.

PS: Any possibility for placing the Thrang items (THE ARMOURY BOX, NOT THE FESTIVAL ITEMS) onto the Curator? The cosmetic weapons shouldn't be restricted to Mordor as it's an encounter set in Angmar.

Again, whilst it was advertised that the Curator would be removed, it makes no logical sense as you're deleting the majority of the game's ember rewards for the sake one two cosmetic armour sets... The person in charge of setting up these NPCs have made logistical mess of them.

[kudurru1]

It seems like the Curator was removed as it contains the Mirkwood armour sets that were advertised as "Spring Seasonal" when they were introduced. Best option would be to remove them from the Curator, returning them to Filbert Fig. Then returning the Curator to the Boar-Fountain as it otherwise contains items available from Ered Mithren or Mordor.

That would be a reasonable thing to do, along with some kind of schedule for Seasonal barterers so that we know if a season means: new LS expansion, new astronomical season, new calendar season, the end/start of a festival or a random date in between.

[Pewpewmidget]

Having seasonal barters is a really dumb idea from the get go.
I'd prefer if they put the Curator back in the game and added new stuff to barter every season AND NOT REMOVE IT.
This whole removal of bartered items that were way overpriced in the first place and took ages to save up for is frustrating.
Especially the cosmetic pets.

Bring them back and leave them alone! Only update the selection instead of removing it.
No wonder why people quit LOTRO, they're sick of the constant nerfs and removing of stuff that kept their interest going.
They're sick of the support and being ridiculed and mocked. They're sick of having no hope for improvement.
They're sick of complaining, sick of the bickering, sick of the fighting, sick of the wallet warriors defending SSG because they benefit from their controversial moves.
Then sick of the wallet warriors complaining when SSG does not support them or when they belittle the casual playerbase.

[Aelir]

Thanks for the research Thoroval. It sounds like I didn't message things correctly. We'll have to see what's up and what we want to do.

Here is a chance to include Figment NPCs into Monday's hotfix.

Whatever it is SSG "wants" to do, pretty sure it's not alienating cosmetics-loving customers who are literally begging for a reason to keep earning these figments at all.

[Elmagor]

Here is a chance to include Figment NPCs into Monday's hotfix.

Whatever it is SSG "wants" to do, pretty sure it's not alienating cosmetics-loving customers who are literally begging for a reason to keep earning these figments at all.

It's stupid to create 10K cap for tokens and remove one of NPC where you can spend them. I already spend hundreds and hundreds longbeard tokens, because they don't add anything new for them in months. How many fails we get before developers finally remove stupid cap?

[Pewpewmidget]

It's stupid to create 10K cap for tokens and remove one of NPC where you can spend them. I already spend hundreds and hundreds longbeard tokens, because they don't add anything new for them in months. How many fails we get before developers finally remove stupid cap?

It is stupid to have 8,000 token barters given that we have a 10,000 token cap.
Either eliminate the cap or lower the barter price or maybe both.
Or worst case scenario, lose players.

Slapping a 500 token cap on marks of the longbeard and gulmarks is stupid.
Having daily quests reward only one Gulmark each is stupid.
Having weapon and shield recipes cost 5 times more than the previous area while you get only able to get a fifth of the tokens is stupid.
Putting a 40 token cap on festivity and vault tokens with out new rewards is stupid.
Everything capped is stupid.

[Deeds]

The vendor for the standard Figments of Splendour items needs be available throughout the year. If a seasonal vendor is added (perhaps at the festival hubs?) that's fine but this temporary vendor should be in addition to the year-round trader.

I've finally saved enough figments (7.5k) to get an item I particularly want but instead of being able to buy it, I find a trader that has nothing but special Seasonal things, none of which I want at this time.

So what now? Hit cap and stay there waiting for the normal trader to return sometime? Trade a few for stuff I don't actually want or need, simply so I can kid myself that new figments earned during this festival haven't gone to waste or were lost by default due to hitting cap? Stop with the Festival? None of these are happy options.

The 10k cap just makes it worse, at least if the cap were removed it would be possible to continue earning FoS from Festival completions - it's crazy and very disappointing - please, please bring the vendor back!

[Lyzau]

It feels like the current cosmetics situation isn't very well thought out. In my opinion, there shouldn't be a cap on cosmetics currency, that's just ridiculous. I understand the idea of seasonal cosmetic items, but the starting and end date of that "season" should be announced and made obvious to everyone in advance.
Also, why isn't Lalia's Market being repurposed to display some new outfits?

Yes please bring those vendors back. And remove the silly cap (pun intended).

[inkling777]

Slapping a 500 token cap on marks of the longbeard and gulmarks is stupid.
Having daily quests reward only one Gulmark each is stupid.
Having weapon and shield recipes cost 5 times more than the previous area while you get only able to get a fifth of the tokens is stupid.
Putting a 40 token cap on festivity and vault tokens with out new rewards is stupid.
Everything capped is stupid.

^ I totally agree on this. /signed +1
If Curator doesn't come back with exactly the items he had before he was removed (without announcing) I'm probably never going to bother earning figments of splendor again.
SSG, I love your game but I will not run around with a carrot under my nose any more at any time.

The vendor for the standard Figments of Splendour items needs be available throughout the year. If a seasonal vendor is added (perhaps at the festival hubs?) that's fine but this temporary vendor should be in addition to the year-round trader.

I've finally saved enough figments (7.5k) to get an item I particularly want but instead of being able to buy it, I find a trader that has nothing but special Seasonal things, none of which I want at this time.

So what now? Hit cap and stay there waiting for the normal trader to return sometime? Trade a few for stuff I don't actually want or need, simply so I can kid myself that new figments earned during this festival haven't gone to waste or were lost by default due to hitting cap? Stop with the Festival? None of these are happy options.

The 10k cap just makes it worse, at least if the cap were removed it would be possible to continue earning FoS from Festival completions - it's crazy and very disappointing - please, please bring the vendor back!

^ same
/signed +1
Thank you very much SSG.