We have such a calendar in our guild already.
I find the idea of putting last-harvest into environment a very good idea. That way everyone gets the chance to throw eggs at nasty over-harvesters.

I guess I'd just prefer to see a more original solution. Instead of borrowing the lastharvest thing from other realms, and trying to build an Oakstone type organization (even if it's just a bunch of "egg throwers"), let's work on other ideas.

I really liked the idea that nature herself might rebel against people who do not take care of the land. You need to not pick the last plant and you need to replant every once in a while. Natures be good to you if you be good to them.

I would prefer this solution too, Zarquan. The question is how the Divine think about it. I think that we all agree that something needs to be done. We tried it so far with just ic solutions but they didn't and never will work. We need some code support with this.

Purposefully, we did not include last harvest as we designed the herb system to be substantially different from other realms you might like to compare us to and did not think it was needed. Herbs in Lusternia spontaneously grow if the population falls below a certain threshold (assuming its not their hibernation month). The exception to this is the nature guard skill where nature users could protect certain locations if they choose.

I do spot check on herbs every so often to make sure the system works (I can generate a report that shows the total of plants and how many herbs are harvestable) and so far I've found that the system is fine. For instance, when this thread started there was an assumption that galingale was extremely rare. When I checked, galingale was actually quite abundant--well over 1500 harvestable herbs. It may be that people are expecting certain rooms to produce certain herbs when in actuality the herbs may have vanished for whatever reason but have cropped up and are thriving somewhere else.

Players may perceive an herb shortage, but I do not.

You dont fancing pm'ing me and telling me where all this galingale is do you?

Thank you, Estarra. I assume though that everything over 1 is considered harvestable. Personally I always feel uneasy when there is only 1 herb of a certain type in a room, you know, those weevils always look hungrily at them.

I can actually find Galingale quite easily, which is why I was always confused when it was quoted as being in short supply. Currently I have a large amount, and haven't harvested it in about a RL month so that the rest of you folks could get a bunch.

I kind of like not having lastharvest as, if someone really wanted to, they could play the herb hoarding ahole for their character. The Ebeneezer Scrooge of the herb world if you will, and then try and corner the market...could be rather fun. It would also be kind of weird for a city like Magnagora to enforce herb regulations while they have people running around doing dumb things like killing novices. Oh yes, go kill that novice, but Devris..you are being punished for overharvesting a room as that is poor judgement.

You may also want to explore a bit more fellow herbalists, there are some nicely hidden areas that are being kept secret full of growing herbs. I planted one such area up myself, and as of yet, no one else has harvested it. *cackle* Many little secret pockets of life that you must search out on your own, and you may be surprised by what you find.

2k+ or even 3 or 4k of each herb isn't anywhere near enough to corner the market. It isn't uncommon to sell 5 - 10k herbs at a time to alchemists, or a few k to non-alchemists.

Bah someone has completely stripped a lot of ethereals faeleaf

Whether herbalists want to admit it or not, price hikes and price fixing would help deal with harvest shortages (or at least perceived shortages). Decrease demand and keep folks from buying 1k-2k of something at a pop and you decrease the need for folks to strip harvest whole regions.

I don't mind replanting a little, but I get pissed when I plant 20-30 rooms of an herb only to find them all completely empty the next day when I logon, even during the peak month. When I catch ya, I'll smack the crap out of ya! Heh heh...

Hrm, rethinking I suppose lastharvest is a good idea to keep away. Keeps the more realistic and plausible dimension of Lusternia alive (gosh, I must say I do think it's the best IRE by 9804798368973467834678346879009762926 fold in every way). My question is if it's possible for a plant to actually go extinct? I think that'd actualyl be a really nice solution to make people stop doing this. Let us all struggle a little for a bit to see what happens. Eventually we'd have to find a substitute etc. etc., but why not make us all have a wake up call or find some god awful means of punishing us all? Maybe I'm just sadistic.

And so whjat if somebody is dominating the market? Zales diamonds, Microsoft (must say I love both of them though ). It happens, it's realistic. Why make a rule against what is perfectly realistic and legitamate (legitimite?)? Extinction is our only real fear, and I that's the comparisson of microsoft (yay analogies) selling the best computer to every single person in the world (somewhat, different scenario same outcome) the market will die down for a bit. Basically by making the plants go extinct you're hurting your pay, and I don't think any educated harvester (which are the ones we fear are doing all the overharvesting is the general thought I believe) would do that. It's silly.

Legitimate. Also, no, it's not possible for it to go extinct. I think Estarra said earlier in the thread it pops up spontaneously at points.

Shut yo yaps then (I'm also spicing that up, I really don't want to offend anybody). And sorry for stating somethign that's already been stated. It's frustrating, but tell that to all them Mac users. happens (I love that censored smiley). It's the market, beat em' out

EDIT: Well use the censor smiley yourself then! ~Shiri~

Another good thing for herbs would be that if they reach a certain number they could begin to dry out, and in summer times herbs could have the threat of catching wide-spread fire. During the winter times, if a herb is harvested too much, slower growth rate: 1 plant per month. This would have all harvesters tend the herbs better, plant, replant, etc. Also, maybe if you let herbs grow too much 60+ something bad could happen... something slippery terrain.

No, that wouldn't work Des, because if having them extinct and totally unharvestable doesn't deter them, nor will just a growth penalty.

Why are you suggesting that herbs become HARDER to find? Do you honestly think that penalizing the trade further will help it flourish? Nope. You'll only have a greater effect from the combined herb-diminishing effects of all these things, including the people who harvest and never replant. Unless you think that herbalists should be charging a minimum 50 gold per plant or something...

I say the forestals team up, get some of each herb, and plant them in a few rooms and guard them... Then stop replanting, and let the overharvesters die...

What makes you think there aren't any forestal overharvesters?

post guards, I mean it would be worth it, maybe raise their commune rank for guarding the place, or let it be serenwildes part of the deal to guard it... Hartstone and moondancers upkeep serenwilde guard... I mean its the IC solution everyones been looking for eh?

The question still stands....and what if it is a Druid or Moondancer who overharvests? You see that there is no way to control it.