User:Immortalbob/Guides/Beginner's Guide to looting with VTank

Overview
In this guide I will try to teach you how to create rules to loot weapons, armor, clothing, jewelry, salvage, and trophies using the VTClassic loot system and mag's enhanced looter. The rules presented are simplified rules in order to help you get your feet wet with the system. Once you figure out these basics, other features become easier to figure out.

Please also feel free to view the guides on Virindi's wiki, as they cover some different things.

Getting Started
For the rules shown in this guide the Virindi Bundle, and the Mag-Enhanced Virindi Tank Classic Looter must be installed. For instructions on how to install the enhanced looter, read this forum post.

Item Properties
Every loot generated item in Asheron's Call has fixed parameters, some with fixed or random values. The VTC loot system loots items based on these properties, using your values as a guide. To see an items properties in game, select it and type "/vt propertydump". (If you ID the item first you will get more information.) Below is an example of what you should see: [VTank] --Object dump-- [VTank] [Meta] Create count: 1 [VTank] [Meta] Create time: 1/4/2013 7:31 PM [VTank] [Meta] Has identify data: True [VTank] [Meta] Last ID time: 1/4/2013 9:43 PM [VTank] [Meta] Worldfilter valid: True [VTank] ID: AE5CDED4 [VTank] ObjectClass: Armor [VTank] (S) Name: Platemail Breastplate [VTank] (S) FullDescription: [VTank] (S) LastTinkeredBy: D I S T U R B E D [VTank] (B) Dyeable: False [VTank] (I) CreateFlags1: -2128117608 [VTank] (I) Type: 42 [VTank] (I) Icon: 6275 [VTank] (I) Category: 2 [VTank] (I) Behavior: 18 [VTank] (I) Value: 23388 [VTank] (I) Unknown10: 1 [VTank] (I) IconOutline: 1 [VTank] (I) Container: 1342911189 [VTank] (I) Slot: -1 [VTank] (I) EquipableSlots: 512 (j) [VTank] (I) EquippedSlots: 512 (j) [VTank] (I) Coverage: 1024 [VTank] (I) Burden: 433 [VTank] (I) Material: 52 [VTank] (I) PhysicsDataFlags: 137217 [VTank] (I) WieldReqValue: 180 [VTank] (I) GemSettingQty: 4 [VTank] (I) GemSettingType: 38 [VTank] (I) SkillLevelReq: 0 [VTank] (I) Workmanship: 6 [VTank] (I) ArmorSet: 14 [VTank] (I) Spellcraft: 370 [VTank] (I) NumberTimesTinkered: 10 [VTank] (I) CurrentMana: 627 [VTank] (I) DescriptionFormat: 5 [VTank] (I) MaximumMana: 1743 [VTank] (I) ArmorLevel: 655 [VTank] (I) LoreRequirement: 394 [VTank] (I) WieldReqType: 7 [VTank] (I) RankRequirement: 0 [VTank] (I) WieldReqAttribute: 1 [VTank] (D) SalvageWorkmanship: 6 [VTank] (D) ManaRateOfChange: -0.0666666701436043 [VTank] (D) SlashProt: 3.20000004768372 [VTank] (D) PierceProt: 3.09999990463257 [VTank] (D) BludgeonProt: 3 [VTank] (D) ColdProt: 2.40000009536743 [VTank] (D) FireProt: 2.70000004768372 [VTank] (D) AcidProt: 2.29999995231628 [VTank] (D) LightningProt: 3.01535987854004 [VTank] Palette Entry 0: ID 0x0005EE, Ex Color: 132B43, 174/12 [VTank] Palette Entry 1: ID 0x00068F, Ex Color: 411104, 186/12

Getting Acquainted with the loot editor
The VTC loot editor is not an ingame plugin, but rather an out of game application. It is usually located in the C:\Games\VirindiPlugins\VirindiTankClassicLooter folder on your hard drive. Open the "uTank2 settings editor.exe" file to access the editor. After you open the editor you will see a blank white box in front of you. In order to load a profile that you have created, or downloaded, click File, then load and choose it from the list. (loot profiles should always be in the vtank folder)

Creating your first rule

 * 1) Click "New" on the bottom left, this will create a new rule for you to play with.
 * 2) Now it is time to set some requirements. Click on the rule you created in the left pane, and then in the middle you can click a new "New" button. This will create a new requirement for looting.
 * 3) You will now see a drop down menu labeled as "Requirement type". In this menu you have the power to loot any item you wish.
 * 4) Choose ObjectClass from the first drop down, and then MeleeWeapon from the second.
 * 5) Now click New again, you now can add a second requirement, this time let's go to LongValueKey>= in the first drop down, and MaxDamage in the second. Type in a damage value in the text box underneath these drop down menus.

Using this rule, you will loot any melee weapon that meets the damage requirement you entered or greater. You can continue clicking new and adding even more requirements.

Requirement Breakdown
These are the most used requirements:
 * ObjectClass - What type of object is it? MeleeWeapon, MissileWeapon, WandStaffOrb, Armor, Clothing, Jewelry, etc
 * LongValueKey - Requirement for many types of parameters that use a solid number. ex: 1, 15, 55, 68 etc
 * DoubleValueKey - Requirement for many types of parameters that use a decimal. ex: 1.04, 1.12, 1.2, etc
 * StringValueMatch - Match a string of text
 * SpellNameMatch - Match a single spell
 * SpellMatch and Count - Match one or multiple spells

What's with the
<=!=>=? === I'm glad you asked! Use these requirement modifiers to hone in on what you want to loot.
 * "==" - Equals to
 * "<=" - less than or equal to
 * ">=" - greater than or equal to
 * "!=" - not equal to

Most Important Requirements

 * ObjectClass - What type of object are we looking for? MeleeWeapon
 * WeaponMasteryCategory - This denotes the weapon type you are looking to loot be it an axe, dagger, mace, etc. This is a "LongValueKey"
 * WieldReqAttribute - This denotes the skill required to wield the weapon you are looking to loot. (Finesse/Light/Heavy/Two Handed) This is a "LongValueKey"
 * BuffedMaxDamage - The minimum damage allowed before pickup including blood thirst cantrips(+2, +4, or +7) and blood drinker 8(+2). This is a "BuffedLongValueKey"
 * BuffedAttackBonus - The minimum attack bonus allowed before pickup including heart seeker cantrips (+3, +5, or +7). This is a "BuffedDoubleValueKey".
 * BuffedMeleeDefenseBonus - The minimum defense bonus allowed before pickup including defender cantrips (+3, +5, +or +7). This is a "BuffedDoubleValueKey".
 * MagicDBonus - The minimum magicd bonus allowed before pickup. This is a "DoubleValueKey"
 * MissileDBonus - The minimum missiled bonus allowed before pickup. This is a "DoubleValueKey"
 * Variance - the minimum variance allowed before pickup. This is a "DoubleValueKey"

You can use all of these requirements in a single rule, or as few as 2. (ObjectClass is required)

Building a Simple Weapon Rule

 * Set ObjectClass to MeleeWeapon
 * Set LongValueKey== -> WeaponMasteryCategory to the desired number. (You can find the values in the dropdown labeled "select a mastery")
 * Set LongValueKey== -> WieldReqAttribute to the desired skill (you can find the values in the drop down labeled "select a skill"
 * Set BuffedLongValueKey>= -> BuffedMaxDamage to the desired damage.

Optionally you can also add requirements for the attack mod, variance, and various defenses. Since these are all DoubleValueKeys, they will require a decimal. A 15% attack or defense bonus will be entered in as 1.15 in the editor, a 4% magicd bonus will be entered in as 1.04. Basically just ad a "1." in front of the value you wish to loot.

Looting Missile Weapons
Looting missle weapons is a bit more in depth, but its really not much harder.

Most Important Requirements

 * ObjectClass - What type of object are we looking for? MissileWeapon
 * WeaponMasteryCategory - This denotes the weapon type you are looking to loot be it a bow, crossbow, or thrown weapon. This is a "LongValueKey"
 * BuffedMissileDamage - The minimum buffed damage required for looting an item. Takes into account Damage Bonus, Damage Modifier, Blood Thirst Cantrips, and Blood Drinker 8.
 * BuffedMeleeDefenseBonus - The minimum defense bonus allowed before pickup including defender cantrips (+3, +5, +or +7). This is a "BuffedDoubleValueKey".
 * MagicDBonus - The minimum magicd bonus allowed before pickup. This is a "DoubleValueKey"
 * MissileDBonus - The minimum missiled bonus allowed before pickup. This is a "DoubleValueKey"

Building a Simple Missile Weapon Rule
Optionally you can also add requirements for the various defenses. Since these are all DoubleValueKeys, they will require a decimal. A 15% defense bonus will be entered in as 1.15 in the editor, a 4% magicd bonus will be entered in as 1.04. Basically just ad a "1." in front of the value you wish to loot.
 * Set ObjectClass to MissileWeapon
 * Set LongValueKey== -> WeaponMasteryCategory to the desired number. (You can find the values in the dropdown labeled "select a mastery")
 * Set BuffedMissileDamage to the desired damage (see Notes).

Most Important Requirements

 * ObjectClass - What type of object are we looking for? WandStaffOrb
 * BuffedElementalDamageVsMonsters - Minimum buffed elemental damage mod required for pickup, takes spirit thirst cantrips (+1, +3, or +4)and Spirit Drinker 8 (+1) into account. This is a BuffedDoubleValueKey.
 * BuffedMeleeDefenseBonus - The minimum defense bonus allowed before pickup including defender cantrips (+3, +5, +or +7). This is a "BuffedDoubleValueKey".
 * MagicDBonus - The minimum magicd bonus allowed before pickup. This is a "DoubleValueKey"
 * MissileDBonus - The minimum missiled bonus allowed before pickup. This is a "DoubleValueKey"

Building a Simple Wand Rule

 * Set ObjectClass to WandStaffOrb
 * Set BuffedDoubleValueKey>= -> BuffedElementalDamageVsMonsters to desired value. (Remember, this is a double value key, so you must use a decimal. for 5% elemental damage wands, it would be 1.05, for 12% 1.12, etc.)

Optionally you can also add requirements for the various defenses. Since these are all DoubleValueKeys, they will require a decimal. A 15% defense bonus will be entered in as 1.15 in the editor, a 4% magicd bonus will be entered in as 1.04. Basically just ad a "1." in front of the value you wish to loot.

Most Important Requirements

 * ObjectClass - What type of object are we looking for? Armor OR Clothing (See Notes)
 * BuffedArmorLevel - Minimum armor level required in order to loot an item, takes impenetrability cantrips into account (+20, +40, or +60) This is a "BuffedLongValueKey"
 * SpellMatch and Count - Designate which spells you want, and how many must match before loot.
 * ArmorSetID - Allows you to specify whether a set is a requirement to loot an item. This is a "LongValueKey"
 * Unenchantable - Do you want this rule to apply to unenchantable armor such as Coventant, or only enchantable. This is a "LongValueKey"
 * ''Coverage" - Applies rule to armor that only covers the slot specified.

Building a Simple Armor Rule

 * Set ObjectClass to Armor or Clothing
 * Set BuffedLongValueKey>= -> BuffedArmorLevel to desired armor level
 * In SpellMatch and Count add the word "Epic", and the minimum spells required to match. This will match any epic you come across.(You can also set does not match to anything that you may not want.)

At this point, you have built a rule that loots epic of a certain armor level or higher. From here, you may want to clone this rule, and add these to the cloned rule:
 * set LongValueKey>= -> ArmorSetID to 1. Combined with the first rule you made, this will loot set epics of any type.
 * set LongValueKey!= -> Unenchantable to 9999 to disregard cov armor, or to == if the rule is just for cov armor.

Most Important Requirements

 * ObjectClass - What type of object are we looking for? Clothing
 * SpellMatch and Count - Designate which spells you want, and how many must match before loot.
 * ''Coverage" - Applies rule to armor that only covers the slot specified.

Building a Simple Clothing Rule

 * Set ObjectClass to Clothing
 * In SpellMatch and Count add the word "Epic", and the minimum spells required to match. This will match any epic you come across.(You can also set does not match to anything that you may not want.)

Optionally, you can set LongValueKey== -> Coverage to 104 for a full coverage shirt, clone the rule, and change the coverage in the second rule to 22 for full coverage pants.

Most Important Requirements

 * ObjectClass - What type of object are we looking for? Jewelry
 * SpellMatch and Count - Designate which spells you want, and how many must match before loot.

Building a Simple Jewelry Rule

 * Set ObjectClass to Jewelry
 * In SpellMatch and Count add the word "Epic", and the minimum spells required to match. This will match any epic you come across.(You can also set does not match to anything that you may not want.)

Most Important Requirements

 * Name Matches - Designate the name of the trophy you wish to loot.

Building a Simple Trophy Rule

 * Set StringValueMatch -> Name Matches to the name of the item you wish to loot.

Optionally, you can click the "Action" drop down on the top and choose "Keep #" to specify a maximum amount of this item you wish to loot.

Most Important Requirements

 * Material - Designate the material of salvage you wish to loot. (Iron, Mahogany, Granite, etc) This is a "LongValueKey"

Building a Simple Salvage Rule

 * Set LongValueKey== -> Material to the material you wish to loot. (Material numbers located in Select a Material Drop down)
 * Set the "Action" dropdown at the top to Salvage.
 * Now go to the second Tab at the top of the editor called "Salvage Combination", If the salvage is in the list already click it (otherwise you will have to add it by clicking the New button), and tell it how to combine bags. Ex: 1-10 will combine all salvage workmanships into single bags.  1-5,6-7,8,9,10 will combine 1-5 in one bag, 6-7 in another, and seperate bags for 8, 9, and 10.