APB Ultimate

[Methuselas]

Thank you those answers where exactly what I was looking for and thank you for explaining them to me.

I guess will wait for the new version you referred to and give that a shot, cant wait to try it out.

I'll update my post, to match the current version of APBU, when I get a chance.

[BaseN]

Base, does APBU support a no of cycles yet? For example, say I could put it to where it will make 2 lesser potions of force before moving down the list. Also, considering Cyntalan's statement, I'd propose adding a feature that APBU will check for required assets before starting a job. Therefore, if you need steel plates, but don't have any, it will refine plates first, before attempting a job.

Yeah it did from day one. It's the "Repeat" option for each task. Set it to 2 and it will make 2 potions before going to the next item on the list. The option is per task.

As for automatically making required assets if they're missing that's not going to happen for two basic reasons:
a) There's no reliable way to figure out if the task can not start because assets are missing or because it timed out (there are hackish ways to do it but they're not guaranteed to detect correctly 100%).
b) Even if there was a reliable way to do it, it would mean that I would have to make huge dependency lists and maintain them for each task. We're talking hours upon hours of work when FP mode just does the job with a slight delay that's insignificant (we're talking a few seconds..).

Perhaps at some point, when all basic functionality is done, I'll make a complex slot mode that can be slightly scripted (eg do x tasks in y mode until prof level z, then switch to other set etc etc).

[Methuselas]

Regarding Alchemy, I can't help you there myself as it is one prof I have not touched at all. APBU automates the process so what you should do is find out what gives the most xp in Alchemy and just run a queue with those tasks. Use First Possible mode if it also has chains like the others. Perhaps someone here who is doing Alchemy can share the most efficient queue. But meanwhile do try with something like tailoring you proposed, to get the hang of it.
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Alchemy is an absolute mess, to be honest. First, you have to have potions for experimentation jobs beyond 3rd level. Secondly, it requires at least 3 different resources you have to purchase from the Professions person. Third, you have to MIX vitriols, after gathering resources to do experimentation jobs 3rd level and below. These vitriols are also used to make the potions you need for later experimentation jobs. Fourth, you'll eventually have to mix Aqua Vitae and Aqua Regia, to do experimentation jobs, potions and what not. In addition, each "level up" requires a certain number of experimentation that garner alchemy knowledge and then requires hours of research. (Get purple alchemists now, while they're cheap (30k or so) or buy the special packs. You can cut the times of research down MASSIVELY - If you do it how I did, where you have all the resources you need, already, you can get to level 20 in 3 days.)

Seriously, it's beyond a mess.

[Methuselas]

Yeah it did from day one. It's the "Repeat" option for each task. Set it to 2 and it will make 2 potions before going to the next item on the list. The option is per task.

Okay, this makes things a bit easier for me, then. Sadly, I don't know how many knowledge scrolls you'll need for 1st-3rd level, as ALL of my toons are at least 3rd level. XD

As for automatically making required assets if they're missing that's not going to happen for two basic reasons:
a) There's no reliable way to figure out if the task can not start because assets are missing or because it timed out (there are hackish ways to do it but they're not guaranteed to detect correctly 100%).
b) Even if there was a reliable way to do it, it would mean that I would have to make huge dependency lists and maintain them for each task. We're talking hours upon hours of work when FP mode just does the job with a slight delay that's insignificant (we're talking a few seconds..).

Perhaps at some point, when all basic functionality is done, I'll make a complex slot mode that can be slightly scripted (eg do x tasks in y mode until prof level z, then switch to other set etc etc).

Yeah, I was afraid of this one. It looks like I won't be able to create an actual run through for Alchemy, unless you already have ALL the require assets you'd need, to begin with. The list would be so long and convoluted, I'm sure it would break somehow. :/

[BaseN]

Heh alchemy sounds like real medieval alchemy hahaha. Since it was different than the rest of the professions I did not find time yet to study it. At some point I will and maybe I can think of any alchemy specific features to implement when I do

Once 0.4.0b launches with optional assets, next on list are buying resources, refining and statistics. After that is on/off setting to save current queue locations between restarts or relogins. Then command line arguments and general code cleanup/optimization. That will bring it to version 1.0.0. After that point I'll look at new features etc.

[RottenMind]

Heh alchemy sounds like real medieval alchemy hahaha. Since it was different than the rest of the professions I did not find time yet to study it. At some point I will and maybe I can think of any alchemy specific features to implement when I do

Once 0.4.0b launches with optional assets, next on list are buying resources, refining and statistics. After that is on/off setting to save current queue locations between restarts or relogins. Then command line arguments and general code cleanup/optimization. That will bring it to version 1.0.0. After that point I'll look at new features etc.

Sounds nice, maybe then can use only one AutoProfession Bot. Currently GreaseMonkeyScript do best best effortless leveling for Alchemy, APBI keeps 90% Leadership on Run and levels easy Professions (must use script start/kill/restart and it can fail too, happens twice last month).

...so APBUltimate can do all that stuff and more (maybe).

About Alchemy, leveling it up with APBI needed constant profile swapping or in other case it creates lotsa "not needed" potions, but creating patch off needed potions will speed up + you got RAnk3 reward. Leveled it up on few account and find out that LvL7 - 14 is highest where I need to go or if want LvL20 then lose some AD grind.

[packetlossc]

Alchemy is an absolute mess, to be honest. First, you have to have potions for experimentation jobs beyond 3rd level. Secondly, it requires at least 3 different resources you have to purchase from the Professions person. Third, you have to MIX vitriols, after gathering resources to do experimentation jobs 3rd level and below. These vitriols are also used to make the potions you need for later experimentation jobs. Fourth, you'll eventually have to mix Aqua Vitae and Aqua Regia, to do experimentation jobs, potions and what not. In addition, each "level up" requires a certain number of experimentation that garner alchemy knowledge and then requires hours of research. (Get purple alchemists now, while they're cheap (30k or so) or buy the special packs. You can cut the times of research down MASSIVELY - If you do it how I did, where you have all the resources you need, already, you can get to level 20 in 3 days.)

Seriously, it's beyond a mess.

Honestly, the easiest way to do alchemy is to buy the potions and resources you need in fixed quantities and ONLY run the research/experiment tasks. There really is no reason to run the gather/subcomponent creates as they don't give any exp.

I just run the task in 1 slot as first available Rank x research + rank x experimentation. Just have enough resources to run it 3x more than the number of research items you need and sell off the extras when you move on to the next level.

[Methuselas]

Honestly, the easiest way to do alchemy is to buy the potions and resources you need in fixed quantities and ONLY run the research/experiment tasks. There really is no reason to run the gather/subcomponent creates as they don't give any exp.

I just run the task in 1 slot as first available Rank x research + rank x experimentation. Just have enough resources to run it 3x more than the number of research items you need and sell off the extras when you move on to the next level.

Therein lies the problem. I didn't pay attention to how many times I actually needed to run the experimentation. Basically, I have stacks of 99, for all the potions I need and just level my toons with alchemy as I go.I'd like to set it up, just like you mentioned, but a lot of people don't want to purchase what they need, as they go, beforehand and I wouldn't know how many experimentation jobs to run, to get all the recipes you need, so you get the alchemy knowledge you need to rank for each level. :/

[Cyntalan]

The only thing that gets me about all this talk about Alchemy being hard is that the greasemonkey script seems to do it rather flawlessly. It does all the "figuring out". I believe all each level lists for Alchemy leveling is the research and the experiment. Everything else is automatic. The main reason I'd rather use this over the script, however, is quite simply that other than its rather solid means of leveling professions, it's extremely limited. This program is extremely robust by comparison, but seems to fall a bit short when it comes to leveling. One facet that I think could help this in the short term would be task skipping based on level of the profession. That way one can list all their tasks planned from 1 to 20, but it doesn't attempt to run each task every time - only the level appropriate tasks.

[BaseN]

APBU i still in early beta. More features will come along. Now regarding to leveling professions except from alchemy it is only limited by the user making the queue. If you make the proper queues then leveling professions goes as fast as it's possible by the game. There's really no limitation AT ALL. Alchemy is different and I admit I have not looked at it at all. Once I do, I'll comment on it as I can't comment on something I have no idea about. But he rest of the professions you can level them as fast as is possible with APBU. It just doesn't make the queue for you, you have to do that yourself.

[Methuselas]

The only thing that gets me about all this talk about Alchemy being hard is that the greasemonkey script seems to do it rather flawlessly. It does all the "figuring out". I believe all each level lists for Alchemy leveling is the research and the experiment. Everything else is automatic. The main reason I'd rather use this over the script, however, is quite simply that other than its rather solid means of leveling professions, it's extremely limited. This program is extremely robust by comparison, but seems to fall a bit short when it comes to leveling. One facet that I think could help this in the short term would be task skipping based on level of the profession. That way one can list all their tasks planned from 1 to 20, but it doesn't attempt to run each task every time - only the level appropriate tasks.

Yeah, I was hoping that we could have APBU "figure out" how to do all the requirements you need, but it doesn't look like it's possible. Like I said, I could set it to run through ALL the stuff you need to level up Alchemy, but then you end up with wasted time and extra resources you don't need. Plus, it would be an absolute nightmare to setup, 'cos it will require tasks for ALL the jobs, meaning it could constantly time out your bot for other toons if it ran into any problems. :/

As for leveling OTHER jobs, the fastest way to do it is to make items, but those require residuum and refined materials. Make the normal, then +1, +2 and finally +4. The simplest way to do it and most cost effective, concerning gold, is to just gather materials. Now, I did this a long time ago, with the previous incarnations of APB, but here's an xml I used to know how many times I needed to do what, etc. This works great if you have blues and purples to speed up your time. Base, you might want to add this link to the OP.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/...vQnl1SFE#gid=0

Hope ^ this helps.

[BaseN]

Well once everything else is done, considering the mess that you guys present Alchemy to be, maybe I can do something only for Alchemy. I'll look at it. But after every major basic feature is done.

EDIT: Whatever a greasemonkey script is doing I can replicate for alchemy but I doubt the script checks for missing components. It must use a simplistic dependency chain/premade queue approach. Will look at it at some point.

[Rocktroll]

BaseN you mentioned a new version that might come out soon, will this be in the next day or so or should I go ahead and download the previous version to start learning how to use your program?

Or do you recommend I wait for the new one?

[Cyntalan]

Taking tailoring as an example, in terms of raw speed, resources aside, you shouldn't need residuum to do everything needed, as the best xp/hour rates are on the level 1/2, 7/8, and 14/15 gear. As for APBU's handling of its queue, I understand that you have to set it up yourself, and I hate to keep referencing the greasemonkey script (note: I'm using a modified script that I could point to if need be), but here's how it handles it:

                 0:["Hire your first Weaver"],
                 1:["Cloth Boots","Cloth Shirt"],
                 2:["Cloth Robes","Cloth Boots"],
                 7:["Detailed Cloth Shirt","Detailed Cloth Tunic"],
                 8:["Detailed Cloth Pants","Detailed Cloth Trousers"],                
                14:["Ornate Cloth Shirt","Ornate Cloth Tunic"],
                15:["Ornate Cloth Pants","Ornate Cloth Trousers"],                
                20:[],

The first step the script takes is to check the level of the profession it's about to work with. If you're in a L10 tailoring, all the values for levels higher aren't even checked for availability. It knows already that it's not available due to level. The way APBU appears to handle it (correct me if I'm wrong) is to simply go down the list, regardless of level. While it will eventually get there, it is a bit inefficient. On top of that, it makes the queue obscenely long, as I believe how it would look:

          Ornate Cloth Trousers
          Weave Shimmerweave Cloth x3
          Gather Shimmerweave Scraps x3
          Ornate Cloth Trousers
          Weave Shimmerweave Cloth x2
          Gather Shimmerweave Scraps x2
          Ornate Cloth Shirt
          Weave Shimmerweave Cloth x2
          Gather Shimmerweave Scraps x2
          Detailed Cloth Trousers
          Weave Cotton Cloth x3
          Gather Cotton Scraps x3
          Detailed Cloth Trousers
          Weave Cotton Cloth x2
          Gather Cotton Scraps x2
          Detailed Cloth Shirt
          Weave Cotton Cloth x2
          Gather Cotton Scraps x2
          Cloth Robes
          Weave Wool Cloth x3
          Gather Wool Scraps x3
          Cloth Shirt
          Weave Wool Cloth x2
          Gather Wool Scraps x2

Mind you, all this goes away when you're not leveling the profession, though it would make for simpler queues overall if you didn't actually have to also queue up dependent tasks, most of which I would believe could be determined at the time of attempting to perform the task. Of course, I have no idea on the validity of that statement as I don't know how the process works in general. I know that you should be able to peruse the elements of the div class "taskdetails-resources" and look for a span class "quantity" within. If it exists, you should both be able to determine what is missing and how much.

[Methuselas]

Well once everything else is done, considering the mess that you guys present Alchemy to be, maybe I can do something only for Alchemy. I'll look at it. But after every major basic feature is done.

EDIT: Whatever a greasemonkey script is doing I can replicate for alchemy but I doubt the script checks for missing components. It must use a simplistic dependency chain/premade queue approach. Will look at it at some point.

It's the missing components that's going to end up being the problem. The only feasible way I can think of doing it is to start with Level 20 at the top and work your way down to Level 1, using Top > Bottom function. That means low level alchemists will waste a TON of time, as it cycles it's way down to the level you need. Then, when you complete the job, it has to go through the levels you've already done in order to reset. Now, in order to make it work properly, you'll need to add gather/refine jobs under each experimentation, just in case you run out of components. Since it's going top to bottom, the bot will constantly gather or refine materials you may or may not need. That will slow down your time, as well, as it may do jobs you really don't need. In addition, since each rank/experimentation requires different components, you either a) have to add all the gather/refines of lower levels to each rank/experimentation, which adds extra delays and components you may or may not need or b) you have to continually cycle down the list, til it reaches the bottom, doing the jobs you need and extra ones you don't and waiting for it to reset, so you cycle through the list from the Top, till you get the job you NEED to do.

In other words, a single experimentation job, which normally takes 10 minutes with the appropriate level white worker, could take 30 minutes or longer, due to how you have to setup the bot to cycle through the list. In addition, since we can't purchase components, you'll have to buy them beforehand and even if we could purchase components, you'll have to add those to the list, which means you're stuck buying stuff you may or may not need and making the cycle run longer, 'cos you have to put it in your job chains.

Like I said, it's a mess. Trust me, I was trying to do it with APBI.


[EDIT] - See Cyntalan's above post. That's the problem APBU will run into. Actually, looking at Cyn's post, it's made me realize that we COULD do this, rather simple (well, not code-wise). Basically, we change the recipe.xmls to include the components it needs. The bot would queue a job, if it has a recipe it checks to see if it has the required components and if it doesn't have all the components it needs, listed in the recipe, it does the fastest available job, to get the components it needs, then it re-triggers the job it's got queued to run, when those components are now available.