Repost from depth thread,
Quote:Notches are very important now, and can amplify your desired results to a large degree.
Every item now has its own sweat spot. This is NOT on a per node basis, and IS only consistant for the specific item.
What you will want to resord, is the harvested item, or even the damaged item, your position on the notch scale, and wether it said the item was sensed higher or lower. If you are on the sweat spot, it says something about the item being exactly where you are targeting.
Few things,
You can not force an item to drop from a node that is not naturally on its loot list. (Pine trees only drop pine logs, and branches, you can not make the node give you yew materials)
The same type of tree can different additional item reqards, not all yew trees across all areas also have crow feathers on their loot list.
Targeting the sweat spot only increases the chance for the targeted item, you will still get other misc items from the nodes loot table.
Create a list, recognize your node type as quickly as possible, and target your best result from that node.
Few methods to record the notch scale,
Starting point is zero, and you have +5, or -5 positions from there.
Top of the scale is 1, and goes to 11.
Top of the scale is 0, and goes to 10.
I use the last one on that list.
To give a tidbit, I would state that my results show 6 (on my scale), as the sweat spot for Oak logs. This location is most easily found by keying down one notch from the default position, however you want to call it.
(Note, I am primary Botany, and this new feature is much easier to test using botany, because it is very easy to determine the type of tree you are harvesting early on. The theory and implimentation however, still works very well for fishing, and easier then mining, since you are not moving nodes, and your potential loot list will not change per fishing session. As 21 fishing, I easily fished up 6 hammerhead sharks in cedarwood following the patch, using the specific target location. IIRC was 6-*default position down one*
Needed to get Shark Oil pronto for my guildies)
Since sweat spot targeting was mentioned, thought it would be relevant.
I was not actively fishing prior to nov patch, so I have no feedback of before/after, but I fealt being able to fish in grade 4 saltwater at level 20, with positive results, was better then I recall possible from atleast a month ago.
Possibly because I was targeting exactly what I was after, but to note I was in my botany gear, which is tailored towards rank 37-40+ so I was not idealy geared for my fishing rank.
Rod was bamboo, with cage lures for most of the time, till I ran out, then changed back to worms.
Gear was, Fishing hat, leather jerkin, canvas work gloves, safari belt, leather culottes, and toadskin workboots.