Custom Cowl of Mortality shouldn't have a tint.

[CrazyPro]

Currently on P99 the Custom Cowl of Mortality shows up as a dark tinted Velious Custom Helm. Although it technically always had this tint in the actual item data, it always showed up untinted in-era. If you run an emulated server on an older client such as the EQMac/TAKP client and give yourself the item it will not have a tint despite having modified color values in the database.

Currently on P99:

https://i.imgur.com/RAJy2fe.png

https://i.imgur.com/vG6UOv9.png

On older clients:

https://i.imgur.com/QtEJn96.png

https://i.imgur.com/P2Cbe7r.png


I found this old newsgroup post from 2001 that implies that the custom version wasn't colored: https://dbsanfte.github.io/eq-archives/newsgroups/alt.games.everquest-msg-35642.txt

Subject: Re: Cowl of Mortality - Trade in graphics

>> Check The Safehouse - same graphics as the plate helms, and I seem to
>>recall they were tradeable. One rogue complained his hat kept getting
passed
>>around by folks that didn't have a custom helm.
>
>Thanks -I'll probably keep mine as it is then. The 'pinty' black look of
>the cowl fits much better with cobalt/warlords than the absurd 'tiki'
>Ogre plate helm, which I'll get sometime anyhow.


Edit: I think I found the original newsgroup post the above one was replying to, if you're curious: https://dbsanfte.github.io/eq-archives/newsgroups/alt.games.everquest-msg-35300.txt

[sammoHung]

The custom version was colored dark like it is on P99. It did not show up untinted in era. Anyone who played back then would be able to tell you this. It even says so in the text you quoted.

The 'pinty' black look of
>the cowl fits much better with cobalt/warlords than the absurd 'tiki'
>Ogre plate helm, which I'll get sometime anyhow.

[CrazyPro]

The custom version was colored dark like it is on P99. It did not show up untinted in era. Anyone who played back then would be able to tell you this. It even says so in the text you quoted.

The 'pinty' black look of
>the cowl fits much better with cobalt/warlords than the absurd 'tiki'
>Ogre plate helm, which I'll get sometime anyhow.

I think they mean the cowl as in the actual unmodified cowl. They were discussing the visual tradeoff between the custom and non-custom version. If both were tinted then they wouldn't have specified that the version that shows up as an actual cowl had a tint, but they specifically say they think the black tint of the cowl fits better than the custom ogre plate helm look of the custom version.

If you've got proof that I'm wrong, though, drop it.

[Goregasmic]

I've always seen it as the tiki version on p99? Never seen the black one. Same for DE one.

[sammoHung]

If you've got proof that I'm wrong, though, drop it.

Ask around. Custom Cowl always had the black look, and regular Cowl had no graphic at all.

Source: I had a Custom Cowl of Mortality on Live, I bought it in 2001, and actually still have it on Tunare server. (formerly E`ci)

[sammoHung]

Hard to find screenshots of Custom Cowl specifically from 25 years ago, but

https://forums.daybreakgames.com/eq/index.php?threads/custom-cowl-of-mortality-visual-bug.277127/

[CrazyPro]

There is one trilogy client server that's been around longer than p99 even (I think) but getting the guy behind it to give you access is a monumental task, I don't think anyone new has gotten into that server in years now. Would be nice to see if it's tinted there. I don't know of any other way to load into the trilogy client to test stuff.

[CrazyPro]

regular Cowl had no graphic at all.

The newsgroup post I linked above literally says it had a graphic.

I'll probably keep mine as it is then. The 'pinty' black look of
>the cowl fits much better with cobalt/warlords than the absurd 'tiki'
>Ogre plate helm, which I'll get sometime anyhow.

[sammoHung]

the CUSTOM cowl had a graphic and the non custom cowl had no graphic.

i know its hard to read, but trust me bro. the cowl was one of my most sought after items as a 14 year old in 2001. so i was over the moon excited when i finally saved up enough to buy it, in 2001-2002.

the reason i wanted it was specifically because it had the velious custom helmet graphic but painted black.

[CrazyPro]

the CUSTOM cowl had a graphic and the non custom cowl had no graphic.

i know its hard to read, but trust me bro. the cowl was one of my most sought after items as a 14 year old in 2001. so i was over the moon excited when i finally saved up enough to buy it, in 2001-2002.

the reason i wanted it was specifically because it had the velious custom helmet graphic but painted black.

You can turn the normal cowl into a custom helm, but not the other way around. He said he would keep his as-is because he liked the pinty-black look of the non-custom variant over the ogre helm. I don't think he would've mentioned that the non-custom variant was black if the custom variant was also black.

[sammoHung]

You can turn the normal cowl into a custom helm, but not the other way around. He said he would keep his as-is because he liked the pinty-black look of the non-custom variant over the ogre helm. I don't think he would've mentioned that the non-custom variant was black if the custom variant was also black.

Ok I'll say it one more again and then I'm gonna bow out of this convo. I understand you are trying to research this based on old forum posts, etc. But, I am telling you that my first-hand experience from owning this Cowl. It's only me chiming in here, but anyone who played back then will tell you that the Custom cowl had the custom velious helmet with black tint, and the regular cowl had no graphic.

But before I go, I guess I'll give the full backstory.

2001:
Young Sammo Hung is 15 years old. Despite loving playing the game, young Sammo loved one aspect of the game even more: Trading.

After several months of playing on the E`ci server, having started in late Kunark and witnessing amazing new items hit the market after Velious release: Young Sammo found a guild on E`ci that was dedicated to his favorite pasttime in game... Trading.

Sammo joins <Tunnel Rats> in early 2001. Throughout the year, Sammo spends the majority of his time wheelin' and dealin' in the EC Tunnel on the E`ci server. Through the only trader's guild in E`ci, Sammo is able to afford fancy high-value items.

Occasionally, Sammo sees toons from guilds like <Arete> and <Venerate> running around the tunnel, with NO-DROP Velious Armors, weapons from Temple of Veeshan and a strange new item... characters wearing a helmet that has the same graphic of the custom Velious helmet, but with a black tint.

"Custom Cowl of Mortality," as it was explained to young Sammo. It's got haste on it, AND it's got this awesome look. And guess what? It's TRADEABLE!

Young Sammo Hung then made it his mission for logging in every day to try and get closer to affording this helmet, selling high-value items that he'd collected over time, including the most prized: A Fungi Tunic. However, the Custom Cowl seems to be rare, so Sammo thinks it will likely never happen.

Shortly after the start of the Fall 2001 High School semester, a miracle finally happens. Someone is selling a Custom Cowl of Mortality. And they want a price that Young Sammo Hung can afford. Young Sammo buys the fancy new helmet, and wears it proudly while running laps around the EC tunnel. Even after logging off that night, he is excited about the fact that he's got this rare, sought-after item, that looks amazing (especially on an Iksar).

2026:
Sammo logs into his EQ account after years of not checking. The very same Custom Cowl is still there, covered in dust. It's on a halfling. Groce.

Submitted without proofreading. Typos be damned. Good luck, god speed.