It was possibly to dye fine steel armor as part of the tradeskill process, completely different from the armor dye mechanics introduced in LoY. That's all I can remember, I don't know the details of it, and I don't deal with merchant lists. One of the other devs will need to look into it.

Webwolf, you just proved that you were not around during classic (or that your memory is FUBAR).

If you read my first reply you will see my source of info. How about you post yours?

Both of your "source info" links are from October 2000. After Kunark was released...

Correct, BUT just because no one leaves a comment from Kunark era or Velious era as the first post doesn't mean that it wasn't in the game at that time. It's just the first time someone commented on it on Alla. If no one sees patch notes specifically stating that the dyed fine plate was in game then chances are pretty good that it was in at launch/around launch. I really wish we had more specific info, but unless someone can prove otherwise it usually goes with whomever has the best info.

That being said this change makes little difference to me (Rogue). I just know for a fact that this was around pre-Luclin so we'll get it sometime. If we get it at a late date then the books/components/etc. should be removed from the game, and noted to be added back at a later date yes?

My 2cp...

From http://www.eqtraders.com/articles/ar...r=030000000000
Notice that it says "the first to be made available," implying that they were not available at one point.

from http://www.tski.co.jp/baldio/patch/20011204.html
notice how just as luclin is about to drop, they are still working the bugs out of armor tinting

from http://www.tski.co.jp/baldio/patch/20011206.html
again implying that they were still working out the bugs during december of '01

from http://www.tski.co.jp/baldio/patch/20011210.html
still not done!

Sooo, basically, stu fu.

The first to be made available does NOT imply that they were not in game in the original EQ.

What are you trying to show other than during the time of the Luclin launch there were issues w/ the dyes? Point taken, but regardless of the bugs present in oldschool EQ the above post that I made PROVED they were in game right after the Velious launch. My data pre-dates yours by the greater half of a year. Any solid evidence on when they were put into the game?

Seems your whole point is that we should not have it in the game because of some code related issues where sometimes the colors weren't showing up perfect? Are we now in the business of replicating bugs to be classic?

Soooo, STFU I will not :).

Earliest reference I can find to people actually dyeing the armor is early 2001. That at least puts us in early Velious times. I'll do some more digging when I don't have homework :).

Looks like the earliest reference I can find to the actual book being in the game is August of 2000. This puts it a few months into Kunark. Here is a like of the screen shot:

http://img526.imageshack.us/img526/912/fineplatedye.jpg

So at the very least we should have it by Kunark era. Anyone else have some more definitive data?

I agree, eqtraders archives on web.archive.org clearly shows entries of fine plate dyes on dates pre Velious. However after reading this post by Nilbog I kinda get what is going on, tho I hope I am wrong. It seems that he opposes dyes because he likes rubicite (and fine plate can be dyed rubicite red). So I think we may never see fine plate dyes even if we can prove that they existed back then. To me its very disappointing that a dev would leave a crucial part of a trade skill out of the game because of his personal prefferences. He is very active on these forums yet he avoids posts regarding fine plate dyes. Here is another exemple. I am sorry for calling you out on this Nilbog but it needs to be addressed.