Weekly Dev Activities 08/06/07

[Cowdenicus]

It doesn't work on ranged sneak attacks.

is it supposed to?

[Gimpster]

How is crippling strike bugged again?

It doesn't apply to ranged attacks, even if you are close enough so that you get ranged sneak attacks.

[MysticTheurge]

Second, ranged rogues are underpowered in DDO, so something to increase their ability would be beneficial.

Well ranged everybodies are underpowered, but it'd be a good place to start.

[JayDubya]

Yes, but when you look at how long some of the bugs have been around, it is kind of disheartening.

I'm curious, (and not in a snarky way) what's the next bug you're going to put in your sig once Crippling Strike is fixed?

[Gimpster]

is it supposed to?

Yes, it should. First, the D&D rules say it should. Second, ranged rogues are underpowered in DDO, so something to increase their ability would be beneficial.

[NameisToad]

[*]NEW - It is now possible to trade a feat for a feat which can be aquired multiple times when the player already has one. So players can now aquire Toughness as many times as they like through feet respec.

I really wanna know how respec'ing my feet can make me tougher.

[Heathen_Child]

Bah, get closer, as in dagger close, if your ranged weapons don't work.

[MysticTheurge]

I really wanna know how respec'ing my feet can make me tougher.

Calluses.

[Oran_Lathor]

The new metamagic system looks like a huge boon to casters to me, but I'm just a little unclear about the new Improved Heightening.

Wizard Improved Heightening II is now "Using the Heighten Spell feat costs you 2 fewer spell points per level of heightening."

I think this means that the lower the base level of the spell you are heightening, the more you will save on SP, correct? So if I throw a heightened web (heightened 5 levels from 2 to 7) I will save 10 SP, but if i throw a heightened disintegrate, I would only save 2?

If that is indeed how it works, it sounds like a workable system to me, although it's interesting that the enhancement offers more return on spells that gain a larger benefit from it's use... IE. Heightening a web is cheaper than heightening a disintegrate even though web gains 5 points of DC compared to disintegrate's 1.

In the end though, my casters will love this change

[MysticTheurge]

If that is indeed how it works, it sounds like a workable system to me, although it's interesting that the enhancement offers more return on spells that gain a larger benefit from it's use...

Better than the old system where a heightened disintegrate was actually cheaper to cast than a regular disintegrate.

[Oran_Lathor]

Better than the old system where a heightened disintegrate was actually cheaper to cast than a regular disintegrate.

Well, yes, though that was nice while it lasted

[Aesop]

NEW - Monsters that are hiding or invisible can no longer be tab (or `) selected unless a player can detect the monster using their Spot or Listen skills.


ok this one I like... even though I do tab to an aweful lot... I still welcome this change... now if you could just make it so that the monsters sneak breaks when they cast spells that would be great... as it is those really sneaky Hobgobs still remain invisible after they've cast a couple of spells

Aesop

[Rindalathar]

After reading these notes, I think it's fair to say that the devs are working on things that need fixing for the long term and that's a good sign for DDO's longevity.

With posts about DOOOOOM, server merges, and the general lack of many options for capped characters contributing to much malaise for many of us, I always get re-invigorated when I see things in the WDA like the TAB tweak for targeting monsters. Not many players really commented on this, but the devs felt it added something to the game and rightly so.

For me, this means that they're trying to make DDO the best game it can be. That doesn't leave anyone off the hook in any sense from keeping to plug away, but it, at least, gives some sense of direction for the game.

PS Does anyone know when the next newsletter is sent out, since it usually contains release dates for Mods and Updates? I know all of us and chomping at bit to find out when we can play the new stuff.

[Shade]

• NEW - A Paladin's Aura of Courage will no longer cause various other spell effects to repeat over and over. The Aura of Courage bonus has also been changed to a Sacred Bonus to Will Saves vs. Fear, and as such, will stack with Morale effects.

Awesome. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Been asking for this fix for so long. Horribly annoying bug will soon be gone =)

• NEW - Slimes telekinetically controlled by the Sorcerer/Wizard spell Ooze Puppet are now also telekinetically prevented from splitting. As such, you will no longer lose control of the slime due to splitting.

This is like the one change that made me go.. what?? What dev loves that spell so much they had to spend time tweaking it? lol such a silly spell, who cares if it works well or not. Oh well, what I considered the worst bug is being fixed so i can forgive devs spending time on this heh.

[Claver]

NEW - Monsters that are hiding or invisible can no longer be tab (or `) selected unless a player can detect the monster using their Spot or Listen skills.

This is huge!!! When I played pnp I was never able to use the TAB button to see monsters behind doors, around corners or on ledges behind me. The game will have more suspense (and realism if that's possible for fantasy) if we can be ambushed. Heavens forbid - we might even have to ask rangers and rogues to scout ahead, rather than zerging through dark caverns.

I'm in favor of this change!

[Yaga_Nub]

I really wanna know how respec'ing my feet can make me tougher.

**** you! I wanted to make some snide remark about this first!

[Freeman]

I'm curious, (and not in a snarky way) what's the next bug you're going to put in your sig once Crippling Strike is fixed?

Well, given the current bugs, it would probably be that the new bard songs are getting dispelled, but I suspect that will be fixed before Crippling Strike. It will probably depend on what we end up with after the next Mod more than anything else. And when they actually fix Crippling Strike.(Song of Freedom was only fixed for one month before the level cap was raised again, giving me a couple of new causes)

[Shade]

NEW - Monsters that are hiding or invisible can no longer be tab (or `) selected unless a player can detect the monster using their Spot or Listen skills.

Oh ya that one is cool too. I purposely didn't put any points in spot on my sorcerer because I knew I didnt have to see them to tab and pk.. So now I will be very surpised by sneaky mobs, which is great.
And oh well for me being gimped for exploiting a UI flaw, i can fix that a little with items and skil pnts at next lvl cap anyways.

Oh yea it should be noted that you can't detect hidden mobs with listen currently anyways.. So hopefully that is coded correctly.

[Coldin]

Oh yea it should be noted that you can't detect hidden mobs with listen currently anyways.. So hopefully that is coded correctly.

See below...

* The Listen skill now helps you detect hidden monsters.

[Ziggy]

I really wanna know how respec'ing my feet can make me tougher.

cause you would have survived having your feet loped off, and replaced by new better feet.