End of the week with Major Malphunktion 9.23.11

[Produktion_Malphunktion]

Another crazy week. People say coming up to launch is chaos, sometimes it is the weeks after one that is even busier. It basically adds another project to the list, patch gets added to the workload while Update 12 is already at full swing. We will have a hot fix ‘soon’ as in the next week to 10 days, and then a Patch another few weeks away.

Now,I have some good news and some bad news. Go ahead get your torches and pitchforks…I’ll wait.




OK you’re back?
First the bad: Crystal Cove items are going to become Bound to Character (BtC) when the items are updated. This is how it is supposed to be. We noticed this issue back during the event, and decided at the time to leave it alone, it was our birthday at the time and bigger prizes the better for the celebration.
But now this is ‘fixed’, and is like all the other places with this kind of loot in the game. Sorry. We should have had this in the release notes, but I will admit I did not cast my net far enough into the past to notice the fix. Sorry for the confusion. So, before Crystal Cove goes live, if you have items that you want to upgrade (which will make them Bound to Character), move your items to the characters that you want to own them! Note that this only affects items that will be upgraded when Crystal Cove returns, your current loot should not see its bind state change unless you try to upgrade it.
1. BTA cove items with Epic slots remained BTA when a crystal was slotted in the past. Will they remain BTA if a crystal is slotted right now? yes
2. Will old BTA Epic items remain BTA if you slot a crystal after the hotfix? yes
3. Will old BTA Epic items remain BTA if you clear the slot right now? yes
4. Will old BTA Epic items remain BTA if you clear the slot after the hotfix? yes
The only time it will become BTC is if you put it in the barter box and upgrade it.

Now the good:

• Crystal Cove is back from repair(EDIT) and in QA.It will come back sometime around the hotfix. The flip the switch day is up to Marketing, not me.( I love it and would have it on all the time) Oddly it was the same exact bug that caused some crashing issues a while back, due to mushrooms in Red Fens. So, if you examined the door (actually the darkness behind the door) it would crash the instance. See, it was the mushrooms fault…sort of. Why a mushroom and a door work the same is one of those mysteries of life, and maybe only David Attenborough knows the connection.

• We fixed melee attacks. This will be in the hot fix. (cheers!)

• We are still looking at lag- it is a tricky one, but we have a band-aid that may help that is going out with the hot fix.



Then, in the next patch…yes, a sneak peek(Note: these are not set in stone, and due to issues found may be pulled from the patch at any time)

Handwraps! No really:

• Lawful/Chaotic/Evil Outsider Bane is now working on crafted or named handwraps.
• Byeshk Weapons artificer spell now works on handwraps
• Bodyfeeder on crafted handwraps now procs! Feed away.
• competence and an enhancement bonus to attack can now stack on crafted handwraps
• Crafting: Handwraps are now useable in recipes that require the target weapon to be bludgeoning. For example, you can now put the "Stunning" effects on handwraps.
• Mabar Handwraps will no longer be horribly OP.
• Crafting: Enhancement bonus effects can now be deconstructed from handwraps to produce Enhancement Spirit. Before this fix, the enhancement bonus deconstruction option just wouldn't appear at the crafting device for handwraps.
• Added the new handwrap enhancement bonus deconstruction recipes to the item deconstruction device.

Hirelings!
• Arcane hirelings have learned that ranged spells serve them best when they stay out of melee range, and will no longer charge into close-quarters combat.
• Display cool down timers for Pet and Hireling active abilities on the control shortcut bar
• Cleric hirelings have realized that they have weapons, and will now be a little more willing to use them - but only when they don't need to heal anyone
• Some improvements in the AI system to make your hirelings and pets more responsive to player command. Please note that the hireling or pet will not stop in midcast to listen to your order, but will perform the requested action once it is legal for him to do so.
• Players can now zone into raid enabled adventure areas with their hireling(s). Please note hirelings continue to be barred from raid dungeons.

And a bunch of other stuff!!
Back to the mines! Yark!

Go Pats!
Major Malphunktion

[Rosze]

First!!!
Ty for updating beter than trying to read it from the original one cause its realy active.

• Mabar Handwraps will no longer be horribly OP.

Nooo... Whyy? They are the only epic wraps in game exept the alcemical ones so dont they deserve it.

• We fixed melee attacks. This will be in the hot fix. (cheers!)
Great so does this meen also hadwraps attacs work or only normal less bugy mele.

[rimble]

Obviously you realize this already, but the constant BtA / BtC flip-flops are really **** annoying.

And of course, handwraps...keep pluggin' away at 'em!

Thanks for the 'end of the week' posts, they're awesome.

[Phidius]

While the change from BtA to BtC doesn't really surprise or dismay me, I'm going to craft some new Epic items from scratch, and leave my BtA alone.

I'm sure that at some undisclosed point in the future, they will all be forced to BtC regardless of whether they are upgraded or not, but I'll get use out of them while I can.

Edit: Oh, and weekly communication threads rock so hard!

[Cam_Neely]

just a general /thumbsup to 'End of the week with Major Malphunktion' posts in general. Great idea Major!

[Jhenissa]

Handwraps! No really:

• Lawful/Chaotic/Evil Outsider Bane is now working on crafted or named handwraps.
• Byeshk Weapons artificer spell now works on handwraps
• Bodyfeeder on crafted handwraps now procs! Feed away.
• competence and an enhancement bonus to attack can now stack on crafted handwraps
• Crafting: Handwraps are now useable in recipes that require the target weapon to be bludgeoning. For example, you can now put the "Stunning" effects on handwraps.
• Mabar Handwraps will no longer be horribly OP.
• Crafting: Enhancement bonus effects can now be deconstructed from handwraps to produce Enhancement Spirit. Before this fix, the enhancement bonus deconstruction option just wouldn't appear at the crafting device for handwraps.
• Added the new handwrap enhancement bonus deconstruction recipes to the item deconstruction device.


Major Malphunktion

Simply...Thank you.

[Don1966]

Crystal Cove items are going to become Bound to Character (BtC) when the items are updated. This is how it is supposed to be. We noticed this issue back during the event, and decided at the time to leave it alone, it was our birthday at the time and bigger prizes the better for the celebration.
But now this is ‘fixed’, and is like all the other places with this kind of loot in the game. Sorry. We should have had this in the release notes, but I will admit I did not cast my net far enough into the past to notice the fix. Sorry for the confusion. So, before Crystal Cove goes live, if you have items that you want to upgrade (which will make them Bound to Character), move your items to the characters that you want to own them! Note that this only affects items that will be upgraded when Crystal Cove returns, your current loot should not see its bind state change unless you try to upgrade it.

Major Malphunktion

a little clarification on this if you please. if we have existing items, made the last time CC was around, if we upgrade them to the next tier they will be BTA. if we create a brand new item when CC goes live, is it going to be BTA or BTC? if we create a new item, then upgrade it to tier 2 or 3 is that going to be BTA or BTC? if the answer is BTC to all or most then that is going to cut 90% of the time i was planning on spending in CC.

[Angelus_dead]

• Cleric hirelings have realized that they have weapons, and will now be a little more willing to use them - but only when they don't need to heal anyone

Originally Cleric hirelings would use their melee weapons. Then they were changed to not do that, which was apparently in reaction to numerous player requests.

Players will probably consider it a downgrade if Cleric / FVS hirelings begin trying to melee. Have you seen the hitpoints on Wyoh!?

[Hokiewa]

Btc....so wait...the cove is coming back in 7-10 days or did I read that wrong....wow

[Dawnsfire]

Thanks for the heads up Maj. The Cove BTC change sucks but saves me a lot of grinding. Most of the stuff I wanted to make were twink items to pass from alt to alt. The rest sounds like a job well done.

Good luck with the patches.

[Bargol]

You kept your word that you would continue this weekly communication. Very pleased to see this.

[red_cardinal]

Is U12 a ranged pass and do rangers get anything?

[Kalari]

Glad to see another of these up but I cannot say I understand the reasoning behind changing BTA to BTC for the cove items, and glad you did admit this should have been put in the release notes. Got me wondering now though whats so bad about one person making bound to account level 20 gear? I can understand the lower level stuff wanting people to play at all levels instead of 20s only but what about those who have many level 20s and found it easier to designate one to get the job done? oh well glad I got the majority of the things I wanted last time at least now I wont have any issues farming renown instead.

And yay handwraps my monk will be a happy camper for sure.

[smatt]

Uh oh....


Thanks for the info Maj! You better duck though.... Maybe get some duct tape, plastic, and bottled water... INCOMMMINNNGGG!

[Uthar]

So, when does Crystal Cove go live?

[Vissarion]

Really like the communication from Turbine here.

However, it is unfortunate that Cove items will now be BTC. They aren't really that overpowered, and act as a decent bridge to endgame questing, especially with the changes to hard/elite/epic.

Making them BTC will eventually render most of them into relics, as people acquire gear that surpasses them in power/utility.

[Cam_Neely]

Crystal Cove items are going to become Bound to Character (BtC) when the items are updated.

Does this mean
1.) I have a tier III Epic Ratkiller from the last time CC was out. If i dont epic slot it, it stays BTA?

2.) If I has a tier II Epic Ratkiller from the last time CC was out. If I updated it, it then become BTC, by whoever updates it?

3.) Will collectibles stay BTA? ie I can farm the quest with my lv 18 guy for XP, then pass the components to other characters to build the weapons they want (which will then be BTC)?

Thanks

[Pwesiela]

This thread is approved by players.

[Unreliable]

FIRST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

IBT 500 replies!

[gloopygloop]

Handwraps! No really:

There appear to be three types of handwraps (lootgen, Cannith crafted and named). Can you tell us which of these categories will be broken in the 11.1 hotfix/patch?

Edit: MajMalphunktion has confirmed later in the thread. The answer is "all of them".