End of the week with Major Malphunktion - XII

[quiescent]

-What do I want from Lamannia?
Nothing really, as I don't think there is anything to be gained from me being there. Having stuff granted to your live characters for quests and things you do there seems wrong to me somehow, considering that you can have unlimited mana via store pots, unlimited plat and items via the dev team spawning piles of treasure and unlimited XP (whether that comes via the 1000% xp bonus or the simple *POOF* you're level 20 advancement given by the devs). I am happy with reading the forums and seeing what other players think of what they see there.

-What is the one singular [macro] thing I would like fixed?
The memory leak. I've taken to restarting my client instead of using the /logout function to switch characters. Quite annoying when you're switching between multiple characters in a short span of time, but ultimately worth it in the long wrong to keep your system from bogging down and affecting even the simplest actions in game (such as opening the bank).

Secondary [micro] would be to fix hand wraps. I realize you said not to say that, but the simple fact that you did say that makes me want it even more. I don't play my monk hardly at all anymore. Maybe because of the hand wrap issue, maybe because I just don't enjoy playing him anymore. Maybe I don't enjoy playing him anymore because of the hand wrap issue. Hard for me to nail down for myself.

-What one thing would I like to see added to the game?
All the Prestige Enhancements that we were told were "in progress" 2 years ago.

Maybe druids. But please don't make them a silly unlock like Artificer was. Make them 3500 favor. Then I can play one right out of the gate

[Don1966]

things i would like to see:
1 fix the min level problem on cannith crafted gear, somewhat detailed post here http://forums.ddo.com/showthread.php?t=331464
2 fix targeting issue for cleric rad servant burst, it centers on the cleric, why does it even check to see what is targeted?
3 finish existing pre's and add in the missing ones.
4 show some love for clerics, recent packs and events had nice gear for most classes but clerics. the major exception is the alchemical set from U11 but that is a rather lackluster set at best. make some items for the caster and battle clerics please. also add in some spells. i find it very funny that a pure cleric has 5 level 9 spell slots and exactly 5 spells to put in them. Storm of Vengeance looks like it has potential and would give clerics and FvS a second DoT http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/stormOfVengeance.htm
5 rework the lamania client to include data logging on the client side. with that, when i find a bug i can upload the log to help you find and fix the problem. also include a way to turn off the logging so those with slower machines don't get bogged down and therefore not want to log into lamania.
6 if lamania starts gets used more as a bug hunting tool, let us be able to go to a trainer and level up to any level we want and to also delevel. while some may use that just to test out builds, a lot of people would spend more time there and more bugs may get found.

[Gawna]

Grats on finalizing the release, Maj.

I would like to see all potions usable when madstoned, just not the guild pots. I know this is a small issue, but it doesn't make sense to me.

I cannot believe you didn't counter his post with, "GO TROJANS!"

[Aelonwy]

-What would *you* like from Lamannia? I have my own ideas, but I'd like to hear what you guys think it could be.

-What is the one singular thing you would like fix. Please, think on the macro level not the micro. Don't say hand wraps

-What one thing would you like to see added to the game?

Maj

Lamania:
An official lamania-only found bug checklist. Ie. Players report bugs on lamania and at least there a list developes such that players can see what bugs have already been found and are maybe being looked into for that update.

You see this sometimes created by players and posted to the forums but I'd like an official one that i knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that the devs were looking at and were aware of our issues. Seen/heard too many never head of this "generic bug" from devs when the players know they've reported it, maybe multiple ppl reported it, and players have been discussing whatever the generic bug is on one or more threads.

Fix:
For the luv of all that is D&D you guys are driving me up a wall with all of your various crafting systems and ingredients/collectibles that must be held onto and kept in either my character inventory or character bank. Seriously lets take a gander at that shall we ....we have Risia, Mabar, Cove, greensteel, cannith, dragontouched, trapmaking, alchemical, in addition there's the item upgrade altars in sentinels, and reign of madness, the cauldron marks, don't forget scrolls, seals and shards for epic. You're headed in the right direction making some of this weightless... but it really all needs to be weightless because you've surpassed the threshold at which I as a player even want to continue playing with all the inventory maintenance and stuff i have to keep up with rather than quest. And please, please, please don't give us anything meant for crafting or turning in - in mass quantities that doesn't go inside a bag.

Added:
Finish the PrE's already. That holiday bonus list was posted december of 2008. This reflects poorly on DDO. I want to brag about my favorite game to friends... I don't want to explain about so many very rough and unfinished things.

[BOgre]

Just approved "Vaults of the Artificers"

grats! glad you were able to meet the 'proposed' date, and avoid a PR hassle from Fernando's 'official/unofficial' release to ZAM.

-What would *you* like from Lamannia? I have my own ideas, but I'd like to hear what you guys think it could be.

I'd like to build a character at any level, gear it with anything in the game, and then play any quest. I'll tell you why: It's one thing to plan a character on paper, but it's another to actually travel into the character's future and see how it will perform, and if you plan pan's out in reality.
I'd also really like to see a 'Testing Compendium' which, like our Adventure Compendium lists available quests, but the list would be comprised of content the dev or QA team would like us to try and check out. Maybe the 'favor' earned in these quests could equate to a reward of some kind. This would encourage more folks to play the stuff you want 'tested'... maybe.

-What is the one singular thing you would like fix. Please, think on the macro level not the micro. Don't say hand wraps

One Singular? Tough question. But since I mostly play my Ranger, I'll have to say 'Rangers'. And under that heading, I'd prioritize: 1)Ranged combat 2)Ranger Spell list 3)Summons 4)PrEs (TempIII, DwS)

-What one thing would you like to see added to the game?

Pandas. Okay, seriously though I don't really know what you'd want to add. Druids of course, but I like the game plenty lots as it is. I guess if I was to bluesky, I'd say Random Map Gen. Dungeons that are different every time you enter add replayability and fun.

Thanks again for sticking with us on the forums Maj, despite our NRGGedness.

[herzkos]

-What would *you* like from Lamannia? I have my own ideas, but I'd like to hear what you guys think it could be.
/snip
-What is the one singular thing you would like fix. Please, think on the macro level not the micro. Don't say hand wraps

-What one thing would you like to see added to the game?

Well, I'm keeping it short again this week.Go Bruins (we got a win yay!)
Go Pats! Giants...Grrr...only one thing to say there...XLII...

Maj

for lammania to be an actual large scale test server not just a pre-release training ground for those who
brag about completing something first? ok, harsh, but for the most part thats what it seems like.

the one thing i'd like to see added? a revamp to guild renown as I feel it is hurting the game more than helping it.
several threads have been posted in the last coupla months adressing this issue.


hmmmm . . . as a stillers fan steelers for you non-Pennsyltuckians
super bowl XLII . . XLII . . . 50- 10 + 1 +1 . . . = 42. isn't that the answer to life, the universe,
and everything?
/edit would have worked better as a dophins fan, but i can't bring myself to like them.

[macubrae]

The single thing I would like fixed is the lag. There are places in the harbor and the market where I stop, because I know there will be a couple seconds of lag where I hang in the air waiting for the instance to catch up.

I want the Pre's FINISHED! That includes existing and promised, racial and class!

[kailiea]

For Lammania---

I think the Developers should spend more time running content with groups and guilds so that they can see what might be broken and get instant feedback from all involved. Also a system that lets you instant respec all levels and try out new classes without having to spend time leveling. Things like this might have allowed people to catch the artificer dog bug and maybe even the multiple past life issue.

Macro Issues----

First off we need to finish off all the pres for all classes who are still stuck at tier 2. That alone could add more diversity among all classes ( Henshyn mystic?).

Also I would like to have bards looked at because all the spell changes affected bards particularly hard. Those who specced for crowd control could do a great job at it with the spells at hand now that job has fallen back onto casters. New spells are needed to help diversify the class so they can be more than a glorified buff bot. I would even like to see spells like hypno made extendable or add pk to their repertoire so we can make good casting bards.
New bard song audio files would be appreciated or the ability to add our own sound files.

New areas to explore that use the planescaller in the twelve.. Those options have been there forever and it would be nice to visit a new city perhaps only for high level characters. The area could could be tied to accommodate an Epic level increase to say 25 that requires you to run Epic content to level to 25 and includes Epic feats or simply new feats like monkey grip. Simply put I think the high level players need a new city hub to quest from.

Stuff that should be worked on in regards to Guilds......We have large ships with a bunch of shrines but other than that it seems like a colossal waste of space. I want Guild trophies that are obtained from actually defeating raid bosses. Maybe collect fragments every victory but the ultimate goal would be trophies in the game room, or trophies that could ultimately change the exterior look of the ship. You could tie the trophy fragments to challenging optionals like marking the LoB . I kind of want a dead Marilith on the front of my boat.

A place I would like the challenges to go is having two separate parties competing to get to and end objective but every minor objective could slow down the opposing team. The first group to the end gets the best reward.

I would also like to see skills play larger roles in quests and a good example of that is party crashers in House Phiarlan. While the dialogue shouldn't end the quests it should make other battles more or less challenging or open up completely new sections of maps that would be inaccessible otherwise. This could add variety to quests and ultimately add longevity to them.

[ajax1987]

Lamannia:
Release things long enough in advance so that you can fix the bugs we find. Don't release to live until they are fixed

Live:
Give hirelings quicken or a decent concentration score

Make sla's like the sorc inherent spells aimable. Right now they just fire in a straight line unless you have something hard targeted

Ladder bug

[dunklezhan]

-What would *you* like from Lamannia? I have my own ideas, but I'd like to hear what you guys think it could be.

I'd like it to be a place of 'public sign off', as the final stakeholder in the QA process. By which I mean when the player base which takes part in lammania, and those that just comment in the threads, is clearly of a majority view that something is bad, the QA process should take a more public stock of that (I'm sure it does take stock, but it needs to be more 2 way. This is web 2.0 you know...). Surveys, polls, something. They don't have to be binding or anything silly like that, but people need to feel more listened to than they do now. They're plenty involved, they just feel like their contribution won't change anything meaningful.

Devs do contribute a lot publically during the lam process, but there's still too much 'company policy this that and the other' or 'read by a dev' and not enough explanation for decisions. Its great that we get what we do get. But more elaboration would be better. Are we owed that? No, of course not. Will it make folk feel more enfranchised? You betcha.

-What is the one singular thing you would like fix. Please, think on the macro level not the micro. Don't say hand wraps

OK.. sliding while supposedly interrupted and immobilised. I think this qualifies as macro, since it happens under so many conditions: hold (y'know, I can't say I've seen it happen with Mass Hold. hmm), paralyze, trip, stun, etc.

-What one thing would you like to see added to the game?

For the love of god, upgrade the UI. I dont' mean the look and feel. I mean the engine behind it. Its time. Port over the LOTRO engine, put the nice DDOstore-lite look and feel and lets work from there. IMHO it's missing/lacking in these respects:

• UI sliding for individual components.
• Snap to grid option for UI components moving around
• No mouseover functions (e.g. mouseover partymember, see the examine window as a tooltip, or mouseover soft targetting facilities)
• Unreliable tooltips (in that some times they won't pop up and you have to find the item in your inventory to examine it)
• inconsistent vendor and barter windows
• inconsistent and rather primitive inventory sorting/searching across the board (my inventory has an alternative view with categories of items. The bank however has no such view. Bank and inventory are 4x5 grid shaped storage. The shared bank is more like a vendor window. etc etc).

There's probably more.

LOTRO, on the other hand, has a fantastic, intuitive, unbeleivably customisable UI, and allows player custom skins to boot! I don't want the game to look like LOTRO, but DDO could learn an awful lot from the design of the UI.

[Sarezar]

-What is the one singular thing you would like fix. Please, think on the macro level not the micro. Don't say hand wraps

The freezing that we get when UMD score is changed. I'm sorry, it has been affecting me 24/7, with all my toons for 1.5 year now. I don't know if it's micro or macro but it is really important as it lags my clients 1000 times per day.

-What one thing would you like to see added to the game?

Epic levels (or feats, or enhancements, or any sort of epic progression).

[morticianjohn]

So let me ask you guys some questions..

-What is the one singular thing you would like fix. Please, think on the macro level not the micro. Don't say hand wraps

-What one thing would you like to see added to the game?

Maj

fix the lag

add druids

[oradafu]

-What would *you* like from Lamannia? I have my own ideas, but I'd like to hear what you guys think it could be.

I can't knock Dev interaction too much when it comes to Lammania. However, as someone pointed out, sometimes players just get the "what" and not the "why" when it comes to certain decisions that don't make much sense. Maybe expanding on the "why" more often.

The surveys for the Lammania seem a bit too focused to me. I guess you could claim that's what the forums are for. I guess I'd add two things to the surveys anyway. One, a question that is somethig like "Is [insert here] progressing DDO in the right direction?" Two, a section where the player must explain why he thinks it is good or bad for DDO. Granted, this will be the opinions of primarily the most avid fans, but it might give early signals on the acceptance of the product.

-What is the one singular thing you would like fix. Please, think on the macro level not the micro. Don't say hand wraps

I hope you're still working on the lag. Or at least making the less lag friend quests/raids less wipe worthy.

The biggest macro fix has to be all the incomplete Prestige Classes followed by the never completed Prestige Classes. Why do I consider this something that needs to be fixed? Because you keep balancing the game around the most powerful Prestige class of a given class. How can a Tier 2 Prestige compete with a Tier 3 Prestige on a pure class?

Also, it's really disappointing when we've had multiple releases with no Prestige classes added.

-What one thing would you like to see added to the game?

I'll take your word that Druid is in the works for next year (although I'd probably never play the class).

I think the addition of Domains of Clerics wouldn't be out of line now.

More quests level 14+ please.

A single new quest with Epic difficulty with Epic items added to packs (especially low selling/run ones) with chain quests, such as Threnal (fix flagging please), Sorrowdusk, STK, Deleras.

Oh, in case you missed it already, release Prestige Classes!

[zebidos]

What i'd like too see from Lamania is the option of creating whatever level toon you wanted and a special vendor that hands out stat items, such as +6 con items etc or level 13's and +4 for 7's etc.

That way if a new pack is targeted for say level 14's one could log in and create a level 14 cleric, or bard or fvs etc at start up.

Along with that a vendor that sells appropriate gear for that level, not raid loot just your normal stat items, heavy fort etc as not everyone has a toon at every level and every class/race.

Would probably be a pain to impliment though, but would help testing new packs and content.

Oh yeah, and make halflings 1 inch taller.

[aurum1]

Please fix ----
Event based lag (particularly Mabar) The spawning of dragon instances can't be handled by the servers as currently implemented
For an in game issue - please fix monk splash AC bonus. It is silly and skews the AC in silly ways

Please add----
More character information. Why can't I see -
My doublestrike % chance?
My threat modifier?
My spell crit chance?
My spell damage multiplier?
Anything else that I should be able to know about my character?

From a gamplay side I will say add prestiges. MOAR options is MOAR better.

Sorry for two of everything.

[Hamlin]

-What would *you* like from Lamannia? I have my own ideas, but I'd like to hear what you guys think it could be.

Personally, my time for DDO/video games is limited. I doubt there's anything lamania could offer that would entice me to play it over regular DDO.

-What is the one singular thing you would like fix. Please, think on the macro level not the micro. Don't say hand wraps

Spellpass was awesome. How about Featpass? More useful feats would enable us to be even more creative with our builds. I don't have any hard numbers, but I seriously doubt ANYONE has ever taken the Acrobatic feat (+2 to jump and tumble).

-What one thing would you like to see added to the game?

A new quest where the mobs are patriots players and the boss is Tom Brady. I don't know what it says about me, but I'd take alot of joy out of kicking his butt. Over and over again. Yeah, I'd be ransacking that end chest...

Oh yeah, on 20th completion you get a Gisele Bundchen poster!

[Firewall]

-What would *you* like from Lamannia? I have my own ideas, but I'd like to hear what you guys think it could be.

I would like to see the playtime invested there to somehow carry over to the live servers. Be that as Turbine Points, a special item now and then or even a special skin for a weapon/armor or whatever granted to those investing their time there.

-What is the one singular thing you would like fix. Please, think on the macro level not the micro. Don't say hand wraps

Please start with "LAG" (or whatever you want to call it) issues in the game. A good example is Shadow Crypt which has unbearable LAG issues for ages now without a fix. After that please work on the official and unofficial known issues lists from top to bottom until all issues are resolved.

-What one thing would you like to see added to the game?

All Tiers of all the Prestige Enhancements. After that the obvious answer would be druids.

[Cleanincubus]

-What would *you* like from Lamannia? I have my own ideas, but I'd like to hear what you guys think it could be.

As it is now, but with the builds getting out sooner than they do now. More specifically, getting it out sooner to allow more time for the community to find issues, so they can be fixed before the build hits the live server.

-What is the one singular thing you would like fix. Please, think on the macro level not the micro. Don't say hand wraps

Fixing Lag and creating a defrag tool would be my 2 top requests, but I'm assuming the lag issues will be worked on regardless, and the defrag tool might be a whole other team.

So other than those, I'd like the classes to be more properly balanced, and for it to be done without unnecessary nerfs of other classes. Well...all other classes except Artificers. Please feel free to nerf Artificers as much as possible, to even things out, with all the previous nerfs you've done to other classes.

-What one thing would you like to see added to the game?

Druids, and as a F2P class (free because of the amount of time we've been waiting and for how long we've been told that it would be released "in the next year or 2").

[BossOfEarth]

Lamannia: I want Lamannia to be the proof reading server. Let the weighty problems go live and fix them when you can give them the time and resourses they deserve, but kill all the reported typos before they leave Lamannia.

One macro fix: Social systems such as LFM social panel, sharing quests, flagging and quest timers. These systems are intended to 1) help players group together and 2) encourage players to play alternate characters when they're on timer for a raid.

The Looking for More social panel (LFM) should correctly indicate which quests are available to the player's characters, including all of the characters on the player's account.

New players will benefit by being sheparded into the enjoyable quests for which DDO is renowned. Veteran players will benefit by not having to babysit new players. Forum viewers will enjoy the serenity that ends a half decade of "Share pleez!" jokes. Alt-aholics will benefit most of all because they'll be able to tell at a glance which of their many characters is off timer and eligible to run a raid.

A helpful LFM social panel is an improvement over the current implimentation which only informs players that they're not able to play the advertised quest when they're standing at the door. Existing bugs in the LFM that advertise quests as part of the wrong Adventure Pack (Weapons shipment for example) should be squashed durring this upgrade. Additionaly quests that are cannot be completed when shared (Baudry's and Delerea's Tomb for example) should be fixed as well.

I for one would play more alts and be tempted to pay for VIP if these changes were made. I'd also be able to get my friends to try DDO again.

One new addition: A quest where you fight a Green dragon guarding a named Dwarf Axe.
But only because you already added my real favorites: Crystal Cove like dungeons, and named loot that's available only on Elite. Seriously good decisions. Someone should totaly get promoted and fed whichever god devours the really really good kobolds.

[Havok.cry]

I'd like ranged combat to be fixed
Racial PREs.. specifically dwarven defender added to the game.
Like some others I'd like incentive to spend time on lama. I dont want it to be in the form of contests either, because I hate competing and play this game because I don't have to compete with anyone.