Producer's Letter

[Oliphant]

Thank you, Severlin, great work from the team, as always, evolving the game....

p.s. Can we at least have a time travel quest so we can find out what happened to all the Gnomes? And at least see a Gnome. Please sir...

Or better yet can we change the timeline so the gnome extinction or exodus (or who knows what) never occured (and have gnomes)?

[axel15810]

Coal's unique design is pure awesome... EXCEPT that you have to climb TWICE... If it was just once up, it would be in my top 10 quests... Still a good quest IMO.

Dust = Autofail condition is easy to avoid... Nice to have a quest where you have to be careful sometimes...

Rainbow is completely soloable if you are a melee. Why do you say it's not? Carry the light with you for the really dark spots, put it away and pull out your weapon when you need to fight.

I'll take that back...I should have said "extremely annoying to solo on a melee".

Autofail in Dust happens more often than you'd think while pugging. All it takes is one person throwing a cleave, fireball, wail of the banshee, not paying attention to glancing blows, ect. I don't mind having to be careful sometimes, but autofailing the quest and making the party repeat because of what one person did in my opinion goes too far. Spawn a tough miniboss encounter as a punishment or something. But autofailing the quest? It's just not fun. I want challenging/interesting mechanics, not annoying ones.

[Seikojin]

Love what I read and excellent improvement on communication cooperation and coordination this year. Kindly do NOT rest on your laurels - push hard against the dying of the ... kobold?

Maybe stagger the terms of the council - so not all fresh blood at once.

Like the overall vagueness of this - underpromise and overdeliver.

Update 25 (Spring) - Temple of Elemental Evil
Update 26 (Summer) - Return to Devil's Battlefield (Epic Shavarath)
Update 27 (Fall) - Corrupted Vale of Twilight (Epic Vale) (level cap to 30 and corrupted greensteel crafting)
Update 28 (Winter) ???

Where in the worlds is Mimic? Festival
Anniversary event around U26...

Ranged power roll out, rogue/ranger,fighter melee pass, warlock class...

Just no word on cannith crafting pass and most importantly - Guild Management System.

and

I think we will see:
U25 : Temple of Elemental Evil
U26 : Warlock, Fragments, ranged pass
U27 : Epic Vale, Epic GS
U28 : Epic Shavrath lvl 30 cap

That is the order I would follow. This would allow content to be built and tested and the level cap brought in after content to get that level and build things with it to be in place.

[Eryhn]

many promising things I read ...


we shall patiently await the results.

[btolson]

“This might also be the time to introduce the Tiefling race as well (hint, hint).”


Modifying all the helmets in the game for horns *and* modifying all the animations to add a tail turns out to be really, really costly in time and art.

Sev~

I say this to be applied generally, as a non-fanboi-of-tieflings:

Don't worry so much about cosmetics.

Nobody is really going to care about not having a tail, and it is perfectly fine for helms to fully hide horns (a player can just turn off helmet display if they'd rather see their horns).

This is a game fueled by build options, don't sacrifice more depth for lack of visuals.

[The_Human_Cypher]

I say this to be applied generally, as a non-fanboi-of-tieflings:

Don't worry so much about cosmetics.

Nobody is really going to care about not having a tail, and it is perfectly fine for helms to fully hide horns (a player can just turn off helmet display if they'd rather see their horns).

This is a game fueled by build options, don't sacrifice more depth for lack of visuals.

As already observed above, the in game Tiefling mobs don't have tails so the player character Tieflings wouldn't necessarily have to have them either. Horns can be hidden by helms, so Tieflings could just be refashioned humans with small horns and red, glowing eyes.

[Powerhungry]

Should we start getting EPL's as fast as possible or is the required xp for lvl 30 going to be the same it is to reach 28 now?

I imagine it will follow the same progression as all epic levels. 150,000 more experience than the last level so 1.5M for 29 and 1.65M for 30 (3.15M for those 2 extra levels). So yes, cram in as many eTRs and iconic TRs as possible...

[Powerhungry]

Why Warlock?

Also - Archmage has been relegated even further over the past year what with PM and EK having the major benefits - All Warlock's gonna do is make sure no-one ever plays an AM again!

^^^ this^^^ Dead things and toasters should not be better than a living Arch-mage...(yes, disgruntled, fleshy pure wizzy arch mage...)

[Oxarhamar]

I say this to be applied generally, as a non-fanboi-of-tieflings:

Don't worry so much about cosmetics.

Nobody is really going to care about not having a tail, and it is perfectly fine for helms to fully hide horns (a player can just turn off helmet display if they'd rather see their horns).

This is a game fueled by build options, don't sacrifice more depth for lack of visuals.

as an alternative to helmets blocking the Horns from view or adding horns to current helms they could just make horns that protrude through the helmets when they are worn.

I don't think it would be too difficult to make it so when the helmet is worn the horns are still displayed leaving the protruding bits.

[bbqzor]

Our current plan is to redo the Vale quests, and keep the raid mechanics mostly intact with a new encounter at the end. Some of the Vale quests really need to be revamped.

If by some you mean all, then yes. I just hope the redo/revamp is a solid improvement. Devils has poorly balanced light damage, Dust has annoying fail mechanics, Rainbow has visibility issues, Coal has long/boring/repetitive/mario issues, and Ritual has too many mobs and a protect-fail condition. None of those are particularly fun now, let alone under epic or epic elite conditions. Honestly, I would hate to see them get scrapped too. Theres a lot of good there. But they do need retouching.

Devils needs a spellpower pass, and probably an adjustment to the two self-healing red-named with rare DR types so newer players have a better chance. Dust needs to eliminate the fail mechanic, it just punishes new or sloppy players. Rainbow needs to maybe make the torch shine simply by being in your inventory, having to hold it really does a number on a lot of builds. Coal needs more than an air jet to shorten it up, and some of the jumps cleaned up so theres less hitting your head and flying into space. And Ritual needs a more robust npc at the end, especially with champions now, and wouldnt hurt to see some of the mob count lowered. Plus whatever tweaks you guys do for the epic verisons.

Ill be honest, the change from Grey Garl to Epic version is cool. The quest is a bit much in a few spots (so many stuns can cause cheap deaths in a few spots, wouldve liked to see the shamans a bit more consistent throughout but only a few in one spot instead of like 5) but I like the "old is new" approach. I think that could work here, provided the old quests are changed as well. Weve already run these 100s of times. Going back for epic isnt exciting if its not at least partly new. Seriously. Ive already something like 500 shrouds. I dont want to find out I need to make that 1000.

The mimics that are part of the hunt are not the fully mature hard hitting mimics you are probably thinking of.

Its not about how hard they hit. Its do they have the irresistible stacking mimic slobber. Which also slows you. Etc. I hope all aspects of that are pulled for any event described as "fun".

Last year we took steps to combat lag. We changed the shared bank to a paged system for example.

Im curious how much of an impact that had. Its the only specific step you mention here, and its also annoying as heck as a player. I mean the arrows are on top of the items currently, its not even graphically clean. Even if it was, many of us enjoyed seeing/accessing everything at once. There are numerous threads about this, its not just me. Can you report the nature of whatever benefits this change provided? Id rather have the old way back if it was not extremely significant (which, as my playing has seen little to no change, it doesnt seem like it).

We envision the Warlock class concentrating mostly on its Eldritch Blast ability and ways to manipulate that arcane blast in various ways. While the Warlock does have spell abilities they are closer to a ranged character than a traditional caster.

This is good to see, it means you are taking a 3.5-centric approach. I hope the full selection of other fun abilities (take 10 umd, alternate class features in the form of selectable feats like monk paths or simple enhancement trees, and so on) make the grade. Id also very much like to see Eldritch Glaive make it... so we can have melee-locks. Kind of like how EK is a "melee" tree for casters, it would be great to see Warlocks be the first class with SLAs that toggle add-on effects, as well as a way to change that SLA from ranged to a melee buff. Very hopeful this can turn out to be something truly welcome and unique, as most of the necessary effects are already in game mechanically. Wary of it being a poor cut and paste job, or a class with extreme limitations on its choices due to time/resource constraints. Do not forget, it is the large plethora of options that makes warlocks work. A good sized set of those have to make it here for the class to really integrate well.

Modifying all the helmets in the game for horns *and* modifying all the animations to add a tail turns out to be really, really costly in time and art.

Additionally I dont think races have much to add to the game at this point. At their most significant, they might have +2 to a stat over an existing choice, or a unique enhancement useful to one class/build. Id rather see development energies allocated elsewhere which will have more of an impact than "well now my guy looks different and has +2 stat". I understand not everyone shares this opinion. If we do ever see more races, filling out Iconic gaps (say Iconic Duergar, since there is no dwarf iconic parallel currently, as one example) seems a smarter and more effective move. My 2 cents.

They stack really high so you should only need one slot. We wanted to do some kind of currency panel or wallet, but we don’t have the implementation time at the moment.

Then just dont do this until you do. I dont care how high it stacks. I am VERY TIRED of inventory taxes like this, which also create additional inventory management workloads through an increasingly cumbersome bank system. It had better stack to something obscene like 100000 and be shared-bankable so its just one inventory slot lost EVER. I like this change (moving from chests to fragments) but DO NOT WANT any more inventory garbage. Also, DO NOT WANT to have to pick up and loot it every time. Purple Collectible bags are a pain. Make it auto-allocate like epic token fragments, PLEASE.

The mimic hunt is actually one of the fun things we have planned for our anniversary. I believe the Mabar items are still planned as rewards for the mimic hunt. We want to have an entirely new festival around the Halloween time, and that would also include appropriately themed items.

Does this mean it will have a way for those characters which did not get an opportunity to get the once-per-account +5 Tome to get one? I sincerely hope so. I would like to see everyone given a fair shake to event items like that, and the other mabar selections as well. Thanks, hopefully.

[Powerhungry]

1. Stop calling 5 min boss battles a raid. Its an insult to real raids.
.... and I hope its a real raid not 12 man boss encounter you seem to be producing.
.

So which raids in the game are real raids (for a frame of reference)?

[Powerhungry]

Its not about how hard they hit. Its do they have the irresistible stacking mimic slobber. Which also slows you. Etc. I hope all aspects of that are pulled for any event described as "fun".
.

And freedom of movement should protect you from this and the stupid drider trip line)...but they fudged the rules so it doesn't.

[Braegan]

Well,

First congrats on your new position Sev! I will echo the sentiment that I hope this doesn't mean you will wind up leaving us for Lotro anytime soon, as seems to happen with that position. I appreciate the level of feedback you give as well as your bluntness sometimes.

Second, sounds like some good stuff on the horizon. I am not really pumped for Warlock as a class myself, but meh I am sure some will be happy about it. The Vale, Amrath and ToEE really has me excited, can't wait to see it live.

Keep up the good work!

[jaggyjag]

I just wanted to jump in an answer some questions:


“Warlock Class? Wait isn't that basically Pale Master?”


We envision the Warlock class concentrating mostly on its Eldritch Blast ability and ways to manipulate that arcane blast in various ways. While the Warlock does have spell abilities they are closer to a ranged character than a traditional caster.

Why not instead attend to the original bloody ranged classes that are still awaiting a update pass? ye'gods! the Ranger was supposed to be next, and the mechanic and Artificer are going to have to wait in underpowered limbo while you guys play with a NEW CLASS? come on! sure it is always funner and easier to start something brand new, but it's more important to take care of the classes that have been waiting for so long. Seriously? do you expect people to just sit back while you make a new ranged class after they had to spend all last year playing 2nd fiddle to the assorted monchers and chuckers, bards throwers, who all got buffed well beyond them?

Seriously? how can anyone there think this is needed or a GOOD IDEA? Doesn't anyone think this stuff through before pushing forward? seriously, the ranger, mechanic, and artificer, write that down so you don't forget Turbine.

“This might also be the time to introduce the Tiefling race as well (hint, hint).”


Modifying all the helmets in the game for horns *and* modifying all the animations to add a tail turns out to be really, really costly in time and art.

How very droll. The races we are waiting for are not the Tieflings, and in fact what we were told to expect years ago and again last year was more Iconic classes. The drow, the halfling, the gnome illusionist, the Duergar remember iconic for races and classes? back when forgotten realms was the way forward? and iconics were going to help the new and established community?

Come on, stop making jokes about helmets, we have been waiting patiently for years now for those to be delivered on. Don't insult us with these kind of jokes that are supposed to distract us.

You are going to have to really lift your game and come through on the undertaking made by those who came before you.


BTW Shav and the Vale? really? don't just don't. Give us the desert expansion we were prepped for and promised, not some cheap rehased item power-creep nonsense. If all the content will be "new"? well then you can spend that energy on the "new" desert and iconics.

Unbelievable.

[Captain_Pengie]

Warlock
We are looking into adding a new class during the year, and we are considering the Warlock class. The Warlock creates powerful eldritch blasts to destroy enemies in addition to a variety of spells to aid them in their adventures.

Two words only:

GNOME WARLOCK

That is all.

[Powerhungry]

They will be made of ooze and gelantous cubes.

Epic Coal chamber - Mario section will be filled with casters spamming sleet storms...

[silisav]

I just wanted to jump in an answer some questions:

“Are any bug fixes in the works?”


We plan to do regular bug passes with each update. Right now our engineering is devoted to fixing lag issues.


“Warlock Class? Wait isn't that basically Pale Master?”


We envision the Warlock class concentrating mostly on its Eldritch Blast ability and ways to manipulate that arcane blast in various ways. While the Warlock does have spell abilities they are closer to a ranged character than a traditional caster.



.................................................. ..

“Is the mimic event still going to contain the Mabar items, or will they be moved to the autumn event?”


The mimic hunt is actually one of the fun things we have planned for our anniversary. I believe the Mabar items are still planned as rewards for the mimic hunt. We want to have an entirely new festival around the Halloween time, and that would also include appropriately themed items.




Sev~

Your answers made me way more happy than the actual letter. Good luck, please fix lag and make this game awesome!

[Captain_Pengie]

Two words only:

GNOME WARLOCK

That is all.

Actually have to add a few more.

Please don't make Warlocks just another "blast away at everything" caster type - that's why you have Sorcerers. Make sure to include the various 4E style "Pacts" perhaps via enhancement trees so that a variety of customised power trees is available. In particular we are long overdue for a Shaman style character who can lay down lots of disease style DOTs - the Shaman in EQ2 was awesome foe this and an equivalent is sadly lacking in DDO - and this could potentially be achieved through the Dark Pact. Hexblades are also a great Warlock variant.

Give us some class variety via any new additions, not just minor variations on the current ones as happened with the silly "ironic" classes (there is nothing 'iconic' about any of them).

[Powerhungry]

If we did have options, what class /would/ you vote for?

No new classes- spend those resources fixing bugs, things that aren't WAI and revamp Cannith crafting.

[janave]

Epic Greensteel has to be called Blue Steel .


Warlock could be a hybrid melee/caster...and optionally ranged (as in thrower or bower). I would personally add Stealth so, there is reason to think future quest design with stealth in mind.

Warlock should have a personal pet, much like the druids, buffs appropriate to this pet to be useful even at later stages up to EH.

Warlock could also focus on applying cheap/fast effective debuffs..ones people actually care to apply, and are still useful in EEs.

Please fix overpowered builds before you do a ranged pass (or any other pass really), we already have shuriken and bow builds doing 60-80k burst damage, and thats without minmaxing. Thrower builds are running the end game now with the ranger wolfs.