DDO Producer's Letter!

[esojiul]

1) The names of random items should have the information about bonuses (at least, the main information), in AH you should be able to search the item you want (ideally, including searching by augment slots and the number of enhancements).

Compare the names of an old and a new random loot:



The naming of most old random loot was good, except that the names didn't have info about augment slots.
But now random loot was so greatly improved that the names don't show the effects at all.

If an item has an augment slot I would add a letter of the slot ([C], [R], [B], [Y], [P], [O], [G]), for example:
Charismatic +8 Helm of Bluffing +17 [C]
Invigorating Helm of Resistance [G]

The latter would be much more informative with this name:
Invigorating +255 Helm of Resistance +9 [G]
But since Wizadry is a shorter word (not to mention a more convenient name) I would use this name:
Wizadry +255 Helm of Resistance +9 [G]
(btw, what was the point of these new names like Invigorating?)

The 3rd effect should be seen on the name too:



I'm not sure how to name it, but these would be MUCH better (especially if searchable in AH):
Reinforced +55 Mask of Diplomacy +17 of Incite +28
Reinforced +55 Mask of Diplomacy +17 [Incite +28]

How much the name Belt can tell you?



2) Lots of bugs with +0% bonuses (most of them are fixed, but not all)

3) It's fun to farm named items. This new random loot made less attractive many named items, which means this game has less goals to achieve (named items are no longer that important since you can just buy stuff from AH).

4) It was a plain increase of power creep (no packs, no time farming, nothing was needed for that).

5) Keep in mind that the future named items should be attractive (at least some of them). +8 Con at lvl 15 is not impressive now (random loot can have it at lower lvls).
And what does that mean? Yes, even more power creep incoming.

6) I don't mind useless things on random loot though (like keen on armors, doubleshot on handwraps, etc., but since keen is confusing and doesn't actually provide the bonus to weapons, I would exclude them from non weapons), but it should be seen in the names of such items so that you would vendor (or ignore) them without spending the time examining them, I mean in the current random loot system the hidden bonus quite often is the main bonus (keep in mind that examining every single random item is annoying).


Accessories are nice (more power creep btw).
Since there are RTBs this raid will die.

.

Actually, the random loot is ok. But it will be great updated name items. My suggestion, make a list all the effects on name item and weapons, example epic telekinetic:
Effect: Targets that suffer a critical hit from a Telekinetic weapon must make a DC 35 Strength or Dexterity check or be knocked down. The target will then be forced to make DC 16 Balance checks to recover from this effect. The trip otherwise lasts 30 seconds and allows a recurring balance check to get up every 2 seconds..
Design a update version like legendary Telekinesis: Where it will work 30% of the time on Legendary Levels, example:
Effect: Targets that suffer a critical hit from a Telekinetic weapon must make a DC 70Strength or Dexterity check or be knocked down. The target will then be forced to make DC 40 Balance checks to recover from this effect. The trip otherwise lasts 30 seconds and allows a recurring balance check to get up every 2 seconds.. The DC it an example could change.
Then in each item upgrade it effect, dmg etc etc to legendary version. Went the time come, put a legendary level to the quest or raid (lob, wk etc etc)that drop the item. The quest drops Scroll, seal and Shard to upgrade a Epic weapon to legendary (like old times). People are force to farm. Have to get the item, improved to epic and then to legendary.

[IronClan]

He didn't say lying, you did. That kind of comment is way out of line and smacks of someone trying to get someone he disagrees with in trouble with Cordovan and the other mods. Additionally, that tin-foil hat reference is obnoxious. Throwing that term at people who obviously love the game but may disagree even caused poor Cordovan some grief last summer when he used it offhandedly in a rare slip. So what possibly makes you think that you have any right to use it in such a fashion?

Tin foil hat is a classic short hand for conspiracy theory, not some sort of insult as you seem to suggest. Which is exactly what the theory contained in that guys post is; he posited that Sev didn't post a full size producers letter because he actually doesn't have more new ideas for the coming year, because there wont be new things which obviously implies he never intends to make quarterly producers letters because if maintenance mode was forthcoming, no such letters would be necessary.

Seems logical enough?

[UurlockYgmeov]

Thank you Severlin! It has been a great year (IMHO) for DDO and the players and the Dev Team!

Can't wait to see what '16 brings!

[Magil]

Will the named items from before be updated to match up with the changes to the randomly generated loot?

[Vellrad]

Will the named items from before be updated to match up with the changes to the randomly generated loot?

Oh silly you, of course not, because, how else would they sell loot jewels?

[Magil]

Oh silly you, of course not, because, how else would they sell loot jewels?

One can dream.

[Doctorivil]

With Curse of Strahd coming to D&D in march, wouldn't it be great if this year revised module would match the setting?

I would love to see Ravenloft in DDO

[Xoham]

Thank you for implementing the warlock class last year! I had been hoping for warlock for a long time. It is not everything I had hoped for; but I am very much enjoying playing it nonetheless. Proof of this is that I reincarnated my character into a warlock right away, and still have no intention of changing to anything else.

As for the bug zapper, I posted my top bugs in a different thread so as not to distract:
https://www.ddo.com/forums/showthrea...ducer-s-letter

[Cordovan]

We are looking into what it would take to have the names of items dynamically update with random loot, although our initial investigation indicates it will be a time-consuming development effort.

The change is due to the way item properties now automatically update based on the minimum level of the item. In the past, there were separate effects for Strength +1, Strength +2, Strength +3, etc., distributed based on the maximum potential of the item. Now, the item simply applies Strength and the bonus is assigned based on the minimum level of the item. Our current item naming system does not have the ability to add the benefit to the title when it is determined; to do so will require us to implement a new system in order for it to do so.

[JOTMON]

We are looking into what it would take to have the names of items dynamically update with random loot, although our initial investigation indicates it will be a time-consuming development effort.

The change is due to the way item properties now automatically update based on the minimum level of the item. In the past, there were separate effects for Strength +1, Strength +2, Strength +3, etc., distributed based on the maximum potential of the item. Now, the item simply applies Strength and the bonus is assigned based on the minimum level of the item. Our current item naming system does not have the ability to add the benefit to the title when it is determined; to do so will require us to implement a new system in order for it to do so.

It may be time consuming, but its for 'the greater good'

Adding a description search feature to AH would help too.. (not just short text search)..
to find things like Insightful stat x that is a tertiary effect.

[Kwyjibo]

We are looking into what it would take to have the names of items dynamically update with random loot, although our initial investigation indicates it will be a time-consuming development effort.

The change is due to the way item properties now automatically update based on the minimum level of the item. In the past, there were separate effects for Strength +1, Strength +2, Strength +3, etc., distributed based on the maximum potential of the item. Now, the item simply applies Strength and the bonus is assigned based on the minimum level of the item. Our current item naming system does not have the ability to add the benefit to the title when it is determined; to do so will require us to implement a new system in order for it to do so.

Wow, wasn't this kind of thing discovered during internal testing? It shouldn't matter how long it takes...the system should not have been implemented, yet.

Once again the player base has to pay for the "hurry up and get it done" mentality of Turbine...very sad.

[dunklezhan]

We are looking into what it would take to have the names of items dynamically update with random loot, although our initial investigation indicates it will be a time-consuming development effort. The change is due to the way item properties now automatically update based on the minimum level of the item. In the past, there were separate effects for Strength +1, Strength +2, Strength +3, etc., distributed based on the maximum potential of the item. Now, the item simply applies Strength and the bonus is assigned based on the minimum level of the item. Our current item naming system does not have the ability to add the benefit to the title when it is determined; to do so will require us to implement a new system in order for it to do so.

I'm far more interested in just being able to see all the effect names and the effect names being clear. E.g.

Where weapons DO have actual damage effects, this is often not seen in the name.
Where something has a featherfalling or speed effect it doesnt' show any of the other effects
Where something has a slayer effect it does not say *which* slayer effect

These are examples. Its not an exhaustive list by any means. All of these in my view are more fundamental pieces of information than knowing whether or not an effect level is +1, +2 or what have you. Slayer for example is not a useful effect name. Monstrous humanoid slayer would be. Whether it's 1d6 or 10d10 doesn't matter anything like as much, because we know its going to be appropriate for the item level.


The lack of clear labelling is causing me real problems in gearing, it is embarrassing and it is a step back from what we had before. Please fix, I don't care if its a time consuming development. Not to sound like your mom, but you really ought to have thought of that before you made the mess.

[Spoonwelder]

It may be time consuming, but its for 'the greater good'

Adding a description search feature to AH would help too.. (not just short text search)..
to find things like Insightful stat x that is a tertiary effect.

REally if they have this details search function in the AH - the problem is mostly solved.

As an aside Cordo - I got a 'Belt' the other day - no descriptors.....can you guess why?

No it wasn't a blank - but it had spell resistance and insightful spell resistance so the descriptor was just 'Belt' since spell resistance is one of the hidden effects.

[mikarddo]

We are looking into what it would take to have the names of items dynamically update with random loot, although our initial investigation indicates it will be a time-consuming development effort.

The change is due to the way item properties now automatically update based on the minimum level of the item. In the past, there were separate effects for Strength +1, Strength +2, Strength +3, etc., distributed based on the maximum potential of the item. Now, the item simply applies Strength and the bonus is assigned based on the minimum level of the item. Our current item naming system does not have the ability to add the benefit to the title when it is determined; to do so will require us to implement a new system in order for it to do so.

Thank you for the reply Cordovan.

I definitely suggest that you look into having the names reflect all the effects on the item even if the values cannot be show. Showing all 3 possible effects as well as any slots and master/wonderous in the name would go along way. "Wonderous Dire Combustive Ring of Deadly with Insightful Spell Resistance [G]" for example where [G] shows a green slot.

[Seikojin]

It may be time consuming, but its for 'the greater good'

Adding a description search feature to AH would help too.. (not just short text search)..
to find things like Insightful stat x that is a tertiary effect.

Wow, wasn't this kind of thing discovered during internal testing? It shouldn't matter how long it takes...the system should not have been implemented, yet.

Once again the player base has to pay for the "hurry up and get it done" mentality of Turbine...very sad.

Thank you for the reply Cordovan.

I definitely suggest that you look into having the names reflect all the effects on the item even if the values cannot be show. Showing all 3 possible effects as well as any slots and master/wonderous in the name would go along way. "Wonderous Dire Combustive Ring of Deadly with Insightful Spell Resistance [G]" for example where [G] shows a green slot.

LOL! It is a bummer it is not automatically displayed. And it is a bummer that it would take more time than desired.

However, I am sure they have known this from day 1 of making this change and eventually it will be worked in to display the names. But I am also sure it will be well after everyone is used to looking at the tooltip details of the linked item.

[PsychoBlonde]

We are looking into what it would take to have the names of items dynamically update with random loot, although our initial investigation indicates it will be a time-consuming development effort.

The change is due to the way item properties now automatically update based on the minimum level of the item. In the past, there were separate effects for Strength +1, Strength +2, Strength +3, etc., distributed based on the maximum potential of the item. Now, the item simply applies Strength and the bonus is assigned based on the minimum level of the item. Our current item naming system does not have the ability to add the benefit to the title when it is determined; to do so will require us to implement a new system in order for it to do so.

I don't care about displaying the + on the item. I just want them to display EVERY BONUS ON THE ITEM (in some *suitably brief* way, I don't want to end up with item names like Yellow and Colorless Augmented Tactful Gloves of Insightful Magnetism and Spell Lore). I can check for the exact bonus level by mousing over, but I want to be able to SEARCH for things like Insight stats, which right now is IMPOSSIBLE.

[Kamode_Corebasher]

Cordovan, please re-read.

This root issue described by dunklezhan (below) is what you should have been focused on...something that is broke and needs fixed. Instead you thought the issue is with adding a new feature showing the + in the description, which would be great to have but not the issue.

I'm far more interested in just being able to see all the effect names and the effect names being clear. E.g.

Where weapons DO have actual damage effects, this is often not seen in the name.
Where something has a featherfalling or speed effect it doesnt' show any of the other effects
Where something has a slayer effect it does not say *which* slayer effect

These are examples. Its not an exhaustive list by any means. All of these in my view are more fundamental pieces of information than knowing whether or not an effect level is +1, +2 or what have you. Slayer for example is not a useful effect name. Monstrous humanoid slayer would be. Whether it's 1d6 or 10d10 doesn't matter anything like as much, because we know its going to be appropriate for the item level.


The lack of clear labelling is causing me real problems in gearing, it is embarrassing and it is a step back from what we had before. Please fix, I don't care if its a time consuming development. Not to sound like your mom, but you really ought to have thought of that before you made the mess.

[Gratch]

Personally, whatever cleanup they've done on random items with the smallest number of patches required is fine by me. I'd much rather the devs spend their limited time on other systems than cleaning up names of random items. They've taken random items from "leave in the chest" to interesting effects with sometimes bonus 3rd effects. The best updates would be making things stack which should (does "insightful <spell power> actually stack?) and possibly fixing some of the item types that have unusable effects listed on them "armors with damage effects that can never go off", etc. I also see a ton of "elemental melee damage fx" of "spell lore" weapons.

Back to the enhancement updates and new fun dungeons please. (Note: Oozes in Legendary are not "fun" nor "Legendary"). Also, I'm fine with paying 50% more TP for a dungeon or dungeon set if you get Patrick Stewart and/or Ian McKellan for the DM voice(s).

[Rog]

I happy with the new loot system. people link items they find again.
as for a quarter updates. I am happy to be in the loop.
It would be nice to have a +2 wis class. if this is true I will I.T.R.
into a gnome monk. would like to see changes to the monk's Handwraps, starting to feel a bit underpowered.
I think at cap. you should come out with a set of handwraps with a x4 crit mod. since we don't use duel weapons it would be a quick fix. it would get monks to raid ,and raid a lot.
I hope we get new quest with the Gnome class, since the Icon comes from the underdark it would be a great place to add some quest. its been a while since the underdark had some love and new level 30 quest would be fun.
mojomuscle

[arkonas]

We are looking into what it would take to have the names of items dynamically update with random loot, although our initial investigation indicates it will be a time-consuming development effort.

The change is due to the way item properties now automatically update based on the minimum level of the item. In the past, there were separate effects for Strength +1, Strength +2, Strength +3, etc., distributed based on the maximum potential of the item. Now, the item simply applies Strength and the bonus is assigned based on the minimum level of the item. Our current item naming system does not have the ability to add the benefit to the title when it is determined; to do so will require us to implement a new system in order for it to do so.

will we see anarchic return to the table soon? i noticed none of the new gear has it.