DDO Producer's Letter!

[EllisDee37]

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.

The + value is almost irrelevant. I mean, it would be nice to have in the name, but the hassle you describes makes it probably not worth it.

But the name really needs to include all the effects. Whatever work needs to go into the system to make the name include all the base effects would be justified.

[Kompera_Oberon]

Why gnome is shorter than halfling?
Gnomes stands between dwarves and halflings!

Because money. It's cheaper for them to put a few new skins on halflings than it is to actually make a new race.

Is this really the Producers Letter?

Yes, that was really the producer's letter. They have over and over again set the expectation for mediocrity and you're actually surprised that they meet it?

What exactly is the "bug zapper"?

It's probably intended to eliminate bugs, like a bug zapper eliminates insects. But that is a poor analogy. A better analogy would be a game of Whack-a-Mole, where they fix one bug and another new bug pops up to take its place.

A few hints of what will happen later in the year would have been nice. This first quarter thing smacks of "I have no idea" for the rest of the year.

I read it less as "I have no idea" and more as "I am incapable of setting a schedule and keeping it, so why bother to even try?"

Devs, I hope you all slow things down a bit and focus on quality over quantity this year.

And I hope they stop entirely and focus on fixing the dozens, nay, hundreds of existing bugs.
But Christmas does not come twice a year.

Originally Posted by Basura_Grande
Wouldn't a producer letter be better if it told us more about what's coming next year than what happened in the previous year? I mean we were here for 2015.

That usually doesn't turn out so well.

And that is exactly why they should try to address that failing, rather than throwing their hands up in despair and claiming "It's just too hard! We can't possibly do it right, so we may as well not do it at all!"

i dont understand this logic, hows a new race more important then improving some old classes like fvs, arty, fighter...

I, too, would love to see this point addressed by the producer or any dev at all.

I think its more likely that he wants the freedom to change plans without people being unreasonable about it.

Don't you mean "Without people actually expecting that a business person, a professional, should be capable of making a projection and sticking to it?" Because that expectation is not unreasonable at all. If they simply cannot meet that expectation then a 12 step program may be needed. First, admit they have a problem, etc.

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.

So: Can dynamically determine bonus based on the minimum level of the item, but can't dynamically determine name based on the bonus type. Gotcha. It seems as though you have the system being requested developed already, you're just not willing to do the work necessary to export the functionality from the bonus level to the name.

[Hephaistor]

Because money. It's cheaper for them to put a few new skins on halflings than it is to actually make a new race.

I am glad they didn't spend more resources on gnomes. IF they were doing a new character model it should be something amazing and Gnomes are… fine… but not amazing to me.

[Astoroth]

Because money. It's cheaper for them to put a few new skins on halflings than it is to actually make a new race.

Yes, that was really the producer's letter. They have over and over again set the expectation for mediocrity and you're actually surprised that they meet it?

I read it less as "I have no idea" and more as "I am incapable of setting a schedule and keeping it, so why bother to even try?"

And I hope they stop entirely and focus on fixing the dozens, nay, hundreds of existing bugs.

Don't you mean "Without people actually expecting that a business person, a professional, should be capable of making a projection and sticking to it?" Because that expectation is not unreasonable at all. If they simply cannot meet that expectation then a 12 step program may be needed. First, admit they have a problem, etc.

So: Can dynamically determine bonus based on the minimum level of the item, but can't dynamically determine name based on the bonus type. Gotcha. It seems as though you have the system being requested developed already, you're just not willing to do the work necessary to export the functionality from the bonus level to the name.

Well I have no problem with gnomes, I don't think it will be much work and they need new products to sell. They should paint half orcs green and sell half/trolls (half/skrag for the iconic) version. Its about all this amounts to. For the low low price of 1295 tp you can have a character with regenerative self healing in its enhancement tree.

As regards to the producer letter in general it was a far cry from the lotro letter where they made a commitment to provide some quality of life improvements. Our producer mentions two things from this last year like it was a huge accomplishment just to get those two done.

I tried to provide them lamania feedback, but honestly a few weeks before the release they were still discussing design basics. It's no surprise it blew up in their face. The way I see it they have an unmotivated staff, and the only tool their management has is hard deadlines to make them push stuff out ready or not. Otherwise nothing would ever get done. In such an environment I don't see how bugs and quality of life issues will ever be addressed. As much as I'd like to see it happen.

[Captain_Wizbang]

Every open-instanced "event" has been a lagfest.
I pray you are not making the new one permanent.

As for a Dev vs player scenario. June '08 when you blew up the tent and we battled, it didn't go so well for the devs. Bring it on. Especially Eladrin, the Cube & Kookie Kobold.
Too bad feather of a sun isn't around, I'd like to whoop him with a ghost-bane club.