Monthly Development Update - September 2015 (To the Dark Pyramid Below)
Hello everyone! I hope everyone had a nice September. This month has flown by with nearly all focus directed towards the Pyramid of Home dungeon, which I hope to share with all of you very soon. That said, here we go!
The Pyramid of Home
This encounter will start from Number Nine's chamber. You will be able to enter his inner sanctum freely from Broken Shores if you have successfully Shut Down the Terminal.
The descent underneath the Pyramid begins through the large doors behind Number Nine. The interior of the Pyramid is network of somewhat disjointed chambers. While it may seem impossible to move from one area to the next, the secret of moving through the temple is closely guarded by a specific set of guardians; the act of summoning these special cultists will require somewhat precise coordination and timing between teammates.
Between each area is a powerful guardian, each with their own sets of abilities to dispatch unwanted guests. Mobility and battlefield awareness will be needed in these fights slightly more than in some previous encounters. Attempting to simply brute-force through these monsters may be ill-advised. The final fight is one that will, in particular, require careful placement of both the player and boss itself.
With this dungeon, more than anything, I wanted to create a set of encounters that mixed some old and new ideas/designs. The full encounter will present 4 bosses that I hope will provide a fair challenge for everyone who faces them - Good luck!
As for rewards, most notably, it will be possible to create 5k Token boards and upgrade Pandemonium armor. Wearing the full suit of upgraded Pandemonium armor will also offer access to a unique perk action. The other reward items include a set of weapons to use until Xan-upgraded weapons are available, a couple new HUD items to cater to particular roles, and some other varied pieces of armor.
I intend to have the Pyramid of Home on Testlive in the next week or two, to be released to Live before Halloween.
Halloween 2015
Halloween is only a month away! This Halloween will herald the return of Uncle Pumpkinhead, and his griefing brothers. Frankenleet and Draculeet will also make their return to provide Tricks and Treats for everyone who is feeling festive. The Enigma will once again be besieged by the vile Entvined. Finally, the elusive Ganking Pumpkinhead will also be returning, offering some of the rarest loot ever collected by the Pumpkinhead clan.
I will provide dates and update information on this year's Halloween celebrations as we get closer to the event! I hope to see you all during this spooky time of the year.
New Website
A few weeks ago we upgraded the main AO page. We have replaced our old page with a more streamlined version: http://www.anarchy-online.com/. A version of the old page can still be accessed via http://archive.anarchy-online.com/. If you have time, please feel free to check it out.
One Year Later
I will keep this brief:
A little over a year ago, I was given the opportunity to assume this Lead Designer role over Anarchy Online, which I accepted without hesitation. While the past 12 months have offered their fair share of challenges and obstacles, it also allowed for some significant achievements which I am very proud of. There will never be a shortage of work to do, and huge projects like the "Systems Changes" or "New Engine" will never be completely "done," but it has been my honor to have played a part in furthering these initiatives, and more, and bringing some of them to the Live server.
I have my list of goals and milestones for the next year lined up, and look forward to getting to work on these items; improvements to both Anarchy Online and myself as a Lead Designer. Thank you very much to everyone who has provided help and support - You have helped me overcome some of the more vicious obstacles this job has presented, while also making the victories feel even more monumental.
Thank You!
This month has been busy, but I can almost see the light at the end of the tunnel. I hope to bring all of you this Pyramid of Home dungeon soon, and then Halloween shortly after that. Thank you for your patience with this update! Have a great October! :)
