Friday with Means - November 21, 2008

[Boinky]

Q - Old entrance hall back to game, yes or no?

Never. This area of the game represented a huge drop-off point for new players.

Was there some giant ledge in that area I don't remember they were falling off?

I suppose we can't hope for the return of the original (read old) character design rooms then, eh?

[Shii]

PVP toolset updates and powerfull Xan Artifacts will ****e up pvp in 18.0.

Will this include items for Evaders which are able to compensate for the huge amount of AR which was thrown into the Game within the last updates?

Will this include some viable Alternative to old and rusty Pre-NW Weapons some ranged Profs have to use to half-decently keep up with other medium to low damage dealers?

[Chrys]

Will this include items for Evaders which are able to compensate for the huge amount of AR which was thrown into the Game within the last updates?

Will this include some viable Alternative to old and rusty Pre-NW Weapons some ranged Profs have to use to half-decently keep up with other medium to low damage dealers?

Or just... will there be a PVP means of acquiring these things?

[NoGoal]

Will this include items for Evaders which are able to compensate for the huge amount of AR which was thrown into the Game within the last updates?

You forgot about infused utils and Defense hud? That's 150 aad and 100 evades in 3 items. Not like profs didn't get evades from research either.

[Shii]

You forgot about infused utils and Defense hud? That's 150 aad and 100 evades in 3 items. Not like profs didn't get evades from research either.

Oh, in case you didn't read:

I wrote

compensating

[erozc]

Attack time 0.01s seems pretty much instant to me. And about alpha. What, BS/SA/FA/brawl + perks? Maybe I got something wrong. Feel free to correct me.

Well, you have an instant AS tigress too, so why do you want another one with double? Just press the big friendly O button twice.

It really shouldn't have been that hard to figure out that I was discussing the 'other' portion of adventurers that you too, dear Klod, should be familiar with.

Like everyone else, I just want some info on what's around the bend. I shouldn't need to justify it here. Of course I'll be upset if I get left on the outside in the improvement department.

[wormx]

Two years, 5 months and counting since a ct in a 300 field fell on Rk1. ...

Wow, time flies... Not that I'm into PvP much but I seem to recall some 300 site swapping hands more recently...

Q - Old entrance hall back to game, yes or no?

Never. This area of the game represented a huge drop-off point for new players.

I must say I didnt like the entrance hall, so thank you!

I did however sign that thread about revamping noob island, bringing back the loot there might make new players want more of the game.

And before I get flamed to hell by the trolls; How about moving all those (imo spammy) NPCs from the arrival hall to some sort of RK museum? so that nostalgic and new players can experience it if they so please.

[Klodovik]

It really shouldn't have been that hard to figure out that I was discussing the 'other' portion of adventurers that you too, dear Klod, should be familiar with.

What, ranged advies? These are just interesting tl5 option that some of you keep on forcing to tl7 for no particular reason. Like parry stick/SoM MPs, for instance. I bet they wouldn't perform very well at tl7. It is obvious that FC intended for tl7 advies to be melee troxes.

Like everyone else, I just want some info on what's around the bend. I shouldn't need to justify it here. Of course I'll be upset if I get left on the outside in the improvement department.

Well, advies are probably the only profession that was fully balanced after SL introduction, hence no need to "improve" them any further, IMHO ofc.

[Means]

The old and more varied loot items should be dropping again on Noob Isle...twinking rings, bracers, Alien Weapons etc in 18.0. Implants will not be dropping as they can be easily obtained once off the island. I also feel that they added unneccesary complexity for new players to the island..especially considering there was never anywhere to actually "use" them.(No surgery clinic)

I also liked the shuttle crash sequence..I was the voice of the "captain"...so personally I really wanted that to stay as it made me laugh every time I heard it. It would be great to find a way to reintroduce it..without reintroducing the drop-off I mentioned before that saw a significant nunber of players logging off in playfields before the Island and never progressing to level 4+...something that significantly improved with the removal of the Arrival Hall and the Shuttle. Perhaps we'll find a way to reintroduce the story NPCs without having to reintroduce the hall...I'll be looking for time for this.

Anyways, loot is back. I hope this is a step in the right direction.

[jokzer]

Anyways, loot is back. I hope this is a step in the right direction.

A very great step, now newcomers will actually be able to have some creds before leaving the Island.

Nice to see someone at FUcom actually listening for a change
Thank you, Means, for listening and for trying to revive the influx of new players.

[Mekh]

Thanks a lot for another step in the right direction...

[trousers]

The old and more varied loot items should be dropping again on Noob Isle...twinking rings, bracers, Alien Weapons etc in 18.0. Implants will not be dropping as they can be easily obtained once off the island. I also feel that they added unneccesary complexity for new players to the island..especially considering there was never anywhere to actually "use" them.(No surgery clinic)

I also liked the shuttle crash sequence..I was the voice of the "captain"...so personally I really wanted that to stay as it made me laugh every time I heard it. It would be great to find a way to reintroduce it..without reintroducing the drop-off I mentioned before that saw a significant nunber of players logging off in playfields before the Island and never progressing to level 4+...something that significantly improved with the removal of the Arrival Hall and the Shuttle. Perhaps we'll find a way to reintroduce the story NPCs without having to reintroduce the hall...I'll be looking for time for this.

Anyways, loot is back. I hope this is a step in the right direction.

I'm just curious - You do take into account Players rolling Bots, Right? I still have Bot toons at level 1 logged in the arrival hall because there is no need to get them out of the arrival hall and level them to 4+. Metrics don't always paint an accurate picture =|

[Ebondevil]

The old and more varied loot items should be dropping again on Noob Isle...twinking rings, bracers, Alien Weapons etc in 18.0.

Excellent news, Thanks!

Implants will not be dropping as they can be easily obtained once off the island. I also feel that they added unneccesary complexity for new players to the island..especially considering there was never anywhere to actually "use" them.(No surgery clinic)

And good riddance to them, they were rather confusing.

I also liked the shuttle crash sequence..I was the voice of the "captain"...so personally I really wanted that to stay as it made me laugh every time I heard it. It would be great to find a way to reintroduce it..

Please do, it would give a lot more context to why you're on a beach in the middle of nowhere.

Anyways, loot is back. I hope this is a step in the right direction.

Glad to hear it, although would it be possible to introduce some way for new players to hear some of the history of Rubi-ka upon arrival so there's some context to the fight between Omni and Clan?

Possibly add a couple of advertising billboards on noob isle giving a Video history of Rubi-ka from different perspectives, sort of like a news channel with someone giving a voice over and reporting on what happened, showing scenes from around Rubi-ka and giving players some reason to want to explore the game more, it should probably be something you can listen to in the background without it being obtrusive, but available to everyone without having to search and talk to NPC's for it.

I know I've sat and watched the Shadowlands advert on some of the billboards even after I got the expansion, just because it was an interesting video.

[Lupusceleri]

Sorry for abusing the quotes, however just want to point out that 'Advie love' pointed out in the first section obviously isn't true, the heals aren't quite instant and I seriously doubt the alpha is even in the same ballpark. If you count AS/FA swap, it'll be very very outshadowed by said enf's supernova/pe swap. Let's go out and play in a backyard sometime, Lupus?

Of course, Eroz, we are talking about melee advies here. You know that and would be quite stupid to even believe that someone says TL7 ranged advy alphas better than a 2he enf. That ranged advies have problems swatting a fly is a known issue.. ;p

Agents at least, have had MUCH more trouble surviving a melee advy alpha (that's without stuns...) for a long time, than surviving an enfs alpha with stuns. While toe to toe of course.

As for the heals, BOL is as far as I know instant cast on endgame advies... at least, when I saw a friend playing his they seemed pretty instant.

[kinkygeo]

BoL isn't instant at full def without OSB's. BoL requires 2490 nano init at full defence and i doubt any adves can get even close to that amount without OS and Instinctive control.Me, at 220, with both Support eye and Support chest (49 from chest and 64 from eye), i have only 2160 nano init self buffed.Even with OS and IC i'm still quite far.It takes me 0.55s to cast it self buffed, but even with OS it's very fast :P

[Omutb]

I'm just curious - You do take into account Players rolling Bots, Right? I still have Bot toons at level 1 logged in the arrival hall because there is no need to get them out of the arrival hall and level them to 4+. Metrics don't always paint an accurate picture =|

I have at least 3 or 4 toons still in the arrival hall, they exist either to hold names or for bot testing, its still fun to go there sometimes and look around

[macattack]

Glad to hear about the loot on n00b isle... that was fun to get... BUT as far as implants... Yes off of n00b isle for now.. but how about a tutorial (interactive) for new players (say your first 10 or 20ql imps for free) and instructions on how to install them/make them? I remember when I was first starting, I was clueless. even after 2 months I had serious issues... (after I found out about the forums did I start figuring out what the hell imps were and how to really use them effectively) I am not talking about "twinking" but a starter crash course (imps are good.. easy to put on with clinic, hints on professions being able to "assist" with ability/Treat buffs, clusters are used to improve imps.. etc) If you haven't yet... My daughters have started to play a game called Wizardry101, that is by far the most teaching friendly (I know still a bit basic) game. With the option to cancel out of the training then experienced players won't feel a burden (but we can help refine it) Have a special shop in the BYs or a "training" shop open up in the 3 main starter cities (West Athens [clan]; Rome [omni]; Newland?[neut.. no clue which city]) you can have the museum there and start donig history/faction bashing..... err education done there as well.

My 2 cents.

[Metafly7]

The restoration of the Noob Isle loot is great news but somehow u still avoided what Metaphysicists, Adventurers, Soldiers and Shades will get in the fear/knockback line.... Is it realy that awsome that u dont want ppl to whine about it being OPed, is it so bad that ppl will whine about it being UPed, will they get nothing or have u guys not made up anything for those proffs ?

Mps already have a stun (talking bout Mps because well... my name... math... elementary school...) so u could enhance that excisting one with knockback like enfo gets

Advies would realy qualify for a fear since they can turn into monsters that dont look like ur avarage human being

Soldiers could indeed get a knockback like suggested before

And shades could scare the living daylights outa ya for unsneaking ergo fit it on the sneak attack or something ? (comes down to a fear line)

Im sure im just another whiner and my ideas prolly suck but theres ppl more qualified to make up stuff roaming around this forum if indeed u have no plan for these proffs yet. Other than that looking foward to seeing this altho i am slightly worried about the effect knockback and fear will have.

Another question... Will the knockback and fear work in pvm aswell ? As im not the biggest fan of pvp anyway

GL hope to get a reply not only for myself but also for the rest who asked the same questions,

Metafly7

[Armus]

So.. Means.. Any chance of a comment on the NW situation?

[Boinky]

I also liked the shuttle crash sequence..I was the voice of the "captain"...

...I hope this is a step in the right direction.

So the last time you were 'in charge' in AO you crashed us all to a place called N00b Island, and now you are in charge for real so we are all doomed!?

And yes! Make an implant tutorial for new players above and beyond the premade implants laid out for them in the shop next to the Surgery Clinic. I went to the store the other day, bought food and a cookbook, and they had a kitchen for me to use, but nobody cooked the food for me or offered to prechew my food!@? Total lack of service these days.