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Thread: Friday with Means - December 12th, 2008

  1. #1

    Friday with Means - December 12th, 2008

    Another very busy week..I hate to start with bad news..but it is important we are all on the same page. This hard decision was taken Tuesday this week.

    The Booster:

    The booster is delayed. The new target release date will be the end of January.

    We have suffered more than expected amounts of delay in the last few months (This has been my first full-health week for a long time..too bad everyone else was ill!). This has resulted in the new content only beginning to be "properly" tested by players inside the last few weeks. As much as I really wanted this content out before Christmas I think we can all agree that pushing out content before it is ready is a bad idea...let alone directly before holidays when there might be less people on hand to correct any unforseen issues. We are just starting to process and implement good player feedback regarding the new playfields and the new pvp tools. I want to see at least three stable, well tested versions of the content in its entirety before we release it. We are committed to releasing content "when it is ready" and not before. The feedback we have been given by the players has already been extremely helpfull...thanks for taking the time to help us make this better!

    The extra time will also allow us to implement a few more features that we really wanted as soon as possible.

    Like:

    1. Visual timers on the shortcut bar for Perks and Nanos.(See screenshot at the bottom.) I've wanted this for a very very long time. (all hail Macrosun!)

    2. Reworking of Orbital Strike Mechanics. (More boom and less gloom.)

    3. Different models of Engineer PVP mine. ie: Snare, Nanodrain, Damage (knockback).


    Christmas:

    It wouldn't be AO Christmas without some new Treats for the season!

    This year will see the Gingerbread Leets roaming the cities of Rubi-Ka handing out goodies.

    Leet and Yutto Cookies, Yutto Gingerbread Tents, Snowball light pyramids will be available for all to help celebrate the holiday season.(Screens at the bottom inlcuding the RL version of the Yuttos tents made by two of our designers Lindelu and Genele!)

    Questions from this week:

    Q: What is holding FC back from server transfers and/or server merges.

    This is a complicated issue in AO for a couple reasons. Player cities and Towers. Players moved from one server to another would lose their towers and cities...if a true merge then EVERYONE would likely lose their towers and cities. Towers are available through combat and could be fought over, but player cities operate on a "I got here first" mechanic. The "I got here first" mechanic would be unfair to any new transfers to a server and not much fun for those who would lose their cities in a complete server merge. Rubi-Ka-1 is once again the default server for new clients which should stabilize numbers compared to RK2 over the next couple of months. I do not consider the populations of RK1 or RK2 to be low enough to consider the drastic action of server merges yet..especially with all there is for the players to lose (cities and towers). The general game population was up over the duration of November...and with the release of the booster and the upcoming engine upgrade I'm hoping that activity remains stable and some old friends come back to visit us to try out the new content and toys.

    Our German server population is not what is should be at the moment...so we perhaps need to open dialogue with the players from that dimension on how they best feel the problem should be addressed so we can come to the best solution together.

    Q: Thrown Grenades for Engineers.

    No. All the other tools introduced with these two new mechanics are largely defensive. Engineers are not meant to be the "Charge in ahead of the Tank throwing aoe-grenades with special blockers up" class...I am sorry if some disagree. The ability to hold an area defensively is an incredibly powerfull tool..and should not be taken lightly. If the engineer community feels that mines are a horrible idea then clearly we haven't established a good dialogue to make sure our intentions are clear. This is our fault. Things have been busy and I am sorry it has been late in coming. I was hoping to have these complete for testing this week...but other serious issues unfortunately had to take precedence.

    Basic ideas for the engineer mines:

    AOE snares, Nanodrain and Damage(Knockback) mines triggered by hostile (other side) players passing by (or slightly over) a specific area. Invisible to opposing side..visible to ones own side. One mine can be planted at a time. Only one mine for a specific period of time (ie: one mine placed every 4 minutes. Mine triggered after 3 minutes. New mine can be placed 1 minute later.)

    Feedback on this basic guidline would be appreciated. I'll be watching the engineer forums.

    Q: Are the new nanos final? (I made this one up so I could answer it.)

    No. I think we can all agree that there is significant tweaking and adjustment left. For example these will definitely be usable outside the BS. With the next update to test we should be able to have a better go at testing and balancing these new toys.

    Thank you all again for the feedback!

    Colin "Means" Cragg
    Colin Cragg
    This "Means" Cake
    Past Game Director (2008-2011)

  2. #2
    In before the "first" dude.

  3. #3
    second!
    Killrmeta
    Veteran of Synergy Factor
    lvl 220!!!!11one MP Diety - Player since 2001

  4. #4
    Awesome work on the hotbar perk timers (I hope Shadowbreed will also receive one).

    Concerning the delay, I'd rather see it running smoothly, and later, than rushed in and bringing lots of frustration. No problem there.

  5. #5
    Quote Originally Posted by Ocene View Post
    Awesome work on the hotbar perk timers (I hope Shadowbreed will also receive one).

    Concerning the delay, I'd rather see it running smoothly, and later, than rushed in and bringing lots of frustration. No problem there.
    What Ocene said.

  6. #6
    Quote Originally Posted by Ocene View Post
    Awesome work on the hotbar perk timers (I hope Shadowbreed will also receive one).

    Concerning the delay, I'd rather see it running smoothly, and later, than rushed in and bringing lots of frustration. No problem there.
    Agreed and seconded both statement and questions.
    How about the symbiants? Can we expect more changes and tweaks to them? Incase, what kinda changes can we "hope" for?
    Former President of Unlimited High Society - We're recruiting 220/30/66 Eternalist Mardonge - Equip 220/25/70 Savior Bioth - Equip 220/22/64 Dictator Cratzi - Equip 220/22/58 Mogul Stressed 199/22/45 Don Riksmongo - Equip 194/19/52 Spetsnaz 176/18/42 Master 5th Dan Maofex - Equip 100/10/28 Biomare - Equip Foremans Twink ************************************************** Be vewy vewy quiet, Im hunting whinomen

  7. #7
    This blows :/
    Darkempire 220/30/70 Agent
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  8. #8
    <3 perk timers and yes please make sure SB has this too!

  9. #9
    - the Booster - take your time, make it right, no big deal

    - the change to default server - much appreciated

    Now onto the Engineer mines...i honestly dont understand your comment about handgrenade not fitting into this patch, because it wouldnt be a defensive tool.

    Almost everyone is getting Knockbacks or Fears. The basics of these effects are pratically the same. How come Enforcer or NT using a Knockback is making a defensive action, but Engineer, doing essentialy the same thing with handgrenade , is making an offensive one?

    That aside, main complaint against mines is that they're a passive type of content you just drop and forget about it. Engineer suffers from being boring to death issue, adding more passive , dull content is last thing we need.

    Personally i think mines as a principle are a cool idea, i mean, it would be cool to have them in-the-game, but Engineers need something to ****e things up, not to put us to sleep.

    Why not just add mines as an option for people in Mechs? Barely anyone is using them these days, they are in bad need for some upgrades, perhaps mines could bring them back in action.

    Cheers.

  10. #10
    Omg.... Yuttos Nativity... Can't... stop... laughing!

    Engineer Mines:

    If these are implemented they need to actually be a deterrent for people. If, given the current tool set, these mines would be rendered ineffective, they will never be used by the engineer community. All mines need to have enough AR to hit all but the highest evade defenders when they go off, or people will just send in the fixers for a run through an area to set off all the mines and nobody will use them. Damage mines need to have enough damage that they will make a sufficient dent in the health of high health combatants, or at least knock them back enough to get people ready to deal with them. Snare mines need to have a enough enough snare so that it actually will slow people down. Nanodrain mines need to effectively disable casting professions or force them to make hard decisions about how they will spend their remaining nanopoints.

    If these do not function as a major deterrent for people than they wont be used, period. This was seen with the anti-orbital towers and the Nemesis line of nanos.
    Last edited by Berael; Dec 12th, 2008 at 17:39:00.
    Angel "Berael" Wolf - 220/22 Solitus Engineer RP Profile
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  11. #11
    10th!
    Astarra "Esthaer" Hakhamaneshi, Atlantean Clan Female Pistol Nanomage Engineer 220/30/70
    Maryam "Mirienne" Hakhamaneshi, Atlantean Clan Female Pistol Solitus Engineer 220/15/60
    Member of Infinity

    Mavritanic:"start this topic is your selfowning"

  12. #12
    Means, do you have an ETA on us for the mines? I'd like to reserve my judgement on them until I can use them.

    BTW 1 mine is... a little to little, I would say 4 would be perfect.
    "A whole new place to run around for ages in then die suddenly without warning."

    "I know who coded pet pathing... and when I see him I say "/follow" and I start waling in to walls :P"

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  13. #13
    I dont know Tech, if 2 Engineers team up, they already completely ruin the Battlestation, i dont think we need more of that PR.

    Speaking of which, any chance of removing the 7 team blockers nano from game?

  14. #14
    well with a 4 min timer that would give us 1 mine a min.
    "A whole new place to run around for ages in then die suddenly without warning."

    "I know who coded pet pathing... and when I see him I say "/follow" and I start waling in to walls :P"

    The "Trolls" option is incorrect. The term trolls is not used to describe the gathering of information on the Internet.

    <@Kintaii> L2P

  15. #15
    Quote Originally Posted by Technogen View Post
    well with a 4 min timer that would give us 1 mine a min.
    They could lay some evil OS deathtraps at towers ><
    bai2u!
    -::l2pvp!1::-
    Electronite: FFA also destroyed Clan hegemony when it comes to tower wars. Ironically the downfall was started by the most active pvpers. Another ironic thing is that the downfall happened due to pvm conflict. Silirrion: (We have pretty good anti-troll filters by now though) Means: Thong-wearing troxes will always be a part of this game and a point of AO pride. Keldros: Obviously reall trolls don't use conditioner Marlark: If this forum was Swedish in it's language .. id pawn you any day. 220 NT: tl7 is a joke most of the time. 90% of the people are double double dead. some are worth debuffing tho. Mastablasta: you guys are right and I'm wrong. Ebag: No. You alpha me'd due to the stat bug. More Ebag: I don't have any twinks currently, nor do I participate much in mass TL7 PvP (though I do go occasionally, usually just to watch). Questra: an MP in sneak eNSDed me and did about 20k damage in 10-12 seconds

  16. #16
    Thanks once again for nothing... (mines... or is damage one some resonable amount of damage like 90%?)

    Timers are cool, any mechanic for trimmers too?
    Ekarona 220/30 Female Solitus Engineer, long term member of Northern Star and proper "poor" gimp.
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  17. #17
    1 per minute is too much...spending most of the time running around and planting mines isnt my idea of fun.

    I'd prefer we could simply /terminate them like pets. But then comes a problem of cluttered pet window.

  18. #18

    MEANS CAN YOU PLEASE CONFIRM THAT TEST TRANSFER IS OR IS NOT WORKING THANK YOU


    Zarto started a thread for the mines already, Please see link below my post.
    Last edited by Technogen; Dec 12th, 2008 at 17:46:30.
    "A whole new place to run around for ages in then die suddenly without warning."

    "I know who coded pet pathing... and when I see him I say "/follow" and I start waling in to walls :P"

    The "Trolls" option is incorrect. The term trolls is not used to describe the gathering of information on the Internet.

    <@Kintaii> L2P

  19. #19
    Quote Originally Posted by Technogen View Post
    Going to make a new debate thread over in the engine fourms on this see what everyone thinks. (if there isnt one I didnt look before typing)
    http://forums.anarchy-online.com/sho...d.php?t=542933
    Astarra "Esthaer" Hakhamaneshi, Atlantean Clan Female Pistol Nanomage Engineer 220/30/70
    Maryam "Mirienne" Hakhamaneshi, Atlantean Clan Female Pistol Solitus Engineer 220/15/60
    Member of Infinity

    Mavritanic:"start this topic is your selfowning"

  20. #20
    Sweet, the delay will give you time to put the 1hb perk fixes into the booster!

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