Friday with(out) Means - April 8th, 2011: In The Meantime

[SoapTarder]

So, i have to ask even though i may not like the answer. How likely is it that there are more mousetraps out there left by the original team that you havnt discovered? like maybe something that messes with defensive checks?

I'm curious too, as there seems ('seems' being the key word. active imagination falls into play here) to be an effect on mobs landing hits more often when they are rooted, at least in SL.

[Gunfytr]

like maybe something that messes with defensive checks?

That would be the Fixer/Advy "Cant Touch This" Table. *Does MC Hammer dance*

[SoapTarder]

didn't MC hammer get nerfed?

oh, speaking of fail, theres some deal in the item shop this week, where if you purchase a replica set of armor (any of them) you get a free ao logo shirt. apparently someone didn't get the memo and forgot to add it to the social item section. glad to see its working.

nevermind, its there now

[Waldgeyst]

Obviously no one told you, the first rule of secret nerf table, is you don't talk about it! Its no longer a secret and the ninjas will have to deal with you now.

And you uncovered the fact that you work for/know about those who protect the secret nerf table, I bet the ninjas are already at your doorstep!

[Cyberleet]

Is it really called The Secret Nerf Table?

- It makes Enforcers Rage nanos do extra damage (no obvious reason for this)

Emo h8!

[Dagget]

Blame Enno!

[Docaholic]

I was there! really, and I missed posting on the first page, but I'll blame Genele, she was playing with spreadsheet algorithms and formulas and my eyes glazed over. (Spreadsheets do that to me.)

Most of the info I managed to get while eavesdropping was along the lines of finding out Mean's medicine cabinet was once totally empty at a time he needed it to be full, Kintaii is slightly irritated that he can't really put his feet up on the desk anymore (it would place his feet in 'dangerous proximity' of Genele). When I first saw Kintaii, I got the impression he was 4 feet tall, but that was an illusion caused by his chair being at it's lowest height. I think he just likes to rest his chin on the edge of the desk. (or he just wants to give Means false sense of tallness.)

Their offices look better in person than those photos that were posted awhile back in a Friday with Means. But I like clean and uncluttered work spaces.

Means almost had a heart attack when he saw a giant yellow Duck in the Ogilvy window display. he wanted it for his office, but I think the only way they could get into the offices is to tear down a wall. That duck was easily 5 feet tall, and as round. We were across the street, so I couldn't tell if it was an inflatable duck, but it looked like hard plastic.

I introduced them to Santa Lucia a small, restaurant just off Ste Catherine on Stanley. When I lived in Montreal I remember it made one of, if not 'the best' pizzas in Montreal. Means and I opted for other choices on the menu, Genele and Kintaii were glad I showed them this small gem in Montreal. I'm sure Means liked his meal there also, but I can't for the life of me remember what he ordered, it looked good though. (I had Fettuccine alfredo which was also delicious.) Maybe next trip into Montreal, We'll try some Smoked Meat, I know a few good places for that in Montreal.

It was a nice trip, but also reminded me of how every week that trip sucked a good 25 hours out of what could have been spent doing something more productive than commuting. I'm so glad that in this day and age I can work out of the comfort of my home and never again loose precious time making daily commutes.

And that is all I have to say, Cheers!

P.S. I noticed many of my more recent icons were not added in the last patch, it was all about timing, hopefully they will get slipped into the next minor update.

[Kintaii]

So, i have to ask even though i may not like the answer. How likely is it that there are more mousetraps out there left by the original team that you havnt discovered? like maybe something that messes with defensive checks?

We've got way, way, way, way, waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyy better control over our internal systems and codebase these days, mostly thanks to the supremely awesome (and often quite painstaking >.@) work of Macrosun. Remember, this is something that happened back in... er... yeah, the days of the 15.5 series (http://auno.org/ao/db.php?id=252057). Things were... a lot worse off then than they are now in terms of the game's overall stability, not to mention our knowledge of the game's various systems, formulas and internal workings.

I mean, don't get me wrong - I'm not saying that we're 100% in the clear from everything. There is a chance that there are dire things still lurking somewhere in the code pits that we don't know about yet, but that's true of any project as old (and admittedly cantankerous) as AO. Luckily though we have Macrosun, a man who is half MacGyver, half Indiana Jones, and all code - Often times if we come across anything that feels 'funky', Macro's able to help us track down what's happening and why before we bang our heads against the wall *too* hard.

[lainbr]

Luckily though we have Macrosun, a man who is half MacGyver, half Indiana Jones, and all code - Often times if we come across anything that feels 'funky', Macro's able to help us track down what's happening and why before we bang our heads against the wall *too* hard.

LOL I... cannnnnoooot..... stop laughing...... xD

[thombgun10]

These steps are really important to make AO even better codeing can be a pain and i know it too but when you manage to put something down that is really nice and a great improvement the sense of accomplishment is even better.

I loved it when if i remember right in the 17.X update series warp activation (like inside the fixer grid floors) was made instant instead of on a certain delay.

Keep those good things that make things act logical comming and ...
go go go and track down and beat the DROPRATE_ADJUSTMENT table into submission! <3

[Docaholic]

I must solve this perplexing puzzle.. If Macrosun is like a McGyver and and Indianna Jones That gets me wondering what you are really trying to say.. Harrison Jones? Richard Dean Jones? Harrison Anderson? Richard Dean Ford? Richard Ford? ... wait a minute.. did you say 'Anderson'? isn't that the secret code name for Nero? amg! Macrosun IS the Matrix? O_o

See you can't hide things from a sharp mind like mine.

Cheers LoL..

P.S. Means is a bit tougher, but so far I'm leaning towards him being Howard the Duck. :P

[DaviasI]

I was very, very bitter at the game when SL launched as a max level doctor because I felt like my class in particular had tools taken away in SL (complete heal became useless) and there was nothing to make up for it.

Bah Complete Heal wasn't useless in the early days of SL. I remember them being called "emergency doc tanks" for when things went south and the rest of us needed to get outta there fast. Those sacrifices were not in vain and were appreciated greately.

Is it really called The Secret Nerf Table?

DEFENSIVE_MODIFICATION was the cover name so it could hide out in plain site and not be discovered for a long time, the real name was The Secret Nerf Table. I wonder what else is hiding in there. Perhaps they should pubish the contents of such a wonderful table so that everyone can stare into the Heart of Madness(tm)

[Agentkay]

So... what about the hecklers exp bump table they put into place? or was there any?

[raw_fox]

LMAO Kintaii ... why have you even found it xD

Well, in Germany we say "Arschkarte", maybe someone can translate that, but someone has to hold it and it is great, that you blow the whistle now.
The consequences seem to be pretty deep, followed by the conclusion, that the rebalancing could not be finished until the now unsecrect Nerftable is clear like water to you.

Many people here seem not to know, that you developers got pretty mutch undocumented sources, some years ago .. more years ago ... more sources.

These open words from inside stuff to the community is, what many other companies failed to do.
Is that really something unique, that developers are part of the game community, they code for ?!

You guys'n gals are a great team and what you do is more very interesting instead of frustrating.

Well, Arschkarte, but head ahead, right thru the wall as there is noone else, that could do it yet ^^

[Tazalanche]

For over 5 years I have always had a sneaking su****ion there was a "nerf table", keep digging, you will find the super secret "toon nerf table" where blacklisted toons have -10% to absolutely everything they do because they upset a GM

This would explain our org's running joke about how certain orgmates joining a city raid would guarantee that a bot does not drop.

That one's not all that secret though (the only entry right now is klod)

Then it must be a "SUPER_SECRET_RANDOM_TOON_NERF_TABLE" that affects others.

Maybe the bot rate should just be increased instead. Something has happened to the drop rate in the last 6 months that has caused the rediculous AI armor prices to increase even more. It is not just because of a lower population because the AI city raid daily mish has increased the number of city raids we are doing & yet we are receiving lower numbers of bots than in the past. Increasing the droprate to reasonable levels could also help with the current inflation. Needing many times more credits than a toon can hold in order to buy armor shows a definite problem in the current situation.

[Tikra]

Maybe the bot rate should just be increased instead. Something has happened to the drop rate in the last 6 months that has caused the rediculous AI armor prices to increase even more. It is not just because of a lower population because the AI city raid daily mish has increased the number of city raids we are doing & yet we are receiving lower numbers of bots than in the past.

Thats most likeley the " OMG_TOO_MUCH_AI_ARMOR_INGAME" Table, which was introduced last year when Means told us, that it was intended, that a toon actually has just a few parts of AI armor. Not a full set.

[Gatester]

I mean, don't get me wrong - I'm not saying that we're 100% in the clear from everything. There is a chance that there are dire things still lurking somewhere in the code pits that we don't know about yet, but that's true of any project as old (and admittedly cantankerous) as AO.

I assure you there are.

[Teknologist]

As a developer who is dealing with a similar situation. I completely sympathize! I might have it worse though... I don't even have source code for the applications, just the database.
The whole thing is riddled with bandaids and worst practices. Its a daily struggle. Source Control? What's that? Everytime they patched one thing they broke two others.
We stopped accepting updates from the original vendor and over the years I have been replacing their system, app by app and table by table. Almost there, about another year to go...
I'm glad you guys are getting a handle on this beast. It shows...

[Lusos101]

Thats most likeley the " OMG_TOO_MUCH_AI_ARMOR_INGAME" Table, which was introduced last year when Means told us, that it was intended, that a toon actually has just a few parts of AI armor. Not a full set.

That was what the developers that introduced AI armor thought.

I hope that the developers dont repeat AGAIN the mistake of nerfing/removing droprates while allowing existing overpowered items to stay in the hands of some players. There is nothing more inspiring for a new player then to know that he can never make a toon as good as those who started to play earlier.

[SoapTarder]

Maybe the bot rate should just be increased instead. Something has happened to the drop rate in the last 6 months that has caused the rediculous AI armor prices to increase even more. It is not just because of a lower population because the AI city raid daily mish has increased the number of city raids we are doing & yet we are receiving lower numbers of bots than in the past. Increasing the droprate to reasonable levels could also help with the current inflation. Needing many times more credits than a toon can hold in order to buy armor shows a definite problem in the current situation.

droprates on lead bots are definitely weird O,o.

I do 1-2 city raids per day, and when i get a bot drop, I very often (and I mean high likelyhood often) within 48 hours get at least another drop (possible because i do more raids after getting a drop, who knows *edit* case in point. yesterday i got a 251 strong. today i got a 275 supple. now im likely to get nothing for a few weeks/month ). then for days, or perhaps weeks nothing. i remember one weekend (2 years ago) getting 5 bots in 8 raids. then for 1 month nothing. I am certain at this point bots do not drop randomly, but then nothing in this game seems to. bounties in s10 are the same. farm for 2 hours and get maybe 1 or 2, then suddenly in a 15 minute period fill a whole backpack. if thats just plain luck then I have a horseshoe factory up my backside because it happens more often then it should. but somehow, i don't think that's the case at all... loot tables are weird 0,o i tell ya.