Community Update - Dec 5th

[Cz]

Been a while since my last update, but I have not forgotten it. I've had a lot to do lately (as usual), and with a thousand small things to keep track of (as well as a couple big ones), things get a bit hectic.

Notum Wars distribution
Not everybody have been able to get the box yet, and that sucks. Mostly because people can't participate 100% in the building, but also because some will get a head start. Luckily, most organizations have some who got the box by now. This naturaly created some work for be on the booster and expansion pack forum, which April (our PR manager) helped me out with.

In addition to talking with players about the distribution, I have worked with trying to find out when the boxes will arrive, and our Sales department have been bugging distributors every day about an update. It seems we'll have all areas covered this week, but I can't promise anything.

Notum Wars gameplay
We've had some patches, which I've written patch notes for, and started some discussions on the new Notum Wars forum. I haven't been able to participate very actively though, but feed the impressions to the designers.

I've also attended several battles, and seen how people fight, and discussed this with a few players in-game (with my incognito play characters too) and on IRC. I hope to get more time for this in the time ahead, especially when the rest of the players get the boxes and we have more people who can build towers.

Professionals
We have all 24 in place now, and have some discussions going. Note that while I try spend some extra time with the program, most of the work is carried out by the Professionals themselves. They are doing well, and I thought I'd list them here, just to let you all know who they are:

Adventurer: fl0w_ and Serena
Agent: Morphex and Tekkor
Bureaucrat: Charles and Rebbeca
Doctor: Georg and Letah
Enforcer: Arinia and Kinkstaah
Engineer: Jica and Munchausen
Fixer: Argulace_MoK and Nettie
Martial Artist: Chronita and DaveDread
Meta-Physicist: Psiraven and XTremTech
Nano Technician: Fingers and Drabin
Soldier: Sjoko and Zerosignal
Trader: Baxie and Mercatura

IRC
Most of the time I spend in IRC now is off-work, from home. And normally when playing the game. I'm still available for chatting and questions, just know that I'm probably not paying too much attention to the channels.

In-game
In addition to playing the game, I'm starting to spend more time online as Cz / Czef (Atlantean / Rimor). I've chatted a bit on the leaders channels lately, mostly about Notum Wars, and been around on both Atlantean and Rimor, having a look at the tower forests.

---

Ok, couldn't think of more to write just now. I'll be back.

[________________Haar]

Thanks for the update

Did we ever get a official response to what happend to Cosmik?

[Dyna18]

Hmmm can't say I know any of the proffessionals.
Is any of them active on Rimor?

[Darkbane]

As ever Cz, thanks for taking the time. NW is looking good, some rough edges, and I haven't my box yet, but I think it will shape up well given time Some of the issues are extremely complex though... whatever the designers do, don't rush it... a bad fix is worse than no fix in this case...

[___________Fellowman]

Hi Cz,

As usual you told us nothing except you are very busy. (that probably sounds harsher than I mean it)

Next time, could you grab a designer and ask him to write 100 words on what he has been doing this week? I enjoy reading about what they are getting up to... things like what piece of code they are working on, what challenges they are facing.

Anyway, keep up the good work Cz

Fellowman

[_______________edict]

Hi Cz

A little update on the status of the general lag that has increased 10 fold since TNW has been patched to the live servers would be good.

Moving from mission room to mission room makes my machine hitch, zoning times have increased (1-2 mins to zone!) and now sometimes you can get stuck in a room with black holes as their doors!

When 14.7.4 got patched onto testlive it made an incredible different to zoning times/mission room hitching - did this patch not make it properly across to RK1?

For more infomation, see the "Warping problem in 14.7.4" thread in the Test Server Bugs forum.

Oh and yes I have emailed tech support and they have passed info on my machine to the dev's

...but I think a load of people are being effected by this, not just me/a few people

Throw us a bone

[Snuble]

NW started to ship to stores here in Norway yesterday.

DR also shipped my order *despite* my cancelation of the order from them. I'm less then pleased with DR at the moment. Never going to use them again in fact!

[Ghump]

Yeah we are a LOT of ppl who got that message from Digital River. But it's funny to be told they already shipped it when:

1) In the mail I got about NW being backordered it said that I would get a new mail when NW would ship... I haven't got that mail yet...

2) On Digital Rivers homepage You can see the status of your order. My order says it's still backordered and there's no tracking number. Normally the shipping companies won't even touch the package until it's got a tracking number...

Also in the mail I got, where they told me that it already shipped, they made it a pretty big thing that it would be very difficult to return the package and get my money back.

That is NOT how You treat your customers if You want them to come back!

[Zerosignal]

Cz ive been wondering if the disabled land is going to be opened or if it is going to be left as is?

[Cz]

I understand fully that you'd like some words from designers in weekly updates, but I can't write that. I can only give you updates on what I'm doing (previously the community team), and people seem to appreciate that, so I continue doing it.

But, limiting it to what I can tell you, what information are you interested in? Try think of things that do not involve me bugging designers, coders, etc, more than I already do, and see whether there's anything you wanna know.

If I'm going to have to involve the designers, I fear I might as well just stop doing these posts, as they're more than busy enough already. If I see that people don't read these updates very much, and they bring little info of interest to the community, I'll just spend my time on other issues, I guess.

[Cz]

Originally posted by Zerosignal
Cz ive been wondering if the disabled land is going to be opened or if it is going to be left as is?

It will be opened, but maybe not all of it, and it's uncertain when it will happen.

[assassimon]

Thanks for update Cz

[___________Evilspork]

Originally posted by Cz
Professionals
We have all 24 in place now, and have some discussions going. Note that while I try spend some extra time with the program, most of the work is carried out by the Professionals themselves. They are doing well, and I thought I'd list them here, just to let you all know who they are:

Adventurer: fl0w_ and Serena
Agent: Morphex and Tekkor
Bureaucrat: Charles and Rebbeca
Doctor: Georg and Letah
Enforcer: Arinia and Kinkstaah
Engineer: Jica and Munchausen
Fixer: Argulace_MoK and Nettie
Martial Artist: Chronita and DaveDread
Meta-Physicist: Psiraven and XTremTech
Nano Technician: Fingers and Drabin
Soldier: Sjoko and Zerosignal
Trader: Baxie and Mercatura

Yay!

[Hollowbyte]

since the game is taking a turn towards PvP, and I have cancelled my account, but would reactivate if my toon was more PvP friendly thus enabling me to play the game. The only thing I want to hear about is specifics on PvP professions balance. And not the poor attempts and workarounds or nerfs instead of real fixes but real, tangible, practical game additions that would even things out. Everyone knows which ones do well and which ones just get title farmed and what their specific issues are so its not necessary to post here.

As you know some are just way out there while others are next to useless.

If you cannot post any specifics because you would have to ask someone about them, and the only purpose of making a post is to make a post, then whats the point ?

[Xeni]

Tnx for the update Cz, please keep doing them. they are very useful.

Im worried because the inventory-interface is gettin outdated. It was ok at game launch, but now alot of more items has been added.

Wondering how soon the inventory together with bags and bank will get an update?


Taking myself as en example, i now list items that is needed for evryday use. How many spots do i have left in inventory?

01.Personal Lockpick
02.bomb disarment tool
03.first aid kit
04.nano kit
05.treatment labratory
06.purge nano kit
07.free moment kit
08.speed stim
09.battle prepared treatment kit
10.battle prepared nano kit
11.nano recharger
12.virus scanner
13.bag with different bracers
14.enrgy ammo
15.bullets
16.flame thrower ammo
17.yalmaha
18.bag with secondary weapons
19.bag with implants for tradeskills etc.
20.repressor
21.bag for temporay stuff.
22.bag for temporary stuff.
23.bag with extra armor

im not listing this to start a debate in this thread about what to keep, but i think this list could apply for most people by withdrawing/adding some items.

[___________Evilspork]

Why do you need each type of ammo? And I personally leave my free movement/virus scanner doodads in a bag, as I don't use them that often.

From left to right, top to bottom, I have:

1. Health kit.
2. Nano kit.
3. Lockpick.
4. Battle prepped health kit.
5. Battle prepped nano kit.
6. NVG.
7. Energy ammo.
8. Cluster bullets.
9. Yalmaha.
10. General crap bag.
11. General crap/sell bag.
12. Loot bag.

So depending on how often you get rooted/debuffed, and with creative use of bags you could save a lot of space. The point about a crappy inventory system still stands though.

[Issiusil]

Will NW reach the USA sometime soon?

I checked stores yesterday ... one store didn't even have it listed in their country wide stateside distribution computer network.

[______________Hodaka]

I'm not sure what places have it on the shelf, but as for online:

• Funcom sells it direct through DR..
  
• http://www.ebgames.com carries it (Electronics Boutique, so maybe their stores will have it too)
  
• http://www.gogamer.com/ (They didn't have it, but I like them so much I emailed them and they added it for order within a week of my request. I got my copy from them pretty fast)..
  

Anyone else seen NW anywhere?

[Dyna18]

Can someone answer me this:
What server is each professional playing on.
Is there any on Rimor even?

[Chronita]

Originally posted by Dyna18
Can someone answer me this:
What server is each professional playing on.
Is there any on Rimor even?

I believe the only pros from Rimor are myself, Flojojojo, and Munchausen.