Friday with Means - July 17th, 2009 - Questions?

[Means]

Ok..I'm closing this thread for now...as I think we might have enough questions. I'll get started on writing up as many answers as I can.

[Means]

Question: The Ogre engine had something like 3-4 people working on it(including Enno) at peak, how many people have you been able to apply to getting the Dreamworld engine up to speed on AO, now

that you have the AoC staff close at hand?

There are currently 3 coders working full time on the engine integration. There are plans to add up to six more coders to the project to speed up the optimization process in the fall.

Question: When you discussed the German server, you said something about a 3 month evaluation - surely you won't attempt to make any serious decisions about that server

until you see how it fares under the above-mentioned graphics engine?

We have plans for encouraging new players on the servers that are unrelated to the new engine (ie: sponsor systems). Ideally I would not like to make any significant decisions concerning the

German dimension before the release of the new engine...however we also need to consider the "right now" level of satisfaction of the German community as well as the "post new-engine launch"

situation. Three months seemed like a reasonable amount of time to both complete and evaluate some of the new initatives we had in mind. I certainly have no intention of shutting the server down

at any point in the near future with a new engine and new player interest on the horzizon.

Question: Is there anything in the works that might encourage orgs to only grab and hold low-mid tower land they can actually defend? 90% of the tower activity (outside

of TL7 towers) is offense-offense-offense and virtually no defense. Perhaps some org-wise debuffs (AAO/AAD?) that last a day or so if an org loses a tower site might motivate them to make wiser

choices in land grabs and more concentrated efforts to defend...

As this is the first time this concern has been brought to my attention the answer is "no". No work is planned in this area.

Question: Any chance of letting The Cup expand to include a dance floor in the warehouse chamber to the east? Omnis and Neuts got clubs with actual dance floors, Clan got

tiny bars with no real room for a party... Would also help clan entertainment establishments hold some ground against the upcoming orbital club/bar. Oh, and The Cup desperately needs some

restroom facilities.

We haven't added a new club for some time...I'm looking forward to the Orbital Nightclub hitting live. Let's get this done before we start considering tweaking the old clubs.

Question: You mentioned an upcoming feature, a sort of 'Daily Mission' thing. Would this perhaps be a mission available once each day(24h) that gives a great deal more

XP/rewards than the typical missions pulled from mission booths? (Might be a cousin to the 20 high-XP kills players get on AoC each day)

This is exactly the basic and simple concept behind this idea. Many different XP rich missions available on a limited daily basis that would bring the player to different experiences than they

would normally be exposed to in the regular leveling progression. We want (and hope the players do too!) the opportunity to step out of the regular XP/hour teams and efficiently solo some new and perhaps some "old" experiences they might not have encountered yet. The central idea here is adding novelty/variety to the normal leveling process.

ie: Exterminate 10 Sandworms, Kill 10 Clan Guards in Tir (Omni) etc.

Question: You've had AO on the AoC server farm a few months now, how has that evaluation gone and has a decision been made as yet as to whether AO will continue to live

there?

We have seen very significant performance improvements with the move to the new hosts and we will be happily staying there for the foreseeable future.

Question: Are you likely to change the intro sequence so as to make more sense and be more than having your butt plopped down on a beach?

As soon as we get the chance this is the first "personal" project I would like to get to. The starting experience of AO leaves most people lost and confused...not a good start for any game and especially not for a game as complex as AO.

Question: LE mission on starter island - good prospects for that to be in place by the time the graphics engine comes online?

Some kind of Alien mission is in the works...but probably not a LE mission. This is on the big list of things to do.

Question: Categorized Friends list on anyone's to-do list? Ability to create categories and place names there would be a huge help to those of us who want a lot of people

tagged in a friends list but not in the primary 'Friends' category.

There are no immediate plans for this...but that doesn't mean it is a bad idea. Thank you for the suggestion.

Question: Smarter AI for NPC's (guards, mainly)? Some other games are showing NPC's who don't all run the same routines. While pathing seems to be gradually getting

better, maybe teach some guards to not be easily trained away from their guard posts and such? Dealing with aggro NPC's should be more unpredictable than has been the case for years...

It is unlikely that any special NPC improvements will be wasted on guards. We are always looking for new ways for NPCs to challenge the players. The primary conflict in player cities should be between the players...and I hope to see more of this kind of interaction in the future.

Question: The new Orbital apartments have some big screens with nothing interesting on them. Any chance of a feature to allow us to direct video to them, ala Second Life?

Does channeling a feature movie to your in-game screen in your apartment where you and a few friends are watching ('Private viewing in your home' such as it were) generate any copyright

issues?

I have no idea on the legal ramifications of such a system...but I am entirely certain I don't want anything to do with it. This is a can of worms I have no interest in opening.

[Means]

Means marry me pl0x?

One "significant other" is enough..but thanks.

[Means]

5th
QUESTION
MEANS: whats up with triples/as?

Triples will (possibly) have to be adjusted to be in tune with other damage once healing in PVP situations is adjusted.

Aimed Shot will likely:

- Become a 3ish second "opener" that can be interrupted by any melee attack. In PVM this will be repeatable without a conceal check (Concealing successfully will likely add bonus damage).
- Damage will likely be increased to account for the additional time it takes to execute and for the vulnerability of the player who has to stand still to execute it.
- Aimed Shot, Full Auto and Sneak Attack will likely share the same cooldown to make it possible to balance between different professions and setups.
- A secondary attack action (on the same timer as AS/FA/SA) with an instant execution time will unlock and scale at specific levels of Aimed Shot skill. Higher investment in AS skill will yield better results.

[Means]

Obligatory Graphics Engine Question:

Since you guys had to almost start from scratch on the new engine when you decided to scrap Ogre and go with Dreamworld, has there been any good progress made in the last few weeks on that front? You have implied that you are still hoping for a release by the end of the year, but does that still seem possible? Was any of the work you guys did with the Ogre engine "portable" to Dreamworld so that the process might be a little faster than expected?

EDIT: By the way, I used to be a journalism student. Can you tell?

We didn't have to start completely from scratch...the research done to better understand and optimize the AO code was not lost...but was rather essential in our efforts to integrate the Dreamworld engine. Imagine being sent to the grocery store to purchase 15 strange items (ie: Pastry Baking Yeast). The first time this would be an annoying and painful experience (much like the AO codebase). The next time you would know where the items are...which would speed up the process immeasurably. The work done with Ogre taught us where the "strange" bits of AO are...knowing these systems should make this next integration that much faster. That and having one of the coders who was central to the Conan engine working with us full time.

I'm still hoping for something playable by the end of this year.

[Means]

Means: Do you have a wet towel you can slap Fam with so that we can get the prof program going again, or you yourself do it since Famine seems unable to at this current time.

PS guys lets make the questions easy for him to see by putting "Means: " infront of your question so he can search the thread for them.

Famine is busy getting the AO party at DragonCon arranged. I'm hoping he'll have a chance to get some more participants into the prof program at some point soon.

[Means]

no lifer, first page

I posted before you...it doesn't sound good for me either.

Also..statement not a question!

[Means]

Question:

Is it within the realm of possibility to have the orbital apartment key right clickable (or equivalent) for easier access, so people will use the apartment more frequently? For more info, see the feedback thread I made on orbital apartments.

The reason I'm giving so much attention to the apartments is because they are cool and the concept of them is cool but they aren't frequently used by most people. Which is a shame, plain and simple

I read the thread. Thank you for the constructive feedback. I fully support the idea of an ICC grid exit. I also fully support the idea of an surgery clinic in the apartment. Allowing everyone access to the grid by clicking their apartment key would be giving away part of the fixer toolset...I can't support that. Not everyone has to have an apartment and nobody should be at a real disadvantage for not having one.

I am trying to find the time to get the garage thing (display your owned vehicles) done.

[Means]

Means: will you give us advance warning on what the next pvp style of choice after AS will be?

Kill the other guy before he kills you.

[Means]

Means :

What is the air-speed velocity of an unladen swallow?

African or European?

[Means]

Another question:

Are there any professions that you are mainly focusing on for the next round of "profession balance work" in the next big patch?

Initially we hoped to address professions individually...what we have found is that larger system changes are required before we can really address the specifics of each profession. The larger system changes need to come first. I don't feel like Fixers (one of the first we are looking at) are done yet...so they can expect the first individual changes.

[Means]

Question:

When will Nanomages get afro's?

This is our #1 priority after everything else is done.

[Means]

QUESTION:
MEANS: Will additional character creation slots ever be made available? This could really help with veterans helping new players.

Very likely...so "yes". most likely at the launch of the new engine.

[Means]

Q: Now that you have "fixed" ranged advs, will you at all look at mele advs, or are they fine and dandy in your (read: FC) view? (Im not talking about that you will look at all other profs).

I don't believe that melee advy's are in dire need of attention (I also suspect nobody else does either.). Melee profs will be buffed in general by larger system changes we have planned to even the playfield between ranged and melee users. Waiting until after that to determine if any changes are really needed seems reasonable.

[Means]

Means;

Question 1) How is the progress on the new engine going? - is there a chance to show off some screenshots of it yet?

Not yet. It needs to look at least as good as the last screens we released or everyone will cry.

Question 2) What is being included in this new 150-200 instance and how is it progressing, will there be any NEW weapons/items/armor for us to get (similar to ToTW/IS)

New armor will be added. It is important to note that this playfield begins as a solo experience..and once the line is completed the playfield is "changed" and will be available afterwards as a team instance.

[Means]

Means: I am currently stuck at home with some friends with absolutely nothing to do. What should we do today?



Also ...can i hav ur stuff?

You should scrape and paint the exterior of my house! That would be fun!

[Means]

No Questions here.

Enjoy your much-deserved vacation, Mr. Game Director.

ps. Macrosun deserves a vacation too.
how long to you intend to keep him locked up in your basement without any pants?

I would have responded sooner but I was locked in Macrosun's basement without any pants.

[Means]

Great to hear about the neut neck items, but do you plan on also giving us lower ones as well? It's crap being stuck with the CoH collar till TL6, we need options for TL3, 4 and 5.

Also, do you plan on introducing a way for AI30 people to have ATE3 without having to reperk? Almost everyone that grinded AI30 did it so they can train 3 full perk lines, we don't want to waste our hard-earned perks on ATE.

Yes on neck items.

We discussed the disparity between "non-swapping" professions and "swapping" professions today with respect to ATE3. We didn't come to a specific conclusion...but we do recognize it as an inequality that should be adressed.

[Means]

70 page thread incoming.

I closed it! Ha!

[Means]

Q: Means do you think this whole, having people asking a TON of questions idea was a bad idea in hindsight?

Ask me when I am done page 5. I'll answer as many as I can.