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Thread: Monthly Development Update - March 2016 (April Fooled)

  1. #1

    Funcom employee Monthly Development Update - March 2016 (April Fooled)

    Hey everyone! March has come and gone, and 2016 is already flying by! I am very sorry for how late this update is arriving; the end of this past week was marred by significantly more future planning meetings than usual, coupled with the rush to finish the upcoming content. Without further delay, here's this month's letter.

    Membership Rewards & Veteran Points
    Starting with the next update, we will start offering new claimable reward items based on how the amount of paid time left on a subscription, starting the day we implement this system. For example, if we were to turn this on today, we would compare that with the date the subscription is paid until, divided by 30. These unique rewards are varied, from social equipment and nanos, to items that will assist with your character's progression. The launch announcement of this system will include a breakdown of which rewards come at which monthly subscription tiers.

    The Veteran Points system is one that has existed since before Alien Invasion and is one that I'm certain we have all taken advantage of. With the upcoming update, I will also be adding some items to the Veteran Shop. Some will be items that have been lost over time, while others will be new additions. Regrettably, after this update, Veteran Points will stop increasing over time. The amount of points a new character will be born with should be maintained. Over time, unique items to Veteran Shop will be made available through other means.

    Upcoming Content
    This update will introduce ICC Arbiter Vincenzo Palmiero. He will be arriving onto Rubi-Ka with a series of missions and odd jobs he wants taken care of. These will function similarly to Daily Missions, and addition to offering a new kind of currency which can be used to purchase a new set of items. The majority of Palmiero's initial batch of quests are aimed at players above level 200, though his PvP-based one is aimed at anyone, while his automated Arbitration Drone is willing to help leveling characters of all levels.

    The quests offered by Vincenzo Palmiero, in addition to the Freelancers Inc. quest from the Drone, will offer unique reward items, beyond XP and Tokens. Most of these quests will take longer than normal quests, some requiring other players, but the rewards should feel worth the effort.

    Arbiter Vincenzo Palmiero, and his supporting cast of characters, can all be found inside his office, located through the portal in the middle of the "Holodeck" tower in ICC Headquarters.

    As some background on this character, Vincenzo Palmiero is an Arbiter for ICC. While he feels and acts important, further reinforced by having a small detachment of Peace Keepers and a "lavish" (read as: gaudy) office, his title and authority are mostly novelty. Childish and arrogant at times, this individual has secured a position in ICC primarily through nepotism instead of valor or loyalty, having strong family ties within ICC and the subsidiary corporations. Instead of embarrassing his lineage, he was shipped to Rubi-Ka with a gilded rank, allowing him to live his dream of taming a wild frontier, while sitting in a comfortable chair.

    With this update out of the way, focus will be shifted towards returning to Systems Changes, bug fixes, and QoL improvements. Preparation is under way for the anniversary event update, but between the release of this update, and the anniversary, I do not foresee any more distractions. I am still allocating some resources for some of the larger updates for the anniversary, and look forward to sharing them with you when I have more information.

    Thank You!
    To those who have been patient and supportive over the past few months, I do sincerely thank you, especially as I feel I have not done enough to repay these generous gestures. To speak candidly for a moment, it has proven to be exhausting to be both the face and muscle behind an entire MMORPG, particularly with all the responsibilities that befall both roles. I do not seek pity, as I knew what this job would entail when accepting the role. I do, however, feel terrible that so many PMs and threads unanswered. In an earlier Dev Letter, I did commit to being more accessible, while then becoming more closed off than ever. Take these words for what they are, but I intend to remedy all of this as best as I can. I do not have an answer to everything, and some issues go beyond my power to fix, but I will do what I can to Make Rubi-Ka Great Again. Thanks again to those who have stuck with us.
    Henry "Michizure" Senger
    Lead Designer
    ___________________________________
    Twitter - Welcome to Testlive - Customer Service

  2. #2
    It was aliens that abducted you, just admit being probed

    On a more serious note i'm pretty sure most of us still playing are very grateful to have you, someone that seems to listen and understand the game, working on it.
    So many thanks and keep up the awsome work
    Last edited by nanoforcer; Apr 2nd, 2016 at 18:40:14.
    Don't you just hate this kind of ppl
    http://redwing.hutman.net/%7Emreed/w...rouscranus.htm

  3. #3
    Before you start "fixing" the vet poiints, better show the players what you are planning to do..

    And indeed it feels like a late april fools.

  4. #4
    Quote Originally Posted by Michizure View Post
    The Veteran Points system is one that has existed since before Alien Invasion and is one that I'm certain we have all taken advantage of. With the upcoming update, I will also be adding some items to the Veteran Shop. Some will be items that have been lost over time, while others will be new additions. Regrettably, after this update, Veteran Points will stop increasing over time. The amount of points a new character will be born with should be maintained.
    Why take a perfectly working system and basically remove it ? I don't get the point.

    Quote Originally Posted by Michizure View Post
    Over time, unique items to Veteran Shop will be made available through other means.
    You're talking about the ingame itemstore, FC want us to pay for it, this reeks of greed.

    Quote Originally Posted by Michizure View Post
    The quests offered by Vincenzo Palmiero, in addition to the Freelancers Inc. quest from the Drone, will offer unique reward items, beyond XP and Tokens. Most of these quests will take longer than normal quests, some requiring other players, but the rewards should feel worth the effort.
    Please, no more OP items. Please.

    Quote Originally Posted by Michizure View Post
    With this update out of the way, focus will be shifted towards returning to Systems Changes, bug fixes, and QoL improvements.
    THIS is where your focus should be, at all times. Relax on changing stuff that already works perfectly, stop adding stuff that noone asked for.
    Jihnna 220/30/80 Shade
    Underworld

  5. #5
    Last!
    Ekarona 220/30 Female Solitus Engineer, long term member of Northern Star and proper "poor" gimp.
    Ekaslave 220/low Female Solitus Trader, FLAT(TM) pricing TS, almost all can do!
    Ekaros almost there/almost there too Male Solitus Martial-Artist.
    Ekadv gimp/gimp Female Opifex Adventurer

  6. #6
    /rah
    'The problem with the gene pool is that there's no lifeguard.' - Steven Wright

  7. #7
    Another useless patch inc and noone's asked for. Game becoming empty as days pass and FC's still clueless on what could be really start doing to fix this game.
    Somne 220/30 Advisor of Equilibrium7
    Mercha 150/20 Advisor of Equilibrium
    Slynn 60/6 President of Equilizers

    Quote Originally Posted by Kaylinne View Post
    Better stick to killing. Youre much better ganker than song writer.

  8. #8
    nerf professions..

  9. #9
    Quote Originally Posted by Michizure View Post
    /snip: I do, however, feel terrible that so many PMs and threads unanswered. In an earlier Dev Letter, I did commit to being more accessible, while then becoming more closed off than ever. Take these words for what they are, but I intend to remedy all of this as best as I can. I do not have an answer to everything, and some issues go beyond my power to fix, but I will do what I can to Make Rubi-Ka Great Again. Thanks again to those who have stuck with us.
    I much prefer you silently busy and getting things done and out than sat on forums talking up a great story while getting nothing done.

    Keep up the great work Michi!
    One profession to RoO them all, one profession to proc stun them, one profession to calm them all and in the darkness Exp perk them!

    Crataiken 220/30/70 General - Primal Evolution - 3rd AI 30 'Crat on RK 1 Setup
    Calms 220/30/70 General - Primal Evolution
    Medicaiken 220/30/70 General - Primal Evolution Setup
    Newen 220/30/70 President - The Galactic Milieu
    Mettagirl 220/20/** General - Primal Evolution
    Krataiken 150/18/40 General - Primal Evolution Setup

  10. #10
    Wish I could get a refund on veteran healing lab that thing has been junk for years now.

  11. #11
    Quote Originally Posted by doctorgore View Post
    Wish I could get a refund on veteran healing lab that thing has been junk for years now.
    Now, THAT is true, but rather rework it.
    Make it less skill to use, heal a bit when in fight or something, and whatever else that might be a good idea all around.
    Don't you just hate this kind of ppl
    http://redwing.hutman.net/%7Emreed/w...rouscranus.htm

  12. #12
    Eh, with several early letters in a row we can deal with a slightly late one I just hope some of those future planning meetings included allocating resources to getting the new engine fixed up and ready for Steam.

    Regarding the last point, I hope this doesn't mean you're heading for burnout :S I appreciate that staffing is... an issue for FC at the moment, shall we say, but perhaps one of the community folks might be able to lend a hand on the communications side?

    I see the membership/vet points system is unifying with TSW's. I await the new fluff with interest...

    Anyway, I remain highly, highly skeptical about the incoming weeklies with a unique currency that does not as yet appear to have any other means of acquisition (bleh). The whole concept of locking things up time-wise in that way, I mean. Not having new harder quests! It's one of my beefs with Gauntlet setup - that and only 5 minutes warning on Viz when Tarasque gets half an hour...

    Ophiuchus : 220/30/80 HAHA etc
    Nahuatl
    :: 220/30/80 Melee 4lyfe
    Khurkh :: 220/30/80 healtankpew
    Transcendence
    Msanthropic
    : 210/26/60 nanostab
    Spidershiva :: 165/23/42 kite? eh?
    Silentmotion
    : 150/20/42 tankthink
    The Union

  13. #13
    /me nervously eyes my vet points...
    ~Anyone can level, but only the wise gain experience~

    *Bronto Burger, serving 10,000 high level noobs daily*

    http://wolf-brigade.webs.com/

    My Story

    Don't feed the Mensa Tralalalala

    Everyday I'm Shuffling.

  14. #14
    Quote Originally Posted by Michizure View Post
    Regrettably, after this update, Veteran Points will stop increasing over time.
    Ummm, that's some very bad news. Any chance you could reconsider this decision? As many others, I play on-and-off, and haven't been here since the beginning. I always look forward to seeing my vet points number increase (and that's not very often).

    Quote Originally Posted by Michizure View Post
    Make Rubi-Ka Great Again.
    I LOL'd. I hope you actually mean that.
    Last edited by BytEfLUSh2; Apr 3rd, 2016 at 05:25:37.

  15. #15
    Does this mean some people will sit at 200 ish vet points and others (like me) will sit on 50ish points and not being able to make it grow? It does seem a bit unfair, IMO. Correct me if i'm wrong, please.
    Valhall Guardians

    Thapetowner 220 Meta-Physicist
    Hyimoliver 220 Soldier
    Ihatemyself 200 Shade
    Hardcore 200 Adventurer
    Ilovetokill 170 Agent
    Ilovetodrain 150 Trader
    Oxiahe 150 Doctor
    Critterz 150 Martial-Artist
    Awaaa 74 Soldier

  16. #16
    Any chance we could get some none-instanced 6man stuff to kill? Yeah think huge, like a 60ft large pink Ian Warr.
    Darkempire 220/30/70 Agent
    {edited by Anarrina: see me if you have questions}
    When specifically asked for positive words, responding with a personal attack is incredibly rude and inappropriate. Please do not repeat such behavior.
    Quote Originally Posted by nums214 View Post
    If my wife never got preggo omni wouldn't have lost their fields. 2009 is pretty much when I quit.

  17. #17
    Quote Originally Posted by Michizure View Post
    Regrettably, after this update, Veteran Points will stop increasing over time. The amount of points a new character will be born with should be maintained. Over time, unique items to Veteran Shop will be made available through other means.
    This sounds very bad. It was already a very bad decision to remove the phasefront points (and along with those, the only viable way get a set of maria's social clothes for your characters). Please leave the veteran system as it is and just add more stuff to the vendor.

    And by "other means" you obviously mean the item store. Please don't. This is already the most expensive mmo on the market (at least for us europeans).

    These will function similarly to Daily Missions, and addition to offering a new kind of currency which can be used to purchase a new set of items.
    New missions are always welcome. However, PLEASE don't add any more new currencies for us to grind. AO already has us grinding a crapload of different stuff which is becoming harder and harder to do all the time with the acute lack of people to team with.
    Aeliniyah Opifex Doc | Venkula Solitus Doc | Rohtoiivari Trox Doc | Yutheron Solitus Trader Ianamura NM Crat
    Technigyro Trox Enfo | Gizmoplex Trox Keeper | Icarya Opi MA | Vinetto Opifex Shade | Retku Solitus Engineer
    Geraplex Trox Sold | Tuulispaa Opifex Fixer | Wertion Solitus MP | Kemoplex Trox MA
    And a fleet of other alts...

    Quote Originally Posted by SoapTarder View Post
    its funny how AO requires so much grinding and effort to make any progress, both ingame and in Development

  18. #18
    where's my pink GA?

  19. #19
    Quote Originally Posted by Lazy View Post
    where's my pink GA?
    Are we allowed to say dildo on the forums? Let's try, you should have a 30" pink dildo Lazy! Hotwire it and just flopp it in omni faces, insta win.
    Darkempire 220/30/70 Agent
    {edited by Anarrina: see me if you have questions}
    When specifically asked for positive words, responding with a personal attack is incredibly rude and inappropriate. Please do not repeat such behavior.
    Quote Originally Posted by nums214 View Post
    If my wife never got preggo omni wouldn't have lost their fields. 2009 is pretty much when I quit.

  20. #20
    How will this new system work? Will we have something to claim each month based on a formula using how far out we have paid our subscription? So, for example say we get 15 points this month, 14 next, etc. until we renew and then back to 15 points to spend?

    We will hold you to the comment that future newly rolled toons on our accounts will have the same veteran points they would if rolled today. I am not sure I agree with stopping any new veteran points, but you definitely should not take away any of our old ones.

    Emma

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