You decide, first edition!

[Leetlover]

(apartment boss anyone?)(

yes lol

[Ahndracorvid]

The first deliverable would be to change and improve the data used by the current NPC pathfinding, with the end result of NPCs getting stuck less (This includes pet pathing).

*hammers vote button*

Honestly, the other options we could probably live a little longer without, but this one is a big issue for pet profs.

Tower changes come a very close second, but I couldn't vote for both. :/

[Mastablasta]

Very split between these options, they are all good

[Caloss2]

Note: For some reason Genele's account couldn't post a poll here, so I'm posting on her behalf.

Now that the 18.7 branch is getting really close to a “testlive” state the team has had many planning meetings for future content releases. One of the ideas that came up was letting the community choose from a short, vetted list of things we should work on next.

To make this voting meaningful, we need to deliver on these options in a timely manner; this means the projects would be relatively short and we can expect each option to take 3 - 6 months from start to going "live". We will do our best to deliver in time, but you have to take into consideration that we also have to work on 18.7, the engine, and other things at the same time. If this initiative is a success, we will try to make it something we do on a regular basis.

Note that for each option, we already have a more in-depth (longer) design, but to keep things manageable we will only present a short summary.

Option 1: New Instance
A new high level raid instance for the Pyramid of Home which will feature two new and difficult and unique bosses and new high level loot. This instance will be a challenge for players who have seen and done it all, and is meant for level 220 players.

Option 2: Monthly Boss Events
Design and implement one boss encounter per month. Every month would bring a new world boss with unique boss only available from the event. To receive the reward, you would simply have to join the raid, and every month would bring a different reward. These events would be of a relatively small scope since there would have to be 12 of them.

Option 3: Pathfinding
Upgrade the pathfinding system to improve the quality of NPC pathfinding. The first deliverable would be to change and improve the data used by the current NPC pathfinding, with the end result of NPCs getting stuck less (This includes pet pathing). If the initiative is a success and this option is picked, there will be a possibility to continue improving this system in following "You decide" editions.

Option 4: New Shadowlands Mission
Create an alternative to standard inferno missions or heckler killing. We would make a new mission type for the gardens with focus on team play. This mission should give the same reward regardless of level.
As part of this initiative, we would also investigate if we could base the xp reward amount on the mission level and not the level of the mission roller so that the old inferno missions would be less wait and more play.

Option 5: Making changes to Towerwars
Redesign tower mechanics. This change would affect how towers are held and captured, pvp ranges and pvp range rules in land control areas, tower health and abilities, gas cycles, and so on. The new system would give you a warning/notice of when you need to defend, instead of the very big timeframes where towers are currently open for attack.

The poll will be open for 14 days.

Voted for option 5, and I read this as "here are 5 things in development, which would you like first" not pick one forget the rest, just a case of which one first the rest will come anyway.

And Genele and Macrosun, thank you for listening and responding like this.

[Bendaar]

I would have liked "Option 6 : a thorough rebalancing of the professions", but since this is missing, I went for Pathfinding.

"Monthly Boss Events" : would turn out horrible, as proven by Funcom in TSW (2 months and counting of Flappy)
"New Instance" : meh, not appealing without a proper class balance.
"New Shadowlands Mission" : leveling is fine. If you want to do something about SL missions, fix things like "Penumbra missions are stupidly out of line" or adjust XP rewards so that you don't need a 220 puller but a new system isn't necessary in my opinion.
"Towerwar changes" : could be cool, if professions and PvP mechanics were balanced. They are not, therefore : pass.

[Mastablasta]

I would have liked "Option 6 : a thorough rebalancing of the professions", but since this is missing, I went for Pathfinding

I think that's kind of what the 18.7 patch is already. At least from all news that are posted about it. But maybe it won't be thorough enough who knows?

[Tysken]

Tower war change.. if you ban mb.. otherwise.. dont bother

[Caloss2]

Very split between these options, they are all good

I think they are all on the table, and I agree they are all good, we being given the option of which one first but all of them will happen in due course.

[Mastablasta]

Tower war change.. if you ban mb.. otherwise.. dont bother

Why not, if the changes can negate the obvious advantage of multiboxing, a.e. rush down towers at mid-range?

I think they are all on the table, and I agree they are all good, we being given the option of which one first but all of them will happen in due course.

I think you are right. I have heard some talk about work ongoing on some of them previously.

[Doomcow]

Option 6: Stop wasting any time on any of these things and focus all effort towards Engine/Steam Release

[Vhab]

How do i vote "focus on 18.7" ?

The 18.7 focus is a given.

What happens is when a patch starts to get ready for testlive release (and the period after when it's prepped for live), there are gaps of time where the patch can't be worked on.

Once a build is made, it goes through several stages before finally ending in the hands of players. And then there's a bit of extra time until the bug reports start rolling in.
If a patch was feature complete at that stage, it means there's time where there's nothing to do for that particular patch right that moment.

And those are the moments new projects for the next patch after are picked up and worked on.
In addition to this, there are also local dependencies where certain design work depends on code features or vice versa, which means either one of them has to work on something else while their more high priority work is temporarily stalled.

tl;dr: development is pipelined and devs have multiple projects to fill the gaps when a current project is waiting on stuff.

[Humlee]

I find it pretty sad all these "pvmers" complaining that the pvp option is likely to win.

God forbid pvp got some focus after 11 years of neglect. Let's be honest since Notum Wars expansion AO pvp has seen nothing. Where as pvm has seen expansions, countless new instances, new raids. etc etc.

Lost Eden was said to be a part pvp expansion, but yea we all know what it actually proved to be

[talornin]

This is great initiative!

I voted for monthly boss, but I suspect NW will win. Either way, anything that keeps people in the game is a win for us all

Now, please consider putting this poll on the launcher page. We forum trolls shouldn't be left to decide these important things on our own

[Awikun]

Option 6: Stop wasting any time on any of these things and focus all effort towards Engine/Steam Release

/signed +1

FC has given us so many empty promisses and delayed many things that should have been done long time ago.
1. New Engine ! (I do not have to explain)
2. Rebalance ? (what happened to all proposed changes? how latest new nanos fit in ???)
3. NPE?

As for this poll, in theory doing anything is better than doing nothing, but as FC has very limited resources the right choice of priorities is the most important thing. So for me the top 3 priorities should be the 3 I wrote above.

As for poll - I do not want to give FC any excuses like we are late with new engine because we did XXX (whatever wins the poll)!

New Instance - not bad idea but instead of making it fixed for level 220s I would rather make it scaleable with difficulty based on number of ppl in team and their level.

Monthly Boss Events - That would be a huge waste of resurces to design anything that would be only used once, not to mention the fact that whenever FC tries to create such event it always end up with gank and lag fest. Now with some multiboxers it may cause even more havoc.

Pathfinding - LOL this is something that over the years has been fixed few times already

New Shadowlands Mission - good to dream about, but not top of priority list.

Towerwars changes - First give us more details because I am afraid that those changes may make things worse instead of improving anything.

[Caloss2]

This is great initiative!

I voted for monthly boss, but I suspect NW will win. Either way, anything that keeps people in the game is a win for us all

Now, please consider putting this poll on the launcher page. We forum trolls shouldn't be left to decide these important things on our own

I'd say dropping a link to the poll on our respective guild forums wouldn't hurt either.

[Phatkeep]

Towers ofc. The towers themselves need to be updated HP and bonus wise. And maybe put in a few new ones as well. You could also change the level ranges to add more high fields. If there is more fields than one side can feasably keep planted at tl7, then maybe it won't always be one side that is dominant and owns everything. Then both sides can be both on defence and offense.

Also make it so that if at least one tower doesn't go down in say 20 minutes.. The shield goes back up and can't be disabled for another 10 mins. That would mean that the extreeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeemely slow and boring offenses would be nerfed. Defenders will replant if offenders are out for dinner/fapping etc instead of actually taking part in the battle.

[Ahndracorvid]

Now, please consider putting this poll on the launcher page. We forum trolls shouldn't be left to decide these important things on our own

+1 for this, if not already done.

[Vinele]

It is on the launcher.

[Ophiuchus]

I'm not convinced Pathfinding can be fixed in the given timeframe.

But yeah as someone who's last straw for shuffling AO from 'main MMO' to 'pokes nose in now and then' status was total burnout from the way the NW ruleset has operated since it was first introduced... well take a guess

[Ahndracorvid]

It is on the launcher.

Sweet.