0. So many questions...you greedy *¤*"#*!
1. No. Equal effort is being put into all models. If you don't like yours you can pay for the surgery clinic...it is not much...you should have to pay me 25M creds for answering this.
2. No. Swimming in AO pools is a premium only service. Actually there is a difference between HQ's and the other buildings we have taken advantage of to be able to allow Fr00b access to the HQs. Adding this functionality to Swimming Pool houses would be a lot more effort than it is really worth...in terms of what we could do instead. I am sorry for that as the Swimming Pool rooms are really really cool. (SUBSCRIBE SO YOU CAN SEE IT!!!)
3. Strange that they are missing. I've sent a mail on this one..we'll see what happens. EDIT: She already wrote me back to say they would try to get them back up..that was fast.
4. Though I am not the expert in this area...I doubt it. 98 is now 12 years old...ouch. That I remember looking forward to it with great exictement...also ouch.
5. Yes. Absolutely. I think there is a level 50-75 solo AXP mission. It might even be on TestLive already.
6. The mentoring system is still planned...but we are waiting for work from someone who doesn't work for me directly and can not be bribed, intimidated, cajoled or coerced. Dammit. They tell me "soon"...I tell you guys what they tell me...then we all wait....and I/we get to look stupid/inefficient. It isn't a great workflow but we are doing what we can.
Suggestions:
Those are all "Macrosun" stuff. Maybe on the first one...probably not on the second...I'm guessing here.
Colin Cragg
This "Means" Cake
Past Game Director (2008-2011)
Likely the same as with GTH..with some differences.
Borrow Reflect is likely to have it's severity on the target reduced...while likely offering the Trader the same benefit (up to a tbd capped value BELOW 100%). This is likely to function on more professions than just soldier (to broaden the usefulness of the nano...this is likely going to be the path for ALL nemesis nanos...usefull but not an overpowering aspect of an encounter...and not only situationally usefull on one profession.). Cooldown (ie: cant be cast again for 35 seconds) will likely be added to this to counter the "spam" factor and of course a decrease in duration to be consistent with all other pvp debuff effects.
Again..basic intentions but no firm detail right now.
Colin Cragg
This "Means" Cake
Past Game Director (2008-2011)
1. XP, SK and AXP (in that order) are the main focus of the first missions included in the daily mission system. PvP missions included in the first update will also offer bonus VP.
2. The change of the clumps to be not "No-drop" and tightening up the ql of the tradeskill process (smaller compatible level range) should make it so this kind of mission is done at higher levels rather than done at level 160 by 220's. We should see some small adjustmet of the VP rate within those dungeons at some point soon-ish. I did say "small" so don't expect these missions to be a better source of VP than BS or other PvP missions...any increase is going make sure that the gap between LE missions and the BS in terms of VP/hour does not grow...but should shrink slightly.
3. With the exception of adding the "bonus" items on the BS when your opponent dies there has not been much of an addition of "Different ways to gain VP" in the game this year. There are a great many things I'd hoped to get to..but hasn't quite been done. Almost too numerous to mention...it doesn't mean we will stop trying. I am hoping to get an "open" pvp area to gain VP in without a queue system at some point this spring.
4. All of the cities will fit a large HQ. AT first these cities will only be open to Germans. Later they will be open to anyone...much like the cities on RK1/RK2 were only really available to RK1 and RK2 players before the transfer.
5. The player shops inside instanced cities will not work. When the instance shuts down...functionally that playfield/city ceases to exist. (oversimplifying a bit). At some point it is possible we might cave in and move to a auction house type system...but this won't be happening soon.
6. Probably a very good idea...though I guess the actions you already have for this function have too long cooldown or the price you pay for them is too high. We should look into this as there isn't much point/fun un running though an empty dungeon only to get to the exit. I'll think about it. This would also be kind of "Giving away Fixer stuff" as well...something to keep in mind...if you included Fixers in your teams you wouldn't really need this. Anyways..further thought and input needed...easy to implement-ish...but possibly not a perfect idea.
I'm sure you guys will tell me what you think
Colin Cragg
This "Means" Cake
Past Game Director (2008-2011)
1. Nope.
2. Not a quick one. The problem with the engi requirements is that they were designed for players to "make a choice" in terms of what direction they were going to go with their characters. The problem is that it was left as "possible" to run with the best of all choices. "Cast the biggest buffs AND have the highest AR at the same time...all you have to do is swap out 12 pieces of gear and get 3 outside buffs!" with the game being played as it is it is now seen as "essential" to have "both". So yes...the requirements will likely be brought down to a level where swapping everything is not needed....but future significant additions to pets (for example) will require ON or OFF type choices that can not (with no amount of swapping) exist at the same time.
3. Probably...these are not new "farm cities".
4. Probably will happen..generally happens with ALL professions over time.
Colin Cragg
This "Means" Cake
Past Game Director (2008-2011)
Colin Cragg
This "Means" Cake
Past Game Director (2008-2011)
Actually I have to backpedal on that one a leeetle....
There won't be an option to keep the old heads. The old heads won't fit the new bodies....and I don't want to give people the option of keeping some old-looking models in game purely for some kind of "I am a veteran n00b" epeen-start date kind of reason. With the quality of the work we are seeing in this area there is no real reason to hang on to the old models. For performance reasons there is also no reason to hang on to 380 extra heads (that won't look as good) for again purely sentimental reasons.
So again sorry...bye bye old heads. They won't fit, look good with the new world, or be good for performance...so they have to go.
Colin Cragg
This "Means" Cake
Past Game Director (2008-2011)
Colin Cragg
This "Means" Cake
Past Game Director (2008-2011)
1. The new startup experience will be in before the new engine so it can be tested and "approved/IMPROVED" by the players before the launch of the new engine.
2. I don't really know...send Macrosun a PM about it. (He is going to yell at me for this...)
3. We have added some missing and new tracks in the last 6 months. It is likely we will add more new sound effects in the future. As to the AMOUNT of music that plays...I don't think it is too little or too much...it always felt about right to me. It would get old really fast if it played all the time...besides...we have AO radio stations like Gridstream...nothing we put in game could really match that. (another SHAMELESS plug..the very best kind)
4. I don't know...the story wiki is down at the moment :P
Colin Cragg
This "Means" Cake
Past Game Director (2008-2011)
Whoa...I just had a Funcom job interview flashback....
I remember being surprised that "Marius Enge" was a real person...I thought it was a made up name/persona for the game.
In all seriousness at some point I should take the time to write up a more formal letter of what we are hoping to do in the future...more formal than these casual chats we have every week.
Colin Cragg
This "Means" Cake
Past Game Director (2008-2011)
Colin Cragg
This "Means" Cake
Past Game Director (2008-2011)
Colin Cragg
This "Means" Cake
Past Game Director (2008-2011)