Friday with Means - February 5th, 2010 - Epeen Epreserved

[Means]

Q: Seeing the numbers from new playfields (inc iPande) will you continue to move towards instances or is it possible we might see some new unique world-bosses again?
Q1: Do you plan to "fix" lowbie VP?
Q2: Will you change the ql requirements for LE clumps from 20% to 80%?
Q3: Do you consider fixing retarded city layouts?
Q4: What is your favourite colour?

1. Not really possible. Some changes we are looking at will affect all levels of play...some won't. With some of the low level builds that are possible I don't think reasonable balance is possible. That wouldn't be fun anyways.

2. Probably. Actually let's go with "Yes".

3. So tempting to make a politically incorrect joke here...I am fighting it. Cities are being looked at in this update...check yours on Test if it is a problem.

4. Sorry...too difficult.

[Means]

QUESTIONS :

1. Will keepers really be getting access to another weapon line? If so will the ip it takes to max the skill in the new weapon line be lowered? Melee energy is dark blue (it has been hinted by professional that's what it would be) would it be easy to make it light blue or even green and not mess up other stuff?

2. Will parry and riposte make it into game before profession re balancing does?

3. How is that new social armor coming along and when will it be in game?

4. Do you think its about time Keepers and Shades got access to 4 or 5 more perk points seeing as they were born in SL?

5. Will the story of whats inside the CoH mystery chests ever be revealed?

1. I understand Melee Energy is going to be an option.

2. No. Same time as the balancing as this will affect more than only Keepers.

3. A new social armor set is coming in with the "Collector"instance. Same update as the Daily Missions.

4. Over 9000 if I read the docs right.

5. Not yet.

[Means]

When the LE types change to yesdrop, will they also change now so QL matters?

Yes.

[Means]

Question:

If the person doing the daily mission is 220 and is using the reward to work on research are they still going to be capped at the 5% of the current research rank as a max allowable xp/sk?

I have 3 toons that are 220 and have various amounts of research still to go. If the rank 10s are capped at 5% when completing a daily mission then I dont see it being as viable of a method for research (inferno easy would actually yield more % of the rank done).

We'll have to get back to you on that.

[Means]

I'm referring specifically to the offices on RK as being SL zones, once you go in to the office it's technically an SL zone (even though it's in OA, this is probably to allow 201+ characters to get SK.)

That office should no longer be an SL zone in the next update...but miraculously still reward SK in the next version.

[Means]

Teh Questions:
1.what about newts in future ?
2.what about promised storyline updates?
3.will s42 be adjusted and instanced?
4.will conceal be used instead of NR to counter aoe roots/nukes while sneaking?
and lastly
5.will AO New Engine (tm) be as bloody as AoC ?




i think that was Smurfy.

1. What about them?
2. Ask Kintaii.
3. No.
4. No. But we are still looking into this.
5. Definitely not. Pew pew lazers.

[Means]

Are sloob MPs ever getting access to The Rihwen?

They should in the next update.

[Means]

QUESTIONS

1) Will we ever see proper weapons (or offenses for that matter) for tl4-5 ranged adventurers? Using a onehander shotgun, unsupported Full Auto pistol, and having no burst support+28 second burst recharge on peregrine are all terrible.

2) Will taunts in pvp (forcing attack) ever be an option?

3) Should all professions be equally useful in all areas of AO, or do you feel some professions should have advantages in some over others? Example: Enforcers would be a raid choice, Shades would be a solo profession choice, and Traders would be a pvp choice.

4) Can the Totemic Rights shade perkline be seperated as Spirit Phylactery is planned? Being forced to chain up through damage boosting perks so that you can heal does not seem appropriate.

5) Can I have some way of getting my level 1 trader in the 20-49 BS?

6) Why aren't there more MVM fights in AO? Omni fighting clan, unred fighting redeemed mobs, and other battles.

7) Any plans for a new Battlestation layout? Have been some good suggestions I think regarding possible "shortcuts" such as using existing cities (borealis, old athens) for a VR type simulation.

8) Do you feel enforcers being a tanking profession justifies them being the lowest damage dealing profession in AO? Before any comments from the trolls, this has been tested, and I just want to know if it is right for THE infantry profession to be without some sort of damage option.

9) Can someone using the Anarchist organization style have special rules regarding towers? Technically not being an org at all could give it more RP characteristics in the form of no City or Tower sites, but being immune to the 4 hour tower flag.

10) Can we expect any more PDF documentation and if so on which area of balancing?

Lots of questions, but I missed the last time you did this so I gotta make up for it Keep up the good work, can't wait till the balancing is actually over so people can stop whining about stats that will be completely irrelevant in the future.

1. Thank you for your input.

2. Probably.

3. Different professions will always have a situational advantage over others. Just hopefully not all the same ones in all of the places.

4. I'll send through your feedback.

5. No. But level 1's should be able to access the lowest level open areas.

6. MvM fights are not "liked" by the servers as they continue even if there are no players present.

7. Covered.

8. Enf's want more damage. Thank you for your suggestion.

9. That would only be abused by players with no interest in RP.

10. When they are ready.

[Means]

Question from the german side:
How long after the transfer the new city-spots will be availabel? I know you can´t give a date right now, but will it more likly be 2 weeks, 4 weeks, 2 month, 4 month?

It is important for the desicion if we are creating an in between instanced city or not.

It might take a month. Decide for yourselves if it is worth the expenditure....I can't do that for you.

[Means]

Is there any chance we could get the rewards upped for Pen missions? I got 1m xp for an easy reward when I rolled a team pen mish at 190, compare that to the Dark Ruins 9m reward just for one part of the quest Then I did a solo mish at 201 and got 1000 sk reward - the same as I'd get for killing 2 mobs in a inf easy lol.

It would really help people not to have to rely on 220 rollers as much for levelling if pen missions were a viable source of xp.

We have talked about it...we know...but I can't say anything firm on this issue right now.

[Means]

Why can't we pay for AO through Paypal?

I don't know...I'll have to ask. I'm sure there is a reason of some kind. Thanks for bringing that up.

[Means]

Hi Means. Is it posible to make NCU windows more user friendly? Example:

Current:

Name                                Type     Remain
Greater Su****ious Death            Hostile  00:00:04
Mongo Crush!                        Friendly 00:02:23
Composite Attribute Boost (4 hours) Friendly 02:28:16

Improved:

Name                                 Remain
Greater Su****ious Death                    4
Mongo Crush!                             2:23
Composite Attribute Boost (4 hours)   2:28:16

If you are interested you can find more in my suggestion: NCU windows and chats improvements

Thank you for your suggestion.

[Means]

i got 2 really vast questions ...

Q1 : Can we hope to see the confluence of new engine, noob island revamp (eg : good tutorials ala EVE online) and some advertising campaign to bring new people (or make old come back) into AO ?

Q2 : Do you need active players to participate actively in this (tutorial ideas, community advertising in forums, twit/FB kind of sites, etc ...) as we all wanna see the game live on ?


anyway, thanx for keeping us informed, have a nice week end.

1. That is the plan.

2. You guys are doing great and we appreciate all the help we are getting. I really can't ask for more. We'll do our best not to screw up our end of the deal.

[Means]

also, dont know if this has been answered or told as im not currently able to get on test server



will there be support for two people to team and help with these quests? or will everyone have to do them either alone or in a full team?
if not both get reward in a two person team then atleast being able to help kill whatever mobs to get the objective?

The first of these missions are primarily for solo play...but it will be possible to help people with their objectives as always. This is the simplest version of this system first...and we intend to build on it as we go, as much as we can

[Means]

I have a question... On the rebalancing (gasp!).

Since there's been talk of the devs looking into and possibly adjusting things such as "attack and defense ratings that professions can reach", is there a possibility that currently existing items are going to get adjusted?

Read between the lines: Are armor sets that give +210 to several skills for any profession going to be changed

Changes to the armor are unlikely. I'm pretty certain we are not going to nerf everyone.

[Means]

I'd settle for what decade.

This decade. Excellent..a timeline I know we will make!

1 person happy...now many to go!

[Means]

The engie looks real great! Alot of improvments compared to old engie, TIR loaded SO fast compared to old one! And the water and sky was just dead sexy.

Bah..you are only saying that because you actually got to see it.

Note: I gave Iiiiriicheee a T-Shirt and AO Mousepad to write this. He is biased and not to be trusted :P

[Means]

Alright, something i really would like to know is how it ORIGINALY was intended to spawn AC in s42, before you changed it

It was originally intended that if the second tower was built...the raid failed...luckily this broke as it wasn't really any fun anyways. The AC was also originally set up to run to all of the Tower sites in random order making it so any group E, W or N could get first shot at the AC...nobody liked this. Both were changed based on feedback from you guys. It also seems to be working now as everything in there now is triple fail-safed...or maybe you guys have stopped telling us when it breaks

edit: Someone already answered this one for me...didn't they?

[Means]

Question : Can we have option to lock all equipment from options? It really s''''''s when you unequip something by mistake. I mean.. How hard is it to make into game?

Unfortunately harder than you would think. It is on the table...but it is like a lone brussel sprout nobody wants to eat...seemlingly small...but unpleasant.

Maybe someday...everyone who works here would like it as everyone who has ever played AO has done it. We feel your pain.

[Means]

My guess is that you had to kill towers in a particular order instead of killing them all at the same time but was changed before we could test it.

Yep...all towers, all Hackers down at the same time. No order on the towers though.