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Retrograde

Weekly News #25 Tweaks and tidbits

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Hi Everyone!

 

Last week saw the Grand Tour of Independence, and it was a lot of fun! There were a few hiccups, mostly with the new talk feature requiring an item to be active to use, but otherwise went quite well, feedback has been positive and we will take note of what areas need working on for the next event. The treasure huint on the other servers did have more issues, but we've taken that on board and know what to look out for next time (camouflage chests)

 

But first...

 

Patch Notes

 

Wurm Online

Spoiler

Rift loot range has been slightly increased.

In order to be eligible for loot upon killing a Rift creature you need to be engaged in active combat and within range of the creature as it dies. This means any strategies of “tagging” or scoring hits and moving on to increase participation will severely reduce chances of getting loot.

 

this range increase now allows players to pull back from the fighting in order to heal up. Healing inside the rift zone also counts towards participation, but the issue that commonly occurs is priests are parked outside the zone. In order to gain participation on a priest you will need to be in the zone, which does carry risk.

 

Wurm Unlimited

Spoiler
  • Removed the check preventing gift items from being created (these now require a GM account)
  • Fixed an issue that could sometimes allow for corpses to be looted on PvE
  • Added generic templates for rift items and creatures. Note: These were added so that Wurm Unlimited users can have fun with the rift feature assets without needing to mod them in.
  • Fixed issues with graphics.jar containing older .dae models and missing the rift assets.
  • Source Crystals can now be mined from any tile type.
  • Silver Mirrors can no longer be traded in containers.
  • Cave dwellings!
    • Due to their effect with PvP servers they default to off but can be turned on via features.
    • They require reinforced flat floors.
    • Can be built up to 8 stories.
    • Plain stone building types only.
    • Can be built against walls on deed only.
    • Take fast decay when off deed.
    • Merchants may be placed underground, traders may not.
  • Bugfix - Fixed a few grammatical and text errors.

  • Bugfix - Destroying altars now checks the 'destroy items' permission for allies and non-citizens

  • Bugfix - Scythes no longer take damage when harvesting non grain fields.

  • Bugfix - Movement speed on bridges corrected.

  • Bugfix - Attaching a lock to a group of items now only locks the first unlocked item.

  • Bugfix - Fences in arched walls have improved permission checks for destroying.

  • Bugfix - Unlocked and unmoored boats on PvP servers can now be dragged by anyone with the appropriate strength.

  • Bugfix - Keyholders can now take items from locked containers even if they lack permissions.

  • Bugfix - Corrected an issue which allowed some priests to pray at any altar.

  • Bugfix - Life transfer now correctly heals based off the resulting damage dealt to opponents. This may result in reduced healing affect against opponents with higher armor protection.

Domain changes

Next week's update will see a change to how domains currently work!

The new domain code completely replaces the old system. Previously the map was split up into predefined zones that altars effected with their power, this was fairly un-intuitive as the zone boundaries could be in weird positions in relation to any altars. This is now changed so zones are bound to the altars, and effect tiles in a range from the altar dependent on the altar QL. Each tile as you get farther away from an altar will lose strength, and the base strength is linked to the altar QL. The altar with the highest strength for a tile will have dominion over that tile, and equal strengths will prefer the closest altar. For an example of how this works with two 10ql altars, see here:

nmeu25r.jpg

The other big change to do with this is that now domains are shared across the surface and cave layers - they will no longer be separate. This means any altars on the surface will still have influence when you move into a cave, though at 50% strength compared to the surface. Similarly, altars inside a cave will have 100% influence inside the cave, and still have 50% influence on the surface. By doing it this way, we hope to not overly break any existing setups that have domains set up in each layer, as altars on the same tile with the same QL, but on different layers, will each continue to have dominion over their respective layer due to their halved strength on the other layer. For example, a 50ql altar on the surface will have 25 strength on the same tile below ground, and radiate for 25 tiles - where as on the surface it will be at 50 strength and radiate for 50 tiles. This should make it easy for current setups to remain, while still allowing domains to be shared between layers where wanted.

 

Breeding and creature counts

One of the biggest questions on older servers has been about certain wild creatures being hard to find, namely horses. We've looked at the totals vs bred creatures and have found that on most older servers, there are few, if any wild horses (xanadu doesn't count!) So we've made a few changes regarding this.

We have reduced the percentage of certain creatures (bison, dog, rooster, pheasant and hen) and increased the percentage of horses. This will mean there's some breathing room for wild horses to spawn.

 

The other issue stems from over-breeding, or large populations of breeding stock. To combat this, we have increased the chance of getting a rare coin from killing a bred creature to make it five times more likely than killing a wild one (about 1 in 20 now). This will hopefully promote culling of unwanted creatures rather than simply letting them loose or taking up space.

 

We'll keep an eye on these two updates and see how they go.

 

Non premium changes

One of the suggestions raised in Factional Fights' video was how returning players struggle due to characteristics being reduced to 20, after a discussion among the dev team, we've decided to remove the reduction of characteristics! This means a player who has previously been premium, but since lost premium does not have their characteristics capped at 20, just their skills. This means they may pilot a boat, ride a horse, and carry their tools (provided they could before!). This will go live in the next update, and hopefully make returning to Wurm that little bit easier to get back into.

 

Other tweaks

  • Examining slopes will now give "the border is x slope up/down".
  • Changing paths for Path of Insanity will go live.
  • Continued updates for the unstable client.

Community Content

Firstly a little bit of our content! I've updated most of the twitter feeds for individual servers, with the Wurm logo and a screenshot from each server! A couple are awaiting the work, but they should be done in time, we're also looking at unifying the twitter handles, but will have to organise that with those who run third party systems.

 

Another piece is the interesting " Alcifer Initiative" a decorative little safety zone for new players, it definitely looks interesting!

 

Thats it for this week, we'll be looking at the suggestions over the next week and taking notes on what we can improve!

 

Until then, keep on wurming!

Retrograde & the Wurm team.

 

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I doubt its been considered. But free alts on chaos on geared horses.

 

Hello? lol.

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I am curious about why the domain change?  I know that many of us separated between caves and above ground.  Never heard of it causing any issues.

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6 minutes ago, Redd said:

I doubt its been considered. But free alts on chaos on geared horses.

 

Hello? lol.

who can also catapult and bash things FUN!

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Can we move metal altars?  Can we build stone altars in domains of other gods?  If not how does a new follower build an altar for his god in an old area?   Going to make it harder to become a priest than ever?

 

Would CC please remove the restriction on moving altars?  Not just within the tile, but unlimited with metal altars so that the metal altars can be push aside when a new follow needs to make an altar.

 

 

Edited by ClericGunem
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11 minutes ago, Retrograde said:

Non premium changes

One of the suggestions raised in Factional Fights' video was how returning players struggle due to characteristics being reduced to 20, after a discussion among the dev team, we've decided to remove the reduction of characteristics! This means a non premium character may pilot a boat, ride a horse, and carry their tools (provided they could before!). This will go live in the next update, and hopefully make returning to Wurm that little bit easier to get back into.

 

this removes subscriptions from boat alts, increases alt abuse on pvp servers further, use free alts to catapult, bash towers. did u guys really discuss this at all? it honestly doesnt seem so.

if you push this remove free to play from pvp servers, make them premium only again.

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Metal cannot be moved.  Stone can be pushed but in some instances you will now need to push a very long way.  Most free players or even newer players will find it hard to make a metal altar.

Edited by Pashka

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1 minute ago, Arium said:

this removes subscriptions from boat alts, increases alt abuse on pvp servers further, use free alts to catapult, bash towers. did u guys really discuss this at all? it honestly doesnt seem so.

if you push this remove free to play from pvp servers, make them premium only again.

or atleast disable it on PVP servers

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19 minutes ago, Retrograde said:

Non premium changes

 we've decided to remove the reduction of characteristics! This means a non premium character may pilot a boat, ride a horse, and carry their tools (provided they could before!). This will go live in the next update, and hopefully make returning to Wurm that little bit easier to get back into.

 

 

revolutionary, great update ty.

 

Edited by Steveleeb
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That is one way to put it.  Personally I just always prem'd up as soon as I decided to use an old char.  Then I didn't have any issues.

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Non premium changes

Free priest batteries? Unless... does the character still lose priesthood when not premium? :|

Edited by Shmeric

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13 minutes ago, Pashka said:

That is one way to put it.  Personally I just always prem'd up as soon as I decided to use an old char.  Then I didn't have any issues.

i suspect one of the reasons, one of the many reasons, that certain folk leave abandoned ships everywhere is that.. why premium just to move a ship.
this'll help.
that's just the tip of the iceberg.
I am a pve'r and have no experience of -wo- pvp

 

Edited by Steveleeb

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5 minutes ago, Shmeric said:

Non premium changes

Free priest batteries? Thank you :)

non premiums cannot be priests, characteristics have nothing to do with being a battery

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4 minutes ago, Shmeric said:

Non premium changes

Free priest batteries? Thank you :)

 

Would be a very good move if they would be back.

Very nice change.

 

But could be a problem on PVP servers.

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32 minutes ago, Pashka said:

I am curious about why the domain change?  I know that many of us separated between caves and above ground.  Never heard of it causing any issues.

 

Mainly because of how non-intuitive it was. In it's current form on live it's fairly difficult to work out how the domains work, where they start and stop and why. The changes should mean it all makes a lot more sense in how it works.

 

We'll likely enable pushing and pulling of all altars with this change too, as the new system allows them changing tiles easier.

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All this love for returning players, what about us that never left. a shiny bag and some champers as a "well done for being loyal" hmmmmmm. If you can still pilot boats without being prem, i wont need to keep up my monthly prem then right?

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2 minutes ago, Budda said:

 

Mainly because of how non-intuitive it was. In it's current form on live it's fairly difficult to work out how the domains work, where they start and stop and why. The changes should mean it all makes a lot more sense in how it works.

That's fine... but any chance of being able to move metal altars now?

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How will we be able to create an altar of a second god now? It has often been done in the mine, and pushed out.

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23 minutes ago, Budda said:

 

Mainly because of how non-intuitive it was. In it's current form on live it's fairly difficult to work out how the domains work, where they start and stop and why. The changes should mean it all makes a lot more sense in how it works.

 

We'll likely enable pushing and pulling of all altars with this change too, as the new system allows them changing tiles easier.

 

Guess for me at least.  Under ground and over ground were fine with being intuitive.  It was how some people (me included) make multiple altars and all of them have domain that is completely separate that is not intuitive.  That takes a bit of work understanding things.  Which is why alot of people used caves for another strong influence.  There was also the issue of making them in other god's domains which the mines helped with since you could push a stone altar.  The stone (to me) is the easiest of all of the altars to make.  The others are rather difficult as a new char.

Edited by Pashka

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21 minutes ago, Retrograde said:

non premiums cannot be priests, characteristics have nothing to do with being a battery

Yup, realized that after I posted, Characteristics is not skills :P

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Maybe an odd request, but if you're changing the twitter icons, can you maybe use a different colored background on each one? I follow multiple servers and sometimes it gets annoying to tell which is which at a glance (Pristine and Elevation have both been orange for ages, for example). Glad to see they're finally changing from the default, but making it harder to tell them apart quickly is just going to make it more annoying than anything else. ;)

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Dunno how I feel about that breeding change, wouldn't that just have the opposite effect and instead cause more players to breed so they can get coins?

Edited by Worksock
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1 hour ago, Retrograde said:

Community Content

Firstly a little bit of our content! I've updated most of the twitter feeds for individual servers, with the Wurm logo and a screenshot from each server! A couple are awaiting the work, but they should be done in time, we're also looking at unifying the twitter handles, but will have to organise that with those who run third party systems.

Can you please also configure those accounts so they use the game's timezone.

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21 minutes ago, Pashka said:

 

Guess for me at least.  Under ground and over ground were fine with being intuitive.  It was how some people (me included) make multiple altars and all of them have domain that is completely separate that is not intuitive.  That takes a bit of work understanding things.  Which is why alot of people used caves for another strong influence.  There was also the issue of making them in other god's domains which the mines helped with since you could push a stone altar.  The stone (to me) is the easiest of all of the altars to make.  The others are rather difficult as a new char.

 

Will have a look at lessening those restrictions to be a bit easier.

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1 hour ago, Retrograde said:

The other issue stems from over-breeding, or large populations of breeding stock. To combat this, we have increased the chance of getting a rare coin from killing a bred creature to make it five times more likely than killing a wild one (about 1 in 20 now). This will hopefully promote culling of unwanted creatures rather than simply letting them loose or taking up space.

 

Does this apply to sacrificing bred creatures (which is the easiest way to get rid of them), or only when you beat the snot out of them with whatever weapon comes to hand?  If possible, please make it apply to sacrificing - it's another way for priests to be useful, and the additional 5 favour isn't exactly game-breaking.

 

Huge thank you for being able to push/pull all the altars!  I'll finally be able to get everything in the temple lined up properly *twitch*...

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