Is Your Steel and Flint in Good Working Order?

[Enki 6,940]

I have serious information about upcoming features to Wurm Online so read carefully!

 

Have you built a fireplace yet?  I suspect everyone can make a campfire with some ease and soon that will take on new importance.  During an upcoming update we will have both ‘Weather’ and ‘Climate’ in Wurm Online.

 

Summer will bring heat and a warmer general climate.  Occasionally this warmer climate will induce weather phenomena like wind storms, and lightning storms, and even hail.  Most of the warm season will still be rather calm and enjoyable. Even in good weather there will be occasional light rains and other phenomena that may impede your travel or work actions.  There will also be regional differences in climate based on the terrain and foliage.  Hot areas like deserts will require lighter clothing and precautions to avoid dying of heat related illness.  Interior areas like structures and caves will allow you to escape a lot of the heat from being outdoors, but not all of it.  New clothing options will make it easier to switch between good weather and inclimate weather clothing at wardrobes. Going out into hot weather with metal armor on will not be a good idea as your stamina and water will drain fast and your temperature will rise until you either become ill with hyperthermic conditions, or pass out and possibly die from heat exposure.

 

Winter climate will of course bring the opposite of heat and will also bring rare blizzards, and ice storms as part of the new weather system being implemented.  Interior locations will shelter you from such inclimate weather and the freezing cold to a large degree, but again, not completely.  Terrain and elevation will have a direct affect on how cold each region will be. High elevations such as mountains will suffer stronger winds, and much colder temperatures.  Interiors will require heating, which is where the aforementioned fireplaces come into play. New cold weather clothing options such as bear, wolf, and deer skin clothing will be added to make outdoor work and travel in Winter more agreeable.

 

Fireplace quality will determine the amount of heat put out and range the heat can reach.  In multilevel structures and even in caves, a fireplace or other heat source should be able to reach up to a 2nd story average in height at 30ql and a 1 tile radius per 20ql.  Respective climate variations in each season will cause your clothing to be less or more effective just as wind will cause outdoor heat sources such as campfires to be less effective or even impossible to light or keep lit.  Sleeping in a bed will protect you from freezing conditions even in unheated structures.  Torches, lanterns, ovens, forges, and even coal piles will work as heat sources, though to a limited amount except for lava tiles which will keep you warm and toasty.

 

Summertime will be brutal for smiths as their tools of the trade will increase their exposure to dangerous levels of heat.  Even those cooking food will be affected in summer heat but to a much lesser degree if using an oven.  Combating the effects of this additional heat will mainly require maintaining good hydration and wearing the newly craftable smiths protective aprons, or chefs aprons.  Reducing the effect of heat related impairments to action times will require good hydration and shelter from the sun and heat. Even tree shade will help and man made roofs and covers, and hats will also help to slow heat build up while you perform actions.  Temperatures will be indicated on your stamina bar to help you quickly decide how to adjust to the climate.

 

Conditions in sparsely forested areas and widely open areas will often be more severe than thicker forested areas.  Low lying regions will also experience less wind and moderate temperatures. Upper elevations on mountains will be more challenging to survive, but with shelter not impossible.  Even new players will be able to survive with just campfires and will have a protective aura to reduce the effects of weather events and climate conditions for their first 24 hours of active playtime.

 

Including new clothing, wardrobe, and armor stand mechanics, we will also be getting some new structure types including shades, canopies, and snow shelters.  New containers for ice harvesting and also hot liquid containers made of stone and metal and small heat retaining vessels for travel will also be added, and foods already in game can be heated for additional winter warmth.

 

Foods and liquids used while cool or cold will also assist against heat related impairments, as your action times will increase the warmer or more uncomfortable you become.  Only if you become too hot will you not be able to start and finish an action and you will be able to tell by your stamina bar if you are getting too hot. Remember to keep a check on the color of your stamina bar if you find you are taking too long to perform an action as it will show you your condition or comfort level.  Ultimately, the more comfortable you are, the more efficient you are at performing actions. Many things including clothing and armor, tool condition, terrain, location, shade, and more will affect your overall comfort level.

 

Carts and wagons will be getting new features as well.  A number of new containers will be craftable for attaching to the sides of carts and wagons.  Now you will be able store some water, food, food resources and seasonings, and even animal feed based on how you customize your vehicle.

 

You will be able to access your customized cart and wagon containers from the sides as the containers will not be in the main inventory of the vehicle.  Of course you will also be able to manage container permissions with the main vehicle permissions. Using wagons for shade and shelter from rain, snow, and sun will be possible with an extendable canopy you can attach to your wagons, and you can then move the shade over your work area to keep the more extreme weather elements from interfering with your action times as much.

 

Food will remain basically the same except for the benefits gained by eating heated or cooled food respective of the climate conditions.  If you eat hot food in hot summer conditions you could make yourself sick if you are already too hot, and eating cold food in cold winter conditions can cause you to pass out if already dangerously cold.  Neither of these situations should cause you to die as while you are passed out your body will regain enough stamina and temperature difference to give you a chance to revive and save yourself. Do not underestimate the power of basic normal water in a waterskin as it can provide enough warmth or cooling to keep you out of the danger zones of the temperature ranges for your body.

 

The new climate models will add a new level of realism to Wurm Online and we have enjoyed testing them for hours on end.  Hopefully you will have a lot of new fun as you learn how to cope with all the new weather systems and the seasonal climate changes that will affect your actions both negatively and positively.  Everyone should be prepared with at least a fireplace or other temporary heat source and a light set of cloth clothing to be able to work and play in the new system that will be implemented soon.

 

To wrap this information up I would like to reiterate just how serious these coming updates are as they will add a whole new level of realism to the environment.  Rest assured, this will be a blast as we have had all kinds of incredible adventures and accidents during the testing phase. Eventually the developers would like to turn their attention to streams and ponds, but they will be including a new type of water source within caves that you can tap into on a new special rock tile.  Another new feature that is going to be fun is the new ‘Falconry’ skill which will allow you to train several soon to be added raptors to the game for hunting and collecting items like shot arrows and much more. Since snowboarding and skiing were not typical of our intended age the developers have included something a bit closer to the right time period that should also be a lot of fun.  Unfortunately for you I will not spoil the surprise! Remember, the single twenty gold coin we hid a few years back still has not been found! Everyone keep looking, and as always have fun!

 

Thank you,

Wurm Online Team