Developer Q&A (Kriet Version) December 18th, 2014

[Kriet 147]

2:01 Docterchese We'll be starting in just a moment! This channel is now "moderated" and only developers will be able to talk here. To keep chatting, please join #wurmqa

Welcome to #Wurm - This channel is silenced now for the Q&A, for discussion please join #wurmqa. | Got a last minute question? Please send it to MaxC and we may be able to get it asked in the Q&A.

12:06 Docterchese Lets get started! For the Q&A, I'll be asking the questions that you've sent us to the devs.

12:06 Docterchese Questions will mainly be answered by Rolf, although most of our other developers are on hand to help out too.

12:06 Docterchese After the Q&A, we'll post a full chatlog on the forums.

12:06 Docterchese If you've got any last minute questions please send them to MaxC and we may be able to fit them in later.

12:06 Docterchese Rolf, are you ready?

12:06 Rolf yep yep

12:06 Rolf hello everyone and welcome

12:06 Rolf i haven't seen the questions so this will be interesting

12:07 Docterchese We'll ask questions in a logical order so that we ask similar topics at once

12:07 Docterchese We'll start with some more general questions

12:07 Docterchese >> Some players make lots of money from farming traders and it isn't necessarily fair for everyone else. Do you have any plans to change the trader system?

12:08 Rolf the intention with the traders was never that people should be able to isolate them like has happened

12:09 Rolf we've added the possibility for anyone to drain the moneypool with the introduction of the Sell option on traders and tokens

12:09 Rolf it should help but isn't really a full fledged solution of course

12:10 Rolf i'm not very pleased with the trader situation so one day or another we'll take a look at how to improve the system further

12:11 Rolf we have a lot of other things coming and right now it's not a broken system so there is no ETA

12:11 Rolf together with the SELL option it works pretty well with money distribution

12:12 Rolf i will finish off the answer with a . so that Docterchese knows i'm finished

12:12 Rolf .

12:12 Docterchese >> Are there plans to bring Wurm to Steam? Do you think it would be a good thing for Wurm, now or in the future?

12:13 Rolf we've been talking to a guy at steam and for a moment it seemed as if we'd get a green light easily but they have changed policy to let everyone go through the greenlight process

12:13 Rolf so we have to do that

12:13 Rolf there is a very high probability that we will start the process during the spring

12:14 Rolf .

12:14 Docterchese Sounds interesting  Steam can certainly be good for promotional purposes

12:14 Docterchese >> Do you plan to respawn uniques like Dragons in the future?

12:14 Rolf there has always been the plan to respawn uniques

12:14 Rolf but they should also be unique

 

12:15 Rolf making them unique means we'd like to change color or treats and other things

12:15 Rolf which takes some manual intervention

12:15 Rolf at least right now

12:15 Rolf so we need to code a system for it

12:16 Rolf there is also the situation with the dragon armour so we have to consider what loot if any they should have

12:16 Rolf the "situation with dragon armour" is that we can't spawn too much, not even sure we want more on the freedom servers

12:17 Rolf so it takes some thinking

12:17 Rolf but yes, there are unique creatures coming hopefully a lot and periodically with reasonable loot

12:17 Rolf .

12:17 Docterchese >> Will players be able to give names to pets in the future?

12:18 Rolf i have to ask myself why I didn't let people do that from the beginning

12:18 Rolf maybe because when they go untame it has to revert

12:18 Rolf in my opinion

12:19 Rolf but we'll see

12:19 Rolf it's not impossible

12:19 Rolf .

12:19 Docterchese >> Are there any plans to allow players to build underground structures? (E.g. housing space in mines.)

12:19 Rolf yes i think some of the client devs have looked at it at least given it consideration

12:19 Rolf it's something we want in the long run

12:20 Rolf but it may be a pretty drastic project

12:20 Rolf especially if we manage to sort out multi layer caves

12:20 Rolf which i think we should start first

12:20 Rolf .

12:20 Docterchese >> When will the new large carts (wagons) be implemented?

12:21 Rolf erik?

12:21 Rolf erik is coding it

12:21 ErikN They wil be out with the next large update (when Wox is done with all the graphics)

12:21 ErikN .

12:22 Docterchese We have a few questions on bridges next, which is unsurprising since they have been such a requested feature

12:22 Docterchese >> Is there any ETA on bridges?

12:22 Rolf no

12:22 Rolf .

12:23 Rolf but it's looking good

12:23 Docterchese I assume the reasons are due to coding complexity, but we've made a lot of progress so far, especially on the art side of things

12:23 Docterchese >> Will bridge building have its own skill or will it be based on existing skills like carpentry and masonry?

12:23 Rolf tich will step in here

12:23 Tich it will use existing skills

12:24 Tich .

12:24 Docterchese >> If bridge building requires two players, will both need to meet a certain skill requirement for bridge length?

12:25 Tich no, only the one using the main surveying equipment, the other is just holding a pole so can determine the length and width of the bridge

12:25 Tich .

12:25 Docterchese For those who are interested, we have a couple of exciting bridge previews on the forums: http://forum.wurmonline.com/index.php?/topic/90712-bridge-preview/ http://forum.wurmonline.com/index.php?/topic/91430-stone-bridge-wip-updated/

12:25 Docterchese >> When will we be able to move stacks of items directly between BSBs and carts? Will there be any limitations on what can be moved?

12:25 ErikN When the wagons arrive

12:26 ErikN .

12:26 Docterchese What about limitations? Will there be any?

12:26 ErikN hmm

12:27 ErikN there are some atm when dragging from bsb, it still goes through your inventory so that can limit you a bit.

12:28 Docterchese We also had a similar question on the "load" feature, I assume it will have the same ETA?

12:28 ErikN yes

12:28 ErikN most things have the same eta

12:28 Rolf as a note we've happened to gather quite a lot of features which we are debugging and polishing

12:28 Rolf the eta is somewhere mid Feb

12:28 Rolf for most things

12:29 Rolf not bridges though

12:29 Rolf .

12:29 Docterchese >> Could the dyes system be expanded on to make it possible to dye more than one part of an item separately? E.g. separate colours on windows and walls.

12:29 Docterchese The next questions are a bit more on the art side

12:30 Rolf we're looking into changing it to use masks for one colour i don't think we'll allow more colors

12:30 Rolf we're not satisfied with how the whole wall changes color

12:31 Rolf so initially only one color per wall or item

12:31 Rolf .

12:31 Docterchese Could patterns be added by players or would that be too complex?

12:31 Rolf too complex at this time

12:32 Docterchese >> Are there any new wall types planned? If so, when can we expect to see them?

12:33 Rolf no solid plans but we all want more types

12:33 Rolf so no eta

12:33 Rolf .

12:33 Docterchese >> Are the older tree and bush models going to be updated to look much better, like the new trees?

12:34 Rolf yes we also lack lots of hedge types

12:34 Rolf so it's going to be work done up until the summer most probably

12:34 Rolf .

12:34 Docterchese >> There are multiple different types of pine tree in the world. Are there plans to add multiple new pine tree models? Could this be done for more than one existing type of tree?

12:35 Rolf i don't see that coming anytime soon really

12:35 Rolf different tree types would be more interesting

12:35 Rolf imo

12:35 Rolf unless a certain type of pine is really really interesting of course

12:35 Rolf .

12:35 Docterchese >> Are there any plans to add further wood-type textures to decorative items like stools and tables?

12:36 Rolf we've discussed the amount of wood textures we can really support

12:36 Rolf we're trying to solve how to make it manageable with graphics card memory and the color masks

12:37 Rolf we can't really support more texture types right now

12:37 Rolf plus it significantly increases development time

12:38 Rolf it would be good to solve with masks and generic tree type textures but that means more draw calls or something like that

12:38 Rolf so we'll see how we solve it

12:38 Rolf .

12:38 Docterchese >> Will players be able to hang items such as picture frames, wheels etc. on walls at any point in the immediate future? Also, will players be able to put things like knives and forks on tables in the future?

12:38 Rolf yes to both those but when is hard to say

12:39 Rolf we're going to solve sitting first

12:39 Rolf so it may come around that time

12:39 Rolf can't promise

12:39 Rolf .

12:39 Docterchese >> Does the Art team have any ETA on fixes to the shaders which are causing issues with dynamic lighting?

12:40 Rolf the test client has rewriting for lighting and shadows with new shaders

12:40 Rolf so it's work in progress

12:41 Rolf we expect to update the live client fairly soon after christmas

12:41 Rolf .

12:41 Rolf after new year i mean

12:41 Rolf like mid-end January

12:41 Rolf .

12:41 Docterchese >> Would a modified, toned down version of the client ever be released with deliberately basic models and lighting? It could be useful for players with less powerful computers or players who have alts.

12:41 Rolf we are going to try and find out how powerful the client is when it's started

12:41 Rolf and adjust settings

12:42 Rolf so instead of a new client we need to maintain it would adjust the settings instead so i guess yes and no

12:42 Rolf .

12:42 Docterchese >> When will the floorboards and lawn tiles be fixed?

12:42 Rolf next client update yes tich?

12:43 Rolf .

12:43 Tich correct

12:43 Docterchese >> Would you be able to clarify what determines altar domain radius? For example, what effects do material type and quality have on the number of tiles it sends domain presence?

12:45 Rolf material type doesn't have any effect on radius iirc

12:45 Rolf but the quality level does

12:45 Rolf there are hidden zones involved which altars close by compete over

12:46 Rolf just get the ql as high as possible

12:46 Rolf .

12:46 Docterchese Back to some more general questions now

12:46 Docterchese >> Would diagonal walls be possible at some point in the future? Maybe even curved walls?

12:46 Rolf tich you looked a bit at that recently didn't you?

12:47 Rolf just for fun?

12:47 Tich sort of, possible, but hard to get right

12:47 Tich zcul and i would like to see curved walls at some time

12:47 Tich .

12:49 Rolf me too, me too!

12:49 Docterchese >> What is the status of the in-game village recruitment boards?

12:49 ErikN They are on test, and waiting.

12:49 ErikN I think most things that we want done with them for now is there, giving us a stable foundation to build on if needed.

12:50 ErikN the eta is the same as wagons

12:50 ErikN .

12:50 Docterchese >> Does meditation have an end goal and if so what expansions are likely?

12:51 Rolf there is no max level

12:51 Rolf the end goal is enlightenment of course

12:51 Rolf or insanity

12:51 Docterchese No max level? Does that mean there are levels beyond the 15th?

12:52 Rolf i don't want people to expect new features the higher you get either really

12:52 Rolf just reaching a higher level of enlightenment should be reward in itself

12:52 Rolf to show off

12:52 Rolf .

12:53 Docterchese >> Are there any plans to sell premium and settlement related bundles in the shop? For example the ability to buy upkeep as a bundle with premium time.

12:54 Rolf there are no plans for it but one day we have to improve the shop code

12:54 Rolf to support more things like that

12:54 Rolf .

12:55 Docterchese >> Will the current locks / permissions system be overhauled to allow for specialised settlement permission roles? Also, are there plans to make individual doors within houses have their own locks and permissions?

12:56 Zcul on the individual doors: Yes

12:56 Rolf there is no major overhaul scheduled

12:57 Docterchese Could it work for hotel systems, whereby people can buy access to a room for a set amount of time?

12:57 Rolf we will prioritize new stuff after the next release

12:57 Rolf that would be the intention i suppose

12:58 Rolf not sure how often it would be used though since you came with stuff and have to carry it away you may just sleep in the bed

12:59 Rolf like Zcul says, it's probable to happen it just needs prio

12:59 Rolf .

12:59 Docterchese >> When is the vote on merging Pristine and Release with the other freedom servers going to happen again? If they won't be connected for a while, would you consider one-way travel from Pristine and Release to the other servers?

13:00 Rolf we will have to code an ingame voting system first

13:01 Rolf no travel until then

13:01 Rolf or change

13:01 Rolf partly in order to avoid spagetti code due to more exceptions in the portal code

13:02 Rolf at least that's how i think now

13:02 Rolf .

13:02 Docterchese Now on to some questions that relate a little more to combat and PvP.

13:02 Docterchese >> It seems at times that the way that gods move and interact on Valrei is very unpredictable. Helping a god move also seems to hurt their chances at winning a scenario because of the way combat seems to work. Could we get clarification on how Valrei really works and why it seems so unbalanced?

13:03 Rolf the gods move unpredictable to squares they haven't visited since the map changed

13:03 Rolf unpredictably

13:03 Rolf which is good

13:04 Rolf because otherwise the items could spawn close to a deity at the beginning of a scenario

13:04 Rolf and no other deity would stand a chance

13:04 Rolf so it has to be random

13:04 Rolf however

13:05 Rolf if moving decreases chances for winning due to the risk involved of fighting

13:05 Rolf there is something wrong

13:05 Rolf moving should always be good

13:05 Rolf because how are you supposed to find the items and get to the winning tile otherwise?

13:07 Rolf the problem may be that if your deity has lowered stats it will have a hard time winning but there are tiles that should increase those

13:07 Rolf might need some tweaking then if it's perceived as unbalanced

13:07 Rolf .

13:07 Docterchese >> At the moment some kingdoms have much better chances to win karma and scenarios because they can do missions for multiple gods. Would it be better if each individual player could only do missions for their own god to help reduce this unbalance?

13:09 Rolf the idea was that you would have to decide if it's a good idea to kill certain creatures because it helps your enemy

13:09 Rolf or cut down certain trees and other actions that help your enemies in their mission

13:10 Rolf it's possible that Vynora and Fo cooperate too much on Valrei though

13:10 Rolf .

13:10 Docterchese >> Will players be able to make Horde of the Summoned template PMKs in the future?

13:11 Rolf if someone gets around to coding it

13:11 Rolf needs prioritization

13:11 Rolf .

13:11 Docterchese >> Are there any plans to overhaul the combat system in the future?

13:12 Rolf yes we want to make it more engaging

13:12 Rolf so it has high prio

13:12 Rolf like, on top after the release

13:12 Rolf .

13:13 Docterchese >> Why are certain abilities still overpowered while others have been nerfed heavily to the point where players don't use them anymore?

13:13 Rolf it's always a matter of finding the right balance

13:13 Rolf they were nerfed because they were considered overpowered

13:14 Rolf i haven't received reports or evidence of other abilities being overpowered

13:14 Rolf or that some abilities aren't used any more for that matter

13:14 Docterchese The one mentioned was the "continuum" ability

13:15 Rolf and it's considered overpowered or nerfed?

13:15 Docterchese Overpowered

13:16 Rolf it all depends on how much karma is floating around

13:16 Rolf so i'll have to check that

13:17 Rolf .

13:17 Docterchese Just for the record, though we'll move on now, magical walls were mentioned as being underpowered.

13:17 Docterchese >> Do you think battlecamps are useful and if not, would you consider removing them?

13:18 Rolf they are like pretty much in Wurm at first version

13:18 Rolf let me rephrase

13:18 Rolf for clarification

13:18 Rolf "like many other features in Wurm they are at first version"

13:19 Rolf when we get more development power we will make them useful if they aren't now

13:20 Rolf they do obstruct expansion for deeds though which is what i expect the question is about

13:20 Rolf .

13:20 Docterchese >> Players are currently able to hide out in mines really easily in PvP (mine hopping) - Is this kind of practice intended?

13:21 Rolf hide or get away?

13:21 Rolf i assume get away

13:21 Rolf behind a mine door

13:21 Docterchese Get away, yes

13:22 Rolf it seems to easy

13:22 Rolf .

13:22 Docterchese Get away or use it to your advantage, since you can heal up again in mines

13:22 Docterchese >> Will it ever be possible to expand a deed in one direction?

13:22 Docterchese Back on to some more general questions now

13:23 Rolf it should be possible to fix but it has fairly low prio

13:23 Rolf .

13:24 Docterchese >> Will it be possible to lift large items like beds and ovens between house floor levels?

13:24 Rolf yes

13:24 Rolf .

13:25 Docterchese >> Will we be able to load animals into boats with the new cart loading system? (Possibly integrating the new crates we've seen the art team working on)

13:25 Rolf no

13:25 Rolf .

13:25 Docterchese Is it something you'd consider adding in the future though?

13:25 Rolf but one day we want to solve it yes

13:25 Rolf .

13:26 Docterchese >> Are there any plans for implementing renaming of toons at all, even for a price?

13:26 Rolf last I checked it wasn't a popular suggestion but it may depend on the server type

13:26 Rolf so we'll ask again when we have ingame voting system

13:26 Rolf .

13:27 Docterchese Any ETA on the voting system?

13:27 Rolf no eta

13:27 Docterchese >> Could Wurm ever be translated into different languages in the future? (e.g. different client languages)

13:29 Rolf it's a huge complex project which will require a lot of server side work as well so it's not very probable that such a project will be scheduled during the nearest 6 months

13:29 Rolf it's possible but a very big project

13:29 Rolf .

13:30 Docterchese >> Are there any plans to increase the price of premium and silver coins in the near future?

13:30 Rolf no

13:30 Rolf .

13:31 Docterchese >> Some dragons have been penned up on Pristine by people who want to keep them until the servers merge. Is this intended and if not, will they be able to break or fly out before servers are merged?

13:31 Rolf it is not intended that you should be able to pen or capture uniques but we don't magically want to teleport them

13:31 Rolf so we want to code intelligence that makes them break free

13:32 Rolf however, we are not intelligent enough to do so apparently

13:32 Rolf the people penning them are cunning

13:32 Rolf and so the dragons remain penned and sadfaced

13:33 Rolf but we're working on smarter creature behaviour over all so it may happen that they start breaking free before the servers are merged if that happens

13:33 Rolf .

13:33 Docterchese >> Will saddle bags be created as a container on a horse, sort of like a packmule?

13:34 Rolf it's one of those items that we want to find time to add

13:34 Rolf we want more decorations as well

13:46 Docterchese >> Any plans to have custom tabards/Wagon Covers/banners for Alliances, so that there's some variety for freedom servers?

13:46 Rolf oh alliances are so many

13:47 Rolf it would be nice though, we'll see what happens

13:47 Rolf don't see it coming during the spring though.

13:47 Rolf .

13:48 Docterchese >> Are there any plans to make wider cave entrances possible?

13:48 Docterchese Could be very useful for cave canals.

13:49 Rolf it would cause quite a lot of recoding as it is now so no plans

13:49 Rolf but things change.. suddenly we come up with a solution and implement it

13:49 Rolf .

13:50 Docterchese >> Are there any plans to implement dyeable armour and clothing? Would it be possible?

13:50 Rolf yes we want that, using masks as well

13:50 Rolf so it's being discussed in the general dying and masking situations

13:50 Rolf .

13:51 Docterchese >> Could more types of cotton clothing be added? Are there any plans for more armour types on a whole?

13:52 Rolf clothing is a chapter in itself that needs lots of attention

13:53 Rolf armours need to be added a bit more carefully in the future

13:53 Rolf so yes to both but we prioritize after the upcoming release

13:53 Rolf .

13:53 Docterchese And that brings us *almost* to a close, though we had a couple of questions that I think would be nice to finish on.

13:53 Docterchese >> What feature or aspect of the game are you most proud of?

13:54 Rolf hehe nice one

13:54 Rolf it is of course the terraforming

13:54 Tich same for me as well

13:55 Rolf i like meditation as well

13:55 Rolf .

13:55 Docterchese >> We've heard a lot today about what's going to happen in the future, but to end - what inspired you and Notch to make Wurm Online in the first place?

13:56 Rolf I think we were tired of MMO's where you couldn't really change anything

13:56 Rolf at least I was

13:56 Rolf I can't answer for Notch

13:56 Rolf .

13:57 Docterchese You were doing so well

13:57 Rolf typos

13:57 Docterchese And that pretty much wraps us up  

13:57 Docterchese I'm sure I speak for everyone here in saying a big big thank-you to all of the developers who answered questions today

13:57 Rolf ahh

13:57 Docterchese It can be great to get this level of feedback

13:57 Rolf I want to say thanks for asking all these questions and hope I sorted some out at least

13:58 Rolf and thanks to all you team members helping out and standing by

13:58 Rolf many hugs all around!

13:58 Docterchese And of course, thanks for listening to us too

13:58 Rolf thanks Docterchese for holding this

13:58 Rolf Maxc for setting us up with the bomb

13:58 Rolf the PR group for aiding

13:59 Rolf ok anything else anyone?

13:59 Rolf BYE!

 

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