WarCry: Merry Festivult and welcome to the Dungeons and Dragons Online WarCry Dev Chat. Thank you all for stopping by tonight. If you haven’t already done so you can send your questions to @[QT]QuestionTaker. Also general chat is available in #warcry.
WarCry: And now onto our honored guests to introduce themselves! w00t!
Codog: Howdy I’m Codog! Senior Game Systems Engineer…. I like shooting things with bows.
Eladrin: Hi everyone! I’m Eladrin, the Lead Game Systems Designer for DDO. Raar.
Eldorudo: Hi! I am Eldorudo. I am a content designer and I write quests and stuff. Thanks for joining us tonight.
Torc_: Hello. I build content for the game. Mostly Dungeons 😉
Glin: Hi all. I am Glin, a producer on DDO.
* Keeper builds landscapes and dungeons for DDO, and is currently licking guacamole from her elbows.
Piloto: Hi. I’m Piloto, and I’m on the Systems Design Team.
Zyrca: Hi!, I’m Zyrca, game systems engineer (I write code)
Tolero: Evening everyone! I spend my days working closely with the community, among other tasks.
Quarion: And I’m Quarion. I’m one of the DDO community representatives on the DDO Forums!
WarCry: DaveyCrockett: Is there any real consideration to introducing PRCs through the enhancement system per MT’s thread, as the new Ranger enhancements would indicate?
Quarion: Eladrin, type faster!!
Eladrin: We’ve been introducing enhancements in the theme of various prestige classes for some time now, beginning with the Way of the Assassin and Way of the Thief-Acrobat enhancements that the Rogues received now so long ago. We do intend on continuing to expand the enhancement system as time goes on…
Eladrin: I’ll break it into lines, fine. 🙂
Eladrin: The Rangers received Deepwood Sniper, Tempest, and Arcane Archer this time around. There’ll be more iconic prestige classes getting enhancement treatment as well.
WarCry: Anne/Theris: What was the most difficult restriction you had when you came up with an idea or story for a new Module? I would personally love to hear an example, with one of the past modules.
Keeper: One of the more interesting restrictions I’ve had to address was how to build a public space on the landscape that overlooked a private instance, a la Gianthold.
Keeper: I was able to get some good pointers for that from the Lord of the Rings Online team. There are lots of carefully positioned invisible walls involved.
WarCry: arkohighstar: there has been much discussion lately on the death penalty, any update on whether you plan on making major changes to it in the future?
Eladrin: There’s been a very active thread on the DDO forums related to XP as a death penalty, and we’ve been listening to the feedback that we’ve been getting from there and other sources.
Eladrin: Two of the biggest things we hear about as negative play experiences revolve around permanent item damage as well as XP loss on death.
Eladrin: Both of these are being addressed in Module Six…
Eladrin: First off, bound items will no longer be subject to permanent damage. The permanent damage rate on unbound objects will be halved, and repair costs are reduced across the board.
Eladrin: A simple manner to bind any objects you desire will be available using the Eldritch Devices in some common areas.
Eladrin: Related to the death penalty: We’ve removed the XP penalty from death entirely, and replaced it with a system that deals some item wear to all equipped, non-stacking objects and applies a short duration debuff after resurrection.
WarCry: DDOcast: Hiya – thanks for having this. I’m wondering if any consideration is being done to allow players to customize their clothing? Or at the least give players a chance to change the colors of their armor, hats, robes, etc?
Glin: We plan to introduce game systems in that allow players to modify some of their items.
Eladrin: It will be tied in closely with the crafting system.
WarCry: Ustice: There has been some talk of some features in the past that haven’t been talked about recently. Where are we with Guild Banks/Housing, Druids, PvP
Glin: We have plans for new character calsses, and Druids is the next class after the monk – we want to put some very spiffy tech into Druids.
Glin: PvP will get more attention as well as leaderboards and more web integrated communication from the game.
WarCry: Yaga: Question #2: Eldarin hinted that Mod 7 would be rogue and Paladin love, care to give us a sneak peak? and also
WarCry: Coldin: Are there any plans to improve rogue abilities beyond the new “Way of” abilities? In particular, making a rogue more useful in quests with lots of undead, where sneak attack damage has no benefit.
Eladrin: Module 7 should include the second level of the Rogue “Way of’s”, as well as other improvements to the Paladin and Rogue classes. It’s quite likely that Rogues will end up with some sort of options available for those that face undead and constructs often.
Eladrin: I can’t really get any more specific at this time, but we do read those threads on the forums (I’m looking at you, Paladins, with your 40 page thread…) so keep those ideas flowing.
Eladrin: As I mentioned in one of the Arcane Archer threads, the idea for allowing Elves to take the enhancement without Ranger levels came directly from the forums.
Keeper: I don’t know anything about that, but I have personally decided this evening that DDO is lacking in guacamole. I shall be adding some, just as soon as I can figure out how to squeeze it down the phone lines.
Eladrin: Like magic items, you can never have enough guacamole.
WarCry: Anne/Theris: Have you ever considered revamping old quests? If so, how would you do it? If not, why not and are there any difficulties in updating the content in older quests?
Eldorudo: We have gone back to revamp some old areas, such as Menechtarun, Sorrowdusk and Tangleroot because we had new tech that we thought would drastically improve those areas.
Eldorudo: Revamping old quests would take time away from making new content, so unless we have a really compelling reason to go back, the old content will stay as is. Unless of course there are bugs to fix. 😉
WarCry: Ustice: What is a typical day for a developer, project manager, community relations rep, and other key positions?
Keeper: A typical day for me. . . take the landscape I started the previous day, add more stuff to it, beat the hills a little more into shape, paint down some more ground textures, put up a few invisible fences. . .
Keeper: . . .or much the same with a dungeon. String together some empty dungeon pieces like beads, put some stuff in them, troubleshoot for stuck-spots.
Zyrca: I show up around 10a. Help lots of people get thier local builds up and running. Go eat lunch. Come back, code. Code. Sometimes there are meetings. Answer questions from other devs, code, etc 🙂
Keeper: Then there are bugfix days. Fix the stuck-spot, fix the stuck-spot. Fixthestuckspotfixthestuckspot. . . .
WarCry: Don’t forget the quacamole!
Keeper: ooh, yes! 🙂
WarCry: ddowarcry: Have the devs considered adding a gladitorial style quest for solo play that is either pvp or pve with multiple waves of enemies and battles on a level system ie: more difficult after each completed battle?
Keeper: If gladiatorial stuff involves guacamole, I’m so there!
Torc_: Yes, we have considered piloting various types of arena style game play. Where players face superior foes as they win battle after battle. No promises as to when…
Torc_: guacamole would be a new twist….
WarCry: You can never go wrong with quacamole. w00t!
Eladrin: Paragon Kobold Assault! You know you want it!
WarCry: Kire: I was wondering if you could tell us what effects we will be able to add to items in the new raid and what monsters and mini-bosses we will be facing in the raid. Thanks Again!
Keeper: . . .two ripe avocados, half a red onion, minced; two tablespoons cilantro leaves, finely chopped; one tablespoon of fresh lime juice; salt and pepper; one ripe tomato, chopped. . . oops, sorry 🙂
Piloto: You will encounter some powerful new enemies in the M6 raid.
Eladrin: Like Kasquik the Mighty!
Piloto: Elite Bearded Devil Shock Troops will team up against you with
Piloto: their Orthon Defenders backing them up.
Piloto: Expect to fight against high-ranking commanders from Shavarath who will team up against your party and feed off of each others powers.
Piloto: As for upgrading items, the Eldritch Devices found in the raid area will allow you to customize powerful items.
Piloto: If you’d really like a +5 acid longsword that can summon an earth elemental, you just may be able to make one, if you work hard enough.
Eladrin: And don’t mess it up.
WarCry: Recovery: Can any of the Devs give us any more info on the new raid that has been hinted about on the forums for the upcoming Mod
Torc_: The mod 6 raid is much larger in scope than our previous raids which were more of a single boss fight. It’s closer to tempest spine in this regard.
Keeper: It has scenic overlooks!
WarCry: Lovers leap?
Torc_: The players will face many challenges but will also have many chances to gain rewards. There are A LOT of rewards…..
Quarion: Mod 6 is the most beautiful scenery I’ve seen in DDO!
Glin: and and outdoor swimming pool
Glin: well lots of water anyhow
Quarion: with piranas.
Quarion: Monster Profile coming soon
Quarion: 😉
Torc_: Bannas…
WarCry: DaveyCrockett: This one is more for Quarion/Tolero. I have to ask again – Where are the fansite kits? 🙂
Quarion: Good question! We’ve currently introduced a “Fansite” section on our forums, and we’re still developing it currently… go post your fansite!
Quarion: As for a fansite kits, they’re on my list of things to give you guys.
Quarion: I know I said that about Splash Screen wallpapers… wait! they’ll hopefully be up by the end of the week, and if not at the same time, new Avatars will follow shortly.
WarCry: Theadora: Will there be more expansions to the open areas or more open area added?
Keeper: Indeed. 🙂
Keeper: I’ve just put some finishing touches on the Vale of Twilight. It has, oh, swimmy bits, and some choice hang-gliding. Some monsters kind of made a mess of one corner of it. Also it has treehouse love. . .
Keeper: Also about ten pounds of butterflies. No guacamole, though.
WarCry: arkohighstar: will you be limited to one custom bound raid item from the eldritch station or can you get more than one type of item
Piloto: You will be able to make as many customized items as you like, but you’ll need to earn each one that you get.
Eladrin: We wouldn’t want to prevent you from making a few different items for different situations.
WarCry: Yaga: When will Mod 6 be on Risia?
Quarion: Mod 6 public areas and wilderness areas will be up on Risia this week!
Keeper: Enjoy the hang-gliding!
Quarion: With other content following later.
WarCry: And onto our final question of the night.
WarCry: Silthe: It must be rough having an entire department dedicated to picking apart all your hard work. Just what is your relationship with Quality Assurance like?
* Quarion leaves
Torc_: I gotta go…
Eladrin: Hey, check out the time…
Eldorudo: Oh, wow…
Tolero: I think the…*amnesia dust in the face*
Zyrca: MMMmmm, quacamole needs making …
Eladrin: LOOK! A KOBOLD!
Quarion: YARK!
Tolero: VAST AND MYSTERIOUS!
Eldorudo: Well it isn’t rough at all, in fact the relationship is quite good. QA is excellent for fetching us lunch, giving us backrubs and feeding us exotic fruit. Oh yeah, and for writing up bugs.
Glin: wait…aren’t you in the next room?
Keeper: The squirt-gun battles are epic!
Codog: They have photos of me… no comment.
Keeper: QA tells me to fix stuck-spots. . . *sigh*
Quarion: For those who think we’re a bunch of jerks now… Silthe is head of DDO QA 🙂 We’re just teasing
Keeper: 🙂
Tolero: I wasn’t.
WarCry: We would like to think all of the developers, Community Persons, and QA staff for taking the time to join us tonight. We will be posting a log shortly on http://ddo.warcry.com
Quarion: Thanks for coming out everyone! See you soon!
Zyrca: Later, stay warm!
Eldorudo: Thank you all for hanging out with us tonight. We can’t wait until you get a chance to experience Mod 6! Until next time…
Keeper: Enjoy your guacamole!
Eladrin: Thanks for stopping by!
Tolero: Night all! Take care and thanks for coming!
* Keeper burps
Piloto: Bye for now.
* Tolero disappears in a cloud of amnesia dust…or talcum powder. Something like that.
* Eladrin climbs back into a crate and gets carted off by Kobolds.
