1-28 DF Activity Report

[Jackal]

Go read the full Activity Report Here.

This activity report has a lot of information so I'm assuming it will be awhile before all of this is implemented. I'm going to run down the important changes as they relate to my What Darkfall Needs, NOW! Post from Jan 14.

1. More events:

This wasn't addressed.

2. Fix the GUI:

There was a very good presentation of the upcoming changes having to do with the new journal-map-clan pages – political map interface. This is a completely new system designed to be a complete interface combining all the information the player needs. It’s very responsive, it updates dynamically and it’s user-friendly.

The new GUI architecture is complete and ready to implement. We’ll start working on duplicating current functionality as a first step.

Upcoming changes to clan banks were presented: These changes allow clans to add permissions to who uses their bank. Right now the options are 1. Free for all, 2. Clan only, 3. Clan and Allies, 4. Everyone except enemies. Also, a change in political stance will result in people being booted from your bindstone.

Constant work to make the game easier to play through supported in game systems needs to be a constant focus. I can't wait to use the new GUI. I hope that they make this a priority.


3. Put people on gameplay mechanics permanently:

Thirteen bugs have been fixed, including dungeon logging and the staff enchant bug. These are included in our test build, we’ll be testing them and we should include them in the upcoming patch. Restrictions to trial accounts are also something we’re working on implementing soon.

Bug fixes are always good but I want more performance related changes.


4. Build character ownership through logical means:

There was a presentation on the progress of the updated player characters which are now being fitted with the new armors like the barbarian armor, and their animations are also being updated.

...and a new capability for world-builders to add decals to surfaces in the game that could be used for a variety of purposes including events.

This is more shiny than substance. I'm encouraged by the fact that their tools now allow them to add symbols. Hopefully this can be used in the future to implement a guild crest system.


5. Focus on adding more ways to encounter meaningful PvP:

...a few words on the next expansion: It’s code-named Darkfall Arena internally, what used to be called Darkfall 2010, we called it that because in its original design the plan for it was to come out within the previous year. In practice this re-launch project grew a lot bigger than the original design and we are taking this opportunity, and the extra development time, to make more fundamental changes to the game.

I'm concerned about the implementation of this and I'm sure there will be an outcry from the loud minority on this. However, if implemented correctly this could boost subs and over-all activity a TON in darkfall. Darkfall is driven by competition and giving people an easier way to compete is ideal.


6. Address travel time:

One of the fundamental changes about the next expansion has to do with the reshaping of the world itself. We’re using the data we’ve collected during the past couple of years and are applying all the lessons learned in this time to streamline the world, removing dead spaces, optimizing the terrain, bringing points of interest closer together, repositioning everything.

This also relates to 5 because it will add more PvP around points of interest. Obviously making the world smaller or centralizing the action will help with travel time tremendously.


One of the other topics that is important is the over-all grind:

In this last patch we sped up skill progression for all skills, except for crafting skills. We said we would, but we couldn’t get it in due to issues with it. We’ll get it in the next patch in about two weeks. Also, there were questions about when we’re planning to add stats to Meditation, and the plan is to start doing that in the next patch as well.

Everything else in the update was pretty unimportant. It talks about adding better lighting, sound effects, and monster spawns which people will care about for about one day. There was talk at the end about doing some crap with crafting skills which again, is a waste of dev time.

I really appreciate that the dev team is keeping us updated through these blogs. They're focused down the right path for the most part and if they stay focused on fun PvP related additions their playerbase will continue to be happy.

[Jackal]

Re: 1-28 DF Activity Report

The DF Community Liason posted this on the DF Forum

Just to add this beforehand and we know this question is going to come up: We will never add instanced Battlegrounds to Darkfall!

[Jackal]

Re: 1-28 DF Activity Report

From one of the Forum Mods after everyone complained that there wasn't enough PvP stuff in the update:

Just the usual reminder here. Art, World building and sound teams have nothing to do with bug fixing, feature implementation, game design etc.

He has a point...



I'll still complain about it though.

[Fats]

Re: 1-28 DF Activity Report

That's a tired excuse fanboys and game companies use to explain why major long standing issues go unaddressed.

The fact is game companies, like any other entity, have finite resources. They make a conscious choice to divide and allocate those resources to various things. Saying these things aren't connected completely and insultingly disregards the gravity of this choice as if they aren't actually accountable.

If you are having major technical issues or there is a serious lack of content which is negatively affecting game play for your customers, the same customers that really don't give a damn about new visuals, adjust your priorities. Hire more code monkeys and less art junkies.

[Xaj]

Re: 1-28 DF Activity Report

That's a tired excuse fanboys and game companies use to explain why major long standing issues go unaddressed.

The fact is game companies, like any other entity, have finite resources. They make a conscious choice to divide and allocate those resources to various things. Saying these things aren't connected completely and insultingly disregards the gravity of this choice as if they aren't actually accountable.

If you are having major technical issues or there is a serious lack of content which is negatively affecting game play for your customers, the same customers that really don't give a damn about new visuals, adjust your priorities. Hire more code monkeys and less art junkies.

Exactly ^

[SuperCow]

Re: 1-28 DF Activity Report

I think a lot of the changes will be good for the game.

[Jackal]

Re: 1-28 DF Activity Report

They have said that they will patch some portion of this stuff in 2 weeks and then the next before the end of Q2. I assume the things that will wait are the art and world crap.

[Dafyyd]

Re: 1-28 DF Activity Report

I think I'm most excited about the world changes. The DF map is gigantic and epic, but after crossing it a million times I'll be happy to have decreased distances to travel.

[SuperCow]

Re: 1-28 DF Activity Report

I was under the assumption that the patch in 2 weeks will be a mini patch and most of the major changes won't be until q2.

[Wakiza]

Re: 1-28 DF Activity Report

Can't wait for the UI.

They need to look @ Shadowbane for there world map IMO.

[Beask]

Re: 1-28 DF Activity Report

lol more anouncments and nothing to show for it, i have seen df promise the world and not deliver.

Ill wait till i start to see excited OPP posts on the forms before coming back.

[SuperCow]

Re: 1-28 DF Activity Report

Well they were announcements not 'this patch went in today'. So, yeah there has been nothing to show for yet.
Beask you sound so jaded I don't think there is anything they could do to make you want to play again lol.

[Godamus]

Re: 1-28 DF Activity Report

Holy mackerel of a donkey pie!!!! The smorgasbord of happiness from the new patch is overwhelming!!! Come back to us Beaskkkk.

This ad has been paid for by the Supercow Calamity Agency

[Beask]

Re: 1-28 DF Activity Report

I love u cow

[SuperCow]

Re: 1-28 DF Activity Report

<3