Document Actions
Answers To Questions From The Boards - 2005-06-15
It has been a month since my last Q&A! Now that the E3 and reorganization heat is cooling down, it's time to look over some of the questions you asked on the boards in the meantime. There are more questions than usual, and you'll even find some outposts questions answered.
Please also note that my Glimpse of Production articles are no more: they have been advantageously replaced by both the Player Information Sections as well as David and Jessica's weekly letters. We hope you appreciate the changes. ^-^
Could you please explain how the AOE-Spells, i.e. Bombeffect etc., are working, since they obviously don't coincide with the way they are supposed to work according to their IG-description. An explanation why they were changed during the rebalancing would also be nice. [Submitted by tridman]
The bombeffect allows you to share the effect over several characters/mobs inside the area of effect. You can choose the number of affected characters, which in turn affects the quantity of damage/heal points each of them receives.
For example, if your action normally heals 100 HP on one player, it goes like this :
- For 2 players, each of them receive 100/(0.9*2) = 55 HP
- For 4 players, each of them receive 100/(0.8*4) = 31 HP
- For 8 players, each of them receive 100/(0.6*8) = 20 HP
To answer your second question, the reason of the change during the rebalancing: previously, you were getting more points when you were standing near the target; it resulted in big 'piles of players', pressed one against each other to get a full instant group heal. This wasn't really good looking, :) , and wasn't what we were trying to accomplish. The new solution is more fair and balanced than the previous one.
In one of the recent statements you mentioned that ranged fight is going to be improved. Can you be more specific? [Submitted by sotbo]
This is not designed yet, so I'm going to be vague here. You'll get more details when it reaches the player information sections. But I can already say that ranged fight will be a compromise between offensive magic and melee, and that new actions will be available.
Can we have some numbers and examples or something to muse over with relation as to how dodge and parry values are worked out, how affective they are etc? [Submitted by alibasil]
Sure: this is based on a comparison between your dodge/parry values against the value of the skill used to attack you. Depending on how much the two levels differ, you get different chances to dodge or parry (the value is determined by a hand-set internal table).
For example, if you're attacked by a NPC or a player handling a two-handed sword with a skill value of 75, and if your dodge value is 70, the difference is -5. According to the table (which can be tuned, so don't take all these values as granted, they are just there to give you an idea), that currently gives you a 33% chance to completely dodge the attack, and 48% to partially dodge the attack.
Here are some sample values taken from the current table:
- Difference = -50 ; complete = 10%, partial = 25%
- Difference = -20 ; complete = 25%, partial = 40%
- Difference = 0 ; complete = 35%, partial = 50%
- Difference = 20 ; complete = 45%, partial = 60%
- Difference = 50 ; complete = 60%, partial = 75%
Was the previously announced expansion (new race, new skills,...) just replaced with Ryzom Ring, or is R2 something new and separate? [Submitted by oneof1]
Unless I'm missing something, we haven't said this expansion would introduce a new race or new skills. I quote what David Cohen said about the expansion at the end of March:
An important SoR extension will soon be announced. All I can tell you for now about this new extension, is that it will be free, and that it is designed to give you never seen means to impact both the game world and the game story. This extension will officially be announced at this year's E3, and I personally believe that it will open entirely new horizons for the players of SoR. It also represents a huge part of my personal motivation in creating Nevrax, and the Saga of Ryzom. Nevertheless, this extension is not here to replace the existing game which still has the biggest part of our attention and development resources.
Do you have any plans to add a feature that allows us to decorate our private homes and guild halls?[Submitted by schlitza]
No, and the same goes for any apartment-related features requests; they are not in our current priorities. There is a simple reason for that; our next expansion, the Ryzom Ring, is already focused on allowing you to create content in-game; we don't want to duplicate efforts here.
Here is what Sadge (producer of the Ryzom Ring extension) had to say on the topic :"With the Ryzom ring extension, we intend not only to satisfy those of you looking for a deeper roleplay experience, but also guilds and individuals who would like to have their own space within the game. The Ring players will be able to create and run their own 'private maps' permanently linked into the game, accessible to whomesoever they choose (themselves, their friends, their guild, their guild's allies...) and to populate and animate them as they see fit."
[Outposts]
How do you plan to introduce the outposts? Will it be a case of one day we can just get one? Do you plan to bring a storyline with it so that us roleplayers have a reason behind the PvP associated with outposts? I hope there is lore to these outposts. [Submitted by alibasil]
Definitely; the outposts will be introduced with their background and they are integrated in the storyline. I can't say much more here without spoiling the story, but you'll learn more in game when their release approaches.
A good place to watch, in addition to what's happening in game, is the front page of ryzom.com, events section; you get some hints here on what is currently happening (and how to participate to some of the next events).
Will faction have anything to do with the price and ability to hire NPC's and will crafter guilds be able to create armor for their hired NPC's to wear to give them stronger abilities? [Submitted by Raynes]
That's an interesting suggestion, I've passed it to the devs. It doesn't mean we will implement it, but at least we will give it some thought.
Will it be possible to have the NPC's we hire attack non-guilded players? What about guilded ones that don't declare war? As an example if my guild builds an outpost and I want the NPC's to attack anyone with a high Karavan faction that comes into my outpost area, can I do that? [Submitted by Raynes]
No, your NPCs will only fight during regular battles, and only with the enemies attacking you. You won't be hiring pets, they will be here to help you with the defense of your outpost, not to help you attacking others or washing your dishes. ;-)
What are your goals with introducing outposts into the game? What I mean is what effect do you want them to have on players? [Submitted by Raynes]
We have several important goals tied to the outposts:
- First, we want to introduce a permanent game which gives more a more interesting dynamic to guild play. Conquering and keeping an outpost will be a challenge which will require coordination and consistency - and that can only be matched by playing as a guild;
- We also wished to offer a large-scale PvP experience without forcing anyone to participate in PvP fights if they don't want to;
- The outposts will also help us to regulate the economy - since owning an outpost will be costly, they will absorb some of the extra money higher levels tend to accumulate.
At another level, we also have some ideas about tying Outposts into the storyline... but that is for another Q&A later on.
Will there be a penalty for those who fail in conquering an outpost? [Submitted by micrix]
Yes; money. They will loose their bet, which will be given to the defender.
Yes and no; standard mobs won't interact at all with the outposts. That would allow too many exploits (like aggroing a kitin nest and bringing it to the outpost before attacking it). But outposts will be owned at first by some NPCs or mobs, which could come back from time to time to try to get it back.Will wildlife and bandits tribes attack the outposts? For example if we build an outpost in the roots and the Kitin come near will the NPC's we hire protect us? [Submitted by Raynes]
Are outposts visible on the map. Probably with status (on war or not) and with current owner ? [Submitted by micrix]
Yes, the outposts will appear on the mini-map, with their current status displayed.
How long, approximately, does it take to conquer an outpost ? 10 minutes, 1 hour, 6 hours, 6 days ? Are even sieges possible ? I mean, is there enough time to start political action, calling allies or such ? [Submitted by micrix]That's one of the points we have to adjust, depending on the tests and on your feedback, but the current goal is to make it last 2-3 days. Yes, taking an outpost should take some time. ^-^
Can you tell us more about the guild alliance aspect of the outposts? [Submitted by Raynes]Not yet, since we're still playing around with the concepts of both guilds alliances and player alliances.
To explain the difference, let's take the example of Guild A trying to defend its outpost against Guild B. With guild alliances, Guild A could invite Guild C to help; if accepted, all the players in Guild C would be automatically tagged as defenders. With individual alliances, each player could join, independently, either side.
There are advantages with both: guild alliances are simpler and gives more power to the guild leaders, while individual alliances give more freedom to each player, is more challenging for guild leaders (they have to make sure their troops follow them) and allows treason.
What do you think? If you were us, which would you implement first? Or would you try it a third way?
Some News
Add…
