Official: State of Elanthia: SimuCon 2019

[Avaia]

Here is a quick rundown of some of the main focuses that our teams have been working on.

The item recovery updates are just about here. They are in the final stretch of QC. These updates are what was previously known as the disarm updates. Items that are disarmed will no longer be subject to the janitor or other players being able to grab your item. This includes disarm weapon combat maneuver, itchy curse, creature abilities that can disarm you like dog hand mangling, vibration chant, Cavernhold, tough skinned creatures like myklians, Ithzir looting, and so on. This update will also include weapons that are HURLed. Instead of GETting your item off the ground, you will use the RECOVER command from the room where the item was lost. If you cannot access the room where the item was lost or you don’t remember where it was, you can use the Adventurer’s Guild to recover items for a silver cost. More details on this system will be announced by SGM Coase (and our Development team) in the very near future.

Mist Harbor will be getting more hunting grounds. We will be starting with some lower level hunting. This is still under development, but it an active project that GMs Contemplar and Quilic are working on. The hunting grounds being worked on are previously planned areas that past Premium GameMasters and Senior GameMasters have worked on as well.

One thing we are very aware of is that learning how to play GemStone IV as a new or returning player can be really tough. Our game is incredibly complex. The Raging Thrak has been teaching turnip farmers the ways of Elanthia for decades, but it’s time to expand on our new player experience. That’s why we formed a team of the same name. But with that, we are expanding the known reaches of Elanthia. Soon, players will be able to discover Finnia, a continent to the south of Elanith. A new player quest will take place here, that will help considerably with the onboarding of our vast world. Adventurers will find themselves in a floating city called Phyon, where they will learn all the basics to GemStone IV through a linear story that will take place. While this area is intended for new users, current players will also be able to visit Finnia. Our new player experience has a team of GameMasters lead by SGM Kaikala working on the development of this new area that we hope to deliver by 2020.

We also have some projects that, while weren't a huge team focus, offer quality of life to the game. Those are...

The Lumnis Contest will be coming to an end. RIP, GG. We will be making the Gift of Lumnis a fixed amount based on previous contest results.

Unarmed Combat will soon be (more) functional with berserk and mstrike. This update is also in QC and nearing completion. GM Naijin is just about done with this project.

Boss creatures will be getting additional rewards. It’s a little early to discuss the exact details, but this is another active project that GM Ixix is working on. We have heard the feedback loud and clear that the risk vs reward needs some work, and that’s what we hope to deliver.

More creatures are being converted to SMRv2 by GM Konacon.

Enchant updates are still underway by GM Naos.

And while this project was completed in June, Valley of Gold should set the stage for plenty of roleplay to come.

Wyrom, PM

http://forums.play.net/forums/19/325/3260/view/592

[Gelston]

UAC working with berserk? I might roll back in to play with that if they ever implement it.

[Astray]

Savants, RSN.

[audioserf]

Savants, RSN.

Nah. Savants aren't on the RSN list. They aren't even being discussed, let alone worked on. Not long ago in Discord Wyrom said that after the community's reception to Paladins and Monks they'd rather not go down that road again.

[Donquix]

Nah. Savants aren't on the RSN list. They aren't even being discussed, let alone worked on. Not long ago in Discord Wyrom said that after the community's reception to Paladins and Monks they'd rather not go down that road again.

This is like the same takeaway that Studio execs get when they make a shitty movie, and they'll blame everything about it except the fact that they made a shitty movie. Like "oh people don't like movies about X"...no, people don't like shitty movies about X.

Paladins were good but boring as fuck when they were released, with no utility.

Monks were the worst combat class in the game, also with no utility.

OBVIOUSLY it's that people just don't like new classes, and not that they totally dropped on the ball on implementation and design.

[Gelston]

The new n00b area seems cool and all that, but I have to wonder if it is too little too late. I guess we do have returning players, so maybe it'd help for people transitioning from GS3 to 4, but how many actual new guys we still get? I remember as a mentor I saw maybe 3-5 legit new guys a month and probably double that in people returning from 3, but this was about 7 or 8 years ago. Obviously the majority didn't stay around.

[Astray]

Nah. Savants aren't on the RSN list. They aren't even being discussed, let alone worked on. Not long ago in Discord Wyrom said that after the community's reception to Paladins and Monks they'd rather not go down that road again.

Yeah, I'm being facetious and condescending. I know we'll never see another class.

[Donquix]

The new n00b area seems cool and all that, but I have to wonder if it is too little too late. I guess we do have returning players, so maybe it'd help for people transitioning from GS3 to 4, but how many actual new guys we still get? I remember as a mentor I saw maybe 3-5 legit new guys a month and probably double that in people returning from 3, but this was about 7 or 8 years ago. Obviously the majority didn't stay around.

There has been a number lately, and a bunch of people jumping ship from DR as of late. The new player experience definitely needs a lot of work, the RETURNING player experience is also a huge thing but jesus an organized list of changes would go MILES for that that. Newsby team has picked that up, but this is basic shit simu should be doing. When people mentioned a change log estild and co acted like it was impossible to document the 5 things a year they do. /shrug

New hunting areas on MH sounds great but every time a new hunting area is added that isn't undead between 60 and 80 outside of reim is a failure. Overtuned bullshit with annoying environmental ambients and everything doing unavoidable maneuvers doesn't count. Looking at you red forest ring2.

[Taernath]

Soon, players will be able to discover Finnia, a continent to the south of Elanith. A new player quest will take place here, that will help considerably with the onboarding of our vast world. Adventurers will find themselves in a floating city called Phyon, where they will learn all the basics to GemStone IV through a linear story that will take place. While this area is intended for new users, current players will also be able to visit Finnia.

I guess I don't see the point of a new area, let alone a new continent and city, if it's just meant for new users.

Weird ass lore implications as well.

[Astray]

I guess I don't see the point of a new area, let alone a new continent and city, if it's just meant for new users.

Weird ass lore implications as well.

It's a tutorial island of sorts. Just crops up and has nothing to do with in-universe interaction.

Which probably means the whole goddamn place is gonna be OOC hell.