Colorized info-session help file. A little easier to read.
Added some color to the info-session to make it easier to read. Posted it so people who might be interested can read it a bit easier as well. --------------------------------------------------- Help for info_session (General Help) --------------------------------------------------- Greetings. On October 7th, I held an impropmtu Info Session to answer some questions, dispel rumors, etc, about things on 'dev list' and things involving Guilds and ERs. At the time of this conversation, all information was planned and accurate - but remember, development is always a fluid process. I've edited the log heavily to include (hopefully) only questions and answers. I hope if you weren't online, you get something out of it anyway. I'll try to offer and answer questions when I have the time. Note: Spoonster rules for providing the log to me. --- ^ Draugluin: I can answer questions, sure. ^ Illumenar: How exactly are you removing Valinor from the process? ^ Illumenar: IE: Anyone can make a guild? ^ Draugluin: By no longer voting on new guilds, by no longer reviewing guilds, by no longer peering over the shoulders of guilds, etc. ^ Jasumin: Wouldn't that make it infinitely easier to get a guild into the game? ^ Illumenar: So how do you control for "bad guilds" "unthematic guilds" and ugh, "stupids guilds" ^ Draugluin: You don't have to worry about satisfying 12 different people to become a guild, and you don't have to spend your life worrying that one day someone will decide for some reason to change/modify/inspect some aspect of your guild. ^ Kitiara: so anyone can make a guild? ^ Draugluin: Yes, it will be much easier to get a guild in the game. Which is probably a good time to make sure you understand the core point, the "attitude change" required, if you will: Guilds are to be tools for players to use, like anything else. ^ Illumenar: What are you doing with evil guilds like, SoU or UD? ^ Draugluin: We will provide them to you as tools to use, and provide objective, -codeable-, thematic restraints. From there, it's up to you. ^ Draugluin: If there is enough money and enough people for 250 guilds, then so be it. Have fun. ^ Illumenar: Are you going to turn them into ER guilds? ^ Draugluin: (an impossibility at the moment, mind you, since I know the number of players, amount of gold, etc...but just to humor jasumin :P) ^ Draugluin: ERs will not have guilds, and we won't turn anyone into an ER. ^ Draugluin: ERs have an entirely different social/grouping function. ^ Illumenar: Are you going to limit the amount of evil rping free races have? ^ Draugluin: One which will start being explained to you (FR non playtesters) eventually, but not tonight :P ^ Draugluin: Well, that's tough to ask, based on 'limit'. We have approved systems to make life more difficult to be 'evil' living in 'good'-controlled lands, yes, but we're not going to make it so you can't do it, or there's a cap, or anything silly :P ^ Draugluin: ERs do not have guilds, no. Let me take a minute and explain their social structures. ^ Draugluin: ERs are able to give support to other players as their leaders. There are a finite number of these leaders (the number provided based on total # of ER players), called Warlords. ^ Draugluin: When you 'support' your Warlord, that means you want him to lead you. Warlord-controlled groups are called 'Legions', and are provided a comm, places to gather, armouries, etc. ^ Draugluin: They act both as quasi-guilds and communities, given an ER/Sauron twist of theme. ^ Jasumin: The main difference being that the Warlord has a dictator like status? ^ Draugluin: Right. Warlords are much more like dictators...except... ^ Draugluin: If people stop supporting you, you are no longer a Warlord! So you can't just screw over your followers constantly. ^ Draugluin: It's self-policing and even accounts for inactivity. The older you are as a player, the more "worth" your support of another has. ^ Jasumin: I see...are there advantages other than the obvious power advantage to being a Warlord? ^ Draugluin: So a 50d old ER who supports someone counts for more "points" than a 1d old. Yet both count some. ^ Elmdor: How long will it take to max an ER? ^ Draugluin: There are other features, yes, but they all have to do with policing your legion, etc. It's not like you get higher stats or anything. ^ Jasumin: Yeah, with the disadvantages of being a Warlord....why (besides having your own minions maybe) might you want to be one? ^ Draugluin: We hope for it to be equally as difficult to max an ER as an FR, eventually. That said, ERs will be totally new, and initially, lacking things, or maybe having too many of something. We've playtested for a long time to get the right balance, but nothing is perfect. So I hope that answers it: We want it to be "as hard", but don't get yourself all freaked out if it's not like that out of the box. ^ Draugluin: Because it makes you a leader, the same reason anyone would want to be a GM. ^ Draugluin: Not everyone makes decisions based on stats and gold gathering. However, even those that do might find it fun to be an ER-themed leader. It's much more...hardcore...than a guildmaster. ^ Essex: DRAUGLUIN. Previously Valinor has had a long-standing policy of restricting one typist from having both an immortal character, and also a guildmaster character. The reason for this was that an immortal might unduly influence things for a guild. ^ Essex: Once your disasterous policy of removing Ainur from the Guilds Business is impleemnted, will this restriction be removed. Please comment. ^ Draugluin: Right. Well, I know I hadn't personally pondered if this changes any of our rules concerning Ainur having alts in Guilds. I know we haven't stated anything officially, so I'll check on that one. ^ Elysia: will the change affect the ability of one typist to have multiple chars in a guild? ^ Draugluin: I'll bring the ainur-alt issue to Valinor for discussion, and I'll either announce a rules change, or have new reasons for why it's not okay. ^ Draugluin: Similarly, Valinor has to decide if the change to guilds affects the "only one character in one guild" rule. ^ Draugluin: Guilds are required to have a minimum number of members, and I don't think we'll be open to the idea of using yourself, 14 times, to make a guild. Since if you were a hardcore goldmaker, I suppose, you COULD support such a thing. ^ Armand: draug, if you want to answer a question, please for all seriousness answer this.It takes an ainur to change the gm of a guild. why? what standards to ainur look at when changing gms? ^ Elysia: I am interested in the GM changes Armand is asking about. If it takes an ainur to change a GM now, how will that be handled after Ainur have extracted themselves from the guild process. And how will guildhalls be made? ^ Draugluin: Actually, probably 95% of the reason it takes Valinor action to change a GM is because we currently have no quality, fast system in place to change them yourselves. I plan to suggest we simply let 'overthrow' handle cases of GM negligence and disappearance, and allow GMs to simply name their successor much like ClanMasters already can. ^ Draugluin: For the time being, Scatha will still make GM changes for you, in addition to the 'overthrow' command. ^ Draugluin: (help overthrow) ^ Draugluin: We won't leave you without a way to make the changes, but I'm sure we'll look to make it something you can do without our help. ^ Draugluin: Hobbit Stomach change: Frippi, it's pretty close. I think there is one problem to work out, and you'll see it shortly. ^ Draugluin: We had a recent staffing change that put us a bit behind on Maker-level coding, but that's all straight, so stay tuned. Your stomach will grow soon ;) ^ Draugluin: The legend top changes, well. ^ Draugluin: Hey, lets be honest, I jumped the gun putting them on dev :P No one is actually working on them at the moment, as they're preoccupied with other things. (like hobbit stomachs, etc). ^ Draugluin: So, just blame me for you knowing about it too soon, and you'll have to wait a but on that one :P ^ Grymlar: what about er's, why arent they on the dev list? ^ Draugluin: Haha, good question. ^ Draugluin: Here's the answer: I couldn't think of a way to describe everything without having it be "dev list...more (.00004%)", so I just figured anyone who knows to type 'dev list', knows ERs are coming :P ^ Draugluin: I get long-winded enough on small dev entries...the whole addition of what amounts to the second half of t2t might force me to write a small novel :b ^ Draugluin: Well, no, I haven't given any dates and I don't know if anyone made such a promise while I was retired, but if so, sorry. ^ Draugluin: The state of them is: ^ Draugluin: We are currently finishing up Regions (dev 4), and in the next two or so weeks look to implement that, and start playtesting it immediately with ER playtesters in Eastern Arda, fighting FR playtesters (but not harming with the rest of you). We'll ask them to test Regions extensively, along with combat. ^ Draugluin: After that, we'll shut down playtesting to fix any problems and address any last minute issues that arise, and then it's release. ^ Draugluin: This is the current schedule, barring my death, or some major problem (which I don't foresee - Regions is working beautifully on testmud at the moment, it's so cool...way cooler than it was ever in my imagination). ^ Elysia: if we were moving towards an ainur free guild creation system, why were guilds put through theme review and forced to change theme? ^ Draugluin: Because we tried to work fanatically to ensure guilds were "just so", and have found that such a policy doesn't include everyone, isn't objective enough, and makes guilds into something twisted, which we don't want. ^ Draugluin: So, while it took a while, the guilds who were forced to disband can return, without worry, and just curse that it took as long as it did, but should remember better late than never ;) ^ Elysia: if, for example, members of the old Durmanhoth wanted their guild and theme back, would that be granted to them? ^ Draugluin: Well, remember, the key is we won't "grant" anyone anything. If they make it and pay for it and set it up, it's theirs. ^ Fofester: I wanna know who came up with putting Alexa there ^ Draugluin: Hmm. I can't remember. Me, I think. ^ Draugluin: Yes, let me say a bit about that. ^ Draugluin: Restrictions will be based, largely, upon a choice GMs have to make. ^ Elysia: it just seems a bit unfair to force them to change and then decide oops we made a mistake and allow them to change back ^ Draugluin: Elysia: There's no time machine. We think this is the best thing for Arda. What happened before isn't reallt the point. ^ Draugluin: GMs, when creating a guild, will declare it to be good, evil, or impartial. They'll also declare if they are made up of all races, (mostly) one race, or (mostly) two races. Kill restrictions will be generated automatically based on these answers, and GMs can add optional restrictions as they desire. ^ Draugluin: So yes, Impartial guilds will be allowed, but don't make the mistake of thinking impartial is synonymous with "no restrictions, no thematic boundaries". ^ Draugluin: Also, restrictions use a see-saw to balance out. The more races you accept, the more types of things you have to worry about killing. So guilds who are very exclusive, have a harder time recruiting, but are forced to have less restrictions. Guilds who accept tons of types, have an easy time of recruiting, but a hard time with restrictions. ^ Mithgil: So, what happens when G-Unit applies to be a guild? ^ Draugluin: G-Unit, the group of popular American rap stars, cannot currently (nor in the future) be a clan. ^ Draugluin: As the first step to being a guild is to be a clan, they can't apply to be a guild. ^ Elmdor: Why can't they become a clan? ^ Draugluin: Clans must meet very basic, but important, requirements: They may not be profane, harassing, or rule-breaking, and they must be based in Tolkiens World. As you no doubt suspect, American Rappers G-Unit have nothing to do with Tolkiens wordl. Similarly, you can't be guys with spaceships, microwaves, etc. ^ Fofester: What about current guilds? Are they going to be downgraded to fit the new guild standards, particularly regarding the hall? ^ Draugluin: Well. It all depends on the guild, Fof. ^ Draugluin: Some guilds will -definitely- face some guildhall changes. ^ Elysia: will guildhalls additions/upgrades still be possible post change? ^ Draugluin: A cursory review of what everyone has provides a pretty limited list of 'big changes' Scatha and I have to handle. We've developed a list of everything that is 'standard', (and thus keepable), and it's the hope that Scatha's coding time can be spent coding more new features for everyone (as he has been, some, with things like the new log additions, etc), instead of specific things for only a few people. ^ Fofester: So, current halls will probably lose 'special rooms' and keep the more basic stuff (armoury, board rooms, bar, etc)? ^ Draugluin: Oh, lets see. Halls, cosmetic rooms, banks, mailrooms, shops, bars, 1 guild weapon, 1 guild armour, 1 guild pack, 4 guild boards, gm rooms, libraries, npcs, ... Wouldn't be sohcked if I'm forgetting anything. ^ Draugluin: All of which GMs can buy, desc, have approved, pay for, and see appear like magic. ^ Draugluin: Ranking systems, voting boxes, I forgot those. ^ Draugluin: The ability to be 'hidden' is standardized... ^ Draugluin: Comm hists and features to systems that will remain are already standard, those stay. ^ Draugluin: Oh, gossipers stay. ^ Fofester: Cost-wise, will current guilds be paying about the same amount for the rooms/items they're able to keep? ^ Draugluin: Some things will go up, some down. ^ Draugluin: Actually, most of the increases are in 'initial costs', and aren't huge -- but current guilds won't pay construction costs anyway. ^ Boffo: If the guild has already paid for feature 'suchandsuch' they just keep it? ^ Draugluin: So for current guilds, they'll only notice rent adjustments, which are largely the same. Some more, some less, but nothing drastically different. Nothing like adding extra zeroes, etc :P ^ Draugluin: If it's a standard feature, yes, Scatha and I will work with all GMs to transfer you from "now" to "new" as seemlessly as possible. ^ Elysia: I'm not sure if this has been asked yet, but what is the time frame on this change? is this something that will be released within a month or 2? or something that will take closer to 6 months or a year? ^ Draugluin: Right. You won't have to reapply, wait 30 days, or any of that stuff. Scatha and I will basically drag you through any changes to get you "in system". Noticable changes to you, minimal. You'll be in the clan room now. Heck, that might be the only change you notice other than guildhall changes. ^ Draugluin: A month or two. ^ Draugluin: Much is already coded, and it's a high priority issue. ^ Fofester: What about guildhall locations? ^ Draugluin: Guild hall locations are up to the applying CM/GM, and subject to approval by Scatha (Guild Liaison) and myself (PoA). ^ Elysia: ok. A clan has the gold to become a guild and wants to become a guild. I assume that getting a guildhall installed will take an ainur? ^ Draugluin: We won't allow guildhall locations to mess with the game, basically. Beyond that, we don't much care what gridroom or other room you choose. ^ Elysia: will you be implementing any changes that will affect guild disbandment? ^ Draugluin: No, we hope to automate the process post-approval-of-location. It is possible that it will require scatha to edit a few files, but nothing that takes months. ^ Draugluin: No, guilds will disband when they run out of members or money (less than 15, less than enough to make rent 2 times in a row) ^ Elysia: so, in theory, someone could make a guild, have 14 alts of friends join it but be inactive, and if they could make the gold to pay for the guild themselves, it would be allowed? ^ Draugluin: Yes. (she said alts of friends, meaning 15 uniquely-owned characters). ^ Draugluin: Any other questions about things for ERs or Dev? ^ Fofester: With the name changes, will legendinfo include like old name or something? ^ Draugluin: Yes, there will be a reference to the new name. This was a tough decision, but we feel it's best to do that to avoid having namechanges go from what we want (a way to improve a bad early name selection for more rp) to what we don't want (a way to harass, or suicide-without-suiciding, etc). ^ Draugluin: If you are doing a namechange for the right reasons, having it be public for a short time won't hurt you. If you legitimately need a namechange to be in secret, you should be contacting the PoL. ^ Draugluin: Oh jeez. Pretty sure its 30d, like when suiciding or being nuked. ^ Draugluin: If it turns out to be 15 or something though, don't be shocked. ^ Draugluin: The stop using a skill is very close, Janika. I'd look for it in the next week or so. ^ Azmodan: How fast does the stop using a skill go? ^ Draugluin: At what rate does simply aging lower Other skills? ^ Janika: 1 point per hour of age ^ Draugluin: Forgetting does that times 5, I believe. ^ Azmodan: Can I do two at once! ^ Draugluin: No, you cannot, Azmodan. ^ Fofester: What's the time frame on the Level quest revamps? ^ Draugluin: Unknow. The resources are put elsewhere at the moment. ^ Fofester: And pick toggling... what do you mean by that one? ^ Draugluin: I mean: "Allow pick to act as a toggle, and re-lock a door that is unlocked." ^ Draugluin: Please note that a door must HAVE a lock to be locked, unlocked, relocked, or whatever. ^ Fofester: Locking would require a skill check same as unlocking, right? ^ Draugluin: Yes, a balanced skill check will surely be involved. ^ Frippi: What circumstances do you mean in the thieving experience? ^ Daetur: oh Draugluin, what about 19 quest and 20 "quest" before release of ERs? ^ Draugluin: The level 19 quest is something a group has claimed and begun designing, however, it isn't something I will wait for before ER release. Maybe it'll be done first just out of circumstance, and maybe not. ^ Draugluin: Did someone ask something about thief experience? ^ Frippi: I did. ^ Frippi: How exactly will theft tracker work, and what circumstances are involved? ^ Draugluin: It'll work to track your thefts, for use in code. Currently, the only planned use is to give monsters who "know" you as a criminal (thief who steals from them/tries to) a small bonus toward catching you. An awareness boost, if you will. ^ Draugluin: It'll also provide data for lots of future content or expansions. ^ Draugluin: Circumstances for experience, you mean? ^ Frippi nods. ^ Frippi: How small of an awareness bonus are we talking here? :P I don't want npc's remembering me and attacking me. ^ Draugluin: At this time, no, they only get a bonus toward 'catching' you. However, if you've ever been caught by an npc, you've seen the "A fight starts" message. ^ Draugluin: A small bonus is all I'm saying. It's not huge, it's not insignificant, and we don't give out numbers like that :) ^ Draugluin: The circumstances, well, I won't give you anything like a look at the code, but I'll generalize and say: The npc must be a "challenge" for you (ie, no abusing by robbing lowbie mons). You must be using thief abilities. The exp you can get in a 2 week time is limited. You must actually succeed in the theft :) ^ Draugluin: Excuse me. ^ Draugluin: I MEANT to say: The exp you can get FROM A SINGLE MON in a 2 week time is limited. ^ Draugluin: So you can't spend 2 weeks robbing just one npc over and over for exp. Not open for abuse :) ^ Fofester: So, theoretically, a thief could never kill anything if he found enough 'challenging' npcs to rob? ^ Draugluin: No, not theoretically, Fofester. ^ Draugluin: Wait. ^ Draugluin: Ok, Fof: Yes and No. Theoretically in that you could take FOREVER and level like that, yes. No, in that it's planned to subsidize, not replace, killing exp. ^ Draugluin: Initially, no guards are planned to block access based on thefts. However, that's a very logical expansion. I'd expect it soon. Steal from guards a lot, they're less likely to stand there like a goof as you walk past them. ^ Draugluin: Anything else? ^ Draugluin: Nothing else? Okay then. Take care. -- Draugluin, Power of Administration/ERs/Law