Ryzom Forge meeting report - September 24th, 2018
Review of last night's problems
Ulukyn (RT) - 19:34
RyzomChat went crazy and started slowing down all our internal tools. So I migrated the infrastructure from Apache alone to Nginx+Apache.
This resulted in a bug in a script that filled the server with log files.... And when the server is full, nothing goes right.
Everything has now returned (or is expected to return soon) to normal.
Q: Did the server attack itself by denial of service (DoS)?
A: No, there has been no DoS, but Apache manages several simultaneous connections, frequent on RyzomChat, less efficiently than Nginx.
Q: Is that why Ryzomchat is not working well right now?
A: Yes, switching from Apache to Nginx+Apache has probably created problems with some players' sessions. We'll wait until tomorrow, the night will probably kill the current sessions.
Q: It is to be feared that the wiki has also suffered major disruptions.... How can we get in touch with you if other problems appear there?
A: To contact me, use RyzomChat.
New map
Ulukyn (RT) & Revvy (RF) - 19:42
The project that was the ultimate goal of Team Ryzom when it was created, adding a new map, is now complete.
We were able to add an extension to the Nexus map, an island that will be connected to it by vortices.
The card is 100% functional. This means that all its elements (fog sheets, collisions, map of the region, etc.) are well connected.
Q: This region was already "present" on Atys. But will you be able to create an area from scratch and add it?
A: It has already been done. I had already added region maps generated by Nevrax, here I added internally generated maps. By mixing the two types of cards everything is possible. So the area is ready and we will furnish it thanks to the Scenographic Editor. This will be the first time we will have a "handy" tool to add physical content to the game, instead of having to put objects in a 2D map in the hope of getting it right.
Q: Will the region have a theme?
A: The main part will be a Marauders' City, attached to the Nexus, as an extension. Because it is part of the Marauder Camp relocation project.
The process that allowed its creation can be used for future projects on Atys and will be open to non-developers. That is, it will not be necessary to have development skills to be able to create a map and fill it with objects and creatures.
Q: What do you mean? How will you decide who designs and who furnishes?
A: The project team, composed of developers, ARKitects, lorists, players, etc., will decide on that.
Q: Does this mean that if you receive proposals of interesting maps from players, they could be added?
A: Yes, our decision-making processes often take into account players' ideas (after all, all of us in the Team are players).
Q: Will there be a dedicated team for this? Or will existing teams be in charge of it?
A: There is already a team that deals with the whole Marauder gameplay and therefore also with the City (although, regarding this one, it is mainly a question of adjustment).
Q: How can one join the said team?
A: You have to apply, as for all the other teams.
Q: Do we know, more or less, when this new region will be online?
A: Not yet.
Wheel of the Fortunate Gubani
Ulukyn (RT) - 20:11
I didn't have the time to add the excellent tokens.
As for supreme tokens, it will be for later (they are special): a bit of patience then!
The titles are operational (in theory) and the Bymgo grid will be repaired, if possible, as soon as the meeting over.
Boss in the Box
Ulukyn & Teanwen (RT) - 20:13
This is a project that will use the Pocket Worlds system and the Scenographic Editor.
The idea is to open an area in one of the Ring Islands where the Bosses can be fought with strategies as crazy and varied as their creator (the same genius who animates the mini Bosses).
Q: Will there be any rewards?
A: Yes, loots including new raw materials for crafts.
Q: Will the areas be instances, as is Dante's Peak?
A: Bosses in the Box are instances like Dante, but are not restricted to the "NPC Marauders" type.
Q: Does this mean that unless you are in a league you cannot enter the area and that if you enter it it will be closed for players out of the league?
A: Yes, an instance will only be accessible to the first person to enter it and to those in her/his league.
Q: Will Bosses in the Box replace current Bosses ?
A: Yes, in time the "ordinary" Bosses (which are just very powerful creatures guarded by ordinary creatures) of today will be replaced by these Bosses in Box. However, the way to find them them will remain close to the current "check", with a larger proportion of random.
Q: Will it be necessary to check the instance only? Or will there be specific places to check?
A: There will be both check points and random spawning points.
Q: Does this mean that it will be enough to "camp" (to stay in front of the instance in order to forbid others to enter it) to kill a Boss in the Box?
A: Camping will have no efficiency: the word "random" is important. These are not static "pops" like Dante, but random "pops".
Q: Is there not a risk, with these instances, of further reducing the opportunities for PvP, the competition for Bosses and the interactions ( aggressives or not) between players, thus discouraging a bit more the rare players who practice (and like) PvP gaming on Atys?
A: As far as interactions between players are concerned, they are rather the source of many tickets (for "Boss robbery") than of pleasure.... We had nothing to do with this.... We therefore prefer to bring healthier challenges. But no less difficult: I can tell you that you will really have to do your damnedest to kill these Bosses in the Box.
PvP fans will undoubtedly find pleasure in searching for the tactics and equipment needed to defeat the Bosses in the Box. Moreover, Bosses in the PvP zone will remain, in addition to those in instances, because they fit perfectly with a logical game mechanism. What we want to stop is a game mechanism that makes the rules of the Code of Conduct inapplicable.
Finally, you should know that the overall project consists in two stages: the first consists in the creation of new Bosses (Bosses in the Box, so) provided with new strategies and dropping new loots, the second will aim to provide existing Bosses with new strategies and migrate them, possibly, into instances. Given the work still required to complete the first stage, the second stage will not be started any time soon.
Q: Are Bosses in the Box of lower levels planned too? Or will new players be excluded?
A: Yes, all formats (from 50 to 250) are planned.
Q: Thus there will be new loots that large guilds, although mostly passive, will be able to acquire by the power of numbers (vast leagues of half AFK players to kill a Boss in the Box when fewer would be enough) to store them forever in their Guild Halls... Don't you think that those players who accumulate materials they never use because they don't participate in the most difficult actions of the game are a problem?
A: None.
Nexus Reloaded
Ulukyn (RT) - 20:47
The purpose of this project, led by the Game Design Team, is to restore value to the Nexus, thanks to a PvP zone and gameplay of which it would be the heart.
It will be an opportunity to bring something new to the items, but also to have regular opportunities for players to compete against each other.
It is a complex project because it must be able to attract players who are not familiar with PvP, without adding a constraint to this style of play..
To be continued, then: I think we will have a proposal to submit very soon.
Redesign of the mechanics of the Outpost Wars
Ulukyn (RT) & Revvy (RF) - 20:57
The Game Design Team's validation of this project was obtained in a single evening, and everyone is excited to see the changes in game.
Initially the duration of the attacks will be reduced to one hour to match more closely with the players' connection possibilities.
The cost of declarations of war will be considerably reduced (or even modified for a system excluding dappers) in order to encourage their multiplication. However, multiple declarations (for several simultaneous attacks) will be more expensive.
There will no longer be a defence phase, which is considered constraining and penalizing for the dynamics of the outposts (the original project aimed at more frequent ownership changes than at present).
Finally, the materials produced by the Outposts will be randomly redistributed each new year of Jena and their quality will no longer depend on the level of the Outpost. The mechanics have not yet been precisely defined, but the goal is to enable, for example, a Level 50 Outpost to produce (albeit in smaller quantities and at a higher drilling cost) 250-quality materials.
We are also considering having the Outposts attacked by tribes or others.
With such changes, a guild, even an average one, of a weaker faction, will be able to attack an outpost and obtain good quality materials... at least for a while.
Q: Would it be possible to have the outposts attacked by bandits rather than tribes so that their defence by the Rangers could be justified? And guilds to rent the services of mercenary NPCs for the duration of an Outpost attack? And for players to assist tribes or bandits in their Outpost attacks?
A: Yes, bandits, kitins, Marauders, Mithian solo (!), etc., everything is possible. And it's also possible that we would mix it all up.
Q: Won't the removal of the possibility of simultaneous attacks make the strategy poorer?
A: No doubt, but simultaneous attacks are still possible, they are simply more expensive than single ones, and will probably require the participation of several guilds.
Range weapons
Ulukyn (RT) - 21:16
Finally, the latest project under study (and under test) concerns remote weapons (which, as you may know, are not yet completed - bad balancing, useless ammunition stats).
All this sounds like a great deal of work, but I would like to remind you that each project is studied and then carried out by the most competent people in separate teams and that some require only one person (such as the one regarding the Outposts, where I am the only one in charge of changes). So we always have projects in progress and projects under study at the same time.
Closing
Tamarea (RT) - 21:24
A quick word first about the graphic repository of Ryzom Forge: it has been moved to the Ryzom bitbucket: https://bitbucket.org/ryzom/ryzomdatas/src
And finally the last but important topic. Recruitment is open: Event, Computer Graphics, Support, Game Design, Level Design, Translation, Test, Comm-Marketing, Dev, Ark.... If you want to help us and be part of a project, join a team! Send an email to tamarea@ryzom.com and be aware that signing a Non-Disclosure Agreement is only required to join Event or Support teams.
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