Ryzom Forge meeting report – June 14, 2021

1 - Feedback about the last patch

Silan refactoring

• If I create a new character, will it be able to benefit from the new Silan, i.e. the new learning system (see Report of April 26, 2021 RF meeting) ?
  Yes, and even the current characters of curious players will also be able to go to Silan for the new training.
• When will this new learning be available in game?
  The patch that will implement it is still in development, but its interface, as said, will be similar to the lessons currently offered in the Storyline.
• I think it's important to promote team play, that's the beauty of Ryzom! So, are there any plans to add missions on Silan that will encourage beginners to play together?
  It is not planned to add missions to Silan that are similar to the ones that are already available. But the future lessons in Silan will explain in more detail the advantages, possibilities and controls of playing in teams, guilds, factions, etc. So there will be lessons with simple objectives, for example to group or join a guild.

Rumors and Storyline

• I had a little trouble understanding the new rumor system. The most confusing for me was to be led to an NPC holding the "What's up?" rumor, get to him/her, right-click, have "What's up?" in the bubble, click on it... and see displayed in the chatbox the explanation of what a hunter (for example) is doing. It took me a little while to figure out that I had to "Ask politely" and then click on the second "What's up?" that then appears.
  Ulukyn answers that the bug is known, that it will be fixed in the next patch, and that until then, NPCs offering a "Who am I?" will no longer be chosen to hold a "What's up?"
• Collecting rumors by simply following a given path is of little interest to me. So, will the next rumors put into play be easily found by indicating the position of the NPCs holding them or will this indication only be given for old rumors, not found in their time by the player?
  The new rumors will be either in the "What's new? (for most of them) or in the Storyline (for those, regarding the same theme, whose gathering is a mission prescribed by this or that episode. In both cases, the position of the NPC to be asked will be given, but in the second case, the waiting time between two successive rumors will be longer than in the first case.
• Regarding the Storyline missions, couldn't their in-game description more emphasize that the mission directs you to an NPC who will SURELY give you new information, but that you can complete the mission by asking other NPCs, if you know (or think you know) which ones?
  Yes, this is relevant! But keep in mind that missions from completed Storyline episodes are (and will remain) available to players who were unable (or unwilling) to experience those episodes "live": not offering them a quick option could put them off. So, to answer the question, we could, for example:
  – for the current episode: give the position of the character carrying the next rumor only after 20 hours have passed, thus favoring the "classic" search;
  – for past episodes: give the position of the character holding the next rumor as soon as 20 minutes have passed.

Outposts refactoring

• Can two guilds that don't have enough people in each of them join together into one for the time of an outpost test battle in Nexus?
  Yes... For now, because it will not be possible later on, since these test battles are actually part of the development of the future outpost system.
• I find the new features tested on the Nexus outposts very refreshing, but is reducing the time of outpost battles still the objective of the refactoring?
  Yes. The only thing that remains to be determined is the strength of the defending NPCs, as the number of rounds will be reduced as a result.
• In the last few months on Atys, we have seen several battles that go well beyond 10 rounds. Hence my question: by reducing the time of outpost battles, don't we risk impoverishing the strategies?
  This debate has already taken place. Out of respect for the group that discussed and argued at length and finally reached an agreement, we will not go back on the decisions made. But there are still many points to be refined and your opinions, feedbacks and suggestions are still very welcome.

Allegories with effects

• Regarding the effects of allegories, is the resurrection mentioned the "natural" one (at the chosen spawn point, once the coma is over) or the provoked one (via the spell cast by a benevolent player)?
  It is the natural one exclusively.
• I think I already benefited from an allegory effect without my character's stats being all restored to the advertised level. Can this be verified?
  Yes, it will be done as soon as possible, on the Gingo test server.

Miscellaneous

• Are the new Bosses now active as well?
  They are only active in the Nexus at the moment, and will be active in the Prime Roots after the next patch, and then everywhere on Atys.
• Prior to the last patch, my alt was rewarded for completing the Storyline prologue, but is now missing three 2607 rumors. Will this be fixed?
  This bug may be specific to you... The best thing for you to do, I think, is to submit a ticket to Asssitance describing it.
• Will the next patch include the translation file allowing, when acquiring a new skill, to display an intelligible message in the SYS. INFO channel?
  Yes, this will probably be effective at the next server restart (so even before the next patch).

2 - CoC update project

• Will the previous bans for using 4 accounts at the same time be lifted?
  Yes, but only between 22:00 UTC (0:00 CEST) and 05:00 UTC (07:00 CEST) and for 1 month, the time to test. We will then see if we integrate this point in the Code of Conduct.
• As the off-peak period ends in the early afternoon for players in Australia and New Zealand, and that some European players might want to use their alts as well, I was wondering : if the test goes well and the community largely wants it, would you consider in the future the possibility of extending this increased tolerance to more time zones?
  We chose these hours to test because they are off-peak hours in terms of connections. If the test is positive, we may adjust the time slot by one hour if needed. The goal is to allow players connected at off-peak times to also enjoy the high level game. This is not related to nationalities, so any player who is connected during these hours will benefit from the lifting of the limitation.
• "Two simultaneous accounts limit to all PvP, so to PvP on outposts, in PvP region (Super Nodes and Nexus included), and everywhere on Atys.'' So this is the new rule except between 0:00 and 7:00 CEST, yes? The introduction sentence of point 1 gives another impression. Please confirm.
  Yes, the 2 account limit is extended to all PvP 24 hours a day. The tolerance of 4 accounts (except for PvP) will be tested for 1 month during off-peak hours, so for the moment from 22:00 UTC (0:00 CEST) to 05:00 UTC (07:00 CEST). If the test is successful, we will include this off-peak tolerance in the Code of Conduct.
• I would like a clarification the count of simultaneous accounts. Both me and my wife have 2 accounts each (she typically only plays 1 at a time). My 2 and her 2 are under different names but logged as same IP address. Just want to make sure this is not a problem.
  In such a case (several accounts that can be used by different members of the same family), you should contact Support to inform them. Because it is necessary that when you are both in game with more than one account, it is clear to everyone that it is not the same person who controls all the accounts.
• Is multiboxing, though prohibited on Storyline events, allowed on other events? Like OOC ones?
  No, it is not allowed on events.
• During the off-peak hours, will digging in a PvP zone with 4 accounts be allowed as long as the holder of those 4 accounts does NOT initiate PvP?
  The idea behind this off-peak hours tolerance is to allow players to resume activities that have become impossible due to the low number of players connected during those hours. Yet, drilling is definitely possible with only one account, or, if you use a careplanner, only two accounts. So using 4 accounts for drilling is not necessary.
• So if you are using 4 accounts in a PvP area and you get attacked, you are not allowed to retaliate, right? Because that would be against the CoC.
  That's true. But, at least the CoC allows you to fight back with two accounts.
• Will people who have been banned for life when one-year sanction did not exist be allowed to get a reconsideration for their situation?
  Yes, we will be able to review cases upon request. However, of course, only those who could have benefited from the one-year suspension instead of the lifetime ban will be able to win their case.

3 - Off-ttopic questions

• Two NPCs appeared lately at Marauder Camp: one trades karavan outpost materials for marauder outpost materials and the other provides crafting blueprints for the making of marauder outpost items. Would it be possible to provide the capitals with an NPC of the latter type, or at least allow everyone (and not just Marauders) to purchase his plans at the Marauder Camp, even if it means having to access them under invulnerability.
  Yes, but it is the second suggestion that will be adopted.
• Is it normal that the Ranger fame for Marauders cannot exceed -50?
  Yes, because it is a dynamic fame, depending on other fames. Thus, a player's fame for Marauders cannot exceed the inverse of his/her fame for nations. Since a Ranger, by definition, has a fame of at least +50 among all nations, his fame for Marauders can never be more than -50.
• Isn't this a bit of a contradiction with the Ranger roleplay?
  No. Because my previous answer was about gameplay only: Marauding NPCs will mindlessly (obviously) rush any Ranger who would approach them, since a negative fame with a people indicates that the NPCs of that people do not like you (not the other way around).
  On the other hand, fame has no effect on PCs and their roleplay: PCs from one people or faction can always heal and/or revive any PC from another people or faction if they want to, regardless of their fame for the latter people or faction. So it seems to me (the lorists could probably give you a better answer) that Ranger PCs must, if they want to conform to the Ranger creed, heal (or revive) a Marauder PC in trouble (or coma).

The meeting is closed at 21:50 UTC