Short Outline

[Callash]

Hi,

I want to give you a short overview about what we or I currently work on. Comments and suggestions are of course very welcome, and you can be sure that I will read every reply from you (at least the first dozen pages ;)), even if I cannot comment everything. Thanks for your understanding.


PPU Balancing
While looking for a solution to the PPU problem, I had to work on a truck load of translations, which is why I couldn't say anything about the topic anymore. This is how things are at the moment. Lupus pointed me towards some pretty ugly bugs, which may not be that know, but which make PPU balancing even more difficult than it already is. Unfortunately, these bugs aren't easy to fix, which is why their fixing could not be done while the team was working on stuff for the international release. Now that the release is upon us, we try to give this more priority. We hope that after these fixes, there will only be small changes necessary to balance the PPU.

Zoo
The Neocron Zoo is still closed. This is due to the fact that it's only about 99% done. The level design is complete, but the interior, namely the NPCs and the choice which mob is going into which cage is still lacking. We want to turn the Zoo not only into a RP-area, but also an orientation area for newbies, where new players can inform themselves about the most important types of critters they are about to meet in the Wastelands. I am working on that currently, and I hope to get the Zoo opened as soon as possible.

Missions
Additionally to the newbie-missions (which have been a lot of work, but also worked out pretty cool, in our humble opinions... you will see ;)), Snowcrash wrote some more missions for highlevel players, and me too, I am trying to get more life into Neocron and Dome of York. For instance, I want to build in Delivery Missions, where the respective factions deliver goods to the NPC-Shops. Also, there are some missions on the way for jobs, which were hard to level on their own until now (like Barter/Smuggler).

Storyline
Chenoa and Arbiter are waiting quiet and patiently for my new storyline-file, and I am really sorry that I always had to put them off from day to day because of other things. Either there was other stuff to do for Neocron, or my RL was full of other work. I was now finally able to sit down and write something down on paper. Right now, I am whipping it into shape and flesh it out, and hopefully, the dynamic content of NC will soon be going full-throttle again :)

[Selendor]

Thanks for the update.

Any news on whether your changes are going to come before the international release? I think a lot of people would prefer to work through the bugs in the patch before you put the game on the shelves, especially if you are going to try and fix long standing bugs with the PPUs.

Also, are you confident that the newbie weapon and item distribution from NPCs is consistent and easy, in both cities? I know as a newb buying the game I would really be struggling to find common items, when in Neocron 1 it was a lot easier.

[Morganth]

Nice to seem there is life in the KK offices. Doesn't surprise me that there are more bugs hardcoded into the game.

Please reinstate the test server before you start fiddling with PPUs. Lets at least be able to test different ideas out, as they may seem good on paper but in reality suck more balls than a gay prostitute.

[Dr Strange]

any word on the increasing levels of bad synchs and/or work done on these + fatal runtime errors?

[sanityislost]

Thanx for the Update mate, all sounds sweet

SiL ..:..

[Dribble Joy]

Pie, holes, sex and fun in your general direction.

//edit

We hope that after these fixes, there will only be small changes necessary to balance the PPU.
This is either highly encouraging or a sign that KK really has no idea about this issue.

[BradSTL]

No mention of Hacknet Theme However-Long? All of a sudden everything else is more important, and we're going to leave Hacknet in its current mostly-unplayable state?

And more importantly, you set out to update us on the important issues, and you say absolutely nothing about the timing on international release, not even a scientific wild-assed guess, not even a handwaved explanation of why the patch is now weeks late? Cake yesterday and cake tomorrow, but never cake today. Where else have I heard that before? Oh, I remember, it was Joe Hill (http://www.ku.edu/carrie/docs/texts/pie.htm):

"The starvation army they play, They sing and they clap and they pray, 'Till they get all your coin on the drum, Then they'll tell you when you're on the bum: 'You will eat, by and by, In that glorious land above the sky. Work and pray, live on hay, And you'll get pie in the sky when you die.' That's a lie!"

[Callash]

No mention of Hacknet Theme However-Long? All of a sudden everything else is more important, and we're going to leave Hacknet in its current mostly-unplayable state?

And more importantly, you set out to update us on the important issues, and you say absolutely nothing about the timing on international release, not even a scientific wild-assed guess, not even a handwaved explanation of why the patch is now weeks late?
You're right, I would very much like to say something about these things. :( I think they are as important as you do. However, I'm no CEO, no project manager or anything alike. I am just a mere content developer, so I cannot say anything about this stuff. I can only say something about the stuff I work on myself.

[Dr Strange]

so Callabash anything on the fatal runtime errors and increasing number of by synchronizations? i ask cause some of us want to know the devs aren't ignoring these issues

[Callash]

I just said that I am a content developer. I cannot make statements about fatals, FREs or syncs because I do not work on them. I cannot work on them. I only do content work in the coding department, I cannot do engine- and netcode-bugfixing. The only one who can say something about that are the coders, namely CoDi as Technical Director.

[J J]

Without wanting to sound too much like a fanboi it's great to have some feedback from the dev's, even if it's an honest answer like 'I don't know' or 'it's not my decision'. It's good to see that the opinions and concerns of the community are at least listened to, would be great to have these posts from more of the staff/more often, I'm sure it would placate a lot of people. There's lots of issues with the game atm, bugs, fatals, log in errors, etc etc but just a simple post to say 'we are aware of the problem, we are doing this to try and solve it' makes a hell of a difference.

[Morganth]

I just said that I am a content developer. I cannot make statements about fatals, FREs or syncs because I do not work on them. I cannot work on them. I only do content work in the coding department, I cannot do engine- and netcode-bugfixing. The only one who can say something about that are the coders, namely CoDi as Technical Director.

Go kick them in the teeth and remind them that there are these things called paying customers. Seems to me that KK have lost the plot on what being a business is all about, apart from the taking money part.

[BradSTL]

You're right, I would very much like to say something about these things. :( I think they are as important as you do. However, I'm no CEO, no project manager or anything alike. I am just a mere content developer, so I cannot say anything about this stuff. I can only say something about the stuff I work on myself.
Apologies if I'm asking the wrong person, but considering that one of the two most important remaining HackNet issues is the redesign and rebalancing of the Infected Storage 2, Infected Storage 3, Medium Security Login, and Heavy Security Login maps, I was kind of thinking that might be your area and I was hoping it was actually being worked on, or at least was somewhere near the top of your to-do list. And if you're not a coder, I'm not sure what PPU rebalancing is doing on your to-do list.

[Dribble Joy]

KK have repeatedly said that the current apparent 'lack' of production/activity is a result of the build up to the int release and the focus on non-content issues.

[Tostino]

Well it's good to hear that you guys are still working :p

[Dr Strange]

I just said that I am a content developer. I cannot make statements about fatals, FREs or syncs because I do not work on them. I cannot work on them. I only do content work in the coding department, I cannot do engine- and netcode-bugfixing. The only one who can say something about that are the coders, namely CoDi as Technical Director.

Fair enough ;)

Not to sound like a jackass, but can CoDi or someone else who does engine/code work give us a update on that side of things? Just with Nid's updates, the content interiew with Snowcrash and your update we aren't getting any information/updates about the most crucial things; the game stopping bugs ;(

[Richard Blade]

Fair enough ;)

Not to sound like a jackass, but can CoDi or someone else who does engine/code work give us a update on that side of things? Just with Nid's updates, the content interiew with Snowcrash and your update we aren't getting any information/updates about the most crucial things; the game stopping bugs ;(


O_o
Actually, I think there has been one other time that they were offering this much information.
They were hounded for answers that weren't theirs to answer, and insulted for some of the answers that they had to give.

I understand that some people might feel like they are in a soup line waiting for their share of it, but really, KK has actually been giving us quite a bit lately.

I like to think that as the INT release passes us by, we'll be offered even more information about where various fixes are and what direction they intend to take the player base. :D

Oh, and thanks Callash, that looks promising.

Regards,
RB

[Heavyporker]

hacknet?!!?

At this point, I say fuck to hacknet! Gliders is where the focus needs to be at. Jeez!

Just make it so imps can't fall out if you die in hacknet. There, half the frustration ended.

Gliders is where the real rage-machine is at!

[Fafhrd]

Will we be able to "test" ( aka. content patch ) some of the features for the international release before it hits the shelves?

€:
Yeah, have a look at the gliders, please! (dmg, armor, viewpoints, (reqs), btw: where's my quad? )

[System]

nice to see something again, but i as well would like to see the Test server come back up before you make an official patch with balancing the PPUs

[Lincoln]

Pertaining to FREs and sync errors. . .

Just sneak into CoDi's room at night with a syringe of 1200 mg of pure caffeine and inject it straight into his neck. The FRE problem will be solved by sunrise.

[Original monk]

dont inject that stuff in he's veins lol, it needs to be injected in a muscle: take the needle, aim .. and push it in he's bottom :)

ok, back to normal, i like those note's on how the progress are :)

but as asked above here im also curious if any changes has been made to the hacknet :) (fe: them overpowerd <<<< mobs)

i dont wonna push anything but im aslo veery curious what happend with NPC traders, i think these will revolutionize trading :) is there gonna be a tradeskiller themeweek wich will include those ? :)

btw i also think its a great idea that there are comming missions for hard to level skills :)

thanx for the update !

(ow and is that new coder still around ? we heard em the first day but afterwords it was quiet around em :) )

[Xaru]

Good to know. Id really like to see the missions get a real rework, because they are still boring as hell :)

Regards
Xaru

P.S: Callash, i am still waiting for an answer to a very old PM to you.

[Capt. Rik]

Cool update... looks good


Will we be able to "test" ( aka. content patch ) some of the features for the international release before it hits the shelves?

They've already said no...

[Fafhrd]

They've already said no...

I'm not asking for the testserver, but for a new patch.

[Dr Strange]

I'm not asking for the testserver, but for a new patch.

New patch won't come until International Release. Some of the content came in the last patch (I think it was 130 maybe 129 don't remember off the top of my head) that will be "unlocked" apon International Release (at least we assume so)

[Capt. Rik]

I'm not asking for the testserver, but for a new patch.

That's what I meant - can't find the post but something to do with the publishers wanting the contents all to be released at the same time

[Scanner Darkly]

Thanks for the update Callash.

I hope you've made sure there are plenty of droms in the zoo, so that all newbies are well aware of this dangerous menace.

Yes, we are all eagerly awaiting IR. Are there any events planned to celebrate IR and introduce new content to the game? I bet this part is a secret tho :)

[enigma_b17]

Hi,

I want to give you a short overview about what we or I currently work on. Comments and suggestions are of course very welcome, and you can be sure that I will read every reply from you (at least the first dozen pages ;)), even if I cannot comment everything. Thanks for your understanding.


PPU Balancing
While looking for a solution to the PPU problem, I had to work on a truck load of translations, which is why I couldn't say anything about the topic anymore. This is how things are at the moment. Lupus pointed me towards some pretty ugly bugs, which may not be that know, but which make PPU balancing even more difficult than it already is. Unfortunately, these bugs aren't easy to fix, which is why their fixing could not be done while the team was working on stuff for the international release. Now that the release is upon us, we try to give this more priority. We hope that after these fixes, there will only be small changes necessary to balance the PPU.


Thanks for the update Callash, much appreciated, however;
I haave to be honest, i am completely and utterly dreading the result of this.....Its a stay or go sort of thing for me (ie if ppu's get shafted yet again ill go :P).

[Original monk]

would it be possible to make a longer list with missions ? instead of the current list with 3 missions wich sometimes even are 3 the same missions :/

if this is supposed to be a timesink then it works yeah, tough it doesnt really promote the use of missions :)

still no idea wich exact date the release will be ? im used to waiting by now and enjoy myself the way it is now (relax and chill) but some of my friends keep whining for a date lol :) new players and new patches are always intresting .. wel most of the times .. (ok brad asked this before and callash you cant answer cause you arent responsable for date's etc but maybe someone else can :) )

also is it possible to pay true paypal via paybycash ? if C2P wont work then PBC and paypal would be a great alternative :)

[Scanner Darkly]

Thanks for the update Callash, much appreciated, however;
I haave to be honest, i am completely and utterly dreading the result of this.....Its a stay or go sort of thing for me (ie if ppu's get shafted yet again ill go :P).

If you go can I have your stuff?!!!!one? :D :lol: :D

Who cares if PPUs get as you so aptly put it "shafted" might be fun to play under a different dynamic. Alas I too love my little godlike monkey and would cry an Amazon if he were to be gimped. I think I'd have to start taking it out on anyone that crossed my path...

[enigma_b17]

theyr not godlike though, its an illusion that people have created around ppus, and u know ud quit too :P

[Morganth]

Well, if they do shaft PPUs, then mine will most likely go hybrid or I'll play my PEs all the time (started to like my Libby PE more and more towards then end of my NC time as I was playing CS - Duel Colt addiction :p ).

[Bugs Gunny]

Oh, i'm so looking forward to retiring my ppu.....