The Family | A PlaneShift Guild

Dev Meeting 2014-07-06

Eonwindd says: Welcome to the Q&A event
Eonwindd says: this is an OOC event, where you can meet the developers and ask them any questions
Eonwindd says: please form a line behind the stand in front of me
Mishka says: Here?
Talad says: Hi
Lumi says: Hello !
Rykia says: Hi Talad
Eonwindd says: please just ask a single question then go to the back of the line
Talad says: did we advertise the event in gossip?
Mordaan says: yes
Eonwindd says: this way everyone will be able to ask hisher question
Talad says: ok
Eonwindd says: I did
Mordaan says: fixed the crash, Talad?
Mordaan says: or did it just suddenly start working? 🙂
Talad says: if I don’t move seems to work ok
Talad says: I will check it later
Eonwindd says: here on the stage we have Talad, the project leader
Mordaan says: heh
Eonwindd says: Mordaan settings leader along Venalan
Eonwindd says: Taya awesome settings developer
Tay grins at Eonwindd
Eonwindd says: Tuathanach awesome rules developer XD
Eonwindd says: and Eredin our beloved engine developer
Lumi says: lol
Gonger says: Beloved, but not awesoe 🙂
Eredin says: heh
Mordaan says: 🙂
Rykia grins
Mishka says: Speaks volumes of him…
Mishka says: :X
Eonwindd says: about me I am the Rules department leader
Tay says: Well, us awesome ones also are not beloved 🙂
Eonwindd says: oh and I was forgetting …
Mishka says: Excluding qualities, it seems.
Eonwindd says: Eredin is awesome too XD
Rykia says: But you are! You just never knew it. 🙂
Lumi says: xD
Mishka was neither beloved nor awesome 😛
Eonwindd says: Please form a line here
Mishka says: If you ask so kindly.
Eonwindd says: hi Mishka, please ask your question
Mishka says: Hi, Mishka Laralkes from the Daily Dome.
Mishka says: jk jk
Mishka says: So I was wondering if there was an ETA on 300Q handles for axes, knives… and shield parts. Also, would it be too much to ask for some parts? I can pay. My work is hindered by the default parts.
Eredin says: Eonwind is that one yours?
Eonwindd says: hi Tuathanach has done a good job to create the data for many of the parts actually only available for purchase
Eonwindd says: yup Eredin
Tuathanach says: Soon, I expect in next rules update
Xola says: cooks ,herbalists alchemists need betterr quality of ingerdient too
Mishka says: Hear hear.
Eonwindd says: but we still need to go through the DB upload stage and the testing stage
Emphatico nods
Mishka says: Hope it doesn’t take too long.
Eonwindd says: hi Kaerli
Mishka purrs… and licks Rykia “Hi tabei…”
Kaerli says: Speaking of the next rules update, should I expect bowyering then?
Mordaan says: It will take as long as it needs to be right
Mordaan says: 😛
Mordaan says: bow making is already in, we just need the quests to introduce the crafting books.
Eonwindd says: yes ^
Mishka pokes Tay “Get to work, then.”
Kaerli says: aaah. so…what’s holding the quests up then?
Emphatico smiles
Eonwindd says: so it will take a settings update as well
Kaerli says: or should those be in the next settings update?
Mordaan says: precious free time 😛
Mordaan says: or lack thereof
Tay says: I’m not sure who was working on those quests
Mishka has free time now, just saying.
Kaerli says: heh.
Mishka has signed the DMCA as well.
Eonwindd says: and if I’m not wrong some still need to be written
Gonger says: Greetings awesome dev team, greetings awesome players.
Mordaan says: Tua, did you mention you are going to work on it? Pending your rules duties?
Gonger says: I was questing a lot lately (after the big rest), and ended up several times with a lot of different stuff
Tuathanach says: yes bow quests are 2 of 3 written
Mordaan says: ah cool
Emphatico says: sounds wonderfull
Gonger says: I was wondering whether it would be possible to have special containers – a toolbox, some thing for alchemy stuff, another for animal parts, etc.
Mordaan says: we had a prospect who did the first and started the 2nd, but then disappeared in December. :/
Eonwindd says: a big clap for Tua!
Lumi says: indeed
Gonger suddenly looks a bit lost…
Mishka supports the toolbox idea.
Lumi says: 3D artists problem i guess :l
Gag says: What shall its advantage be?
Bonifarzia remembers an old feature request for colored or even renamed sacks.
Gonger says: Gag, easier inventory organisation
Mishka says: Fitting all the tools in a single container…
Kaerli says: Quivers would be very nice as well, although probably more work due to the plumbing required to make them renamable
Emphatico says: YES
Kaerli says: err not renamable: I meant equippable etal
Emphatico says: thats cool
Mordaan says: the quest writing process: 1. think about it; 2. write it; 3. upload and test it; 4. realize nothing works; 5. repeat steps 1-4. 😀
Mishka says: Pffft.
Gonger says: Uh… can we stick to ONE topic, maybe?
Kaerli says: sure
Gonger says: Instead of mixing two…
Mishka says: May I suggest something?
Eonwindd says: actually I noticed some time ago quivers are supported by the engine, however we lacks the art for it
Mordaan says: sorry…took me too long to type that
Kaerli says: I’m with you on custom container types, even if they reuse the existing art
Tuathanach says: Art would be bigest problem for that gonger, namable sacks I believe is being worked on
Mishka says: Regarding the toolbox.
Eredin says: we have a patch for namable containers. preliminary work by a prospect.
Gonger says: Good news, Tuathanach
Emphatico says: 🙂
Lumi says: wow yea
Eredin says: we have to test it and some potential side effects of it before release.
Bonifarzia nods a thanks for the info.
Gonger says: Maybe I am thinking about too much now… but would it be possible to sort things you pick up directly into those containers? 🙂
Emphatico says: would be realy cool 🙂
Eonwindd says: one question only Gonger please XD
Gonger says: Ah, sorry.
Eonwindd says: but you can re-queue
Eonwindd says: hi Kaerli
Kaerli says: Long term vision question…do you see the game-mechanics Yliakum remaining as…static as it is 5-10 years from now?
Talad says: holograms and virtual reality may be part of PS in the future 🙂
Eonwindd says: ehrm … do you mean if there will be a timeline advancement?
Kaerli says: perhaps, but also advancements in our ability as RPers to influence the world around us
Bonifarzia giggles – i think she refers to the physics engine… there’s the bullet engine, right?
Eonwindd says: Kaerli, honestly I think that’s the way to go IMHO
Eonwindd says: but for that we need a good GM team
Eredin says: we are built on the bullet engine which is very capable. it’s a matter of supporting coding.
Eonwindd says: creating plotline for players to develop upon
Bonifarzia nods – else all places will be a mess
Kaerli says: so, improved physics, object management, etal
Eonwindd says: ah engine..
Eredin says: we want to balance speed of rendering versus realism. great realism means heavier clients…
Kaerli says: and yes, improvements on the GM side too
Eonwindd says: this require a GM team in the first place…
Bonifarzia says: i think there are some concept demo videos for what bullet can handle.
Gonger says: Emphatico, do you want to ask a question?
Kaerli says: *major* improvements on the GM side…
Eredin says: it’s a difficult tradeoff to make.
Emphatico says: hello there
Eonwindd says: hi Emphatico
Emphatico says: would be nice to get different coloured items on herbals for example
Emphatico says: for better orientations
Mishka says: And ponies.
Mishka shuts up :X
Emphatico says: i agree to gonger …we need more capacity in inventory
Kaerli says: yeah, the engine stuff for inventory needs an overhaul
Eonwindd says: nice but we lacks someone to work on this stuff
Emphatico bows to DEV Team
Emphatico says: you ve made a pretty nice work
Mishka pokes Gag “You the last in line?”
Eonwindd says: thank you a lot 🙂
Emphatico says: yliakum is full of fun
Eonwindd says: glad to hear that 🙂
Gonger says: Greetings again.
Eonwindd says: hi Gonger
Eonwindd says: again 😛
Gonger says: As I just said, it would be … awesome… to have stuff you pick up sorted automatically into special containers. The number of times you pick up something, don’t realize your basic inventory is full, and then you have to search through all your bags to find it…
Gonger says: I would pay a lot for such special containers.
Eonwindd says: Eredin? I think this is yours
Emphatico pokes gonger
Xola says: containers are too small , that would not work i guess
Eredin says: If i understand what’s being asked, the purpose of ht special containers would be to have certain categories of items automatically placed into specific ones?
Bonifarzia thinks that’s also closely related to stacking – havn’t there been plans to auto-stack via quaity ranges?
Eonwindd says: yes Boni, but I think it’s unrelated
Gonger says: The first purpose would be to organize yourself your inventory better
Gonger says: And it would be fun to have a toolbox that looks like a toolbox
Gonger says: That is the more important part
Mordaan says: the key is, how would the engine know where an item is supposed to go?
Eredin says: so basically just an art item?
Gonger says: Auto-sort would just be a superb bonus 🙂
Eonwindd says: if I’m not wrong the engine already add the picked up item in the same slot where another equal item has been stored
Mordaan says: I agree with that. I never really liked the slot-based inventory, myself. I’d much rather just place things in there and have the ability to sort.
Mishka says: Diablo II inventory now!
Gonger says: Eonwindd, yes, if you have one, they are stacked
Eonwindd says: so basically a different UI
Emphatico says: what about slot binding sacks?
Gonger says: But otherwise it can sometimes just go anywhere
Mordaan says: but same thing…someone’s going to have to program all that.
Eredin says: sorting by category would require a manual review and categorization of all the items in the db as I don’t *think* that information exists at present.
Mishka forgot what she was going to ask…
Gonger says: Well, I certainly did not expect auto-sort to be an easy thing… :-))
Eredin says: 😀 you would be correct.
Gonger says: But it is a good start to see that most people seem to like the idea.
Eredin says: it is.
Bonifarzia says: hint: If there are too many items and some slipped into random sacks, you may want to /drop any 65 itemname – unless you dont want to stack them.
Eonwindd says: Eredin in each item stats there is the category number iirc
Eredin says: Oh!! I’m mistaken then! Happily so.
Gag says: Hello. A general question … where is the current team capacity? The number of developers (incl. associates) and game masters?
Mordaan says: you mean a listing of current members?
Eredin says: many prospects and even some devs are sporadically active…makes it really hard to say.
Eonwindd says: hi Gag, we currently lacks graphic devs (2D/3D)
Eonwindd says: and the sadly GM team has gone
Mordaan says: yes, it changes so often and abruptly, it’s hard to keep accurate.
Eredin says: I would guess the the core active group is 7-10….?
Gag says: Just a number of really active members for each, because … yes, I was afraid about a whole lack of GMs.
Gag says: Sad thing. People with responsibility are hard to keep…
Mishka says: Gag for GM!
Eonwindd says: Yes they are :/
Eonwindd says: honestly I think a GM team is what PS lacks most, and we are in a dire need of it imo
Eonwindd says: hi Kaerli
Lumi says: not easy to find either :/
Eredin says: yes. but it is also largely a thankless job. hard on people.
Kaerli says: Will two-handers be in with the next code update? I’ve heard that those are partially implemented atm
Tay says: Some of the devs are helping where they can, but we have limited time to do two jobs as well.
Mishka says: I think Kaerli means polearms.
Eonwindd says: honestly I think the engagement rules must be reworked
Kaerli says: yeah, I do mean polearms
Eonwindd says: for GMs
Mordaan says: so…*hint*hint*…anyone interested in being a GM?
Mishka says: I would, but I’ve been deemed unsuitable.
Smirick says: i asked about that last minth
Smirick says: month with talad
Eonwindd says: I’m a GM of tabletops games and from time to time I even run events for PS and I’ve always found it to be fun
Resildren says: hi!
Kaerli says: I’d probably need more small-scale DM-type experience before I try to event GM in PS…
Eonwindd says: if that’s not fun for the GMs who left it means there is something wrong in the process
Smirick says: i would i’m usually on all time
Eonwindd says: because GMing IS fun
Resildren says: you know I’m intrested but I need to keep resi out of it, I want to use an alt
Gonger says: Mordaan, I could help with proofreading, as we discussed already before I had to go to hospital…
Eredin says: I’m also thinking of all the behind-the-scenes work that we need GMs for. it needs done too.
Mishka says: I would gladly run events.
Talad says: we should run a short interview with Smirick
Eonwindd says: ok back to your question Kaerli
Gonger says: And of course, we simply need more people interested in PlaneShift (old subject)
Talad says: Mordaan can you do this with Venalan?
Kaerli says: Resi: you would be using an alt
Resildren says: ( so much for /telling)
Eonwindd says: yes the code now support 2-hands handling of weapons
Eonwindd says: however there are some “problems” we need to solve before actually releasing true polearms
Kaerli says: gotcha
Mordaan says: us interview for GMs? Umm, sure. Venalan would have a better handle on it, but I’d gladly help out.
Emphatico says: 🙂
Kaerli says: engine bugfixing needed I see…
Mishka coughs “coff*animation*coff*”
Eonwindd says: the biggest is balancing the damage output as it should stand in comparison with 2-hand fighting
Eonwindd says: otherwise there won’t be any advantage handling a polearm
Bonifarzia says: Range?
Kaerli says: also, have the slots been fixed up yet in trunk so that polearms can be equipped/dequipped properly?
Xola says: we have big weapons that give no adventage like broadswords and claymore
Mishka says: Broadswords give advantagem they do.
Eonwindd says: Mordaan I would like to be present to the interview myself too if possible
Xola says: too slow
Eredin says: Sorry Kaerli I would have to defer to Jilare on that and he’s had an RL intervention.
Mordaan says: no problem, Eonwindd
Mishka says: Learn how to time them, then.
Kaerli says: gotcha
Eonwindd says: yes Boni range is one but alone is not enough
Lumi says: they are big tho Xola, them beeing slow is normal
Eonwindd says: thank you Mordaan
Xola says: the damage bonus dont compenate the slow
Eonwindd says: rnage is not enough becuase in RL polearms actively stops the enemy from getting inside the threatened area (mostly)
Bonifarzia perfectly agrees with Eonwind
Eonwindd says: *range
Lumi agrees too
Kaerli says: yeah, polearms have a standoff advantage that’s not modelable without char-char collision
Mishka says: Polearms just would need to have twice the damage.
Mishka says: I think.
Eonwindd says: we can’t do that in ps so the damage output is still something to be adjusted
Mishka says: If an axe deals 2.5, a poleaxe would have to be 5.0. I think.
Lumi says: maybe just faster / better range. kind of an “armed melee” thing
Eonwindd says: twice could be too much Mishka
Lumi says: agile type of combat
Mishka says: Then make it 2/3rds
Eonwindd says: even a 1.5 would already be favourable tradeoff in many cases
Mishka says: No, make them slower.
Eonwindd says: especially when coupled with an augmented range
Mishka says: It’s a matter of DPS for me.
Lumi says: why slower ?
Lumi says: a stick is light >.>
Mishka says: You’re swinging a heavy metal pole.
Lumi says: ah it’s in metal?
Lumi says: i thoguht in wood
Eonwindd says: We are close to the event’s end
Mishka says: lumi u wot m8 fyt me irl
Lumi says: ?? o.o
Mishka says: jk xD
Talad says: if there are no other questions we can wrap up
Lumi says: didn’t get that mishka lol
Mishka says: Don’t worry, Lumi, check tells.
Eonwindd says: Does any dev would like to share something he’s working on?
Eredin says: sure
Eredin says: I have been refactoring the SC bar and have resolved the issue of buttons being layed out differently as you scroll forwards & backwards
Eredin says: sounds like a small thing, but I think this was a sore point for many players.
Kabitar says: And it works fine.
Lumi says: not a small thing! \o/
Mordaan says: Not doing anything right now *shakes fist at RL* but when I do have free time, my next project will be retooling the shield quests to eliminate the individual diagrams and replacing them with 4 crafting books.
Eredin says: I’ve also added spell timers to the AM bar
Mishka says: Erm, Mordaan… what will happen to us who have the diagrams already?
Eredin says: ad the ability to set warning & danger level colors and flashing
Eonwindd says: 🙂
Mordaan says: good question, Mishka…one of the things that will have to be decided.
Eonwindd says: Tuathanach anything to add for rules?
Resildren says: wallpaper?
Mishka says: If you won’t replace them personally, I suggest you give us enough hints so we can get them easily.
Tuathanach says: nothing that hasn’t been said before
Xola says: the current diagram are working fne , they are small and not mess with so manny formulas as other books doo
Eonwindd says: oh about shield making like Mordaan said it’s being worked on to make it less widespread between too many books
Eonwindd says: and also shields stats are being revised
Mishka already has them spread all in her crate for easier access…
Xola says: big book cause problem to find specyfic formula
Eonwindd says: I would like to thank Tuathanach and Lumi (beloved prospect) for working on the project
Lumi says: lol
Mordaan tips his helm to Lumi
Gonger says: Lumi is awesome 🙂
Lumi blushe
Lumi says: thanks
Mishka says: Random rivnak.
Eonwindd says: you’re welcome
Talad says: ok, we can close the event then
Lumi think it’s a pleasure to work with Eonwind and Tua
Smirick says: definitly a hard worker that Lumi
Eonwindd says: ok we’re at the meeting end
Gonger says: Thanks again to the whole Dev team!
Smirick says: sorry for the mount
Emphatico says: Okay,/me bows “thank you for spending your time, i ll enjoy the comming news”
Talad says: thanks for being present
Resildren applaudes the dev team
Eonwindd says: thank you for being present and enjoy playing the game!
Talad says: and enjoy Yliakum