Live Update 2008.08.27

[AmonGwareth]

Game Systems Update for August 27, 2008:

New Feature
Support for items that must be equipped to get the effect

Change
Adjusted monster agro so that there is a 33% slower build-up of aggro towards healers in the game.

[Vlisson]

Originally Posted by AmonGwareth

New Feature
Support for items that must be equipped to get the effect

hmm what does this mean? you need to equip the bhm now to use it?

[AmonGwareth]

Nope, it means exactly what it says. That the technology for requiring an item to be equipped to use it is now available.

[Justa Mirage]

Originally Posted by AmonGwareth

Game Systems Update for August 27, 2008:

New Feature
Support for items that must be equipped to get the effect

Change
Adjusted monster agro so that there is a 33% slower build-up of aggro towards healers in the game.

Love the "Change"
Out harvesting with a guildie, we aren't even grouped, Maple treant sees "level 58 healer" and "level 100 ranger" and goes to pick on the healer. As soon as I threw 1 revitalize at the healer, the treant switches targets almost instantly. I became his best-a-buddy. All of the attacks the healer did with spell damage / etc. did not sway it from me.

I will be happy to know that heals to others and myself isn't an instant aggro magnet

Justa Casts Aggro Magnet IV (which is what heal spells should be called)

Not understanding the first part: unless there is something I am missing, you never could use an item unless it was equipped ??

[Takora Drakan]

As far as I know you could use the BHM effect without equipping it, now you cant anymore.

[Vlisson]

i dont understand the first part too ^^ my example of the bhm has not been correct (so i read the answer of Amon)

[Shian]

I thought that the BHM was fixed long ago.... Not sure what else you can use without eqipping.

[Deth]

I think what is meant is that now they have the engine work to add something that says heals you over time as long as it is worn. I.E. a ring of regeneration that is always on unlike an item like the boars mask that would have to be "turned" on for each use. Basically the activation would be wearing the item and not right clicking using.

[GalemThawn]

The Boar's Hide Mask was earlier set to Attune On Equip, but not required to Equip to Use.

The technology for requiring an item to be equipped to use has now been added. This covers not just the BHM, but any other item that can be equipped and has a 'Use' function. If I remember correctly, one of the epic staffs has this type of function.

Originally Posted by Deth

I think what is meant is that now they have the engine work to add something that says heals you over time as long as it is worn.

That function already existed. The Sholder Treants do a Heal Over Time, but they have to be equipped for you to get the effect.

[Steele]

Originally Posted by GalemThawn

That function already existed. The Sholder Treants do a Heal Over Time, but they have to be equipped for you to get the effect.

Yep... same with those blighted jewelry pieces from near the easterd deadlands; they have a persistant DoT effect on them, if I remember correctly.

This is purely to close the loophole for items such as the BHM which could be hotkeyed and used while still in your inventory, un-equipped.

Personally it's a good fix so they can add more diverse items to the game moving forward, without them ending up as overpowered as the BHM. Of course, as an owner of a BHM I hate to see it happen. ...not that I use it much anyway (CHSW's get a little self-haste and 2HS skill does me no good), but I'll probably be more selective about when I want to wear it since I like the AC and persistant stats of my Mithril plate mask.

[Tzael]

I've only ever had one BHM and it was always a pleasure to lend it to friends back on Unity who were better suited to taking advantage of its benefits. Now on Chaos I have discovered that due to the attunement I can't take the risk anymore incase something goes wrong and they can't give it back when we're done hunting.

Now I find that according to this information, I will never be able to lend it out again if I want to get it back.

The time has come to decide whether the BHM remains a part of my Dryad event collection, or gets passed on to someone who will have no qualms about attuning it to themselves.

I must admit that I am surprised. I was told that the attunement of the BHM was meant to deal with people who had multiples of the item, but I thought that had already been addressed with the shared timer (a change which I approved of at the time). Truth be told, I only ever knew one person on Unity who admitted to having more than one. Without making this sound like a rant, I feel that beyond the linking of the timer across BHMs the rest of the changes made that affect the item are simply fun-quashers.

[Chasing]

The Lunus and Helian phylactery's for the ROP are not equippable but have a right click use function and can be hotkeyed.

Does this update have any impact to them?

[Drevar]

No items have been altered. The technology to allow alterations and additions (of the type listed) as needed later has been added. Don't know how it could have been any clearer. *shrug*

Drev

[Tzael]

Cheers for the clarification Drevar. I was a bit quick with my exclamation earlier and I should have refrained, instead waiting until I get an opportunity to log in and review the actuality of the change.

In fact it's a little after ten in the evening, all the work is done, now might be a good time to log in since it's been several days since I last paid a visit to Istaria.

[Vlisson]

then this update has no real impact to the living servers at the moment?

but it will allow new stuff in the future? confusing update then ^^

but you got us guys to awake hehe

[Mensar]

Another exploit down!

Great work, VI!

Love the healer update.. had to always have my healer like 10 levels higher than anyone else in the group to avoid them being targetted right off the bat. This will make things more realistic.

[Guaran]

Originally Posted by Drevar

No items have been altered. The technology to allow alterations and additions (of the type listed) as needed later has been added. Don't know how it could have been any clearer. *shrug*

Drev

Not correct exactly. I had to equip my BHM on chaos to use it just the other day. So at least one item has been changed. I remember years ago Manga had said that he did not like that bhm could be used without wearing but obviously it was low priority as far as being changed.

It is a way of slowing removing them from the game alltogether, possibly spurred by the crazy prices they sold for in recent history (on chaos one was rumoured to sell for 1.3 mithril).

[CallakDW]

Originally Posted by AmonGwareth

Change
Adjusted monster agro so that there is a 33% slower build-up of aggro towards healers in the game.

This is VERY good to hear, it's nearly impossible to protect a healer due to the major agro they get right now.

[Rayth]

I guess tweaking healer aggro is a start, but the whole aggro mechanic has been pretty well broke from the beginning.

Perhaps a mulligan at some point?

The grouping and mob mechanics are extremely simplistic. Have a lot of debuffs and stuff that don't seem to make much of a difference.

[Trust]

Gangaf's boots need to be equiped now as well.