February 2009 Content Patch

[Skaladar]

....

Also, the first of Kaliphar's new dialogues has several typos:

The next trial is most difficult, in order to for you to earn your next gift; I need resources of the most rare nature.
=
The next trial is most difficult; in order to for you to earn your next gift, I need resources of the most rare nature.

The Dragon's Gift requires two Reagents; The first one being a Brilliant Peridot Gemstone found on the golems of the gems.
=
The Dragon's Gift requires two reagents, the first one being a Brilliant Peridot Gemstone found on the golems of the gems.
A little addicted to the semicolon, are you? In this instance it's unnecessary and inappropriately used. Does "reagent" really need to be capitalised?

Gheniem can be found ear the frozen volcanic islands, north of the frozen peninsula and bring be back the Brilliant Peridot Gemstone.
=
Gheniem can be found near the frozen volcanic islands, north of the icy peninsula. Bring me back the Brilliant Peridot Gemstone.

Can't comment on the rest of his new dialogues as I haven't gotten that far yet.

Typo's aren't the only problem with Kaliphar's dialog in the DGV quest. In the second part you are told to "collect four Fire Opal Gem Shards" but in Active Quests it is listed as "Bring Back five (5) Fire Opal Golem Gem Shards". I haven't finished it yet but I suspect the latter is correct.

[GalemThawn]

Typo's aren't the only problem with Kaliphar's dialog in the DGV quest. In the second part you are told to "collect four Fire Opal Gem Shards" but in Active Quests it is listed as "Bring Back five (5) Fire Opal Golem Gem Shards". I haven't finished it yet but I suspect the latter is correct.

Reported under Bugs section, noted by Amon, and will be fixed.

[LaughingOtter]

This thread is for discussion of the listed content changes; please keep the discussion to that topic. My comments about the beetle changes were just to point out that the change was not targeted at any group of players in specific. They were made because we felt it made sense for beetles to be handled that way.

As always, we will monitor the effect of this change and may make adjustments to it if we feel that adjustments are needed.

[Dragonboy]

And you do have other types of damage to deal.

True. To be exact 5 out of 12 abilities because to a dragon with maxed TnC spells are almost worthless, so that leaves Tail whip on a 30s timer, Dragons's Reach on a 2 minute timer, Breath of Fire / Ice / Lightning on a shared timer with 30s / 1 minute / 1 minute.

Like I said before... It is bad to force interaction between Bipeds and Dragons. It happens already through trade, but the fact you are trying to force it now so that 1 race can kill a specific mob makes me believe you want to make this game like many other MMORPGs... Group orientated.
Would be a shame to chance a good game so drasticly.

[Drevar]

You do realize there are other things to kill besides beetles, right? With the cleaned up loot tables golems, spiders, gruoks, ogres, and pygmies drop as well as beetles do.

It seems too many got stuck in easy mode with the beetles.

Drev

[LaughingOtter]

It is bad to force interaction between Bipeds and Dragons. It happens already through trade, but the fact you are trying to force it now so that 1 race can kill a specific mob makes me believe you want to make this game like many other MMORPGs... Group orientated.

The second 'M' in 'MMORPG' stands for 'Multiplayer'. That means interaction between players and group orientation by definition. That said, no one is being forced to interact with anyone else as a result of this change. It's one option that is available to you, but there are others. If you choose not to explore them, that's up to you.

[Deth]

Like I said before... It is bad to force interaction between Bipeds and Dragons. It happens already through trade, but the fact you are trying to force it now so that 1 race can kill a specific mob makes me believe you want to make this game like many other MMORPGs... Group orientated.
Would be a shame to chance a good game so drasticly.

You think they are only now trying to make it group orientated? They have been waving the group flag for ages, maybe not implemented it well but they have been working towards player interdependence for ages.

[Creme]

True. To be exact 5 out of 12 abilities because to a dragon with maxed TnC spells are almost worthless, so that leaves Tail whip on a 30s timer, Dragons's Reach on a 2 minute timer, Breath of Fire / Ice / Lightning on a shared timer with 30s / 1 minute / 1 minute.

Like I said before... It is bad to force interaction between Bipeds and Dragons. It happens already through trade, but the fact you are trying to force it now so that 1 race can kill a specific mob makes me believe you want to make this game like many other MMORPGs... Group orientated.
Would be a shame to chance a good game so drasticly.

This might be good encouragement to participate in the Gold Rage balancing contest where you can decrease timers/ increase damage on other abilities and tweak gold rage's recycle/damage to get an equal amount of damage over time, spread out over different abilities.

OR

You can accept that beetles are going to be more difficult and require a different sort of strategy and be happy to have gold rage as it is

As an ancient dragon, I was still able to kill giant ice beetles, albeit it took a bit longer. It still didn't take an inordinately long time. My breath of flame burst did a nice job on whacking most of them down a good percentage of health. I was unbuffed (aside from dragon buffs) and had a tool claw equipped. I wound up battering them down most of the rest of the way with my AoEs and for the ones left over, by that time hardened shell had faded and my melee attacks were effective again.

It's definitely an intriguing concept to have a variety of blighted damage conversion claws (for those that disdain biped friendliness).

This would also not require one to be group oriented.

[Guaran]

Haven't tried the beetles yet, but it sounds like a damage conversion to the vulnerable damage type is the required tactic. In general I'm fine with that, and I even have an Ice Striking, Flame Striking, Spirit Striking, and Blight Striking claws in the vault which may now be more useful.

One thing that is a bit of a concern would be low level dragon quests where a newer player might find themselves up against a frustrating battle. (a kill 50 beetle quest will be tougher now). Newer players are going to be much less likely to have a flame striking claw available. I'm not really recommending anything be changed other than the Quest Chat for those quests, so that the NPC giving the quest mentions the "resistant to your normal slashing attacks" as well as ".. Snow Beetles have been found to be vulnerable to flame imbued attacks. That can be accomplished in several ways..." Or something along those lines. Just so the new player isn't totally suprised and has a clue to ask for help of some sort. Plus it makes sense for the elder dragons giving the quests to know those kind of things.

I have nothing against having the players group up to complete some of these quests, or waiting 10 levels to do one.

But remember that snow beetles are a bit of a run out in the boonies, and flame attack only lasts 15 minutes. It would be half worn off by the time the hatchy even got out there, and that's assuming they know right where to go... Perhaps the line of "Attack" spells could be given longer durations? (1 hour?) Going back to town to snag flame attack from other players multiple times is unecessary element of making things tougher imho.

My 2 Dimensional Scepters of Radiance worth.

[Death-knell]

The second 'M' in 'MMORPG' stands for 'Multiplayer'. That means interaction between players and group orientation by definition. That said, no one is being forced to interact with anyone else as a result of this change. It's one option that is available to you, but there are others. If you choose not to explore them, that's up to you.

Actually the "multiplayer" only means you are not the only player in the world. Thats what it means.

[Guaran]

That's not really true. Most mmo's (actually all that I am familiar with) design alot of the gameplay around obstacles requiring a group effort to overcome.

[Death-knell]

Haven't tried the beetles yet, but it sounds like a damage conversion to the vulnerable damage type is the required tactic. In general I'm fine with that, and I even have an Ice Striking, Flame Striking, Spirit Striking, and Blight Striking claws in the vault which may now be more useful.

One thing that is a bit of a concern would be low level dragon quests where a newer player might find themselves up against a frustrating battle. (a kill 50 beetle quest will be tougher now). Newer players are going to be much less likely to have a flame striking claw available. I'm not really recommending anything be changed other than the Quest Chat for those quests, so that the NPC giving the quest mentions the "resistant to your normal slashing attacks" as well as ".. Snow Beetles have been found to be vulnerable to flame imbued attacks. That can be accomplished in several ways..." Or something along those lines. Just so the new player isn't totally suprised and has a clue to ask for help of some sort. Plus it makes sense for the elder dragons giving the quests to know those kind of things.

I have nothing against having the players group up to complete some of these quests, or waiting 10 levels to do one.

But remember that snow beetles are a bit of a run out in the boonies, and flame attack only lasts 15 minutes. It would be half worn off by the time the hatchy even got out there, and that's assuming they know right where to go... Perhaps the line of "Attack" spells could be given longer durations? (1 hour?) Going back to town to snag flame attack from other players multiple times is unecessary element of making things tougher imho.

My 2 Dimensional Scepters of Radiance worth.

Thanks you Guaran this was the point I was trying to make. Hatchlings really don't have options. And I started and played a new hatchling for a while. And after days of questing and running around there were few to none people to group with. Unless they widen the level gap.

[Death-knell]

That's not really true. Most mmo's (actually all that I am familiar with) design alot of the gameplay around obstacles requiring a group effort to overcome.

Yes, I realize MMORPGs all have solo/group gameplay as well as some have raid instances. But that is game design not what the "M" stands for. Also, more and more games are actually incorporating more content so individuals can solo all the way to max level. Because some people like the whole "I depend on no one" life.

[Vaz]

Because some people like the whole "I depend on no one" life.

So they can afford to be worthless jerks as far as the rest of the players are concerned.

I strongly prefer soloing, so it's not that I'm some grouping addict bashing the solo playstyle. It's just that game design choices have distinct effects on what kind of people play the game in question and how those people get along with each other.

[Aaelefein]

While I'm sure this thread has gotten off topic, thought I'd toss in my view point on the solo vs. group issue.

Grouping in my mind requires a totally a different mindset, tactic style and maybe even the right personality to work well. Not everyone has all three or even one. What works well for one who solos (me) does not work well in a group and vice-versa...doing so will get you and several other's killed.

I don't have an issue with some content requiring groups...as long as it is optional and not required for leveling and or epic/legendary abilities and or items. That is one thing that has turned me off from several other MMOs out there...a lot of content REQUIRED group and or multi-group (raid?) parties.

Soloing has its place in role-play and as someone pointed out, multi-player does not mean group-play...only that not all toons you meet are computer controlled. For leveling purposes I do it solo...it means a lot more to me and group hunts are when I don't care (or can't) if I level or get loot...it's about having fun with others.

Soloing also does not mean it's all about "me"...it could be RP, but I bet for most its a matter of what works well for them. I do know that when they changed the experience system a couple years ago...THAT killed a lot of grouping as it turned most guild hunts into XP-less hunts and be honest, unless already 100...who really wants to go on a hunt when there's no xp gain or they can do so much better solo?

Personally...I really think they need to take another look at how XP is divvied up and calculated in groups. If it was possible (don't think it is), but would be great if there was a way to weight a pplayers actions during a fight. Is a person just sitting there doing nothing (little to no XP), or are they casting heals, buffs, debuffs, trying to fight (missing or 0's), getting hurt etc for greater XP gain?

well rambled on enough...

[Nayuaka]

I'm prolly going to regret saying this I imagine, but those beetles arn't that hard. I mean adapt. Physical attacks from dragons arn't as useful so why not use magic. I took one out the other day with just improved prime bolt, and no buffs, and did fine. I was in lair scales to boot.

That being said the only thing that irritated me in the patch was the once again drop only through all teirs new dragon spell. Otherwise lots of neat things were added.

[Zexoin]

Spirit damage is VERY effective against beetles. Just need to get a spirit striking claw. You can argue that it's not easy for lowbies to get one ; I disagree. I know someone who's been trying to sell blighted stuff, and some were good ones, for low levels. Just, noone bought them. *shrugs*

[gopher65]

As for the biped comparrison again...
Bipeds can CHOOSE to switch to a school which uses for example Crush damage weapons and so they can farm any beetle again.

I'm sorry... so if someone plays a scout, which uses pierce and can't switch damage types, your solution is for them to switch schools?

Fine, that sounds about right. Then my solution to you is to farm beetles with a mage instead of with a dragon.

Your solution for biped schools that got "nerfed" in this patch is just as silly as my suggestion that you shouldn't play a dragon.

And this is NOT a nerf. Some mobs should be harder for some schools than others. Have you ever tried to kill treants as a Ranger? Or Evolved Necroflies? Rangers do Nature damage, and most of the mobs in the game are either nature resistant or Nature IMMUNE. When they make half the mobs in the game slash immune, THEN you can start complaining.

[Death-knell]

Actually gopher I believe what he was saying is that at this point there is a large majority of biped players that are already multi-schooled. Before I left most the bipeds I ran with had at least 3 schools maxed out. So if character b was going out to farm beetles for a quest or whatever all they have to do is go to the trainer and switch to a school that accomodates the most efficient damage type. Dragons can't do that. Thats all he was saying.

[Deth]

But that just it people are saying hatchlings suck at killing beetles so it is not a 100 Dragon or a duel or tri-schooled Biped but a single class biped we would be talking about here.