Blight Update 214/215/216 Discussion

[AmonGwareth]

Use this thread to discuss the two updates on Blight.

Details of 214 can be read here: http://community.istaria.com/forum/s...ad.php?t=25437

Details of 215 can be read here: http://community.istaria.com/forum/s...d.php?p=273974

Details of 216 can be read here: http://community.istaria.com/forum/s...d.php?p=274439

[Thicklesip]

• I don't know how I missed all the not-related-to-alloy resource changes in u214, but I am belatedly thrilled.
• Woohoo, lairshaping resource reduction! Thank you thank you thank you! (Between that and the metal change, I'm outright excited to work on my lair once these hit live. )
• Formula drop pattern by tier change is unexpected but welcome. It's a little easier for me to keep straight, anyways.
• Adamantium additions/changes: huh! Well okay, now I need to go flap around that area to see what it looks like.
• Falathien: I have no idea what prompted this, but I'll go check out this sparkly new playground.
• Recharge kit formulae: aww, darn. Nothing blight-related if we don't go kill the undead to learn it, huh?
• Yew Forest: ooh ooh ooh! I didn't realize you were making it interesting! Oh MAN, something to do after level 60 that's not trophies! Very exciting.
• What're the crystal vials about?
• Incoming scrolls: thank yoooou!

[Shian]

OMG less resources for lairs. <3 It'll be interesting to see what the 'new time of completion' is for me with the new changes.

To ensure that the Rite of Passage quest can be completed by players at around level 50 some changes have been made.

• Elien the Mage is no longer needed for the quest. She has been replaced by Megian near the Brandon's Shelf portal.
• Talon the Possessed was moved to Trandalar and now stands looking over the ocean near Aroah's Leap.
• Kaa the Idealist has been moved out near Lem the Peaceful.
• Kaa the Shade, Lem the Cold, Esh the Mind Lasher and Seliena the Brilliant have all been moved to various locations within the Northern Deadlands.

As an old player, I have mixed feelings about this. Much like when the run to Harro was taken out, some of the thrill and absolute maddening danger went away.
It seems kind of.... odd to have the baddies bunched up in the ND, but it's nice to see they are now level appropriate.
Really happy about the change where Kaa and Lem are not on other sides of the world. These are all good things overall when I have yet more hatchies to run the ROP.

[lightning claw]

Rite of Passage
To ensure that the Rite of Passage quest can be completed by players at around level 50 some changes have been made.

• Elien the Mage is no longer needed for the quest. She has been replaced by Megian near the Brandon's Shelf portal.
• Talon the Possessed was moved to Trandalar and now stands looking over the ocean near Aroah's Leap.
• Kaa the Idealist has been moved out near Lem the Peaceful.
• Kaa the Shade, Lem the Cold, Esh the Mind Lasher and Seliena the Brilliant have all been moved to various locations within the Northern Deadlands.

To the gods of Istaria I MUST PROTEST ! /insert breath of lightning /

The right of passage is met to be Dangerous, Its supposed to be a TRUE test of our young Physical fortitude and combat knowledge of the land. My right of passage was Filled with danger excitement and death-points !

(Part of game mechanics is the level of challenge you give to your subscribers)

and the challenge is what will always have me playing when i can afford it

It required Unity both hachie and ancient working together in the odd hopes just to arrive at a certain destination.

I Must ask you why do you insist on making The Superior of istarias gifted races weaker. Do not make our young go with out danger. They use to fear that the blight would pop out behind every unexplored corner of the land now our young laughs that there is no danger to them unless they get careless they consider the threat of what lies in the west and in the east to be contained never to spill over there boundary again . If you do make this change I Implore you to make it an Extremely challenging fight like each of these mobs can spawn Minions as one of there ability s

OUR YOUNG MUST NOT GET WEAK !!!

[Amerelium]

Rite of Passage

To ensure that the Rite of Passage quest can be completed by players at around level 50 some changes have been made.

• Talon the Possessed was moved to Trandalar and now stands looking over the ocean near Aroah's Leap.
• Kaa the Idealist has been moved out near Lem the Peaceful.
• Kaa the Shade, Lem the Cold, Esh the Mind Lasher and Seliena the Brilliant have all been moved to various locations within the Northern Deadlands.

No. No. NO. NO. NO!

Going out to these places were by far the most exciting part of the whole ROP; the most exciting part of the whole game!

Amon are you guys thinking with your tails?!?

I'm sorry, but his is BEYOND stupid!!!

...and by the way, me and another hatchie did both Kaa and Lem on our own, at around lvl 40. I took time, planning and luck, and it was a ball...

[Amerelium]

Resource Changes


Major changes have been made to resources to improve their usability and reduce long-standing frustration by players. The biggest part of this change has been the reversal of the Alloy concept introduced in 2004.

• Metal Alloys are now a thing of the past. Metal Bars from Tier 3 to Tier 6 no longer require a second metal in order to create bars. So, Cobalt simply requires Cobalt Ore, Mithril requires Mithril Ore, etc.
• In order to faciliate this change Nickel Ore has been renamed to Dark Iron Ore. So, to produce Steel Bars you will now need Dark Iron Ore. Resource locations for Dark Iron (Nickel) remain the same.

And I don't really care much for this either. You are making the game easier and easier. The much hated word 'streamlining' comes to mind...

[Ssilmath]

Big fan of the metal alloy changes. I always hated working with metal before, and am very happy to see this implemented. As for the ROP, I'm not a dragon so my opinion probably doesn't count. Bit it always seemed very counter intuitive to have the quest mobs so spread out and surrounded by enemies that give multiclassed 100's a hard time. By putting them in the northern deadlands and grouping them relatively close together, it seems like it would take frustration and relying on ancients and bipeds as escorts out of the equation.

[Theolaerynn]

And I don't really care much for this either. You are making the game easier and easier. The much hated word 'streamlining' comes to mind...

-- sanity check: I have been gone a long time and therefore don't have a clue

I recall crafting as it was several years ago (or more), and the endgame stuff definitely became overly tedious. Especially Lairs, which I understand are being addressed in another patch. It was one of the reasons I left. Once everything else was done (and there were no newbies to buff), crafting was it. With crafting being painful, even that wasn't it anymore.

Just a thought from an old, sleeping wyrm.

[LOVWYRM]

changes with RoP make sense to me, like Ssilmath said.

I still hate the changes of ARoP (streamlining, yes)-
but I stated that already in an other thread.

[Akrion]

And I don't really care much for this either. You are making the game easier and easier. The much hated word 'streamlining' comes to mind...

Time is not a function of difficulty. Because something has been made to take less time to accomplish does not mean it's been made easier to do. Crafting hasn't gotten easier, it's gotten less time consuming. Things that make crafting difficult in any way are such things as protected spawns.

Edit: The same thing goes for the RoP and ARoP, honestly. And I'm talking about the "Streamlining" not the reduced difficulty from removing Lem and Kaa from high level areas as I'm not sure how I feel about that. At what point was having to run all the way to the hermit to grab a buff, recall, and run all the way to the crystal golem in hopes to kill it in time lest have to do the run all over again something that added any form of difficulty to the RoP? Or a lot of the other times you'd just have to run back and forth between people with no real danger in between? It just wasted your time.

Actually this makes me think of a segment of Egoraptor's Castlevania 1 vs Castlevania 2 review ..From that point to about 6:50 explains pretty well how I feel about things that simply take a long to accomplish for the sake of taking a long time to accomplish.

[AmonGwareth]

And I don't really care much for this either. You are making the game easier and easier. The much hated word 'streamlining' comes to mind...

I disagree. I can easily argue that adding the alloy concept never really added anything to the game but frustration and grind, the very concept that many players hate.

There were three main issues in consideration for both ARoP and RoP when they were revamped:

First, the moving of the quests from the dialog of NPCs to the "quest bucket" system so that you could see the NPCs with the quests. This helped dramatically from a player as well as a support point of view because it wasn't as prone to breaking (and therefore to support tickets being filed).

Second, the removal of monsters spawned by the quests themselves. This was key and has been completed throughout the game. The problem with this is that the system is not able to properly account for player death or disconnects or other factors that break the quest and again send players to support tickets.

Third, the whole concept of monsters being in areas that are far above the player's level. While I have no problem with difficulty, I do not find it fair whatsoever for players to have to run a gauntlet through level 90-100 mobs when they are level 30 or 40. For the RoP, moving the mobs to Trandalar still requires the player to fight their way into a difficult (Tier 3, so levels 40-60) area so unless their level 100 friends are powering them through it will still be quite difficult to complete.

[Dhalin]

I disagree. I can easily argue that adding the alloy concept never really added anything to the game but frustration and grind, the very concept that many players hate.

There were three main issues in consideration for both ARoP and RoP when they were revamped:

First, the moving of the quests from the dialog of NPCs to the "quest bucket" system so that you could see the NPCs with the quests. This helped dramatically from a player as well as a support point of view because it wasn't as prone to breaking (and therefore to support tickets being filed).

Second, the removal of monsters spawned by the quests themselves. This was key and has been completed throughout the game. The problem with this is that the system is not able to properly account for player death or disconnects or other factors that break the quest and again send players to support tickets.

Third, the whole concept of monsters being in areas that are far above the player's level. While I have no problem with difficulty, I do not find it fair whatsoever for players to have to run a gauntlet through level 90-100 mobs when they are level 30 or 40. For the RoP, moving the mobs to Trandalar still requires the player to fight their way into a difficult (Tier 3, so levels 40-60) area so unless their level 100 friends are powering them through it will still be quite difficult to complete.

^^
Agree wholeheartedly.

Especially about the RoP mobs and Lv90+ mobs.

A Level 50 hatchling has a 0% chance of surviving battle against multiple Level 90 mobs.

A Level 50 hatchling does, however, have a chance at slowly tip-toeing through an area with Level 40-60 mobs, and might even be able to GR/SS one down in a quick hurry if he's spotted. Or, he might choose to run and pop Refreshing Breeze to try and escape if the odds are not in his favor.

I remember my "run" through the Western Deadlands to get my RoP mob. One hit did over 75% of my health and I'd pop Refreshing Breeze and run... then I'd die 5 seconds later and everyone would have to stop and the Biped (who was required to be there) would Rez me after they cleared the whole area out and/or got all the mobs' attention. Then we'd repeat the process all over again.

What exactly did I do to *earn* my Adulthood status? I cowered and hid behind Level 100+ Dragons and Bipeds because my puny level 55-ish hatchling couldn't do as much as put a dent in the Level 90+ mobs in the WD. The only thing I was able to do, was use the orb on the quest mob in the area.

The other mob, from ED, some dragon from my guild at the time pulled him clear to Harro and I used my orb on him.

With this new system, I'll look forward to attempting to solo these mobs (on a new hatchling I started not too long ago). The Aegis mobs in the Northern Deadlands are actually mobs I could theoretically fight (with some difficulty), instead of having to resort to the ole "bring a few bipeds" strategy.

[Idana]

I started to have a gut reaction in the form of "Why on Istaria are you changing the yew forest when there are so many other areas that feel "dead" and could use some excitement?!" but I'm sure once I've explored a bit I'll get over it. It's just that I was ok with the way that area was and there are so many other areas that have serious pathing issues or serious lack of anything to do that, in my opinion, could have gotten a fix first. For the most part I've liked a lot of the changes that have been made so I'm going to take this one with a grain of salt.

I'm happy to see the changes being implemented for Blood Mage as it is a class I considered trying mostly because you don't see many running around. I'm sure this will increase the numbers but I still want to give it a go now just to see what that class can do.

I have mixed feelings about the alloys. I hate doing metals because of them BUT I like the realism of needing nickel and iron to make steel etc. I'm sure in the long run I'll be happy with it. I have to agree that the end game stuff can be tedious and it's grrrr that some of the same resources are used for different levels of materials.

I am quite pleased with the addition of portals and the addition/redistribution of the resources. (Ok, there's the thing about the yew, but...) I am finding reasons to re-explore many of the areas that I haven't been to in YEARS. Some of the beautification projects have been lovely and are appreciated, even if no one else says so!

I love the old starter islands being made into seasonal festival resorts and I hope you plan on expanding what's on them each year. I think there were some issues with the summer festival but I still had fun and I'm looking forward to exploring the next festival.

[Dhalin]

I have mixed feelings about the alloys. I hate doing metals because of them BUT I like the realism of needing nickel and iron to make steel etc. I'm sure in the long run I'll be happy with it. I have to agree that the end game stuff can be tedious and it's grrrr that some of the same resources are used for different levels of materials.

Meh, I don't like using the word "Realism" to describe an MMORPG, especially not a fantasy-based one.

You just don't have realism when you have flying dragons, spellcasting, magic, monsters, undead, surviving 100+ foot falls without a scratch and people coming back to life after they get killed.

The game is meant to be fun and when "Realism" interferes with fun (such as with alloy metals), that's when it is time to change it and call it an "Acceptable Break From Reality" (tvtropes term).

If I wanted a "Realistic" game, I'd try to find a flight simulator or something that was meant to be "as real as possible".

[Idana]

Meh, I don't like using the word "Realism" to describe an MMORPG, especially not a fantasy-based one.

You just don't have realism when you have flying dragons, spellcasting, magic, monsters, undead, surviving 100+ foot falls without a scratch and people coming back to life after they get killed.

The game is meant to be fun and when "Realism" interferes with fun (such as with alloy metals), that's when it is time to change it and call it an "Acceptable Break From Reality" (tvtropes term).

If I wanted a "Realistic" game, I'd try to find a flight simulator or something that was meant to be "as real as possible".

I understand your point, but if you're going to call it steel or bronze....

I am still flummoxed as to how a very small bit of wood, a lot of cloth, and some wisp guts makes a tree. *shrugs*

[Fratricide]

I am still flummoxed as to how a very small bit of wood, a lot of cloth, and some wisp guts makes a tree. *shrugs*

Magic?

I'm sure at some point someone should have chosen to use a different word then steel for the T3 non precious metal... but they didn't. I do see though that Cobalt and Mithril have their specific ores and it doesn't really make much sense to have to mix those ores with other metals to retain the result of obtaining a Bar of them without having to mix in other ores for an alloy. If such was the case, then perhaps it shouldn't even be called Mithril in the first place... it should be called Mithrilium.. since your putting together Mithril and Platinum ores to make it. Or maybe Cobaltickel, since it is made from cobalt and Nickel.

If they removed the name steel, and used a name like.. Black Iron.. or something of such sort and made that a harvestable resource, I can't see anything wrong with removing all the alloy forms and make it straight forward for the Metal.

[Dhalin]

Magic?

I'm sure at some point someone should have chosen to use a different word then steel for the T3 non precious metal... but they didn't. I do see though that Cobalt and Mithril have their specific ores and it doesn't really make much sense to have to mix those ores with other metals to retain the result of obtaining a Bar of them without having to mix in other ores for an alloy. If such was the case, then perhaps it shouldn't even be called Mithril in the first place... it should be called Mithrilium.. since your putting together Mithril and Platinum ores to make it. Or maybe Cobaltickel, since it is made from cobalt and Nickel.

If they removed the name steel, and used a name like.. Black Iron.. or something of such sort and made that a harvestable resource, I can't see anything wrong with removing all the alloy forms and make it straight forward for the Metal.

They said they changed the name of the Ore to "Dark Iron", so they could have called everything made of "Steel", "Dark Iron", but the problem with that, is feasibility/practicality:

They'd have to go through and change every single item that either uses steel bars in its construction, or is named "Steel", such as armor, weapons, construction materials, etc.

That sounds like a lot of work.

Yes, it is called "Steel", but maybe in Istaria, this "Dark Iron" ore is a more refined iron that occurs naturally in the world and you have to heat it hotter for the impurities to burn off and you end up with what is essentially steel.

No less believable than trees sprouting up from wisp guts, cloth and a few pieces of wood.

[lightning claw]

^^
Agree wholeheartedly.

Especially about the RoP mobs and Lv90+ mobs.

A Level 50 hatchling has a 0% chance of surviving battle against multiple Level 90 mobs.

A Level 50 hatchling does, however, have a chance at slowly tip-toeing through an area with Level 40-60 mobs, and might even be able to GR/SS one down in a quick hurry if he's spotted. Or, he might choose to run and pop Refreshing Breeze to try and escape if the odds are not in his favor.

I remember my "run" through the Western Deadlands to get my RoP mob. One hit did over 75% of my health and I'd pop Refreshing Breeze and run... then I'd die 5 seconds later and everyone would have to stop and the Biped (who was required to be there) would Rez me after they cleared the whole area out and/or got all the mobs' attention. Then we'd repeat the process all over again.

What exactly did I do to *earn* my Adulthood status? I cowered and hid behind Level 100+ Dragons and Bipeds because my puny level 55-ish hatchling couldn't do as much as put a dent in the Level 90+ mobs in the WD. The only thing I was able to do, was use the orb on the quest mob in the area.

The other mob, from ED, some dragon from my guild at the time pulled him clear to Harro and I used my orb on him.

With this new system, I'll look forward to attempting to solo these mobs (on a new hatchling I started not too long ago). The Aegis mobs in the Northern Deadlands are actually mobs I could theoretically fight (with some difficulty), instead of having to resort to the ole "bring a few bipeds" strategy.

To the contrary I did this at lv 29 was the most changeling thing EPION had to do and it required strategic planing to get in to Lems Fort

Kaa . I had help with pulling the bugger out ya that was a bit hard to do but then the devs Introduced Hatchy gliding and there are still screen shots of a Lv 1 Hatching making it all the way to Kaa

[Dhalin]

To the contrary I did this at lv 29 was the most changeling thing EPION had to do and it required strategic planing to get in to Lems Fort

Kaa . I had help with pulling the bugger out ya that was a bit hard to do but then the devs Introduced Hatchy gliding and there are still screen shots of a Lv 1 Hatching making it all the way to Kaa

IMO, the RoP is a big test of proving yourself, not proving how well a large group of over-leveled characters can do it.

Given the extreme difficulty and the 'one hit and you're dead' nature of the Lv90 mobs, bringing along a biped (or several ancients) for rezzes alone was almost required, 'cept for maybe dumb luck.

With this new system, you can prove yourself instead of hiding behind lots of T5 players while they kill everything for you. I'd rather have it this way.

[lightning claw]

Let me link you a video and i have several Players on order to back it up i made it to Lem Soloed him and recalled out of there

Navigation of that area is a Test of courage