Dragon Lair Update

[Dalton]

[img]/Web/Themes/Generic/images/icon-quote.gif[/img]David Bowman wrote:

There are currently 137 different corridors and chambers being implemented for the release of Dragon Lairs. This will require a yet-to-be determined but sizable download. Most competing products would charge for this, but we want this to go out to our players as part of our ongoing commitment.


*coughs* Given that this was supposed to be part of the game at release, I think charging would result in uproar (roar being the operative word).

That said, I'm really looking forward to this. I guess it's time to start saving cash again. That and find the perfect spot for a lair...

Few questions:

1) How soon can we have a map showing where lairs will be situated (even if it's just areas, not individual lair-plots). As I recall, the bipeds got one when their plots changed, and it'd save us all a lot of wing-work.

2) Will the more experienced Dragons start with higher lair-crafting skills? I hope so, otherwise the tier 1 locations will be flooded with Dragons grinding their lair-crafting skills [img]/Web//emoticons/emotion-7.gif[/img]

Antonath

Bipeds were not given a map to the new plots. I recall very clearly having to travel to all the new guild and individual plot sites to review them. We were given a list, with coordinates.

[Jaraiden]

It has been long known, one plot per account. Rather odd to ask, "Can I have both a biped plot and dragon lair on my account."

There are currently 9 test Dragon Lair plots in the world. They are not reachable by players. It is currently possible for Dragons (only) to purchase them and for the owner of the plot to plan out an elaborate system of corridors and chambers.

Puchase how? With coin raised among the accounts and muled or by some logical means worthy of dragon kind? Something related to the inevitable lore to explain their long delay, which, by the way, should correspond to the Council of Elders or their representative I hope.

Just . . . . coins? No reward for the patience to await the day of the floating errr underground lairs?

Good to see gem crafting actually having a viable use - lair crystals.

Most competing products would charge for this, but we want this to go out to our players as part of our ongoing commitment. We will go back to retail with an expanision pack in the future, but not yet. We will continue to add other racial structures/systems based off of the Dragon Lair technology after we have delivered the ARoP and Lairs.

:: nods :: as part of the purchase price as such content would have been in at, or just after, release.

Yes, I remember an interview saying dwarven players would have some of the same plot functionality. And likely it will be adapted to other racial structures - say large tree houses?

[Xorith]

I read someone say that they would hold Tulga accountable. I'm speaking from legal terms. I went through issues when I had purchased something from one company, and within weeks they were bought by another company. I couldn't do anything about it. The new company only acquired the assets and was not responsible for past and previous obligations. So all you can do as a player is do what you're doing now: Sit here and keep giving the devs (who are working hard) the proverbial finger.

Yes I've played the game. The point is bipeds and dragons are not the same. Dragons can buy plots just like bipeds. The only differences are that it doesn't fit in perfect with roleplay, and dragons can't do the actual building. Instead of trying to be the loudest zealot screaming on the forums, I turned to making a biped alt for all my dragon's building needs.

Quite frankly, Tulga can do whatever they feel they want to. We're lucky to have a company that DOES put their players first whenever possible. Sure, if they started acting like SOE, they'd lose the playerbase, but we'd also lose one of the most unique games out there. My fear is enough negativity from the playerbase, and perhaps David will consider this project dead, and begin with a new one? He and the devs deserve respect for their dedication, and it angers me to see so much disrespect here.

The only post I've ever read on these forums that puts issues in a respectfully written form was Carinde's post. Perhaps you all should read that post and learn why it was respectful.

-- Xorith

[Krakoa]

Here's hoping that there will that dragons will be able to keep their existing biped plots and be able to purchase a new lair, at least until lair is constructed. Otherwise if we are only able to own 1 plot/lair, what would wedo with the stuff already stored on existing plots?

[Varangaard]

Otherwise if we are only able to own 1 plot/lair, what would wedo with the stuff already stored on existing plots?

You'll create a bunch of mules and fill their vaults and inventories to the brim.

[Death-knell]

Yeah, they've pretty much said all along that it would be one plot be it lair or biped per account.

[Death-knell]

forgot earlier. We have a ball park timeframe on lairs, any ideas on lairshaping and when its forms and techs will be in game?

[Jayne]

I think it will be done after everyone on the boards agrees to what changes will be done to Mithril.

Jayne

[Death-knell]

I think it will be done after everyone on the boards agrees to what changes will be done to Mithril.

Jayne

That would be never [:P]

Of course how long did the bipeds have to wait before they could actually build effectively on their plots? [B]

[Sillydude]

uhhhhh, I really don't know if someone has asked this but, when the lairs are finished will there be a spot in the back of your lair that would hold all your hoard, like in the vault in chichones?

[Nisse]

Seems yes, read the list of T1 lair stuff in around the second or third post of this thread. One of the items listed is 'hoard'.

[Death-knell]

uhhhhh, I really don't know if someone has asked this but, when the lairs are finished will there be a spot in the back of your lair that would hold all your hoard, like in the vault in chichones?

From the IRC chat log on the first page

<David-Lairs> Lair T1 Chamber ? Consigner
<David-Lairs> Lair T1 Chamber ? Crystal
<David-Lairs> Lair T1 Chamber ? Essence Shaping
<David-Lairs> Lair T1 Chamber ? Fountain
<David-Lairs> Lair T1 Chamber ? Gemworking
<David-Lairs> Lair T1 Chamber ? Hall
<David-Lairs> Lair T1 Chamber ? Hoard

[dorrin]

Dalton wrote:

> Bipeds were not given a map to the new plots. I recall very clearly having to travel
> to all the new guild and individual plot sites to review them. We were given a list,
> with coordinates.

i'm talking about post-merge when all the plots were nicely marked on the map.

[kengar]

From the IRC chat log on the first page

<David-Lairs> Lair T1 Chamber ? Consigner
<David-Lairs> Lair T1 Chamber ? Crystal
<David-Lairs> Lair T1 Chamber ? Essence Shaping
<David-Lairs> Lair T1 Chamber ? Fountain
<David-Lairs> Lair T1 Chamber ? Gemworking
<David-Lairs> Lair T1 Chamber ? Hall
<David-Lairs> Lair T1 Chamber ? Hoard

Hmmm..... I doubt a hoard chamber will be anything but decoration. That said, anyone have interesting ideas of some non-decorative function it could serve? Not that it will serve, just could. Back when there was hoard decay, there was talk that a lair would reduce hoard decay. Since decay is gone, the only reasonable non-decorative purpose is gone with it. I couldn't justify it actually generating hoard, even at a barely noticable trickle. Maybe reducing the cost of hoard-using abilities.

On a serious note, is there currently a way to upgrade a chamber other than deleting and replacing? That method is quite acceptable, in the case of dead-end chambers, but rather problematic for halls and chambers with more than one connection point, as you'll loose access to anything beyond that chamber until the upgrade is complete. I think this is a problem we'll just have to deal with, however, as upgrade-in-place sounds like we won't be seeing it, which is one of the reasons we're getting the Novian deconstruct option.

[Death-knell]

forgot earlier. We have a ball park timeframe on lairs, any ideas on lairshaping and when its forms and techs will be in game?

Hey boss man, any words of wisdom on this one

[Fridlekh]

On a serious note, is there currently a way to upgrade a chamber other than deleting and replacing? That method is quite acceptable, in the case of dead-end chambers, but rather problematic for halls and chambers with more than one connection point, as you'll loose access to anything beyond that chamber until the upgrade is complete. I think this is a problem we'll just have to deal with, however, as upgrade-in-place sounds like we won't be seeing it, which is one of the reasons we're getting the Novian deconstruct option.

As I understand it, currently you can not remove a node when there are any nodes attached ... so to upgrade/change a chamber that has a lot of nodes beyond it, you would have to remove all those nodes before you could alter the chamber.

Correct me if I'm wrong.

[imported_Kealla]

<David-Lairs> No, Lairs are an Adult/Ancient 'elder' concept... Juveniles fit, but it isn't designed for them.

Does this mean that only Adults/Ancients can learn the lair crafting skill?

[Deth]

Sorry Ignore me and this post I miss understood a post in the preview. About the new schools. Sorry.

[Kaze]

I havea general question about how lairs will work. Say if you buy a normal plot and layout your design, then you can choose whatever/whichever building to start work on first. A lot of people started there vault's for example first so they could transport materials around.
However for lairs it seems like we, won't have that option see the image link below:

http://www.geocities.com/ging-inc/image.bmp(apologies for the size)

Say the area in red at the bottom of your lair is going to be where you place your vault, then my question is until you have built all the corridors/hall space/other objects leading down to the vault structure, you won't be able to start work on it.
Now common sense would say this is fine as it obeys the laws of physics, however from a lair building option it kind of sucks. Also if max sized lairs will be 240m deep then even if we were allowed to build stuff we can't access cause other stuff isn't built then we still couldn't build cause of needing to be in range of object.

Finally will corridors (and other lair structures for that matter) have multi-stage build status images. (like the mineshafts when they reach 50% they got partially built)

[fireblade]

well hopefuly and logicaly, tunnels that surve no purpose other than access would not require large amounts or resources as they realisticaly just require earth moving operations with a few resources to build supports and being a dragon you could after digging out the earth just blast the walls with you breath to turn them to "glass" requireing little in the way of resources.

with only room that actively do something ,crafting, storage etc. or are "decorated" in some way needeing much in the way of materials to construct.

if done that waydigging a "simple tier I" access tunnel to your vault would not be a huge problem and you could go back latter and upgrade it to a more impressive one later

similar to how you built dungeons in "dungeon keeper" series digging out tunnels didn`t cost anything but actualy building rooms in them did

that said i don`t realy know