2011.12.31
Your support is very appreciated and strengthen even more our will to make PlaneShift a great game!
All the best and have an happy 2012!
2011.12.20
Here is a summary of the changes:
- Monsters for tutorial: The monsters present in the tutorial have been made much easier to kill, so new players will have a smoother start.
- Quests: We have dramatically raised the amount of money and experience quests provide. They were unbalanced compared to fight/magic/crafting.
- Weapon decay and repair: Weapons and armors were decaying too fast, about 1 point of quality every 10 hits, which was quite unrealistic. The new ratio is 1 point every 100 hits. Also all basic weapons (Small Battle Axe, Short Sword, Club, ... ) have been lowered to a cost of less than 1000 tria, and we changed the repair formula to allow everyone to repair items cheaper than 1000. This should make life of new players easier. Also you can now see the instructions on how to use the repair kits in their descriptions.
- Spell Practice: Practice given when casting spells has been changed to vary based on the spell's realm and caster's skill rank. Basically when you are higher rank, you will gain more practice points by using higher realm spells. Before it was flat.
- Crafting: Practice gained from Crafting was previously only related to the number of transformations completed (example smelting one ore). The new formula takes into account the time spent in the process and gives practice point accordingly. We also fixed a bug which was calculating improperly the time of crafting when a secondary skill was not required. This should make crafting have a similar progression to fight/magic.
- Loot: The value of all monster loot (excluding random weapons/armors) have been rebalanced to take into account the actual strength of the monster and the probability of finding the item.
- Damage in combat: The damage dealt in combat (weapons or melee) by high rank characters was exponentially reaching too high numbers. This was allowing monsters to one-shot-kill players and viceversa removing much of the fun of combat. The overall damage formula has been changed to remove this exponential factor.
- Experience points: When killing a monster (magic/fight) the engine was comparing the power of the attacker and the victim and then assigning experience points based on the result. The problem was that only stats (str,agi,end,int,cha,wil) were considered. The new formula includes stats, weapon skills, magic skills, and armor skills. The result is a much more balanced number of experience points.
- Training stats: Stats (str,agi,end,int,cha,wil) were considerably faster to train than skills, up to the point you could max out in few days. This was obviously not the intent, so we slowed down the progression of stats considerably. This together with the other changes we did, will rebalance their usefulness in the game compared to skills.
- Overall progression: The overall progression of a character includes three main factors: experience, practice and money needed for trainings. Now that we have connected the most important formulas of the game into a single tool, we can more easily balance progression. Also we can calculate the amount of hours needed to reach a certain rank (example from 0 to 100 in sword) or to rank up by one. We have reviewed this and made the progression a bit slower than before. For example to go from rank 0 to 10 it doesn't require 10 minutes anymore, but 3-4 hours.
Thanks to everyone who participated to the testing!
You can comment this news here.
2011.12.08
2011.11.27
Art
- The main section of hydlaa has been remade! We remodeled all the houses to look better, and we updated all the textures to be higher resolution. You should see a big difference compared to the tutorial.
- Thanks to his popularity, Harnquist's shack has been replaced with a new larger blacksmith building. Looks like he is having good business!
- Some of the wall textures in Hydlaa have been updated to higher resolution.
- The Laanx temple has been remade, with higher detail. We still don't like too much the textures applied, and we are going to improve that soon.
- Hydlaa main now has bump mapping applied for more realistic surfaces.
- Improved the position of the musical instruments when wielded by adding a rotation. This is still not optimal, and will require an engine change to fix it completely (planned).
- Many new spells effects including: Healing Rain, Rinse, Icy Ground, Mephitic Haze, Water Barrier, Icy Blast, Phantasmal Voice, Hand of Doom, Mind Drain.
- Updated enviromental sounds of : Tutorial Map, Laanx Temple, Tavern de Kadel, Sewers, BlackFlame temple, Ojaveda Road, Gugrontid, Hydlaa Arena, Death Realm, Magic Shop, Hydlaa Winch, all 3 caves levels.
- Added sounds for musical instruments: lira, lure, drums.
- Improved icons for natural resources, like ores (gold, iron, ...).
New Features
- Added the ability to play musical instruments. You can actually compose a musical score in game and then play it with your musical instrument skills. Try to play with other people, and create a band for special events!
- Merged a new, heavily refactored and improved, sound system which is now entirely plugin based (adds a dummy soundmanager and a normal soundmanager)
- Added support for pictures in setting books and help pages
- Added support to individually enable/disable each tab of the chat window from the options panel.
- Made the spell checking based on hunspell a plugin too and made it configurable on supported platforms (linux/macosx). Additionally it can now spell check more text fields in game
- GM events: It's now possible to change the npc AI plan at runtime on the npcclient
- GM events: Improved support for morphing, which now actually changes the race and not only the mesh. This way also the speed of the actor might be affect from it.
- GM events: /impersonate now supports triggering an animation
- GM events: Expanded area commands to support a whole sector and regular expressions for name based search (area:type:map:mapname/here)
- GM events: Added a new flag which allows certain items to have the "no pickup" setting only applicable for GMs. This will allow easier setup of events.
- Added support to lock/unlock the quickspell bar
- Added a /version command to print the client version
- Added mute and freeze script support (could be used for spells later on)
- Fixed quest menu not being shown when items are given
- Fixed problems from attempts to add invalid buddies in the buddy list
- Fixed alliance text ending up in main even if disabled
- Fixed truncated map names in map list shown through admin manager
- Added support to spawn creative items from /item instead of having to use an npc to do it
- Added support to show entity labels only when an entity is targeted
- Fixed gm/dev login when the server is full
- Improved the quest menu to avoid to cut out parts of entries
- Started migration to sha256 for password storage. md5 is still used for client login, sha256 is already used for npcclients login.
- Fixed combat music continuing to be played after combat is ended
- Added warnings on group join in case the group is under a group challenge (see the wedding assassination problem)
- About 15 others fixes and improvements on the server side
Setting and background
- Published the prize quest for the guild quest contest: "Right on the mine"
- Roleplay info: enhanced the race pages with background information, history, culture, religion, main characters, architecture, ...
- History of the world: added new major events in the planeshift time line.
- Major change: Xacha removed and merged with the lemurs
- Major change: Diaboli removed from playable races
- Major change: Stonebreaker and Hammerwielder became two clans of one race: the Stonehammers
- Update: Magic way quests have been polished
- Update: Guards chain quest have been polished
- Update: Science chain quest have been polished
- General fixing: 43 quest bugs fixed confirmed from bug tracker reports
Rules
- Added musical instrument skill, added trainers and rules on how to progress. The more skill you have the less errors will be done while playing.
Installer
- Added OpenAL (sound) installer to the standard PlaneShift installer on Windows to ensure all clients have the right dlls.
If you want to comment this news you can do it here.
2011.11.01
- Every race has now more information on social organization, religion, nutrition, famous characters and more! The races do not have the same level of deepness yet, some are still to be improved, but all have a pretty solid base of history and traits.
- We completely removed the xacha race, which has now been merged with the lemurs. The reason being their history and traits were very similar, both focused on science and intellectual activities. This race is completely removed from the history, and if you still find any reference somewhere please read "lemur" instead of "xacha". Game wise all chars will be moved server side automatically from xacha to lemur race. No exceptions.
- The Diaboli have been removed as a playable race, they are part of the history of Yliakum, up to 580AY and may come back as a future expansion. Read their history page to know more. For now the game still allows the creation of Diaboli, but it will be prevented soon. We suggest all chars to migrate to Ynnwn instead, but this will not be forced. The details of this migration will be communicated soon.
- The Stonebreaker and Hammerwielder races are now two clans of a single race, called Stonehammers. Their profile is not changed much. In game we will do the change server side automatically. No exceptions.
- We rewrote the main setting pages and history pages to be consistent with the race changes.
This update provides a lot of material to roleplayers to base their stories on, and allows us to create the future books, legends, songs in line with a solid background.
We left by purpose about 100-150 years open on each race, so that we could incorporate your ideas and stories into it. Please submit your stories in the forums, and vote for the ones you prefer. What we need are high level events first, and then a story behind (don't ask us to read 20 pages upfront! :) ).
If you search well, you can find in the race pages a hint on the next update!
If you want to comment this news you can do it here.
2011.10.9
You can comment this news on the forums here
2011.09.19
The museum is still open for visitors, it's located in the east part of hydlaa in the lower quarter. Be sure to visit it!
If you want to organize an event in game contact the GMs!
If you want to comment this news please use this forum thread
2011.08.15
- All shields were not getting the right shadows, now they are all fixed.
- While we fixed the shields we added to those more realistic bump effect ("normal maps")
- Three new musical instruments have been added in the light of the new developments we are doing on music. Lute, Lira and Drum.
- A new throphy has been added, third one of the series
- Fixed/Improved Spell Effects of Daemon Arrow, Recovery, Relaxing Sleep, Diamond Skin
If you want to comment this news please use this forum thread
2011.07.06
- You can now upload your avatar picture in place of the standard one!
- You can now upload additional images to show your friends your best moments in PlaneShift!
- A new achievement has been unlocked: visit all four cities
- The creation date of your character is now visible. Do you remember when you created it?
Remember to add your MyPlane URL to your forum signature and to go under setting to share the info with your friends! Have fun!
MyPlane on RP server
MyPlane on non RP server
2011.07.06
We have just enabled two very important modifiers in our rules: attack value and defense modifiers. Those two modifiers were actually already present in random loot items and in spells, but were not working properly. Now those are fixed and working!
This means weapons designed to have specific bonuses or maluses on attack and defense are now properly working (watch out for copper swords!) and spells like defensive wind are protecting the characters.
Please test it and let us know if it works in this forum thread!
2011.06.30
Do you want to follow the PlaneShift development also from facebook? Then we have a good news for you, we now have an official Facebook page!
... and would you like to have video updates of our developments? Here is the PlaneShift official YouTube channel!
Suscribe, share, support, and enjoy !
2011.06.13
What's your URL on MyPlane? Ah, you don't know it? Then you missed something! MyPlane is a nice addition to PlaneShift, a web portal where you can see your characters stats, skills, factions and more.
We just made it even more interesting by adding the achievements section! Here you can find what accomplishments your char has. Is he a master in any of the Ways? How many hours he lived in Yliakum? And you can see the same of your friend's characters.
So what's the plan? Go and collect all the achievements!
Help us to enhance MyPlane by giving your suggestions in the thread below on the next achievements you would like to see!
All characters are visible to the owner only by default and you can enable visibility in the "settings" section of MyPlane.
Note: Please note that we are aware of the issue with 0.5.7 which locks the client randomly due to a bug in the chat. We have a fix already and our dwarven forgers are working to package a patch!
MyPlane on RP server
MyPlane on non RP server
(use your in game login)
If you want to comment this news please use this forum thread
2011.06.05
Good news for all the PlaneShifters! A new release is ready! 0.5.7 has been just released with some interesting new features and updates, in particular:
- We added more realistic textures (normal maps) to the following levels: Ojaveda, Hydlaa Arena, the three cave levels, the blackflame temple, the death realm, gugrontid guildhouse, law guildhouse, simple guildhouse, jayose library, laanx temple, laanx temple dungeon, hydlaa sewers, hydlaa tavern. The result should be more detailed and nice looking surfaces.
- A new guildhouse is now available for ojaveda in enkidukai style!
- Hydlaa arena has been improved for allowing better NPC movements, hopefully this will fix some odd behaviours during combat.
- We are continuing to add new wizard robes to complete the set, this time we added nolthrir female and klyros male robes.
- Added trophies to be used as prizes in tournaments
- Added animations for crafting, hammering (already released in minor update)
- Many updates to sounds and spells. All casting effects have better graphic, performance optimisation for lot of spells.
- Almost redone all dark and red way spell effects
- Containers window has been improved with a "take all" button
- Various fixes to NPC AI and behaviours
- The loot functionality on the server has been expanded to allow better balancing in future
- Several fixes on the interface and removal of few crashes
- It's now possible to change tooltips appearance
- /mount is now a toogle command
- Emote commands are now accessible from /emote emotename and can be hidden from the main domain of commands
- On screen messages can be disabled
- Improved sorting in some windows, it's now possible to change attack stance by defining going up or down in level of stance
- Fixed empathy, it should work again
- GMs can now edit books of others
- Many updates and fixes to quests and factions
- Expanded MyPlane to have list of current online players and link to their profile
If you want to comment this news please use this forum thread
2011.04.11
Has been a very busy week for us, with a massive response to our Google Summer of Code participation. More than 150 students interested, and actually 125 proposals finally landed on google site for us. This is way above our expectations and we thank all students for their support and interest in our project!!
The next steps are to select the final set of students which will work with us for 4 months on some of the ideas listed here.
Meanwhile PlaneShift development doesn't stop even a second, and we are working on the next update for your enjoyment! Spread the world, support us and have fun in game!
2011.03.20
PlaneShift has been accepted into the Google Summer of Code (GSoC) initiative as a mentoring organization!! If you are not familiar with the program, take some time to read the GSoC web site. The next steps of the program are the following:
March 18-27 : Would-be student participants discuss application ideas with mentoring organizations. For this part of the program, we ask you to do the following:
- Review our ideas list here.
- Create an account on this web app (nexus) so we can more easily track your profile.
- Please use "gsoc_" as prefix of your nick, example "gsoc_talad"
- Select "Programming" as department
- In the section "Previous Experiences" paste the questions present in the section "Background" in our gsoc app, with your answers.
- In the section "RPG Experience" you can list what's your knoweledge of RPG games, but it's not required for GSoC.
- In the section "Portfolio" paste the questions present in the section "Google Summer Of Code" in our gsoc app, with your answers.
- Connect to our IRC channel at irc.freenode.net #planeshift-prospects
- Discuss and improve the current ideas together with us.
- Participate in game to the event name "GSoC students welcome", you can find the date and time in our event calendar. For this event you need to download the game, create an account and create a character (it's free!!). Your presence there is not required to be part of gsoc, but can be fun and a different way to have a chat, also you will see better our current software.
2011.03.14
Wouldn't be nice to have a web platform where you can see your PlaneShift character, your skills, your inventory and your standings, so you could simply give a link to your fellow guild members or your friends? We think it would be very nice and so we have build a web site for it! Welcome to MyPlane!!
MyPlane is for now in its very first release, and allows you to browse your characters, see their skills, stats, description, inventory, standings and guild membership. Also a picture of your character with his traits is provided. To protect your privacy, by default your character is not visible. The nice feature is that you can decide which parts you want to show. You can enable the visibility of certain information only to your guild members, your buddies or open it to everyone.
We plan to expand MyPlane greatly in the future! The application is free and can be used by anyone with a PlaneShift account. To use it simply follow the link to the server where you have your account:
Roleplay server (zeroping)
Non-RP server (ezpc)
If you want to see an example, here is a sample character we created.
So go on and show your character in your forum signature, your web sites, your email, in facebook and everywhere!!
If you want to comment this news or you have ideas on expanding MyPlane please use this forum thread
Thanks to Niklas Bölter and others for creating this new platform!
2011.02.27
The full 0.5.6 distro packages are available to download! The win64 launcher has been fixed as well. Enjoy!
2011.02.22
The PlaneShift Team made it again! Another PlaneShift release is out: 0.5.6 !! We are very excited about this release because it's another step toward 0.6! A full distro package will be provided in the next days, in the meantime you can just use the updater. Here is a list of the main changes:
GUI:
- A huge amount of fixes and improvements to the windowing system (paws) and mouselook management
- Improvements to weather support and fixed the option to disable weather in pslaunch.
- Fixed some issues in the char selection/creation screens which could lead to bad graphics or crashes
- Several fixes/optimizations/improvements to shaders and lights management.
- First version (BETA!) of the HotBar/quickspell bar (you can open it by typing /show quickspell and remove it with /show quickspell off ) which allows you to drag and drop spells or items in the quickbar, then click on the icons to cast the spell or use the item
- fixed a display issue which could show skills to be completely practically trained even if it wasn't so.
- added a simple animation to pterosaur transportation load screens
- major rewrite of several parts of the background loader, which now should be more stable and faster.
- several optimizations, leak fixes and crash fixes
- Major rework of the quests! In the past the quests were most likely one off and with little purpose. We decided to radically change the concept by creating chained series of quests with a purpose and where possible a story. So we looked at the quests we have in game and started to tie them together.
- After char creation a friend's letter is now guiding you to the major NPCs, which will explain the associations and factions present in Hydlaa. Players can start to follow those trails and learn more about the associations/factions. This is the foundation of a complex social system based on jobs and affiliations that we continue to develop to create a more immersive roleplay experience.
- Many new quests were added, and many reworked, reaching a grand total of 320 quests!! In particular a whole new set of Magic quests is present, allowing access to bracers, robes and wands items in the different Ways of magic! (for graphics associated to those items, see the art section)
- New Amdeneir tavern! Thanks Nikodemus and zweitholou for building it!
- Added new female ynnwn wizard robe!
- Made available all bracers through Way quests
- Fixed many sounds for game areas, including gugrontid and the road to bronze doors
- several improvements to sound management (including a startup crash when the sound system failed to init)
- Improved sounds and graphical effects of many spells, including: crystal aura, invigoration, life infusion, relaxing sleep, flaming weapon, flame spire, and many more. Work is still under going to progressively improve/fix all of them.
- Improved hydlaa grass, sky and trees
- expanded the scripting system in several ways for example quests can now use scripts also to give specific items, factions and money depending on variables passed to them allowing faster balancement changes in them. Additionally in mathscripts it's now possible to output messages.
- Additional scripts used in crafting, which were before hardcoded in the sources, where now converted to math scripts. Making it easier for rules developers to change them.
- complete rewrite of the adminmanager allowing a more generic targeting system and sane interface to gm and developers, also awarding anything to players uses a single functionality shared also in the manager of the events. expanded also killnpc to allow loading of new npc and runscript to allow more scripts to be run through it.
- several expansions and expansions to npcclient to allow npc to do things not possible before like sitting, do emotes, teleport...
- pets will now follow automatically
- added support to define what type of chats should be logged, in which file and with what prepended brackets (check chat - logs)
- added support for a spell checker within the chat input using hunspell. It's disabled by default and it requires to be enabled by hand for now, and the dictionaries added in a dict folder inside your ps data folder. This feature is considered experimental and unstable (and could be not available on all platforms yet)
- removed forceful removal in operating systems different than windows of the code which allowed the hardware mouse to be used
If you want to comment this news please use this forum thread
2011.01.17
Happy new Year! We have some news about balancing, and in particular about trainers. It was a long time we didn't do a real balancing pass on the trainers, their location and their max skills. The current situation was a mix of history and quests and probably too many local edits. In many cases the max rank of the skills were very uneven.
For this reason we decided to have a global pass to align the trainers to the new "heat" map we are using recently. The "heat" map is nothing more than a way to identify certain areas as low/medium/high rank, and to distribute the monsters/loot/trainers accordingly, so that new players can have easier life and seniors can find challenge in new unexplored areas. Obviously this is just a general guideline and there can be exceptions to the "heat" map based on local quests, a bit of randomness and to leave some surprise the players. With the trainers we followed the heat map as well, where all basic cities are considered "low rank", the terrain outdoor areas medium, and the bronzedoor region "high rank". We hope this will allow a more natural progression.
On the same line of thought we will have soon a quests update (related to factions) where we will try to minimize the long travels between hydlaa and bronzedoors in the starting quests, so players will reach more remote areas at the right pace, when their char is more prepared for adverturing in those dangerous places. This anyway doesn't prevent players to explore (except few places which are locked by quests, like the winch). In this pass we removed all the trainers for skills which are not usable in game, and made all stats trainable up to 400 and all skills to 200, like it was supposed to be from the beginning. The trainable skills are: all armors, all weapons, all stats, the magic Ways, shields usage, repairing armors and weapons, body development, and usable crafting (cooking, smiths, mining, fishing, ...) and empathy. We hope this is a small step toward a more balanced and enjoyable game.
If you want to comment this news please use this forum thread
