| Author |
 Topic  |
|
|
robiwan
Moderator
1035 Posts |
 Posted - 03/10/2007 : 22:51:19
|
Odkaz: http://forums.station.sony.com/swg/posts/list.m?topic_id=494508
Hi Folks,
Wanted to give an update as to where we are with things. Blix and his design team have been hammering away on the Heroics for Chapter 7. It has been a little noisy at the office during this time, as they are all on speaker phone and shouting a lot. The encounters are definitely better every day and I know that players are going to enjoy them a lot. The art is all done and Aurelia looks in great shape. QA has been verifying the collections (there are over 90 so it takes time to get them all checked) but right now that all looks really solid. I still had hopes that we could get the chapter out to test before Friday, but it will probably work out that we wait until the beginning of next week just because I would hate to have things problems over the weekend and not have folks here to deal with it. Most importantly the chapter is feature complete at this point and looking good.
Although not by way of an excuse here, but in order to be absolutely clear on this, Chapter 7 has been going on schedule for the most part. We began this chapter at the beginning of August after the bug bash. I regret now my decision not to characterize that effort as a Chapter, since it took about the same amount of time and certainly added a lot of new stuff to the game, as well as fix a number of outstanding issues. My team is working hard on this effort and is extremely dedicated, talented, and experienced. Forum gadflies who like to characterize them differently are wrong, plain and simple. I know that folks are as anxious to get there hands on the chapter as we are to give it to you, but I will not put it out on test until it is representative of what we feel the final live release will be. Period.
The new Digital Download SKU came out last week, initially exclusive to Direct2Drive. I apologize to our overseas players who have not yet been able to purchase it. We are working closely with LucasArts to get the download available on the UK D2D site as quickly as possible in order to broaden distribution. After the exclusive period is up, we will have other mechanisms available for players to get it as well.
We have begun the specification work on Chapter 8 and we will be reviewing that with the LucasArts team next week. As I stated elsewhere it is our intention to have Chapter 8 live by Christmas. It will be a challenge, but I feel it will be a great present for everyone to have some new space content in their stockings. We will be discussing C8 in more detail in the coming weeks.
Thats all for now...Keep eyes peeled for C7 on Test Center.
DeadMeat
Lorin W. Jameson, SOE Producer, Star Wars Galaxies
|
I have waited and planned and built my strength for fifteen thousand years. I have evolved. It is time.
(Omnius Evermind)
---------------------------
Feyd'Rautha Saresh (Medic, Rebel Alliance, Europe-Chimaera), Robe Saresh (Force Sensitive, Rebel Alliance, Europe-Chimaera)
|
Edited by - robiwan on 03/10/2007 22:57:13
|
|
| |
|
robiwan
Moderator
1035 Posts |
Posted - 03/10/2007 : 22:52:29
|
Otázky a odpovede:
Q: hey DM
are we still getting the slider controls to tone down all the particle effects with chapter 7
for me thats the most important bit - just kidding lol
fed up with them to be totaly honest
A: A bit of an admission here...This was one of my tasks for C7. When I was digging into how to do it, I found a number of performance issues that I felt were serious enough, with a big enough payoff, that it was worth it to address them first. I was able to get that work done, but not the scaling of the particles. We plan to put the particle scaling out as a patch after C7, but we will need some feedback first on which particles and in which situations you would like to see reduced. There is no scalar formula in the particle system that we could use for a slider (without creating more problems than solving). Instead we will create High, Med, and Low settings for particles and customize particles used based on that.
Q: Do your employees call you Mr. Meat?
A: If they know what's good for them!
Q: Could we have High, Medium, Low and OFF for particle effects, perhaps?
A: Off is somewhat problematic...Bolts, buffs, a lot of combat feedback require particles to some extent. The CS nightmare of folks saying the game is broken because they somehow turned their particles off would be a pain. There are a few gameplay reasons as well.
Q: Off would be nice for a few things. Say, for example, space lightning. Other than inducing seizures during mining, it seems to have no real reason to be there.
A: Certainly in some instances, the LOW setting may be removing a particular particle all together.
Q: Hi DM,
Nice work, looking forward to this hitting TC and then Live....Can you confirm if the Origins stuff is still cited to go in with CH7? And if so, I guess it will be a one off choice of which one you choose, ie...once you've chosen, you can't change that choice? Could you elaborate a little?
Cheers,
A: Origins was cut from C7. Too much interface work needed for other systems to get it in. I really love the Origins idea as does Blix so I think we will try and get it into 8, but the feedback has certainly not been universally positive from the community on the Origins idea so we will have to take that temperature again before we do add it.
Q: Btw - What kind of client optimization are we going to see?
A: Its biggest effect should be seen in larger battles with a lot of particles firing and similar situations where a lot of stuff happens in a single combat frame.
Q: Hmm awhile back a Dev came in here asking us what Particles we felt were overblown. It was either Tunso or Hanse I believe. One of them said they were incharge in scaling down the particles. I guess that never happend?
A: Hmm...Not sure about that. This is more an art and engineering task then a design one.
Q: DM,
Just wondering if there is any chance of existing players who don't already have an ITV getting one without purchasing software we already have. I joined just after the NGE with a digital download and did not purchase The Starter Kit to get the X-wing/Tie ITV, I played for a about six months then quit for a few due to RL circustances and missed the Anniversary gift. I came back about a year ago and bought the COA and now the new ITV is only available for those who digital download the COA (for $20). I don't really mean to complain, but I was just wondering if there is any hope of obtaining one of these EXTREMELY helpful vehicles without shelling out $20. I have been clone-expressing, but on a low-population server giving up an ent buff is a tough call.
Thanks
A: There will be an opportunity for folks to get a new ITV in game. This will be linked to some of the new content coming up.
Q: Hi DM,
Sorry to bug ya again, but someone mentioned that some professions got a little tweaking for the chapter 7 stuff....We know about the changes to officer....can you give us some info on some of the other changes?
Cheers,
Rob
A: Most of the changes are related to balance issues spotted during play testing the Heroics. These will be helpful in groups where roles will be more important. We are always addressing issues that we spot from the profession communities and I am certain there are a couple of additions that Jedi will like. These will all appear in the patch notes when we go to test.
Q: I sure hope that you dont rush chapter 8 just to meet the christmas deadline, we have not had ANY space content added since ROTW other than the reactor fix and a couple of subcomponents added with the trader update (LOL that was a joke too, as the trader update, really was just called a trader update, when all it was really was adding in the RE monkey stuff).
My two main interests in SWG is space and my traders, hopefully space doesnt get the treatment that the trader publish really gave traders (im sorry but endlessly grinding power bits is not what I would call TRADER content since I didnt see that many schems added.
We have spent tons and tons of time on the combat classes across numerous publishes since the nge, dont short change space in its probably only update we will get for the next 3 years again.
P.S. These forums also need tons of work, I hit "sorry the page you requested is either deleted or unavailable at this time, please use your browsers back button to return to your previous page" over 16 times trying to see the producer note, and 7 times trying to log in so I could respond. Its taken me 37 mins to post this reply which is rediculous. Yet it only took me 3mins to write this.
P.S.S. Im also up to 3 attempts trying to post this response! Keep getting "an error has occured trying to access the page" every time I submit! Sorry but I have worked in the IT field as a programer/analayst and if we would have had as many internet problems as your company has with their forums, a bunch of ppl would have lost thier jobs as its one thing to have a problem but when it persists for months, heads would roll.
A: We will not be rushing Chapter 8, but we do want to be accurate on the scope to be sure we get it done in the time we have allotted for implementation.
I agree on the forums. There have been an increase in problems since the network changes last week. The platform team responsible for them have been working hard to get them resolved, but I have had many such moments like what you describe.
Q: DM,
I am sad to hear that the particle effects slider will not make it into the Chapter 7. I can understand the issue with Origins since the feedback wasn't favorable yet.
What's going to be done with Animations and Targeting? I know a lot of people that have been waiting for these adjustments for quite some time. We have to start somewhere.
A: Its a challenge...When we focus on fixes like these (like what we did in the bug bash) we get major heat for not releasing new content. When we focus on new content we are crucified for not fixing existing issues. We try and do some of both with all releases and focus on the hottest issues with our hotfix releases, but I understand that it will never feel like enough. Animations are on my personal short list, targeting has gone through so many attempts at 'fixes' that it is the venus flytrap of programmers but hopefully we can do something on that front in the future.
Q: Hey DM,
Was wondering if you guys were putting any class specific roles into the game for PvE. Like tanks being able to have a taunt like ability and hate holding ability to make the heroics possible, because as it stands the whole person who does the most damage gets the hate is really bad since the profs that do the most damage may not be the best choice for the mobs to be beating on.
This is a repost since I really want the answer to this question and I don't want it to get buried.
A: Yes. There is a new taunt for tanking and holding aggro.
Q: Hey Dead,
I want to thank you and the team for obviously working extremly hard, iam sure you guys are running around there like chickens with your heads cut off. You guys are doing an awsome job with the ammount of people you have there, I wish SOE would hire alot more so that you guys can get those chapters out faster, Iam sure you are aware of how players think on how this game is going. I do have a few questions, hopefully you can answer them. Are there plans on getting better servers/badwidth ect? And what I mean by this is that I play on shadowfire and on nights that there is no one on, there are times were ill be looking towards restuss and I get huge lag, but no one is around. Whats SOE's plan on the game, now I understand you cant tell us everything but my question is are we going to see some time changes in game..as in future progression into the starwars universe or is this game going to continue staying in the same time frame forever and ever? Is SOE going to be looking at possible fixing the game with a new engine, so that the game may include new features down the road, maybe a feature like atmospheric flight? Thats all I have to ask now hehe I do have more but I dont wanna swarm you with questions..at this time lol. Anyways dead continue to do your best like always, the community supports you and the team just that I think the general population of starwars wants to see things happen sooon, wants to see major improvements. Thanx Dead.
A: As to new machines, that is a somewhat open question that has difficult ramifications. I think we may see some upgrades in the coming year but that depends on a number of factors...Thats the best I can say on that.
A new engine for the game would be an incredibly difficult and expensive. I do not see that happening to be totally frank.
Q: Is anything being added for Traders in ch7? Possibly some kind of group role or craftables? This is not a curveball, honest!
*cough* HEAL *cough*
A: There is always something for crafters in each chapter.
Q: I love the way you conveniently skipped over this without a comment, DM. I think you know that the solution is a lot more simple than you would like to admit.. Or if not a lot more simple, at least a lot more obvious.
There have been so many solutions to a lot of this game's issues that have been obvious to the players (I know, because I've read them pointed out many times), and yet you Devs proceed to reinvent the game mechanics.
Your boss has admitted that the NGE was a mistake. So for the love of yoda, start correcting the mistake and getting this game back on track. Only this time, Add freaking content and actually fix the bugs... And stop listening to the whiners like you guys did when the Hologrind was implemented.
I'm not saying roll back to pre-NGE... But there was a lot of stuff that worked fine in the pre-NGE game that should be rolled forward into the new system
And tell Smed to suck it down and allocate some more funding to SWG so you can get enough people to design systems and new content at the same time. Short term budgeting won't cut it. Budget for a full team again so the long term profits will be worth something.
A: I skip flame bait always...You want a question answered, pretend like you are civil and try again. Plain and simple.
Q: Yeah... DeadMeat... Could you post some of notes before it hits TC... I would love to read them... That's the best part of chapters beeing released.
A: orry...The notes come out when we release to test. We need the flexibility to hold things back if they are not ready.
Q: Okay DM, my turn to ask something.
You said (I'm pretty sure it was you) recently that you were going to do something about that annoying sound looping bug. I think you mentioned rolling back to the previous miles sound system or something.
Any update on that? Thanks.
A: Not really rolling back Miles, but rolling back some files that used to be wav files and were changed to mp3's. It will cost some memory but we are out of other options.
Q: Hi DM,
While I appreciate your sentiments DarthOlomew's post really wasn't that aggressive and flaming was it?
He does make a valid point, slowing the combat speed down, even slightly, would help things and he makes an even more valid point about funding. I know this is nothing you have control over but I am sure there is a mechanism in place to pass player opinions like this up the food chain.
Think about it... SWG has survived this far past Nov 2005 and NOT because of what happened during that turbulent month, as Mr Smedley has now acknowledged. The current Dev team are widely praised by the player base for the direction they are taking the game, the main concerns now seem to arise from the overly long wait for publishes chapters.
The game is looking healthier now than it has since Nov 2005. Then it was a case of 'speculate to accumulate' and it failed miserably. Now seems a suitable time for another business adage... namely 'spend to save'... if you can attract more re-subscribers than it costs to hire that extra developer or art designer then everyone's onto a winner.
I may be looking at it in an over-simplified way but hey, it's not as if gambles have been taken with this game before and at this moment in time you sure as hell know which horse to stick your dosh on.
A: Sorry...The original note was not too bad. I have stated in the past, and I will say it one more time: it is not a matter of flipping some magical combat speed button. The entire game balance, professions, expertise, everything is built around the current speed. The server paradigm was completely reworked to enable the current speed. It is integral to the game at this point, to change it would be a monumental challenge...This is not simply animations.
Q: DM,
With CH7 you want to release new robes and hilts for jedi for collections. But why not listen to us and give us what we want and its lesss work. We want innate armor so we DONT look the same. But you fail to listen to us once again.
A: I don't think I have ever said that innate armor would be a feature of chapter 7 or 8...Its not like I don't know about this feature request, it is just not currently something we are working on.
Q: Carbine Animations
Carbine Animations
Carbine Animations
Carbine Animations
Carbine Animations
please please please fix them
A: sigh...My nightmare.
Q: Hey Deadmeat,
thanks for giving us a heads up on the status of ch.7, and especially for responding to the question about Origins.
As a crafting shipwright (as opposed to many pilots who have a SW alt for RE purposes) can you give us an idea of your intentions concerning ch.8 in the crafted vs. RE balance?
Currently a top RE project will always beat out a top (perfect) crafted product for every crafted component except DI's and boosters. Some components, such as engines, are pretty close in crafted vs RE. Many other crafted components are so significantly inferior to RE that they are very quickly replaced with even non-spectacular RE projects, such as ship weapons.
So we crafting SWs are left to wonder, with space ch.8 comming up next, what you are planning to do to address this (or not). Can you let us know whether you plan some sort of component ballance pass or not?
A: I honestly don't have an answer for that right now.
|
I have waited and planned and built my strength for fifteen thousand years. I have evolved. It is time.
(Omnius Evermind)
---------------------------
Feyd'Rautha Saresh (Medic, Rebel Alliance, Europe-Chimaera), Robe Saresh (Force Sensitive, Rebel Alliance, Europe-Chimaera)
|
Edited by - robiwan on 04/10/2007 09:07:41 |
 |
|
|
tom19835
Starting Member
86 Posts |
Posted - 03/10/2007 : 23:20:53
|
Hmm, jestli udelaji nejakej novej space content, tak to se tam za vama pridu na vanoce podivat, space sem mel stejne vzdycky nejradsi  |
SWG - Daae, Daandra, Everon, Werwolf - RIP
SWTOR - Everon, Eweron - RIP
WoW - Everon - Thunderhorn
LotRO - Eweron - Human Champion - Laurelin - RIP
LotRO - Fieron - Human Hunter - Laurelin - RIP |
|
|
|
Miky
Moderator
947 Posts |
Posted - 04/10/2007 : 07:40:54
|
| Oni moc dobre vi, ze spacem ze me vytahnou prachy. |
Wyndia Creel - Tarkin server
|
|
|
|
Kimar
Starting Member
20 Posts |
Posted - 04/10/2007 : 13:41:13
|
quote:
Originally posted by robiwan
A: There will be an opportunity for folks to get a new ITV in game. This will be linked to some of the new content coming up.
kruci, prave ked som minul 20$ na ITV... |
|
|
|
Almych
Average Member
1691 Posts |
Posted - 04/10/2007 : 15:33:59
|
| no, treba konecne pridaji do vesmiru privatni space station, jak kdysi slibovali |
|
|
| |
Topic |
|
|
|
All Forums
Producer Note (03.10.2007): C7, C8 a COA na D2D UK
New Topic
Printer Friendly