Here's the Developer Q&A log for Dec. 13. I left the gossip chatter in, as it's related to the discussions in the meeting.
Talad(Leader/Founder)
Eonwind(Rules)
Tuathanach(Rules)
Zunna (Rules/Settings)
Mordaan (Settings)
Venalan (Settings Lead)
Uadjet(GM Lead)
Emaline (GM Team)
Zweitholou (Art)
Uadjet says: Hello and welcome to the Developer's Q&A! This is an out-of-character meeting where you can hear about the development of the game and ask the Dev and GM teams any questions you might have. If you do have any questions, please line up at the lecterns in front of the stage.
>Damola Etedi waves at Anysu Atani
Uadjet says: To my right is Mordaan, of the Settings team...
>Mordaan Dev waves.
>Anysu Atani salutes Mordaan Dev with respect.
Uadjet says: And I'm Uadjet, of the GM team.
>Anysu Atani salutes Uadjet with respect.
>Damola Etedi waves at Mordaan Dev
Uadjet says: We have a question already. Migg?
Migg says: yes
>Damola Etedi waves at Zarre
Migg says: In Amdeneir, in the tavern's kitchen we have Boreen Wigor
Migg says: His description says he's a cook very interested in making jam
Migg says: odd thing is he doesn't sell anything
Migg says: shouldn't he be selling some food, or perhaps some of the jam he makes?
Kendric says: we need to introduce him to the best bread maker and peanut butter maker and they can corner the sandwich market
Mordaan says: Not many NPCs in Amdeneir have been set up as merchants.
Mordaan says: Especially the newer ones.
Migg says: though he does appear to be a very messy cook
>Migg Ellorean nods at Mordaan Dev.
Migg says: It just strikes one as odd
Mordaan says: My guess is in PSUnreal, with the expanded Amdeneir, that stuff will be worked out.
Mordaan says: It will be something to keep in mind for sure.
Migg says: I guessed any changes would be for PSUnreal, just thought I'd mention it
Uadjet says: And the barkeep there should really sell a better selection of drinks.
Uadjet says: Damola?
Damola says: I wonder whether I have asked it before, but I don't quite remember at the moment. When playing a tune and Damola is not able to play it at the intended speed it may say you can only play it at 165. But when I then enter 165, it says she can only play it as 164. When I enter that, it works. There are appears to be a one-off error at times.
Migg says: hit that one myself when I was leveling up
[Channel] [1: gossip] Damola: I don't even has a clue what Talad is doing there at the moment
Damola says: I see, so its not just me.
Kendric says: Do you know if the new character creator will allow maipulation of things like facial geometry to allow more customized appearances ?
Migg says: nope, it sure is a bug Damola
Kendric says: are models going to be irect ported or made more proceedurally
Damola says: Okay, well then maybe probaly can be fixed once Unreal port is ready. Its not urgent.
Uadjet says: I have seen that before as well. Odd that the two checks are coming up with different values.
Migg says: Kendric you can walk to the podium if you want to ask a question
>Migg Ellorean raises an arm and points towards Bookstand.
Migg says: we line up there to ask
Kendric says: ah okay sorry
Uadjet says: It helps keep your question from being lost in the chatter.
[Channel] [1: gossip] Damola giggles "I am also just not an actor, but an emitter"
Uadjet says: Are you in line, Gonger?
Migg says: Don't think these two are actually waiting to ask
[Channel] [1: gossip] Damola doesn't really understand what Talad is talking about
Damola says: Yeah, Kendric, I think you are next.
>Damola Etedi listens intently to Kendric Oakleaf.
[Channel] [1: gossip] Uadjet: He's setting up the different elements of that one screen, which will be usd in character creation. The active elements are the actors.
Kendric says: My question is with the unreal update are we going to be moving to more proceedurally generated character models
Kendric says: with variable facial geometry and phenotypes
Kendric says: for more customization
[Channel] [1: gossip] Damola: I see. And what are those emitters? Giving information to display?
[Channel] [1: gossip] Migg: Yay, Uadjet is about to move to the Dev team!
Uadjet says: Variable facial geometry depends on someone able to put the work in. I don't know where that ranks as far as urgency goes.
[Channel] [1: gossip] Damola: But only if he still does those nice GM events
Kendric says: thank you
Mordaan says: At first, I think the idea would be to replicate things like the current game. Then, things can be enhanced at a future point.
[Channel] [1: gossip] Uadjet: Nope! Quite happy where I am! I've just done a little work in Blender and watched enough streams to know some Unreal terms.
Mordaan says: Unless Talad decides to work on that.
Damola says: On the other hand, yeah, there is quite some new stuff in already.
Jilerel ponders. "But replicating things might also end up replicating bad designs."
Mordaan says: You might want to keep an eye on the live streams to see if he works more on character creation.
Damola says: You can also ask Talad directly there, Kendric
Damola says: Has been a time when he last visited a Dev Q&A.
Migg says: would be fun if your character inflated while eating, and deflated when running
Migg says: then all eating and no running would make you really fat
Mordaan says: [Channel] [1: gossip] Uadjet: In the stream Talad is setting up a screen where players can choose the origin world and therefore the character's species.
Kendric says: The last time I brought up character creation was a while ago when they introduced the new Enki skins
Mordaan says: Also, the char creation options depends on available art.
[Channel] [1: gossip] Migg: Nolthir and Dermorians originated on the same planet, no?
[Channel] [1: gossip] Damola: nice
[Channel] [1: gossip] Damola: yeah
Kendric says: I am hoping existing players porting over to unreal will have the option of changin avatar apearance to take advantage of new models and assets not present in crystal blue
Uadjet says: I remember when I was playing Everquest 1, someone commented on how fit all of the (non-troll) characters were. I asked her how many times she'd run across an entire continent that month, and she said "Good point." We burn plenty of calories in this game, if we're actually playing the game part of it.
Migg says: and get rid of some models available in PS CB!
[Channel] [1: gossip] Uadjet: Yes, as do Lemur and Kran.
Kendric says: I was not provided an option to update my appearance when the new enki skins were added way back when ...
Uadjet says: We do have the option of changing hair styles. There's an NPC in Hydlaa that does that. I think it's only hair, though.
[Channel] [1: gossip] Migg: good point, but what planet is Yliakum on then?
Damola says: yeah
Migg says: Lots of hair on an Enki
[Channel] [1: gossip] Uadjet: The Kran/Lemur one.
[Channel] [1: gossip] Damola: same as Kran and Lemur originated from, yes.
[Channel] [1: gossip] Tenoree: There are different planets in planeshift?
Zarre says: I was thinking the same thing Migg.
[Channel] [1: gossip] Damola: well, not any you can visit
[Channel] [1: gossip] Damola: just in the lore
[Channel] [1: gossip] Uadjet: Most races came from other planets.
[Channel] [1: gossip] Uadjet: We can't go there, but they do exist in the lore.
Kendric says: I think the arguement way back when was its essentially changing fur color was changing the characters breed and would be a continuity issue
[Channel] [1: gossip] Damola: Well and the races left for a reason. Seee planeshift.it on that
Uadjet pulls out a magical pair of pet clippers. "I can take care of that."
Kendric says: although the counter arguement there is older characrters only had one option at creation
Kendric says: idk if that still applies
Uadjet says: Changing it casually is one thing. I don't think that should be possible. But a one-off change to select a texture that simply wasn't available when the character was created?
Migg says: Uadjet's Pet Grooming Service!
Uadjet shrugs. "That's just a /settrait away."
Kendric says: at the moment I think ill wait on any of that untill the unreal version and art assets are further along
Migg says: what /settrait's exist for a dermorian face?
Kendric says: I would assume its a debug command that directly edits the player database
Kendric says: so theoretically if you have the id for the trait you want you can just change it
>Available traits:
>Blue eyes, Face tatoo green, Brown eyes, Face tatoo red, Scar, Forehead tatoo white, Intense gaze, Face tattoo yellow, Slit eyes, Unkempt, Bangs, Top Knot, Dark Blonde, Red, Light Red, Brown
Uadjet says: Umm... blue eyes, face tatoo green, brown eyes, face tatoo red, scar, forehead tatoo white, intense gaze, face tattoo yellow, slit eyes.
Kendric says: the real question is how flexible is it can you go frankenstein on something and make them different body parts of different races
Mordaan says: intense gaze?
Jilerel says: I thought we abolished that kind of RP :x
Migg says: no face tatoo none...
Uadjet says: But face changes are wonky. They don't seem to work most of the time when I try them. Hair and beard work fine, as do color changes for kran, enkidukai, and klyros.
Migg says: seems like an omission?
Kendric sheepishly hides a book in his bag you can catch the title Necromancy for Dummies
Uadjet says: I can't mix body parts from different species. The best I can do with that is giving someone a hair color that isn't intended for their species.
Uadjet says: Although to do that I have to morph them into a different species, give them an appropriate hair color for that species, and then change them back. It doesn't always work, though.
Mordaan says: ah yes, the /frankenstein command.
Uadjet says: My Ynnwn with green hair was kinda fun, though.
Kendric says: would be fun to actually have a enki with a legit mane
Kendric says: technicaly tho there realistically would be no such thing as a racial restricted hair color assuming dye exists
Migg says: unless more advanced chemistry is available, natural substances would grant a limited set of options
Kendric says: although selecting blue green or pink hair should automatically double the size of the characters eyes
Uadjet says: We have alchemy, though. That's kinda chemistry for the magical world.
Migg says: well, idk if it was directed at hair color, but could be
Kendric says: Oh i love alchemy... For my next trick I need a Dog and a small child
Uadjet says: I do recall reading about Enkidukai dyeing furs, so it's possible. And isn't there a quest about Kran hair? Purple Kran hair, I think?
Migg says: kran hair would be moss or lichen, no?
Kendric says: I mean kran hair is easy craft a wig of any material you want
Kendric says: Kran hairgrowth kit its just a Chia Pet without the ceramic part
Kendric says: I did two but it was less about changine their overrall appearance than it was warpaint or clan markings
Kendric says: form what i recall
Kendric says: more body art
Gonger says: There is a quest Natural Kran Hair
Damola says: any development news?
Uadjet says: So I don't know about adding more variety to facial features, but I know they've been chatting (in the devs channel on Discord) about different clothing options for players. Not planning, per se, but discussing what might be available.
Uadjet says: Ah, news. Okay, for one thing Talad has been very busy in the last three weeks.
Damola says: yeah
Uadjet says: There's a new alpha out. Supporters can get the link on Discord, and if you've got over 200 hours played you can poke Talad for a link as well.
Anysu says: More cothes options would be nice.
Anysu says: *clothes*
Uadjet says: Talad has also done a lot of work on GM commands and the whole event manager, so we'll be able to have events in PSU the same way we do here!
Damola says: nice
Damola says: but those different instanced are gone for good?
Damola says: *instances
Kendric says: Have you considered potentially adding a user generated content system for crafted items ? a curated method to allow players to submit 3d models and props to the game and than those models are available to select when crafting clothing armor weapons etc
Uadjet says: Players can absolutely submit items like artwork, and if appropriate the devs might accept it.
Jilerel says: That's already possible if it's "for the greater good" and "reasonable" in oldPS (see my bad training dummies?)
Kendric says: a good tailor could thow together their own clothes in blendor or something
Uadjet says: Training dummies are awesome!
Damola says: Ah, you made those, Jilerel?
Jilerel says: Yep
Damola says: nice
Kendric says: I found those recently didn;t know it was a player submission
>Migg Ellorean claps for Jilerel Onenim.
Kendric says: good job
Jilerel says: I mean when I resumed playing the game I forgot it was a player submission as well
Kendric says: no dont hit it its a trap
Migg says: We're not in kansas any more, toto!
Kendric says: disguised GM you stand no chance
Uadjet sings "If I only had a brain..."
Kendric says: dont do it noooo
>Damola Etedi draws a weapon and swings it at Uadjet!
>Damola Etedi draws a weapon and swings it at Uadjet!
>Damola Etedi draws a weapon and swings it at Uadjet!
>Damola Etedi draws a weapon and swings it at Uadjet!
Damola giggles
Kendric waits for the lightning
Uadjet says: OW!
Gonger says: Only cowards attack dummies. They need some courage.
Mordaan is impressed with Uadjet's elusiveness...as a stationary object
Damola looks innocently in the room.
Uadjet says: Yeah, seeing that a training dummy has dodged your attack is a bit discouraging. And disturbing.
Mordaan says: Uadjet says: Talad also did a lot of work on porting crafting.
Damola says: nice, but hopefully with improvements to the repetition part of it
Uadjet says: Honestly, I think my role in the streams is that whenever Talad says "we don't need this", I pop in and say why we do.
Damola says: haha, Uadjet
Uadjet says: He didn't think we needed study, and I ruined that for him!
Uadjet says: I mean /study the command.
Migg says: oh no!
Damola says: Oh, I was not aware of such a command.
Migg says: Can't live without study!
Damola says: oh,
Kendric says: Speaking of things needed did you see my post in flypray the other day about a /sheath / draw command for weapons so you can put them away in town without loosing the stat boosts by unequiping them
Migg says: only way to filter your crafting books!
Damola says: I never saw this window.
Uadjet says: But he's set up a tree-style crafting display, so you can see each stage you have to go through to get to a final item. All the way back to the raw ingredients.
Migg says: open a crafting book, then use /study
Kendric says: oh wow thats a massive improvement
Gonger says: Damola, right-click any book, then type /study. Now you have a filter possibility
Damola says: Oh, interesting
Uadjet says: Yeah, /study is one of the "How was I not aware of this before?" items in the game.
Gonger says: I think I asked it before... but this very same filter possibility would be awesome to have for storage...
Damola says: But only crafting books?
Uadjet says: When a crafting books is 100+ pages, a filter comes in very handy.
Kendric says: Something I wanted to see was the ability to copy books at the libraries to a blank book uou have
Gonger says: So would it be possible to get this filter for storage as well?
Damola says: Ah, yes, only works with crafting books
Kendric says: like how scribes studied in ancient times
Damola says: well in the end it would be more straightforward to make things searchable where it makes sense.
Migg says: you can use /screenshot to capture the pages in a book
Damola says: A filter for storageā¦ yeah that would be nice.
Migg says: then copy it to one of your own by hand, like the scribes did
Migg says: or even in the library, even more realistic
Mordaan says: or just the ability to learn Jayose's copy spell.
Kendric says: just keep in mind the ballance between pure realism and fun
Migg says: people sell books, if it were just a click to copy them what would be the point?
Kendric says: very fine line to walk but I frequently find all games transgress over it in either making something that shoul simple convoluted and difficult or oversimplidying things to the point there is no challange where there should be
Uadjet says: As I mentioned in gossip, Talad is also working on the new character creation system. I don't know what is public knowledge and what isn't, but since he's talked about it in the streams it can't really be a secret.
Uadjet says: I'll just say that legacy characters and characters created in Unreal will have very different introductions to the game. The fact that you select which planet you came from should give a hint.
Kendric says: Oh so special secret intro sauce for porte characters
Migg says: Um, characters alive at this era should have no connection to the origin planets
Uadjet coughs.
Uadjet says: As for a filter for storage, that does sound like a great idea.
Uadjet says: I'm not sure how hard that would be to add.
>Overriding race for Uadjet to archery target
Migg says: should be a DB lookup, but you are on the mark
>Migg Ellorean fires an arrow at Uadjet!
Kendric says: Saddlebags and later on carts for mounts would also be nice for inventory management would be nice too
Migg says: Oh, I hit bullseye!
>Resetting race for Uadjet
Kendric says: Like a minecraft style item library database
Kendric says: but there is the issue of meta knowledge there
Migg says: any more news?
Uadjet says: I think that's it for now. Oh! Zwei has been working on the BD Fortress map!
Damola says: Nice.
Migg says: great!
Damola says: Would love to see some screenies in forum. Still waiting on the used laptop I bought which should be able to run PSUnreal with Vulkan driver
Anysu says: Still need to do a quest to ride ptero to and from fortress in UE?
Migg says: I consider BD outside the best map currently in PS
Uadjet says: There are some really nice upgrades to that on the way, but so far I think it's meshes without textures.
Jilerel says: Will we get an actual Hydlaa Forest?
Damola says: I see.
Uadjet says: @Anysu: I assume it will be the same.
Kendric says: speaking of which are the maps being direct ported or are they also getting a mesh and texture overhaul with a higher poly count as well
Uadjet says: Umm... I don't recall a huge forest outside Hydlaa. Not linke the one outside Amdeneir, at least.
Kendric says: again have not had a chance to check out the alpha yet
Damola is tired
>Migg Ellorean tries to cover a yawn from Uadjet.
>Damola Etedi bows.
Damola says: See you all.
Migg says: yes, it's getting late here as well
Mordaan says: Jilerel: have you been in the PSunreal version yet?
>Zarre waves at Damola Etedi
Migg says: bye Damola!
Kendric says: I want to but haven't gotten the installer link yet
Uadjet says: The wilderness maps are new. Most of the familiar areas are recognizable, but the new vegetation makes it a bit trickier to know where you are.
Kendric says: I amcurious if you modified the client to attempt to render the entire game world and all NPC's items particles at the same time could modern hardware handle it XD
Jilerel says: @Mordaan: I haven't, I'd like to wait for it to become RPable before touching it :p
>Teleported Damola Etedi to Moren Findel
Anysu says: Thanks for all you do, bot Dev and GM.
Anysu says: *both not bot*
Mordaan says: ah. If you are referring to an improvement of the "cardboard forest" just outside the north gates, the answer is "yes"
Jilerel says: Thanks =)
Kendric says: I would be interested to see if that was feasable
Kendric says: every level every npc every item and particle loaded at the same time without any optomization
Kendric says: just to see of a modern system could brute force it
Uadjet says: Oh, yes. The area outside of Ojaveda has real bamboo now, not just a bamboo wallpaper.
>Anysu Atani cheers happily at Marble Bench!
Anysu says: lol
>Anysu Atani cheers happily!
Migg says: marble benches are so cool! literally!
Zarre says:
Uadjet says: Yeah, unless you've had an /impersonate accidentally make a small table shout something, an incorrect command target isn't too bad.
Bookstand says: True dat!
Uadjet says: So, if there are no more questions, we are well past the hour...
Migg says: well, a bench shouting "Oy, get your butt over here" wouldn't be that bad
Anysu says: lol
Migg says: Thank you all for the great job you do!
Kendric says: on the other hand I would never trust a chest or crate talking to me because we all know its gonna be a mimic that tries to bite your hand off
Zarre says: Agreed!
Uadjet says: Okay, I think we can bring the meeting to a close! Thank you all for coming! Have fun playing the game, and we'll see you all again for the next meeting on the 27th!
