Here is the log of the Dev Q&A for May 9, 2021
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.
Fayrene says: i have a question!
Uadjet says: On the stage today we have Zweitholou of the Art Team...
Fayrene says: Greetings Zweitholou
Uadjet says: And me, of the GM Team.
Uadjet says: You have a question, Fayrene?
Fayrene says: yes! how much npc can the psu handle? i ask because its a little empty. not much children etc
Uadjet says: Children require new art, but there is a plan to add new NPCs.
Fayrene says: ah, so the plan is there. that is fine!
Fayrene says: thank you very much for answering
Zweitholou says: I'm not sure how many would be the maximum, but that is something we can test. Also, Talad also set up an npc generator for more event focused additions, or travelers from other parts
Fayrene says: that is nice!
Gonger says: I also think that players are welcome to help with new NPCs and quests and the likes.
Uadjet says: Oh, that's great! Being able to set up temporary NPCs would be a huge help for events.
Fayrene says: that is true!
Fayrene says: so, the next one
Uadjet says: Though they still refuse to set up the Kikiri Invasion script the GMs have been requesting for years.
Fayrene laughs and says: "the what?"
Uadjet says: An angry wave of Kikiri, invading various cities.
Uadjet says: They're worried we'd abuse it.
Fayrene says: that must be a view!
Migg says: kikiri are deadly!
Zweitholou says: Can't imagine why
Migg says: oh, the horror, the horror!
Uadjet says: I tried asking the Dev that used to be a GM, and she knows for a fact that we'd abuse it!
Fayrene laughs evily
Migg says: death by a thousand pecks!
Uadjet says: Dentritus?
Dentritus says: In the dark way magic quest chain you need an illness glyph you get in the quest after the quest you need it for, is this by design? The only other source I found is Tivali but if you decide for the dark magic ring you have to borrow the glyph for the quest chain.
Gonger says: Depends on the number of kikiri, I guess
Migg says: if they reach a critical mass, glyphs materialize out of thin air, that's true
Uadjet says: Could you /tell me which quest requires that glyph?
Uadjet says: Ah, okay. I'll test it out after the meeting.
Dentritus says: You need it to cast lesser plague
Uadjet says: Can you buy the glyph during the quest? That's one possibility.
Uadjet says: But yeah, requiring a glyph for one quest and then giving it away right after is a bit odd.
Migg says: can you buy that glyph?
Dentritus says: Not from Amakeer and I don't think Rulayne gave an option
Uadjet says: Sometimes you can buy glyphs that a quest requires if you don't have it already.
Dentritus says: I was wondering because I got the gylph in the next quest from Zhaomal
Dentritus says: Thanks for checking, that was all
Uadjet says: Okay, I think Zwei has a bit of an update for you all.
Uadjet says: If not, I'll look like a right @$#% for setting him up that way...
Fayrene says: omg...
Zweitholou says: Yes, I have an update!
Migg says: hmm, we need to find a right that has a left and 4 letters...
Zweitholou says: a few updates actually
Migg says: fool?
Fayrene says: please, enlighten us!
Zweitholou says: the bronze doors area has been modeled, textured, and is now in ue, so it should be available in the next update
Migg says: cool!
Zweitholou says: it will still need more additions, npcs, monsters added etc, but the basic parts are all in
Fayrene says: oh.... that area isnt easy to model, right?
Migg says: is that the path to the new training area?
Zweitholou says: in addition, the stone labyrinths have been modeled and textured, and can be set up off of the bronze doors area for new dungeons. The dungeons aren't laid out yet but the level design should be straightforward now that the pieces are done
Fayrene says: ugh.... the stone labyrinth... *shudders*
Stalfos says: Yes! more labyrinths to get lost in
Fayrene says: like yesterday, eh?
Migg says: So BD outisde and BD fortress are done?
Stalfos says: BD outside is quite different
Fayrene says: i want to see that.... or maybe... better not....
Zweitholou says: also, this morning i finished all the lemur models and textures, and they are in ue for some fixes and touch up by Talad to be added in
Zweitholou says: in addition, we've make adjustments to models and some texture changes and additions to add diaboli and the female klyros model
Zweitholou says: for those who have been watching the streams, talad is also finishing up a ylian female model
Fayrene says: that was the one at the beginning?
Zweitholou says: so we are finally close to having a model for all races and armors
Fayrene says: with shoulders who wandered up and down? *chuckles*
Zweitholou says: i think we are just missing a robe for the diaboli male
Fayrene says: hmmmm.... maybe a two tiled one?
Zweitholou says: migg, not sure i understand the question about the training area, but once monsters are in there will be more to explore and more combat possibilities
Migg says: I heard word of a new training area in the labyrinths
Zweitholou says: ah, well there will be a portion of the new tutorial in the labyrinths
Migg says: wondered where the entry point for it would be
Zweitholou says: but that area is still being modeled
Zweitholou says: the tutorial area will be entered from a portal as part of the new storyline and tutorial setup that talad has shown in the streams
Zweitholou says: but any training areas besides that in the stone labyrinths would be accessed through the bronze doors, that's correct
Migg says: great, thanks!
Zweitholou says: Those are all my updates!
Fayrene says: the clothing for diaboli..... wouldnt it look nice if they wear trousers and a knee-long mantle without arms?
Fayrene says: with ornaments on it?
Anysu says: Curious to know.. do the Diaboli have tails?
Zweitholou says: not currently, but those will be added
Migg says: according to the lore they do
Migg says: enki will lose the exclusivity
Stalfos says: Unrelated to UE... didn't the way quests used to give a rank in that way?
Uadjet says: Yeah, Tails with pointy triangular ends, I think. Or heart-shaped.
Fayrene says: better pointy triangular...
Uadjet says: They still do, though I wouldn't be surprised if not every quest mentions it.
Stalfos says: No, did some recently, The crystal way apprentice etc, no skil leevls given
Uadjet says: It goes Apprentice, Adept, and Master, with each of those split into Low, regular, and High.
Uadjet says: Oh, sorry. I was thinking rank as in titles.
Uadjet says: Brain glitch.
Stalfos says: I swear 1 few years back they gave a skill level
Uadjet says: I don't think most of the quests give skill rainks. Maybe early ones? It's been a while.
Stalfos says: No, I practically maxed before I even did some of the apprentice quests, no skill rank
Migg says: seems I haven't heard the question to these answers...
Fayrene says: scroll up a little bit, migg
Migg says: better pointy triangular?
Fayrene says: after your enki exclusivity ^^
Stalfos says: Any chance they could be put back?
Migg says: U: .. or hheart shaped
Uadjet says: I can ask in teh Dev channel, see if anyone knows.
Migg says: F: better pointy triangular
Stalfos says: OK, thank you
Fayrene laughs and says: "i dont want to see that heart-shaped one...
Uadjet says: Oh, and the pointy/heart-shaped comments were regarding the shape of the Diaboli tail.
Migg says: yes but I don't see any question regading the answers after that...
Fayrene says: Migg: "enki will lose their exclusivity
Migg says: will read the transcript
Stalfos says: IT was ddin't way quests used to give skill ranks
Fayrene says: after that comment from you was the comment from stalfos
Gonger says: The transformed groffel has a question
Migg says: ah
Migg says: s'why
Uadjet says: Beadeater?
Fayrene laughs
Beadeater When will Derghir be creatable for PCs
Uadjet says: It could take time for Beadeater to type the question, given that it's run by the NPC server, so I'll tell you what I'm working on.
Uadjet says: Ah, nicely played!
Fayrene is confused!
Migg says: a Derghir as player race?
Uadjet says: I don't know if that's planned at all, actually. They're described as semi-intelligent, but once you get the bell they're actually quite articulate.
Beadeater jumps on the stage and attack Uadjet in aflurry of blows
Uadjet says: I don't know if they want to go the route of Everquest, when they made Frogloks a playable race.
Uadjet says: And seriously, don't make me vaporize a pet.
Fayrene says: ugh.... i still have a picture in my brain about a diaboli with a heart-shaped tail.... by the gods
Uadjet says: But what I'm working on now is adding some NPCs. Fayrene mentioned it at the beginning of the meeting, rather prognostically.
Uadjet says: No, the tip is heart shaped! Like the cute version of devils have.
Fayrene is amused
Fayrene says: hmmm.... then the diaboli definitely should wear nice trousers and a knee-long mantle with a belt around
Uadjet says: There's a pretty wide gap in numbers of NPCs by race and by gender, so we're trying to balance things out a bit.
Fayrene says: and ornaments on it
Fayrene says: that would work well with a heart-shaped tail.... *laughs*
Uadjet says: Many of the NPCs will be in places that don't exist in Legacy, but some will be in established areas.
Uadjet says: There may also be changes to some existing NPCs to balance things out.
Fayrene says: ah, that would be nice! will they going to work etc too?
Migg says: Oh!
Uadjet says: Klyros are 80%male, and Stonehammers are about 70% male. Ylians are 90%male. On the other side of things, Nolthrir are 80% female.
Stalfos says: Let's keep it that way [
>
Uadjet says: Ylians are the largest group in the game (for NPCs), so some of them might get a gender change. Otherwise we'd have 3-4 times as many Ylians as anything else.
Fayrene chuckles and says: "hmmm.... maybe a love quest.... "
Stalfos says: Down with the Yliarchy
Dentritus says: Since Stonehammer women also have beards it is hard to tell
Uadjet says: I've already got plans for the BD fortress, but of course I need to run them by the Devs first.
Fayrene thinks on lord of the rings... the comment from aragorn...
Uadjet says: I hope to get representatives of each Department in there for players to talk to, and it's been fun running around planning where to put people.
Anysu says: A picture of Diaboli I saw on wiki (maybe old link) show end of tail as arrowhead shape.
Fayrene says: hmmmm... does the guilds with guild houses have npc as helper?
Migg says: nope
Migg says: I have to sweep the whole place all by myself
Uadjet says: That's an interesting thought. I think it's been suggested before. Are you thinking a butler type?
Fayrene chuckles about Migg's comment
Gonger says: But of course they would have to be paid...
Fayrene says: yes
Fayrene says: (me thought about the anime log horizon where npc helped in the guild)
Stalfos says: Optional I hopw, can;t be sure those NPCs aren't spying for the Octarchy
Uadjet says: I wouldn't mind having a Mr Wadsworth running around, but it wouldn't be the same if he wasn't voiced by Tim Curry.
Fayrene laughs again
Migg says: Speaking of who voices NPCs
Migg says: is there a plan to add a voicover for quests? I know only of one quest that has it
Fayrene says: uh oh.... using the babble-sound program?
Fayrene says: or maybe actual voices from the devs?
Stalfos says: Brado's voice is brialliant
Fayrene says: hmmm.... levrus could get an old and rough voice with deepness
Uadjet says: I don't know of any plans, but if people want to voice NPCs they are welcome to talk tot he Devs about it.
Fayrene says: (that cheeky old geezer...)
Uadjet says: I think the issue is that once an NPC is voiced by someone, you can't then have someone else voice that NPC for other things. No real good solution for that as far as i know.
Fayrene says: and another thing is that you need alot of text for them voiced
Gonger says: Yes, Uadjet.
Fayrene says: the poor game....
Migg says: AI is supposed to take care of that, but a fair point nonetheless
Gonger says: And I did some phonetics studies, so I know that not everybody is able to do good voiceover, and it is more time-consuming than you would think.
Fayrene says: and it will raise up the gigabytes from the game
Gonger says: Plus, if you want to have good voice quality, you will also need some extra disk space.
Migg says: disk space is not much of an issue nowdays
Fayrene says: so, better not make voices for them
Uadjet says: That's true. One of the settings GM's and Devs can turn on is quest testing, which shows every possible speech bubble you can choose when talking to an NPC. Or close to it, at least. It takes forever to scroll through the options for someone like Harnquist or Levrus.
Migg says: and voice can be compressed like a lot
Fayrene says: yeah, harnquist and levrus talk alot
Gonger says: For some people disk space is an issue.
Fayrene says: and some have older computer
Uadjet says: The quest "More Coal" would be even more amusing voiced, though.
Anysu says: Aye space issue for me. Would want if voice added to have choice of text or voice.
Stalfos says: Could be optional whether or not you install it?
Fayrene says: uh oh... noooo! dont do it, uadjet!
Migg says: 640MB of 44KHz stereo uncompressed is one hour or more
Gonger says: Moooooooooooooooorrrrrrrreeeeeeeeee Coooooooooooooooaaaaaaaaaaaaaallllllllllll
Fayrene says: goooonger....
Anysu says: lol Gonger
Fayrene says: levrus creeped me out with that quest...
Migg says: make that mono, compress it with ogg, limit it to 2KHz and you can have it all in a CD
Gonger says: Does humour belong in games? Definitely.
Anysu says: Maybe not just sapce, but sound quality. If one has no crummy speaker sound
Gonger says: I think it was in Three Kingdoms MUD that they had a NPC on a market square, speaking the whole text of Monty Python and the Holy Grail.
Stalfos says: variable bit rate, joint stereo
Fayrene says: yeah.... but not levrus, please!
Anysu says: *ignore the 'no' in my above note*
Anysu says: *lol space not sapce*
Fayrene says: ah, i have to go now! see you tomorrow!
Uadjet says: We're past the hour, so unless someone has a last question for us...
Gonger says: The Last Question...
Gonger says: Thanks for the updates and the work!
Uadjet says: Then I think we can bring the meeting to a close. Thank you all for coming, an d we'll see you again in two weeks at the next meeting!
Migg says: Thank you all for the updates and all the hard work!
Dentritus says: Thank you
Migg says: now I need to find who the GM turned Dev is...
Zweitholou says: Thank you for enjoying the game!
