Author Topic: Dev Q&A November 27th 2022  (Read 467 times)

Uadjet

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Dev Q&A November 27th 2022
« on: December 11, 2022, 06:25:49 pm »
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.
Anysu says: Maybe. I did see Gonger is around.
Anysu says: In the plaza but maybe afk
Uadjet says: Okay, I'll give a quick update, then, on what's going on behind the scenes.
Uadjet says: Now, I think I mentioned that Talad was working on cinematic sequences at the last meeting, right?
Anysu nods
Anysu says: Oh Migg is on
Uadjet says: Those include not only cutscenes, but also smaller things where the camera moves to capture something impressive, like a great combat move or entering a new area. Just a second or two long, no loading anything extra, but they really do add flavour to the game.
Migg says: What is it holding in its handses, precious?
Uadjet says: I know the first time I saw Amdeneir in game it was pretty much perfect: The lighting, the angle... Just coming up over a hill and spotting Amdeneir through the trees. Something like that really adds to the atmosphere of a place, so those will be fun to have in game.
Migg says: You sound like you are about to propose
Migg says: taking it out for a picnic?
Uadjet grins. "Wouldn't be a bad spot for it"
Migg says: :D
Anysu says: Maybe since Uadjet is godlike, he is holding our souls.
Migg says: nah, it's a picnic basket
Migg says: he wants a date with Amdeneir
>You spawned Picnic Basket to your inventory.
Anysu says: All our souls in a picnic basket....
Anysu says: lol
Anysu says: See..
Uadjet says: There we go. :)
Anysu says: lol
>Migg Ellorean raises an arm and points towards Souls.
Anysu says: Sorry, go on while I try to stop loling.
Migg says: now we're just soulless puppent :D
Migg says: *puppets
Uadjet says: That's a weird setup for emotes.
>Uadjet stares at Souls with interest.
>Uadjet laughs heartily at Souls.
>Name changed successfully
Migg says: now if you were holding a scythe or something...
>Uadjet picked up a Player's Souls
>Uadjet dropped a Player's Souls.
>You spawned Magic Staff of Void to your inventory.
>Anysu Atani looks at Player's Souls and panics..!
Migg says: there, the ripper of souls!
Anysu facepaws
>Uadjet beckons Player's Souls with a slight gesture of the hand.
Uadjet says: Okay, so back to things slightly less silly...
Anysu nods
Uadjet says: Talad was also working on the Main Quest.
Migg says: silly is tha salt of life
Migg shuts up
Uadjet says: In this case, it's the way players enter the game. He's not planning on a tutorial area, per se, so the current tutoral area will be open for new NPCs. I've got a few in mind already.
Migg says: place is set up like a marketplace
Uadjet says: That could work. It's a nice, unique area.
Gonger says: So newbies are not going to start with Drykken Plane? Good news, that.
Uadjet says: Well, they are starting there. That's the plan, at least.
Uadjet coughs.
Migg says: I did not find it an easy experience, kind of disorienting
Uadjet says: After that they'll end up on the far side of the Bronze Doors, with the two rivers and the icky mushroom dripping black tar.
Gonger says: But the Drykken Plane needs more work...?
Uadjet says: It does. It's doesn't feel organic.
Uadjet says: Like it's a strange minigame people play before they start playing Planeshift.
Gonger says: As I said in my bug report, I like the general idea, but in its current form it will scare away newbies.
Migg says: ^
Gonger says: I will re-test it in the next release.
Thosor says: I've never made it out of there.
Thosor says: Waited for a new release last time.
Uadjet says: I've made it a few times, but failed on my first attempt. Maybe it's just that I know precisely what to do, and that makes it easier for me.
Migg says: I got stuck in there, but admittedly that was a rather early version.
Uadjet says: Talad has also worked on guildhouses, as well as guildmaps that players can enter.
Thosor says: And that is after a long period of deciding who to be.
Uadjet says: Like this map, or the Octarch's Residence.
Uadjet says: Up until now trying to enter those maps in PSU would drop you into the Dryken Plane, which is unhelpful.
Uadjet says: Talad's fixed the guildmaps with NPCs in them - although I'll have to ask about the Menita's Puzzle maps - and I think he's got the courthouse working as well.
Thosor gets a closer look
Gova says: Oh, I haven't done that quest in ages.
Uadjet says: Let's see... He's done map fixes, item fixes, and other bug fixes as well. Too many to list, but he's making good progress.
Uadjet says: He's closing bug reports faster than they appear, which I take as a good sign. :)
Thosor says: so fixing bugs before they happen :)
Anysu sings 'Squash those bugs right out of the game."
>Anysu Atani lets out a hearty laugh!
Anysu says: Sorry, please continue.
Uadjet says: As for me, I missed a lot of the bugfixing streams because I was writing quests.
Uadjet says: Or I had them playing but wasn't paying attention.
Migg says: reminds me of beetlejuice for some reason...
Uadjet says: I was aiming for a quest a day, not counting event days, but came up a little short. I've written five new quests and adapted another five that I had previously written for use with new NPCs in PSU.
Uadjet says: The adapted quests are the two intro to lockpicking quests, two low-level lockpicking repeatables, and the leatherworking quest.
>Anysu Atani cheers happily!
Anysu says: 'Lockpicking!"
Migg says: Set in Oja I'd guess
Uadjet says: The new quests are one for each of the two Enki sisters for Delver, An Eye on the Road and Knowing the Hunting Grounds, the latter being the first to check and see if you have compendium entries to progress.
Uadjet says: I've also written a couple quests that give players travel instructions on how to get to Delver, since it's a new town and not the easiest to find.
Uadjet says: There's one in Hydlaa, and one in Ojaveda.
Uadjet says: And I have to admit that I have as much trouble doing quick quests as I do running quick events.
Thosor says: Like trying to make a short speech.
Uadjet says: My shortest quest so far was intended to be a couple quick conversations, and grew to 38 steps.
Uadjet says: The medium length quest ended up being 78 steps. And there's a max of 100 steps in a quest!
Anysu says: That seems like alot of steps.
Uadjet says: One conversation can be 10 steps, and be done in under a minute. Each time the player has a chance to say something, it's a step. And not all steps must be (or can be) taken. Some are things like reminder steps, for someone who has forgotten what they were supposed to get. Others are optional branches, or questions players can ask.
Migg says: Any documentation on the new quest syntax?
Uadjet says: The same as the old syntax, from what I understand.
Migg says: but you said quests can test for compendium entries
Uadjet says: Ah, that's easy.
Uadjet says: It's: Require compendium creature CreatureName or Require no compendium CreatureName.
Migg says: was always looking for something to test if players have used a musical instrument
Thosor says: played or practiced enough to listen to/
Uadjet says: Hmm. I doubt that information is stored anywhere.
Migg says: though I guess that would be a one-off anyway with the compendium, if it existed
Migg says: where are we with repeatable music quests, if I may ask?
Uadjet says: That's a good point. Players could get a compendium entry on an instrument on playing it, which could then be checked in a quest.
Uadjet says: Only Talad (and Ven, if h'e around) can add quests. Did you send Talad a final version?
Migg says: No, did not get to repeatables, and now the initial quest will probably be missing
Migg says: the one that introduces music
Uadjet says: Ah, right. Well, I can work on repeatables, but that's hard to do without having new music. I could try doing one with music-themed errands.
Migg says: first thing that's missing is a list of new NPCs with any relation to music
Uadjet says: I was planning on asking which quests people want added, and the missing repeatables are certainly on the list.
Uadjet says: There's a house in Delver that has a number of instruments in it.
Migg says: Ah, nice!
Migg says: but another stumbling point is what to ask for in a repeatable that can be measured
Migg says: can only send them around to NPCs
Uadjet says: In addition, new NPCs can be added. Small towns may have limited numbers, but there's room in the tutorial area now, and in the 75% of Amdeneir that's empty.
Anysu says: I can't even imagine the vast task it is to fill a place with npcs.
Uadjet says: Oh, and a new Dsar in Oja.
Uadjet says: That needs NPCs too.
Migg says: Don't want to hijack the meeting, but some notes of how e.g. Kaiman's supplies is done would be nice
Migg says: how to send the player to a random NPC and have that NPC expect them, without going past these 100 steps :D
Uadjet says: I've got a list of NPCs for Amdeneir - which is badly in need of editing down - but it's just names, genders, professions, and family links. Adding things like descriptions, equipment, Knowledge Areas, and quests takes a lot longer. :)
Migg says: Perhaps I should revisit my quests, I think I had sent them to you at some point, feel free to reuse any part if you like
Uadjet says: Right now I'm adding new NPCs as I need them for quests. One of the quests that gives directions is A Fruitless Endeavor, and that introduces two new NPCs: One's a labourer at Oja's mills, and the other a grocer.
Uadjet says: Oh, and Haviland has done the Compass quest! Not the easiest to find, but once we get it approved it can be added to PSU.
Uadjet says: Until then I'll keep dropping compasses on Toda's counter.
Anysu says: cool
Gonger says: Good job
Migg says: So go visit Toda while you have the time ;)
Thosor says: I've been sitting on Toda's counter since the last release
Thosor says: No compasses
>Uadjet raises a drink to Player's Souls before gulping it down. Cheers!
Uadjet says: I'll refill the counter.
Uadjet says: Any questions? Thoughts?
Thosor says: No, good job.
>Anysu Atani cheers happily at Player's Souls!
>Anysu Atani grins at Player's Souls impishly.
>Thosor Riereri looks at Player's Souls and panics..!
>Migg Ellorean sighs dramatically at Player's Souls.
>Uadjet pokes Player's Souls.
Anysu says: Are there emotes in PSU?
>Migg Ellorean salutes Player's Souls with respect.
Thosor says: any way to tell if players on on in PSU? teamix thing?
Uadjet says: Yes. There's a radial menu that pops up. I'm not sure if there the same emotes using commands, though.
Anysu nods
Uadjet says: Umm.. Not from outside the game, as far as I know.
Thosor says: Is useful before firing up a desktop.
Migg says: what about from inside?
Anysu says: Yes it helps to know who is online in game.
>Migg Ellorean bursts into tears on Player's Souls's shoulder.
Uadjet says: A /who still works in PSU
Thosor says: Or switch the computer to PS from workstation mode.
Migg says: Ah, no window for friends?
Anysu says: To know who is in game when in game and when out of game.
Uadjet says: When in game it's easy. I'll have to ask Talad if it's possible to do it from outside the game.
>Thosor Riereri coughs at Player's Souls.
>Migg Ellorean motions to Player's Souls to follow.
Migg says: My, look at the time!
>Migg Ellorean tries to cover a yawn from Player's Souls.
Thosor says: yikes
Uadjet says: Yes, we are well past the hour.
Uadjet says: Thank you all for coming, and i'll see you at the next Q&A in two weeks!
>Migg Ellorean fidgets impatiently while waiting for Player's Souls.