Housing Update (and beyond)

Housing became such a big set of features to add and test, that we made the decision to hold off with public updates until it was done. This is why so many other changes have been included in this patch, including some that we would really have liked to have included months ago. Rest assured that from now on, we intend to release with smaller, but much more frequent patches.

We invite you to read the enormous changelog below, but we'd like to draw your attention to a few specific points as well.

QUALITY OF LIFE IMPROVEMENTS

One thing that we have dedicated a particular amount of time and effort into is adding more quality of life features into the client. Many UX features that players have requested are now available. For instance, you can now check your skill progress from the character info window. And instead of spending your time sorting your backpacks, there is now an auto-stacking feature that you may access by right-clicking the top of any container. Ever found NPC chats hard to follow? Now there's a channel that displays only NPC conversations to help you keep track.

These are just a few of many tweaks to the UX that we hope will make a big difference to players. And we hope you're as excited as we are with the direction things are going.

PARTY EXPERIENCE BONUS

An online RPG isn't much without parties. And after popular demand, we have now added bonus experience for parties; the larger the party's size, the greater the total experience granted from killing a monster. ADding more party-friendly hunting spots is something that is going to be on our mind a lot over the next few months as we work on the next content patch.

OPEN PVP

The whole region of Eastebb is now designated as PVP-enabled. This is the first area that we're allowing open PVP; consider it a bit of an experiment.

CLASS BALANCING

This update also brings various class balancing tweaks. With special focus to making Knights tankier, giving Rogues more sustain, and dialing back some of the Wizard's power. We do have some big changes planned here that we are looking forward to sharing with you soon. But for now, this will help even the playing field a little between the classes.

ELIXIRS

Previously, chugging elixirs constantly was so essential that there was barely time to do anything else when under heavy attack. To help solve this, we've now increased the HP/MP restored from elixirs, but also increased the cooldown on drinking them.

In other elixir news, an antidote elixir has now been added. This should open up some areas to non-magic classes in particular, that simply weren't viable for them to hunt in.

MONSTERS

The big change here is that monsters now have 'telegraphed' abilities. These are high-hitting abilities that the player is given a brief warning about beforehand. This gives you an opportunity to mitigate damage by dodging, or blocking it using some ability. There have been a variety of minor tweaks made here too; with balancing, clarity, and more interesting combat being the key goals here.

For the full list of changes, please see the changelog below.

CHANGELOG

UI/UX

• Added skill progress bars to character stats

• Casting tile-aimed spells now ignores above layers (e.g. treetops)

• The contents of containers may now be stacked/sorted automatically via the context menu at the top of a container (or CTRL-R)

• Added auto 'select all' on count when opening split stack window

• Added NPC channel to channel list. This channel isolates your conversations with NPCs, so it's easier to follow the conversation. Note that this is not intended to be a private channel with NPCs; all NPC inputs/outputs are still shown to other players in the main channel

• Fixed selecting text (widescreen only)

• Moved chat input closer to chat bar (widescreen only)

• Removed green highlight of 'Info' channel (widescreen only)

• Fixed bug when rendering screenshots with certain settings (widescreen only)

• Fixed client discord link

• Fixed negative numbers on bidding

• Fixed bug caused by players using the same name as an existing channel

• Increased width of avatar selection list to allow for longer character names

• Fixed issue with pressing 'enter' in a window (e.g. split stack window)

• Added an option to keep chats visible for those who want to keep track of channels while hunting (widescreen only)

• Added optional display of HP/MP bars over your in-game avatar (classic client only; widescreen already had this)

• Added optional display of status icons over your in-game avatar

• Allow toggling the HUD display of individual status icons (RMB on a status icon with the show status indicators on HUD setting enabled)

• Added new smilies

• Added support for logging the contents of the Info channel, this occurs automatically after you turn it on in settings > console

• Move single stackable item holding shift (currently only works if you hold shift after you start dragging)

• Added support for displaying a dropdown/context menu with RMB

• Can no longer follow monsters

• CTRL + ALT + LMB on an avatar to open private message channel with them

• Improve on-hover highlighting outline rendering so that it's clearer when obstructed

• Made top panel buttons hide/show possible while playing

• Added 'Wiki' and 'Discord' buttons/links to 'how to guide'

• Fixed opening channels when switching between screen-modes

• Fixed long player names in outfit window

• Fixed crashing bug when using certain items from bank

• Added HP/MP HUD bars for parties

• Added multi-language support for 'How to guide'. Portuguese has been added as the first non-English language

• Added 'Housing'-section to 'How to guide'

• Fixed random appearance of the red targeting circle on monsters

• Fixed some minor visual/rendering issues

• Various minor UI tweaks & improvements

• Various changes to info and console channels

COMBAT, EXPERIENCE, AND SKILLS

• Experience reduction by level is now more generous, allowing a difference in 5 levels before applying any reduction

• Party experience should no longer be 'lost' when a party member is not there to be awarded it

• Party experience is now adjusted according to party size (applying to party members that were on-screen of the killed creature or dealt damage to that creature) - Formula: 2.2 - 1.7 * EXP(-0.35 * validGroupMembers.Count) - Enable the console combat report to display this information whilst in combat

• Magic defense calculation adjustments, making magic defense a much more valuable item stat - Magic defense from items is no longer modified by * 0.25 before being added to the total mdef value - Removed armor from mdef calculation - Removed shield 'defense' stat from mdef calculation - WIS effect on magic defense reduced from 1.0 => 0.6 - DEX effect on magic defense reduced from 0.25 => 0.2 - Formula: totalMagicDefense = 100 + DefenderDexterityStat * 0.2 + DefenderWisdomStat * 0.6 + DefenderDefenseSkill * 0.25 + DefenderItemMagicDefense

• Made combat dodge/block formulas more consistent

• Fixed issue with server & client disagreeing about which direction a creature is facing after moving diagonally north-east or south-west

• Offensive spells no longer damage fellow party members when in PVP-enabled regions

• Ranged ammo no longer taken in the PVP arena

• Added status icon to display when your avatar has recently been in combat

• Added status icon to display when on a tile that allows PVP

PAGE

• Quickshot - Fixed bug preventing casting when only one target

• Overdraw - Projectile now used up on successful shot

• Berserk - No longer blocks ranged auto-attacks when active - Active on-hit splash damage and attack speed bonus no longer applies with unarmed combat

KNIGHT

• Enrage - Stack accumulation duration increased 4s => 5s

• Armament - Cooldown reduced from 35s => 25s - HP regeneration now based on damage taken over duration

• Charge - Damage bonus is now lower initially, but increases with tiles moved - On-hit slow now increases with tiles moved

• Taunt - Now specifically triggers a monster to try to change target when applied AND when removed - Re-added taunt duration combat text on player request - Increased range that taunter has to stay from tauntee from 2.5 sqm to 3.5 sqm. NOTE: This does not affect the initial range that you must be from a monster to taunt it - Description updated: "Force all monsters within 2 sqm to target you for a few seconds. Not staying close to a taunted monster may cause the effect to wear off."

MARKSMAN

• Acute Frenzy - Stacks now accumulate for the first 7 seconds, with each stack lasting 4 seconds - Max attack speed bonus is now capped at x5 - Stacks are no longer reset on changing target

ROGUE

• Flurry - Mana cost reduced from 50 => 40

• Disembowel - Mana cost reduced from 60 => 50 MP - Bleed amount calculation now takes into account equipment melee bonuses

• Impale - Mana cost reduced from 50 => 40 MP

• Bloodlust - HP base regen per stack increased from 0 => 1 - Increased bonus HP regen rate by +15% - Regen calculation now supports decimals, with the final value calculated by rounding up/down based on that decimal. Actual effect of this will be an average of -0.5 bonus MP regen per tick - NOTE: Combined regen changes here is equal to a regen bonus increase of +17-21% - Cooldown reduced from 20s => 18s - Added combat text to display max regen per stack - Increased regen bonus by +8%

RANGER

• Glacial Imbue - Now cancels automatically when caster runs out of mana

CLERIC

• Restoration - Instant self-healing is no longer applied when ability is cast on self

• Mirror Shield - Fixed facing direction when diagonal

WIZARD

• Retribution - Slow increased from -20% to -25% - Slow no longer stacks

• Orb Pulse - Increase orb pulse range - Removed orb destroy-on-hit logic - Reduced orb multi-hit damage bonus from +50% to +10% - Slow effect is now also affected by multi-hit bonus - Fixed bug with training

• Channel Energy - Distance from target effect on damage reduced such that less damage is done between 0-2.5 sqm and slightly more damage is dealt at further distances

• Condemn - On-move damage from target HP reduced by 10-15% - On-move base damage increased from 0 => 2 - Final damage from target HP reduced by -10%

• Absorb - Shield initial value reduced from 20% => 10% - Initial shield accumulation increased but with considerable diminishing returns - Formula: currentShieldValue + (0.01 / currentShieldValue) - By extension, this will mean that accumulated shield has a much lesser effect on final damage - Default combat calculation effect on damage increased by +100% - Regen amount now supports decimals, with the final value calculated by rounding up/down based on that decimal. Actual effect of this will be an average of -0.5 bonus MP regen per tick

SHAMAN

• Virulence - Converted calculation of damage based on target health from a simple multiplication to an exponential, such that HP now contributes slightly less against high HP mobs

• Doom - Re-applied an older change (2020 December 11th) that was mistakenly rolled back - Reduced base percentage debuff from 20% to 10%

SORCERER

• Flash Frost - Now blocks movement for 2s from start of ability (after 150ms delay)

ITEMS

• Added antidote elixir

• Elixir restore/price adjustments - Vial HP/MP restore amount increased from 40 => 70 - Vial HP/MP cost increased from 25 => 40 cc - Flask HP/MP restore amount increased from 67 => 126 - Flask HP/MP cost increased from 50 => 80 cc - Bottle HP/MP restore amount increased from 110 => 169 - Bottle HP/MP cost increased from 100 => 120 cc

• Elixirs now restore a more consistent amount of HP/MP (within 7% of the average)

• Elixir cooldown increased from 0.5 => 1.0s

• Player inventories have been updated to reflect the above changes, with counts reduced appropriately

• Added small animation when drinking an elixir

• Bullet NPC sell price reduced from 1cc => 0.2cc

• Throwing knife NPC sell price reduced from 10 => 2 cc

• Equipment move speed modifiers are now displayed correctly when inspected

• Food nutrition values are now displayed when inspected, the value is equal to the number of seconds that the item may provide your character with natural regen when eaten

• Fireweed seed - NPC sell price reduced from 50 => 40cc

• Fireweed flower - NPC sell price reduced from 25 => 16 cc

• Xilis mushroom - NPC sell price increased from 20 => 45 cc - NPC buy price increased from 5 => 9 cc

• Woodsorrel flower (ooo I wonder why this was changed, what a mystery) - NPC sell price reduced from 16 => 12 cc

• Green substance added weight and updated description to help communicate that it has value

• Fixed a few minor item/object bugs

• Fixed garbled symbols on signs/descriptions

CONSOLE

• Combat report now displays experience to next skill level whenever skills are trained

• Added new 'calculate' console commands which prints out the relevant combat report

• Added new variable to accurately report item magic defense

• Fixed distance combat report typo

• Combat report now hides some irrelevant stats & decimals formatted for better readability

• Melee attack calculation command no longer works when unarmed

• Added missing calculation logging to monster ranged attacks

• Console errors are now printed to console instead of info channel

• Combat report for mdef no longer refers to "armor"

• Combat report now lists a separate value from item mdef

MAP

• The region of Eastebb is now PVP-enabled (with the exception of the town of Driftop)

• Brewing tutorial area improved - Cap on foraged plants is now ingredient-specific - Fixed misleading hints on some plants when trying to forage in wrong order - Added cauldron hints in same style as plants - Corrected mentions of health 'draft'

• Adjusted inaccessible web/spider alcoves in Shrachlor's lair so that she that can't hide in them

• Moved Eastebb North Cape boat teleport destination on top of the non-PVP hill with the NPC

• Replaced redundant map PVP warnings

• Arena now has a periodic block to rejoining the arena (on a simple timer: 30s on, 30s off). This is a slightly lazy way to provide what players have been asking for with restricting rejoining the arena after death

• Fixed various minor map bugs

NPCS

• Fixed various minor NPC bugs

• Added new auctioneer NPCs

• Added new NPCs to Brookton, Aylestone, and Driftop

MONSTERS

• Fixed various bugs and odd behaviours

• Adjusted monster talk colors

• Added monster ability visual feedback in the form of animations and 'talks' on/before casting

• Archenaid - Increased walk around rate slightly - Can now attack multiple times per turn - Decreased base damage

• Bear - May now charge at its targets

• Boar - Charge ability now deals bonus damage, and resets when > 2 sqm away from target

• Cave Troll - Increased chance and minimum damage from ranged attacks - Rocks now slightly slow players - Defense debuff when under 20% HP - Defense modifier on low HP reduced from *0.66% => *0.75

• Ferorn Morphis - Healing is now on a minimum cooldown of 6s

• Giant - Physical defense reduced by -7% - Added warning to ground smash - Abilities adjusted - Increased telegraph damage - Loot adjusted (no items removed)

• Gloptoad - Can now poison

• Helina - Gained a new bleed-causing ability

• Knight of the Protectorate - Gained a new 'telegraphed' ability - Reduced telegraph damage - Fixed telegraph aim - Added new AOE frontal attack which affects the facing tile after a warning

• Maned Trow - Now throws pebbles when at range

• Mordrir - Gained a new 'telegraphed' ability - Pathing behaviour adjusted - Firestorm ability now affects avatars even when stacked on the same tile - Firestorm ability damage reduced by -20% - Haste increased - Slow increased

• Mountain Troll - Experience corrected 455 => 480

• Nysandra - Adjusted poison tick

• Orc Legionnaire - Reduced chance of shield block triggering

• Orc Savage - Gained a new 'telegraphed' ability - Enters rage when under 33% HP - Fixed cleave ability trigger - Defense debuff nerfed

• Orc Legionnaire - Now has a double hit ability

• Outlaw Archer - Gained a new ability

• Outlaw Bandit - Gained a new ability

• Outlaw Thief - Gained a new ability

• Predator - Reduced walk around rate slightly - Can now attack multiple times per turn - Decreased base damage

• Rhodosus - Now has a cooldown on it's charge

• Sal Cotton - Can now cause bleeding to players - Increased base damage - Reduced default melee damage - Old poison effect is now a bleed

• Shrachlor - Healing cooldown increased by +1s at all health levels - Added combat delay after heal by draining to give blockers a chance against the no-counterplay instadeath that would likely occur if another attack hit straight after - Damage bonus when very low HP reduced by -13% - Fixed LOS movement issue when target is at a certain distance

• Skeleton - Gained a moderate crit ability

• Skeleton Archer - Archer can cast Double Shot - Increased base damage

• Skeleton Warrior - Gained a new 'telegraphed' ability - Increased base damage - Reduced telegraph damage - Telegraph now only hits frontal sqm - Animation for frenzy added

• Soil Golem - Increased base damage - Increased damage output slightly - Added an occasional crit with a warning

• Swamp Troll - Gained a new 'telegraphed' ability

• Volent Brod - Added new AOE frontal attack with warning - Increased telegraph damage

• Warg - Can now cause bleeding to players - Heavily slow down players

• Wirathistle - Gained a new 'telegraphed' ability

• Wiralof - Added minor slow on melee damage - Bleeding damage reduced - Pounce speed increased

• Witch - Gained a new 'telegraphed' ability - Fixed pathing when in rage mode

• Witch Keka - Gained a new 'telegraphed' ability - AOE poison damage increased

• Wolf - Can slow down players

• Wyvern - Ability adjusted

OTHER

• Adjusted tile preference when going up/down stairs/ladders/holes according to the direction of the stair/ladder/hole

• Tile preference now specifically considered other stairs/holes, so you should never land on a stair or hole

• Tile preference may cause you to be placed on top of movement-blocking objects (if there are no other preferable tiles)

• Tile preference is now influenced by creatures (as a secondary concern over movement-blocking objects)

• Server now rejects new avatar names which match certain disallowed terms

• The system also supports partial-matching with these terms, but these will only be flagged up to us as suspicious (for manual review), rather than rejected outright