Weekly Development Activities

July 5, 2006

Check out the latest updates to the "Weekly Development Activities."
The goal for this feature is to give solid expectations on what you can
expect to see in future updates.

In QA

These items are in QA and should be a part of the Twilight Forge
Module. Please note: this list is still a work in progress and should
not be viewed as final.



Performance

• NEW – Xbox 360 controllers will be more
  responsive to player input. In particular players will now be able to
  run at full speed.

UI Improvements

• NEW – You will be able to turn "loot
  spam" off if you want.
• NEW – Players will be able to enter up
  to 256 characters into the chat bar before having to start a new line.
• We are adding Guild Names! They will be visible under player
  names.
• Party Member names will be distinguished from other player names
  by color.
• The colors for names of party members, other players, npcs, and
  monsters will be able to be changed.
• Displayed damage values for sneak attacks and critical hits will
  appear in a distinctive fashion.
• Hostile
  monsters names will now appear in a configurable color (default red).
  Friendly or neutral monster's names will look like NPCs names rather
  than hostile monster's names.
• “Accept Choice” is no longer
  mapped to the number pad enter key by default. Existing players will
  still have this mapped to the number pad enter key and will need to
  change the setting on their own if they wish to unmap it. "Accept
  Choice" is intended to be what you use to answer "yes" to dialogs in
  the game. This change will prevent players from accidentally releasing
  from their body when they did not wish to.
• When dragging items
  over the equipment slots in the UI, they will only highlight if the
  slot is compatible with the item. In addition, whenever you select an
  item, all of the compatible inventory slots will be highlighted.
• The latency meter will be located in the main menu bar. Also, the
  latency meter will no longer want to be on top of everything (tooltips,
  for example).
• Apostrophes and spaces will once again be allowed in player
  surnames and guild names.
• The player biography panel will be adjusted to allow for more
  punctuation and printable character types.
• The alive/incapacitated/dead state of members of your fellowship
  will
  update properly even when your group members are far from you.
• The tooltip for feats will display how many times you have
  acquired the feat if you have acquired it more then once.
• The tooltip for "Sneak Attack" will display how much extra
  damage you cause when performing a sneak attack.
• Correcting
  a text error with the tooltip for Greater Bane items that improperly
  states that Greater Bane is a +2 bonus instead of a +4 bonus.
• Alerts for "Missing Spell Component" will now list what the
  missing component is.
• The “/help alias” description of the /alias command is being
  updated to properly reflect /alias' capabilities.
• There is now an option to ignore all guild invites.
• Guild invites from squelched players will now be ignored.
• The correct error message will now be displayed if your guild
  invite expires.
• If
  you die from constitution damage you will no longer have an ability
  damage icon appear on your screen after you have resurrected.
• In
  order to explain the death penalty more clearly, the Death Penalty
  tooltip will be changed to read "You are significantly below the
  minimum amount of experience points required for your level. Your
  maximum hit points and spell points have been reduced, and you suffer a
  penalty to your attack rolls, saves, skills, and caster level."
• When
  you hover over the icon for items in your inventory, shops, chests, and
  reward UI, you will receive the examination information in a tooltip.
  This is in addition to the current method of examination (using the "z"
  key or the magnifying glass on the focus orb).
• The effect
  descriptions will be displayed directly upon examination, you will no
  longer need to hover over the effect names to get the descriptions from
  a tooltip.
• We are fixing a display issue where players who are
  wearing a +Con item or are under the effect of a +Con spell during
  level advancement see an incorrect increase to hit points.
• The
  "Play this Character" button in character generation will be renamed to
  "Create this Character" to more accurately describe what the button
  does.
• Pressing the "Default" button at the bottom of the
  options panel is incorrectly setting Engine Speed to "Very Low". It
  will be fixed to correctly set it to "Very High".
• NEW – Ctrl-k will no longer bring up the
  UI diagnostic screen.

General

• NEW – The dwarven racial save bonus
  against magic effects will work against bestow curse.
• We are adding a new emote into the game! You will soon be able to
  /eat.
• You will now be able to log out while incapacitated.
• You will no longer be able to be both exhausted and fatigued;
  exhaustion will remove and block fatigue.
• The upper limit of 40 on skills will be removed.
• We
  are changing the way “Over Time” spells and effects work. The intervals
  will be closer together (i.e., 2 seconds instead of 6 seconds), but
  will do less damage/benefit during each interval. There will be no
  change to the total amount of damage/benefit, this is purely a change
  to how the damage/benefit is spread out over time. This change also
  applies to the way lava does damage over time.
• Owing to their construct nature, Warforged will find that they
  are able to hold their breath under water significantly longer
  than they could before.
• Human males are being given a more “manly” run.
• You can no longer hear the sounds of dead party members running
  along with you.

Combat

• NEW – Repeating crossbow users rejoice,
  the machinegun issue will soon be gone.
• NEW
  – The "no dice shown when attacking a fire reaver" bug should be fixed;
  it caused an intermittent problem (with all monsters, but particularly
  noticeable with fire reavers and ice flensers) where you would make a
  melee swing, and see no dice, combat chat, or damage.
• All enemy
  trip and knockdown attacks (including Grease) will give the player a
  reflex save attempt every 2 seconds for the duration of the knockdown. This
  mechanic is most likely changing again in the future.
• Ranger's favored enemy bonus will now apply a +2 to the bluff
  skill against favored enemies.
• All races will be able to cause damage when they attempt to
  attack while sneaking with a shield.
• The display for your party member's HP/SP bars will refresh more
  frequently.
• We
  are fixing a display issue where the damage over time component of
  Slicing Blow isn't displaying properly (please note: the DOT is
  occurring properly, it just isn't displaying properly.).
• We are
  fixing a display error that sometimes causes the damage numbers over
  your target's head to be incorrect when a sneak attack is performed
  while the precision attack feat is active.

Enhancements

• Warforged with Improved Fortification will no longer be healed,
  even if they have taken the "Healer's Friend" enhancement.

Items

• NEW – We are fixing a bug that causes
  some bracers to be created without their intended effects.
• NEW – Light Hammers will get the
  benefits of Weapon Finesse Feat.
• NEW – Potions of Remove Fear will now
  actually remove fear effects. The potion retains its bonus to saving
  throws vs Fear.
• Common collectables will have their stack sizes increased to 99.
• Wizards
  and Sorcerers will have a greater chance to receive Damage
  Amplification modified weapons as part of NPC-based quest rewards.
• Scrolls for Death Ward and Ball Lightning will be added to the
  game.
• Outsider-Chaotic, Outsider-Lawful, and Outsider-Evil Bane effects
  will function correctly on the appropriate monsters.
• We are adding Immunity special effects to treasure effects (for
  example, Proof against Poison).
• The
  Kundarak Warding Shield's minimum level requirement will be changed
  from level 2 to level 10 for shields looted after this change goes live.
• Any wand offered as a quest reward will now be fully charged.
• We
  have fixed a display error in the description text for mithril armor
  where the text stated that mithril armor was a medium armor instead of
  a light armor. This was a text error only and will not change
  performance.

Spells

• NEW
  – Icestorm will no longer hit people for extra damage (you will be hit
  once for cold damage and once for bludgeon damage, but previously you
  were being hit twice by both.)
• NEW – Melf's acid arrow will not invoke
  spell resistance.
• NEW – Shout will no longer have deafen
  as one of its effects.
• Jump spell bonus will increase to 20 at 5th level and 30 at 9th
  level.
• The
  Phantasmal Killer spell will include a will save to disbelieve and
  completely negate the effects (this will bring it in line with the
  Player's Handbook 3.5 rules).
• We are fixing a problem where the Flame Arrow spell can fail
  based upon your spell resistance.
• We are fixing a problem where holy smite is not properly stunning
  evil creatures.
• Lightning bolt and flaming sphere would periodically hit targets
  more than once. This issue will be fixed.
• The Divine power spell is being fixed to properly apply the
  correct amount of temporary hit points to its target.
• We
  are fixing the Bard song “Inspire Greatness” and the spell “Greater
  Heroism” so that their greatness effects will no longer prematurely end
  when the bonus temporary hit points are used up.
• Melf's Acid Arrow is having its look and effects changed so that
  it appears bigger and brighter.
• We
  are fixing an issue where if you've been hit by multiple blindness
  spells, all of the spells would end as soon as the first spell expired.
  Now your full sight won't be restored until the final blindness effect
  has ended.
• The "doom" spell will now properly give you a -2 to your attack
  rolls (as per D&D rules).
• Having the benefit "Improved Heightening" will no longer give a
  discount to spells that are already maximum level.
• The poison spell will now show immunity effects if cast on an
  immune target.
• When you resist a spell due to an item of spell resistance, it
  will now send feedback to the combat chat tab.

Monsters

• NEW – Skeleton Arcii will be slightly
  easier to turn.
• NEW - Monster Drow will no longer be
  caught sleeping, as elves do not sleep.
• NEW - We are fixing a problem with the
  animation for tripped/knocked down monsters. This is an animation issue
  only.
• We
  are adjusting several monsters' vulnerability to light. Ghouls, wights,
  skeletons and slimes will no longer take extra damage from light. On
  the other hand, Vampires will be more vulnerable to light.
• The
  Beholder's Scorching Ray eyebeam will function properly. Beholders will
  also no longer be able to shoot through walls. Dead beholders will no
  longer emit antimagic fields. Vorpal weapons will no longer effect
  Beholders.
• The alchemist fire thrown by kobolds will have a reflex save for
  half damage instead of having the regular to-hit roll.
• We are making some adjustments to Fleshrender, Ice Flenser, and
  Fire Reaver AI's.
• Storm Giant's arrows will no longer disappear before being fired,
  and will also now fire from their bow.
• The Guardian of the Seal of Shan-to-Kor will now be less likely
  to walk on top of people (float) during combat.
• Xorian skeletons will no longer be immune to fire.
• Casting “Blind” on Velah the Dragon will have no effect.
• When a wraith kills something that is already undead, it will
  not spawn a new wraith.
• Icestorm will have the proper visual effects when cast by
  troglodytes, kobolds, and hobgoblins.
• We
  are fixing a bug that is incorrectly inflating trolls' vulnerability to
  poison. In conjunction with this fix, we are also raising the strength
  and damage capabilities of trolls and ogres on the “hard” and “elite”
  settings.
• NEW - Monsters will no longer look like
  they are "moonwalking."

NPCs

• NEW
  - The Brothers and Sisters of the Silver Flame stationed in Taverns to
  resurrect fallen heroes will also cast several curative spells for a
  small donation to the Church. The spells available are Remove Curse,
  Remove Disease, Remove Blindness (if you can find your way to the
  tavern), Restoration and Heal. Those the Church of the Silver Flame
  feel are Reclaimed will be given a significant discount.
• Henda Boulderbreaker will actually pay you if you win your
  gambling game.
• All vendors in House Jorasco once again give price discounts for
  finishing the Delera's Tomb storyquest.
• Many
  dungeon-based NPCs will only converse with one player at a time. This
  will alleviate a number of quest NPCs who might toggle a door or item
  twice in succession due to multiple conversations taking place
  simultaneously.
• Any open conversations with an NPC will be closed when a player
  recalls out, to ensure player and NPC don't get locked.

Quests

• Party
  members will not be able to leave their party while in a dungeon. If
  you wish to leave your party you will first have to recall to a public
  space.
• Attempting to abandon a story arc quest will alert the
  player that they will be abandoning multiple quests (and will list
  these quests).
• NEW - Bonebite Hideout
  • The ogre's kobold friends will always arrive to help defend
    him.
• Caverns of Korramar
  • NEW
    - The Ability scores DCs required to complete certain objectives in
    Caverns of Korromar are being removed. Characters of all classes will
    be able to complete the main objective.
  • A chest will have its loot table adjusted upwards.
• NEW - Delera's Tomb
  • The Skeleton Arcii located near the omaren pugilist will no
    longer respawn.
• NEW - Gambler's Den
  • The boss will not be able to respawn.
• NEW - Ruins of Threnal
  • A
    particularly nasty colony of glass spider queens is moving in to the
    South Threnal caves and, in the process, will chase away many of the
    slimes that are residing there.
  • The beholder objective will be clarified to indicate the
    beholder in the caves.
  • The
    objectives for "acquiring the silver and jeweled keys" will be changed
    to "opening the doors" requiring those keys. Each door will have a
    lockpick skill set on it. A party with a talented rogue may advance by
    picking those doors, a party without may advance by finding the keys.
• Sharpwood's Warehouse
  • You will have to complete all objectives in order to finish
    the quest.
• Sorrowdusk Island
  • NEW - Hragg will have a quest
    chalice above his head when appropriate.
  • NEW - The hellhound encounter will
    no longer respawn.
  • NEW - The Cultist encounter will no
    longer respawn.
    
  • Fane of the Six
    • Sear will no longer respawn.
  • Grey Moons Den
    • Hammerfist will no longer count towards the kill trolls
      objective.
• Stormcleave Outpost
  • Killing 50 minions is now a required objective
• Tear of Dhakaan
  • The Warmage will always spawn.
  • Karnat Thaar will have the appropriate quest chalices over
    his head.
• NEW - Tempest Spine
  • An optional quest is being adjusted so that the chest will
    only appear once you have killed the mini-boss.
• NEW - Temple of Vol
  • We are improving the graphics performance for this dungeon.
• Three-Barrel Cove
  • Fixed a bug where both Red Tom and Rosie the Jinx weren't
    giving players the option to repeat their quests.
• NEW – Xorian Cipher
  • An optional quest rune will be moved for consistencies sake.
    This will not change the difficulty or nature of the quest.

Under Development

These items are currently in development and are scheduled for after
the Twilight Forge Module.



To come.
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