Famine Addresses Gem Concerns

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Posted Fri, Aug 22, 2008 by Martuk

Funcom's US Community Manager Glen "Famine" Swan recently posted a message to address some of the concerns players have been voicing about the current gem changes on the Test Live servers.

As many of you have already seen the latest changes to the gems are currently being tested on test live. We have been acutely aware of the feedback of the imbalances provided by the gems in their original incarnation and have been at work behind the scenes to redesign and modify how gems work so that they offer more utility but don't imbalance the game, in particular in PVP, as they can currently. We had hoped to have these changes completed before it was necessary to also take intermediate action in order to level the playing field in PVP as it were.

Unfortunately we have seen that an intermediate step is required, and has in fact has been called for through the feedback and forums from the majority of people responding on the topic. To this end we have had the items designers reduce the efficiency of the gems significantly so that they won't have the effect they have today. We want to assure people however that we are also aware that we don't see this as the final solution; it is very much a 'quick fix' to the situation to immediately improve the PVP playability in the game.

This was especially important given the introduction of the new PVP progression system will come at the same time. There will be a more comprehensive review and rework of the gem system coming, but we had to nail a few additional things down first in particular with the other stats and abilities available in gem slots so that they have a greater bearing on your character development. That is simply something that we didn't want to rush so this intermediate step is being taken in the short term to help improve the playability until such time as the revamp is available on the live servers.

Thank you