Producer Dialogue: Cunning Plans

Salutations, Heroes of Dracania!

The time has come to let you in on our cunning plans, otherwise known as “The Roadmap”. But first an important announcement! We are about to banish bot users again, with their characters being deleted for all eternity. In case of any doubt: we will continue to ferociously squish bots with our ban hammer and will never tire of carrying out this duty.

Now back to cunning plans… We are working on many features, but following are some highlights:

· We would like to clean up Drakensang and need to start from the beginning of the game. That means that the game entry should get a complete rework to make it clearer, therefore more understandable and make it look even more awesome. The new game entry will fix that and will be released in August. Of course, this is targeted to new players but this does not mean that we neglect the already existing players. That’s why one of our next topics after the game entry will be the PVP matchmaking. We realize that this is bugged and needs to be fixed badly, so expect a better matchmaking experience in the near future.

· A feature that is conspicuous by its absence is some kind of loot comparing interface. We are working on this and will hopefully release it within the next couple of months. Expected after that comes an achievement system, which is something many of you have been asking for for a long time.

· Thinking long-term (probably end of year), we will be releasing a new balancing that will reduce the grind and improve loot distribution. We will also rethink some aspects of the tree of wisdom.

· At the end of summer, we will start work on a new content expansion, taking the level cap to 50. We don’t know what the theme for this content will be yet, so feel free to share what theme you’d like to see – we had Myrdosch last time, so what this time?
The Community Managers will approach you to state your ideas, therefore start to get creative and follow the forum|facebook|twitch.

· Along with the content expansion, we are planning to rework some aspects of Parallel Worlds, but more information about that will follow nearer the end of the year.

Last but certainly not least, we are crushing bugs faster than new ones can breed. This means that over the last few months our bug count has been reduced by half. But don’t worry, we are not becoming complacent, we know we still have much more to do before Drakensang Online plays smoothly for everyone.

Your Producer
Rick Talrok

 

Everything was fine until I saw that.

Ah what a great laugh though.. "over the last few months". What a great achievement Rick, if it was because you we're not lying. I still see a lot of bugs if not even more then before, so I don't know what you have that makes you feel like lying to keep players oh so happy. You guys are slow at fixing bugs and that's the proper truth. What about the recent ones. Extreme lags in groups - Taken damage even though on your screen you ain't on that location etcetc.

I already read an admin saying you guys worked on fixing it, but really?
Now how long shall we wait for those VERY annoying bugs to disappear?
- That's what I meant by being lazy.. You guys aka devs probably don't know how hard and annoying it is to do some hardcore farming when there's a bug making you wanna stop playing..

Stop being lazy and focus more on fixing then releasing bugs..

Your Bugs
BugsLevel10+

 

My personal reactions:

Killing botters = Keep up the good work! Would be nice to erase them completely from the game!

New game entrance = Rather using time on FIXING BUGS!

PVP improvements = At LONG LAST! THANKS!

Loot comparing = Doesn´t help me much, but nice for players who are starting to build their char - thumbs up!

Achievement system = dunno what ur talking about...

New balance for less grind = LIKE! Rather now than last of year! (without bugs that makes the game unplayable!)

Tree of wisdom = U got my attention there!

Cap to lv 50 = First thought - too SOON! This time, DON´T MAKE AS MANY BUGS! PLS! Rather wait than being unable to play!
But sounds interesting after all...

Rework PW: THANKS! We need it!

All in all: Sounds good, but PLEASE don´t make it a disaster like last year! Those who whine about too little new content, wake up and notice the bugs. Seems like you didn´t play, if you didn´t even see the world of bugs . The game was unplayable half the time.

So this time, pls go on with bugfixes and improve the game SLOWLY but STEADY!
(The fact that Devs are fixing 1 bug by creating 2 new is a disussion for another thread)

But i have to say THANKS for the effort to fix bugs!
Remember, bugs before content!

 

Can you please explain what is achievement system? I'm confused.

 

Hi RickTalrok,

You forgot to mention about low lvl players joining groups with high lvl players.
This is feature is heavily unbalancing the PvP(arena).

Lvl 1 to 15 go to Loxley Caverns to farm day and night for Arachna unique item, many of them can obtain well over 100K of glyphs per day.

This problem has a simple solution, don't allow a player to join groups that are 10 lvl higher, ex: a lvl 1 player can only join a group, if the highest player in that group is a lvl 11 and not more, this will end the unfairness in PvP and events rewards, they did nothing to deserve those rewards or glyphs.

Also, do you know how much money DSO is losing by allowing this???...just think of the bot-users and you will know.

I really hope to get answer about this matter from your part, since your co-workers don't seem to care to give me an answer.

Thanks for informing us.

 

This last paragraph, has nothing to do with the reality, dear Rick Talrok,or maybe you are not well informed. Bugs ,lags e.t.c,are worse than ever and technical support is completely missing for weeks or more. We keep complaining in forums , but we see no progress, like B.P doesn't care at all, and ignores the players/clients.
All these great plans, that you described above ,will have no value and will be useless, if B.P doesn't organize a proper service and technical support,to take care.

 

What do you exactly mean with "banish but user again" ? 3 Month ago was the first bannwave, all user, who used a bot or anything in the last 1-2 months was banned. What about the Ex bot users, who used bots or anything some months before the banwave ?

I heard, all user, who use a bot, doesnt matter 1 month ago or 1 year ago will be banned, is that right ? So its right, that all bot user, who used a bot (for example) 3-6 month before the bannwave, they will be banned ?

And what about "the guild" who used only bots and play today ? will they banned too forever and delete them accounts or have they (against) a chance, to get their account back, same like the first bannwave ?

 

Hi RickTalrok,

• "We are about to banish bot users again" : Sounds great to me, keep up banning them all

• "New game entry" : i agree with one of the previous feedbacks about this, use the time you would have invested in this feature to work on bugs instead.

• "PVP matchmaking" : ok, as long as we won't have to wait 2 hours to get a fight, i love the idea.

• "Loot comparing interface" : I don't really feel the need of it.

• "Achievement system" : don't know what you mean about that.

• "New balancing that will reduce the grind and improve loot distribution" : sounds good to me

• "Tree of wisdom" :i save my feedback for when there will be more informations about this.

• "New content expansion, taking the level cap to 50" : ok, the game really needs new content, but please please please do it properly. One of the first issues i see is the time in game it will take to reach that level, since probably the quest you'll put will only give 1/5 of the exp needed to reach lvl 50, the rest of the exp will be obtained with endless boring grinding, just like it happened for lvl 45 but in a worse way, since there will be more exp needed. Some other issues i see are about uniques and glyphs: most of our gear is base lvl 40, and it would take an enormous amount of glyphs to upgrade them.

• "Rework some aspects of Parallel Worlds" : i save my feedback for when there will be more informations about this.

About crushing bugs, well i have to strongly disagree. Every patch takes away 1 bug and brings 10 more, and with the following patch the bug which had been taken away, reappears (along with many others). First things first: fix bugs, then new contents.
Those were my two cents about it, hoping that soon after those highlights there will be an accurate and precise roadmap.

 

Rick:

So far, the overwhelming majority of votes from the player community (see poll) do not agree with the above statement. This opinion can also be seen in many comments in this thread so far. Add me to that list as well. I do not agree with your statement about bugs at all.

Sincerely,

Sevasten - Agathon server

 

Excellent. I'm already looking forward!

 

The road map of 2014 is too lame. When it is compared with that of 2013, this is not informative at least last year we could see what to expect in each month. Game entries, loot comparing and achievement system are not exciting, and they are very minor things which I don't think you should spend time on. The quality of loot drop especially the unique drop rate is the thing that you should work on. And keep on releasing new (good and balanced) unique items is the thing that keep people motivated. Why is that improving the loot distribution and its drop take so long if you got a manuscript, just improve the numerical values should be fast.

For talent tree and new area extension, people have been posting soooooo many great ideasssss in the suggestion corner, please go there and read. "Don't say yes I know but could you please restate the ideas again..."

P.S. Starting from the character stand-still mode and loot comparing system, I cannot help but link to path of exile directly in my mind.

 

Come on guys At least something is better than nothing.... I am really bored nowadays

hehe

Probably hungover from cape hunting during dragan

 

On the loot comparing system:

Based on the idea I saw on the Twitch feed, this is not going to be very helpful. Sure, it will tell us the raw difference between the two pieces of equipment, when they are not equipped, but that is not what players really need to see. They need to see the numbers that will actually occur in the diminishing-returns stats (percentages) on their characters.

So, based on the idea that was presented, we will still end up wearing the new equipment and doing the comparison math versus our old equipment. This is almost a pointless feature to add, in my opinion. It isn't going to show us the numbers we actually need to see. It is just filler, or fluff, or whatever - unless you can compare the numbers that we will get on our character sheets (percentages) when we actually wear the equipment.

 

Be vote the lvl50!

 

We don't need comparing tool!

 

this is major issue we die allot in parallel worlds and not all of us are premium members

 

No it is not a lag ... it is a bug.

 

"We are about to banish bot users again"
- actually you need to prevent them from working,not even Mjölnir is durable enough

"expect a better matchmaking experience in the near future"
- day-dreaming

"loot comparing interface"
- useless

"achievement system"
- thats good news

"we will be releasing a new balancing that will reduce the grind and improve loot distribution. We will also rethink some aspects of the tree of wisdom."
- ok doomsday has come

"new content expansion, taking the level cap to 50"
- good! final level gonna be 60 so two more years to end the game and let us play game of thrones

"rework some aspects of Parallel Worlds"
-is it even possible to get them worse ? that's scary

i may look quite skeptical and critic but i actually love ya

 

With each new release, I feel excited and still be able to amaze. My expectations vibrate. Personally I am already migrated to another game and yet I come back, come back, come back like a fool, hoping to see some concrete idea.
This announcement by Rick Talrok, the lack of a clear roadmap, finally brought down all expectations. For years I have contributed with ideas ( ID: 319XXX) , suggestions and criticisms. This ad is well-defined milestones and a preview that promises to nothing.
Yet another call to purification and purging of criminals who use bots, when everything follows from a static to a brutal gameplay focused on grinding. We sell weed again that the evil bot users, is the only solution acceptable to all (or the one that you are able to implement) YEARS from when we ask for a clear solution to correct the most attractive part of the game: PvP !
The real problem are the bugs in each release increase, growing with each event. Problems that are tested on the TS and are still implemented on the game servers. A game COMPLETELY free thinking ONLY to stem the loss of revenue. Only professional companies provide to their customers, precise deadlines. If this game is set to be completely free, then we have nothing to complain about.
All we would really, that our proposals, our posts were needed to be able to change something, we will not be here wasting time scrivervele. This is what I call a passion for the game. Feeling part of a group and able to be able to make improvements, through advice from real players. This is part of a gaming community. This is what the DRO is unable to give. It is thought to clear the botters to deflect the finger from the real problems. DRO is a comunity. DRO is not just a game. DRO is a pastime, play and spend some 'time, almost like at the pub, with the benefit of being hundreds of miles away.
Pie in the sky

Google Translator!

 

If they start working on the level cap end summer, it will be released in 1-2 years. Until then many players will have level 50 items, so it's good to start as soon as possible.