The December 3, 2009 Q and A Session

-MISC and Templating 'Old' Items
-Why Do Material Types Effect AC?
-MT Door Issues
-Change at Head of PR
-Testmuds and Pfiles
-Parry Bonuses

MISC and Templating 'Old' Items

Ikarus says, 'Kayso, some people, myself included, are curious. What's going to happen to Starseed boots? Are they just going to spontatniously combust?'

Sandra says, 'nothin'

Sandra says, 'we can't template non-existing equipment'

Ikarus nods solemnly.

Sto says, 'so old sss and old horn are poofed?'

Sandra says, 'by non-existing, I mean that they don't exist in area files any longer'

Ikarus nods solemnly.

Sandra says, 'we haven't templated SSS or old horns(yet)'

Sto shows his approval by clapping his hands together.

Sto says to Sandra, 'plan that for the second tuesday of never?'

Sandra says, 'I would Loooooooooove to have templating done for all items, honestly. But right now it is only for ARMOR type objects'

Sandra says, 'but, we have 2 coders that work like mice on crack... So don't say never ;)'

Sto says, 'thats ok I can live with armor being templated..'

Sto says, 'but I like never'

Why Do Material Types effect AC?

Sto says, 'hellhound pelt.. why is it changing and losing so much ac?'

Carnegie says, 'Well, it had to change because it's pretty obviously fur material. That's the "why" part of that'

LadyAce says, 'if I asked you what a dog pelt should be made of, what material would you guess?'

Ikarus says, 'Fur, but it's not a normal dog.'

Wrym says, 'it's a magical item thou'

LadyAce says, 'probly fur, but, we screwed up, we made it this misc stuff'

Ikarus says, 'It's a Hellhound, that's a demon type thing.'

Sto says, 'then why is it tform instead of mend?'

LadyAce says, 'the way materials work, you give them a material and then have the option to also make it magic or not'

Wrym says, 'magical == badass don't exist or adhere to standarly accepted rules of the universe'

Wrym nods to herself.

LadyAce says, 'the code doesn't really look at stuff that way'

LadyAce says, 'a magic thing made of silk comes apart way faster than a magic thing made of steel'

Lorenzo says, 'stuff isn't really made of magic'

Sto points at LadyAce.

Lorenzo says, 'it's made of something, and it's magical or not'

Sto says, 'she just said it was'

Sto ducks to the ground.

Elise says, 'What about non repair/non mend stuf then?'

Sto says, 'why not make it just fall apart fast even though its high ac like the silks are?'

LadyAce says, 'there are limits to how much AC you can get from various materials'

LadyAce says, 'silk has a pretty low max'

Sto says, 'then if there are limits why was it allowed to be so high in the first place'

Sto says, '??'

Sandra says, 'because it was MISC, which had a higher limit'

LadyAce says, 'we had this weird category called misc'

LadyAce says, 'it was supposed to be for truly odd materials, not ones where we just didn't want to follow the rules'

Wrym says, 'i argue that makes no sense! cause armor i think would have a lot more to dowith HOW MUCH and WHAT it covers not the item type'

LadyAce says, 'sort of a little loophole, which over time we made bigger and bigger'

LadyAce says, 'there are limits based on how much and what it covers, too'

Carnegie says to Wrym, 'Really? A glass shirt would cover more than a steel helmet. I'd rather have the helmet.'

Lorenzo says to Wrym, 'it doesn't matter whether it's made of leather or steel?'

LadyAce says, 'the intersection of the two rules, max for slot and max for material, is what gives us the max AC'

Lorenzo says to Carnegie, 'jinx!'

LadyAce says, 'we take the minimum of those two'

LadyAce says, 'so a silk earring would be, like, the weakest'

Wrym says, 'sure the item type matters too but something really big but crappy matterial i still think should give lot more armor than something small but really armored'

LadyAce says, 'and a steel ABOUT has the highest maxes'

Wrym shrugs helplessly.

LadyAce says, 'taking both into account is how we do it' Sto says, 'basically if I follow.. its taken what 15 years to actually get things into line with what it should've been when things were implemented'

LadyAce says, 'I guess -- but everything has changed so much since then I'm not sure it really adds up like that'

Lorenzo says to Wrym, 'but we're not talking about whether a cuirass or an earring is better armor. we're talking about whether a cuirass made of "unknown substance" should be allowed to have arbitrarily high ac when a steel one has lower.'

Lorenzo says, 'or something like that'

Lorenzo says, 'we're not changing the slots of items, we're only changing the material'

Lorenzo says, 'so the slot ac value is a constant'

Lorenzo says, 'the issue is that we have this weird material type that's not really a material and has no defined ac value, it's just wide open so that builders can skirt balance issues.'

Sto says, 'so now builders cant make overspec items?'

Elise raises her hand.

Lorenzo says, 'they never could'

LadyAce says, 'we closed a loophole'

Lorenzo nods his agreement with LadyAce.

Sto says to Lorenzo, '5 dex -25 ac fur isnt overspec?'

Sto is completely boggled by the concept.

Lorenzo says, 'the spec allowed making pretty powerful items by using this weird type instead of a suitable type'

LadyAce says, 'it was spec as misc, cuz misc was a loophole'

Lorenzo says, 'I understand that it's annoying that your items are no longer as nice as they were. It's really unfortunate that the items were ever made -- I guess we can apologize for their ever existing if it helps.'

Lorenzo says, 'but stepping away from the direct personal loss of the item you used to have, what's wrong with the change to the spec?'

Lorenzo says, 'is it truly problematic that we're not going to have items made of mysterious substance X anymore?'

Sto says to Lorenzo, 'oh I'm not complaining.. I'm just trying to figure why it was allowed in the first place.'

Carnegie says to Sto, 'Look at it like this:'

Lorenzo says to Sto, 'well, mistakes happen :)'

Lorenzo says to Sto, 'the spec allowed it because the spec wasn't designed with that particular use in mind.'

LadyAce says, 'it is partly from a time when we had 8 material types'

LadyAce says, 'it was the 'other''

Carnegie says to Sto, 'It'd be almost impossible for us to make a material type to perfectly match every item. Indian face paint would be PAINT. Then there's feather items. Flesh items. Blood items. And what the hell is a cloak of night made from?'

Sandra says, 'Darkness!'

Lorenzo says, 'yeah, there's a severe mismatch between describing something verbally and describing it with codes'

Carnegie says to Sto, 'So 'misc' was an attempt to give those items a classification. It didn't work well, however, because everything started to become 'misc', and misc carried oddly-nice bonuses with it.'

Sto says to Carnegie, 'i understand all that so things like that doesnt matter.. and btw the cloak of night was a cloth that was designed by darkness to hide oneself.'

LadyAce says, 'paint is now leather -- hardened skin, feather stuff is mostly bone now'

Ikarus blinks.

Ikarus says, 'Why is paint leather?'

Wrym says, 'how many/what are the types atm'

Lorenzo says, 'both of which allow them *more* ac than they would get if we had paint and skin materials'

Sandra says, 'coz we don't have PAINT material'

Ikarus nods solemnly.

Sandra says, 'we use trickery, making it as close as we can, and then slapping MAGIC on it so its tform :)'

LadyAce says, 'we tried to make good matches for how something that actually protected you might provide that protection'

Sto says, 'well dont need some items for things that there are only one of it in the game'

Carnegie says, 'alloy bone bronze cloth copper cotton fur glass gold hemp iron laquered leather metal padded pottery precious rubber silk silver steel stone wood wool'

Wrym says, 'laquered?'

Carnegie says, 'Think thats all. Maybe.'

Wrym says, 'padded?'

Sto says, 'heh precious'

Sandra nods solemnly.

Sandra says, 'myyyyyyy prrrrrrrrrreccccccccccioussssssss'

LadyAce says, 'and just to overwhelm you with details...every material protects differently from each kind of attack.'

Sto smirks at Sandra.

Kindred giggles at Sandra.

Sandra says, 'they have their own weaknesses and strengths'

LadyAce says, 'and the way it responds to each kind of attack, depending on whether the attack has a speed bonus or not, is how the rent is calc'd'

LadyAce says, 'so stuff that protects best against speed bonus attacks is the most expensive'

Wrym says, 'speed bonus?'

LadyAce says, 'speed bonus attacks being the type that most weapons use, and that you can get skill proficiences in'

Lorenzo says, 'like, padded might provide really good protection vs slashing attacks but less vs piercing'

LadyAce says, 'attacks six times and hits five times, that's a speed bonux'

LadyAce says, 'such and such a creature licks you, that's a non speed bonus'

Sandra says, 'Slash, for example, is one having a 'speed bonus'. Where as Lick doesn't'

LadyAce says, 'so we don't charge big money for an attack type that it's not so deadly to run into'

Lorenzo says, 'players usually have speed bonus attacks, obviously'

Lorenzo says, 'unless it's a weapon spell'

Sto says, 'so we've gone from armor to talking bout attacks....... nice'

Sandra says, 'no, it was a related thing'

Lorenzo says, 'the fight system is veeeerry complex :/'

LadyAce says, 'armors protect against attacks, which is how they're priced'

Wrym looks up into the sky and ponders.

Wrym shrugs helplessly.

Sto says to Sandra, 'no complaints I like hearing about how the fight system works.'

Sandra giggles.

Sandra says, 'it makes my head swim a lot of the time'

Carnegie says, 'me too. except 'all the time'.'

Carnegie cowers in fear!

LadyAce says, 'anyway, that's why it matters what material type we pick'

Kindred says to Sandra, 'then nothing has changed since I left.'

Sandra snickers softly.

Kindred giggles.

LadyAce says, 'what else do folks have questions about?'

Wrym raises her hand.

LadyAce says, 'we have gotten some great comments and changed items in response'

LadyAce says, 'so thanks to all testmudders'

An aura of heavenly light appears above Sto's head.

Sto says, 'I look forward to sl2'

Wrym asks LadyAce, 'were you trying to say you adjusted the door in mt?'

MT Door Issues

Wrym says, 'so that ppl can actually get throu that door?'

LadyAce says, 'I think a bug there got fixed and the fix put in a while ago?'

Carnegie says, 'Oh'

LadyAce summarizes the work of a whole army of fixers and didn't do that fix herself

LadyAce says, 'still broke?'

Carnegie says, 'There was a fix several weeks ago that adjusted the trap door in MT.'

Wrym says, 'i haven't tried real recently'

Carnegie says, 'The fix over-fixed, and it caused problems on repeated trips without renting. This latest fix makes sure that is no longer an issue'

Wrym says, 'follow up question b.... what benifit to gameplay does that door being auu 1 use ish have?'

LadyAce says, 'aau 1 use ish?'

Wrym says, 'yeah 1 person goes throu the door and it re locks'

Carnegie nods solemnly.

Wrym says, 'unless that behavior was also altered and i didn't notice'

LadyAce says, 'when I make doors like that, it's so people have to each individually follow certain checks in order to get through, or to split up the party to make things more dangerous'

LadyAce says, 'or just to kinda break things up because I'm mean like that'

Sandra giggles.

LadyAce says, 'a little 'can't just spam your way everywhere without paying any attention' kinda thing I spose'

LadyAce says, 'is that more what you're asking?'

Carnegie says, 'Well, I'm not the author. But it was my understand he designed it that way so that it was a usable path for the 'surgical strike' part of MT. Not for traffic/group that does a complete run through to reuse the path'

Carnegie says, 'If that makes sense. Oddly worded.'

Carnegie hangs his head.

Wrym nods her agreement with Carnegie.

Wrym says, 'but in that case there is only 1 person inside at the time'

Wrym says, 'these days i'ld say that door is used more to go back and auu finish off a certain ghost in a certain room for certain... items'

Waltraud says, 'certainly'

Carnegie says to Wrym, 'I'll take a look at it again and re-familiarize myself with it (its been several weeks).'

Wrym says, 'not every character can solo said ghost, i can see groups of 3 or 4 where none could solo him and still make it throu rest with out a problem'

Wrym nods her agreement with Carnegie.

Change at Head of PR

Wrym says, 'what happend to autumn? just noticed she went inactive :('

Sandra says, 'She needed a break'

Wrym nods solemnly.

Ikarus says, 'And gave us a Carnegie!'

Ikarus knocks Carnegie over and flops all over him.

Carnegie says, 'And after only having her job for a week, I can say "No kidding she needed a break. Holy cow."'

Waltraud grins evilly at Carnegie... Wonder what she's thinking...

Sandra giggles.

Sandra nods her agreement with Carnegie.

Ikarus says, 'Sad. :/'

Carnegie nods his agreement with Ikarus.

LadyAce says, 'everyone needs a break now and then'

Ikarus nods his agreement with LadyAce.

Kindred nods solemnly.

Sandra nods her agreement with LadyAce.

Sandra says, 'I took one for a whole week!'

Sandra says, 'it was nice'

Ikarus gasps at Sandra.

Sandra says, 'i know right!'

Sto says, 'break? whats that?'

Kindred says to Sandra, 'how ever did you cope with the withdrawls?'

Ikarus says, 'And we didn't implode!'

Sandra says, 'I slept'

Kindred giggles.

Ikarus cowers in fear!

Sandra giggles.

Sandra says, 'and did homework'

Ikarus says, '..sleeeeep.'

Ikarus drools contentedly.

Wrym says to Ikarus, 'is over rated.'

Sto says, 'sleep whats that?'

Ikarus nods his agreement with Wrym.

Kindred says, 'what's sleep?'

Kindred grins evilly at Sto... Wonder what she's thinking...

Sandra says, 'it was nice!'

Testmuds and Pfiles

Carnegie points at Wrym.

Wrym says, 'is the test mud using the soon to be new pfile folder arangement?'

Wrym says, 'i was supprised when i logged in with changes i had made.. just minutes earlier'

Carnegie says, 'I... have no idea actually.'

Sandra says, 'oh, we have a setup that copies the pfiles from here to there when you log in there. that's why that happened'

Sandra says, 'we're cool like that'

Wrym says, 'yeah but last time you had the test port up my pfile was auuu old'

Sandra says, 'so if you saved here, then logged in there for the first time, it would copy that'

Sandra says, 'different port and all'

Sto looks up into the sky and ponders.

Lorenzo says, 'it keeps pfiles and only imports them from the main mud if they're missing'

Lorenzo says, 'so last time you already had a pfile there, and this time we had wiped the pfiles'

Sandra says, 'yea, he said it better'

Sandra giggles.

Wrym looks up into the sky and ponders.

Lorenzo says, 'the new pdir arrangement isn't in place yet though. still buggy, I haven't had a chance to work it out yet'

Carnegie says, 'Other questions?'

Parry Bonuses

Wrym says, 'ima just gonna ask if you figured out lucifers question Lorenzo'

Wrym says, 'where parry bonus is added!'

Wrym says, 'or had a chance to investigate it'

Lorenzo says, 'oof. I think I might have but I've forgotten the question :/'

Wrym says, 'how the % parry bonus from eq is added'

Wrym says, 'is it expert parry gives you 20% with xx stats and a 5% from gear is that..20%+ 20%*5% or +5% or'

Wrym says, '+5% of remaining chances to parry'

Lorenzo says, 'oh, no, I didn't. lemme see if I can look it up now though -- I came close to it before'

Wrym nods solemnly.

Lorenzo says, 'I believe they add'

Wrym nods solemnly.

Lorenzo says, 'rather than multiply'

Lorenzo says, 'which is how it seems it should be to me'

Sandra nods her agreement with Lorenzo.

Wrym nods solemnly.