Post by kalbaern on Apr 9, 2014 15:44:17 GMT -5
Often times, what folks think are new suggestions have either already been implemented, tested and rejected, are approved and merely awaiting adding them or outright determined as not being added. So check here when in doubt and I'll try and keep an updated list of suggestions made and their results. Once a suggestion is moved to this post, I'll delete the original threads.
Suggestions made and decided against
- Persistant Storage: Persistant Storage requires a data base to work. While such systems generally work well and have a low impact on server performance, when they go bad there's no end to player complaints. Even making back ups is never a sure thing as often any corruptions go unnoticed for long enough that the backups themselves when used have their own issues. There is a way to make items found on the modules item pallettes persistant using a player carried token/item instead. The drawback with these is that you cannot reliably store custom equipment/items on them. We will use a few new widgets in the future here however for freeing up inventory space.
- Horses (and other mounts): Mounts are rejected for two reasons here. Firstly, there's no decent way to implement them that isn't CPU intensive. Secondly, most of the Bioware horses are very hard on folks with older graphics cards to the point that they cause client-side lag spikes measured in full seconds. Playability always comes first here, so ... no horses, at least for now.
- Adding tobacco, pipeweed and various drugs (source inspired or otherwise) won't be done. You can emote many of these things regardless of any scripting or widgets already anyhow.
- Banking Systems. Banking Systems don't exist in the Forgotten Realms setting for a start. Secondly, they unfairly punish (in most cases) lower level PCs moreso than higher level ones if there are -minimum- values which can be banked in the form of "notes" or you have to travel to a bigger town to use the system. Either way, lower level PCs suffer more than higher level ones. Besides, the only reason folks ever want a "banking system" is to avoid respawn penalties. If everyone ends up banking, then it makes more sense to lower or even remove the GP penalties when respawning and save all that time and module resources for other stuff. Then again, I firmly believe that respawn penalties (and ours are fairly lenient when compared to some PWs) are needed as an element of risk. No banks.
- Customizing Weapons and Shields using the PC Clothing Customizers. While we've enabled "no cost/low cost" appearance changing for armor, other items will require a DC to change. DC only, no or little gold. Sure, failing to change the appearance of your bow, sword, etc... even if its free can be frustrating, but we do this as a "nod" to our IG crafters. Find one and RP (maybe even pay them a few coins) to modify the items for you. Afterall, they've spent valuable skill points to craft.
- Retrieveable/Carryable Corpses for dead PCs: First off, I like that "death" or "respawning" has implications. It promotes caution and using common sense to avoid death. Our custom healing kits also allow for a chance to revive a fallen PC and few here ever use (or even purchase) raise dead scrolls due to that. "Corpse Systems" generally have exploits attached. Are they easilly exploited? Often not, but determined folk usually find the loopholes. In the end, it often adds an undue burden on Admins/DMs to "police" players and we avoid things that require that here.
Suggestions undergoing testing
- The ACP: Alternate combat phenotypes (animations) have been tested and now merely await our June hak update. Support, though limited, is also being done to accomodate "fat" phenotypes as well (normally, only the "thin" or standard phenotypes are supported).
- Properly Named Portrait Sets.
Suggestions OK'd, but awaiting addition
- PC Authoring System: A system with which PCs can write "notes" to pass to others, create their own books and other things. No ETA other than after we've finished our custom crafting system.
- OOC Arena: An OOC Arena where PCs can spar without respawning is planned for the future, but there is no ETA as yet. The area will turn on "subdual" mode upon entering and require a DM be present for accessing it.
- Pack Animals: Since we already have "Tenser's Floating Disk" for mages, we'll next begin adding a variety of "pack animals" folks can purchase. Details will be posted as scripts are finalized and we begin testing. No ETA as of yet.
- Poison Brewing. PCs will be able to brew or craft their own toxins. This will occur after "other" crafting options are first completed. No ETA, but it is a priority.
Suggestions adopted and implimented already
- Houses you can break into. While these currently only exist in Llorkh, they will continue to be expanded to other towns/places as time allows.
- Unrandomized HP or Max HP at Level. While I personally preferred random Hitpoints myself, we reluctantly set the server to Max HP on Level Up as the constant requests to relevel or waiting 20 mins while someone levelled up (rerolling until maxed out) and your party could continue exploring was too big of a headache.
- Keen on all weapons.
- Flame Weapon on all weapons. Also works on gloves and ammunition which are equipped in the casters inventory and targettted directly.
- Remove most auras and visual effects from buffs. Visual effects for many spells have been removed and a few others replaced with less laggy versions here.
- Persistant Map Pins. This is a feature here wherein you can place a custom map pin on your mini maps, then access a "save" feature from the crafting menu to make the pins persistant. Each time you and or delete a map pin, you must use the crafting conversation to "save" the change(s).
- Custom Music. Music tracks found on NWN Vault, including tracks from some other games like Baldur's Gate, Dragon Age, Skyrim and others is used here.
*** editting in progress ***
Suggestions made and decided against
- Persistant Storage: Persistant Storage requires a data base to work. While such systems generally work well and have a low impact on server performance, when they go bad there's no end to player complaints. Even making back ups is never a sure thing as often any corruptions go unnoticed for long enough that the backups themselves when used have their own issues. There is a way to make items found on the modules item pallettes persistant using a player carried token/item instead. The drawback with these is that you cannot reliably store custom equipment/items on them. We will use a few new widgets in the future here however for freeing up inventory space.
- Horses (and other mounts): Mounts are rejected for two reasons here. Firstly, there's no decent way to implement them that isn't CPU intensive. Secondly, most of the Bioware horses are very hard on folks with older graphics cards to the point that they cause client-side lag spikes measured in full seconds. Playability always comes first here, so ... no horses, at least for now.
- Adding tobacco, pipeweed and various drugs (source inspired or otherwise) won't be done. You can emote many of these things regardless of any scripting or widgets already anyhow.
- Banking Systems. Banking Systems don't exist in the Forgotten Realms setting for a start. Secondly, they unfairly punish (in most cases) lower level PCs moreso than higher level ones if there are -minimum- values which can be banked in the form of "notes" or you have to travel to a bigger town to use the system. Either way, lower level PCs suffer more than higher level ones. Besides, the only reason folks ever want a "banking system" is to avoid respawn penalties. If everyone ends up banking, then it makes more sense to lower or even remove the GP penalties when respawning and save all that time and module resources for other stuff. Then again, I firmly believe that respawn penalties (and ours are fairly lenient when compared to some PWs) are needed as an element of risk. No banks.
- Customizing Weapons and Shields using the PC Clothing Customizers. While we've enabled "no cost/low cost" appearance changing for armor, other items will require a DC to change. DC only, no or little gold. Sure, failing to change the appearance of your bow, sword, etc... even if its free can be frustrating, but we do this as a "nod" to our IG crafters. Find one and RP (maybe even pay them a few coins) to modify the items for you. Afterall, they've spent valuable skill points to craft.
- Retrieveable/Carryable Corpses for dead PCs: First off, I like that "death" or "respawning" has implications. It promotes caution and using common sense to avoid death. Our custom healing kits also allow for a chance to revive a fallen PC and few here ever use (or even purchase) raise dead scrolls due to that. "Corpse Systems" generally have exploits attached. Are they easilly exploited? Often not, but determined folk usually find the loopholes. In the end, it often adds an undue burden on Admins/DMs to "police" players and we avoid things that require that here.
Suggestions undergoing testing
- The ACP: Alternate combat phenotypes (animations) have been tested and now merely await our June hak update. Support, though limited, is also being done to accomodate "fat" phenotypes as well (normally, only the "thin" or standard phenotypes are supported).
- Properly Named Portrait Sets.
Suggestions OK'd, but awaiting addition
- PC Authoring System: A system with which PCs can write "notes" to pass to others, create their own books and other things. No ETA other than after we've finished our custom crafting system.
- OOC Arena: An OOC Arena where PCs can spar without respawning is planned for the future, but there is no ETA as yet. The area will turn on "subdual" mode upon entering and require a DM be present for accessing it.
- Pack Animals: Since we already have "Tenser's Floating Disk" for mages, we'll next begin adding a variety of "pack animals" folks can purchase. Details will be posted as scripts are finalized and we begin testing. No ETA as of yet.
- Poison Brewing. PCs will be able to brew or craft their own toxins. This will occur after "other" crafting options are first completed. No ETA, but it is a priority.
Suggestions adopted and implimented already
- Houses you can break into. While these currently only exist in Llorkh, they will continue to be expanded to other towns/places as time allows.
- Unrandomized HP or Max HP at Level. While I personally preferred random Hitpoints myself, we reluctantly set the server to Max HP on Level Up as the constant requests to relevel or waiting 20 mins while someone levelled up (rerolling until maxed out) and your party could continue exploring was too big of a headache.
- Keen on all weapons.
- Flame Weapon on all weapons. Also works on gloves and ammunition which are equipped in the casters inventory and targettted directly.
- Remove most auras and visual effects from buffs. Visual effects for many spells have been removed and a few others replaced with less laggy versions here.
- Persistant Map Pins. This is a feature here wherein you can place a custom map pin on your mini maps, then access a "save" feature from the crafting menu to make the pins persistant. Each time you and or delete a map pin, you must use the crafting conversation to "save" the change(s).
- Custom Music. Music tracks found on NWN Vault, including tracks from some other games like Baldur's Gate, Dragon Age, Skyrim and others is used here.
*** editting in progress ***