Arelith

With all the new awesome updates to the surface lately, one can wonder if anything is planned for UD zone/scenery wise?

The team generally has a policy of not talking about these kinds of updates ahead of time, because hype doesn't do anyone any good.

That being said, if you really take a second to think about it - do you really think it's remotely possible that the Underdark is NEVER getting an update ever again for the rest of history? Methinks you might be asking yourself the wrong questions here.

satan wrote: Fri Jan 03, 2020 5:23 pm With all the new awesome updates to the surface lately, one can wonder if anything is planned for UD zone/scenery wise?

Yes.

Hahahahahahaha

The UD just got a district amongst other changes? Idk heh seems pretty okay to me.

Royal Blood wrote: Fri Jan 03, 2020 9:16 pm The UD just got a district amongst other changes? Idk heh seems pretty okay to me.

It got a zone rename. Nothing changed physically.

That aside though I find all this wink wink nudge nudge stuff giving me hope.

Wait- what?

It got several new quarters, a new settlment system and a bar system - and that's just what I can name off the top of my head?

The GrumpyCat wrote: Sat Jan 04, 2020 12:18 am Wait- what?

It got several new quarters, a new settlment system and a bar system - and that's just what I can name off the top of my head?

Ok. A box and a couple mechanics for rp. It's still basically the same old city port.

Meanwhile Skal and Surface have gotten extensive new zones and visual overhauls across the board.

Not much to compare.

Some people just can't be happy unless they get theirs.

I am thinking Greyport alone was a pretty big addition, not to mention all of the other and likely far more subtle things that have been added in the past year.

Heck I have no clue what the Devs have done fully since I play on the surface more, but I bet it is like an iceberg where we only really see the tip clearly with all the rest hidden unless you are specifically looking for it. These guys and gals have been working their buns off and doing a superb job at it too!

A huge part of development is not just churning out new content that may or may not be used (one issue of a lot of failed servers was because they made all sorts of areas, that really did not have a purpose except to spread out the playerbase more and for no reason, causing the players to get bored and leave), but revising what exists to make better, fix bugs, scripts and more scripts, creating/revising systems, etc.

i'm like... 99% sure that more developer time was invested in UD than anywhere else since Haks.

EDIT: I feel like maybe it came off the wrong way. I'm not presenting it as a counter complaint to the OP's. I have no complaints at all and I'm sure developer time is invested where it is needed most.

Everyone feels like they're part of the group that's getting ignored, no matter which way the flow of production leans towards. Every single update that has released new content for a particular area has seen threads pop up exactly like this one, all asking, "Is it my turn next?" - no matter how recently their "turn" came prior. And even if screenshots and chatlogs were posted of the developer dialogue showing how tirelessly everyone works on /every/ facet of this server's content, proving how well-rounded and in-depth their attention goes to improving and producing all the models and maps and codes that make up Arelith, that mentality of stubbornly considering oneself a "have-not" will probably persist regardless of any objective evidence.

I'm sure plenty of people bring these concerns up out of an honest sense of injustice, but it's hard to take seriously when it's coming with such a dismissive tone towards the observable effort towards fairness that the devs are putting forward. I mean, saying nothing changed physically? Come on. Saying 99% of developer time is spent in the UD? Get real.

"I want new things!" and, "Those people get more things than me!" isn't feedback, it's just noise. Maybe some day this sort of thing will get spun into a genuine and constructive conversation, but I haven't personally seen that happen yet in my time on this server so far!

Man, what happened here. I was just excited about doing fun things to caves next. Caves are like houses but for bats.

Developers work on this out of love and passion.

Cut them some slack.

I've been pretty active in Skaljard recently, and for the folks that aren't aware we recently organized an auxiliary guard there and it's been neat with some great roleplay all around- people for and against it. Skaljard has never really had "guards" but once we had them I've been reading comments on discord how there are never any guards around when you need them.

It really hit me just then that despite Skaljard never having guards since its founding - now because we do have a guard faction, people are going to complain about them not being present.

I think in truth that person's comment was just someone not thinking about the full implications of what they've actually just said & that they wanted to be a part of the roleplay.

So let's be a little grateful here and recognize that while I personally might not benefit from the cool new cookies Bendir has received - our collective community is enriched by the constant investment of the developers to keep this game fresh, interesting, mysterious and exciting.

When you think to comment, "but what about me?" - really analyse that. What about you? Well, you get to play here and we've all had some really great times. Let's keep it going.

satan wrote: Sat Jan 04, 2020 12:34 am

The GrumpyCat wrote: Sat Jan 04, 2020 12:18 am Wait- what?

It got several new quarters, a new settlment system and a bar system - and that's just what I can name off the top of my head?

Ok. A box and a couple mechanics for rp. It's still basically the same old city port.

Meanwhile Skal and Surface have gotten extensive new zones and visual overhauls across the board.

Not much to compare.

It's this level of entitlment that frankly sucks the desire to do Cool Stuff out of us like nothing else.

It'll be done when it's done, we'll get to it when we get to it. I'll point out that you've recieved the same amount of neat crafting fixtures that the 'surface' has and the assassin quests are also avaiable to Underdarkers.

You got an entirely new district, that's basicaly a new settlment. Many of the new races we add to 5% are underdark only races. You are right, there hasn't been much in the way of area changes for the UD for a bit, but I'm sure it's coming.

also
...
DERRO CITY
...
Came with mine level, maze level, city level, temple interior level and puzzle.
Also e.g. the changes made to Haunted Falls dungeon effectively ment more players can get to the final area they before would not ever bother trying to get to.
So quite some stuff released for UD not long ago.
And really I do not see a problem with surface areas being added now or ever. Just means my UD character has to team up with others before going to explore those.

The timing of this thread really was a funny coincidence, really. The first of the UD Hak facelifts are live right now in fact. More are in-progress too.

To the larger subject, there are no "turns" determining development priority, there's not a set cycle determining what order regions get updated vs. others in sequence.

It's also worth remembering that a LOT of surface content was/is being worked on even prior to our Hak package being finalized. This latest update was only a week of work updating areas that were already made, not built from scratch over many months! It can stand on its own as a facelift and so was released, but of course there's more to do!

We're really excited to touch everything on the entire server to add new content and breathe fresh life into old content, of course. But we're all volunteers and it's 15 years of server to get through! We appreciate your patience while we're working on new content, and feedback on releases. Just remember that there's a method to the madness, and all good things come in time.

On a more personal note, if there's one thing that inspires (at least that inspires me) to spend less time in-game and more time in the toolset, it's seeing people interact with and engage with the world. Places like the Weatherstone and the Obsidian Asylum are inspiring to me for the canvases they serve as for so many players to paint narratives upon.

We're excited (and sometimes impatient) too. All good things come in time.

Hi grumpy cat, and others who are reading a tone into my words that isn't there.


I don't feel 'entitled' to anything. I am infact excited that the place I play exclusively (the UD) is getting some visual love at long last.

Thanks to those that are making that happen

Hi. If everyone reading thinks your words are entitled, they are. Fix 'em.

satan wrote: Sat Jan 04, 2020 8:35 pm Hi grumpy cat, and others who are reading a tone into my words that isn't there.


I don't feel 'entitled' to anything. I am infact excited that the place I play exclusively (the UD) is getting some visual love at long last.

Thanks to those that are making that happen

It you posted the exact same thing in a the ooc shanty whatever its called area instead feedback, your tone might have come off different.

I can see two ways to read your first post:

"This surface stuff has been real cool, can't wait to see what is next in in UD"

Or

"UD ought to get more cool stuff becuase they got cool stuff"

The latter/second comes across entitled while tje former isn't really feedback unless said feedback is "thanks" which was not conveyed at all.

To be fair, I feel only one person needed to say that though. Devs and whomever have had a lot of unneeded flak in past few six months, so I think some are ready to shut down things that may appear as if devs somehow owe the playerbase anything.

I just wanted to do you the favour everyone else was asking of you, constructive feedback of why you might have come across as entitled instead of just saying you are and how horrible that is (because that is also unhelpful for you). I am glad you are excited and hope you did not take any potential misunderstandings too personally.