Release 8

July 24 - 27, 2014


 * Open PVP Areas: Certain parts of the map will now allow open PVP. Currently we have been testing this functionality in the Castle Basement Arena. For now there will be very little structure to this; it will basically be just deathmatch.
 * Combat Systems: We will be iterating and adding to the fundamental systems that support combat, including more secondary effects like bludgeons damaging gear and heavy armor lowering your pool of focus. We are also going to introduce and experiment with interrupts, combat facing, and more sophisticated line of sight checks.
 * Damage Types & Resistances: Damage types and resistances (fire, ice, physical, etc.) will begin to affect combat.
 * Combat Skills: We are moving to a new strategy of going deeper vs. broader in skill creation. For Release 8 our goal is to flesh out more of the schools of Fire, Blades, and Heavy Armor.
 * Status Indicators: We are adding status indicators for things like low ammo, damaged/broken gear, buffs, debuffs, etc.
 * Scenes: Ardoris, the waterfront city on the main continent filled with canals and framed by two opposing castles, will now be available to players. Ardoris will also be the first map with Row Houses. Other adventuring scenes on the main continent will also appear. These new scenes on the mainland will be accessed via the Lunar Rifts which will now change destinations based on time of day.
 * New Creatures: Several new creatures will come online including a new mimic and a Fire Elemental, as well as variations on existing creatures (liches, kobolds, etc.).
 * Crafting: Durability and Repair will come online.
 * Overworld Animating Avatars: Players will now see their avatars (along with their party members) animating on the overworld map.
 * Intro Cinematic: We are making an animatic version of the intro with narration by our very own Bill Johnson (aka The Guardian).

Trivia
Previous to Starr Long's Release 7 reflections, Release 8 had a different plan. The following is no longer current.


 * Death System: OooOoooOOOOooo! Death will now turn you into a ghost.
 * Advancement: Adventuring and Crafting will now earn you experience points that will level you up and earn skill points.
 * Scenes: Ardoris, the waterfront city on the main continent filled with canals and framed by two opposing castles, will now be available to players. Other adventuring scenes on the main continent will also appear.
 * NPC Schedules and Behaviors: NPCs will now start to have schedules and change behavior according to the time. This will include things like going around turning on the lights around town as the sun goes down. NPCs will also now react to players taking and breaking stuff so watch out when you try to steal that loaf of bread!
 * Books: Books will no longer just be decorative objects! Read lovely poems and stories written by our very own community in the game. Try to collect them all!
 * New Creatures: Several new creatures will come online including a new mimic as well as variations on existing creatures (liches, kobolds, etc.).
 * Crafting: Durability and Repair will come online as well as a first pass on Fishing!
 * Character Hair and Facial Hair: A major update to how we handle hair and facial hair will add layers, transparency, and animations.
 * Overworld Animating Avatars & Random Encounters: Players will now see their avatars (along with their party members) animating on the overworld map. Additionally random encounters will now pull players into scenes while traversing the map.
 * Scene Randomization: Scenes will now be able to start from a set of templates versus just one singular state. These templates will randomize resources, creatures, entrance locations, game state, etc.
 * Combat Skills: More combat skills will come online.
 * Interactive Areas: Don’t you wish you could move that chair in the tavern to have a better view of the front door? Public areas like taverns will now be flagged as interactive areas. This will allow more freedom in those spaces by allowing the moving but not taking of items. This will also up numerous other possibilities like interactive chess boards.