Hello everyone. We're nearly a whole month into 2016 and I wanted to take some time to talk to you about the current changes and updates that we've been working on. I'd also like to put some topics to rest, as I don't want anyone to dwell on anything that isn't a reality.
A big project that will be released Q1 is an attempt to bring players closer together. The world of Elanthia is big, and most that growth occurred with the Elven Nation expansion years ago. This has spread the population too thin over the years, so we want to alleviate that issue. We are also addressing travel times to your favorite hunting areas with this update. Coming next month, our take on shrinking the game, without actually removing areas, will be live. We're all really excited about this change, and I hope you are too.
The Sanctum of Scales is moving into it's final QC and there will be a period of alpha testing. We are very close to deploying this into the live games and are sincerely sorry it was delayed as long as it has been. We planned a lot for HSN and tried our best to get it all out. Alpha testing is tentatively a Q1 release.
It's been awhile since fusion discussions happened, but it will be addressed soon. We have a lot going on right now, and the only reason discussions have been halted is because there aren't any plans to have the fusion shaman anywhere at this time (this is the case with or without changes). I do want to stress that the future of fusion isn't as grim as some think. Fusion will still exist and be desirable.
Duskruin's return will be in April. The Bank Heist will not be ready at this time, but we do plan to make some updates to the Ratacombs, rats, and possibly some other features. Prior to Duskruin opening, we will have a bloodscrip event that anyone can participate in, as promised. Dates for this TBD and properly announced as we get closer.
I know there has been a lot of tension built up on the remaining ELR and Major Elemental spell updates. Understand, we take no pleasure on pushing changes through that result in less fun or less power to your characters. The Combat and Magic Development team has taken a lot of time to make these changes less intrusive to your favorite builds, while fixing a long-lived issue with how the game has handled roundtime reduction. I realize not everyone favors these changes, but it allows us to move on and build on both class and skill updates to further make playing enjoyable for everyone.
I do want to take some time to squash some rumors. There is no GemStone V on the way. The transition from GemStone III to IV was one that came at a great cost and took quite a toll on the population. I know some comments were made that seem to hint that we're undergoing a name change. It's just not the case. Another topic is savants. I know we still hear RSN when it comes to this 11th profession, but we need to make it clear that savants are not on the horizon. The project isn't one we plan on taking in the foreseeable future. If this changes, it will be an announcement.
One last thing I want to touch on is longevity. GemStone has been around awhile and it's one of the best text-based RPGs out there (I may be slightly biased). However, that's just the thing, we're a text-based game living in a world of 4K experiences. We need to evolve and claim a little more of the market space, and to do that, it requires change. We're trying to transition to more microtransactions to appeal to a broader customer base. We're also trying to push past the status quo. We're changing the way we work as GameMasters of GemStone IV. We're changing how we work with you, the players, for the better. Change is difficult though, for both players and staff. We will persevere, you can count on it.
See you all at the Q4 auction!
~Wyrom, APM
>>They call him Wyrom, not afraid to get dirty; work all day, in game by 5:30; loresongs eloquent, item embellishment, double speed development... ~Silvean
This message was originally posted in Discussions with Simutronics, Staff Updates and Goals Discussion. To discuss the above, follow the link below.
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