I'm happy to present this month's State of the Bane update! One initial
note I would like to make is that we are now considering consolidating
the State of the Bane announcement and the "pre-preview" announcement,
and just have an announcement at the beginning of the month stating when
the preview will be. This could be the new format as early as next
month, just a heads up!
Shadowbane's AnniversaryShadowbane was originally released in March 2003, eight years ago now.
Over the time it was live the game underwent numerous significant
changes, and for better or worse we all came to enjoy it at one time or
another. To commemorate this we intend to have a unique preview for
everyone this month, which will begin on March 25th. This month we
really want
to encourage people to PvP in places other than Khan, so expect
something that will facilitate that goal. More details to come!
Development - GeneralAs usual, the developers have been at work on new features, as well as
resolving any bugs. Rich has been working through a bug list generated
from the last preview, which player feedback was important in compiling.
Another ongoing project is the work on the new database structure, as
it is being implemented in stages. Major advancements in terms of new
functionality have been in the areas of mobs and city building, which
are both discussed in greater detail below.
Development - Mobs and AIThe development team has been working on implementing a new system for
managing mobs, as well as refining mob AI. In order to facilitate ease
of use when managing mobs, including their stats, items, and various
spawning characteristics, an application is being developed to make
changes to these attributes much easier. This will allow the team to
quickly make any necessary changes to mobs, and address any bugs more
readily then before.
Work is also being done on general improvements to mob AI and behavior.
This is another ongoing project, and we appreciate any feedback on mob
AI. The behavior of mobs was always something that was previously a
problem, and we aim to provide a better experience in Play to Crush.
Development - City BuildingPerhaps the most exciting advancements in development concern laying the
groundwork for city building, one of the central features (if not the
central feature)
of Play to Crush! Realm maps have been implemented, which allow the
server to track what realm an individual is in, and is an important
prerequisite for city building. Furthermore, information on height maps,
which determine (among other things) when you enter/exit water, have
been discovered and will be implemented in the near future. This is
another important prerequisite for city building, and once all of the
groundwork is laid work can begin on the core functions of this system.
Developer "Q&A"Recently there has been renewed discussion on the forums regarding a
developer Q&A of sorts. This was considered as a possibility in the
past, but we decided to table the issue at the time. However, we
recently reconsidered the possibility and have decided that a monthly
Q&A will be held with the devs. Initially we will accept questions
via PM, compile them, and post the ones answered by the devs once per
month. In the future we are considering other possible formats for the
Q&A, such has holding it in the public Ventrilo.
Please submit any questions you would like to ask the developers to me via PM with the following subject line:
"DEV Q&A MARCH 2011: "I will compile a list of the questions throughout the month, and during
the second week of April the answers will be posted publicly. This first
run is going to be a bit of an experiment, so please bear with us as we
get the procedure worked out!
Play to Crush FAQWe're working on updating the general
Play to Crush FAQ that is available, and would just like to remind everyone of what a
valuable resource this can be for new community members. It addresses a
number of the most frequently asked questions about the project, and
will hopefully help prevent redundant posting. However, if someone does
post a question that is addressed in the FAQ, we ask that you politely
answer their question and direct them to the FAQ.