Publish 7 Notes for 17 March 04

>> Publish 7 

Due to overwhelming player feedback the Crafting Experimentation change included in Publish 7 has been reverted to the way it worked previously. Click here for more information

Droid Invasion Major Features
Droid & Droid Engineer Enhancements
 * Droid Damage Repair Kits and Droid Wound Repair Kits
 * Droid Battery consumption rate halved (enabling them to last twice as long)
 * Droids will no longer be susceptible to poisons, bleeds, /warcry or /intimidate
 * Combat Droids will have all the fighting functionality of a regular combat-capable creature (up to CL10)
 * These options will function like creature pets.
 * All players will have the ability to own and operate these combat droids.
 * A combat droid is a droid that is capable of attacking things, in addition to other potential droid capabilities that can be added to droids currently.
 * The normal crafting process is used, and a combat module is included in the droid.
 * Combat modules will only mount in droids capable of combat. Combat modules can be placed in any of the general droid module slots that already exist on droid socket components and droid chassis, seen as optional slots during the crafting of the droid.
 * Combat module is crafted in exactly the same fashion as other droid modules, using a draft schematic, resource ingredients, and previously crafted component ingredients.
 * Combat modules can be crafted at varying quality levels, which can be seen when the module is examined.
 * Combat modules stack and if more than one of them is placed in a single droid, they have a cumulative effect.
 * To have the strongest combat droid, six 100% combat modules must be used in constructing a droid.

Preliminary Combat Balance Changes
As part of the ongoing Combat Balance, the team has made some preliminary changes to combat in order to equalize some of the larger changes that have been made recently. /fullAutoSingle1, /fullAutoSingle2, /fullAutoArea1 & /fullAutoArea2 have been improved
 * Defensive Modifiers will have a hard cap with profession template stacking. Defense stacking will no longer stack beyond the intended combat calculation limits causing the defender to be nigh invulnerable.
 * Carbineer Specials have been improved:
 * The dizzy effect in
 * /burstShot2 was changed from a single target to an AE cone attack
 * /actionShot2 now hits all targets in the area of effect.
 * Defense / To-Hit Fixes:
 * Melee attackers now get a To Hit bonus when attacking targets with ranged weapons.
 * Dodge enhancing Food now decreases your chance of being hit.
 * Accuracy increasing food now increases your chance to hit your target.
 * Dead Eye buff now increases your chance to hit your target.
 * Warcry has been changed from being a single target lock down preventing it from attacking to a method of 'crowd control'. Enemies can be temporarily prevented from attacking as long as they are not currently being attacked themselves.
 * Panic Shot & Strafe Shot are cone effect shots that will delay your target for 10 seconds on a successful shot. Strafe Shot succeeds only when your target is in the 'take cover' position. In both cases, the effect ends upon further damage to the target.
 * Bleed DoT Improvements: Targeted pool bleeds (/mindShot1 & 2, /healthShot1 & 2, etc) now hit their intended pool on the initial strike as well as the bleed damage.

Crafting System Enhancements
One of the top concerns for crafters of all types was the issue of 'critical fails'. Critical fails are a risk that all crafters take when attempting to create an item. This basic dice roll function is the gamble crafters take as part of the risk of crafting, but as a resounding player concern, the developers looked at the system to see how the relationship of crafter and crafter-risk could be made to have a stronger relationship to the fictional act of crafting. Toward creating a stronger crafting experience, a new modified die roll model has been implemented to enhance the experience so that now, a crafter's raw ability will have an effect on how often critical fails occur. Crafting still works on the same risk/reward principle of a 5% critical fail chance, but is now modified with the player's assembly or experimentation skill. As crafters progress from Novice to Master they will have a reduced chance of a critical failure.

Bounty Hunter Jedi Tracking Missions
Now, Bounty Hunters can track player Jedi in the same manner as their NPC targets. Bounty Hunters can get a mission from the bounty hunter terminal for a player Jedi. Go to your contact to get the bio-signature. Then just use your seeker/probot droid to find your target. Keep in mind that unlike the NPC targets, players will move around unpredictably. (As a result, the location updates can lag behind a couple of minutes.) Additionally, Bounty Hunter tracking speeds have been fixed and now as the hunter increases in skill, the tracking speed will increase.

Junk Dealer Revamp
Continuing the loot system changes will include the rebirth of the Junk Dealer. As part of this change, Junk Dealers will have more robust conversations, be willing to buy all different types of NPC loot drops and become a new source of income for players. Players will now be able to go adventuring, collect the various loot drops from NPC's, adventures and dungeons and take it to a Junk Dealer to sell. Junk Dealers won't buy just any junk either. Different dealers will specialize in different kinds of junk, so players will have to explore and find out which dealer deals in which kind of junk. Be sure to talk to the various Junk Dealers to find out which junk they like the most!

Vertical Item Movement
Another big player request brings the ability to move furniture and household items up and down. Players in all houses can now move items up and down by either using the Radial Menu or the following commands: Players will be able to move items vertically in Player Houses, Merchant Tents, Player Association Guild Halls and all player city structures.
 * /moveFurniture UP (1-500)
 * /moveFurniture DOWN (1-500)

Lighting Objects
Players will now have many craftable light sources in the game that will have the true functionality of a light source. Additionally, many new lamp styles have been added to the game and now players can also have candles. Players will be able to purchase architect crafted candles and lamps that act as a light source. The decay rate of the candles and lamps depends on crafting quality. Candles will have a lifespan between 7 and 21 days, lamps between 21 and 42 days

Camp Restrictions Removed
After Publish 7, players will no longer be required to be in camps to pull out Vehicles, Mounts, Droids or Pets and can pull them out wherever they are, eliminating the player inconveniences of having to find rural areas far from cities, lairs and other no-build zones in order to build a camp. The basic rules of calling Vehicles, Mounts, Droids or Pets are:
 * There is a 15 second delay after you call for a vehicle/mount/pet/droid before it will generate.
 * If combat occurs during that 15 second period, it will stop the call from completing.
 * A player will not be able to call a vehicle/mount/pet/droid during combat for 30 seconds after combat is concluded.
 * A player will not be able to call a mount/pet/droid while mounted or on a vehicle.
 * Camps have retained their original vehicle/mount/pet/droid calling abilities so that either method can be used by players.

Player City Garages
Architects will be able to craft Player City Garages that Politicians can place in their cities. This new craftable structure will require a Player City to be at least level 2. Now players will be able to repair their vehicles in many more locations. Mayors can also place a service fee on using their player garages. You must be within 64m to use a garage. You can not place multiple garages within 200m of another.

Sliced Weapon Tag
With the Empire cracking down on sliced weapons and armor, publish 7 brings the ability for players to be able to view sliced armor and weapons to find out which items have been sliced.

GCW Changes

 * Adding repetitive defenses: After the first defense/turret is attacked and destroyed no new defenses can be added to the base for 1 hour during the vulnerability period.
 * Enemies cannot enter HQs until all turrets are destroyed: Players attacking a faction HQ are by-passing the HQ's defenses by simply running past them and entering the building to initiate shut-down sequence on the base. This makes turrets ineffective in guarding bases since they only get a few shots in before an enemy enters the HQ. This solution changes things, making it so that when bases have defensive turrets placed the HQ cannot be entered until after all turrets have been destroyed. This should make attacking a factional HQ a bit more challenging while also making defending of such a structure easier.
 * Fixed maintenance on HQs: Maintenance will function correctly on Faction HQ's
 * Flame DoT removal items: Flamethrowers have the ability to inflict fire DoT's and currently, the only way to remove that DoT in PvP is to submerse a player avatar in a static body of water. To give players an alternative method that can be used in all battles, Doctor's can now craft Fire Blankets. Fire Blankets will give Doctors the ability to extinguish flame with a /extinguishflame command that will enable the use of the fire blanket. To balance out the Fire Blanket, using the blanket drains the 'mind' of the doctor.
 * Status Effect Changes: The ability to effect the status of inanimate objects has been removed. Players will no longer be able to effect AT-STs, player vehicles, droids and turrets by the special effects of Stun, Dizzy, Blind, Warcry and wookiee roar. Additionally, biological DoT's (poison and disease) will no longer effect vehicles, droids or turrets and finally, AT-ST's and players vehicles will be immune to all posture changes.
 * Turret Target Locks: When attacking a turret players sometimes use an exploit that will involve sending one of their members into range or one of their pets into range. Then they will begin an attack causing the turret to attack them back. After the turret has aggroed the player, the player/pet will then move to a position over 80m away which is outside the turrets range. The turret will remain engaged with this target even though it is not attacking back because it is out of range. Attacking team members will then move in and kill the turret free of any danger. Now turrets will disengage from these types of out-of-range targets that are out of its 80m range and find a better, more aggressive target. Turrets should no longer get locked onto pets / Turrets stop attacking and get new target if current target moves out of range.
 * Vulnerability Times: Vulnerability times on HQs should no longer erratically fluctuate, allowing players to more effectively plan base defenses. Players can now choose the base vulnerability times. By using the base terminal, base admins can bring up a menu option for resetting their vulnerability times. This may be done once every two weeks; the first choice is free to select a time. From then on out, the choice works by choosing the radial menu option, 'Reset Vulnerability'. In other words, the moment you click the 'button' is the time the vulnerability time is set at.
 * Zero HP Turrets: Turrets attached to Factional Headquarters had a chance that when they reached zero, they would remain in the world and continue to attack players. Turrets at 0/0 will now deactivate and be removed from the world.

Bestine Quest Enhancements: The politician, Victor, has a series of new quests for players to experience as part of the Bestine political intrigue saga. When Victor is in power, help him find out what is so dangerous in the desert!

New Mounts: Players have new mounts available in Publish 7: Bantha and Cu Pa

Publish Notes Itemized List
Armor
 * Fixed the rancor padded armor segments so that they work with padded armor.

Art
 * Fixed to Wookiee male and human/Zabrak waist, trandoshan neck blendshapes
 * Fixed issue with Twilek male hats that caused a white skull cap
 * Fixed shadow streamer on Geonosian skirts
 * Added sound event triggers to Acklay animations
 * Fixed back-facing polygons on Geonosian skirts

Avatar
 * Changed /unstick to look for a nearby interior location to move you to. If it can't find a safe one it uses the /eject command.
 * Made some back end code changes to the way /unstick works in interiors.
 * Fixed issue with some polygons on twilek and human faces incorrectly lighting

Bazaar / Vendor
 * Fixed problem where retrieving items from the bazaar sometimes results in the deletion of the item if your inventory is full

Client Stability Enhancements
 * Improve rendering performance on FFP cards such as Geforce1 and 2.
 * Character rendering: fixed a bug that could crash the client when specific wearables are worn (e.g. Ubese armor on characters that are not Human males).
 * Fixed a client crasher when ranged combat animations are used.

Combat
 * Fixed targeted pool bleeds to do their initial damage to the correct pool instead of random.
 * Added a cap to defensive skill mods (block, dodge & counterattack) to prevent near invulnerable defenders. (Correspondent Issue)
 * Fixed inverted ToHit modifiers. (Melees now get correct ToHit bonus when attacked targets with ranged weapons, Food Accuracy & Dodge Buffs now work correctly, Dead Eye buff now works correctly)
 * Made droids, vehicles and turrets immune to dizzy, blind and stun.
 * Made droids, vehicles and turrets immune to wookiee roar, intimidate and warcry.
 * Made droids, vehicles and turrets immune to poison and disease.
 * Added a fire blanket doctors can use to remove fire DoT's from a player. (Correspondent Issue)
 * Medical enhancements can now be replaced if the new one is of equal or greater strength. As a result there is no longer a need to wait out a previous enhancement in order to replace it with something better. (Correspondent Issue)
 * Removed the random factor in medical enhancements.
 * Fixed the Knockdown effect with /chargeshot2
 * DoT stacking from combat specials has been changed so that each player attacking a target can only have one fire dot, one health bleed, one action bleed and one mind bleed.

Community
 * Fixed client side friend list group/comment fields losing information when logging in different characters.

Crafting
 * Objects manufactured in another player's station will have their creator as the manufacturing schematic's creator, not the station's owner.
 * A manufacturing schematic whose source draft schematic has been deleted will not crash the game. The schematic's owner will receive an email informing him/her that the schematic is no longer useable.
 * Reducing the rate at which critical failures for assembly and experimentation occur as assembly skill and experimentation skill go up respectively. Master craftspeople should now critically fail less often than novices. (Correspondent Issue)
 * Adjusted experimentation so that the overall quality of resources will play a larger role in how much or how little someone could experiment with an item's attributes. Currently a less skilled crafter could experiment on an item just as well as a master crafter using poor resources. This will help give master crafters more of an advantage over their less skilled counterparts in this area. (Correspondent Issue)
 * Fixed factory crates containing scatter pistols, launcher pistols or fwg5 pistols so that the pistols can be removed from crates.
 * Allowing color customization when crafting Chef's Apron
 * When crafting a Crafter's Apron, you will no longer be able to choose a shirt appearance

Death and Decay
 * Changed /activateClone to only work while dead.

GCW
 * Players will no longer be able to access a base terminal if they are dead or incapacitated.
 * Made it so that players of opposite faction cannot enter a factional HQ if that base has turrets active. Players must destroy the turrets in order to enter the HQ.
 * HQ's: Fixed maintenance cycle on HQs.
 * HQ's: Fixed an 80m bug with turrets. If a turrets target moves outside of the 80m range the turret will disenage from trying to fight that target.
 * Fixed rebel tactical ctr so that turrets no longer spawn inside walls
 * Turrets: Stopped turrets from death blowing pets
 * Turrets: Fixed a problem where turrets would continue to target and attack an object that was no longer in range.
 * HQ's: Fixed a problem with the object terminal spawning in middle of hallway in outpost.
 * HQ's: Stabilized the HQ vulnerability times. Times should never flux by more then 1 hour + or -.
 * HQ's: Added in a vulnerability reset option. Players will be able to reset their HQ timers every 2 weeks to whatever the current time is when this option is selected.
 * Players who attempt to shutdown a facility right after declaring will receive a message stating they must wait a given amount of time before attempting a base shut down.

Grouping
 * Players will now receive a system message when a group member loots an item from a corpse. (Correspondent Issue)

GUI
 * Sliced armor and weapons: Armor and weapons that have been altered by a smuggler will have a "identifier tag" in its examine window description. (Correspondent Issue)
 * Many text changes and fixes to Loading Screens
 * Mission browser is no longer able to be left open across the planet.

Holocron / Knowledge Base
 * To report a player harassment, use the "Report A Harassment" button found in the Holocron window. This harassment report requires you enter the offending player's first name and appends recent chat logs to the report for review by a CSR.
 * Holocron (Ctrl-H): Added a section on houses.
 * Updated knowledge base with player garages
 * Our Knowledge Base has recently been updated with helpful information. You must perform a Knowledge Base search before submitting a Customer Service ticket.

NPCs
 * Improved combat animation sequences for whiphids, Boss Nass and Ewoks
 * AI enhancement: Prevent NPCs from getting stuck when trying to avoid other NPCs while moving through doorways.

Pets
 * Added additional checks for invalid pets. Invalid pets (stats out of acceptable range, incorrect level for stats, etc) will not be able to called from the Datapad.
 * Fixed Factional pets to be able to attack Covert targets and turrets.
 * Pets lower than level 10 will now grow correctly and be called at the correct level.

Player Cities
 * Fixed bug that prevented player Shuttle Port from being re-deeded

Player Structures
 * Housing and movement: Furniture and objects can now be moved up and down inside houses and player structures. "Up" and "Down" have also been added to the object movement radial menus. (Correspondent Issue)
 * Housing and movement distances have been increased to 1-500
 * Players not on a building's admin list cannot open containers in the building anymore.
 * Player Garages: Garages in a registered city should now appear on a /find command.
 * Player Garages: Mayors can now place a service fee on using their player garages.
 * Player Garages: Cityban will prevent a player from using a city garage.
 * Player Garages: You can not place multiple garages within 200m of another.
 * Player Garages: You must be within 64m to use a garage.

Professions: Architect
 * Adjusted draft schematics for the mid and master level armoire to produce the correct item.
 * New lights: Made it so that lamps and candles can be experimented on to increase lifespan.

Professions: Bounty Hunter
 * Fixed a calculation error that master bounty hunters to gain very little benefit from their droid tracking speed modifiers and novice bounty hunters to gain too much. (Correspondent Issue)
 * Gave bounty hunter droids the ability to track down Jedi. (Correspondent Issue)
 * Fixed some typos in Jedi bounty hunter descriptions.
 * Fixed it so that if a Bounty Hunter with a Jedi bounty mission is incapacitated by a target Jedi, the Jedi looses his bounty hunter enemy flag.

Professions: Brawler
 * Warcry 1&2: Changed the warcry status effect to break when the target takes damage and using the warcry ability will not change your combat target. (Correspondent Issue)

Professions: Carbineer /fullAutoSingle1, /fullAutoSingle2, /fullAuroArea1 & /fullAutoArea2 to last 20 seconds (Correspondent Issue)
 * Changed dizzy effect on
 * Changed /burstShot2 from single target to AE cone attack (Correspondent Issue)
 * Changed /actionShot2 to cause bleeds to all targets in AE cone. (Correspondent Issue)
 * Moved Nym Slugthrower certification to Novice Carbineer.

Professions: Chef
 * Spices that reduce your attributes will not incapacitate you.
 * Removed the pet-only requirement from Vercupti.
 * Food attribute modifiers should clear upon player death as originally intended.

Professions: Commando
 * Changed particle animation on the Heavy Acid Rifle. (Correspondent Issue)
 * Fixed a problem where some of the speed and accuracy modifiers for the Heavy Acid Rifle were not being applied (Correspondent Issue)
 * Adjusted Commando skill titles to be appropriate for the skill line.

Professions: Creature Handler
 * Fixed CHs being able to tame a Bio Engineered pet higher level than they can control
 * Fixed Non Creature Handlers from being able to call a non-aggressive Bio Engineered pet of any level.
 * Added system messages for when you toggle your pet's ranged attack mode on or off

Profession Combat / Medic Doctor / Medic
 * Medicines: Fixed a problem with the power of cure dot medicines not being displayed.

Professions: Droid Engineer
 * Added droid wound and damage repair kits. (Correspondent Issue)
 * Droid Battery consumption rate halved. (enabling them to last twice as long) (Correspondent Issue)
 * Droids will no longer be susceptible to poisons, bleeds, /warcry or /intimidate. (Correspondent Issue)
 * Combat Droids will have all the fighting functionality of a regular combat-capable creature (CL10)
 * Fixed the sound effect for the heavy melee attack using an r2 unit.
 * The advanced binary load lifter now has 3 module slots available to it instead of just one.
 * Fixed a 0% crafting attribute bug.
 * Fixed bug where LE Repair Droid's left arm animated incorrectly
 * Tweaked droid crafting formulas for the min and max range of a crafted droids HAM and damage stats
 * Repair modules should now work in the power droid
 * "Conversing" Droids can now be repair droids if they have a repair module in them.

Professions: Fencer
 * Fixed dodge animations in 1 handed sword actions to not play during locomotion (Correspondent Issue)

Professions: Jedi
 * Jedi will no longer lose pre-crafted or dropped loot components when a critical fail occurs while crafting a lightsaber. (Correspondent Issue)
 * Saber Repair - Weapon repair kits can no longer fail and outright destroy sabers. Sabers can still slowly decay to uselessness after multiple repairs.
 * Added safeties for jedi so they cannot be turned overt by scans

Professions: Pistoleer
 * Moved Republic Blaster certification to Novice Pistoleer.

Professions: Politician
 * Mayors of player cities should now be able to remove citizens from the city militia even if they are offline or far away.
 * Added craftable player garages for architect. (Correspondent Issue)
 * Added ability for politicians to place player garages in cities. (Correspondent Issue)
 * Changed e-mail that a mayor receives when a citizen goes inactive to reference the six week inactive period instead of a two week inactive period. (Correspondent Issue)

Professions: Rifleman Professions: Scout / Ranger
 * Made vehicles, droids and turrets immune to the delay effect of strafe shot. (Correspondent Issue)
 * Scout/Ranger: Fixed Tamable information when examining a creature to show as tamable if it is
 * ever
 * possible for a baby to be spawned.
 * Fixed Level display when Ranger/Scout examines a crafted pet.

Professions: Smuggler
 * Made droids, vehicles and turrets immune to the delay effect of panic shot.
 * Changed panic shot to not switch your combat target.
 * The delay effect of panic shot will break on damage to the target.
 * Fixed broken old spices
 * Spices that reduce your attributes will not incapacitate you.

Server Stability Enhancements
 * Fixed a bug where a player getting disconnected during interplanetary travel can make it impossible for the player to log back into the game for up to a day.
 * Fixed a bug that could cause players logging into an interior to become ghosted if the interior was near a server boundary.
 * Fixed a "ghosting" bug.
 * Fixed possible loss of player data that occurs while player is logged out and logs back in fairly soon thereafter.
 * Fixed a bug where there was an intermittent loss of /tip that occurs.

Theme Parks / Missions / Quests
 * Fix to Lady Valarian missions from "Ind". He now gives negative Jabba faction on his second mission.
 * Added some more NPC's to one of the Lady Valarian missions.
 * Adding in mission failure and notification if your Rebel Theme Park delivery, retrieve, or smuggle mission contact dies before the mission is complete
 * Added badge to the Library trivia game

Vehicles / Mounts
 * Added new mounts: Bantha and Cu Pa

World
 * Removed the requirement for camps to call a pet (faction, creature, droid), mount or vehicle. There is a 15 second delay after calling your pet, mount or vehicle before it will appear. If combat occurs during that 15 second period, it will stop the call from completing. There is a 30 second delay after combat where you will not be able to call a pet, mount or vehicle. Players will not be able to call a pet, mount, or vehicle while riding a vehicle or mount.
 * Night lighting adjusted on Talus and Dathomir.
 * Door visuals: The player now keeps a door open when within range of the door but not moving.
 * Door/camera interaction: The camera now maintains its distance behind a player when walking through a doorway when the camera has line of sight to the player.
 * Increased scan chances for standard Stormtrooper patrols,
 * Fixed bug where deleting a user-made waypoint would also delete any static quest mission waypoints
 * Many fixes and improvements to shellfish harvesting