Dev Diary 3 :: 2015 :: January

[Ray]

Major update and a cap increase will be coming soon.

After this update, i'll be prepping the game for a yahoo release; your competition shall arrive.

[Ray]

Woodcutting is out, along with a cap increase to 25 (undocumented in the patchnotes).

Woodcutting is still in it's initial release, so there could be some changes to it based on the research I do from current player interaction with it, not to mention additions, such as being able to sell wood.

I'm currently thinking 1k gold per log at this point, but we'll wait and see.

[Ray]

Selling logs will be possible in the upcoming patch, along with a couple other important fixes and changes.

[Ray]

Working on publishing with the Yahoo Games Network in the next couple weeks.

A major cap increase, content update, and influx will be the true start to the IO Universe on publication

I'm looking at around a level 50 cap, Ascension, 2 new worlds (6 & 7), among other updates before then. Very much hoping to get a nifty guild update in there as well.

[Ray]

With nearly 200 creatures not yet added into the game, I have faith that there's more than enough content in store for a long time, not including future funded events. That being said, it can be difficult matching the right royalty backgrounds to the correct planet/monster themes and trying to keep the pace appropriate.

I bring this up as I begin preparing the 6th and 7th planets with the ascension system.

With that I hope there's enough content for a while so I can prepare new exciting alternate challenges (Solo, and Guild). I have an 'Alien Arena' planned, along with Guild Bosses and other fun stuff.

[Ray]

A quick maintenance was performed to resolve an exploit on a few accounts where the Log Splitting skill was several levels beyond what was paid for due to a bug from a previous patch. It has been reverted to appropriate levels.

[Ray]

Things are probably appearing a bit slow right now with the low caps and no new content since woodcutting a few days ago, but there's definitely a lot going on in the preparation of the publicized release. Beyond the 6th and 7th planet, i'm preparing several sets of creatures as I go back to the drawing board several times with how I can introduce new alternative, yet rewarding battle challenges that give you a goal beyond just leveling up and ascending towards new planets.

I'm also working on setting up exactly how i'll introduce 6 player parties, and how that will need to differ from solo challenges, and whether or not the same creatures will be displayed in said challenges.

I'm basically working to engineer mid to end game content preparations so the 'cap' limit isn't an issue again in a month as many hit the upcoming 50 cap.

[Ray]

Ascension 1, World 6 & 7, Level + Upgrade + Ability caps 50, Forest 6, Pet 4, Trophy 25


All set to go


   

   

[Ray]

This system definitely won't be ready in time for the next major patch, but here's a sneak peak into the development of another system on the way.


Challenge System & Challenge Points
I'm not sure currently whether this will be a merge of solo & party challenges, or whether it will be a part of the public 6-man party listing system yet as it's in its early form. I'm currently thinking of simplifying a few initial planned ideas as to prevent the game from getting too complex, and allowing more content be played by all instead of being stuck solo'ing or stuck having to group with others and so forth.

Basically i'm thinking of setting up these challenges in 4 modes:

• Solo Difficulty
• Duo Difficulty (2 man team)
• Group Difficulty (Public 6 man team)
• Guild Difficulty (up to 40 man team - guild only)
  

Also to finish up on a multitude of intended features, i'm thinking of creating an end-game difficulty tier called Inferno, which will include the above said difficulties, but also award 'Inferno Points', which will give an entirely new set of Inferno-Only upgrades for battling a long series Mythical creatures. This is definitely end-game stuff though, where you probably won't even touch the surface of the easiest Inferno challenge for several months until the caps are lifted much higher, the 3rd ascension tier is released, crafting, and so forth....however it will be prepared in time for such things to allow many more months of insanity.

I have a ton on my plate as-is, but my goal is to prep all the new systems for implementation and start pumping them all out 1-2x a month. By mid-summer I expect to have enough content for players to seamlessly progress through to last a couple years...giving me the development time to work on fun events and less grindy stuff.

   

[Ray]

Working out support level system now. Hoping to have it ready before the major update coming within a week, but we'll see how it all turns out.