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Brannoc - Welcome to another great Stratics house of commons with the developers of Horizons! We'd like to focus on the topics of Confectioner, New Employees, and Upcoming Client Changes so please try to keep questions focused around this. Please send your questions to [QT]Sprite by using /msg [QT]Sprite My question here. Questions sent to myself or the developers will NOT be answered so please do not send them to us. We'll begin with a brief introduction from our guests and then proceed with the chat. Now would be a good time to send those questions to [QT]Sprite!

DavidBowman - Hello everyone. Thank you for coming. I'm David Bowman the CEO of Tulga Games and Creative Director for Horizons.

AmonGwareth - Hi, I'm Jason Murdick, Design Lead for Horizons, and its a pleasure to be here to answer your questions this evening.

Ophelea - Hi, I'm Ophelea, Community Manager and person who can think of no witty intro....

Smeglor - Hello. I'm Adrian LaVallee: Technical designer and simulation/interface/database programmer.

Jasagron - Hello everyone, I am Jason Eubank one of the Client programmers for Horizons.

Misanthrope - I'm Zach Whitten and I'm one of the new guys on the team. Its my job to find new and interesting ways to kill all of you And have you enjoy it

Brannoc - *Varangaard* Can you tell us in detail about upcoming client changes?

Ophelea - You do know programmers type in binary so this could take a while...

Jasagron - doh, one minute sorry! The client is currently under-going many changes, both performance wise and quality. I have been focusing on improving the memory usage and speed of object/world loading specifically with the terrain system. The new terrain uses many new optimizations and technology techniques that were not originally available. Although we are constrained to using the DirectX 8 api there is much that can be done to improve performance. As well we are working on cleaning up old assets and removing unnecessary geometry to reduce file sizes, load times and frame rate.

Brannoc - *LO* How soon can we expect to begin seeing new confectioner resource spawn on Blight/live, and how much time is scheduled for testing the new system on Blight?

AmonGwareth - We're in the process of entering the formulas and resources into the database and so resource spawns will appear on Blight at the same time as the rest of the Confectioner changes. As for testing, this is a fairly significant and sizeable change to a school so we will keep it on Blight to test and tweak until we feel it is ready to be released to the public.

Brannoc - *Starna* Now that the initial phase of the confectioner changes are almost here, can you give us an idea of the priority level of the drinks and mystic foods compared to other projects? We know you don't do ETAs:)

Smeglor - After the initial Confectioner release, priority shifts to a massive loot system revamp, followed by Tier 1 and Tier 2 world layout revisions. So at a minimum, after those.

Brannoc - *gopher* Will the new confectioner resources include any components from dangerous mobs that crafters can hire adventures to obtain?

AmonGwareth - Yes, some meals in the confectioner revamp will include components from monsters in Istaria that some crafters may want to hire adventurers to help them retrieve. However, we are making sure that there will always be recipes Confectioners can make that do not require these resources for flexibility and in case no adventurers are around.

Brannoc - *tramsan* The recent changes to the video preferences tab has been received with mixed feelings. Are there any plans to change this again, perhaps adding an optional "advanced" tab as suggested on the forums?

Jasagron - The recent video preference changes were made for a couple of reasons, first there were advanced options under that tab which caused many users not familiar with the settings to dramatically reduce their client performance. Second many of the advanced options had problems when set opposite or not in conjunction with others. We will be revisiting all of the options available to this tab once all of the problems are ironed out.

Brannoc - *Lycaunoss* what exactly are the new folks duties going to be...we know misanthrope will be trying to kill us but what does that mean? Events etc...?

Misanthrope - Well, i've just gotten through my first week here and its been an awesome week. A lot like that first week of college, in terms of the amount of stuff being thrown at you, but with a lot less alcohol. Well, scratch that, the first time you start messing with the database tools you might as well be drunk for all the sense that it makes. But, after Amon showed me how most things work, I've been able to dive and start to explore what the I've got my first quest up on Blight, and hopefully you'll like it. There's a lot I want to do in terms of content additions and expanding the game story.

AmonGwareth - Misanthrope and our other new designer, Dyn, are going to be assisting us with content creation. Dyn's skills lean heavily towards writing and quest creation so we're going to be taking advantage of those skills. t up on Blight, and hopefully you'll like it. There's a lot I want to do in terms Both are going to be assisting us with current projects (Confectioner, Loot revamp, etc), but they have their own ideas of what they want to work on and how to help improve Horizons and we're going to let them both find their path, using quests, monsters, loot, and who knows what else.

Misanthrope - *what the tools are capable of.

AmonGwareth - We also have added a new artist, Nate Cox, who is assisting us by reworking many of our assets. Fixing their occlusion models, improving appearance and performance, and helping creating new assets as needed.

Brannoc - *Varangaard* Will the client changes also include work on structures so their furniture won't be rendered for people outside?

Smeglor - Improvements to the timing and condition under which certain objects load will be coming soon which will help for existing objects such as furniture. In the longer term, more extensive changes will be made to support the new player-made furniture in the upcoming Settlements expansion that will do exactly as you suggest.

Brannoc - *tramsan* Confectioner: Has anything been decided with regards to the player submitted dishes yet? As in, what ranges of effects can we see, will the forms be quested, etc?

AmonGwareth - We are reviewing the many hundreds of recipes submitted for the contest, but until the final recipes are chosen no work on the effects will be done. In addition, we have not yet decided on the method by which these player recipes will be available in the game, though quests are certainly one option we will be considering.

Brannoc - *Segorian* In the new client are there going to be changes to shadowing? (ie will there be shadows)

Ophelea - (many hundreds - thanks for the typing folks!)

Jasagron - We recently made a change to remove “real shadows”, these shadows were causing a problem which we could not immediately solve so there are temporarily disabled. The “blob” shadows however are still working fine and can be enabled in your preferences.

Brannoc - *Ranqthas* It is my understanding that the Confectioner revamp includes a change to the death point system. Will these changes be made at the same time, or after the new Confectioner school has had time to settle?

Smeglor - Because existing foods will be altered to fit in with the new confectioner system, it will be a simultaneous release.

Brannoc - *Nixon[I-C]* First off, welcome to new (wo?)man Misanthrope, I was wondering about any new interface changes or clever additions that may come with the client, and whether you could release any teasers regarding it? :D

Smeglor - In the near future, despite what I said on the forums the other day, I did come up with a way to show the location of your grounded cargo disk on the map. Longer term, I'm working on a new tool that is the first step toward a reverse consignment (requisition) system. In order to ask for an item, first you have to be able to define the item you desire...

Brannoc - *Zanat* Now that we can see other's people's cargo disks, are there any plans to do anything with this? To be able to use a party member's disk, for instance?

AmonGwareth - At this time there are no plans to allow other's to interact with your cargo disk.

Misanthrope - <=dude

Brannoc - *Lycaunoss* are we going to see changes in the client to make use of some of the more advanced features on video cards that are available these days?

Jasagron - The work that is currently being done with client improvements does include utilizing more video card resources than previously, however we are constrained to the abilities of DirectX 8 and can not make use of some of the mighty new features that cards come packed with these days. However there are some really nice spell effects in game which were previously broken and did not display all of their visuals so be on the lookout for things misanthrope < != dude :)

Misanthrope - =[

Jasagron - j/k

Jasagron - lookout for things you may not have seen before in the upcoming client revisions.

Brannoc - *Zanat* Will the bew client allow for outdoor furniture - garden decorations, and the like?

DavidBowman - I want to clarify that there are two activities in parallel going on. A vastly improved existing client and a totally new client. The improved client will be used for The Settlements expansion. It will allow for interior furniture and exterior gardens. We do not yet know if it will allow exterior furniture or decorations, but that is not promised.

Brannoc - *Segorian* Housing: It has been said the existing structures will not be upgraded, but there will be new ones added. Will we need to tear down our existing structures to add new ones that allow furniture? An example being a Saris Manor House

Smeglor - That is correct. The new structures will be able to make use of the Novian resources you regain, however.

Brannoc - *LO* While the full implementations of Beverages and Mystical foods are a ways off, will we be seeing event or festival foods introduced now & then?

AmonGwareth - Adding new recipes and festival foods is indeed a possibility as we enjoy adding new and unique foods to the game and have added some in past events, such as the Fall Harvest and Winter Festival. Others may likely be released as part of future game events.

Ophelea - Also, I’ll be keeping an ongoing “cookbook” of player submissions that will be updated after each request for recipes.

Brannoc - *Varangaard* It is said that you are alos working on an entirely new client. Are you able to tell us anything about it at this point, like what engine will be used?

DavidBowman - All we are saying about the entirely new client is that it has been in development for more than a year, it is extremely well designed, and uses an entirely new rendering system. It will be used first in Dark World Online and then we will work to bring Horizons up to it.

Brannoc - *Segorian* David, will the new client be restricted to DX 8 as well?

DavidBowman - It will not.

Brannoc - *Zanat* Now that we have new developers, what areas of the world are up for a bit of love? New Trismus and the newbie experience have seen plenty of excellent changes recently - what can the rest of the world expect?

AmonGwareth - We will be continuing with our current path of development, finishing up the revamp of New Trismus, doing some touch-up on Lesser Aradoth (more quests, more story, balancing the monsters more, etc) and then moving on to the Tier 2 revamp and then beyond to the other tiers.

Brannoc - *Varangaard* Can we have a bug zapper to build on plots? =)

Ophelea - That’s up to Hoody…and Ted.

Brannoc - *Jayne* Have they made a decision on what the amb in game will do in the future? Many feel that it should remove a death point and not just 8 hrs

DavidBowman - Smeglor and Amon are in a debate now.

Smeglor - The current plan (pending testing) is that Ambrosia will indeed be increased to reduce a full death point. However, you can only consume Ambrosia as frequently as the amount of time reduced. So if you have a 24 hour death point, you can eat an Ambrosia to remove it, but not eat another for 24 hours.

Brannoc - *Zanat* So. Zappers. Any hints [buildable plot item!], or are you just going to continue to tease us on the GU Forums?

Ophelea - We’ll continue to tease Woody on the GU Forums, definitely. As for Zappers, you’ll need to talk to Hoody (and Ted) when they appear on the live shards to determine just how they intend to get their bait.

Brannoc - *Vasden* Are there any plans to revisit player avitar appearances in the near future?

DavidBowman - Our artists are working on correcting any art that causes performance issues first. Then they will be providing more monsters and game choices. Then, and that will be quite awhile, we will approach character appearance choices.

Brannoc - *Zanat* Any plans for a DX10/Vista client? And if there are, will pre-DX10 players still be supported?

Jasagron - The new client is being developed using the Ogre rendering engine which keeps up to date with currently available hardware. So once Ogre supports DX10 so will the new client. As well DX9 support will last throughout the new clients lifetime as XP is not going away for quite some time.

Brannoc - *gopher* Will we be seeing more examples of ambient atmosphere in the game (ie, the turtle?)

Misanthrope - Where we can, yes. I love stuff like that.

Ophelea - (if it kills the players, you do)

Misanthrope - And I have access to the world editor now =D

Brannoc - *Guaran* With the client improvements coming, is there any plans for 64 bit support or optimizations?

Jasagron - Sorry, there is too much work involved in building the current client in a 64-bit mode. Nope.

Brannoc - *Zanat* Any plans for the other three training islands, now that NT is the main newbie training ground?

AmonGwareth - BOOM! Just kidding! (it was Smeglor's idea) We do indeed have plans in the works for the other three newbie islands. Those plans are still in the early stages of development so its too early to say what will become of the islands. But they are well-liked by many, including us, and so we will not be destroying them (most likely).

Brannoc - That's it for this one folks! Thanks for joining us here on Stratics IRC, the logs will be up on http://www.stratics.com shortly. Be sure to come by next time!

DavidBowman - Thank you all for coming.

Ophelea - Thank you!

Misanthrope - Danke!