Stage 11, ready or not?

[Muratus del Mur]

Till v.1.0 game stages were called "alpha stages", now they are called "Stages". Currently we are in Stage 10. MD is, as i mentioned before, in "perpetual alpha". There will always be features in progress, major updates to the gameplay, bugs, issues, etc etc.

The stage advances when enough updates happen, enough time passes from the last stage change and when developed features significantly changed the gameplay.

I intend to move MD to the next "level", Stage 11. As always, this can happen sooner or later depending on your feedback.
Since stage 10 started till now, a lot of major changes happend that changed MD a lot and a lot more features are in progress. Other things remained unfinished or incomplete, sadly it always happens.

To make it more interesting this time, I will make this post into a challenge. Read the announcements and see what could be a major enough feature, update or gameplay change to consider stage 10 to be "enough" and to move on to stage 11.

Reward .. a symbolic silver coin

I hope you will feel good looking over the past announcements and see how many things changed. Lets see who is the first one to find the best reason. Do not double post, read what others have posted first.

[ChildOfTheSoul]

Definitely Announcement 1878, which introduced viscosity.


Ann. 1878 - [2011-06-30 07:32:15 - Stage 10]
Location Viscosity - new concept

NOTICE: This is a presentation of concept. The feature is implemented already but won't be activated till some fixes regarding papercabin/noob area are ready. In the places that it will start to be applied you will see viscosity value different from zero. For now all places have viscosity zero.

Viscosity of a location determines the increase or drop in action points cost for moving or using clickables in a location. It is determined by how often that place is visited by yourself or others. Visited more recently/often, the location memory becomes more fluid and fresh and thus the ap cost is less.This "Viscosity" builds up over time and makes long forgotten places even harder accessible. It is possible that the Viscosity will render certain deserted places fully off limits due to their Ap cost if nobody will visit them for a long period of time/ At the same time it could make other locations, that have a natively high Ap cost, easy accessible when when more people go through them. This value and influence is shared by everyone in the same location. This feature is intended to make the edges of the MD world harder to reach, while keeping more popular places with low Ap cost. It also encourages collaborative exploring of places like the Tribunal for example.


The concept of viscosity has shifted MD in many ways. It has locked down many areas for newbies and shifted the very foundation of gameplay in MD. Due to viscosity, the entire process of exploring the realm has changed.

Viscosity spurred many more changes, including: the active days to AP feature, the increase in value to exploration, the possibility of closed off areas except to groups, and much more. In more ways than one, viscosity has changed my way of thinking towards MD and marks a decisive shift for both gameplay and the way players perceive Magic Duel, both as a beginner and as a veteran.

I believe that the announcement introducing the concept marks the end of stage 10 and a shift into a newer stage centered around new game perceptions and concepts.

Edit: Couldn't get the "spoiler" to work, sorry. If someone wants to add a spoiler around the announcement... feel free.

Edited July 27, 2011 by ChildOfTheSoul

[Phantom Orchid]

The Tribunal lands extension was the most significant development that has been announced during stage X.

Reasons:
[list]
[*]Further discovery/research of this new land, bigger than all others combined
[*]It is the setting for the last part of the adventure log (the seed/opening of gate/the Traveler, etc.)
[*]Shift of balance/counterbalance
[*]Home of Knatty's retirement home
[*]Difficulty to navigate/explore
[*]Mur's status change to demi-god, rulership of East lands.
[*]Still so much more there left to uncover, for newbies and veterans alike
[*]Insanity [i]and[/i] adventure!!!
[/list]

[quote]Ann. 1789 - [2011-04-14 03:47:11 - Stage 10]
A new extension of the tribunal landS is up. The race to find the end of the road of this new area was won by : Rendril Revant, Pipstickz, AmberRune, Familiar Face, Paracelsus, Ravenstrider, lone wolf pup ...hmm not really 5 people...oh well.. I can't count too well so...its 5! - Each got a new Aramor. Explore the new land, find its secret places, most of the areas in it are not restricted or not configure fully right now so you can see them. At this point there are more locations in md than active players... some might consider it insanity, some a true adventure..you obviously know how I consider it! This was the surprise for day one of the MD birthday party, it will take you a lot more than one day to familiarize yourselsf with the new land.[/quote]

Edited July 27, 2011 by Phantom Orchid

[Shadowseeker]

Call me biased..

Finish that what got me jailed and the items related, and I think it will be enough.

"[color="#CCCCCC"]Ann. 1901 - [2011-07-10 03:22:19 - Stage 10][/color]
I issued a special decree to jail Sadowseeker for guessing secret stuff and sharing that guess work with others, ignoring he might be right. He successfully found out details about ongoing, unreleased and unannounced features, with details. As you can realize this is obviously the most uncommon Jail reason in MD history, yet it is a jail. To be released if he manages to get out anyhow, or then the feature he anticipates gets fully implemented (a matter of days). Till then he should be regarded as any convict . Don't mistaken the reasons, he actually did nothing that could be jail reason for any of you, yet some people in md could occasionaly get involved in activities that could reach this end, only via a special decree, announced properly, signed as an item too. (funny, laugh!, now shh, its serious)"

[Kyphis the Bard]

[quote name=Ann. 1890 - (2011-07-06 04:46:33 - Stage 10)]
Clarification of concept regarding Magic
The following article is a "must read" if you care about how magic as a concept is presented in MD, how spells, spelldocs, abilities triggered by chat words function and will be further developed. This is an essential announcement to describe the direction the originality of MD will go when it comes to overused concepts related to "magic".

[Link to article]
[/quote]
The event has not happened yet, but is the re-integration of spell docs. Until then, I don't think stage 10 has ended.

Edited July 27, 2011 by Kyphis the Bard

[Tipu]

[quote]Ann. 1929 - [2011-07-14 07:14:02 - Stage 10]
All snowmen have melted!
[/quote]

[Muratus del Mur]

use the like buttons to vote

[Udgard]

[quote]Ann. 1540 - [2010-06-27 04:42:45 - Stage 10]
What is reality?
The new "RP Reality requirement" is an indicator that reminds you that some things are more real than others, even in a fantasy world, depending on how many observe the same "reality". How well you are anchored in MD's reality or how careless you are about your role-play, will probably determine your future in the realm, but for now it is just an indicator.

- intimate: 2 or less people, rp is unrestricted, reality is irrelevant between two people if both accept the fantasy.
- loose: 2 to 5 people, rp can go wild but common sense is required. As long as the other few accept it, most things are ok.
- moderate: 5 to 10 people, rp is considered real only if it is based on proof or good logic. Your avatar may give you elements to support that logic, your inventory items, a very well established role in a clear and distinct activity, things in the current location/scene, abilities you posess.
- strict: 10 to 30 people, only real things, unrefusable to anyone present. These are the things you can do based on your actual abilities such as spells or special interfaces, actions supported by your inventory items, fights, and other interface supported actions. Simple logic without a real base to support it is not enough to form reality under this level.
- real only: 30 or more, in large groups, only what you can do in such way that is undeniable by anyone observing it, can pass as reality. What you do under this level should stricter than the strict level and as real as it can get, so that nobody can say or think "no you couldnt possibly do that" or "you are making things up".


Fantasy is not chaos and sometimes is more real than you think. Understanding what "real" means or should mean, is a big step ahead to understand what "fantasy" realy is.
now...this post should go somewhere to be remembered but not sure where ...forum? rules? nah its not a rule ..yet [/quote]

RP reality feature, along with the show of force revelation of what MD and the carnival is, sets a new age in RP and "reality" in MD.

[lone wolf pup]

Acquiring memory stones
Aranna and Lone Wolf were granted the stone detector item to be able to gather the memory stone resource and make it avaiable on the market (at prices or requirements they decide). This is not a guild, it is a freelance activity and a temporary way to make memory stones available and analyse market evolution and use. The tools can be taken away from them at any time but their trade benefits and/or gathered stones will remain as their reward. Aranna and Lone Wolf are supposed to be competing traders of the Memory stone resource so be sure you check both their offers when you wish to aquire a memory stone from them. This is experimental, discuss it on forum.

Memory stones seems to be changing the way MD might work out.. although I think the cauldron would have been better it isn't fully developed yet >< haza for multi-steps to meet an end result.

*coughs* pickles

[Burns]

I think we're not quite there yet, to me the big bang to introduce 11 would be the new MP6.

[MoM]

somewhat close to what lone wolf said, I consider it the addition of the resources, then the addition of the cauldron to use these resources up to make new 'objects'.

this is how I'm thinking : the resources have lead to people collecting (not sure if wood was there before stage 10...) and the collecting to a new market item and new trade, the stones in particular have lead to newer players being able to cast magic and enjoy it's joy, it also is almost the only thing that has lead to the appearance of the fusionairs , also the water resources has lead to a guild being formed...

and as for the cauldron, even though I know that many people have the ability to make items in MD, what this cauldron makes is not items, it makes.... basically, it makes anything, can do anything, and all it requires is a few resources, this cauldron makes MD even more free as it introduces a 'make whatever you want yourself' system, and so, these changes to MD, it's market, it's game play, it's players, it's guilds, and it's objects are all vast enough to make it go to the next stage

as for the viscosity, it is a big change, but changing the way of how people go from place to place is not exactly a HUGE change, sure, it has massive effects on exploring, but it doesn't affect ALL of MD directly, and so I don't think it could be the change Mur meant =)

[nadrolski]

Ann. 1753 - [2011-03-04 14:15:58 - Stage 10]
Creatures require MP level to advance!
Creatures will require from now on a minimum MindPower level do upgrade depending on their level. Some will be upgrade-able at MP3 but most levels will require a higher MP.

a show of [b]FORCE[/b]

[duxie]

[size="2"][font="Verdana"]I agree with Nad on what's the most important change has been done, and with Burns on what has to be done to move to stage 11 [/font][/size]

[Master]

I don't know if that's the main reason why stage 11 is not yet in place but it's definitely what this games NEEDS :

As Burns said: The new MP6 release !

Edited July 27, 2011 by Master

[Maebius]

I would agree that while the creature-upgrade changes, and Viscosity have adjusted and re-balanced the way some things work in the realm, and Stones added a nice new feature, re-writing a MindPower level to change it would be considered a shift in the fundamental Nature of things, depending on what you have planned for it.
Thus, Stage 11 would consist of the "New MP6" assuming it integrates things with our newer understanding of Heat, Memory (stones) and the 'physics' of movement (Viscosity).

[Fyrd Argentus]

There is a lot on the horizon, but the biggest changes during stage 10, which do now seem to be complete, are the changes to the combat system.

- Click-and-drag interface
- Species Limitations
- Aimed Hit changes
- Angien changes
- UP/Vampiric Aura changes
- Other minor adjustments
- Lots of bug resolution

You could declare the combat system issues resolved, and move on to stage 11 where all that other good stuff awaits us.

[BFH]

Stage 11 in my point of view needs 2 major events:

1) Magic concept change, temporary spells, and memory stones.
2) MP6 system changes.

Explaining point number 1:

Well the game is named MAGICDuel. Magic is supposed to be a big part of it. Without the latest announcements MD wouldn't have spells. Only old vets or people with a good experience would reach spells, but now all is different. We can gift an enchanted stone and even a newb could cast a spell, and that is FANTASTIC!

Second point:

Well most of the people know I was mp6 for a long time. I know that system limits the protector in a Lot of ways. The new system I hope fix that and make mp6 a bit more interesting. It's part of MD and should be implemented ASAP.

BOTH makes the perfect scenario for a new era (stage). Protectors enchanting stones and gifting them to people (as I see it) to loyal adepts and warsheeps A more public magic, happy players, a Bigger MagicDuel.

[Princess Katt]

I think that the new calculation of AP based on active days is the natural complement to the addition of viscosity, and thus, should be the cap to Stage 10.

[quote]Ann. 1939 - [2011-07-25 01:14:33 - Stage 10]
Actionpoints bonus for Active Days
The number of active days will influence from now on the total action points you can accumulate. The older you are the more Ap you will have. The way the bonus is distributed is not constant but in the first 6mo matches half of the active days count, later on growing slower. . The exact bonus values are posted on the forum. The intention is to keep newer players in more central areas, while older players will feel more comfortable to adventure in deeper areas of the map.[/quote]

I think changes after this should go toward Stage 11.

[The Warrior]

[font="Arial"][size="2"]For Stage X to truly be complete, the result of the below announcement needs to be seen.[/size][/font]
[font="Georgia,"] [/font]
[font="Georgia,"][size="2"][Quote][color="#cccccc"]Ann. 1650 - [2010-10-31 22:07:41 - Stage 10][/color][/size][/font]
[b]Challenge for all MD Artists.[/b]

[font="Georgia,"][size="2"]Images are needed for the achievement of aquiring WPs for attaining a certain number of active days. All competing artists must sumbit 8 distinct images without coloring along an appropriate theme for this achievement.[/size][/font]

[font="Georgia,"][size="2"]The 8 images will represent the following active day requirements:[/size][/font]

[font="Georgia,"][size="2"]1st 80 days, 2nd 120 days, 3rd 240 days, 4th 360 days, 5th 480 days, 6th 720 days, 7th 800 days and 8th 1200 days.[/size][/font]

[font="Georgia,"][size="2"]The artist whose work is chosen will be rewarded, and the reward will be named once the winning artist is made known.[/size][/font]

[font="Georgia,"][size="2"]If you want to take part, send your complete set of 8 colorless images to art@magicduel.com[/size][/font]

[font="Georgia,"][size="2"]Good Luck![/size][/font]

[font="Georgia,"][size="2"]Note: Be aware that if any images are found to be stolen from the concept or drawing of another artist, the account of the person submitting them will be reprimanded even if the fraud is discovered after the winner has been chosen.[/Quote][/size][/font]

Edited July 27, 2011 by The Warrior

[Hedge Munos]

Ann. 1765 - [2011-03-25 00:21:59 - Stage 10]

[SPOILER]No more Experience, but HEAT - Concept change
I am glad to announce one of the most important concept changes in the past years in MD. There is no more "Experience", its now the same with HEAT. Functionality at this point remains the same but things will change over time according to this concept. Heat is finally what it was supposed to be from the start and "Experience" as a concept is gone. XP was never too much "MD Style" anyway.

Player XP, Creature XP = Stored Heat
Max XP, or XP cap = Max heat tolerance
You dont gain xp but you store/refill heat
You dont lose XP but you free stored hear

The name changes are already in place and will be followed in time by functionality changes, things like heat burn, a more dynamic system of skill limits and more. This is a major change even if it might not seem so at this moment. [u]The merger between heat and "xp" made heat be the "blood" of all activities in md, its used in some items to power them up, its used in fights, in creatures, in skills, character development and so on.[/u] The heat of the "erolin device" (glowing thin in right corner of the interface) is also heat , same heat as your stored heat, only in unstable form. Also from a story point of view, without any current implementation, Heat is the counterbalance of liquid dust and will be later called "negative heat" (as in "minus" not as in "bad", not the same with "cold"). This means a lot more but in the end it makes all perfect sense since the Shades are the counterbalance of the players too. This change fits as a glove on how things were already in MD, it is not shaking too much, but the name change might make you understand more of how things work in md. As usual, opinions about this are welcome on the forum.
--Mur [/SPOILER]

This shows the start of the importance of heat in this development stage. After this came heat stones, and the Fusioneers. The Water Dowsers, Defenders of Bob, Lair Keepers, and Woodcutter's are equally important Stage 10 guilds/alliances, but heat is involved in a lot of things. And as Mur said, it's a concept change, so we went from experience to heat, which is a bit more RPGish, in my opinion. I've underlined a line from the announcement to support this statement.

Hedge

Edited July 27, 2011 by Hedge Munos

[Muratus del Mur]

one step done

[Deatznce0]

Due to the radical changes with gameplay i nominate:
[quote]
[color="#cccccc"]Ann. 1765 - [2011-03-25 00:21:59 - Stage 10][/color]
[b]No more Experience, but HEAT - Concept change[/b]
I am glad to announce one of the most important concept changes in the past years in MD. There is no more "Experience", its now the same with HEAT. Functionality at this point remains the same but things will change over time according to this concept. Heat is finally what it was supposed to be from the start and "Experience" as a concept is gone. XP was never too much "MD Style" anyway.

Player XP, Creature XP = Stored Heat
Max XP, or XP cap = Max heat tolerance
You dont gain xp but you store/refill heat
You dont lose XP but you free stored hear

The name changes are already in place and will be followed in time by functionality changes, things like heat burn, a more dynamic system of skill limits and more. This is a major change even if it might not seem so at this moment. The merger between heat and "xp" made heat be the "blood" of all activities in md, its used in some items to power them up, its used in fights, in creatures, in skills, character development and so on. The heat of the "erolin device" (glowing thin in right corner of the interface) is also heat , same heat as your stored heat, only in unstable form. Also from a story point of view, without any current implementation, Heat is the counterbalance of liquid dust and will be later called "negative heat" (as in "minus" not as in "bad", not the same with "cold"). This means a lot more but in the end it makes all perfect sense since the Shades are the counterbalance of the players too. This change fits as a glove on how things were already in MD, it is not shaking too much, but the name change might make you understand more of how things work in md. As usual, opinions about this are welcome on the forum.
--Mur
[/quote]

But on a more serious note, this probably is the most deserving of us entering stage 11...
[quote]
[color="#cccccc"]Ann. 1929 - [2011-07-14 07:14:02 - Stage 10][/color]
[b]All snowmen have melted![/b]
[/quote]
Rest in Peace Frosty, if we enter stage 11 because of you, your death will not be in vein! *respectfully salutes*

[Hedge Munos]

Deatznce0,

Both of your nominations have been posted, please read what Mur stated at the end of his message. No double-posts. Thanks,

Hedge

Edited August 7, 2011 by Hedge Munos

[Muratus del Mur]

mp6 is not there yet, i don't think it will happen unless i will have a sudden burst of enthusiasm , one of those strange ones that last short, do miracles, but never finishes them. Most realistic opinion is mp6 will happen middle way in stage 11, based on several things i have in mind for that stage.

re-integration of spelldocs is something that is already in progress as one of stage 11 main thing. Stage 10 allready has too many radical changes in it to push mp6 and spelldocs too.

Adding the wp for days for example, is a change based on current system. A stage advancement means such changes in the system that entire gameplay changes somehow..like for example adding wish-shop (not just a wish in it, or a new wp source like active days count)

[Kyphis the Bard]

I would thus suggest that the trigger for Stage 11 be the introduction of the Spent Credits Shop.