[Shieara]

Aside from the usual stability fixes, winding the clockwork network up and feeding the powerwheel gerbils, over the past couple weeks since the last live update we've made a number of changes to Test server lately which we hope players will get a chance to test out for themselves sometime. Here's a list of **CODE** changes that have gone to test server. NOTE: THESE ARE ONLY CODE CHANGES, the design staff has their own set of things they have been working on and are not listed here. ALSO NOTE: Some of these items are only relevant to issues that appeared on Test server during the ongoing development of the code so some of these may not be related to a bug on live servers. That said, most of the list is related to fixes to known live bugs and various new features that percolated to the top of the queue (many of these are due to feedback from Fan Faire). Thanks again for playing on Test!

Implemented new feature to add buffs to block by name. Please test using different types of spell names (errors, damage buffs, etc) and verify it responds with the appropriate action (either by blocking the buff or specifying error message in chat window).

Added ability to filter away messages pertaining bard songs which affect pets. To test, create a bard and a character with a pet, cast various spells from the bard on the pet, and try using Options | Filters | Bard Songs On Pets->Hide to filter them away.

Widened barter/bazaar window and price column (default values), re: feature request.

You may no longer attempt to combine if any of the ingredients are for sale in the Bazaar

Gunthak: Incorrect Functionality: Attempting to drag a corpse on the boat at the Gunthak harbor results in a 'too far away to summon' message (C) Fixed

Changing heading of a quadriped will now cause surface orientation to be updated to match the tilt of the ground. To test, change form into anything with 4 legs, stand on a hill, and spin.

Missile code has been changed quite a bit. Ranged weapons now test LOS when fired, but ignore collision after that and should almost always hit their target (there are cases where range + time of flight + very fast NPC running from it can avoid getting hit). The changes that were made were to make non-spells disregard collision and to have bolt spells use a smaller collision sphere for the flight path collision checks as well as having the flight collision disregard any players/NPCs in the flight path. For ranged weapons, please note that now you only need LOS when you fire and ammo should no longer poof like it used to when an NPC was pinned or another player/NPC is blocking the target. For bolt spells, note that there is not (and wasn't previously) a LOS check when launched and the collision system hitting terrain is still responsible for causing missed spell bolts (in other words, bolts will still poof if shot into a wall). All types of missiles now use a much larger collision sphere on the target for the impact test (I don't think you can test this specifically, just something to be aware of, it's part of the reason why bolts should poof less).

Removed the line art between Skyfire and Frontier Mountains.
Added code that allows you to view others members in your group by pressing the "group" button in your map view window. When this button is down, you should be able to view your other group members in the current zone with blue x’s. When you mouse over these group members, you should see their names.

Code: UI Elements prevent you from using right click to mouselook when they are non-visible – Fixed.

Rogue: Ability: Shroud of Stealth: When a rogue is using Hide and Sneak with Shroud of Stealth, then uses the /autofire command, the he does not become visible - fixed.

Spells: Run speed buffs with low modifiers will slow down characters with run speed AAs ©. Fixed. The code will now use the better run speed mod, so long as the player isn't rooted or snared.

Dranik: Players can become stuck behind the grate leading into Dranik Sewers (C) Fixed. Adventure/expedition return locations now track the return location more accurately.

There is a new command, "/uptime", which shows the client how long the zone has been running. This can be used by both players & GMs and is intended to help people communicate issues related to server stability.
Made substantial improvements to the lootability of corpses. Corpses now have a much improved targetability. A good example of before & after is a dragorn NPC (anguish zone in). This NPC has it's death animation moving the NPC almost completely out of it's original bounding sphere which required players to loot by clicking on part of the foot which was about all that was left in the original bounding sphere.

Spells: Magician: Fire pets, starting from Vocarate: Fire (52) to Child of Fire (6 are not regenerating mana - fixed

Bard: Songs Window: The third and sixth icons in this window are oversized and will slightly stack over the buffs next to them - fixed
Augment: Bloodstone of Force (68806): when combined with weapon with magic dmg boost, result is odd stacking issue - fixed

Aura of the Grove (55 DRU aura) and Aura of Life (70 DRU aura) if one is cast while the other is active it gives conflicting messages - fixed
Bards: Bard songs dont stop pulsing when an NPC forces you to feign death- fixed

Throwing axes now feed from ammo/inventory. NOTE- a special case can exist where a throwing axe (say, 8008) is both ammo AND range, if one is in the range slot, but the use has seen fit to put arrows in the ammo slot, obviously arrows are not auto-fed. The arrows are ignored, but the inventory IS checked, and axes will auto-feed from there.

Theater: Radial Flora graphical option hides player and NPC names at main fountain – Fixed

Code: UI Elements prevent you from using right click to mouselook when they are non-visible – Fixed

Cosmetic: Plate graphics on luclin model player characters are disappearing or not showing correctly - Fixed

Video: Arm and lower leg armor textures vanish in most areas in Delvea - Fixed

Feature request for cooldown time to not be incurred if action fails. To test, try taunting enemies from too far away and observe the action button to make sure you can try recasting immediately.

New Feature: Pet spells and weapon procs should report into the Pet Spells chat filter channel. To test, create a chat window and filter in only the pet info.

Fixed NPC Rampage, AE_Rampage, Flurry to use new (correct) algorithm.

Put in change which should fix the problem where aggro-scaling buffs take away from aggro-subtracting effects. Specifically, when Concussion-type spells are being affected by Spell Casting Subtlety.

Fear Pathing: Feared PCs can open locked doors - Fixed. This bug also was allowing NPCs to open locked doors, they now just warp through them.

Mounts:Summoning your mount near an NPC could in rare case generate agro - Fixed.

Rogues: Some NPCs do not detect hidden rogues, but still display detect message - Fixed.

Modified /con code to only tell rogues the NPC can see the rogue after running all visibility logic.

Eastwastes: Sleepers switch can not be clicked on by medeum and small races. Fixed.

Fixed a bug with Willowisp animations.

Flurry/rampage messages were reversed - Target was changing through the attack loop regardless of whether it was rampage or flurry. (It should only change for rampage). To test, find a mob that both flurries and rampages, summon a pet and attack. Watch to make sure that, for example, flurries only cause damage to the target of the flurry as reported in the chat window.

Fixed the following bugs with ranged weapons. Non-spell missiles (ie arrows/shurikens/etc) now have a life span of 6 seconds which after discussing with Travis we think should be sufficient in all reasonable cases for the arrow to reach it's target.

Rangecombat: When a range item such as an arrow or shruiken is thrown or shot it bonces off walls - fixed.

Missile changes: Due to a timing issue in the old physics code, missiles could be in perma-orbit around a target on the client and/or the server (the timing problem was on both sides, and will rarely be consistent between zone/client). This would cause heavy combat situations to have theoretically as many arrows spinning around the target as could be fired over the course two minutes (the previous lifespan of arrows). Since each missile is using the collision system during movement, it could add up to be pretty expensive especially on raids (say 6 rangers, 1 arrow each per tick is a maximum of approximately 720 arrows existing at a similar cost to what a player or NPC consumes for movement collision costs).

Devastation: ground spawn item too low to ground to pick up. Fixed.

Corrected a bug with heightfield collision code which was causing this problem and other subtle inconsistencies in collision behavior with heightfields.

LDoN: Deep Guk: Many mobs in zone are untargettable from a distance - Fixed.

Animation: Sitting while levitation wears off will leave the character stuck in the falling animation. Fixed- Players who are sitting when they begin to fall no longer show the falling animation.

Zoning: Characters are getting stuck in unavailabe zones when instances disconnect - FIXED.

ragea: sullon zek: raids are crashing during the sullon zek event - FIXED

ai: Under certain circumstances an aura acts as an NPC and can be attacked by NPC's - FIXED.

Monster Missions: Players are being sent to the last LDoN entrance they visited if they attempt to log into a monster mission zone after the task timer expires - FIXED

Luclin: all zones with Norrath in the sky: whenever it rains, Norrath shrinks to a quarter of its size – fixed.

Maps: new Northro and Southro maps now have indications to Iceclad and Timorous Deep.

The Timorous Deep and Iceclad text was switched around incorrectly on the map, this should be fixed now.

Incorrect Functionality: Using the proper illusion followed by a face change can cause a character's eye to black out – Fixed

Fixed bug which caused players to be frozen forever if a GM repops the zone while player is charmed.

Guild Management Window: Flagging a member as an alt will automatically 'hide' them - fixed

Guild Management Window: Officers are unable to set Alt flags on Members - fixed, officers now have permission to change the alt flag (not just founder) (no id)

Fixed guild dumping

Objects that are not interactive objects should no longer activate the glow effect.

The guild bank deposit area should now accept up to 40 items instead of 20

Fixed bug wuch caused interactive objects to not display their names when targeted.

UI: The inventory window cannot be opened with the key while running using the mouse – Fixed

[Donielae]

Wonder if those stability fixes are going to include some kind of remedy between SoE and my system that I'm having to use until I get my alienware back.

Until I get my Area 51 back or I get some kind of resolution with this AMD, I'm kind of out of play as all I can do is sit in the guild hall.

I'll be back when I can.

Donie

[Shieara]

I wondered where you were.

/shrug...I use an AMD and no issues here. I hope you get what you normally use back soon.