We compiled your feedback that followed our first proposition (read the news here). We invite you to read carefully this updated spreadsheet where we listed changing titles in green and yellow, and unchanged titles in white. This file can be read with Open Office, Microsoft Excel or other Excel file viewers.

You are free to propose titles that you think fit better. We will add the proposed changes into the upcoming patch except titles you clearly reject. Note that a few titles can only be changed all together to keep consistency, like the 250 melee titles or 201 magic titles, in which case we will change everything or nothing depending on your feedback.

This proposition is to be seen as the first step towards titles improvement. To make the change more interesting, we plan on adding a female version of the titles in the same time, as the piece of code needed for it is now ready.
Then later (understand several months), we may differentiate more accurately the crafting titles so that you get a title for each craft sub-branch. And lastly, we would add titles that you get only after finishing several skill branches (such as "archmage" if you got every magic skills at level 250). For these two steps you will be consulted again.

Please post your feedback here.

On the menu today we have:

• Outposts: unilateral ban
• Flagged Homins and team kicking
• Stackable sap crystals
• Camera recentering
• Other various ergonomic improvements

We've opened a feedback thread here if you wish to post a comment related to these items.

And so, we've just published a new document here giving more information about what we intend to change regarding weapons stats, in the "In Developement" section of the website. As always, we invite you to leave us a comment in this feedback thread.

Click here to know what are the changes we are working on. Please give us your feedback here.

You can find the document here and we invite you to post your feedback in this thread. Enjoy the read!

At the moment, the main focus of our Test Team is to ensure that the new Ryzom installation system that was in development is now working as intended. At the same time, the Level Designers are brewing new missions which are emerging from the shadows. Regarding Range Combat, improvement ideas have been set into motion and are currently being developed. This now allows us to look at one-handed weapons to make changes where needed.

Feel free to discuss these points in the dedicated feedback threads.

More freedom will be given to the refugees of Silan. The Karavan communication officer and the Kami guide will offer to teleport them to the capital city of their race (as is now the case) but they will also teleport them to any of the 3 others capitals, even though they will not be as keen to do so. Yep, maybe the strong presence of neutrality due to the big Atys Rangers' camp somehow weakened the will of the Factions that live nearby...

The goal of this change is to stop any destruction of potential friendships formed on the Ruins of Silan, or indeed to end up having one's girlfriend on the other side of the planet...

Feel free to discuss this on the forum.

What is it? The bloom brings a slight blur effect to the game display and as a result the shades are smoother. The effect will be made optional and you will be able to tune the strength of the effect through a slider.

When can we expect it? We plan to patch it on the ATS (Advanced Test Server) within the month and we will open it to every subscriber. You will get more information in a next news.

How does it look like? Find below a few screenshots with the effect, coming from our in-house version:

No effect

Low bloom with SquareFilter

Max. bloom with SquareFilter

Max. bloom without SquareFilter

You will find the Range fight skill under consideration, then discover what we have in mind regarding the future of NPC bosses and some new titles here, in development.

Oh, and don't miss the Q&A answered by Guillaume Puzin (EP of Ryzom), published last Friday on the German site Gamona (find the interview in English here and in French here).

Just a reminder: the Kitins' Lair is a closed underground area full of Kitins of different kinds, sizes and strengths. The size of the lair is roughly equivalent to the size of a small region of the mainland (such as Resting Water).


Find the first document here.

You can read the document here.

We thought about a viable solution, to allow you to keep your name, and yet being able to know who's who (in mails, /tell, contact list, System Info window and R² scenario). I explain below what we have in mind.

Note: this system should be effective with the Ring patch, not the upcoming 4-days patch.

Characters' Names & the Multishard Architecture - Detailed document

• "Now in Test" section of the site.

[ Discuss it! ]

Let's have a closer look on what changes we plan to apply on the NPE.

[ Discuss it! ]

I ] What's new?

a) New Engine

The look&feel of Ryzom.com is kept as is, but the engine behind it changes completely for something more robust and extensible. We use Plone, a content management framework (http://plone.org/), which is already used on the Ring website.

b) Presentation of the Game for New Players

Currently, new players have to really search a lot on the website to know what Ryzom is about. We address this by refactoring the home page to display the key strenghts of the game on top of the news, linked to a features page made more readable and more complete. A small video is also included on the front page, to make it more attractive and entertaining.

c) Community news & content

You will be able to submit your own news and content (videos, tutorials, reports, screenshots, etc.). The content will only be visible once it has been moderated by us, and be published under the FDL (texts) and the Ryzom Fan Art license (others, like screenshots, movies, etc.).

d) Integrated comments

Instead of creating a dedicated feedback thread by hand on the forum every time we publish a news, we'll have comments directly on the news.

e) Open-sourced development

To benefit from open source qualities (external contributions, better integration of the users' needs), we'll use a open-sourced development method; which means:

• The modifications to the Plone engine will be released under the GPL and available from the public CVS
• The development site (nightly build) is open to all
• The developers' bugtracker is open to all

f) Chronicles

The Chronicles articles are moving to Ryzom.com, to make them more easily accessible to everyone, and a fourth section is added.

g) Other features

• Search engine (and LiveSearch)
• Calendar
• News icons
• RSS feeds

I I ] Development & Tests

We are approaching the end of the development phase, but what remains is a lot of polishing, tests and debug. That's where we'll need your help! You can have a look at the current development version of the website:

http://web-dev.nevrax.com/

And whenever you see a bug or have a suggestion, enter it in the public bugtracker (if it's not already in there):

http://web-dev.nevrax.com/bugzilla/

You will need to create an account there if you do not already have one. Btw, this bugtracker is also used by the web development team to track its progress, you might thus find its content interesting to you too.

Comments welcomed!

Currently, when you have mektoubs in different stables, and you're standing next to any stable on Atys, you can craft materials coming from all your packers resting in stables. We are planning to correct this incoherence as follow:

• When crafting, you have to stand near the stable where your packer is resting and can use materials carried by this packer only.
• If you have packers in one of the 3 Pyr stables however, you can stand near any of them to craft mats from these packers.

This change should appear in one of the next patches. We invite you to start organizing your packers to avoid any unpleasant surprise when we will patch. Moreover, in the same time, we will enable a command allowing you to teleport once each of your mektoubs where you stand (like we did in the patch 27).

[ Discuss it! ]

After reading some of your concerns, we've decided to revamp the faction PvP Tag, to make it more convenient and easier to understand. So, we're modifying some of the timers and the icons system (but the pictures stay the same), as well as the tooltips. These changes should appear in the next patch; feel free to give your opinion!

[ Discuss it! ]

I. Faction PvP icons

In the energy bars window, the 2 icons are replaced by one single button, which can show 3 states:

• Deactivated PvP: icon with a green background (corresponds to Tag OFF and Flag OFF)
• Activated PvP: icon with an orange background (corresponds to Tag ON and Flag OFF)
• Engaged PvP: icon with a red background (corresponds to Tag ON and Flag ON)

You will find more details in part III. below.

II. Timers

With this new PvP tag system, several timers are being changed. Here’s a comparison between the old and new versions.

• Timer of the faction PvP activation (Tag ON). Currently: 5 minutes.
New version: 2 minutes.
• Engaged faction PvP (Flag ON): it remains 10 minutes after a PvP action; it doesn’t change.
• Timer of the faction PvP deactivation (Tag OFF). Currently: 1 hour.
New version: 30 seconds.
• Timer of the minimum mandatory activated PvP (Tag ON): Currently none.
New version: 30 minutes.

III. Details on the PvP Tag states

1. The faction PvP Tag is deactivated (green icon)

When you are not faction neutral, you can click on the button to switch on the Tag, which is then displayed pushed down during 2 minutes (the timer is shown with a small bar under the icon and in the tooltip), and remains green.

After these 2 minutes, you are in activated faction PvP mode, and the button becomes orange.

Before the end of the timer, you can click on the button again to cancel this transition.

2. The faction PvP Tag is activated (orange icon)

You can click on it to deactivate the Tag. However, if you have been in PvP mode for less than 30 minutes, you won’t be able to switch off your tag yet; a message explaining this will appear.

If you have been in the faction PvP activated mode for more than 30 minutes, then clicking on the button will make you leave that mode. The button, displaying an orange icon, will stay pushed down during 30 seconds, which is the time needed to switch off the PvP Tag (the timer is shown with a small bar under the icon and in the tooltip).

After these 30 seconds, you are in deactivated faction PvP mode, and the button becomes green.

Before the end of the timer, you can click on the button again to cancel this transition.


The transition is automatically canceled if you are attacked within the 30 seconds.
It is also canceled if you enter the engaged PvP mode (Flag ON), meaning you’re attacking a factioned enemy, or healing an ally who is in engaged PvP mode.

3. The faction PvP Tag is in engaged mode (red icon)

This state appears when you are in faction PvP activated mode, and are doing a PvP action.

While being in engaged PvP, a decreasing timer of 10 minutes is displayed below the button. Each time you perform a PvP action, this timer is reset to the initial 10 minutes.

If you click on the button within these 10 minutes, a message will explain that you can’t switch off your PvP Tag yet.

[ Discuss it! ]

As the devs are still working on improving the interface, some changes have been made since I posted the document presenting the improvements two weeks ago.

• Two changes are added (6. and 7. of the document):
• In the Player window, the bonus/malus icons and current/next action boxes will move out of the window and added to new windows;
• Some of the window names are renamed for a better coherence.

• A few changes are being made for the Chat window too:
• An option is added, allowing to display the tabs of every channels;
• The chat commands with two lettters remain (/gu, /sh, /re, /te).

[ Discuss it! ]

In order of importance, here are the changes applied to the interface.

1. The Windows bar

We want the windows bar to become more functional and to visually look more like a task bar. In the new version, the size is reduced, and the repartition of the different windows and actions to which it gives access is more logical.
3 modes are included: a text mode, and two icons modes.

• Text mode (image A):
  - In text mode, each button is colorized to correspond to the colour of the icon;
  - There are 2 tabs (instead of 3) with a reorganized content: windows and actions;
  - The tooltip associated to each button displays the hotkey corresponding to the opening of the window (for example: Inventory (i) next to the inventory button).


• 1st Icons mode (image B):
  This is the mirror of the text mode, without the texts near the icons. It directly shows the two 9-icons columns (windows and actions).


• 2nd Icons mode (image C):
  It follows the principle of the 1st icons mode, but only with the windows column.

2. Chat

We wish to improve the Chat window, by making its use simpler. The emotes menu is linked to this window.

• The User Chat
  - It becomes the default Chat (It will not be the Around Chat anymore);
  - The button enabling to switch modes now automatically changes when we use a command alone (like “/say”);
  - This button displays a menu listing the different channels with their hotkeys (for instance: “Around /say”);
  - When we write in a Chat channel, the colour of the keyboarded text becomes the same as the colour of the channel (for example: the Region channel is blue; when we begin to write in region mode, the keyboarded text will be blue);
  - When the filters are applied in the User Chat, the filtered tabs or windows are not displayed any longer (Around, Region, Team, Guild).
  - *added* An option allowing to display the tabs of every channels is added, for those who prefer to see them (as it is now);
  - *updated* Chat hotkeys change, with only one letter instead of two. The 2-letter commands will remain (/gu, /sh, /re, /te). Here is the list of hotkeys:
  
  /g to talk in “Guild”
  /p to talk in “Team”
  /r to talk in “Region”
  /s to talk in “Around”
  /t to talk to somebody (tell)
  /y to shout


• Emotes
  - The “Emotes” option from the contextual menu (which appears when we right-click) disappears to be replaced by a button in the Chat window;
  - This button displays a menu with 10 common emotes (wave, bow, courtly, hiha, thankful, cheer, silly, dance, dramatic, heroic), and with another button to open a sub-menu with all the others.
  - *added* A button "Quick Chat" is added under that list, and will open a menu showing the quick chats and their shortcut, which already exist in game.

3. Texts of the System Info window

We wish to reduce the use of the System Info window. To do so, all the important information feedbacks will become directly visible in the scene. The window will then mainly be used as a fighting log and will not be open all the time.

As a consequence:

- The welcome message (MOTD) is displayed in the “Around” chat;
- For fighting, the messages “miss”, “break” and “resist” are displayed in flying texts.

We also bring a few corrections to these points:

- Error messages at the top of the screen: fight messages (“your target is too far away”, “not enough sap points”…) are written in yellow for better visibility; other written messages remain orange;
- The flying texts scrolling during fights to indicate “dodge” or “parry” actions, and “critical hit” are corrected, so that they are displayed even when there are two of them in a row.

4. Tooltips

The tooltips are a good means to get information about an element on the screen, for it is a direct help. We have already started to introduce this help system by making the displaying of the tooltips instantaneous, and by incorporating a richer text (several lines, coloured).

In the long run, we would like to completely replace the current help system on the windows (accessible via the “?”) by this tooltips system.

A few examples of tooltips that were added and modified:

- Chat and “Inventory” windows: a tooltip on the tabs tells you that a right-click on them makes the windows linked to these tabs pop up;
- “Inventory” window: a tooltip about the filters indicates that right-clicking on it activates only this filter;
- “Identity” window: the tooltips explaining dodge and parry are contextual. For instance, in the case of dodge:

20% chance of dodging an enemy of level 10.

- “Target” window: the level of the targeted creature is directly indicated by the tooltip instead of a long text explaining the colour and star system (as is the case now). For instance:

Creature of level 1-10.

5. Default Interface

Here, we have revised the position and behaviour of the windows when you arrive in the game with a new character and open a window for the first time, the position of the actions and the object that is held depending on the packs that were chosen during the character creation, and the shortcuts.

• Position of the default windows:
  - The size of the Chat Window is bigger (more lines are displayed);
  - The “System Info” window is directly integrated into the Chat Window (note: it will thus only have two tabs in the final version: User Chat and System Info);
  - The Windows bar takes less space and is in the corner;
  - *added* The "Target" window is under the "Player" window, instead of being on the top-right corner.

On the right: new disposition of the windows.

• Transparency of default windows:
  - The “Player Gauge”, “Target” and “Compass” windows keep their 100% transparent background;
  - The Chat Windows, “Tasks”, “Help” and “Map” have a 60% transparent background (because they are big, and likely to be open often and/or always);
  - The other windows (“Action Bar”, “Inventory”…) will not be transparent, and will not fade when running the mouse on it.


• Opening position of default windows:
  - They open in the middle (they currently open in the bottom left corner);
  - Exception: the windows “Map” and “Contact list” open under the compass, at the top right corner, because they are likely to be opened quite often.


• Position of actions and tools at the beginning:
  - In the action bar, the enchantment action is removed (useless at this point);
  - The fighting actions are placed on the left (melee first, then magic);
  - Foraging and crafting actions appear on the right.
  - The object held in hand by default, when you arrive in the game the first time, is the weapon, instead of the pick (if a fighting pack was chosen). The foraging tool might indeed hamper the fighters which consequently cannot fight from the start.

On the right: new disposition of start actions.

• Hotkeys:
  - We have tried to reduce the number of one-key hotkeys, to avoid closing windows when you type its hotkey unintentionally. Some of them are thus transformed into a combination of keys with [shift], and the window hotkeys that do not need to be opened/closed very often are simply suppressed. They are still configurable via the keys configuration window.
  
  In detail (changes are in white):
  

  Action Book	B
  Animals	Shift+P
  Compass	N/A
  Contact List	F
  Encyclopedia	SHIFT+E
  Fame	SHIFT+F
  Global Settings	N/A
  Guild	G
  Hands	N/A
  Inventory	I
  Journal	J
  Keys	N/A
  Macros	N/A
  Main Chat	N/A
  Map	M
  Player	N/A
  Status (Identity)	P
  System Info	N/A
  Target	N/A
  Team List	Y
  Connection	SHIFT+N
  Guild Forums	SHIFT+G *new*
  MP3 Player	N/A *new*
  Active Links	N/A *new*
  Mailbox	SHIFT+M *new*

  
  

6. Player window

This window, currently mainly displaying the 4 energy bars, current/next actions and bonus/malus, is modified to take less room.

• Bonus/Malus:
  The part displaying bonus and malus is separated in a new transparent window, movable anywhere. The current system of icons appearing/disappearing is kept, and 2 icons are added there:
  - The line showing the activated XP catalyzers becomes an icon with the stack quality indicated on it, and the quantity below.
  - The timer of the Outposts PvP, informing the time remaining before the end of a round, as well as the time before the PvP deactivation, also becomes an icon. The timer is then displayed below.

• Current/Next actions:
  This part is also moving out of the player window, to appear under the Actions bar. When no action is activated, this Current/Next actions bar remain invisible. It appears only when using an action (under the Actions bar if it's at the top of the screen, above the bar if it's at the bottom).
  An option is added to select the old or new version of the Current/Next actions location.
  

7. Windows name

Some names of windows are changed, for a better coherence. For example, the "Tasks" window becomes the "Missions" window.

[ Discuss it! ]

We are currently working on the game interface to make it handier. We want to clarify the features which are specific to Ryzom and need more explanation, and make the interface easier to grasp for new players.
Nothing will change regarding the graphics.

[ Discuss it! ]

In order of importance, here are the changes applied to the interface.

1. The Windows bar

We want the windows bar to become more functional and to visually look more like a task bar. In the new version, the size is reduced, and the repartition of the different windows and actions to which it gives access is more logical.
3 modes are included: a text mode, and two icons modes.

• Text mode (image A):
  - In text mode, each button is colorized to correspond to the colour of the icon;
  - There are 2 tabs (instead of 3) with a reorganized content: windows and actions;
  - The tooltip associated to each button displays the hotkey corresponding to the opening of the window (for example: Inventory (i) next to the inventory button).


• 1st Icons mode (image B):
  This is the mirror of the text mode, without the texts near the icons. It directly shows the two 9-icons columns (windows and actions).


• 2nd Icons mode (image C):
  It follows the principle of the 1st icons mode, but only with the windows column.

2. Chat

We wish to improve the Chat window, by making its use simpler. The emotes menu is linked to this window.

• The User Chat
  - It becomes the default Chat (It will not be the Around Chat anymore);
  - The button enabling to switch modes now automatically changes when we write using a command (like “/say”);
  - This button displays a menu listing the different channels with their hotkeys (for instance: “Around /say”);
  - When we write in a Chat channel, the colour of the keyboarded text becomes the same as the colour of the channel (for example: the Region channel is blue; when we begin to write in region mode, the keyboarded text will be blue);
  - When the filters are applied in the User Chat, the filtered tabs or windows are not displayed any longer (Around, Region, Team, Guild).
  - Chat hotkeys change, with only one letter instead of two. The 2-letter commands disappear (/gu, /sh, /re, /te). Here is the list of hotkeys:
  
  /g to talk in “Guild”
  /p to talk in “Team”
  /r to talk in “Region”
  /s to talk in “Around”
  /t to talk to somebody (tell)
  /y to shout


• Emotes
  - The “Emotes” option from the contextual menu (which appears when we right-click) disappears to be replaced by a button in the Chat window;
  - This button displays a menu with 10 common emotes (wave, bow, courtly, hiha, thankful, cheer, silly, dance, dramatic, heroic), and a sub-menu with all the others.

3. Texts of the System Info window

We wish to reduce the use of the System Info window. To do so, all the important information feedbacks will become directly visible in the scene. The window will then mainly be used as a fighting log and will not be open all the time.

As a consequence:

- The welcome message (MOTD) is displayed in the “Around” chat;
- For fighting, the messages “miss”, “break” and “resist” are displayed in flying texts.

We also bring a few corrections to these points:

- Error messages at the top of the screen: fight messages (“your target is too far away”, “not enough sap points”…) are written in yellow for better visibility; other written messages remain orange;
- The flying texts scrolling during fights to indicate “dodge” or “parry” actions, and “critical hit” are corrected, so that they are displayed even when there are two of them in a row.

4. Tooltips

The tooltips are a good means to get information about an element on the screen, for it is a direct help. We have already started to introduce this help system by making the displaying of the tooltips instantaneous, and by incorporating a richer text (several lines, coloured).

In the long run, we would like to completely replace the current help system on the windows (accessible via the “?”) by this tooltips system.

A few examples of tooltips that were added and modified:

- Chat and “Inventory” windows: a tooltip on the tabs tells you that a right-click on them makes the windows linked to these tabs pop up;
- “Inventory” window: a tooltip about the filters indicates that right-clicking on it activates only this filter;
- “Identity” window: the tooltips explaining dodge and parry are contextual. For instance, in the case of dodge:

20% chance of dodging an enemy of level 10.

- “Target” window: the level of the targeted creature is directly indicated by the tooltip instead of a long text explaining the colour and star system (as is the case now). For instance:

Creature of level 1-10.

5. Default Interface

Here, we have revised the position and behaviour of the windows when you arrive in the game with a new character and open a window for the first time, the position of the actions and the object that is held depending on the packs that were chosen during the character creation, and the shortcuts.

• Position of the default windows:
  - The size of the Chat Window is bigger (more lines are displayed);
  - The “System Info” window is directly integrated into the Chat Window (note: it will thus only have two tabs in the final version: User Chat and System Info);
  - The Windows bar takes less space and is in the corner.

On the right: new disposition of the windows.

• Transparency of default windows:
  - The “Player Gauge”, “Target” and “Compass” windows keep their 100% transparent background;
  - The Chat Windows, “Tasks”, “Help” and “Map” have a 60% transparent background (because they are big, and likely to be open often and/or always);
  - The other windows (“Action Bar”, “Inventory”…) will not be transparent, and will not fade when running the mouse on it.


• Opening position of default windows:
  - They open in the middle (they currently open in the bottom left corner);
  - Exception: the windows “Map” and “Contact list” open under the compass, at the top right corner, because they are likely to be opened quite often.


• Position of actions and tools at the beginning:
  - In the action bar, the enchantment action is removed (useless at this point);
  - The fighting actions are placed on the left (melee first, then magic);
  - Foraging and crafting actions appear on the right.
  - The object held in hand by default, when you arrive in the game the first time, is the weapon, instead of the pick (if a fighting pack was chosen). The foraging tool might indeed hamper the fighters which consequently cannot fight from the start.

On the right: new disposition of start actions.

• Hotkeys:
  - We have tried to reduce the number of one-key hotkeys, to avoid closing windows when you type its hotkey unintentionally. Some of them are thus transformed into a combination of keys with [shift], and the window hotkeys that do not need to be opened/closed very often are simply suppressed. They are still configurable via the keys configuration window.
  
  In detail (changes are in white):
  

  Action Book	B
  Animals	Shift+P
  Compass	N/A
  Contact List	F
  Encyclopedia	SHIFT+E
  Fame	SHIFT+F
  Global Settings	N/A
  Guild	G
  Hands	N/A
  Inventory	I
  Journal	J
  Keys	N/A
  Macros	N/A
  Main Chat	N/A
  Map	M
  Player	N/A
  Status (Identity)	P
  System Info	N/A
  Target	N/A
  Team List	Y
  Connection	SHIFT+N
  Guild Forums	SHIFT+G *new*
  MP3 Player	N/A *new*
  Active Links	N/A *new*
  Mailbox	SHIFT+M *new*

[ Discuss it! ]

The Chapter III, to be released next month, will include three parts: the Outposts (see also the Outposts rewards document and the related Q&A), the Spires Battles and, last but not least, the Second Edition of the Fame System – which we'll discuss today.

This upgrade, first introduced by the PvP Strike Team in its letter, is focused on integrating to the gameplay the increasing tension between the different factions – the Kamis, the Karavan and the homin nations. You'll see in this document that factions will be progressively less permissive and will be more careful when it comes to deciding who their friends and enemies are.

[ Discuss it! ]

New features & changes:

1. Cults & Nations: Increased Security
2. Nations: Citizenship
   1. Neutrality
   2. Becoming a Citizen
      1. Goal
      2. How?
      3. Influence on fame
   3. Nations & Guilds
      1. Guilds nationality
      2. Personal and guild fame
3. Cults: Conversions
   1. Neutrality
   2. Becoming an Convert
      1. Goal
      2. How?
      3. Influence on fame
   3. Cults & Guilds
      1. Guild cult
      2. Personal and guild fame
4. Tribes fame
5. Appendix: Upgrading to the new system
   1. Unspecified status
   
   

A] Cults & Nations: Increased Security

The increasing tension between nations and religious cults has led them to strengthen their security policies. Until now, enemies of nations and cults were let alone and could freely wander anywhere they wanted. It won't be the case anymore. City and camp guards have received the order to kill on sight anyone with less than -50% fame with their faction.

However, aware that even the harshest enemy can have made a mistake and may wish to redeem, faction representatives will still be available and grant missions to anyone who wants to restore some fame with their faction.

B] Nations: Citizenship

1) Neutrality

Neutrality is now integrated to the fame system, and is the default status for any new character created after the upgrade. At any time, a character is able to become neutral toward all nations (stateless homin).

2) Becoming a Citizen

a) Goal

To clearly identify their members and most active supporters, nations have instituted citizenship registration processes. They are available to all stateless homins, regardless of their race and color.

Citizenship has an influence on the maximum fame values you can have with each of the four nations (see below), and thus influences NPCs behavior toward you, the number of missions you can get and the prices setup by NPCs. You also get special titles as your fame progresses.

b) How ?

A character created after the upgrade begins with fame values depending on his race:

		Initial fame with
		Fyros	Matis	Tryker	Zoraï
Chosen race	Fyros	20%	-20%	-10%	10%
	Matis	-20%	20%	10%	-10%
	Tryker	-10%	10%	20%	-20%
	Zoraï	10%	-10%	-20%	20%

 

Table A - Initial nation fame values

In order to become a citizen of a given nation, you need to reach a minimal fame value of 30% with this nation, and then achieve a rite. The rite is dependant on the nation you wish to join.

Additionally, if the nation you wish to join isn't the one corresponding to your character race, you will have to complete a second rite, called integration trial, to prove your loyalty toward the nation.

For example, if a stateless homin of the Matis race wants to become a Zoraï citizen:

• First, he has to reach 30% in Zoraï fame;
• Then, since he is not of the Zoraï race, he will have to accomplish the Zoraï integration trial. He starts a pilgrimage where he will visit three places associated to the main Zoraï values: Hoï-Cho for wisdom, Jen-Lai for spiritual achievement and Min-Cho for respect for nature.
• And last, he will have to accomplish the rite which will grant him the Zoraï citizenship, by healing a wandering Zoraï affected by the Goo.

c) Influence on fame

As previously said, your status (neutrality or citizenship) determines the maximum fame you can have with each of the nations. Specific caps are granted according to the status you choose:

		Maximum fame with
		Fyros	Matis	Tryker	Zoraï
Citizen	Fyros	100%	0%	25%	75%
	Matis	0%	100%	75%	25%
	Tryker	25%	75%	100%	0%
	Zoraï	75%	25%	0%	100%
Neutral		50%	50%	50%	50%

Table B – Maximum nation fame values

The values displayed on Table B are indicative: they can change according to the events and storyline. When your status changes, your caps change accordingly, and your fame values exceeding the maximum values are reduced to the cap.

When you perform actions considered as opposed to the interests of a given nation, you loose fame with this nation. Below 0% in the nation of your citizenship, you loose your citizenship and become neutral.

3) Nations & Guilds

a) Guilds nationality

Guilds are also watched by the nations, and can choose to be neutral or to be part of a given nation. The fame prerequisites and missions are the same as for the personal citizenship.

After the upgrade, when a leader creates a guild, the guild automatically takes the nationality of the leader (which can be neutrality), and herits of the leader fame values. If the guild chooses to be part of a nation, it will need to have its headquarters (apartment) in this nation's capital.

Since nations enforce strict rules on citizenship, this has an influence on which guild a given character can join:

• A citizen can only enter a guild of his own nation;
• A neutral character can enter either a neutral guild or a guild with a nation.

It is possible to change the nationality of a guild or to become neutral at any moment; incompatible members then get their personal status changed to unspecified (see the Appendix below). It can also happen when a guild with a given nationality gets its own nation fame falling below 0%: the guild automatically switches to the neutral status.

b) Personal and guild fame

The guild fame no longer modifies the personal fame and, as previously, the guild fame is independent of the one of its members - the guild fame is only modified by the actions of its members while they are part of the guild.

The NPCs behavior is now mainly based on the personal fame; however, with some NPCs (such as the guild caretaker), the guild fame could be used instead of the personal one.

C] Cults: conversion

1) Neutrality

The system now also integrates neutrality regarding religion and cults. All characters created after the upgrade will be neutral, and all characters can become neutral at any moment (nonbeliever homins).

Neutrals can't attack during a nation or cult PvP event, but can be attacked and then counter-attack. However, during a Kami-Karavan PvP event a neutral character is temporarily affiliated to a cult if he is a member of a non neutral guild - he will automatically take the guild's cult status for the duration of the conflict.

2) Becoming a convert

a) Goal

To clearly identify their members and most active supporters, cults have instituted conversion rituals. They are available to all cult-neutral homins, regardless of their race and color.

Conversion has an influence on the maximum fame values you can have with the other cult (see below), and thus influences NPCs behavior toward you, the number of missions you can get and the Tps you have access to. You also get special titles as your fame progresses.

b) How ?

A character created after the upgrade starts with initial fame values:

		Initial fame with
		Kami	Karavan
Initial race	Fyros	10%	-10%
	Matis	-20%	20%
	Tryker	-10%	10%
	Zoraï	20%	-20%

Table C - Initial cult fame values

To become an Convert, you must attain a fame value of at least 30% in the chosen cult and complete a rite, similar to the ones created by nations to grant citizenship.

c) Influence on fame

Fame values with cults (Kami, Karavan) now evolve independently of the nation fame values. Your status (neutral or convert) determines the maximum fame you can have with each of the cults. Specific caps are granted according to the status you choose:

		Maximum fame with
		Kami	Karavan
Convert	Kami	100%	-50%
	Karavan	-50%	100%
Neutral		50%	50%

Table D - Maximum cult fame values

When your status changes, your caps change accordingly, and your fame values exceeding the maximum values are reduced to the cap.

When you perform actions considered as opposed to the interests of a given cult, you loose fame with this cult. Below 0% in the cult of your conversion, you loose your Convert status and become neutral.

3) Cults & Guilds

a) Guild cult

Guilds can also choose a religion/cult, or stay neutral. The fame prerequisites and missions are the same as for the personal cult.

The guild fame is also completely independent of the guild citizenship. After the upgrade, when a leader creates a guild, it automatically takes the cult (including neutrality) of the leader.

Since cults enforce strict rules on conversion, this has an influence on which guild a given character can join:

• A Convert can only enter a guild of his own cult;
• A neutral character can enter either a neutral guild or a guild with a cult.

It is possible to change the cult of a guild or to become neutral at any moment; incompatible members then get their personal status changed to unspecified (see the Appendix below). It can also happen when a guild a given cult gets its own cult fame falling below 0%: the guild automatically switches to the neutral status.

b) Personal and guild fame

The guild fame no longer modifies the personal fame and, as previously, the guild fame is independent of the one of its members - the guild fame is only modified by the actions of its members while they are part of the guild.

The NPCs behavior is now mainly based on the personal fame; however, with some NPCs, the guild fame could be used instead of the personal one.

D] Tribes fame

The tribes fame works the same way as the nations or cults ones, but thresholds are dependent to both the character's nationality and cult. A guild doesn't have any fame with the tribes.

E] Appendix: Upgrading to the new system

The described changes aren't without consequences on your current fame; you will have choices to make - choose a nation and a cult, or stay neutral. To give you the time to think about it, all existing characters and guilds will be put in as special status, for both citizenship and cult: the unspecified status.

Unspecified status

A character or a guild in unspecified status is considered as neutral by the game mechanisms. While in this status, you keep your fame values unchanged and aren't subject to any cap. However, while in this state, you can't gain or loose fame. Additionally, a character can't switch to another status when his guild is also in this state.

The detailed racial animations referendum ended and, as previously announced, we will rework the animations where there is a majority of 'no' votes. Three animation sets will thus be affected: Fyros male sit, Tryker male run/walk, Matis male sit and Matis female sit.

The other new animations will be set as default animations soon, and the temporary switch used for this referendum removed. Thanks to everyone who has participated to the vote !

[ Discuss it! ]

Next to each animation is indicated which one will be set as default in the future:
- "Use New" means the new animation will be the default one;
- "Keep Current" means the current default animation will remains.

Fyros

• Fyros Male Run/Walk - Use New (50.27% vs 42.78%)
• Fyros Male Sit - Keep Current (46.36% vs 48.40%)
• Fyros Female Run/Walk - Use New (48.58% vs 46.37%)
• Fyros Female Sit - Use New (73.90% vs 22.37%)

Zoraï

• Zoraï Male Run/Walk - Use New (54.44% vs 41.26%)