Carapace - Dark Legends Lead!

[Carapace]

Hail Dark Legends!

I’m Carapace and I’m heading up new content and design for Dark Legends. I’m already toiling away on some cool stuff for you guys – including the expansion which you’ll be hearing more from Samhayne about over the next couple weeks, but there are some more details below!

We just had a lot of fun with the Ecliptic Moon Gem pack, and around the corner we have some pretty large changes and additions coming. We have an increase in the level cap to 26 (for the hardcore) with two new campaigns. These will include more 2H items as loot in addition to a couple new mob types and bosses! Around the same time we’re going to be bringing in some large changes to our map and energy systems. We’ve been reading the forums, listening to general feedback, ideas, suggestions and come up with what we feel is a much better experience for everyone. So large in fact that it’s worth taking a moment to discuss!

First, 3D missions will no longer cost energy. This makes them free to play infinitely! Campaign maps will be condensed down to their playable 3D missions to reduce clutter, with the cut-scene actions replaced by a new “Contacts” system. The Contacts are where your energy will be going now, and they unlock per campaign as you progress through the 3D missions. Contacts are given tasks, special to each contact, which allow you to choose how long it takes for them to complete. These contacts upon completion will also yield experience and gold rewards like actions do now, scaled based on the length of time and yield additional rewards for those willing to wait! The big thing here is that we are giving you guys the power to decide how much you want to play without gating the 3D experience with energy, but still providing notable benefits for its usage.

Additionally we’re working on a “Minion” system. As a brief overview the idea here is that you are rewarded for returning day after day, benefitting you with a super awesome reward every 5th day! Miss a day or two however, and the rewards he has for you might have been taken by another vampire. More details on this one later. Just a peek for the moment!

On a final note we are also working on a goal system, which should help to streamline new user and veteran users experience as they play through the content to make sure they take advantage of all that Dark Legends has to offer.

That’s enough about the exciting stuff coming your way, so here’s a little bit about me.

I play the guitar and write a lot of music in my spare time, but I’m a pretty avid gamer as well. I watch way more movies and shows than I should, with a lot of the SCI-FI and horror movies turning up in my media player again and again. Also a pretty big anime fan, always on the prowl for a new favorite to find its way into my hands.

I’ll see you guys in the District,
-Carapace

I know you guys likely have questions, put them in this thread and I’ll answer when I have a few moments to answer. You guys rock!

[Deathpunch]

Minions, huh? I like that idea. What type of items? Consumables or gear?

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Sent from my ICS-powered HTC Evo 3D

[morfic]

Awesome sounding stuff.


Any chances at male thongs/speedos in the near future? I need to feel sexy.

[Lowlyspy]

Well that's cool, might not be good for merch's due to the fact that it may cause item prices to drop, but still cool.

Also, DBZ FTW!

[Carapace]

It's still on the table as to what kind of rewards may be rewarded through the minion system, I think it could range potentially from bloodpacks, gear, and even vanities! Still actively being developed, so ideas are welcome and encouraged.

[Lowlyspy]

CS guy's white suit....take the hint *gestures toward sig*

[Roc]

Favorite Sci-fi movie? Anime? Details plz

And I'm excited for what's coming!

My minions!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Cahaun]

Nice updates! No... BEST update I've seen proposed

[Suentous PO]

Awe
Some
Sauce!
Glad to hear y'all rethink the energy, us farmers will be able to do our thing.

[Nassar]

Interesting. I like the direction things are heading.

Question: lots of capped players have banked the "cut-scene" missions, hoping to collect on them once the cap is increased. What happens to all that energy invested already?

[octavos]

Awww, sweet lovley. Shweeeeeet.
Just read the OP thread looks like the updates and features are kicking in...Cara, sounds like awesome planning and great additional content. Looking forward to it.

[Shaocalur]

Nice, I'm looking forward to this.

[Fyrce]

Hmm... I like maps the way they are. Hope the new system's not too confusing.

Expansion sounds very exciting, as is a rewards system.

[dugantale]

Wooooooooo, I love you woooooooooooo, woooooooooo lol ty cara

[Late]

Like urqui said
I LOVE YOU ALSO!!!!!!

[Mrsberry]

Welcome Carapace! Nice too meet you!
This sounds great can't wait!
Also a huge anime fan whats your favorite?
I love elfinlied.

[Physiologic]

I started playing DL a couple of days ago because the energy-based playstyle better suits my time schedule (I've been a long time player of PL and it's quite time-consuming to level now). I had one major concern with DL regarding certain missions, more specifically the 24 hour one. I can wait x amount of minutes to hours to go to the next campaign but waiting 24 hours to get to the next new campaign is a bit daunting to new players such as myself. Will your new Contacts system place the 24 hour missions optional (such as choosing "24 hours" will net you more exp and gold, compared to let's say a "5 hours" mission)? The 24 hour thing really puts a damper especially when I'm gungho about seeing what the next campaign is all about. Otherwise I am all for the no-energy 3D mission. Cheers!

[Carapace]

I started playing DL a couple of days ago because the energy-based playstyle better suits my time schedule (I've been a long time player of PL and it's quite time-consuming to level now). I had one major concern with DL regarding certain missions, more specifically the 24 hour one. I can wait x amount of minutes to hours to go to the next campaign but waiting 24 hours to get to the next new campaign is a bit daunting to new players such as myself. Will your new Contacts system place the 24 hour missions optional (such as choosing "24 hours" will net you more exp and gold, compared to let's say a "5 hours" mission)? The 24 hour thing really puts a damper especially when I'm gungho about seeing what the next campaign is all about. Otherwise I am all for the no-energy 3D mission. Cheers!

Excellent point here, I'm happy to mention that the new "Contacts" system will not restrict players from going on to the next campaign. In it's place we will be taking a more typical MMO approach in which we have recommended levels for playing in new campaigns. So you're free to continue on once the 3D missions for a campaign have been completed, as long as you're on your toes and keeping your gear in check! With this change it will entirely possible that as a level 13 you may be trying to take on level 20's, but we will label the campaigns (I believe is the plan) with a recommended level note.

If the timer style still suits you better we will allow you to put energy points into those contacts of yours to continue gathering XP and gold while unable to play for extended periods. It should be the best of bother worlds, though no doubt with some bugs to address along the way.

[Carapace]

Welcome Carapace! Nice too meet you!
This sounds great can't wait!
Also a huge anime fan whats your favorite?
I love elfinlied.

My current all time favorite is probably a tie between Bleach, and Death Note. Also a huge fan of Miyazaki films!

[Carapace]

Interesting. I like the direction things are heading.

Question: lots of capped players have banked the "cut-scene" missions, hoping to collect on them once the cap is increased. What happens to all that energy invested already?

I noticed this post earlier today as well. We might be able to retool it a bit but in all likelyhood most of these actions are actually being removed from the game, and thus will not be there to collect. I will converse with other developers and see if we can devise a system which allows us to allocate that XP and Gold as part of the conversion process in the event they are sitting in a collectible state.

This is of course assuming that this goes live at the same time as the new expansion does, which is not a for certain just yet. We will be giving everyone enough time and heads up to plan accordingly in the next few weeks as we get closer to the updates mentioned.