[Loki]

I am currently running a PvP test server tweaking the PvP system and trying out some new changes. A number of players and staff members are already acting as play testers on this server. Exact details of the changes will be made available in due course. Currently I am aiming to have a complete "PvP patch" ready for this Sunday. However, the changes will not go global on the live server - instead we will be applying the changes in the form of a region (like with fizzle PvP). When this happens all players will be welcome to try the changes and give feedback. If the changes meet with general approval from the playerbase then they will eventually go global on the main server (this does not preclude further changes and tweaks in the future either). I hope this happens, I'm working hard on making a system which has the same style as 51a but with significant improvements, runUO lets us do a lot that sphere would not. I hope to make a system where you can fight and play exactly as you do now, but with more pace and fun and with new tools and new styles that can be used if you wish - I have no intention of making the existing fighting styles which people enjoy unviable though.

Bear in mind that I cannot please everybody, since different groups of players want literally the opposite things. However, I aim to increase the pace of PvP, the viability of world PvP and give people need to wear things like armour so that PvP includes better loot. I also want to increase the complexity of the PvP a little bit to make it more interesting and more rewarding for skilled players. The changes will be based around world PvP, future changes to adjust for arenas and dueling pits can be made by region control.

A very, very brief summary of some of the general thrust of the changes are as follows:

• More different kinds of penalties for wearing extremely low AR in PvP, offset by some additional benefits to high AR.
  
  
• Increase mana regeneration offset by a nerf in the mana from pots (they will still be important though).
  
  
• A lot of tweaking in spells such that a greater number of spells serve a useful and unique purpose which, if fully exploited by a talented player, can be used to give a PvPer some (fair) advantages. Also in general pace is increased by making spells inflict greater damage and heal greater amounts.
  
  
• High Dex will now serve a number of useful purposes, hopefully tweaked such that various stat combinations are viable for PvP.
  
  
• The need for massive amounts of scrolls in PvP will be reduced.
  

In total there are many changes and I do not wish to list or debate them in this thread, if anyone wishes to comment, argue or suggest please keep it on the suggestion forum or wait until Sunday when the full list of changes post-testing are released, this is a news thread not a flame war candidate.

Anyone who is interested in taking part in the test server testing phase (before Sunday) may register their interest here. If more testers are required you may get invited (in game) by me to take part. If you are not invited to take part do not take it as a slight, everybody will have equal access to testing the changes and giving feedback once a region is set up on the live server next week.

I ask testers to keep an eye on this thread so that I can use it to keep them informed of when I am around/other testers are around for testing and when I have done a test server reboot to implement changes and things like that.

I think that's it for now, I will add more information later.

[Loki]

Okay since some testing has been done and feedback has been good so far I will release a list of the changes currently on the test server. This does not mean the changes are finalised and does not preclude further changes or reversal of changes before Sunday. I am only releasing the general information, specific mechanics will not be shared. Why? You ask, because UO was more fun when everybody didn't know exactly how everything worked, also because I don't want to debate specific numeric information, those will be tweaked as testing goes on.

Most changes have counter changes in order to maintain some semblance of balance. In general changes are made to reward ingenuity and tactics, increase pace and diversity in PvP and to unbreak a few things. All whilst maintaining the 51a style but improving on it, think of it as 51a+ you can still play exactly as you have been 51a but with greater pace, but there will also be extra options and extra tactical elements which will benefit those who enjoy different play style or those that can exploit the new possibilities to their advantage. One of my biggest priorities was to make it possible for a single player or duo of players to hunt (PvP) and actually be dangerous and able to kill people, but without breaking it such that killing is too easy. The changes have only been briefly tested for enclosed areas like arenas, if they prove bad for that it will be fixed by region control, global changes should be for world PvP I feel.

The list so far:

Greater Heal spell and scrolls heal more. However, if the target is poisoned there is a penalty to the amount of hits healed.

Flame Strike scrolls now use more mana and do more damage but still represent the greatest DPS. Both spell and scroll have increased damage on low AR but no where near as dramatically as spells like Explosion or Energy Bolt (or alternatively, lower damage on high AR if you prefer to see it that way).

Heal now heals slightly more but also suffers a penalty if the target is poisoned. Heal scrolls now function exactly the same as the spell, therefore serve little purpose beyond book filling or saving on regs.

Lightning damage has been buffed but the scroll now acts exactly like the spell, this is the most mana efficient damage spell but the DPS is fairly low.

Recall scroll has had a slight speed nerf but is still faster than the book spell by the equivalent of one circle.

Harm is the new lightning scroll, the stats exactly match the lightning scroll currently on the live server. Harm scrolls perform exactly like the book spell.

Mind Blast now costs more mana and does a lot more damage, additionally it damages mana slightly and does increased damage based on the target's stats. At the most extreme case it is comparable to FS scrolling but in general is weaker. However, the mana damage (very small) can be tactically useful when used correctly. The scroll performs exactly like the book spell.

Fireball works very similarly to Harm, but unlike Harm is highly dependent on AR. At low AR it may be superior, at mid range it is similar, perhaps slightly weaker in terms of DPS but better DPM, on high AR it is clearly inferior. Again, the scroll matches the book spell in all respects.

Mana Drain has been changed extensively and now works in PvP. It currently drains a small amount of mana from a target for 12 seconds. After the duration is up the mana is returned, if the spell is recast (by anyone) during this period it has no effect, so it is not spammable. It may currently be too weak to be useful but I am being very careful not to make it overpowered.

All mana potion types give approximately 25% less mana, their potion delays are unchanged.

The base delay on all heal potions has been reduced, though it is still significant.

Heal potions now heal specific amounts of health (they were previously slightly random).

High dexterity now improves bandage healing in three ways: Success chance (moderate effect), minimum heal (significant effect) and maximum heal (minor effect).

Cure potions now have a very short potion delay.

Stamina potions now have a very short potion delay.

Stamina drain on macing weapons has been fixed (it was bugged and too high due to a formula mistake - note this change will probably go global immediately).

Paralyze scroll will take less mana than before.

Wall of stone duration has been reduced (this was also bugged due to a formula mistake, the change will probably go global immediately).

Paralyze duration has been reduced (again, as above).

Magic reflect scroll mana cost has been increased slightly.

Greater heal scroll mana cost has been reduced slightly.

Only single-handed bladed weapons can now be poisoned (no axes, spears or polearms).

Mana regeneration has been partially restored, players will now passively regain mana continuously at a moderate rate. Overall total mana over time will be comparable to pre-mana potion nerf but slightly higher. This will open up more options in terms of potion use and add an element of "pacing yourself" should also help group PvP quite a bit.

Explosion spell and scroll have had their formula changed such that damage at 0 AR is significantly higher but the damage drops away faster than before as AR increases.

The following weapons have had their swing rates and/or minimum damage values buffed to make them more competitive and to give them an advantage since the ability to poison was removed: Axe, DoubleAxe, Battleaxe, LargeBattleaxe, TwoHandedAxe, Hatchet, ExecutionersAxe, ShortSpear, Spear.

Dexterity above 100 will now increase your weapon swing rate.

[por corp wis]

finally! i'm looking forward to this changes.

[Artur]

Sounds nice!

[Mael]

ill help test if need be but great new stuff loki!!

[Habibi Jones]

Awwwwww yeuh. It's a nice system.

[sm0ke]

pm me the server info and times it will be up

[Lags]

The awesome thing about UO is it's ability to evolve.

Can't wait to see how these changes work.

[Loki]

Okay, I'm going to start making some more information public in the post above.

Also for the testers, I will not be around the next couple of evenings but the server will be staying up so you are welcome to test and try to break things in my absence. Ideally I would like to try and do some testing myself with as many testers as possible on Thursday evening (European time) or sometime during the day on Saturday. Any testers who lost the server IP either get it from another tester or PM me. No sharing with non-testers for now, not because I'm trying to be secretive but because the testing area just won't support half the server showing up and too many voices will drive Loki mad.

[Falstaff]

i'm curious why you decided to make it so poison could not be used on two handed weapons?

[Loki]

i'm curious why you decided to make it so poison could not be used on two handed weapons?

A few reasons...
1) I've buffed poison quite a bit (healing mitigation) and I wanted this to be balanced around the fact that you must expend mana to get the benefit (cast the Poison spell) otherwise I worried it could be overpowered.

2) However, single handed blade weapons are generally too weak right now. Ignoring SDKs etc. for the time being that is (will probably have to do something about them later). So it was a good indirect way of giving these weapons a buff such that they serve a purpose, also it adds some complexity to the "warrior" element of PvP which may be good for people who want to go down that path.

I wanted to make as many spells and weapons useful as possible, but I didn't want to overpower things, so I've gone for the approach of trying to give things unique purposes - in this case single handed blade weapons serve the purpose of being a cheap and easy way to poison enemies without expending your mana, but bigger two handed weapons continue to serve the purpose of being primary damage dealers and having a more reliable damage output.

[por corp wis]

i'm curious why you decided to make it so poison could not be used on two handed weapons?

same question. So now you can poison a CLUB and can't poison a spear? wtf is that? ._. this so stupid.