Publish Notes from 2006-02-16

Publish 39 Additions, Changes, and Fixes

UO Team 27 Jan 2006 00:00:00 EST

Publish 39, as with most game publishes, contains a number of game updates and bug fixes. This article contains an updated summary of the game improvements that will come about with Publish 39

New Player Improvements

• New Player Guided Tour System: Guided New Player experience added in conjunction with the release of the Japanese “Starter Kit”. Will be available (and skippable) to all new characters upon initial log-in.
• Font Improvements: Two new bold English fonts that make the text easier to read. Also changed the default speech font color to a readable yellow color.
• Default layout: A new default layout that will make it easier for new and returning players navigate the interface. The default gameplay window size has also been set to the larger 800×600 option.
• Spring Décor Collection items: This is a set of house decoration items to be included in the Japanese “Starter Kit” available in February. These items will be available to other territories through uogamecodes.com beginning in March.
• Quest updates and additions: 12 new quests that help the new players get familiar with the game.

Interface and Art Additions/changes

• Added new artwork for Dragon Armor and the Helm of Swiftness.
• Changed the character status screen artwork to make it more streamlined.
• Added new Login screen artwork for the 2D client.
• Added sticky health bars for all targetables.
• Mouse wheel scrolling support has been added for the 2D client.
• Menu bar can now be moved in 2D client
• Adjusted the 3D character and creature models to make them fit more inline with the world.
• Object handles will stick where they appear to make targeting moving objects easier.

Bug Fixes – Exploits

• Players will no longer be able to attack mirror images to gain skill or cause harm to other players in Trammel.
• Changed the Mirror Image special ability so that it will no longer cause players to get “guard whacked” when used by other players.
• Travesty will now cause damage when mimicking a player with a non-weapon (fishing pole, candle, etc.).
• Energy field will no longer cause players to be flagged as aggressive in Trammel.
• Players will no longer be able to area of effect rez ghosts through house walls with Noble Sacrifice.
• Players will no longer be able to provoke pets on other players in a guard zone to get them guard killed.
• Now that the snows have begun to melt, and the Winter Solstice has passed into history, bags of sending can no longer be compelled to send white cloth, or any other quest object, through the etheral void.

Other Bug Fixes

• Lethal Dart and Broken Shaft quest will now work properly.
• Ossian Grimoire can no longer be “blessed” by leaving in a secured bag overnight on Siege.
• Helm of Swiftness can now be repaired.
• Helm of Swiftness obtained from a Peerless minor paragons can now be worn by Humans and has been assigned the correct resists.
• Changed two areas on Dreadhorn Island so they no longer teleport players out of the dungeon.
• Mondain's 300th anniversary coin is now movable and will no longer become un-locked if in a house nor will they be stackable.
• Damage from all archery weapons has been adjusted Some underpowered bows have been enhanced and some overpowered bows have had power reductions.
• You can now trade regular blessed items. Personal blessed items still may not be dropped in the trade window.
• Changed the way the Aminia Werewolf Quest spawns creatures.. This should eliminate problems with duplicate spawns.
• Animal form now has a recovery time of 2.5 seconds. FCR 6 will reduce this to 1 second.
• Animal form now costs 10 mana to cast.
• “Streakiness” in the random number generator should be improved. As a side effect “8×8” will no longer work.
• Flying creatures (dragons/drakes) no longer fall through surfaces when they are killed. This will make it easier to loot their corpses.
• Wyrms no longer spawn in or walk through stalagmites in Destard.
• Changed message player receives when they are squelched and try to speak to “You cannot say anything at this time, you have been muted.”
• Made game balance changes to the Delucia Dungeon to make it more challenging to defeat the dread spiders.
• House transfers are no longer allowed if the house exceeds the buyer's storage capacity (Non UOML account)

Gender and Name Change

• Warning text and a link to the uo.com information pages were added to Name and Gender Change gumps.
• When changing gender to male, players will now have the ability to select a facial hair style.