Sneak Peek #51

[Aleš Ulm 1725]

Hey there, fellow ylanders!

Right now, we’re testing the upcoming update 0.9 "Comfortable Cooperation". If things go right, this might be the last Dev Diary before it gets released. If, however, we see the testing requires more time,  there will be one more before you get your hands on it.

There’s one thing that we haven’t discussed yet that is part of "Comfortable Cooperation". As you may already know, one of the new features is how your avatar visuals will be treated. Up until now you always had to select a name and appearance of your avatar for every single game you started (Explore, Create, or any custom game). Starting with 0.9 you will have access to your persistent avatar in the Main menu (under the Home section, which we plan to make a cool place where you will be able to adjust your avatar, check your pets, achievements and much more). There you will be able to change your avatar appearance at any time / as many times you want to. In any game you then enter (new one or one where you already have a character), your avatar will look just the way you set it up. In some games you will still be able to choose a role before you enter them, which will change your clothes and equipment, but your character’s facial features, hair and skin color will be just as seen in the Main Menu panel. 

That much we already told you. At some point, though, we decided to add what we originally planned for some future update – a feature we might call Ylands name (or game name, if you wish).

The way how players have been identified in the game has been a bit confusing up until now. When communicating with us, some have given their Steam Id, some their Bohemia Interactive id, the nickname they chose when filling in their Bohemia Interactive profile etc. Also, it was way too easy for griefers to simply change their name and keep harassing others while assuming a new “identity” with every game they entered.

What we, in the end, decided to put in 0.9 is the following behavior. Every player (be it a new one or someone who’s been playing for a longer time) will be asked at the screen where their avatar can be adjusted to enter their new Ylands name.

* this name must be unique. After you pick your name (if the game confirms that it‘s not already used by someone else), you can be sure that the only one with that name present at any game will be just you
* you will be able to change your name one more time in case you make a bad call the first time. If, for some valid reason, you’d need to change it again, you would have to contact our support and they might help you with that
* in all games, new or existing, you will be seen by others by this name
* the name can contain only common alphanumeric characters

There are many advantages to having such a unique easy-to-work-with identifier. It will be much easier for server admins to manage their players and for players themselves to report those who misbehave. It will be very helpful when, in the future, we implement some sort of friends list.

The disadvantage is quite clear - some players might have liked the fact that they could enter each game as someone new, and those will probably miss that feature. We have, however, gone over both pros and cons of implementing this, and in the end decided that having an easily manageable environment, where people can quickly locate and identify those they want to play with and stay away from those who have proven to be problematic players, is something that we want.

 

Some explore new worlds, others create them  (First blocks of a Runescape Ylands map courtesy of @Demonai_Warrior)

 

Here we come with another round of questions and answers!

I think the game lacks a story line. Explore/survival mode shouldn´t be just go to island to island gather resources, explore caves and stuff. There should be like something you have to do to "complete" the game. For instance, Minecraft in survival mode, the "end" of the story line, is to kill a dragon.

There are a lot of players asking for something like this. When Ylands comes out of EA as Ylands 1.0, it will be with a big bang and a whole new world (that is, by the way, the reason, why only a minimum of new objects are added into the game these days – we need something to fill the new world with ?). It will be at that point that a storyline will be presented to players.
 

Any chance you have VR support in the plans?

We have done some basic tests and were able to run Ylands with a VR headset. That being said, there’s a long way between putting together a quick prototype and something that is actually fun to play with (and something that doesn’t leave you feeling sick for the rest of the day ?). It’s definitely possible that we will venture further in this direction, but for now we have other priorities.
 

How about making small npc towns, like maybe of 4-6 nps. Like in the image of this post, make a "native american" town, a wild west town, a small pirate yland town, or even a stone age town! And to make it simpler, just have only have one npc from the village sell the goods that they make!

Something like that was our plan when we implemented the NPCs (along with pirates raiding ylands from time to time). Unfortunately, it became obvious, that we needed the programmers to focus on some other task, so while NPCs are in the game, their AI is pretty much nonexistent. Things are changing for better, though, because just yesterday another senior programmer joined our ranks. He will be focusing on AI, which he has a lot of experience with. The team is growing so fast now that we’ll probably dedicate one of the future Dev Diaries just to tell you who’s working on Ylands right now – we’ve definitely came a long way from the four or five people we started with ?
 

Maybe can add more weapons?

There will be both new weapons and armors available when the new world comes out with Ylands 1.0 later this year.
 

How about specific weather or temperature on specific spot that you can set in Editor?

This is, indeed, planned. Both letting players set a specific weather in the Editor, but also a machine that would let you affect the weather while in a game.
 

So that’s it.  As always – do let us know what you think and don’t forget to check next week’s Dev Diary. Until then, have a great time, ylanders, and stay classy!

[V-Alfred 367]

14 minutes ago, Aleš Ulm said:

That much we already told you. At some point, though, we decided to add what we originally planned for some future update – a feature we might call Ylands name (or game name, if you wish).

Oh yeah, looking for pros and cons, I'm sure more pros than cons. "Anonymity" in games have tendency to bad things.. 

Edited May 25, 2018 by V-Alfred

[Denderion 7]

26 minutes ago, Aleš Ulm said:

How about making small npc towns, like maybe of 4-6 nps. Like in the image of this post, make a "native american" town, a wild west town, a small pirate yland town, or even a stone age town! And to make it simpler, just have only have one npc from the village sell the goods that they make!

Something like that was our plan when we implemented the NPCs (along with pirates raiding ylands from time to time). Unfortunately, it became obvious, that we needed the programmers to focus on some other task, so while NPCs are in the game, their AI is pretty much nonexistent. Things are changing for better, though, because just yesterday another senior programmer joined our ranks. He will be focusing on AI, which he has a lot of experience with. The team is growing so fast now that we’ll probably dedicate one of the future Dev Diaries just to tell you who’s working on Ylands right now – we’ve definitely came a long way from the four or five people we started with ?

i actually made a post about this, haha, however it was more for the pirates. Will these pirates only attack on land or will they actually sail around on ships that can attack you while roaming the open ocean on your ship? 

[BigBoss87 68]

Can't wait for the new world

I'm happy with the new features that you're implementing in the game.
The game will gain new life with everything you have talked about with us being made. Will be so fun!

 

 

[bojo2736 1016]

So I will be able to change my hair color without die-ing?  Yay!

Edited May 25, 2018 by bojo2736

[Indomitus 388]

One question about plans for the NPCs:  If we're building in Editor, will we (some day) be able to give NPC characters simple dialog trees?  The existing NPC traders have a selection of things to say under different conditions, but an actual dialog tree would be different.  I guess what I'm really asking is how sophisticated are you planning to make their A.I.?

[kimbuck 746]

Oh please bring in the unique Ylands  game name! ASAP  ..even through a hotfix ...  all the good  guys  would appreciate it     ...and it would  sure  ruin the  fun of  griefers, because once  known as a griefer,  always known a griefer! We often  see players  with   names like   don,   dan  den    din  or   ya   yaa  yaaa    etc  reappear  after they were stopped from griefing...and an peek at their  BI  account indicate its the same  idiot  trying to bluff they way in. But before you do introduce it. could you  find a way of making it so those of us  who already have a name  which we use ( and want to keep ) do not get it  stolen  by some   troublemaker  who then uses our  good name to cause trouble!  

And as a additional thing ..  stop the  use of  crude offensive and filthy  names through some sort of  filter when  registering?

Edited May 26, 2018 by kimbuck

[V-Alfred 367]

@kimbuck Oh dudette.. their "life" will be tough ** once they known as griefer..  Oh well, soon they have lesson learned. It's for their good.. 

Note: ** you know 2 letter acronym for "really" 

[Indomitus 388]

I would be fine with the screen name defaulting to Steam ID, maybe allow changing from there.  At the moment I'm using my real first name (Eric) but there are lots of Erics in the world.

[RedEagle_P1. 905]

Good stuff! This will hopefully combat those greifers. I like the direction the game is going  

 

9 hours ago, Aleš Ulm said:

This is, indeed, planned. Both letting players set a specific weather in the Editor, but also a machine that would let you affect the weather while in a game.
 

So that’s it.  As always – do let us know what you think and don’t forget to check next week’s Dev Diary. Until then, have a great time, ylanders, and stay classy!

O yes, we need that!

[bojo2736 1016]

Nah, I don't like my Steam name.  Let us choose.

[Onedown 28]

2 hours ago, bojo2736 said:

Nah, I don't like my Steam name.  Let us choose.

Not only that but using the steam ID is like giving hackers half of your steam account info for free.  No thanks.  There is a reason posting and play names should differ from the main account.  This would be like saying Hey Hackers!  If you want half my steam account info just join YLands.  Using the steam ID is a terrible terrible idea and should not be done even voluntarily let alone a default.

[Onedown 28]

13 hours ago, Aleš Ulm said:

What we, in the end, decided to put in 0.9 is the following behavior. Every player (be it a new one or someone who’s been playing for a longer time) will be asked at the screen where their avatar can be adjusted to enter their new Ylands name.

I really hope this will not apply to single player mode.  Will it?

[Onedown 28]

13 hours ago, Aleš Ulm said:

Also, it was way too easy for griefers to simply change their name and keep harassing others while assuming a new “identity” with every game they entered.

Ok so define griefing please.  What ive seen is players playing multiplayer complaining about other players doing things that the game allows them to do Like killing people while they are offline,  stealing things,  making a mess and depleting all the resources.  Maybe griefing should be addressed after the game programming stops allowing this behavior.  If people are expecting others to play under some sort of code of honor and ignore what the game programming allows them to do I'd have to call that pie in the sky thinking.  It gets really tiresome watching some people call others nasty names for doing things the game programming allows them to do.  Don't get me wrong I abhor people who play just to make other people miserable but seriously if the programming does not change the griefing will not stop.  I suggest making a list of behaviors you consider griefing and program them out of your game.

[kimbuck 746]

well   tonight  i was on a server  na 22.....  and this  guy arrives and immediately  runs to the unarmed female at the workstations and tries punching her ..i called out  "stop that" and he ran at  me  .. but stopped when i produced a saber..    he then ran off and  tried to enter  very building ...punching at the doors  hoping to break in ..but they were PB protected.. he then ran off...and   at daybreak i followed a trail of   dead avatars ...killed with spilled  loot ...   until i found where a  wolf or  puma    caught  him.     He did not  take  anything,  just killed them for the sake of the kill ..now  is he a griefer?  and should  we  call all "tylers'"  a griefer ....?   with the unique name,  he would be easy to  trace  etc.

Definitely   no  steam id .. thats a hacker   invitation.

Griefers  can grief in  many ways ... some  hijack  boats     steal boats and  vehicles...break into  properties and  steal all...   

The use of  unique  ids  is  the  start of  programming  griefers out of the game... These imbeciles  will find themselves  being locked out of  pvte servers, and  with more  pvte servers/games  cloud based ...   fewer  public  ones  for  them to be alone on ..as most  will  move to  the pvte/cloud  to avoid  these creeps

 

[V-Alfred 367]

7 hours ago, Onedown said:

Ok so define griefing please. ...
...It gets really tiresome watching some people call others nasty names for doing things the game programming allows them to do.

Ok here is my personal definition of "griefing", griefing is player behavior that solely to piss off a player/community that already there. Did you think you're the only one that tired watching some people doing that? Oh well you're not the only one..   Lets see on other perspective, there are players trying to help others and maintain the server(keep it clean, friendly, etc), but they constantly disturbed by those who called "griefers", ofcourse they (good player) will get angry, thats how "normal human" will act. Indeed the game allows them to do(killing, making bunch of mess, etc), but the impact of that actions to the game that lack of features and eventually making the game unenjoyable is something that you need to consider. Make the ID or name easier to 'track down' is one step ahead to give them "lesson", so we're at right direction.  A "list of behaviors you consider griefing and program them out of your game.", oh man.. "griefing" is always evolve and will never stop on the list, it's inappropriate human behavior, they will always try to find 'a path'. The best way to handle this is implement the features one by one and evaluate.

For me "killing" itself isn't act of griefer, but in current version of the game, the impact of killing player can be act of griefer in long run.

Let me give you example, griefer A constantly killing offline newcomer who has 'useless things' in their 'pocket'. So as you might guess griefer A got simply nothing, and whats the impact? Most newcomer that did login and look at their 'dead' screen is pissed off and never comeback to the server again, their body will be there forever and their 'useless things' will become 'homework' for other player. Not only it's unpleasant to look at, but also in long run with no active admin around to clean up the mess, they will eventually make the server unplayable, even worse existing players will constantly plagued with bugs that usually rare like headless no name player, inventory simply doesn't work, etc.

About stealing, I don't think it's act of griefer if the stuff isn't protected and they eventually use what they've stolen. But in @kimbuck and others cases, those griefer just simply took stuff and bury it somewhere, even though they knew if that stuff is meant to help newcomer (including those who before become griefer) to progress faster and don't make 'useless mess' around. Ok this might be her community fault they didn't protect (lock) the stuff. But how did you help others in world that has diverse time zone? No NPC on starter island, that means that's the only option, to openly let intelligent players to take what they need and give to help others. But here we go, the reality there are "dumb/greedy/intolerant" a.k.a donkey (if may I call them like that) running around taking all they can and not even use it..

There are many other example, if I wrote all of them down, it may looks like series of novel. 

Oh griefer..
how dark your way of life is..
laughing and have fun when people get annoyed, angry and maybe sad because of your actions..
did something bad happened to you in past?
I'm sorry if that happened to you..
I hope you get brighter way of life..

Sorry, this griefer subject make me want to make poetry 

TLDR; Griefing is player behavior that solely to piss off a player/community that already there by in/directly exploit the game's lack of features.

Edited May 26, 2018 by V-Alfred

[kimbuck 746]

Another form of griefing  is to arrive  with  no intention of playing the  game, and park your  avatar in someones doorway,  break into a house and   squat, or go offline never to return in someplace where it disrupts the  community ..or  blocks building construction.

We set up two night time  sleeping  beds, in a covered area intended  for a newcomer to sleep overnight, and signposted   their use conditions  with a warning you could be killed by griefers if you stay  there offline.   .. we got  "passive" griefers  going offline in those beds, making them useless for others who needed them. One  even stated he was there for the pvp fun...then  hopped on the bed and went offline. He was there  for all the  time  we were on NA15.

We set up a place to help  new arrivals. We locked up the  bulk stores,  and replenished the   on- display stuff as it was  "used". But  we would see one  person arrive  then leave.... and all the containers were  empty. Some of the stuff taken was   dumped offshore so they could  come back and  fill their  inventory again and  empty  all the containers. They  did it  for  the " lulz" and we  would find their offline avatar  hidden  away some days later.  One was discovered in a cavern surrounded by his stolen loot ... why he  needed 9 of  everything? - well  maybe  he was a bad operator  and kept  breaking stuff!

Others would  place useless  things  like  grass resin  flowers  stones  corals  etc in the   food   containers after taking all the food from them...

Some would  bring in rocks and  deposit them in front of  doors  or on ships.   Some would go through and rip up  gardens ...they are not  protected in  the PB area. -- neither  are tamed horses in fenced of  areas. Lanterns   seemed to have legs .. they  "walked away"  overnight

I had locked containers on my  moored ship and  they were outside the PB  range  but they were smashed  open by people  looking for stuff inside. What they cannot  take they destroy. Same   with ships  -  if its locked and they cannot steal it, they smash up the engines  or  sails

We watched one  guy  running at round  trying to smash workstations ...  he couldn't ( PB protected) so instead while we were offline he came back and put locks on them all. We had to  break them all and   then re craft  them  ... wasting time. Some   playershave come  on line to find their  building doors locked  ( they had not  got around to  making keys as they could not find  iron/clay to make a forge...the nearby  resources had been buried.)

Another imbecile also locked all the  containers we had unlocked which  contained  supplies for new  arrivals.

A griefer  who obviously  came to grief   placed his  protection Barrier  underwater  in the  middle of a  flotilla of parked ships. He then placed items underwater that  fouled the  ships  hulls  so that none of the  ships could be moved, and the owners  could not modify the ocean  floor to  re-float  their  ships...or even  alter their ships.

Some   grief  by  removing all the  newcomer  needed  stuff like  grass flint and stones  from around the spawn area and in some cases i found  layers of  dirt placed to cover resources like   iron  and  clay,  and  even   blocking cave entrances.

Some  dig deep pits   under where  people  spawn ..or  build  fences  around that area.

So you see,  griefing  is  almost impossible to stop  via  programming.  The unique  Ylands name is a start  and  admins will soon collect  note down the names of  griefers  on their  servers and  exclude them.

What we will probably  see,  is with the cloud  function, there will  be an increase of   pvte  admin controlled  servers, and the need  for  all these  public   non  cloud  servers  will diminish...and so will the "playing" field  these  griefers  operate in.

Griefing is  more than just running around  killing  helpless people ..it can also be disrupting  and harassing  those  who want to play the   game.

And  another thing,  when i  am playing the  game and i have  young kids  looking over my shoulder  watching  ( its  PEGI 7 ),  i don't want them  to see crude offensive  names on  people  running  around   and calling   me a "Motherf...er" and other  names, or making  racial or homophobic  slurs.

BI  have a lot  yet to do to get this  game "up to scratch"  but they are obviously working on it ..and the unique  name is  a  start.  A  name filter to stop registering  the filth  would be the next  desirable  step.

Rome  wasn't  built in a day ...it  took  25 hours.....

 

 

 

[stlnegril9 9]

1 hour ago, V-Alfred said:

...

Sorry, this griefer subject make me want to make poetry 

...

Ha! That's a first (for me).

TIL. Griefers can inspire poetry.

[bojo2736 1016]

10 hours ago, Onedown said:

Ok so define griefing please.  What ive seen is players playing multiplayer complaining about other players doing things that the game allows them to do Like killing people while they are offline,  stealing things,  making a mess and depleting all the resources.  Maybe griefing should be addressed after the game programming stops allowing this behavior.  If people are expecting others to play under some sort of code of honor and ignore what the game programming allows them to do I'd have to call that pie in the sky thinking.  Itts really tiresome watching some people call others nasty names for doing things the game programming allows them to do.  Don't get me wrong I abhor people who play just to make other people miserable but seriously if the programming does

Another problem with programming out griefer activities is that it limits play options for those who want to play PVP. I don't think anyone here wants that option to go away. It is a legitimate aspect to gameplay. If everyone know they are playing PVP. Otherwise it is cowardice and immature. And I don't understand those of you supporting THAT aspect of game play.

[Indomitus 388]

20 hours ago, Onedown said:

Not only that but using the steam ID is like giving hackers half of your steam account info for free.  No thanks.  There is a reason posting and play names should differ from the main account.  This would be like saying Hey Hackers!  If you want half my steam account info just join YLands.  Using the steam ID is a terrible terrible idea and should not be done even voluntarily let alone a default.

Dude.  Secure your account.  It doesn't take much to outsmart a hacker.

My Steam ID is Indomitus1973.  Bring it, hackers.

(If your fear were true, the Steam forums would be the worst possible place to post anything.  Spoiler:  It's not.)

Edited May 27, 2018 by Indomitus

[zalzany 6]

Exactly I mean I got cheap like 50 buck phone not even online 99% of the time and I just hopped on wifi long enough to install steam guard app, and set it up, bam don't even need net so it doesn't eat up my cheapo battery life just go to the phone app, it tells me I can't see my online friends list I touch thing in upper left tell it steam guard it shows me the password that is generated every few seconds to type. Done. I mean you can do this with a phone from Walmart worth like 20 bucks doesn't even need to be hooked up to a phone service. Literally just needs to work, and hook up to ANY free wifi. My cousins son and daughter got his old android phones no service at all they just use free wifi that is all over the place, heck even waterpark has it now, and log into xbox or steam messenger to talk to him instead of pay the fee for them to have an actual phone line lol.

As for greifing this has nothing to do at all with what it allows you to do or not. Learn your basic terms please, exploiting is doing something your not suppose to be able to do, but find a work around greifing can be anything, and there is no real way to stop it. Why do people try this lame argument all the time just because you can do it doesn't make it right. I can run red lights and speed in a school zone in some places and never get caught, I know where most he local cops a near me, as well as what intersections don't have red light cameras, but doesn't mean its legal for me to do it. I still obey the laws in those areas even if there is a slim to none chance I will get caught. People these days morals just scares me. I mean this is why we get a notice saying "Your content will need to be approved by a moderator" because sure I got freedom of speech, but I agreed to rules one being nice and civil here on this forum, and they enforce said rules.

Same thing online just because you can do it, doesn't mean you should, this is why I hate "official" servers people treat it like a no rules playground if it was legit why are you guys changing your name 30 times? Why is it the devs are now linking your name to your steam accounts? Obviously your "its lets me do it, so its intended" excuse doesn't work at all. But hey go do that in other games it will take a few days maybe a week if its popular game but you will get banned on officials, and with this games pop you may get banned faster as I am sure once this goes live their will be a flood of reports of griefers and hopefully some one on standby for it ready to investigate and pull out the ban hammer, to remind you guys the internet is not public, it may be an open to public server but its private owned, its like a gas station parking lot, you think because its outside you can do what you want but its private property they allow you to use, but have the right to arrest or ban you from the property, but in this example you can sit on the side walk that is public till a loitering call is put in.

[Onedown 28]

11 hours ago, Indomitus said:

(If your fear were true, the Steam forums would be the worst possible place to post anything.  Spoiler:  It's not.)

My login ID is different than the ID I post with on purpose and no matter how snarky you get you wont convince me giving half your login info is even remotely a harmless thing and you really should not try to convince others that it's harmless.

[bojo2736 1016]

On ‎5‎/‎25‎/‎2018 at 10:56 PM, Onedown said:

Ok so define griefing please.  

This.  This is griefing. And it is the reason I will stay away from the public servers as soon as I have a choice. 

 

[oversoul619 1]

Thanks for the updates. New to Ylands and digging it. Haven't tried MP yet, seems like I am not missing much? hah

Keep up the great work, and I look forward to playing 0.9 and REALLY look forward to a new Exploration map adventure! Thanks devs.

[bojo2736 1016]

multiplayer is fun, just glitchy