Sneak Peek #43

[Aleš Ulm 1725]

Hey there, fellow ylanders!

In today’s Sneak Peek I would like to tell you something about the Protective Barrier, the feature that will be released along with the update 0.6.2 sometime during the next week.

The first thing that needs to be said is: this is just the first version of this feature. We have many plans on how to improve it in 0.7 and beyond, so not all of the planned functionality is already present, and we may also be doing some changes based on your feedback. However, it already contains more than enough to make your experience in Exploration much more pleasant and safe, so we decided to give it to you now instead of waiting till it’s closer to being “feature complete” in 0.7.

So what does it do?

It is available in Exploration only. When you start a new game (unfortunately there’s currently no way for characters in already active games to acquire it - you will have to start a new one), you will spawn with a broken protective barrier generator in your inventory. You bought the generator to protect your new land there, where you were sailing. Fortunately, as your ship crashed, you managed to keep it on you, but it got damaged.

To use it, you first need to repair it (via crafting - your character knows the proper formula from the beginning). This means that it will take you few hours (we’d say about two on average) to get it to work. The reason behind this is simple - having it fully working right from the beginning would give a powerful tool to griefers who could just enter any game, block something and leave - but we also feel that getting it to work by actually doing something first feels rewarding.

Once it’s fixed, you can place it on the ground. A line showing where the barrier would be (what would be inside of it) appears, and you can make sure that you’re happy with its location. If not, pick it up and move it elsewhere. At this point, however, once you turn it on for the very first time (there is a confirmation window), the generator stabilizes itself where it is, and you won’t be able to pick it up or move it elsewhere in any other way anymore, so pick the location wisely. We’re examining if, in a future update, it would be possible to relocate it someplace else, but right now being able to do so could result in rather nasty exploits.

Whenever you turn the generator on - it’s bound to you, and no one else can do that - the barrier becomes active (two barriers cannot intersect). At that moment, inside the barrier:

* you can use any hammer to “deconstruct” any hardened object. Items that can be picked (hardened building blocks etc.) are moved into your inventory, while others are broken into ingredients which you can use to build those again, instantly. Please note that we are also working on a feature that will let you move larger objects around the world in one of the future updates.

* if you log off and your character stays inside the barrier, it can’t be hurt by others players or animals (but when you’re online, you are vulnerable).

* only you can deal damage to objects there (doesn't apply to players and animals)

* other players can’t place objects, which are, by default, placed into a grid (so no one can place a stone block in front of your door so that it hardens and prevents you from entering)

* all these effects are active only when the generator is on. You can turn it on and off as you wish. It can't be destroyed.

 

Protective barrier generator as depicted inside the Codex entry. Remember to check the Codex whenever a new feature is released - [F1] is your friend

 

Let us make sure you understand what this barrier doesn’t do and what you still need to take care of. It is NOT some all-powerful safe zone where you can always escape to from any threat and laugh at other players or predators from within. If you’re online you still get hurt, you can get killed there. It doesn’t prevent anyone from stealing your things. It, however, prevents them from destroying your locked doors, your padlocks, but even your windows etc. If you want to keep something safe, have it locked inside a house or a container.

Currently, while generators can be placed on ships or cars, they can't be enabled - we understand, though, that many want this and are already looking into it. In future iterations, we plan to add things like prohibiting others from making changes to the terrain in your zone or painting there. We want to give you the option to set a message that shows to those who enter the zone or to choose those who, inside your barrier, can do things that others can't (help you build etc.). 

If you die, the generator is present in the new character’s inventory -  if not already placed in the world. In any case, though, it becomes bound to your new avatar.

We believe that you will find the barrier helpful and ask you to share with us as much feedback as possible.

We’re looking forward to talking to you the next Friday. Until then - have fun playing the game, ylanders,  and stay classy!

[0ldguy 7]

Is it possible to put it in my ship?? 

 

Guess i need to figure it out.??

[Aleš Ulm 1725]

Just as the post says:  Currently, while generators can be placed on ships or cars, they can't be enabled - we understand, though, that many want this and are already looking into it. 

[0ldguy 7]

Im talking about Bugs after we put it on our ship. 

Im sorry but i love looking for bugs 

[BigBoss87 68]

The barrier will make all the difference.  It turns out to be more than enough for now. Locking a door is as easy as making an iron tool.

Thank you for this SP

[Reaver-e06e77c541eb93bf 1]

Are there any plans in the new future to improve online? (100% loading bug and stuff like that?) 

[Aleš Ulm 1725]

Definitely! Our two top priorities are fixing MP issues and general performance (in this order). We already fixed some MP issues (mostly server-side ones), but many are still open (some are being looked into right now).

[KingWingit 26]

So, if I understand this correctly, we get one plot of real estate with which to enjoy the building benefits? Forever? Even in single player? How large an area are we talking about here?

[0ldguy 7]

I think the answer is...

we wait ????

[BigBoss87 68]

10 minutes ago, KingWingit said:

So, if I understand this correctly, we get one plot of real estate with which to enjoy the building benefits? Forever? Even in single player? How large an area are we talking about here?

In one of the previous SPs they approached this subject, and they mentioned that initially we will have a certain area, but that later we will be able to increase, but of course for that we have to work a lot.

Edited December 15, 2017 by BigBoss87

[Re-fund 6]

Are there any plans for a Clan? It would be nice for a group of friends playing together be able to lock/unlock doors. Same with the protective barrier, it would nice if my friends can all have access to base when even when generator is on.. 

[Shadow72 187]

Will admins on a server be able to bypass other peoples energy barriers?

[WijkagentAdrie 384]

Sounds good, I'm looking forward to test this  What is the size of the plot going to be, and is it 2d (all the way from the bottom of the earth to the moon) or 3d with height dimensions as well?

Adrie

[0ldguy 7]

4 hours ago, Aleš Ulm said:

We want to give you the option to set a message that shows to those who enter the zone or to choose those who, inside your barrier, can do things that others can't (help you build etc.)

 

[0ldguy 7]

Who knows if the developer wants to make an upgradable protective barrier.

that would be nice to spend all my resources to

[Aleš Ulm 1725]

Currently, the area is  a cube 30x30x30m with the generator not exactly in its center but somewhat lower so that when you put it on the ground more of the barrier is above ground than below (because usually, you want to have a house with more floors above than below ground - but if underground shelters are your thing, no one is stopping you from placing the generator underground). This feature, the barrier, can be immensely useful but, if handled without care, could create exploits and disbalance things, so we need to tread carefully here. This is why you can't move it around after it has been placed, using it with ships and cars needs to be properly designed and tested. We need to see if a bigger area is needed and if, how big it should be etc... In the future, we would like you to be able to connect it to the energy grid and make it more powerful etc. Creating groups of friends that have more privileges in those areas then others is definitely planned.

Please take it really for what it is - the veryfirst iteration of something potentially very big and important which is awaiting your feedback. Thanks.

[Aleš Ulm 1725]

9 minutes ago, Shadow72 said:

Will admins on a server be able to bypass other peoples energy barriers?

Not at this point, but we agree that admins should have some control over this.

[superjonin 1]

And what happend with the Host Unreachable? My friend can't join to my server and we tried to fix but we don't know hot to do it. I tried open ports, firewall, unnistall and install the game again... but doesn't work. 

Edited December 15, 2017 by superjonin

[toxycated 2]

what about giving permissions to your friends to deconstruct/access/etc objects within the barrier?
some kind of permission system would be nice, not all of us play solo.

Edited December 15, 2017 by toxycated

[Aleš Ulm 1725]

If you experience any MP issues that you don't see mentioned by others (in which case we are very likely aware of those and are looking into them already), the best way of making sure it gets fixed is to (unless you've done so already) create an issue in Bugs section where you describe in as much detail as possible what you're experiencing. Based on that you will either be told that this issue is already known or you will, very likely, be asked to provide your game logs which may help use identify the problem.

giving permissions to your friends to deconstruct/access/etc objects within the barrier?

That is exactly what we'd like to see added in update 0.7

Have great a weekend, everyone!

[Silwercastle 85]

Just how big is this 30x30 area and might there be a research that we can do to increase it ?

Asking this as a builder and the deconstructing part is just fantastic if building large structures.

Edited December 16, 2017 by Silwercastle

[ecc.damian.berek@gmail.com 0]

there are few things which need to be fixed tho. ladders spawn yu behinnd them mostly, when on server hosted by friend your map gets wiped everytime you join and not always update itself. sometimes when you use seed box to equip seeds and plant them all they got bugged so you can plant infinite number of them.
from things which would be lovely please give us tools to make mods just like Arma had  i would love to make few models for game like ships ( included flying ones). plus in eeditor would be greeat if you generate new world it would place some objects on map as well as caves( maybe some prebuild objeects to place, as well ). regardless that game is awesome keep it up

[Drasios 1]

Hi,

This the protective barrier generator is a nice and important addition to the game. I can't wait to try it, so I do not need to worry anymore wether somebody will destroy something I have build. The "deconstruction option" is also very handy and important. I guess the generator has a certain range in game and inside the range all the mentioned effects will be available, but what about the range itself? Is it expandable or changeable? Except from the announcement that in a future update it will be possible to move the generator around.

Ah ok, I found it, a 30x30x30 cube area.

Edited December 16, 2017 by Drasios

[hustler24 0]

(unfortunately there’s currently no way for characters in already active games to acquire it - you will have to start a new one)

I put 60 hours into my original world I am not starting over to get a barrier why can't you guys add it in so I do not have to start a new world. That makes no sense. 60 hours into my server/world. Tons of people are on my server playing from time to time put time and effort onto their bases now we just have to start from scratch again ? Can you guys please Fix this so we do not have to start a new world?

[Lupowop 31]

3 hours ago, hustler24 said:

(unfortunately there’s currently no way for characters in already active games to acquire it - you will have to start a new one)

I put 60 hours into my original world I am not starting over to get a barrier why can't you guys add it in so I do not have to start a new world. That makes no sense. 60 hours into my server/world. Tons of people are on my server playing from time to time put time and effort onto their bases now we just have to start from scratch again ? Can you guys please Fix this so we do not have to start a new world?

As much as this sux it is to be expected in an Alpha of any game.  Any building game in alpha will undoubtedly call for server restarts, wipes, and plain ol "all your stuff needs to be redone in order for you to keep playing".... This has always been the case in online alpha building games.   It hurts to see may hours gone to waste but it's the price we pay for having such a good game before it is fully released .  The upside is that this is a very rapid response from a Development team that OBVIOUSLY listens to its fanbase and customers... this is Very, VERY positive indeed

 

Edited December 16, 2017 by Lupowop
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