Toril 2.0: Status Update

Discussion concerning the upcoming Toril 2.0 update as well as general 3.5 edition D&D discussion
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Shevarash
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Toril 2.0: Status Update

Postby Shevarash » Tue May 27, 2008 8:23 pm

Toril 2.0 : Status Report

It's been awhile since the last announcement, and news on 2.0 in general has been scarce lately. I wanted to post a status report here to assure you all that the 2.0 development project, while it has been dormant for a few months, is still in progress. There are lots of factors influencing the speed at which 2.0 progresses and I'm not going to try to go into them all here. Instead, I'm going to show you what is done and what remains to be done, and commit to keeping you all updated on the status going forward. Without further ado...


What's Done

The following features of Toril 2.0 are complete, although all of them have yet to go through final testing and balancing. I think all of these areas have been gone over pretty thoroughly already, but if you have any questions please feel free to ask them.

  • New race system
  • New class system
  • New experience system
  • New combat engine
  • New spell and spell preparation system
  • New character roller
  • New skill system
  • New restat system
  • Area conversion
  • Feats
  • Spells
  • Domains
  • Deities
  • Combat Maneuvers
  • Weapon Enchantments
  • Spell/Feat helpfiles
  • All classes and class abilities except those listed below
  • Tons of small features

What Remains to be Done

The following things remain to be finished. I'll go into a little more detail about these, as some of them are very close to being finished and others need a lot of work still. In no particular order:

  • Bard songs: I've finished the new "performance engine" for Bards, and written some of the songs. All that remains now is to create the remaining songs, which is much easier with the new engine.

  • Illithids/Psionicists: We're completely revamping Illithids/Psionicists and while the basic psionic engine is complete, we're still working on adding the individual powers here.

  • Liches: Their spells and racial template have been complete for some time, but we're still working out details around their balancing. There's not a lot of code to do here, we just need to make some decisions and finalize them.

  • Polymorph/Wildshape: The new race system makes it much easier for us to accomodate racial polymorphing for things like the druid wildshape ability, and I'm currently working on finishing this up. It's pretty close, and when it's finished it will allow for both Wildshaping and several new spells (enemies of Lloth priests, watch out...).

  • Wizard specialist feats: The special abilities that wizard spcialists receive have not yet been finalized. I was originally looking at the PHB 2 for ideas here, but I'm liking some of the Pathfinder RPG abilities instead. This needs both evaluation and coding.

  • Turn/Rebuke Undead: For some reason, this keeps getting put off. I think it's the last class abilitiy, after wildshape, that remains.

  • Trophy system: This would be nice for 2.0's initial release, but isn't required per se. It may fall off intio the next release after 2.0.

  • Skill hooks: Though we've added a new skill system and revamped the skills, we still need to go throughout the code and add skill checks for some of the passive skills. Sneak/Hide and their interaction with NPCs are a good example of this. This isn't terribly code intensive, but it's a significant amount of work nonetheless. An announcement detailing the skill system is forthcoming.

  • Domain feats: While the domains and the spells that go with them are complete, some of them are still missing their domain feats.

  • Weapon poison: The old system doesn't work at all in 2.0, so this feature has to be rewritten.

  • Summonable mob creation: There are many new conjuration/summoning spells, and some still need NPCs created for them.

  • Mob AI Overhaul: This is the biggest piece that remains. The old AI needs work to begin with in general, and it also needs to be updated to use all of the new spells, feats, and abilities which are avilable for NPCs as well as PCs. My thinking as of now is to update the old AI enough to know about the new spells and combat maneuvers, but put off a general overhaul until after the players have had some time to get used to the new system, at which time we would truly unlock their new powers. This would get 2.0 in the MUD faster, and give players some time to figure out how their characters work before the mobs get terribly smarter/more effective.

  • Final Statting: Though all of the spells, feats, and races are already created they still need to be gone over and validated that their final stats are in place. I've used some placeholders while developing, and all of those need to get replaced with live values. Races need their default ability modifiers set, spells need their damage dice set, etc. This isn't hard work at all, but it will be somewhat time intensive to get everything finalized.

  • General Helpfiles - though we have all the helpfiles for spells and feats, we're still lacking general helpfiles for classes, races, combat maneuvers, etc. It's debatable what level of helpfiles we'll need available to go live, but we certainly need at least the classes and races and new commands documented.

  • Miscellanous - There are lots of little things left to do that are too small for this list. Things like setting the guildhalls for the new class(es?), implementing a few feats here and there, etc. This is the "death by a thousand cuts" task.

  • Testing - This may be obvious, but before 2.0 is ready to go live it will require a lot of time testing and ironing out the kinks. Everything we have thus far compiles and runs without too many crashes, but it hasn't been stress tested and there are sure to be lots of bugs to stamp out. We haven't put together a formal plan for beta testing, but at some point we will most likely have an open beta test where all players are invited to come check out the system and help find bugs and imbalances.

I think that about covers it, but if I discover something else I'll update this list somewhere.

What's Next?

Let me state this clearly: 2.0 is a priority for this MUD and I am fully committed to finishing and releasing it. I'm currently reviewing what's left to do and prioritizing the tasks while also continuing development. I'd also like to involve the player base more in the development with more frequent updates and targeted discussions. I will try to provide at least a bi-weekly update on the development status as well as previews of new features/spells/feats/etc on a more frequent basis.

I can't promise or even guess at a release date at this point, but I can start knocking out that list above and that's what I intend to do.

Thank you all again for your patience, and you have my apologies for the long wait. Please feel free to ask questions in this thread and I will do my best to answer them.
Shevarash -- Code Forger of TorilMUD
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Re: Toril 2.0: Status Update

Postby Ragorn » Tue May 27, 2008 9:14 pm

Fantastic.
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Re: Toril 2.0: Status Update

Postby flib » Wed May 28, 2008 4:06 am

thanks shev, it's appreciated.
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Re: Toril 2.0: Status Update

Postby shalath » Wed May 28, 2008 7:02 pm

A silly marketing comment. Edit your post such that the "what's done" looks longer than the "what remains to be done", and not the way it is now.

Your "what's done" list actually is longer. It just doesn't look it, for two reasons.

1. Your formatting on "what remains to be done" uses bold and double spacing, making it seem much larger than it is
2. You include lots of details on your "what remains to be done" list, but none at all on the "what's done" list

I know it's a small thing, but I read it and was taken aback, then I did a double take and realised.

Feel free to ignore if you think this isn't important :-)

-simon
[Profile edited by Board Admin. If you can't be civil, we'll fix it for you. -ed]
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Re: Toril 2.0: Status Update

Postby Jhorr » Fri May 30, 2008 1:29 am

Can't wait!
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Re: Toril 2.0: Status Update

Postby Raiwen » Fri May 30, 2008 2:47 am

thank you for the update!
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Re: Toril 2.0: Status Update

Postby spunionring » Fri Jun 06, 2008 12:59 am

Shevarash wrote:Toril 2.0 : Status Report
[*] Mob AI Overhaul: This is the biggest piece that remains. The old AI needs work to begin with in general, and it also needs to be updated to use all of the new spells, feats, and abilities which are avilable for NPCs as well as PCs. My thinking as of now is to update the old AI enough to know about the new spells and combat maneuvers, but put off a general overhaul until after the players have had some time to get used to the new system, at which time we would truly unlock their new powers. This would get 2.0 in the MUD faster, and give players some time to figure out how their characters work before the mobs get terribly smarter/more effective.


[*] Final Statting: Though all of the spells, feats, and races are already created they still need to be gone over and validated that their final stats are in place. I've used some placeholders while developing, and all of those need to get replaced with live values. Races need their default ability modifiers set, spells need their damage dice set, etc. This isn't hard work at all, but it will be somewhat time intensive to get everything finalized.


Seems to me these are the only points that MUST be done before 2.0 can begin beta testing. The rest can be imped as it gets finished, perhaps.. *pondering deviously*

No rush / pressure / worries Shevarash..

But Id love to see 2.0 begin beta testing, even if it was with just the basics implemented. Even if it ran beta for a couple years as things are worked on, it would be super cool. =)
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Re: Toril 2.0: Status Update

Postby mynazzaraxxsyn » Mon Jul 28, 2008 3:10 am

Shevarash wrote:
  • Illithids/Psionicists: We're completely revamping Illithids/Psionicists and while the basic psionic engine is complete, we're still working on adding the individual powers here.

Mynazzaraxxsyn squeals in delight.

Hopefully things don't get switched to project 'mindblast' rothe. I rather like the way things are done now, just mindblast rothe.
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Re: Toril 2.0: Status Update

Postby daggaz » Thu Aug 28, 2008 4:18 pm

mynazzaraxxsyn wrote:
Shevarash wrote:
  • Illithids/Psionicists: We're completely revamping Illithids/Psionicists and while the basic psionic engine is complete, we're still working on adding the individual powers here.

Mynazzaraxxsyn squeals in delight.

Hopefully things don't get switched to project 'mindblast' rothe. I rather like the way things are done now, just mindblast rothe.



Aliases anybody?

Anyhow, sounds totally AWESOME Shev!! You are truly a God around here. =) Thanks for all the great work and dedication, I really can't wait to start mudding over here again.
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Re: Toril 2.0: Status Update

Postby Ssixar » Tue Sep 09, 2008 4:10 pm

Hi Shev.

Any chance of an update? Last post was end of May. Thanks! :)

I will try to provide at least a bi-weekly update on the development status as well as previews of new features/spells/feats/etc on a more frequent basis
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Re: Toril 2.0: Status Update

Postby flib » Wed Nov 05, 2008 6:26 am

couple months since the last post, in essence this is a bump but i'm wondering what since may has been accomplished on the list, thanks shev. waited a few days on a reply, I understand you're a busy man and you have a life, but when you say biweekly status updates and you don't produce at all with them can you see why it might make some people cynical? it's november 7'th last status report was may, 27'th. that's anything but bi-weekly.

shoot, give us bi-monthly.. cmon throw us a bone for crying out loud.
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Re: Toril 2.0: Status Update

Postby kwirl » Fri Dec 26, 2008 10:07 am

flib wrote:couple months since the last post, in essence this is a bump but i'm wondering what since may has been accomplished on the list, thanks shev. waited a few days on a reply, I understand you're a busy man and you have a life, but when you say biweekly status updates and you don't produce at all with them can you see why it might make some people cynical? it's november 7'th last status report was may, 27'th. that's anything but bi-weekly.

shoot, give us bi-monthly.. cmon throw us a bone for crying out loud.



Welcome to Toril! Enjoy your stay!
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Re: Toril 2.0: Status Update

Postby Malia » Thu Jun 17, 2010 9:15 pm

Shev started this post may 2008, and then it he was apologizing for being so short comming on info and long wait on 2.0 and would try to do better.

this is now June of 2010.. over 2year since it had already been a long wait...

Maybe instead of bi-monthly update like was suggested maybe we can get a bi-anual report and get one every other year until 2.0 is in?

ps... sorry someone asked me bout 2.0 so i had to do some digging to see what was the latest updates and just struck me funny. read all of the above with utter sarcasm!
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Re: Toril 2.0: Status Update

Postby Pril » Fri Jun 18, 2010 12:45 pm

Malia wrote:Shev started this post may 2008, and then it he was apologizing for being so short comming on info and long wait on 2.0 and would try to do better.

this is now June of 2010.. over 2year since it had already been a long wait...

Maybe instead of bi-monthly update like was suggested maybe we can get a bi-anual report and get one every other year until 2.0 is in?

ps... sorry someone asked me bout 2.0 so i had to do some digging to see what was the latest updates and just struck me funny. read all of the above with utter sarcasm!


This will be addressed in 2.0!
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Re: Toril 2.0: Status Update

Postby Adriorn Darkcloak » Fri Jun 18, 2010 6:32 pm

Viewing profile - Shevarash

Last visited: Fri May 14, 2010 12:02 am
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Re: Toril 2.0: Status Update

Postby Pril » Fri Jun 18, 2010 7:09 pm

Adriorn Darkcloak wrote:Viewing profile - Shevarash

Last visited: Fri May 14, 2010 12:02 am


Don't know if anyone else find this amusing but:

Viewing profile - Shar

Last visited: Sat Oct 10, 2009 4:46 pm

Viewing profile - Cyric

Last visited: Tue Jun 15, 2010 5:02 pm

Cyric has actually been on the boards more recently then Shar and Shev. I don't even know how to express how sad this is.
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Re: Toril 2.0: Status Update

Postby Gormal » Tue Sep 14, 2010 12:04 pm

Remeber when 2.0 time-frame promises lapsed into the ridiculous?

Me either.

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