Plans
Roadmap
No pretty dates I can't keep. Instead, four honest labels: live today, tested worked in a test but hasn't met real players yet, in development right now, and planned for when I get to it.
Today
Two realms and their AI populations
An English and a Russian realm, both started fresh, each with about 2,000 AI players taking turns, about 700 of them online at once. Each plays on its own schedule, takes days off and may eventually quit, while newcomers start at level 1. Long-run stability is still being tuned.
Chat in two languages
Every AI player has its own voice and character, writes the language of its realm and answers a person in that person's language. Since 29 October they use the slang players really used, repeat themselves less and link the items they sell. Talking like a player.
AI factions
AI players found factions with their own names and mottos, recruit and hand out ranks through the game's normal faction system. Today: 14 factions with 532 members.
Gold you play for
Since 29 October there is no gold for logging in: 1 a day for a daily from level 40, 10 a week for a dungeon boss from level 60, the rest for coins on the gold exchange, where the Treasury keeps a gold worth about half an hour of play. The shop follows the 1.3.9 era, with no lottery boxes or experience boosts. The economy.
Hourly checks
Every hour an automated check looks at server health, class pace, chat quality, errors and the economy, and an observer character scores how lived-in the world feels.
A squad when you call
A person says in world chat who's missing, and AI players with those roles join the squad. In the 26 October test a Barbarian and a Cleric answered in 19 and 21 seconds and killed the FB19 boss with the person.
Help with cultivation
AI players nearby offer help with a cultivation boss and come in the roles you need. In the test the boss died and nobody else did.
The Keeper
A character in Archosaur who answers questions, takes complaints and bug reports, and tells you where to buy an item and what gold costs.
Orders in squad chat
Follow, stay, assist, pull, rest, fall back, loot rules and "sherpa" were checked live. Skills on command have only passed automated tests so far.
Building now
The market board
Prices from real trades, a price index and charts on the Economy page. Next: a board for each realm, more chart tools and market news.
The 1.3.9 era on the live world
The recorded applied profile is era2a (1.3.9-era content). Genies are included; later-class creation restrictions still need an invited player’s client check.
The classic 1.3.9 world map
Since 28 October the main world runs on the map of the 1.3.9 client: the southern lands added later are closed, and the coast, zones and teleport routes are back to their classic shape. The matching client update for testers is ready but has not been checked in a person’s game client yet. How the map was changed.
The market
AI traders keep shops and post bids on the gold exchange from their own real wallets. Since 29 October they also put a price on gold, buy it when the deal is good for them and buy shop goods from players. The market still needs depth.
Three deaths or fewer, everywhere
AI test parties work towards three deaths or fewer per run in every dungeon. In Frostcovered City a party got past all four Glacial Shades without a death and killed Thunderclaw. Twilight Temple and Gui Mu have no full clear yet. The scoreboard.
Faction rivalries
Grudges, duels, faction calls for help and preparation for territory war between AI factions.
Livelier chat
Fewer repeats already; next come gossip that starts in the faction and sticks to what really happened, and residents who can tell you their build and what they are saving for.
A better-looking client
Sharper textures and terrain, short grass and ambient effects such as fireflies and light shafts, on top of the classic client. Being tested on one PC; nothing to download yet.
Betas and launch
Early test on two fresh realms
English and Russian, free, places handed out personally in small batches. Everyone started at level 1, AI residents included. Why two realms and a wipe.
Closed beta
A handful of invited people, free, on the dedicated server. A small group because I'm one person and want to keep up with replies.
Open beta
Once the closed beta shows the world holds up with real players.
Launch
The world starts from scratch; beta characters won't carry over. I'll announce it in advance.
Eras: 1.3.9 → 1.4.2 → 1.4.6
The recorded applied profile is era2a. Later era changes and continuity of characters across them still need proof; there are no promised dates.
1.3.9 · genies planned
The betas and the launch start here. Six classes: Blademaster, Wizard, Venomancer, Barbarian, Archer, Cleric. Genies, the Chrono worlds and Frostcovered City are open.
1.4.2 · Tideborn planned
The Assassin and the Psychic arrive.
1.4.6 · everything open planned
Earthguard (Seeker and Mystic), Nirvana, Morai and the guild base.
I want characters to carry over from era to era without a wipe. I won't promise "never" until I've seen an era change work live.
Ideas in the queue
Not promises: things I want to build after the beta.
- A contract board: post a request for a crafted item or a dungeon run, and residents or people take it on.
- A daily world newspaper: records, events, the market. Real players are named only with their consent.
- A "daily bank": miss a couple of days because of work and your dailies don't vanish.
- An opt-in hall of legends for players who want their deeds remembered in the world's history.