Hello Folks, UPDATED July 10, 2010 --- We expect the release to be July 27th.
We are making headway, albeit slowly, with the next release of Prophesy of Pendor.
As some of you know I moved 2000 miles and took up a new job which has consumed my time over the last 9 months. I want to thank the development team for continuing to bring forth ideas, concepts, artwork, new companions, new dialogue, music and features as well as keeping these boards alive while I have had reduced attention to this project.
Especially I wanted to thank Fawzia dokhtar-i-Sanjar for stepping up and taking the reigns and running the 3.0 release. Guys.. it is her efforts that is making this next release a reality. Also thanks to Mad Vader, M0rdred and Noosers who are playing key roles in bringing this effort to life.
Some of the folks on the project have come and gone and new people have step up and joined us. This is normal and expected and all contributions will continue to live on as this project evolves. We have many exciting designs and improvements to Prophesy of Pendor to show you with this next release and beyond.
Our artists, have provided over 150 new unique models for this next release. These include primarily armor, helms, and horses with a few surprises as well. Our writers have been working diligently to improve and expand the dialogue, rumors and additional information available for consumption. Our designers have created many new features that we are working on in the background for release, once my time is freed up.
When we add new items, and new companions and new variables, this will necessitate a new game... so do not expect that the next releases will be save game compatible. It also means that a patch will not be possible, it will have to be a full download.
This is what we are designing/investigating now:
Here is what is planned on the immediate release list:
This is what is completed at this moment:
The general goal:
-To increase the amount of interesting encounters that they player can interact with.
-Raise the level of dynamic events so that the game map starts to change faster.
-Raise the level of difficulty by forcing the player to not generalize the various factional lords. ie.. give the factional lords more perceptible personality.
-Give the player more game events, and problems to work with during mid to late game stages of play.
- Increase the range of what is possible in the game.
- Increase replay value.
I reiterate that this Mod is not designed for the casual player, but for those who remember what a real game is about.. not just an entertainment experience, but a tough nut conceptually to crack and one that keeps you thinking about what to do even when you are not sitting at your computer playing the game.
These features and changes were selected as being the most effective implementations (time wise) to further our game goals. Please note that some changes were enacted by team members who were dedicated to a particular idea and are driving that concept to reality. All suggestions were and are evaluated in terms of cost - benefit.
While some of our design membership were/are/or will be professional game designers, artists and coders, this project is completed for the love of the craft and not designed, or anticipated to be designed, as a commercial venture. From the community relations people who comb these boards on a daily basis to answer questions, to the back room designers, artists, writers, quality specialists, and thought provocateurs we do this work for the joy of it.
Kindest regards,
Saxondragon
We are making headway, albeit slowly, with the next release of Prophesy of Pendor.
As some of you know I moved 2000 miles and took up a new job which has consumed my time over the last 9 months. I want to thank the development team for continuing to bring forth ideas, concepts, artwork, new companions, new dialogue, music and features as well as keeping these boards alive while I have had reduced attention to this project.
Especially I wanted to thank Fawzia dokhtar-i-Sanjar for stepping up and taking the reigns and running the 3.0 release. Guys.. it is her efforts that is making this next release a reality. Also thanks to Mad Vader, M0rdred and Noosers who are playing key roles in bringing this effort to life.
Some of the folks on the project have come and gone and new people have step up and joined us. This is normal and expected and all contributions will continue to live on as this project evolves. We have many exciting designs and improvements to Prophesy of Pendor to show you with this next release and beyond.
Our artists, have provided over 150 new unique models for this next release. These include primarily armor, helms, and horses with a few surprises as well. Our writers have been working diligently to improve and expand the dialogue, rumors and additional information available for consumption. Our designers have created many new features that we are working on in the background for release, once my time is freed up.
When we add new items, and new companions and new variables, this will necessitate a new game... so do not expect that the next releases will be save game compatible. It also means that a patch will not be possible, it will have to be a full download.
This is what we are designing/investigating now:
- Working on a future Port to Warband
Here is what is planned on the immediate release list:
Debug the 8th and 9th BETA version, and work out kinks in the new quests.
This is what is completed at this moment:
- NEW More mid/late game relevant quests that improve how you interact with your holdings. We have added 96 quests that originate with messages from the stewards and village elders of your holdings. Each quest has 4 different options on how to deal with it and the results depend upon the steward and player skills.
- NEW Expanded use of Qualis Gems to gain Better Armor and Weapons inclusive of Noldor Armor and Weapons and the ability to hire Noldor Troops.
- NEW New graphic town models for the Empire and D'shar Villages. We had to scale back the town models for the Warband port…
- NEW Even More Enhanced companion dialogue and interaction
- NEW Possible to Join Knighthood orders and once inducted, gain a full set of armor of the order
- NEW Improved the amount and variety of minor spawns. Increased this once again..
- NEW Created Mercenaries and included logic that sometimes the minor personalities (Adventure party types) will join faction Kings. Also sometimes the Leader of these mercenaries are parked in the castle and dialogue is possible with them to learn more about them.
- NEW Added new weapon models and new items and integrated those into the existing troops. We added even more with this update.. over 20 new weapon models making very distinctive look and feel for various factions.
- Improve the economic model so that it has more relevance to game play
- Modified Items based upon Models
- Added Kt0’s Auto-resolve and improving the logic behind it.
- Added Kt0’s Improved Auto-Loot.
- Added Death Cam.. so if you fall in battle your “view” can rove around the battle field
- Tabard Backs now correctly blends with Pop Banners for Heraldic Armors.
- Village Troop composition now determined by types of improvements at the location.
- Extensive work to remove old textures, sounds, resources to improve performance and overall size.
- Minor factions are harder to eliminate so they will last longer and be a factor into the mid to late game. Reduced the chance to get minor faction personality spawns.
- Main factional leaders (Kings, Dukes and some Barons or their respective equivalent) will have their own unique troops that will give a wider variance to the various factions and specific leaders. There are 36 unique Lords that have “non standard” troops.
- A new Knighthood Order that is Evil
- Deeper storyline that is found within the game itself.
- Knighthood Orders produce troops for NPC lords.. and create “Questing Knights” that can be found roaming around.
- Plugged holes so that the player cannot “rescue” troops over level 40… this increases difficulty
- new items, rebalance old items
- Revised trade routes to be more realistic.
- Tournaments are much more difficult than before.
- Modified the map to be more realistic, much more 3D and expanded the playable area.
- Cleaned up the map and removed the odd river between the Jatu and Noldor..
- Improved chances for traveler treasure maps.
- Improved chances for Red Brotherhood offers of troops..
- Change initial player relations to 0 for all towns, castles and villages..
- Implemented the new artwork and updated existing models and textures as provided by the Pop Artist Team.
- Changed color of the Adventure Parties and improved their membership.
- Militia Patrols and refugees are now the same faction as the village they come from.
- Some Signature Spawns now will create Vanguards and Patrols
- Signature Spawns are now listed as the Leader (using their tactics skill) of their respective party.
- More smaller minor spawns
- Improve the D'Shar troop tree line
- Implementing Noble Recruits that are generated from Towns and Castles that are used to train up to the elite troop tree lines.
- Adding an Achievements report page
- We will be adding new companions, and taking out a few others.
- Additional Music.. with enhanced logic as to when they are played.
- Improved rumors.
- Added new modifier for some items
The general goal:
-To increase the amount of interesting encounters that they player can interact with.
-Raise the level of dynamic events so that the game map starts to change faster.
-Raise the level of difficulty by forcing the player to not generalize the various factional lords. ie.. give the factional lords more perceptible personality.
-Give the player more game events, and problems to work with during mid to late game stages of play.
- Increase the range of what is possible in the game.
- Increase replay value.
I reiterate that this Mod is not designed for the casual player, but for those who remember what a real game is about.. not just an entertainment experience, but a tough nut conceptually to crack and one that keeps you thinking about what to do even when you are not sitting at your computer playing the game.
These features and changes were selected as being the most effective implementations (time wise) to further our game goals. Please note that some changes were enacted by team members who were dedicated to a particular idea and are driving that concept to reality. All suggestions were and are evaluated in terms of cost - benefit.
While some of our design membership were/are/or will be professional game designers, artists and coders, this project is completed for the love of the craft and not designed, or anticipated to be designed, as a commercial venture. From the community relations people who comb these boards on a daily basis to answer questions, to the back room designers, artists, writers, quality specialists, and thought provocateurs we do this work for the joy of it.
Kindest regards,
Saxondragon
