As Matt pointed out on the Camelot Herald, there was not a Pendragon patch yesterday, but according to Sanya, there was today! It was a big one and includes a new thing I can't wait to try out...shapeshifting. Read on. Part one of version 1.41 is live on the test server. Please test out the changes and let us know what you think! =================================== Dark Age of Camelot Version 1.41 Test Release Notes Wednesday, January 9th, 2002 =================================== A NOTE ABOUT SHAPESHIFTING This version of Dark Age of Camelot introduces basic shapeshifting into the game. This type of shapeshifting changes a character's appearance - but it keeps his weapons and underlying combat skills. This is why the first round of shapeshifting - for Berserkers and Heroes - is limited to humanoid models that can hold weapons and do combat style animations. The second round of shapeshifting (coming in the near future) will allow the character to actually change into a beast by assuming the beast's form AND underlying combat characteristics. We'll announce which classes will receive this type of shapeshifting when the time comes. Be assured that we are not yet done with shapeshifting implementation. THIS WEEK We're going to do a few versions this week to Pendragon; 1.41 is merely the first of these. Expect more possibly later today and definitely by tomorrow. NEW THINGS AND BUG FIXES - Assassin classes can now receive the Climb ability, which lets the scale keep walls. You use this ability to infilrate into keeps before your Realm has broken down its doors. You will get Climb at your 25th train in the Stealth specialization. Once you have the Climb ability, you must walk around each keep until you find an area suitable to climb (there are a few per relic and frontier keep), and once you find the area, you may climb it as if it were a ladder. - Berserkers now change into a Bear-Person (i.e. a Vendo) when they go into their Berserker Frenzy. The Frenzy ability itself has not changed - we've simply added shapechanging to it. You will continue to hold your weapons, but you will not see your armor (although you are still wearing it). Please note that there is only one bear-person form - male and female berserkers will shapeshift into the same creature. - Hibernian Heroes have receieved a new ability - "Spirit of the Hunt". Whenever this ability is used, the Hero will shapeshift into a fearsome stag-headed Huntsman from Celtic Lore, and will receive bonus hit points. There are four different levels of of this ability: Initiate(15th level), Member(25th level), Leader(35th level), and Master(45th level). While in this form, the hero has increased hit points - +20% for the 15th level ability up to +50% for the 45th level ability. The ability lasts for thirty seconds - at the end of this time, the hero's maximum hits will return to normal, but he keeps any hit point gain from the ability in his current hits. The ability can be used once every 30 minutes played. Please note that there is only one Huntsman creature - male and female Heroes will both shapeshift into the same creature. - PLEASE NOTE THAT FOR WEDNESDAY, HEROS WILL SHAPECHANGE INTO VENDOS. THIS WILL BE CORRECTED BY THURSDAY AND HEROS WILL CORRECT CHANGE INTO STAGMEN. Also, please note that currently no sound or graphical effect will play when shapeshifting occurs. We'll have that done by tomorrow as well. And finally, your shapeshifting creature will be the same size as your normal player character - by tomorrow we'll have a fix that makes the beast you become substantially larger. WORLD NOTES Midgard Quests Quest – Brack - Rollo’s Story: Players are now instructed to return to their trainer in Jordheim, not in Mularn and Haggerfel. Also, Hunters can now complete the quest by speaking to Singrid in Jordheim. Quest – Bowyer’s Draw: Players will now only need to right-click on Hakon in Huginfell to complete the quest if your quest journal says ‘Talk to Hakon to see if he's finish crafting the bow.’ Quest – Sveawolf Guardian: The wounded sveawolf will now spawn neutral instead of aggressive. Quest – Cape of the mother wolf: Shadowblades may now do this quest. Speak to Sveck in East Svealand for details. Quest – Rogue Trainer Quest: Hauk will now reward rogues with experience in addition to money when they complete the Rogue Trainer quest. Quest – Venture to Gotar: This quest will no longer give out experience, only money. This quest was initially put in to compensate players facing the dangers of travelling from Galplen to Fort Atla at low levels (only vikings and seers that started in Galplen got this quest). With the addition of horses, traveling is safer and we felt it was no longer necessary to reward experience for this quest. Players will still receive 5 silver to compensate them for the cost of a horse ride. Quest – Hole of the Dead: Dwarves who have lost or dropped their house gift will now be able to get a new one (ONLY ONE!) from Frimeth in Vasudheim. Return to him and he will give you a new one, provided you have not killed any dwarf bone skeletons. Dwarves just starting the quest will be asked if they need a new house gift. Please do not lose the gift Frimeth gives you, because he will only give you one. Quest – Spat the Cat: Players that killed Spat, didn’t receive the object, and were stepped to a blank step will now see a journal entry for that step. Kill Spat again and you will receive the object and be placed on the correct step. Players already on step 3 will now receive the object from Spat when they kill him. Misc Midgard World Items: - Ulfgar for the Price of Excellence quest should be showing up more. - Baron Falwur is now associated with a quest rather than a one-time drop. Speak to Darrius in Fort Atla. - The Gythja of Bragi in Jordheim will no longer tell warriors to give her the Stormrider’s Hauberk if they already have the War Gauntlets in their inventory. - Object – Ring of the Stealthy. The Ring of the Stealthy no longer has a material type of cloth. - Level 40 guild track rewards are now ‘no sell’. - Shields have been added as a choice for all level 40 guild track quests. A large shield had been added for warriors, a medium shield for thanes, a small shield for skalds, berserkers, shadowblades and hunters, and a different small shield for shamans and healers. If you wish you exchange your weapon for a shield, speak to Mildrid in Haggerfel. Players may only exchange their weapon for a shield once! - The boundary of Vasudheim has been adjusted so that all the buildings are included in the region. Albion Quests Quest: Hidden Insurrection: A left-hand sword for Mercenaries has been added to the list of rewards for this quest. Mercenaries who have completed this quest can return to Captain Rhodri at the Snowdonia border keep to obtain a one time swap of their quest item. Quest: Departed Fellowship: A two-handed crushing weapon, and two-handed thrusting weapon for Paladins has been added to the list of rewards for this quest. Paladins who chose the Greatsword of Eternal Virtue can visit their trainers in Camelot to obtain a one time swap of their quest item. Quest: Craft of Retribution: A two-handed crushing weapon, two-handed thrusting weapon, crushing polearm, and thrusting polearm for Armsmen has been added to the list of reward for this quest. Armsmen who chose the Great Axe of Retribution or the Bardiche of Retribution can visit Captain Leri at the Snowdonia border keep to obtain a one time swap of their quest item. Quest: Bedelia's Grief: Players who were stuck at step 1 or 2 of this quest can now turn in Barnett's portrait as indicated in their journal to proceed. Quest: The Walelden's Pendant: Fixed a keyword issue when players were interacting with Fianya. Please NOTE that players on this quest will now be dealing strictly with Eiddin. Hibernia Quests Quest: Sile’s Sight: Heroes can now do the Sile's Sight Quest. Quest: The Feud: Casters who completed "The Feud" quest can turn in their staff to Lasrina for a class-specific staff. Non-casters who completed "The Feud" can turn their staff in for coin. Quest: The Lost Townsfolk of Bran Llyr: Heroes that have completed the level 40 portion of their guild track and chose a shield can turn in their medium shield to Kimba in exchange for a large shield. Midgard Monsters Werewolves: We fixed a faction bug with many of the werewolves and wolfaur of Midgard, who were set to an incorrect faction. Be careful travelling, as all werewolves should now be honoring the correct alliances, and previously safe travel may now be unsafe. Dungeon Change, Varulvhamm: Some minor tweaks have been made to Varulvhamn, most of which affect the lunarian chamber. Soloing there may become more difficult. Hibernia Monsters - A bug was found with the path of the Unseelie Envoy and his escort. His escorts and stallions should no longer decide that the trip to the Bog is not worth their time and cross through Innis to return home. This group may now also show up during the day or night (previously, he only came out in the day). - The cliff dwellers were previously seen gathering on the shores of Moher in a massive packs to witness a spectacle that seemed to baffled outsiders. Apparently, the spectacle has passed, and they will now continue along their daily routine. SPELL SYSTEM NOTES - All spells were gone through and ranges made consistent. No spell was reduced in range, but many were increased, in order to be consistent with spells from other casters, and in some cases with spells from other Realms. The following spells had their ranges increased: Shift Health, Reflect Attack, Inflict Minor Forgetfulness, Wake Senseless, Fungal Dispersion, Grasping Creepers, Fungal Covering, Minor Earthen Power, Minor Shield of Magma, Renew Spirit, Spirit Flow, Hugin's Affliction, Lesser Mind Jolt, Summon Fire, Minor Combustion, Minor Raven Bolt, Misleading Rapture, Minor Lullaby, Detect Flaw, Encourage Aggression, Convert Spirit, Persuade Will. - Fixed bug with resistance debuff on Searing Wind line and Minor Raven Bolt. These should properly debuff resistance now. OBJECT NOTES - All magic item drop rates for dungeons were tuned down slightly, while all drop rates for surface magic items were tuned up slightly. Dungeon drop rates are still higher than surface drop rates overall. - Some of Bri Lieth's denizens were itemized (level 10-20). - The Cap of Mind Bending can now be dyed. - Mantle of bear-like visage can now be dyed. - The Singed Fellwood Shield had the class restrictions removed. Now only classes that can use large shields can equip it. It now raises Strength and Constitution instead of Piety. - The Jewel Dusted Robe now raises the Mentalism skill instead of Mind. - The Ancient Oak Longbow now raises the Longbow skill instead of bow. - The Glowing Sherrie beads is now set with its correct level. - The Rangers Charm should have its correct level now. - The Encrusted Truesilver necklace should have its correct level now. - The Eir Blessed Tunic now can take enamel dyes. - The Reincarnated Femur War Maul now has a 2 handed hammer graphic. - The Ebony Axe of Mindless Rage now raises Strength instead of Berserk. - The Gauntlets of Black Death now raises Strength instead of Celtic Dual Wield. - Winter's Spears now "proc" for appropriate level Hunters. - The "Spirit Threaded Cloak" (cabalist quest reward) now take emblems. - The Riva hauberk (Midgard) can be dyed.