As many of you who've been following the process of gamesystem development
over the past months will know - and keenly anticipate - there is a
denouement to the evolution of various skills and combat-system referred
to as the \"battlefield/balancing phase\". This is basically a few weeks
after all the significant / low-level and front-line additions have
been made across all professions... and focus shifts onto a period
of intensive all-out fighting (individual and group).
I have updated the SESSIONS command to give detailed info about the
battlefield/balancing phase - and the intentions for the leftover
gamesystem additions (over the next week). I'm happy to go through
things one on one but suggest professions discuss together and
let any \"representative\" who ends up listed for a scheduled fighting
session know your bugbears, perceived imbalances, etc.
The battlefield/balancing phase will consist of a lot of informal
combat and certain group battles - some in and some out of the
arena (or equivalent). We'll also be putting in two gemquests to
encourage everyone to strive hard to push their skills to the
limit. The end of this phase will be signalled by the questing
of the Divine Ruby (the gem of war) in a contest of violent
competitive fighting and strategic conflict.
Let me add: it won't be the case that the end of the battlefield
phase signals the end of any development, or that Avalon will be 100%
balanced and bug-free (ahem). More that we'll make great strides towards
that goal and thereafter additions will be softly integrated into the
overall system and ongoing bugs, exploits/loopholes and balance will
be more meticulously maintained. It needs the battlefield phase,
however, where everyone is hurling themselves into the melee (or
whichever strategy is employed) that'll give me the all-angles
insight to judge the gamesystem as it has been implemented: what
works, what doesn't, what balances, what needs tweaking, where more
info needs to be given in an ability-help, where a skill's progression
of abilities needs a reshuffling, etc etc.
Full details will be found when you type SESSIONS. The \"battlefield
and balancing\" phase will begin on Wednesday June 4th and will include
two gem quests. The ruby gem quest will signal the end of the phase and
is likely to be June 22nd or June 23rd (a weekend). Details will be
posted here and on the News BB.
Written by my hand on the 12th of Mournsend, in the year 1309.