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.