EQ2Emu Project - 2014 Planning

[John Adams]

First, the private discussion -

*Based on 2013 Plan*

I'm a little late this year (2013) with getting our next years plan in order, but it's been a super busy year for all teammates. I want to give a special shout-out to theFoof, a new teammate in 2013 who not only redesigned Content Design, but built us the best functioning zone the project has ever had. theFoof has also stepped up to implementing C++ code as needed to build his amazing zone: Frostfang Sea. Well done, theFoof - our MVP this year

First, let's look at our friend; the Systems Matrix! Let's update this first, then I can start laying out a timeline in the Project Status module. This is not a priority list! Just a global "To Do".

X = completed, or as far as we're taking it for Alpha
C = Almost complete
S = Started, needs work

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[list]Major systems	
[list] Alternate Advancement
[ ] Arena
[ ] Battlegrounds
[ ] Dungeon Builder/Finder
[C] Instancing
 Loot / Smart, tiered
[ ] Map (fog)
[C] Pets
[ ] PvP
[C] Tradeskills[/list]
Minor systems	
[list] /Claim
 Achievement system
[ ] Calendar? WTF?
[X] Collection Quests
[C] Damage Calcs
[ ] Deity Blessings/Miracles
[ ] Guild Housing
[C] Implied Targets
 Knowledge Book (Research, sorting)
[X] Macros
[ ] Mentoring/Chronomancy
[C] Persona (DoV+ options)
[C] Player housing (Instancing)
[C] Racial Traits/Training/Traditions (just needs data)
[ ] Research Assistants
[X] Scribing
[ ] Slayer Tracking (Leaderboards/Achievements)
[ ] Player/Guild Status 
[ ] Storyteller System
[X] Titles
[X] Weather
[ ] Zone Reuse timers[/list]
Add-on functionality	
[list] LFG/LFM/LFW
 Additional LUA functionalities (catch all)
[ ] Appearance Slots
[ ] Conditional Events
[ ] Cross-server chat
 Discovery XP (Achievements)
 Flying/Transportation Mounts
 Group combat perks/functionality
[ ] Guild Banks
[X] Guild Recruiting
[X] Languages
[C] Mail (Items/Coin functionality) 
[X] Merchants (status and token functionality)
[X] Private Chat Channels
 Quest Functionality (Group, shared, etc)
[ ] Raid groups
 Spell Functionality
 Waypoints
[ ] Zone Access Flags[/list]
Revamps	
[list][C] Combat
[C] Groundspawn/Harvesting
 Items (CoE Validation)
 Loot (Smart loot, chest drops, shinies!)
[C] Spawn Movement
 Teleport Portals (replace Bell system)
 XP[/list]
Additional Nice-to-Haves
[list][ ] Collision Detection (Zone Geometry)[/list]
Database Changes
[list][ ] Spliting Dynamic and Static Databases[/list]
Program Changes
[list][ ] Reconfiguring .ini files
[ ] Splitting of Login/Zone/World exes[/list][/list]

Everquest II, as a game, has evolved so much over the last few years, I realize there are some things that are impractical to implement - and likely not even possible. Such as:

• Marketplace
• Voice Chat
• Krono
• ???

We can add anything we do not intend to implement to this list, just so there are no expectations.


I think this post is still the wish list heading into 0.7.2 cycle. Don't faint. It doesn't all have to be done, just picking some things and doing them. Remember: For "BETA 0.8", we'll need *all* major systems implemented, which at our current rate will be sometime in late 2016

I think you can see by this post, most of our 0.7 goals have been reached. Yay! Slow, but we did it.

Current BUGS can be found HERE, and many still need to be addressed. Content bugs can probably be ignored, but remember them while developing content in this next DB/Content Milestone phase.


Full listing of archived Priority posts:

• 0.7.3 Planning (CURRENT)
  0.7.2 Planning
  0.7.1 Planning
  Push to version 0.7.0
  "Priorities" threads
  Master Systems List- What We Have Left
  Preliminary 0.8.0 Wish List
  0.7.0 and DB Milestone 1
  0.7 Priorities / Wish Lists

Anything from here down is either completed or obsolete/redesigned

• 0.6 Priorities
  Emu Priorities
  Priority List
  Priorities (Jan '09)
  Task Priority

The next post will be about changes to the project direction in general.

[John Adams]

The 0.7.3 cycle should be 6 months long (though I still will not hold you to a deadline, ever), and will look something like this:

• [Link] Project Manager 0.7.3 Plan

This list is pretty huge, and is negotiable. I need you to review it and respond below with what you think is achievable in the 6 month window I am allocating for 0.7.3 (that is a release date of July 2014).


Year 2014: Primary Tasks
As for general "Priorities" for the whole of next year (remember this is not just 0.7.3), this is still my primary wishlist:

• Content, Content, Content:
  Content absolutely must be #1 priority next to maintaining client compatibility.
  
  • The Big Content Decision: Devaztation Plan
    Devaztation, a new team member as of Nov 2013, presented us with a brilliant alternative (here); he suggested instead of doing all T1 zones, that we build out content from level 1 - 50. We all agreed, so this is the content effort heading into 2014. I am hoping that after theFoof's content and code efforts in Frostfang, all new content will flow a lot quicker. It will also help if there's more than 1 guy doing it
    
    Project Manager for Content: I have updated all the zones from Devaztation's content flow chart. Check it out, and claim what you are working on, and keep the progress updated.
  Spells, Spells, Spells:
  Spells have been completely wiped out and started over again in DB Milestone 2. I have worked extensively on updating the DB editor with features to make getting 45,000+ spells and tiers ready for player use. This is a huge effort, and I am sure I will need some help.
  
  Items, Items, Items:
  Items did NOT get validated fully in 2013, so this will continue into next year. I will continue my efforts on syncing our items list data with those found on the SOE API. Meanwhile, Items appear nice and work, so the only thing I think may be missing *due to CoE collections) is the Channeler class usage - which I should be able to update directly from SOE.

Secondary Tasks:
Other tasks, by priority (taken from this post):

• Immediate - By this, I mean we should finish these before starting yet another new system
  • Resists - convert Emu from 7 resists to 3
  • Character History In Progress
  • Group Combat \ Implied Target \ Spells In Progress
  • Instancing In Progress
  • Item Effects - things like clickies and procs (?)
  • Disco\POI rewards DONE!
  • (added) Heroic Opportunities - why haven't we done this yet?

• Critical - Stuff that's been lingering, and should be finalized
  • Guild Recruiting - client display and photo
  • Collecting (harvest loot window)
  • Housing (access-only) DONE![/color]
  • (from 0.7.2) Combat \ Damage In Progress
  • (from 0.7.2) Pet's \ Charmed and UI In Progress Fix CoE/ToV Client

• Medium - "nice to have's"
  • Get the Achievement MasterList to load faster DONE!
  • Achievements - storage in Char History tables
  • Character Development \ Heroic, Prestige, Tradeskill, Tradeskill Prestige
  • Mail Items (and coin?)
  • Tradeskills - Respec DONE! with LUA
  • (from 0.7.2) Food \ Consumption and stats In Progress (does this work now?)
  • (from 0.7.2) Pet's \ Hide non-combat DONE!

• Low - Stuff that will continue to slide
  • Achievements - UI links, Progress counters, Summary pages
  • (from 0.7.2) Pet's - Deity and Fluff DONE!

Finalize Systems:
These things must be completed before we start something new. I will hold you to it this time, no distractions. Finish or fix these in any order you see fit -- Current Server Functionality list

Implementing New Systems:
If we start something new, let's be sure it's something we can complete so your time is not wasted.

---

Discuss, this is a rough plan that will be changed based on YOUR input.
Understand not all suggestions will be accepted, but all will be considered.


Once we agree on a task list for 2014, I will move this thread to Server Development (public) and Sticky it for reference.

[thefoof]

Looks fine, I'm pretty sure Zcoretri did finish up food/drink consumption the spellscripts just need to be updated for the new spell data.

[Devaztation]

Looks good to me

[Jabantiz]

I agree content needs to be a top priority again, as well as server functionality to support content, like a knockdown function for spells.

As for the server core I think we need to focus on the important stuff for players like continuing tweaks to combat equations and implementing equations for stuff like block and mitigation. I agree HO's should be a top priority followed by the new classes. I think AA's are also important as they add a lot to the game, however I know many people have expressed the interest in a server without so they are not that high of a priority and we should think of a rule to disable AA's all together.

Character history has a basic structure in place and I believe it can be developed as we need it and no need to devote time to having it cover everything when we won't be using it anytime soon.

Achievements are a nice to have IMO, however they don't really add to much to the game and think there is more important stuff to work on, don't think they should be part of 7.3, or even 7.4.

Mercenaries are another nice to have, might be better sooner rather then later do to the lack of players we have, they would help with the more difficult content. The cycle before mercs are added we need to rework the way groups work however. Groups were never designed to have non players in them and require client pointers to function properly. There is also another portion in the character sheet that effects the group window, might effect the raid windows as well, that we need to identify.

Finally I think there are still improvements to be made with AI, mainly allowing them to buff. While more content side then server core I think we should work on some of the "ring events" and the non straight forward encounters in the zones we are developing to make things more interesting, maybe work on deathfist citadel or nek castle as our only group zone for now. Maybe even a custom zone where we can show off what the emu is capable of?

[thefoof]

Achievements are a nice to have IMO, however they don't really add to much to the game and think there is more important stuff to work on, don't think they should be part of 7.3, or even 7.4.

I agree with that wholeheartedly. I also agree with what Jab said about features that enhance a player's experience should be highest priority as far as the server goes.

[brag]Also I saw the Trans-Siberian Orchestra 3rd row at eye level on the frontman's side last night. Was amazing.[/brag]

[John Adams]

Yup, full agreement with Jabantiz. I can make some adjustments to ProjMan to be in line with his thoughts. 2nd only to Content, is my [ongoing] desire to complete systems 100%. Eg, get those scraggly little annoyances done like emailing item attachments, guild recruiting, and anything left dangling during the 2012/2013 implementations.

I DEFINITELY like the idea of Mercs. I just figured they were out-of-reach currently, but if this is your desire, I'd put it topwards of the implementations for 2014. You're right, having pets + mercs would help tremendously with the player experience in our new content direction - level's 1 - 50, and hopefully a dungeon or 2. Instancing, only to support the content, would be nice too.

I am going to need LOTS of help with Spells, and will write up my How-To's asap so hopefully a couple of you can take a class and configure a few levels. The reason I want more than just me doing this is so a) more of you know what it involves and b) we'll discover server support needed quickly and between Jab and Foof, they could provide code quickly.


Note:
As for my previous request for "staying on target, no renegade actions", I have retracted that request... because truthfully, I cannot control anything - much to my chagrin. My time coming in 2014 may be extremely limited, up to the possibility of me not being involved here anymore. Not completely sure what purpose I serve anyway short of running the website, so I doubt it will be a big loss. Regardless, you all are doing a great job, Emu is progressing nicely, and I have the utmost confidence you will continue to do so in 2014. Consider the above a "guideline"

[Jabantiz]

Yup, full agreement with Jabantiz. I can make some adjustments to ProjMan to be in line with his thoughts. 2nd only to Content, is my [ongoing] desire to complete systems 100%. Eg, get those scraggly little annoyances done like emailing item attachments, guild recruiting, and anything left dangling during the 2012/2013 implementations.

Something else I thought of is player trading, so players don't have to rely on mail, when it is working, to send items to each other. Not that high of a priority though, probably only need to look into it after we get a few tiers of spells done as I doubt there will be many players before that.

I DEFINITELY like the idea of Mercs. I just figured they were out-of-reach currently, but if this is your desire, I'd put it topwards of the implementations for 2014. You're right, having pets + mercs would help tremendously with the player experience in our new content direction - level's 1 - 50, and hopefully a dungeon or 2. Instancing, only to support the content, would be nice too.

The hardest part about mercs, that I see, will be rewriting the group code. After that it is setting up the packets and a few timers, the rest is mostly like a pet. As for instancing it should me functional, few tweaks to make it live like but would like more testing done with them before I start adding more stuff on making the code more complex, easy to trouble shoot core problems this way.

I am going to need LOTS of help with Spells, and will write up my How-To's asap so hopefully a couple of you can take a class and configure a few levels. The reason I want more than just me doing this is so a) more of you know what it involves and b) we'll discover server support needed quickly and between Jab and Foof, they could provide code quickly.

I am more then willing to help with spell scripts when you are ready, they should be easy for me compared to digging around in the server core and will provide a nice distraction when I get stumped on something.

[thefoof]

I am going to need LOTS of help with Spells, and will write up my How-To's asap so hopefully a couple of you can take a class and configure a few levels. The reason I want more than just me doing this is so a) more of you know what it involves and b) we'll discover server support needed quickly and between Jab and Foof, they could provide code quickly.

I am more then willing to help with spell scripts when you are ready, they should be easy for me compared to digging around in the server core and will provide a nice distraction when I get stumped on something.

Ditto

[Zcoretri]

I am going to need LOTS of help with Spells, and will write up my How-To's asap so hopefully a couple of you can take a class and configure a few levels. The reason I want more than just me doing this is so a) more of you know what it involves and b) we'll discover server support needed quickly and between Jab and Foof, they could provide code quickly.

I am more then willing to help with spell scripts when you are ready, they should be easy for me compared to digging around in the server core and will provide a nice distraction when I get stumped on something.

Ditto

Ditto the Ditto

[John Adams]

Cleaned up and moved this post to public for Community input, if any. I'll merge the suggested changes into the master plan soon as I get time.

Otherwise, any additional thoughts, please post them here for reference throughout the year.