Dear Gamemasters and Tutors,

surprise - the summer update is not as far away as you might have thought.
The private test server for this update will go online within a short time and opened to all gamemasters and senators as well as to those tutors who have been with us for at least a few weeks now (those who joined the team BEFORE 23.05.2007). The data was taken from 12.06.2007 reboot time, just so you know if you should have changed your password in the meantime.

As you already know when you read our teasers, there are several new islands in the cold north of Tibia including many new monsters, quests and features that need to be tested thoroughly. We also made some major steps concerning vocation balancing and you will find many of your suggestions implemented, such as revising the battle and magic system to make things a lot fairer. As already said elsewhere, we are well aware that there is still a lot of balancing work to do, but we can only do one step at a time - so don't see this as a finalised balancing.


Please read the following instructions on how to join the test server and the testing agenda carefully. Report all bugs you find with ctrl + z in-game. Typical bugs include:

- Graphical errors (e.g. broken graphics, blue pixels, wrong automap colors)
- Map errors (e.g. broken ground textures, broken wall parts)
- Feature errors (e.g. item doesn't work like it is supposed to)
- Object errors (e.g. a takeable tree, walkable stone)
- NPC errors (e.g. something is bought for more money than it is sold)
- Text errors (e.g. typos, misspellings, non-suitable name for an object)
- Quest errors (e.g. dead ends in the quest line)

In cases of client crashes ("Tibia Error - Debug Assertion" ) please click "Send" in the "Error Report" dialog which appears when you start the client the next time after the crash happened. If possible please enter a comment in the appropriate field before clicking "Send" because any hint on what you did right before the crash will greatly help in fixing the reason for the crash.

Lastly, during the last testing phases you did a really good job with organising a thread in which all previously reported bugs were listed and kept up-to-date for a quick overview. This was a big help for everyone, so it would be greatly appreciated if one of you with some spare time on his or her hands could manage such a thread again. You can also use this thread to ask whether something should be reported as a bug or not. I will regularily inform you when major bugs have been fixed. Thank you!

- to be continued - do not post!
________________
Don't shoot the messenger.
14.06.2007 15:18:39
Edited by Chayenne
on 14.06.2007 15:58:38

Quote

Chayenne
Customer Support

Inhabitant of Antica
Profession: None
Level: 1

Posts: 1411


1. How to join the testserver

Forget all you know about how to set up the client to join the test server - this summer it will be different! The client for this test server can only be downloaded here:

Windows Client
Linux Libc6 Client

(note: please be so kind and don't spread those URLs to people who can't enter the test server anyway)

There is no need to make a copy of your regular Tibia, there is no "network options" dialog anymore and there are no automatic patches. Actually this test server client is handled as a different application ("Tibia Testserver" vs "Tibia" ). There even is no need to worry to "destroy" your regular Tibia client: the test server client will in no way interfere with your regular Tibia client (...and in case it would do please report that as a bug!).

The Windows installation script is pretty much self-explanatory, simply download it, run it and follow the on-screen instructions. Afterwards you should have an icon called "Tibia Testserver" on your desktop. Doubleclick that and log in.

The Linux package must be unpacked by yourself using the command "tar xfz tibiatestserver8-lin6.tgz". A new folder named "TibiaTestserver" will be created which contains the client and its supporting files. Switch to that folder, run the binary "Tibia" and log in.

Since the test server client is handled as a different application you neither have the configuration file (Tibia.cfg) nor the automap files (*.map) from your regular Tibia. If you want you could manually copy those files - but be informed that the locations of those files have changed!

For more technical informations (incl. new locations of configuration file and automap files) please have a look at the appropiate thread by Akananto.


2. New Areas (and Unlockable Areas)

This update features six large new islands to the north of the old Ice Islands. At first, you can only access the main island "Hrodmir" with its human settlement "Svargrond", the huge Formorgar glacier hunting grounds and some barbarian camps via ship from the nearby cities or via carpet. The inhabitants of Svargrond will at first treat you as a stranger and you will not be able to get very far, but there are many NPCs which will give you hints and small quests to unlock the other isles. You should definitely check out the guards, as they provide valuable information on how to proceed in this area and reach the other islands. I will not spoil here how exactly to reach each new area, but you will find some small clues on where you might start in the quest section of this agenda.

The new areas are:
- Hrodmir (with the settlement Svargrond and the barbarian camps Ragnir, Bittermor and Krimhorn)
- Nibelor
- Grimlund (with the Chakoya settlement Inukaya)
- Helheim
- Okolnir
- Tyrsung (with the mountain Jotunar and the hidden Frozen Trench)

We have also revised the old ice islands on the surface and underground with the new snowy graphics, so you should definitely stop by.

Once you have reached an area, preferably try to explore it completely - meaning there shouldn't be any black spots left on your map. While you are in Svargrond, please check the following things:
- Use every single depot box once
- Use the new mailboxes and check whether the mail arrives at its proper destination (especially mail sent to Svargrond!)
- Make Svargrond your home city (note that this is only possible after fulfilling a special requirement, so NOT possible from Rookgaard), die to see if you start in Svargrond again
- Use doors, ladders and stairs and see if they work correctly
- Are all lightsources (those can can be turned on and off) reachable?
- Can you get close enough to all signs to read them?


- to be continued - do not post!
________________
Don't shoot the messenger.
14.06.2007 15:19:45
Edited by Chayenne
on 14.06.2007 15:33:54

Quote

Chayenne
Customer Support

Inhabitant of Antica
Profession: None
Level: 1

Posts: 1411


3. New NPCs

Please have a conversation with the following NPCs. Depending on their function, check if e.g. buying/selling single and multiple items or exchanging money works as it should. Please note that you cannot talk to all NPCs without solving a few quests.

+ Hrodmir and surroundings
- Bertha (tool trader)
- Breezelda (captain)
- Buddel (captain)
- Dankwart (tavern owner)
- Eirik (guard)
- Fynn (guard)
- Halvar (arena leader)
- Hawkyr (paladin trainer)
- Iskan (questgiver, dogsled musher)
- Iyad (carpet pilot)
- Kjesse (shaman/priest)
- Janz (furniture store)
- Jessica (juweller)
- Lurik (questgiver)
- Nelly (post office clerk)
- Robert (weapon and armor trader)
- Nor (quest NPC)
- Romir (sorcerer trainer)
- Sirik (guard)
- Sven the younger (questgiver)
- Thorwulf (knight trainer)

+ Nibelor
- Nilsor (dog sled musher)
- Hjaern (druid trainer, questgiver)
- Siflind (questgiver)

+ Grimlund
- Sinatuki (outcast chakoya)

+ Helheim
- Buddel (captain)

+ Okolnir
- Buddel (captain)

+ Tyrsung
- Buddel (captain)
- Baltim (weapon, armor trader)
- Zora (tool trader)


4. New Monsters

Please find and kill the following new monsters - actually you should stumble over all of them automatically while exploring the new areas. Check if they are too strong for the area where you have found them. Are all corpses displayed correctly in all decay states? Are the corpses (not) movable or (not) takeable according to their size and weight? Does anything seem strange about their loot?

- frost dragon (2100)
- penguin (1)
- chakoya tribewarden (40)
- chakoya toolshaper (40)
- chakoya windcaller (48)
- braindeath (985)
- barbarian skullhunter (85)
- barbarian bloodwalker (195)
- barbarian brutetamer (110)
- barbarian headsplitter (85)
- frost giant (150)
- frost giantess (150)
- husky (0)
- ice golem (295)
- silver rabbit (0)
- crystal spider (900)
- ice witch (580)
- mammoth (160)

On a sidenote: killing huskies which belong to the settlement will not especially amuse some inhabitants of Svargrond, so maybe you should restrict your masskilling tests to some wild huskies instead of the settlers' valuable animals... unless you are curious about the consequences, which of course also need to be tested, but pay attention not to overdo it.


Of course, there are also numerous new raids which might surprise anyone who walks around the islands unprepared, so watch out! If you should dare and step into the arena, you will of course also encounter a lot of new bossmonsters ranging from easy to very hard difficulty, but I will not spoil them here - find out for yourselves!

- to be continued - do not post!
________________
Don't shoot the messenger.
14.06.2007 15:20:19

Quote

Chayenne
Customer Support

Inhabitant of Antica
Profession: None
Level: 1

Posts: 1411


5. New Outfits

We have implemented a fitting new outfit for this area with its everlasting winter including two addons. If you complete the main questline, you will eventually unlock it and learn how to get the addons for it.

There is also a new outfit for Community Manager characters to be able to distinguish them better from Gamemasters. Of couse, this outfit cannot be chosen by normal characters.


6. New Quests

a) Area Quests

As previously mentioned, you need to solve questlines to unlock all of the new areas. Here are a few hints on where you might start looking for quests:

- Becoming one of them: Find the tavern in Svargrond and try to pass the barbarian test to be accepted in the Svargrond community.
- Reaching Nibelor: Outside the village you might find someone able to transport you over the shelf ice... for a favour, of course.
- Reaching Okolnir and Tyrsung: Some shamans require your help... during this quest, someone drunken enough might bring you there.
- Reaching Grimlund: This is only possible if you someone manage to unlock a means of transportation as reward for a quest
- Reaching Helheim: Earn the trust of the shamans, and you will eventually be sent on this dangerous mission.
- Reaching Deeper Formorgar: It is said that the shamans and the explorer society are involved in this matter, but they need to trust you first.
- Reaching Frozen Trench: Do you have experience with undersea exploring? Then it might be worth trying to get a special mission from the explorer society!

b) Outfit and Addon Quests
- Solve the main quest line, and you will automatically stumble across the new norse outfit.
- The addons for this outfit can be earned through different means, but will not be spoiled here.

c) Other
- The explorer society has some new missions for you, so check out the local representative once you are accepted in Svargrond.
- There is a female Chakoya in a cave who speaks a strange language... riddle fans out there, have fun!

It would be advisable to test all quests with two people at the same time - the first one always receives the mission objectives and solves the tasks, while the second one just accompanies him or her without receiving mission objectives and should not be able to do anything in the questline. When an addon quest is solved, make sure that the correct addon (and only this addon!) is unlocked.

d) Challenges
If you have read our arena teaser, you already know what this is all about - fight your way through ten rooms and defeat all bossmonsters one on one to earn unique rewards and read your name on a statue. Your friends can watch and cheer you from above, but won't be able to interfere, so make sure you enter well prepared. The NPC Halvar in the arena will allow you to participate in the fight for a fee once you are a honorary barbarian. Listen to the rules he tells you and follow them. If you are still unexperienced, you should first try out the Greenhorn mode. With sufficient supplies, even characters around level 20 can beat this difficulty. The Scrapper and the Warlord mode however require quite some skill and experience, so don't be too disappointed if you should not manage to pass it.

To prevent grief play in the arena, you cannot block a fighting pit for more than a few minutes, else you will be kicked out automatically. This also means that you only have a few minutes to defeat each boss, so don't take your time!

Please note that we have disabled the reward room for the testserver to keep a few secrets - but you won't be disappointed.

- to be continued - do not post!
________________
Don't shoot the messenger.
14.06.2007 15:22:04

Quote

Chayenne
Customer Support

Inhabitant of Antica
Profession: None
Level: 1

Posts: 1411


7. New Activities and Items

There are many new activies and new fun items to discover, so I won't write a comprehensive list. You should try out the new drinks in the local tavern, find some of the new furniture (whether rare or not) and maybe you will be even able to catch some fish that you have never seen before in certain locations or find some icecream.

Do you like to learn new languages? Then the outcast Chakoya might provide you some fun! If you're more into carving, you might also find something to entertain yourself. You can also find a few rare potions to temporarily enhance your skills. Most importantly, there are many many new weapons for you to discover and it is unlikely that you will even manage to see all of them on this testserver. You might want to check out many monsters for their new loot, as not only high-level monsters will provide quite some new stuff for you.

If you are a paladin and happen to have a Premium Account, check out your preferred ammunition dealer in one of the premium areas for some new stuff. As mentioned later on, you can even produce some of the ammunition by yourself if you learn the according spell. There is said to be a very powerful throwing weapon type which is not available at normal shops called "assassin star". Maybe some of the ammunition dealers know more about where to obtain it...?


8. Vocation Balancing

a) Summary

As this is one of the most important parts of this update, please invest some extra time to try out the new spells and items during PvP and normal hunting. Please note that you should only report real BUGS via ctrl + z, NOT expressions of your personal taste or whether you like or dislike the changes. You can use the according feedback thread by Craban on this board if you need to state something apart from bugs.

To quickly sum up the teaser if you don't have the time to read it again, the damage formula for melee, distance and magic damage were changed. This means that ALL vocations will notice an increase in their melee and distance damage output, while HIGH LEVEL characters will notice a decrease in their magic damage, since the incredible damage output they had was considered very unfair compared to other vocations. This does not include healing spells and runes, they have the same effect as before. To ensure a smooth increase in melee and distance attack power, not all weapons can be used by any vocation and level anymore. You can still wear them, but the damage you do is a lot less than those of characters who are supposed to wear this weapon. You can read the restrictions when looking at the weapon. Here are some more features as list:

- It is not possible anymore to wear two shields at the same time (it didn't have an effect anyway)
- Defense modifiers for one-hand-weapons when carried together with a shield (e.g. Atk: 30 Def: 15 +2 means that if you wear a shield with 25 defense together with this weapon, it will count as if it were a defense 27 shield)
- Throwing weapons remain in inventory (instead of falling to the floor) until they break
- Burst arrow damage does not depend on magic level anymore, but on the distance skill
- "Soft" level restriction for melee weapons: wearing a weapon not suited for a character's level will result in attack value reduction
- "Hard" level restriction for ammution: non-suited ammunition will not be used
- "Hard" vocation restriction for several two-handed weapons (knight-only): other vocations will not use it during fight

- to be continued - do not post!
________________
Don't shoot the messenger.
14.06.2007 15:23:20

Quote

Chayenne
Customer Support

Inhabitant of Antica
Profession: None
Level: 1

Posts: 1411


b) New Spells and Spell Adjustments

In order to make things a little more interesting for knights and paladins, we implemented a few new spells for these vocations. You can buy all new spells in the academy in Edron. Please note that for all knight instant attack spells, the magic level of the character is irrelevant. Instead, your skill and weapon attack value are used for the damage calculation, so they are only possible to use while wearing a weapon. As for the paladin spell "Ethereal Spear" the base damage is fix so you don't need to carry a spear, but your distance skill will still count.

A few of the old spells were adjusted too. Paladins will get more out of their production skills, e.g. you can now produce 10 power bolts with 700 mana points. On the other hand, the damage of the knight spell Berserk (Exori) will be lower than before, however the mana costs are fixed to 120. If you are not satisfied with the damage output, try out the new Fierce Berserk together with a good weapon.

Here's an overview:

KNIGHT:
- Berserk (Exori): LevelRequirement:35 ManaConsumption:120
- Fierce Berserk (Exori gran): LevelRequirement:70 ManaConsumption:340
- Groundshaker (Exori mas): LevelRequirement:33 ManaConsumption:160
- Whirlwind Throw (Exori hur), with monster targeted: LevelRequirement:15 ManaConsumption:40

PALADIN:
- Conjure Sniper Arrow (Exevo con hur): LevelRequirement:24 ManaConsumption:160 SoulpointsConsumption:3 Amount:5
- Conjure Power Bolt (Exevo con vis): LevelRequirement:59 Mana Consumption:700 Soulpoints Consumption:4 Amount:10
- Conjure Piercing Bolt (Exevo con grav): LevelRequirement:33 ManaConsumption:180 SoulpointsConsumption:3 Amount:5
- Enchant Spear (Exeta con), with single spear in hand: LevelRequirement:45 ManaConsumption:350 SoulpointsConsumption:3 Amount:1
- Ethereal Spear (Exori con), with monster targeted: LevelRequirement:23 ManaConsumption:35


Thanks for your help, and have fun!

Chayenne

P.S. Okay, now you can post if you want

________________

---