Topic: New assignment system testing - October 2013

The public test server for the new assignment system is open!

Relevant blog post:
http://blog.perpetuum-online.com/posts/ … m-stage-1/

Summary of important stuff about the PTS and how to access it:

  • Installer for the test client: http://content.perpetuum-online.com/fil … p_test.exe (If you have an old installation that's fine too, it will update itself.)

  • Don't install into the same folder as your live client.

  • After it’s installed, copy over your Local.gbf file from your normal installation so you don’t have to configure your settings and arrange your windows again.

  • Log in with your live account.

  • All alpha and beta islands are active for this test, but everyone has been moved to TMA just to be safe.

  • Everyone got a lot of NIC and EP for testing.

  • Everything is available on the market for 1 NIC.

  • Database is mirrored from the live server (from yesterday).

  • Your relation towards NPC corporations has been averaged to have only relation towards the 3 NPC megacorporations. (This will happen when the patch goes live too.)

What needs to be tested

Assignment system related

  • The assignment system itself of course: requesting, completing, aborting, etc.

  • Relation limits for available assignments are now more straightforward: level1s are available with 1.00 relation, level2s with 2.00 and so on. Training and level0s are available regardless of relation.

  • Awarding relation rewards is now very strict: you'll only get relation rewards for a level0 mission up until you reach 1.00 relation, for a level1 mission up until you reach 2.00 and so on.

  • Training assignments now also provide relation rewards.

  • The mission information window now shows the final rewards (ie. with bonuses) for both NIC and relation as well as the % value of the bonus. Corporation tax and squad share are NOT calculated in here.

  • The bonus system: assignment bonus levels are displayed in the bottom right of the category boxes, they can be positive (green) or negative (red). Bonus will increase if you successfully complete assignments from the same box and decrease if you abort them or they expire. When the box has a positive bonus level and you fail a mission from it, the bonus level will immediatelly disappear. Likewise, if the box has a negative bonus level and you complete a mission from it, the negative bonus will immediatelly disappear. Bonus levels add a multiplier to the rewards of the next requested mission which ranges from 0-100-200% (level -5, 0, +5). The multiplier affects NIC and relation rewards only.

  • We have 2 new extensions in the relations category: Contract negotiation and Reputation management. They are both tied to the above bonus system and (more or less) replace the old Diplomacy and Headhunter bonus extensions.

  • The Parallel assignments extension has been removed. The only limit to do more assignments at once is basically the limit of how many boxes you can activate around Nia. Together with the above two extensions these will be reimbursed when the patch goes live.

  • No 6/10 rule anymore either, but it would be a bit hard to reach this limit in the new system anyway.

  • No "All assignments" tab anymore, you can remotely check the availability of assignments on the map by right-click infoing the terminals.

  • NPC relations panel has been removed from the Agent profile, megacorporation relation values are now available on the top of the assignments window.

  • All mission objectives are now always visible from the start so you can prepare better. The exceptions are hidden objectives that are specially marked as such.

  • We have implemented optional objectives which are marked with a blue icon. You don't have to complete these in order to finish the mission. An example for this is the first two scanning objectives in the General training III missions.

  • Deliver button is now only shown for missions which require something to deliver.

  • Sparks that can be unlocked via relation now require relation towards the 3 megacorporations. Sparks that have been unlocked will stay unlocked even if you don't have the required relation after the averaging.

  • There are a few transport missions scattered in industrial boxes. They got there due to some merging we had to do, so this is intended.

Non-assignment related

  • We have done some optimizations/refactoring to a few other systems so things could be broken. The list includes but is not limited to: storage mechanics, repackaging, volume calculation, module usage/reloading, spark teleports, arkhe requesting.

  • The server will now attempt to activate an available robot after spark teleporting.

  • Appearance of objects on the terrain should be processed much faster now, this should solve the detector module freeze issues (and also undocking to a dense gamma zone, but you can't test that here).

  • Anything that works on the live server but is broken here should be reported.

Known issues
  • Some mission objectives could be in the wrong order. If you find one of these, please post the mission name here.

This post will be constantly updated as we progress with the testing.
Feedback and any issues you find should be posted in this topic.

Re: New assignment system testing - October 2013

- Would be great to see faction standings under Agent Profile -> Relations.
- Are artifact scanning combat assignments good idea to keep in rotation?

Re: New assignment system testing - October 2013

The Assigment Tornado III (and maybe others) objectives are in wrong Order.

E: Destroy 4 Warrior Tarantulas
F: Enter the marked terminal and deliver 1 SynSec container
G: Destroy 2 Rookie Jackal.

I think many will go back to the Terminal after E and come back to make G. Long way to go.

4 (edited by Heliaso 2013-10-27 18:33:19)

Re: New assignment system testing - October 2013

Baglodush Kemory wrote:

The Assigment Tornado III (and maybe others) objectives are in wrong Order.

E: Destroy 4 Warrior Tarantulas
F: Enter the marked terminal and deliver 1 SynSec container
G: Destroy 2 Rookie Jackal.

I think many will go back to the Terminal after E and come back to make G. Long way to go.


Same for Tornado II , we have to destroy NPC for B and D before to deliver Recorder Tornado II ( C)

What is this yellow circle ? http://i.imgur.com/YPhu9AG.jpg


Extension Reputation management doesn't work.

Re: New assignment system testing - October 2013

Reputation management does work for me, although if you upgrade it while the assignments window is open, you have to reopen it to see its effect. (but this happens with all extensions)

The yellow circle is some debug thingy that we forgot to turn off on the test server.

Re: New assignment system testing - October 2013

DEV Zoom wrote:

[*]The server will now attempt to activate an available robot after spark teleporting.[/*]

i dont like that.

i have it often that i walk to some place and i just want that bot in that i came to stay or move to corp storage. if i dont spread arhkes around or bring one with me then its a pain. spt provided a easy method of creating that arkhe that was needed.
i would suggest then (if oyu want that feature) that you can request a arkhe even with a aktive robot (as long as you have no arhke in storage).
or is it exactly that what you want to achieve? that ppl no longer can create arhkes?

Re: New assignment system testing - October 2013

No "All assignments" tab anymore, you can remotely check the availability of assignments on the map by right-click infoing the terminals.

I don't like this, isn't better to have a window to search for assignments or a tab in the window map?

Re: New assignment system testing - October 2013

Zortarg Calltar wrote:

or is it exactly that what you want to achieve? that ppl no longer can create arhkes?

Yes, that's the idea. If you already have any robot where you sparked to, you shouldn't get an Arkhe.

Re: New assignment system testing - October 2013

Eng Daniel wrote:

No "All assignments" tab anymore, you can remotely check the availability of assignments on the map by right-click infoing the terminals.

I don't like this, isn't better to have a window to search for assignments or a tab in the window map?

You mean search for assignment types and levels, because you wouldn't be able to search for exact assignments. Which would be probably useful if we had a hundred bases with assignments, but currently I don't think it's needed.

Re: New assignment system testing - October 2013

DEV Zoom wrote:

Yes, that's the idea. If you already have any robot where you sparked to, you shouldn't get an Arkhe.

I see the reason and benfit behind that idea that you can't simple create arkes without need. But in fact it is ridiculous to implement it the way you are doing it, as those who are in player corp will have corp storage to put their bots in for those terminals where you need Arke more frequent. The only ones who will suffer from that change are those having no access to corp storage (NPC corp, or "newbie" without storage access).

11 (edited by Hunter 2013-10-30 14:14:40)

Re: New assignment system testing - October 2013

DEV Zoom wrote:
Zortarg Calltar wrote:

or is it exactly that what you want to achieve? that ppl no longer can create arhkes?

Yes, that's the idea. If you already have any robot where you sparked to, you shouldn't get an Arkhe.

Lol... I would ask the DeV's in another game: What it should change?..
But this is not about hungarian logic. As far as i understand, hungarian logic lives together with hungarians habits. What does it means? - well... i would say that perpetuum dev's already can't see the perpetuum without changes. Even if everything is ok - it should be changed. Moreover this "genius" idea came exactly into their minds, so it must to be implemented.

Deal with it. hmm

The theory of mutual interests
Why the crybabies wins?
Где Ханя - там победа (с)
DEV Zoom: No need to speculate...

Re: New assignment system testing - October 2013

Goffer wrote:

The only ones who will suffer from that change are those having no access to corp storage (NPC corp, or "newbie" without storage access).

So can you tell me an example where you would require an Arkhe instead of the robot you already have and not use it for abuse? I'm trying to see what the suffering would be here.

Re: New assignment system testing - October 2013

how about making arhkes manufacturable?

14 (edited by Goffer 2013-10-30 20:57:10)

Re: New assignment system testing - October 2013

The suffer is, that the "abuse" cannot be performed by a new player, but I will have no problems putting my bots in corp storage and continue as before. So you change a mechanic without stopping abuse at all, but limit the amount of player beeing able to abuse.

Re: New assignment system testing - October 2013

On the other hand this will also limit abuse for those who have access to a corp storage. I think it's relatively rare to not have any other robots at a terminal where you also have access to a corp storage and have a spark target there.

Re: New assignment system testing - October 2013

Not realy Dev Zoom.

Here what you can do:

Build 2 Bases on Gama just a few meters away.
Go in one base and take all Bots in Your storage away. Make a spark there.
Go to the other base and spark back.
go out of base with the new Arkhe and go to the other base. Do this as often you like.

Problem solved or not.

Re: New assignment system testing - October 2013

I didn't say this would stop the abuse for good, but it requires more effort while not hindering normal gameplay. So why not do it?

18 (edited by BeastmodeGuNs 2013-10-31 05:42:06)

Re: New assignment system testing - October 2013

DEV Zoom wrote:

I didn't say this would stop the abuse for good, but it requires more effort while not hindering normal gameplay. So why not do it?

well... normal gameplay does include ALOT of blood sparking nowadays, I'll say that.

Edit: people could probably just use arganos or somethin to bloodspark when needed at least i just thought of

Reading this signature fills you with determination.

Re: New assignment system testing - October 2013

i'll use insured bots in this case. wink

The theory of mutual interests
Why the crybabies wins?
Где Ханя - там победа (с)
DEV Zoom: No need to speculate...

Re: New assignment system testing - October 2013

For this spark teleport -> activate bot thingy to work as you intend effectively it might be an idea to remove the ability to put an active bot in a storage container or check all personal containers for bots.

As I recall if all your bots are in a container you still get to request an Arkhe.


Note: Haven't been able to log on and test the above is absolutely correct (ongoing domestic commitments) but unless you've changed it in the last six months without me noticing I'm sure it is.

Re: New assignment system testing - October 2013

Ludlow: yes, we fixed that too. Checks in containers and robot cargo.

Re: New assignment system testing - October 2013

I like the new assignment system basically better in 2 aspects of old system.

- more rewarding who hold the line (maybe an another formula, diminishing returns wont be better? insted of 100-120-140-160-180-200 ? especially after 200)

- more interesting more repeatable

so all can I say so far is the good step in the right direction.

So after testing:

- I see lots of dots on the radar, sometime don't see the radar and the enemy on it, transparency maybe can solve this problem.

- Where is the A spot??? below C, B etc. so for the new player can be confusing to find a next step, as A spot and he cant find on the radar (need to think out where can be, I like the smart players but I think this field is not about that)

Inda the spirit of Perpetuum

Energy to Earth!

18.01.2014. [12:57:58] <BeastmodeGuNs> after that i remembered all those warning about 1v1 you lol, and i found out why xD

Re: New assignment system testing - October 2013

Inda: yes we're aware of the objective display issues, we'll try to make that better.

Re: New assignment system testing - October 2013

my lonely blood spark nooo...

I dont have more spark teleport slot.

Energy to Earth!

18.01.2014. [12:57:58] <BeastmodeGuNs> after that i remembered all those warning about 1v1 you lol, and i found out why xD

Re: New assignment system testing - October 2013

New layout for the assignment details window is also coming:
http://pasteboard.co/VaNrYR6.png