So where are we?

[MajinDragon]

Admittedly I haven't been the most active member of either the GK Forums or in-game since starting university in Autumn 2011, but I still lurk around, watch recent threads and log in from time to time to see what's new, what's changed and if I should subscribe just to idle and chat with anyone who's around during the days, but the player count has been downhill for a long time now, I've always kept positive that something is in the pipeline so it's worth waiting, it's worth caring etc.

So, where are we? 60% of the way to some worthwhile replay content, or at a stage now where even I feel that a reset may be what we need - a short term solution that gives people SOMETHING to do instead of nothing at all. My arguments against a reset have always been underlined by my hopes of something showing up around the next corner, but I'm naive about too much.

[fowlplay4]

There's a guy in trade room with ****-looking hands having a seizure. My Ice Flaming Sword is still flaming as well which is cool.

[Cubical]

Why reset until there is something to to keep players busy.

[NicoX]

We are working on several new Content, and also revamping some old content. We will try to release a huge update with the Easter Holiday Events.

But I doubt it will change much, probably just a temp thing. GK needs to be Classic, the Gold Subscription is way to expensive for people. Graal is not offering alot at all, except the Iphone Servers maybe.

[Rave_J]

i think Tig should step down from GK Manager
been what a few years and still dead
seems we need a active manager that is free

[Tim_Rocks]

Originally Posted by Rave_J

seems we need a active manager that is free

I'll start right now. Have them set up my RC.

[Rave_J]

for once im going to agree with u tim
making Holiday's events is not consider a update

Tig working on GK Iphone if anything and trying to manage Era
u know u get some good developers and they just suck at Managing
i think this is what we are seeing now

[scriptless]

Originally Posted by Rave_J

i think Tig should step down from GK Manager
been what a few years and still dead
seems we need a active manager that is free

Sorry I disagree. While normally yes, a inactive manager should step down GK is a bit special. It is the only server that has alot of scripts hard coded in C++.. which makes changing scripts, adding new ones, and such very very difficult.

I was working with tig on few scripts on debug about a week ago and he tried adding a function and because most of the script was c++ (compiled, so you cannot even see it) the entire NPC-Server kept crashing.

Without people who know how to handle GK, the server would end up UC like the others.

[NicoX]

Tig is actually doing a good job. He is reachable if we need something. So thats fine.
And like scriptless said, GK is way different from other Playerworlds/Servers.

[OasaTor_PK]

I log on to see if there is anything going on.

I am always disappointed.

[Tashkin]

Originally Posted by OasaTor_PK

I log on to see if there is anything going on.

I am always disappointed.

That's because we are developing the stuff on debug. Once we are finished it will all be moved over to GK.

[Stephen]

Originally Posted by Tashkin

That's because we are developing the stuff on debug. Once we are finished it will all be moved over to GK.

Or it's because he's permanently banned.

[Seeya]

I'm all for reset. This is the only thing that could fix the economy and bring players back for more than two weeks at a time.

There isn't another option (besides extreme development, which isn't going to happen)

[bioboi]

Originally Posted by Seeya

I'm all for reset. This is the only thing that could fix the economy and bring players back for more than two weeks at a time.

There isn't another option (besides extreme development, which isn't going to happen)

a reset does nothing unless the problems of GK are fixed, in which if they are, a reset while would give everyone a fresh start but if said issues were fixed we wouldn't really need a reset. Graal servers are very cyclic look how many times Era's been reset and each time it goes back to the same economic problems, because they were never fixed.

[Tim_Rocks]

Originally Posted by bioboi

a reset does nothing unless the problems of GK are fixed, in which if they are, a reset while would give everyone a fresh start but if said issues were fixed we wouldn't really need a reset. Graal servers are very cyclic look how many times Era's been reset and each time it goes back to the same economic problems, because they were never fixed.

Bro, serious note here, a reset just isn't an option. I have all these really cool irreplaceable items that I spent countless hours working towards. I don't think I can handle a reset.

[NicoX]

Originally Posted by Seeya

I'm all for reset. This is the only thing that could fix the economy and bring players back for more than two weeks at a time.

There isn't another option (besides extreme development, which isn't going to happen)

I would agree on a reset if GK goes Classic at all. But now the question is, what if we lose all the people from the past who wants to play again, because GK is classic?
So I doubt a Reset will ever happen.

[Tim_Rocks]

Originally Posted by NicoX

I would agree on a reset if GK goes Classic at all. But now the question is, what if we lose all the people from the past who wants to play again, because GK is classic?
So I doubt a Reset will ever happen.

More Players > Dying Server

Edit: then again, players did pay just to play this server specifically.

[StormYs]

A reset doesn't fix broken stuff, I agree that a reset will bring in players (on a short term) but these players will notice how broken GK is and leave.
This cycle will repeat unless the real problem is solved.

[scriptless]

Originally Posted by StormYs

A reset doesn't fix broken stuff, I agree that a reset will bring in players (on a short term) but these players will notice how broken GK is and leave.
This cycle will repeat unless the real problem is solved.

Well a reset would allow many bugs to be fixed that can't really be fixed now, too late. I would rather an alternative fix be applied but I don't see one. So if there was a reset a lot of the "broken" would be "fixed" and would look a lot different.

[MajinDragon]

I'm still not all for a reset, but I brought it up as an option to address the short-term problem of the playercount and there being nothing to do. And it is because players like myself aren't aware of what the long-term holds and haven't been for half a decade now.

As I've mentioned in the past, a reset doesn't actually solve anything, even while addressing the short term boredom issues, those issues will surely come to plague the server again after a few years. Perhaps what I really need, and I'm sure a lot of others would appreciate, is an idea - the outlines of the master plan - of where our devs are taking us, and how long we are expected to wait.

Reverting GK's status to classic has been mentioned many times, and I've always thought the quality of GK just wasn't the same as other classic servers. But surely as it stands now, the quality in what our server has had to offer in the last several years has not held up against the other classic servers. Perhaps the middle ground then is to revert the status of the server to classic in the short-term, without a reset, while the long-term plans are worked on. After some transparency, and once the plans are put in place GK going back to a premium server would not bother me at all.

Ofcourse, the only objection to a temporary classic status is one of the companies finances, however, as it stands now, the subscribing gold players can't be providing enough income to the server to justify the current lack of quality.

[Draenin]

This is just going to end up in some kind of power grab.


Also, a 'reset' of player attributes will not actually fix the problems Kingdoms is riddled with. It wouldn't take long for things to get right back to where they are, just with smaller sums of money that haven't had the chance to accumulate over years. The problem of Kingdoms' economic divide is likely to happen again with some elements of the server, as will huge level gaps as well.

As far as leveling goes, the only way to level well in Kingdoms is finding what is worth outrageous amounts, and then exploit the hell out of whatever it is you're doing. The server has this problem because the 'archetypes' in the mudlib system were essentially built using a database dump of another game called Crossfire. There were a good number of enemies included in that database, and additional ones were added, such as Bomies and Holiday monsters. The problem with that, though is that not enough enemies were actually made to fill most of the levels up to 110.

In one of my blog posts, I have done my best to explain what happened with the most recent economic crash GK had. But, there was one that preceded it as well when the first alchemy system was replaced by the new one. When Dust of Piercing Vision became a popular recipe, people were able to obtain far more platinum, which made it worth much less, so people switched to diamonds. And yes, I know they weigh less. That wasn't the actual reason for the switch. Even now, though, there is still the problem of many rare items becoming extinct or rising in price because of some problem none of us probably knows about.

As much as I have tried to remain optimistic, I don't think GK is fixable unless a fair amount of things are re-designed from scratch. But unfortunately, both playing and developing for it seems to be an uphill struggle.

[Tashkin]

Originally Posted by Draenin

This is just going to end up in some kind of power grab.

Power grab?

[Draenin]

Originally Posted by Tashkin

Power grab?

Users debating who should 'take over.'

[Andre2006]

Players need a way to actually get the items on GK.

[NicoX]

Originally Posted by Andre2006

Players need a way to actually get the items on GK.

We are working on this in our current Updates.

[scriptless]

Originally Posted by Draenin

This is just going to end up in some kind of power grab.


Also, a 'reset' of player attributes will not actually fix the problems Kingdoms is riddled with. It wouldn't take long for things to get right back to where they are, just with smaller sums of money that haven't had the chance to accumulate over years. The problem of Kingdoms' economic divide is likely to happen again with some elements of the server, as will huge level gaps as well.

A reset, indeed, would not fix economic problems. However, holy crap would it allow for other things to be fixed. Lets just take the number 1 debatable subject for example. Enchant Armour, right now items have armour stats that cap off at 90.. Unfortunately when GK was created (mix-n-match with c++) they did things oddly. Armour is capped at 90. So using an EA on it when it's already 90 wont do anything. So that makes it impossible to remove the EA's in the future.. a reset would allow the system to be tweaked for MUCH MUCH MUCH more flexability. ex: allow over 90 armour, but have it cap how much it uses to show player current armor, and calculate stuff. just a behind the scenes fix.

And there are other error's like this that GK is just riddled with, however theres no way to fix it without a huge amount of luck, or a reset. It has alot to do with how archtypes work.

i can say id be maybe a little bit upset if there was a reset, but to be honest. it wouldnt be as big of a deal as everyone makes it seems (ive been playing gk since 2002 so I EARNED alot of my crap and lost alot to scams in the mid 2000s). I also logged in thousands of hours 3000+ hours, so my exp and items mean alot lol.

The only right way to fix GK, IMO is for a total rescript and reset. To remove all the C++ dependant features and allow for more flexability in scripts.

[Nuke_for_you]

Originally Posted by scriptless

The only right way to fix GK, IMO is for a total rescript and reset. To remove all the C++ dependant features and allow for more flexability in scripts.

At that point why even bother with GK? Just make a completely new server

[scriptless]

Originally Posted by Nuke_for_you

At that point why even bother with GK? Just make a completely new server

Well, new server is new community also. GK itself is not bad, it could be alot better tho. There is being work done tho.

[Stephen]

Originally Posted by Nuke_for_you

At that point why even bother with GK? Just make a completely new server

As far as I understand that's what Draenin is working on.

[Seeya]

if GK iPhone was finished it'd work for PC aswell with modifications

[scriptless]

Originally Posted by Seeya

if GK iPhone was finished it'd work for PC aswell with modifications

Personally id like to see iPhone GK first, and I like the idea of any ios server to be pc accessable too.. still waiting on zone to do that tho that could help revive gk and zone

[Draenin]

Originally Posted by scriptless

The only right way to fix GK, IMO is for a total rescript and reset. To remove all the C++ dependant features and allow for more flexability in scripts.

I realized that a long time ago when I was first given GK's list of archetypes. It eventually led me to doing my own thing instead.

[Seeya]

ignorant to do anything besides create new content

[Felix_Xenophobe]

Originally Posted by Seeya

ignorant to do anything besides create new content

easter's comin up bro. we got some new **** comin out bro
you see

we give out these easter shovels u following me m8?
and u use these shovels anywhere on the gmap
and you have a chance to dig up these easter eggs right?
now heres the catch
there are 5 kinds of eggs: 1 red, 1 blue, 1 yellow, 1 black and 1 white
if you collect 300 of each egg
you can trade it in at the xmas shop (sorry we had to use pre-existing levels due to time constraints)
so you trade it in for a Overlords Mystery Egg
and you use a torch on it.
and guess wot?
it drops an item.

get hyped bro

[Draenin]

Originally Posted by Felix_Xenophobe

get hyped bro

[StormYs]

Originally Posted by scriptless

Well a reset would allow many bugs to be fixed that can't really be fixed now, too late. I would rather an alternative fix be applied but I don't see one. So if there was a reset a lot of the "broken" would be "fixed" and would look a lot different.

Maybe I should of explained what I meant with broken or perhaps I should of used the word incomplete, I dunno. Anyway under the word broken I meant the pk system, the alchemy system, the job system, the class system etc. All of these were added into GK but non of them were ever finished...by far!

What I see as the core problem of GK is the lack of decent content, such as only having a few baddies or build optimalisation etc, that GK has in combination with these incomplete thingies that I mentioned above.

So if a reset would fix all these problems, then hell yea I am all in for a reset. But this is not the case I think, the reset might fix some bugs and stuff but not the core problem that gk has which is incompletion to the max.

This is kinda how I see it.
GK is like a girl who actually is a tranny, looks good on first sight only until u take a better look.

[Tim_Rocks]

Originally Posted by Felix_Xenophobe

easter's comin up bro. we got some new **** comin out bro
you see

we give out these easter shovels u following me m8?
and u use these shovels anywhere on the gmap
and you have a chance to dig up these easter eggs right?
now heres the catch
there are 5 kinds of eggs: 1 red, 1 blue, 1 yellow, 1 black and 1 white
if you collect 300 of each egg
you can trade it in at the xmas shop (sorry we had to use pre-existing levels due to time constraints)
so you trade it in for a Overlords Mystery Egg
and you use a torch on it.
and guess wot?
it drops an item.

get hyped bro

I.. I think I love you?

[Seeya]

make a new server or update a lot and beta test it prior to a full reset

[scriptless]

Originally Posted by Seeya

make a new server or update a lot and beta test it prior to a full reset

I don't think a reset will ever happen. If there was a decent way to have items swapped out, with a new system that could be implimented that would work better but then you run into the problem about item stats. Since many items are created out of thin air and there no base stat's to actually compare to *bummer*..

Still tho updates are happening to GK as we speak, well being developed.

[BigBear3]

Originally Posted by scriptless

Still tho updates are happening to GK as we speak, well being developed.

Bjorn