Since it has been a few months since our last posted update, we have decided to provide a thorough update as to what's been going on these past few months outside of the two mini-events and the upcoming Spring Festival.
First off, the Kelpari are just about finished and we are beginning the process of implementing them to the Site. At this time, barring any unforeseen hold ups, they should be available by Sunday-ish, give or take a couple of days. So now is the time to go through your Kelparis and prepare for the revamp.
***If you are interested in the MegaZone Update, it is the next section***
Kelpari Revamp
For those who may be new, a revamp is when we completely overhaul the artwork for a species. Much of our older species have very outdated artwork in comparison to our newer revamped species. When we revamp a species, not only do we improve the quality and detail of the pets, but we also fix a lot of layering issues on our end so that the door is open for much more intricate mutations and much more compatibility (opposite example would be the Puffadores).
When we do this process, we also "organize" the pet's genes and mutations. And sometimes, as in the case of the Kelpari, we even redesign the species to match more what we feel makes them fit better into the world of Sylestia.
So here is an example of the original Male Kelpari and the revamped Male Kelpari:
As you can see, the Kelpari have received a significant revamp. We have removed their hind legs and opted for a tail to make them more aquatic-like. However, since they are an amphibious species, they have a set of wings that they use to help them traverse while on land.
Here is another example with some genes and mutations enabled, specifically Tiger and Pearl Armor:
We hope everyone is happy with how the Kelpari have turned out, as we are exceptionally satisfied with their revamp! In terms of just a factor of improvement, we think this is the biggest improvement yet for a revamp.
Examples aside, we can provide some initial information regarding the Re-Generations and what's changing. Unfortunately, due to the significance of their revamp, the Kelpari are having a lot of changes. Fortunately, all pets with changes will be Re-Gen'able!
Gene One: Will become just body genes.
Gene Two: Will become just web/fin genes.
Gene Three: Will become just runes/overlays.
Mutation One: Will become just body mutations.
Mutation Two: Will become just web/fin/wing mutations.
Mutation Three: Will become just head/mane mutations and effect mutations (like Lucky Dust, Creeping Fog, etc). At least, that is the present plan.
In terms of color changes, the water mane will now pull from Mutation Color Three and the webs/fins will pull from Mutation Color Two. We did this to provide more available options for coloring the Kelpari, as the three basic colors were not sufficient.
What is Re-Generation?
Again, for those who may be new or not know, all pets who have a gene, mutation, or have a significant color change will have their traits reset to nothing and be marked as Re-Generatable. This will allow the owner of that pet to visit a special version of the Generator and add new traits and/or change the colors of the pet. In the case of the Kelpari, I expect the vast majority of Kelparis to be Re-Gen'able due to the significant changes that are being made.
In regards to the locked traits, Valentine Lace and Lucky Dust, we have not decided how that will specifically work as of yet. But we are aware of those restricted traits and we will figure out a solution to keep them that way. So do not worry about that!
MegaZone Update
The MegaZone continues its marathon development and we are happy to share some very specific information regarding its progress, as at this point in time it is playable and functioning. I think in our last update, I shared the progress as a percentage of infrastructure and content. At this point, the infrastructure is probably about 95% completed and the content is about 40% completed. We are now pretty much solely working on content, which is much faster to produce than the infrastructure.
That said, here are some screenshots and information regarding some new features being introduced with the MegaZone. We hope you enjoy!
Training Grounds
http://puu.sh/oidMv/efa88799b1.png
One of the new features is the Training Grounds. Here, players can collect materials and turn them into training practice for your pets. As you upgrade the Training Grounds, the bonuses will increase. There are two types of bonuses: passive and active. Passive Bonuses will permanently be active against any enemy throughout the MegaZone. Activated Bonuses will only be available for limited durations against specific enemies, but can significantly increase your pets' power in battle against those enemies.
Utilizing the Training Grounds will be an important component of successfully progressing through the MegaZone.
Tracker's Hut
http://puu.sh/oie3R/aeeb4a4020.png
The Tracker's Hut will allow you to turn in materials to help you increase the encounter rate against specific species of Sylesties. Utilizing a brand new spawn algorithm, this will give you control over finding your favorite species while exploring the MegaZone. Additionally, with an upgraded Tracking Hut, it will even increase your chances of encountering MegaZone Themed Pets.
Blacksmith's Station: Reforging
http://puu.sh/oiem7/f29e264244.png
The Blacksmith's Station will offer multiple functions, one of them being Reforging. Reforging allows you to upgrade a piece of pet equipment multiple times to increase its statistical benefit. As you can see in the screenshot, you will be required to supply various materials to reforge each piece of equipment. Once reforged, the item will receive a permanent boost to its equipped stats. This will provide even more progression beyond just obtaining valuable pieces of equipment.
Blacksmith's Station: Equipment and Avatar Items
(No screenshot available)
The Blacksmith's Station will also provide players with the opportunity to forge their own pet equipment and craft their own sets of Avatar Items. Said crafted items will require a wide array of materials that one must gather exploring throughout the MegaZone. They will be some of the most prestigious items available from the MegaZone.
Community Driven Boss Encounters
http://puu.sh/oieY1/44032cd41c.jpg
As a first step towards group/community content, we have created the first ever community-driven battle encounters. Due to technical limitations of our current systems, we could not make a truly communal encounter. However, we created one that dynamically adjusts the difficulty of the boss as more players encounter it. This means that if just a handful of players attempt to defeat these bosses, they will be extremely difficult as the boss can theoretically focus solely on those few players. But, if dozens or even hundreds of players are battling the boss at one time, it will become noticeably easier as the boss will become overwhelmed.
The goal of this feature is not only to be a slight introduction into eventual group content down the road, but also to drive the community to work together when these bosses appear in the MegaZone.
Timeline
Lastly, what I'm sure most of you are wanting to know, is the timeline of these upcoming updates.
Firstly, as stated, the Kelpari revamp should be released within the next handful of days. At this time, I would be hopeful for Sunday. However, it may be Monday or Tuesday. It will just depend on how quickly we can get everything implemented and if we run into any issues along the way.
In regards to the MegaZone, we are aiming to release it sometime between the Spring and Summer Festivals - with it being as close as possible to the end of the Spring Festival. Again, there is a lot of unknowns and typically that means that when something unforeseen pops up, the release date gets pushed back. But we are doing our best to get the MegaZone ready as quickly as possible.
Lastly, the Spring Festival will begin either the 13th or 20th of May. If it's ready as early as the 13th, we will begin it then. However, due to a large batch of MegaZone stuff to be worked on after the Kelpari's are finished and Ny'venes began, we might push the Spring Festival back a week. But it will be one of those two dates.
The Spring Festival will also be a very content-full event and will probably also run for an additional week than usual. So we hope everyone will be excited for that!
As always, more posts will follow as we have updates. Until then, we hope everyone is excited for the imminent Kelpari Revamp, the upcoming Spring Festival, and the long-awaited MegaZone!
Please post any questions you may have about these topics and we will answer them as best as we can. |
