March 2000 - Announcements Page

Turbine/Microsoft Announcements

Rollout Images

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Teasers

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Rollout

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Release Notes

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Letter to the Players

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State of the Code

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Discoveries

New Dialog

Town Crier Rumors

Town Crier tells you, "The pollen was not so bad. My counterparts from the Sho and Aluvian lands must have weak constitutions."

Town Crier tells you, "High-ranking monarchs have been approached by an unknown presence and subjected to grueling tests on a distant island. Apparently this entity, whatever it is, does not think much of our monarchs. Might this have something to do with the frightful apparition in the lightning flashes?"

Town Crier tells you, "The shadow spires have appeared in the vicinity of these towns
Eastham, Cragstone, Tufa, Khayyaban, Tou Tou, and Sawato. There are rumors of a few others out in the wilderness, all just as quiet and inactive. What purpose they serve or will serve is not yet known, though some have been said to have been within them."

Town Crier tells you, "Just between you and me, I remember the sun being brighter long ago, before the sudden winter."

Town Crier tells you, "Yesterday I found a Wool Fez of Willpower!"

Town Crier tells you, "A renaissance in metallurgy! First there was the rediscovery of Lord Atlan's weapon technology! Now, the master armorers in al-Jalima, Eastham and Kara have found ways to utilize shadow and crystal items."

Town Crier tells you, "But between you and me, they are very touchy! They will only make one suit of armor of a particular quality for you. They will make another of different quality without complaint, but if you ask for a suit similar to one they already gave you, they become very rude!

Town Crier tells you, "News! Three new Festival Grounds have been created for the enjoyment of all athletically - inclined people of Dereth. They are near the Wintersebb Festival Stone east of Qalaba'r, the Leafcull Festival Stone west of Yanshi, and the Leafdawning Festival Stone west of Rithwic."

Town Crier tells you, "News! The heritage groups have published a book on weddings, available at scribes. Despite the ominous atmosphere, love is in the air, and people are getting married. The resilience of life is amazing."

Town Crier tells you, "Have you noticed the changes in the sky? Though all is peaceful now, some say the distribution of monsters has changed
perhaps they sense a coming storm. But the rabbits seem to be reproducing as usual, so the storm must be a ways off yet. Thank goodness!"

Town Crier tells you, "News! Ominous floating monstrosities have appeared all over our island! Many people are holding their breath waiting for something to happen, but there is no sign of activity. Some even say they are empty. Magical experts have determined that it is unlikely that the strange spires pose any immediate threat."

Town Crier tells you, "These dark spires loom quietly for now, and experts agree they do not pose any immediate threat. However, I heard a rumor that some people are being taken inside of them and subjected to strange questions. What power can play with mortals like this?"

Town Crier tells you, "The Great Sage, Aleister the Loquacious, has published a treatise on fused gems. He certainly earned his name. He is quite long-winded, and very full of himself, to boot."

Town Crier tells you, "That dratted pollen has finally subsided! I can breathe freely once again!"

Town Crier tells you, "Is it just me, or do the lowly Drudges now look somehow more...menacing?"

Town Crier tells you, "Books are now available at the capital cities' scribes that detail scholars' that detail scholars amazing discoveries about the strange crystals that have been acquired from the shadows and the remnants of the Great Work."


New UI and Game Changes

  • Shadow Hunter Armor introduced.
  • Combat
    • Sticky Melee introduced.
  • Graphics
    • Colored lighting effects introduced. Many lights, including the sun and moon, will now cast colored light in both hardware and software modes.
    • Drudges and Golems have received new artwork. See here for some examples.
  • User Interface
    • You get a confirmation dialog when using uncharged mana stones on items that would be destroyed.
    • The Bane and Lure spell icons now have unique colors.
    • Iron Ore and Slag icons updated.
  • Dagger (Skill)
    • Dagger's skill damage modifier is now determined by coordination instead of strength.
  • You can now use objects containing water to fill Empty Flasks!

|You fetch some water from the well!


New Quests

Live Events

  • 2000/03 - Shadow Abductions - After the arrival of the Shadow Spires and then three dark presences to Dereth, several tales are told of players being abducted into the spires and interrogated by a shrill voice.

New NPCs


New Locations

New Points of Interest


New Items

Dark Speck Dark Sliver Dark ShardFile:Shadow Fragment (Retired) Icon.png Shadow Fragment (Retired) Cracked Shard Tiny Shard Small ShardFile:Crystal Fragment (Retired) Icon.png Crystal Fragment (Retired)File:Scintillating Gem (Retired) Icon.png Scintillating Gem (Retired)File:Sparkling Gem (Retired) Icon.png Sparkling Gem (Retired)File:Glimmering Gem (Retired) Icon.png Glimmering Gem (Retired)

Greater Amuli Shadow Leggings (Pre-Patch) Greater Amuli Shadow Coat (Pre-Patch) Greater Koujia Shadow Leggings (Pre-Patch) Greater Koujia Shadow Breastplate (Pre-Patch) Greater Koujia Shadow Sleeves (Pre-Patch) Greater Celdon Shadow Leggings (Pre-Patch) Greater Celdon Shadow Girth (Pre-Patch) Greater Celdon Shadow Breastplate (Pre-Patch) Greater Celdon Shadow Sleeves (Pre-Patch)

Amuli Shadow Leggings Amuli Shadow Coat Koujia Shadow Leggings Koujia Shadow Breastplate Koujia Shadow Sleeves Celdon Shadow Leggings Celdon Shadow Girth Celdon Shadow Breastplate Celdon Shadow Sleeves

Lesser Amuli Shadow Leggings Lesser Amuli Shadow Coat Lesser Koujia Shadow Leggings Lesser Koujia Shadow Breastplate Lesser Koujia Shadow Sleeves Lesser Celdon Shadow Leggings Lesser Celdon Shadow Girth Lesser Celdon Shadow Breastplate Lesser Celdon Shadow Sleeves

A Treatise on the Properties of Fused Gems The Festival Stones of the Empyrean The Wedding Guide

Empty Flasks

Empty Flask

Updated Items

  • Objects containing water can now be used to fill empty flasks|

Font Fountain Pool Vat Well

  • Iron Ore - New Icon.
  • Slag - New Icon.
  • Spell icons for Blade Bane/Lure, Bludgeon Bane/Lure, Acid Bane/Lure, Frost Bane/Lure, and Fire Bane/Lure updated with proper colors. (see portal dat. below)

Portal.dat


New Creatures

Shadow

Target

Updated Creatures

  • Drudges updated with new artwork.
  • Golems updated with new artwork.

Images


Click image for full size version.