Hey TDN Community -
The dev team is working relentlessly towards launch and want to do some expectation-setting ahead of the 18th.
Please keep in mind that many of you are used to PWs that have 7-15+DM or staff members that are generally around to help. We have a group of 4 people that are primarily going to be trying to assist and resolve issues for what is, at the time of this writing, 362 unique accounts. Please be patient and respectful.
This is NOT going to be a super-optimized server launch. Again, please put into context that the vast majority of servers that see numbers like we'll be seeing have been online for 10-15+ years. What we can commit to is we will be spending the entire weekend and beyond prioritizing and hotfixing problems as quickly and efficiently as we possibly can.
Due to the number of complex systems we have in place, there are some strategies we are deploying in order to drip-feed some of this so the staff can effectively resolve and investigate issues that might show up:
TDN is a Sandbox:
TDN doesn't have scripted repeatable quests, or common "MMO" or modern RPG elements that are developed to drive your character and gameplay to a particular point. Your character is part of the larger story. The conversations you make and relationships you form with other characters are what make the world fascinating and enrich the experiences of those around you. We don't build systems to handhold you into how to play. We incentivize in ways that align with our vision and goals, and leave the rest up to the characters to make the most of it. We encourage you to approach TDN from that perspective.
Murann Guards (PC Characters):
The Murann Guard will be around during launch and beyond to assist with any challenges that might arise. Please be mindful of the role they are expected to play. If a DM needs to step in to support an incident, we are going to find the fastest path to resolution so we can get back to the larger server. In some cases this might mean longer-term imprisonment or worse. If you intend on playing a high-conflict character right from the beginning, we ask that you utilize tact and consider the reality of our staff bandwidth.
Navigating Murann:
Murann is BIG, we've given some hints and pointers to characters in-game to give direction however you can expect some level of needing to learn the city itself. We recommend carving out a few hours to wander around the city and become familiar with what building and businesses exist in which areas. Our objective is to drive a significant amount of story and narrative devices through Murann and the surrounding countryside, so becoming familiar with the various areas and sectors of Murann is going to be important.
At 10am PDT the server cap will be 20, and we plan to raise it every so often as people join and enter the game world. We are going to be particularly mindful of server perf during this time, so please be patient. Please do not linger in OOC, the goal is for players to get in-game, and start looking around and beginning their lives. If DMs notice folks lingering, they will be auto-ported in-game.
The dev team is working relentlessly towards launch and want to do some expectation-setting ahead of the 18th.
1. Where to go for Support
- Discord:
- Utilize the "player-support" channel.
- Utilize the "ticket-channel" channel.
- Forums:
- Utilize the "General Discussion" forum.
Please keep in mind that many of you are used to PWs that have 7-15+DM or staff members that are generally around to help. We have a group of 4 people that are primarily going to be trying to assist and resolve issues for what is, at the time of this writing, 362 unique accounts. Please be patient and respectful.
2. It's Going to be Bumpy
This is NOT going to be a super-optimized server launch. Again, please put into context that the vast majority of servers that see numbers like we'll be seeing have been online for 10-15+ years. What we can commit to is we will be spending the entire weekend and beyond prioritizing and hotfixing problems as quickly and efficiently as we possibly can.
3. Content Drip
Due to the number of complex systems we have in place, there are some strategies we are deploying in order to drip-feed some of this so the staff can effectively resolve and investigate issues that might show up:
- Narratively:
- Murann and the surrounding coast and inland areas have been enduring significant thunderstorms which has resulted in tree falls and breaks. This will block passage for a period of time to the larger areas, including passage to Trademeet.
- Systems:
- Factions will be capped at 250 rep (enough to promote, however promotions will not happen until the 2-3 week mark).
- Professions will not be learnable until the 2-3 week mark.
- Professions create a major variable for balance purposes so we want to get a good look at how dungeons and looting is going prior to unleashing folks into the crafting/profession grind.
- DM Quests:
- Do not expect personalized DM'd quests anytime soon. The DMs for TDN are expected to resolve high-priority bugs early on, and begin laying the groundwork for the larger annual narrative.
4. Murann
TDN is a Sandbox:
TDN doesn't have scripted repeatable quests, or common "MMO" or modern RPG elements that are developed to drive your character and gameplay to a particular point. Your character is part of the larger story. The conversations you make and relationships you form with other characters are what make the world fascinating and enrich the experiences of those around you. We don't build systems to handhold you into how to play. We incentivize in ways that align with our vision and goals, and leave the rest up to the characters to make the most of it. We encourage you to approach TDN from that perspective.
Murann Guards (PC Characters):
The Murann Guard will be around during launch and beyond to assist with any challenges that might arise. Please be mindful of the role they are expected to play. If a DM needs to step in to support an incident, we are going to find the fastest path to resolution so we can get back to the larger server. In some cases this might mean longer-term imprisonment or worse. If you intend on playing a high-conflict character right from the beginning, we ask that you utilize tact and consider the reality of our staff bandwidth.
Navigating Murann:
Murann is BIG, we've given some hints and pointers to characters in-game to give direction however you can expect some level of needing to learn the city itself. We recommend carving out a few hours to wander around the city and become familiar with what building and businesses exist in which areas. Our objective is to drive a significant amount of story and narrative devices through Murann and the surrounding countryside, so becoming familiar with the various areas and sectors of Murann is going to be important.
5. Server Cap Plans
At 10am PDT the server cap will be 20, and we plan to raise it every so often as people join and enter the game world. We are going to be particularly mindful of server perf during this time, so please be patient. Please do not linger in OOC, the goal is for players to get in-game, and start looking around and beginning their lives. If DMs notice folks lingering, they will be auto-ported in-game.