Dark Messiah Might & Magic Multiplayer
MP build 1.02 notes

The sizeable optimisation/CTF patch is now ready! Apologies for the delay, but we think this one was worth waiting for.
This patch contains new content (as well as optimised content) so will take a little while to download when it is made available.

New Content

• New game mode - Capture The Flag
  
• Significant optimisations for sounds, textures and particles on lower-specification hardware
  
• New Map - CTF_2
  
• New Map - CTF_MP3
  

CTF RULES

• Defend your team's flag while stealing the enemy flag.
  
• You must have both flags at your own base to score.
  
• Scoring a flag will give XP to all players on the scoring team. Returning your own flag also gives personal XP.
  
• Flags will not appear until there are players on both teams, and the 'battle begins' timer has finished
  
• Picking up a flag will slow you down, disables your weapon and briefly highlights you to the enemy team.
  
• Pressing fire when holding a flag will drop it and allow you to fight (be careful not to pick the flag up again when fighting)
  
• Dropped flags return to their base when touched by their team, or after 20 seconds.
  

Optimisations

• These can be found in the Options->Gameplay tab, and will generally require a restart of the game engine to use.
  
• Character LOD values lower by default (can be returned to higher quality by users in config files)
  
• Option to use alternative particles - New high performance particles for all spell effects. Total particles reduced, 'distort' effects removed, dynamic lights reduced. (This replaces the particle sliders)
  
• Option to use lower-quality sounds - uses lower file size sound samples for decreased resource usage. May improve framerates, but reduces overall sound quality
  
• Option to disable streamed sounds - prevents sound being streamed from the hard drive during play. May improve framerates, but will disable some ambient noise.
  
• Option to use lower quality texturemaps - reduces load times and increases framerates for almost all users.
  
• Option to force simplified texture surfaces (this disables Normal mapping and Specular mapping). Will speed up loading times, especially for low RAM users, but the visual quality is reduced.
  

Map Changes

• MP1 - Recompiled - spawnpoint error fixed
  
• MP2 - Recompiled - ambient sounds improved, framerate optimised, spawnpoint error fixed
  
• MP3 - Recompiled - framerate optimisations (detail models now fade earlier)
  
• MP5 - Portcullises at final Undead point now lock open for last flag. New route added to final quadrant. Ambient sounds optimised.
  

Character Changes

• Assassin Backstab improved
  
• -Changed reticle so that it goes red when a target is available. Removed text message.
  
• -Tweaked backstab distance and speed numbers.
  
• -Removed 'Can't backstab when no stamina' condition
  
• -Removed 'players slow down when locked onto each other' for the backstab case
  
• Assassin Triggered Poison Orbs - Recharge time added, Mana cost added
  
• Mage Lightning Orb - no longer instant-fire, must be charged, will not hit behind caster when cast.
  
• Mage Flame Arrow & Lightning Shock damage adjusted for maxed elemental alignments.
  
• Mage FireBlast - Projectile flight speed reduced
  
• Mage Chain Lightning damage adjusted - now will not automatically kill the second person to be struck
  
• Priestess is now informed how many teammates have been mass resurrected or healed
  
• Priestess is now limited to one bramble patch in the world
  
• Warrior Leaping Attack fixed
  
• Warrior Safeguard now defends only in an arc in front of the character (you will need to track lightning orbs/fireballs to be protected)
  
• Warrior Safeguard now costs mana to create, and takes mana if it is hit by a spell. If mana is depleted, the Safeguard will fall.
  
• Warrior Safeguard now emits a noise telling players it is active
  
• Warrior shield no longer interferes with the movement model with when hit by an arrow
  
• Warrior parry now halves the incoming damage from a Stance attack, instead of 'clanging' it
  Warriors will now be able to approach closer when locked on to an enemy who is facing away from them (e.g. running away)
  

Miscellaneous

• Smoothed Spectator Cam
  
• Game Timer now shown on main screen and it highlights when time is short.
  
• Teamkill menu now available for 15 seconds after a teamkill
  
• Added 'gained XP' icon on death message. When a player gains XP, they will see a small green tick.
  
• Added 'lost XP' icon on death message. When a player loses XP (teamkills) they will see a small red cross
  
• Fixed occasional 'black error box' bug under certain conditions
  
• Fixed 'permanently looping' sound samples under certain conditions (firebombs hitting but not killing)
  
• Fixed missing end-of-map music on some levels
  
• Parry/Block now works on Weapon Strength.
• Weapons can parry (halve damage) any weapon of equivalent strength or less. Sword>Dagger>Staff
  
• Game will now load any map compiled in any version of Hammer (Full 'easy to use' SDK is still to come. Users are able to extract FGD files/sounds/models/textures at the moment, but this is complex)
  
• Server owners may now adjust all console variables via script files / on the fly - allows total control over game balance (full list of variables will be available soon)
  
• Class Restrictions enabled on all custom servers through the Create Server dialogue, or config files. Classes can be individually enabled/disabled.
  
• XP Level Cap implemented for custom servers. Server owners can set min and max XP levels for their games via config files only (GUI will be implemented when fully translated). NOTE - do not set max XP level above 10!
  

Sweeeeet. Hope this helps people having performance issues so the community can build itself.

That SDK is next on your priority list right? :P

Just a question, does that mean you have nerfed my graphics? Do I need to change it back?

Aside from a slight reduction in default LOD levels, no changes have been made unless the user turns them on.

The SDK is in progress, naturally. This version will now load any maps created by the community. One of our priorities is streamlining the creation process for ease of use, but the core functionality is already enabled.

Ok cheers. Excellent news. Great to hear from KUJU no matter what you're saying

Does that mean that a warrior/knight can shieldblock an arrow now while moving/running ?
How far is the minimum distance to be able to shieldblock an arrow ?

A Warrior's shield will always block an arrow if they are holding it up.

However, under a certain distance the Archer will be able to shoot at parts of the body which are not protected - e.g. head or legs.

Further than this distance, the Warrior is assumed to be able to see the arrow coming in and move their shield to block it, so the whole body is protected.

Naturally, no protection occurs if the Warrior is not facing the incoming arrow.

Thankyou very much Kuju. Its nice to know DM hasnt been forgotten. We might be a small community but we are very passinate about this excellent game. Congratz on the new map and the CTF mode.

In addition, seeing the next patch is coming out on the 25th is there any plans on the horizon for making the map editior available to players?

I know alot of us would love nothing more than to help Kuju build its image and help the game grow with more maps for players.

Keep up the Good Work!

Thank you for the patch and it's large number of tweaks. I've yet to play it, but it sounds promising.

One major thing Kuju have STILL missed, however, is team balancing. Is this ever going to get done?

I don't think anyone's announced a specific date for the next patch, but we are working on one. We need to examine the feedback from this patch, for one thing!

Please see my earlier comments about the SDK issues. In summary, it's working, but it's not polished yet.

Regarding team balance - We have been reading everyone's thoughts on this one, and we can see the point. Certain simple things are in progress, but more discussion would still be valuable. As far as I can see, this is quite a hard problem to do automatically... If anyone has any simple, reliable ideas of how it could work, I'd be happy to discuss them - perhaps in a seperate thread though?

Now let Collisseum mode come!
I'm gonna play CTF as soon as update finished...
Thanx guys

EDIT1: 400 kb/s and still it takes very long

quote:

y

Sorry for missing that post Myrmican. I just wish I knew the what i needed to start working on maps now. Being a modellor in Maya professionally I hope I'll have the chance to create and import my own work to the maps I create.

Concerning classes, I think the classes are well balanced, except for the obvious lorb which can be counter acted ultimately, but not everyone can be bothered, lol.

The classes factors that I have noticed that annoy people the most in the last two months are as follows.

1.Priest brambles. (Can you possibly reduce the duration of each bramble or possiblly have the first disappear if a second is placed down?).
2.Duration of buring from high-end mage nuke (is it possible to reduce the duration of burning based on the distance from the nukes original point of contact?)
3.The Lorb is crazy. (I think a good counter would be a mandantory release period that charges the strength like a lighting bolt so mages cant just walk around with a charged instakill?)

Otherwise I think everything is perfect, but going up against skilled players when your new and lvl1 I fear is driving away some potential players. Possiblly a good counter is to allow xp gained over the duration of trying to cap a flag rather than it all coming to those who are standing in the circle on the completed cap? Just a thought.

quote:

1.02 Build

Nice

But 1.02? It says 1.0.3.0 in game :O

Also it seems I have only been able to load full bright maps into the game from other source games such as Counter-Strike: Source

quote:

Originally posted by myrmican:
A Warrior's shield will always block an arrow if they are holding it up.
However, under a certain distance the Archer will be able to shoot at parts of the body which are not protected - e.g. head or legs.
Further than this distance, the Warrior is assumed to be able to see the arrow coming in and move their shield to block it, so the whole body is protected.
Naturally, no protection occurs if the Warrior is not facing the incoming arrow.

Thanks for the detailed reply. I really appreciate this! Especially I really love this game and can´t wait to see a own Pure MP Game by Kuju/Ubi with alot Extras included based on this.

May I politely ask another question?
Are there any changes made to the Skilltree and could you maybe update this nice one?
Link: http://darkmessiahmightandmagic.us.ubi.com/skilltree/

Thanks in advance and keep up the good work,
Dikus

PS.: Maybe we are a small community atm but a very good one I would say ;-)

There haven't been any changes made to the skill tree in this patch, aside from the modifications mentioned to specific skills. Incidentally, we didn't create the web-based skill tree, so I couldn't tell you when it might be updated.

Thanks for the patch Kuju. Now the fun about warrior duels can really begin (Stun when Leaping attack and/or charge smash into each other)

Looking forward for the SDK and coliseum(Colisuem must really be a big project since it haven't been released? Looking forward to play it.)

Keep up the good work Kuju. Hope to hear from you soon!

Dear Myrmican,

Please have my babies <3

Or, in case the missus doesn't really like that idea, show up in-game again every once in a while. I really miss those matches of old, mate. Good times.

Preferably the babies though.

Great!!!! Downloading

<3 myrmican

finally someone of Kuju who is talking to the community!

Thats the right way mate!

Downloading the patch, can't wait to play

Whohoooo ... a miracle ^^!

They are here ... Kuju is finally here .. nice.
Glad to see that you didnt forget the Community ... i will download the patch and see if the performance is improved ... cant say anything about the other fixes .. like mage lighting orb or what ever because didnt was able to play the multiplayer in the past because of this bad performance ... well we will see now ..

greetz