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Vanguard Update #1
Thamoris
Member UncommonPosts: 686
Vanguard Update #1
Whether it be in the desert sands or the swamps of the Deadlands, Vanguard Update #1 brings you some dirty villains to fight, new weapons to kill them with, and new places to kill them in!
On Tuesday, March 6th 2007, Vanguard Update #1 will go live. It will be a much larger patch than usual as not only will there be new content but a great deal of additional art as well. Update #1 includes:
Dozens of new weapon models
Six brand new NPC races to battle
Two new mid to high level adventuring areas
Nine dungeons with revamped art and/or lighting
Details are below!
New Weapons
Below are just a few examples of some of the new weapon models that are included.
New NPC Races
The Djinn
The legend of the djinn revolves around an unremarkable lamp with the power to grant the owner three wishes…with a catch. Any wish that the djinn grants, an equal but opposite effect will afflict one whom the lamp owner loves. An old Qalian king discovered one such lamp buried deep beneath the endless dunes in a long forgotten palace. Using a powerful magical artifact, the king bent the will of the djinn within the lamp to grant unlimited wishes. The djinn granted any wish the king demanded and watched as the king became overcome by the power of the lamp. The desire to rule over his kingdom, expand his empire, bolster his armies, and even to live gradually faded away until the djinn was able to overpower the weakened king. The agenda of the djinn is unknown, but the story makes it clear that the djinn’s charisma, graciousness, and generosity are surpassed by only the malevolence that unveils itself once the king’s soul became enslaved.
The Mnalus
The mnalus reside around the temple of Hegnerian, deep within the Gorgalog swamps of Thestra. Relatively new to the world of Telon, these beings came into existence after the wrath of Hegnerian subsided. Possessing predatory instincts, cunning wit, and immense magical capabilities, these fungus creatures are a surprisingly powerful force. The land in which they inhabit quickly warps and contorts as healthy land is torn away to make room for the venomous mushrooms which sprout and grow to massive proportions in a matter of days. Extremely territorial, these creatures attack anything which invades their land. The other civilizations within the swamp are seemingly powerless to contend with the fungus and their incredible capability to slaughter with physical and magical combat.
The Mudmen
There is debate amongst the academic community as to the nature of these strange creatures. Some claim that these “men of mud” were created by a mad wizard in ages long past, others claim that they naturally sprung forth from their environments. Whatever the case, Telon is home to a variety of these strange mud-like creatures. Ranging from small pests to massive oily behemoths, the mud men can be found throughout Telon not only in swampy, muddy areas but also in the depths of ancient caverns.
Descended from the giant explorers from Torsheim, the sand giants of Qalia are far less powerful than their ancient kin. Separated from the magical powers of the giant homeland for over a thousand years, the sand giants wander the desert wastes wreaking havoc upon all they encounter. It is not unheard of for sand giants to be found amongst small mercenary bands, or as the cohorts of other more nefarious organizations. The sand giants themselves have no nation and no allegiances to anyone aside from those they choose for themselves.
The Ichtakhta
The ichtakhta are another civilization that quickly evolved after the wrath of Hegnerian. These beings possess vast psionic capabilities and very rarely converse with the use of underdeveloped vocal cords. While territorial, this species exhibits the desire to work and build relationships with those whom can increase the power of their civilization for little in return. Introverted by nature, the general populous of the ichtakhta rarely leave their awe-inspiring homes built within the coastal cliff sides. If the ichtakhta do leave their homeland, it would be to feed on the gorgaloks to the east or war with the mnalus to the south. Extremely adept in their mental capabilities, the ichtakhta have been witnessed expelling droves of enemies in all directions with a simple thought. Their hardened body grants them exceptional ability in physical combat as well, making it incredibly difficult to inflict damage upon them with contemporary weaponry.
The Xennu
Long ago the race of xennu possessed the most advanced technology Telon had ever seen. With devices powered by giant crystals excavated from deep beneath the ground, the xennu drew from almost limitless power. And then, they were gone. Only mysterious clues remain as to the fate of so many. An intrepid group of gnomes believes the xennu sealed themselves in great vaults deep beneath Telon, and set guardians to watch over the key. If only the peoples of Telon could uncover this vault, and the secrets that lie within…
Revamped Areas
Deep Swamp
Along with the rest of the Gorgalog swamp, this land was once filled with rich and flourishing forest. The war between the high elven sorcerer, Hegnerian, and the Cartheon Empire left the land in desolation from the sheer display of power that the sorcerer possessed. After the high elven sages of Leth Nurae managed to imprison Hegnerian within his temple, the once flourishing land begin to reshape itself and take on a new life. A civilization of insectoids, the ichtakhta, quickly evolved due to remnants of Hegnerian’s terrible magic that were scattered around his temple. Although a swamp, the land itself is rich with nutrients that feed all civilizations in the area. The palace of the ichtakhta civilization rests between the great cliffs and provides a vantage point to survey the lands surrounding them.
Gorgalog
The Gorgalog swamp encompasses much of southern Thestra. All of which used to be a flourishing woodland of high elven domain. After the great battle between the Cartheon Empire and the sorcerer Hegnerian, the woodland quickly gave way to the swamp of the Gorgalog. The swamp in this area stretches as far as the eye can see and provides little direction for travelers daring to venture into it.
Controlled by an amphibious race of beings, the gorgalok, the entire swamp is host to their hunt. As it stretches westward towards the gorgolok’s enemies, the ichtakhta, the desolate swamp becomes a battlefield littered with the casualties of the struggle between the two races. To the east remains the only remnants of the once great woodland and the home of the fearsome treants which provide, unwillingly, the wood to build the great fires for the gorgalok. The mnalus and their contagion exist to the south and are quickly spilling into the heart of the Gorgalog swamp.
Relit Dungeons
We also went through and greatly improved the lighting effects in some of our most popular dungeons. Below are a few examples.
Deep Swamp
Kalendra’s Coven
Nusibe Necropolis
Vol Tuniel
I like !
The Sand Giants
Comments
FUNCOM - putting the FUN in disFUNctional !
The Xennu pic is really nice, even if they are just a knock off of Mindflayers from D&D.
Only thing that makes me twitch was the mention of finding the key to wherever they're hidden away. I suddenly had flashbacks of farming shards and so forth in SoL back in EQ. Hopefully it won't be that mindnumingly painfull.
Guess it just depends on if they balance things around the top 10%, or everyone else. I'm hoping they learned their lessons from EQ, and take a que from Blizzard, and tell the harder-core than thou catasses to go get bent when they blaze through all the content and bitch that there's nothing to do. I'd much rather gather 24 people than have to herd 48 shortbus candidates through some dungeon.
And you base this assumption on what ????
These are just some things INCLUDED in the update. It's not the entire update as stated in the beginning of the thread.. You could have just as easily assumed there WOULD be animation updates as well ! Based on the information provide. These new additions are SOME of but NOT ALL of the update. The wording would suggest that this is just a small portion ...a teaser if I may. It's also update #1 ..suggesting more updates are on the way..
And you base this assumption on what ????
These are just some things INCLUDED in the update. It's not the entire update as stated in the beginning of the thread.. You could have just as easily assumed there WOULD be animation updates as well ! Based on the information provide. These new additions are SOME of but NOT ALL of the update. The wording would suggest that this is just a small portion ...a teaser if I may. It's also update #1 ..suggesting more updates are on the way..
Thamoris you're right, these replies are typical for this forum, many just assume things, do not try to provide a source of information or facts.
Very nice... cant wait
Though I was very disappointed in the first few hours of the game, I am pleased to see my decision to keep my account open and check in from time to time seems it will be well worth it. But then again if my pc just does not have the muscle to play it, then I may just be throwing money into a black hole where no life, or reason exists (aka Blizzard).
I truly hope this will prove to be a bit more pre-cu in the future. As of yet the crafting seems lame.
But my original reaction to the game still stands ... "&%$# .... Look at those screen caps"
Doing my part with 15(ish) $ a month! Please don't disappoint Sigil/SoE....well SoE we've come to expect it from kinda but Sigil!...well ...you're kinda on the same raft there...
...
I think I may be screwed.
(hoping for the best)
~D
Clever things.
And you base this assumption on what ????
These are just some things INCLUDED in the update. It's not the entire update as stated in the beginning of the thread.. You could have just as easily assumed there WOULD be animation updates as well ! Based on the information provide. These new additions are SOME of but NOT ALL of the update. The wording would suggest that this is just a small portion ...a teaser if I may. It's also update #1 ..suggesting more updates are on the way..
Thamoris you're right, these replies are typical for this forum, many just assume things, do not try to provide a source of information or facts.
I agree...One should at least post something longer than their password needed to log in ..at least. The other half post facts and opinions taken completely out of context.
I think Vanguard is a great game that is only going to get better. I'm going to try give it as much great publicity as I can and ignore all the trolls in this place.
Different teams.
Looks like a nice update.
----------
"Anyone posting on this forum is not an average user, and there for any opinions about the game are going to be overly critical compared to an average users opinions." - Me
"No, your wrong.." - Random user #123
"Hello person posting on a site specifically for MMO's in a thread on a sub forum specifically for a particular game talking about meta features and making comparisons to other titles in the genre, and their meta features.
How are you?" -Me
Vanguard is good !
Vanguard will get even better !
Vanguard sucks less than the rest !
Here's the patch notes from the test server, which these will probably carried over in the patch the OP posted.
GAMEPLAY NOTES
- Some skill buffs that were counting against the available points in a skill pool no longer do so.
- The Halfling racial ability, Shroud of the Vale, will now also make the caster invisible for a fixed duration of 30 seconds.
- The orc racial ability, Fury of Ghalnn has had its duration changed from the next 5 attacks, to a fixed 7 seconds.
- Player Housing: The construction site now shows the proper display name of the building being constructed.
- Player Housing: You can now inspect other players construction sites getting basic info about their plot and what they are building.
- Player Housing: Other players can now contribute to a construction site. However, owners still only have the ability to "complete" construction.
- Player Housing: Closing the Create Permission window via the X button will no longer leave the window in a state where it can not be opened again.
- Player Housing: The Travel Journal now will contain an entry for the location of your house.
ADVENTURING NOTES
- Healers - Large heals now have a significantly greater chance of being interrupted and having cast time delays when hit.
- Cleric, Disciple, Shaman - Shamans, Clerics and Disciple have had their mitigation effectiveness reduced.
- Disciple, Monk - Monk and Disciples unarmed damage is treated like a weapon. The unarmed rarity levels have been adjusted to: below level 10 mundane, level 10-19 common, level 20-39 uncommon, level 40-49 rare and level 50 rare+. Rare+ is between rare and ultra-rare strength.
- Disciple, Monk - Monk and Disciple unarmed damage is no longer the equivalent of a weapon with maxed out damage of the corresponding rarity level. It is now more akin to actual item damage progression.
- Warrior, Paladin - Warriors and Paladin have had a mitigation adjustment moving their mitigation effectiveness closer to Dread Knights.
- Bard – Tynen’s snaring components will no longer stack with one another and are now resistable.
- Blood Mage - Bloodmage hit point factor has been increased bringing them much closer to the hit point levels of other healer classes. Previously, their hit points were more like those of a pure caster.
- Blood Mage - Blood Tribute should now be triggered by all damage spells.
- Blood Mage - Blood Tribute now has no refresh time.
- Druid - Druid chains have changed. All finishing moves should now become available after any spell (except phenomena) crits.
- Druid - Significantly reduced the refresh time on all finishers.
- Monk - Monk base damage has been slightly increased.
- Necromancer – Necromancer chains have changed. All finishing moves should now become available after any spell crits.
- Necromancer – Added a new ability line to Necromancers: “Bone Chill”. Check your trainers!
- Necromancer – Significantly reduced the refresh time on all finishers.
- Psionicist - Psionicist chains have changed. All finishing moves should now become available after any spell crits.
- Psionicist - Added a new ability line to Psionicists: “Temporal Fracture”. Check your trainers!
- Psionicist - Significantly reduced the refresh time on all finishers.
- Psionicist - Telekinetic Blast now deals less damage to the caster.
- Ranger – Entangling Web now states that it is a conjuration spell and not an alteration spell
- Rogue – Reduced the movement penalty caused by stalking significantly
- Rogue – The various stalking forms will now display their progressing buff effects
- Rogue – Added an increased chance to crit to the final stage of stalking.
- Rogue – Added Shroud of Shadows to trainers at level 50
- Rogue – Added Elusive Foe as an innate ability earned at level 50
- Rogue – Added Imperil to trainers at level 50
- Rogue - Rogue base damage has been slightly decreased.
- Rogue - Rogues have had a mitigation adjustment moving their mitigation effectiveness closer to other light fighters.
- Shaman – Shaman chains have changed. All finishing moves should now become available after any spell crits.
- Shaman - Significantly reduced the refresh time on all finishers.
- Sorcerer - Sorcerer chains have changed. With the exception of Mimic, all finishing moves should now become available after any spell crits.
- Sorcerer - Significantly reduced the refresh time on all finishers.
- Sorcerer – Cast time on Invisibility is now 3 seconds, down from 6 and its range has been increased from 5m to 25m.
CRAFTING NOTES
- The quest “Tursh Supplies” for outfitters has had the type of jute cloth requested changed.
- A few of Argus’s work orders were asking for incorrect tools. This has been fixed.
- Novice and Amateur Qalian Martial Staffs have been added to trainers.
- Qalian artificer trainers now offer the amateur shaft recipe.
- Thestran artificer trainers now offer the amateur club recipe.
- High level secondary components for outfitters have been added to some Kojan trainers.
- Eralis should now offer the quest to locate the Qalian amateur artificer trainer.
- “Learning Qalian Style” quest recipe for outfitters now displays the proper amount of required jute.
- “Fresh Cloth” quest is now acceptable at a lower level.
- Focusing items have had their allocation fixed, the previous change set the allocation heavy on the attribute side instead of setting it heavy on the focus side
- Amateur tier quest crafted item totals have been lowered slightly.
- The item the special recipe Seer’s Amulet produces has been updated.
- Gwartak Clan crafted items now require more resources.
- Gwartak Clan short sword now actually short.
- The power of Gwartak Clan items has been adjusted.
- The quest “Legendary Fiend Hunter's Weapon” has been added.
- Saddlebag and rare saddlebag recipes have now been consolidated and made to work like normal bag recipes work. (Existing rare saddlebag recipes will be removed from game next patch.)
- Continental Effects should be attached to all items properly now. While the effect should display in the tooltip some tooltips may not have a description of the effect within. This is a known bug and will be resolved when item effect details are properly viewable in tooltips
- Fixed complications that were using wrong skills
- Hopefully resolved brilliant work CTD issue
- Renamed build complications for injury and bubbling
DIPLOMACY NOTES
- The Statements Snippet of Wisdom, Line of Reasoning, Extol Virtues, and Fan the Flames should now display the appropriate symbol overhead when played.
- Quests - Blood And Seals: The Presence requirements on this quest have been upped to 12, but the skil levels have been lowered to 50.
WORLD POPULATION NOTES
- Kaon’s Rush – Overland population has been slightly decreased.
- Wardship of the Sleeping Moon - Thorian Glowban will now continue to accept runes even after he is willing to give you complex ritual catalysts.
- Zaraj Arena - NPCs in the Zaraj Arena are now immune. This should help prevent people from doing encounters that are too difficult for them through kiting, and in turn stopping other players from using their challenge tickets.
GUI NOTES
- Crafting work orders will now be colored by difficulty in the journal and in the work orders window.
- The work orders window has been expanded to make work order text more easily viewable.
CODING NOTES
- Fixes to issues with NPC names having the wrong faction color.
ART NOTES
- The following abilities have received edits ranging from minor to extensive for animations particles and sounds:
CLERIC
Aegis of Blades
Anathema
Bestowal of Brilliance
Divine Barrier
Divine Light
Endowment of Fervor
Fist of Rebuke
Flames of the Faithful
Gift of Ardor
Hallow
Maul of Divinity
Maul of the Gods
Purification
Renewal
Replenishing Strike
Sacrifice
Spirit Ward
Turn Undead
DISCIPLE
Blessed Wind
Essence Thief
Fleeting Feet
Gift of Vitae
Gift of Anguish
Impenetrable Mind
Kiss of Heaven
Kiss of the Slug
Kiss or Torment
Leech’s Grasp
Sages Endowment
Sun and Moon Disciple
Touch of the Ox
Touch of Woe
DREAD KNIGHT
Aphotic Shield
Armor of Darkness
Bane
Bleak Foeman
Cull
Dark Ward
Devour Mind
Devour Strength
Dreadful Countenance
Dreadful Visage
Frighten
Hatred Incarnate
Ravaging Darkness
Scythe of Doom
Shadow Meld
Slay
Symbol of Despair
Symbol of Suffering
Symbol of Wrath
Terror Incarnate
Vile Howl
PALADIN
Aura of Divine Power
Aura of Radiance
Aura of Replenishment
Aura of Shielding
Blade of Vol Anari
Blessing of Vaelion
Boon of Vol Anari
Champions Might
Contrition
Courage
Cry of Illumination
Cry of Solace
Dictum of Valus
Final Stand
Hammer of Judgment
Hammer of Valus
Judgment of the Bloodthirsty
Judgment of the Envious
Judgment of the Impure
Judgment of the Proud
Judgment of the Wrathful
Lay Hands
Marshalling Cry
Paragon of Justice
Sentinel's Blessing
Shining Beacon
Smite
Vanquish
Vothdar's Mighty Strike
Wings of the Avenger
Zeal
RANGER
Arrow of the Moon
Arrow of the Sun
Barkshield
Barkskin
Bullseye
Cripple
Critical Shot
Dawn Arrow
Debilitating Shot
Dusk Arrow
Entangling Web
Hawk Talisman
Hurricane
Panther Talisman
Poison Shot
Precision Style
Shocking Arrow
Speed of the Wind
Splitting Arrow
Stalker's Grace
Stunning Shot
Thorn Cloak
Tiger Talisman
Wind Talisman
ROGUE
Backstab
Blackjack
Blinding Flash
Blood of Decay
Blow Dart
Dazzling Flechette
Death Whirl
Elusive Mark
Explosive Flechette
Extract
Keen Eye
Last Ditch Strike
Quickblade
Relentless
Rogues Kiss
Ruin
Snaring Flechette
Water Breathing Scroll
Fade
Trick Attack
Fatal Stroke
Eviscerate
Vital Strikes
Smoke Trick
Deadly Strike
Impale
Shiv
Kneebreak
Revenge
Feint
WARRIOR
Battle Frenzy
Diehard
Disarm
Enrage
Grim Determination
Life Rend
Power Attack
Shout of Defiance
Shout of Fury
Stinging Cut
~The Vanguard Team
Sure it's not all the same teams, mostly the art team has worked on this update it seems. But the fact is that the stream of updates lately has slowed down. And there don't seem to be any fixes on the horizon for chunking etc.Different teams.
Looks like a nice update.