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Author Topic: Notice of exploit -- PLEASE READ  (Read 1067 times)

Dorganath

Notice of exploit -- PLEASE READ
« on: March 16, 2011, 10:11:13 pm »
It has come to my attention that there is, and has been for some time, an unintended exploit involving bows and weapon enhancements. Specifically, it has been possible to apply weapon damage enhancements to bows, which then applies an additional damage type on top of whatever the arrows may already do, which also stacks with whatever damage enhancements (i.e. elemental rods) may be present on the ammunition.

This exploit came about as a side effect of being able to cast Darkfire/Flame Weapon on bows and other ranged weapons as part of our rather sweeping improvements to ranged weapons overall. It was not our intent to have permanent enhancement for ranged weapons and it takes the general balance of them beyond our design.

As such, the 3.30.3 update closes this exploit.  Players will no longer be able to add permanent elemental, silver or titanium enhancements to ranged weapons.  Darkfire and Flame Weapon will still continue to function.  For those bows already out there with permanent enhancements applied, I'm requiring a mandatory "recall" of such enhanced weapons.  This applies to everyone. No exceptions.

In order that training, customization and other enhancements (i.e. Mighty) are not lost, I am also making a tool available to GMs which will remove damage enhancements from objects.  GMs will also compensate characters with an appropriate elemental enhancement rod, so that nothing is lost.  If you are willing or able to "ox" your ranged weapons, please do so.  Otherwise, please contact a GM to have your weapon modified.

This is mandatory. I regret that this is necessary, but it should never have been in the first place. I realize this will be disappointing for some, but again, it never should have been.

I also want to specifically state that I am not targeting anyone, nor do I "blame" anyone who may have made or received such an enhanced bow or other ranged weapon.  This is not a punitive measure but a corrective one.

Please note that if anyone is found to be using an enhanced ranged weapon after April 15, 2011, the player will receive a temporary ban for exploiting.  If use of such weapons continues, subsequent bans may be made permanent.

If anyone has any questions about this, please ask below or via PM.  I hope everyone, whether affected or not, understands the reasons behind this and cooperates in good spirits.

In closing, I want to thank the conscientious player who make me aware of this, as well as thanks to orth for assisting in jogging our collective memories and working out the reason this was even possible.

lonnarin

Re: Notice of exploit -- PLEASE READ
« Reply #1 on: March 16, 2011, 10:28:48 pm »
Does this extend to arrow-spawning bows like Ilsare's Fiery Eye or Shadon's Trapping Bow which currently have bonus elemental damage on the arrows they create?  Or are they ok because they don't have the bludgeoning/slashing/piercing extra damage of regular craftable ammunition?

Or do you mean bows themselves with elemental damage added to them directly, as well as the arrows?  (didn't even know that was possible)
 

Dorganath

Re: Notice of exploit -- PLEASE READ
« Reply #2 on: March 16, 2011, 10:37:06 pm »
Quote from: lonnarin
Does this extend to arrow-spawning bows like Ilsare's Fiery Eye or Shadon's Trapping Bow which currently have bonus elemental damage on the arrows they create?  Or are they ok because they don't have the bludgeoning/slashing/piercing extra damage of regular craftable ammunition?

Or do you mean bows themselves with elemental damage added to them directly, as well as the arrows?  (didn't even know that was possible)

Good question.

This applies only to the bows and other ranged weapons that have had elemental, silver or titanium enhancements added directly to them.  

Enhanced ammunition is perfectly fine.
 

miltonyorkcastle

Re: Notice of exploit -- PLEASE READ
« Reply #3 on: March 16, 2011, 10:38:09 pm »
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Or do you mean bows themselves with elemental damage added to them directly, as well as the arrows? (didn't even know that was possible)


That's exactly what he means, and yeah, it didn't used to be possible, and now it isn't again! =P
 

ShiffDrgnhrt

Re: Notice of exploit -- PLEASE READ
« Reply #4 on: March 17, 2011, 01:25:27 am »
Let's keep this visible for a while, so no one misses it.  :)  Don't wanna get banned for missing a post ;)
 

Guardian 452

Re: Notice of exploit -- PLEASE READ
« Reply #5 on: March 17, 2011, 02:10:55 am »
So no bow (x-bow, or sling) can have an added element (cold,fire, elec, acid), silver or titanium coating?

The only permanent things allowed on a bow (x-bow or sling) is Mighty (1-3) and or an unlimited ammo addition?
 

Guardian 452

Re: Notice of exploit -- PLEASE READ
« Reply #6 on: March 17, 2011, 04:04:47 am »
After having all my characters brought into complaince with the rule change of Game Update 3.30.3. Im going to go ahead and put my few cents in on this issue.

For starters I realise I am no longer a full time, hard core, active player in this world. I have given up on fixing whatever graphics issue my desktop has that is keeping me from playing here. Mostly because I just am "not feeling it" for Layo (and its getting worse now). With that being said I still wish to add my two cents to this issue that seems to be near and dear to the type of characters I play(ed) here.

#1. I was never concerned with adding Element damage to a bow, sling or crossbow being an exploint. I was told I could do it by a member of the GM staff of this world. Dont bother asking who cause this isnt about finger pointing. Just stating the facts of the matter.

#2. If a person added a 1d8 element to a bow, x-bow or sling that adds an average of what? 4 extra damage to each strike with said weapon? Is this really that much of an issue? Take into account adding the element rod raises the level requirement.. so it isnt like a level 6 player can add 1d8 to their starter bow, x-bow or sling and bow be UBER.
I would also say take into account the creatures that are strong against "X" element.... but the're probably just as many out there that are weak against "X" element so that part washes out.

#3 The Silver and Titanium coating not being allowed on the bow I actually do agree with.... I cant think of a way to justify that working in addition to the silver or titanium arrows one can already shoot.

The long and the short of it is I just do not see this being such a huge issue. I thought the added level requirement that came from these additions kept things in check well enough.

I can say from 1st hand experience with Enzo that the added damged was nice and noticed by those I trabveled with... but IMO it was never like OMG you're so uber now you can just solo everything MAN! Im probably taking this too personal lol :)


What about throwing weapons? Have they been fixed as well? Like anyone uses them anyway.... LOL ;)


-
 

Dorganath

Re: Notice of exploit -- PLEASE READ
« Reply #7 on: March 17, 2011, 09:14:47 am »
Quote from: Guardian 452
#1. I was never concerned with adding Element damage to a bow, sling or crossbow being an exploint. I was told I could do it by a member of the GM staff of this world. Dont bother asking who cause this isnt about finger pointing. Just stating the facts of the matter.

Understood, and while I'm curious, this is not the point of this thread, clearly.  Whoever told you this probably told you what was possible in a mechanical, though it was never stated to anyone that it was "OK" or even acknowledged that one would be able to enhance a ranged weapon.  The reason for this is that orth and I did not anticipate this possibility when we made our sweeping changes to ranged weapons. Again, it was an unintended side-effect of other changes to help bring ranged weapons closer to melee.

I am somewhat disappointed that the member of the GM team did not see fit to verify whether or not such a thing should have been possible before spreading such information, but again, I'm not on a hunt for people, I am not giving blame and I'm not trying to persecute anyone for having done this. I am simply correcting an error.
 
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#2. If a person added a 1d8 element to a bow, x-bow or sling that adds an average of what? 4 extra damage to each strike with said weapon? Is this really that much of an issue? Take into account adding the element rod raises the level requirement.. so it isnt like a level 6 player can add 1d8 to their starter bow, x-bow or sling and bow be UBER.
I would also say take into account the creatures that are strong against "X" element.... but the're probably just as many out there that are weak against "X" element so that part washes out.

It was never about being über.  It's just a matter of overall balance.  Because of this, a ranged weapon could actually get the equivalent of two permanent elemental enhancements, one on the bow itself and one on arrows that have been enhanced. It's really just as simple as that.  You could make the same argument about melee weapons, regarding the average of 4-5 more points of damage and whether it really matters.  This has been a fundamental norm of our weapon balance for a very long time, as you know.

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#3 The Silver and Titanium coating not being allowed on the bow I actually do agree with.... I cant think of a way to justify that working in addition to the silver or titanium arrows one can already shoot.

I'm glad we agree on something! *winks*

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The long and the short of it is I just do not see this being such a huge issue. I thought the added level requirement that came from these additions kept things in check well enough.

It's not a "huge" issue, but it also shouldn't have been.

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Im probably taking this too personal lol :)

Maybe! ;)  I understand and sympathize...for different reasons, but I do get it.


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What about throwing weapons? Have they been fixed as well? Like anyone uses them anyway.... LOL ;)

They're not really an issue because they're their own ammo, and at best you could only apply one enhancement to them at a time.

Thanks for your questions!  I hope I have answered them.
 

Hellblazer

Re: Notice of exploit -- PLEASE READ
« Reply #8 on: March 24, 2011, 09:13:34 am »
Hmm I'm not sure I'm getting this. From personal experience after talking with the same gm as Guardian, You could not train a bow with arrows that already had enchantments and enhancement on them. Maybe that changed afterward, but when I tried it (which is when the new bows were made available) you could not. So if you applied an elemental and silver lets say to a bow after completion of the training, you did not have 2 elementals.

Am I missing something here?

gilshem ironstone

Re: Notice of exploit -- PLEASE READ
« Reply #9 on: March 24, 2011, 09:23:19 am »
The issue is that it was never the intention of the team to be able to add rods to bows, silver, titanium or elemental. This was an oversight created by adjusting bows to for GMW and Flame Weapon.  Does that clear it up?
 

Hellblazer

Re: Notice of exploit -- PLEASE READ
« Reply #10 on: March 24, 2011, 11:45:30 am »
I understood that part, it's the part where two elemental enchantment could be use on a bow that doesn't fit with my experience.

gilshem ironstone

Re: Notice of exploit -- PLEASE READ
« Reply #11 on: March 24, 2011, 11:49:09 am »
I think that refers to the fact that you can have a rod on the arrows and the bow, which amounts to an attack that uses two enchantment rods at once.
 

Dorganath

Re: Notice of exploit -- PLEASE READ
« Reply #12 on: March 24, 2011, 11:49:48 am »
It's untrained bows that could get multiple enhancements due to enhanced bows and enhanced arrows.