I recently sent Geoffrey Zatkin an email with a couple questions and gripes
about our class. Nothing too major, just looking for some info. To my
surprise, he sent me back a fairly prompt response. I've included my
original message, along with his comments below. Not a whole lot of info,
but its something.
Elwyn Heartstring
Level 38 Bard
Erollisi Marr
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> First off, let me say that I'm sorry to be sending you this in an email.
> I'm sure you get hundreds of messages a day from people complaining about
> various issues, and I would quite understand if you don't have the time to
> answer or even read this message.
>
> I am currently playing a level 37 Bard on the Erollisi Marr server, and I
am
> very happy with my class, and the game in general. I think you guys have
> done a wonderful job and I've never complained about any changes that
you've
> made to my class, or others. I understand that changes you do make are
well
> thought out and implemented in the name of game balance.
>
> That being said, here is my issue. There was recently a change made to
the
> level 23 bard song - Selo's Consanent Chain. This song now will not
effect
> MOBs that are SoW'd. While I feel that this is a downgrade to the song, I
> really have no complaint with it, and am willing to take it in stride. My
> problem is this; why was this change not announced in the patch message?
> When a song that I have counted on for 14 levels suddenly doesn't work as
it
> always has it is very distressing, especially when used in a critical
> situation. (Namely, trying to chain a running frog shamen in Lguk before
it
> trains back half the dungeon).
>
> If you want to change the way a song works, that is certainly your
> perogative, its your game after all. It would be nice however if this
> change was aknowleged so that I don't have to get myself killed when I
> expect it to work as it always has. I have also seen no messages after
the
> fact stating whether this is a bug or a planned fix. I don't know whether
I
> should be expecting this to be fixed, or if this is the way its always
going
> to be. Why is there not some medium of comunication for Verant employees
to
> discuss matters like these? I frequently read message boards and various
> web sites, so I know I haven't just missed it. Maybe a list of current
bugs
> or features so that people could as least know that you are aware that a
> problem exists.
>
> I guess that's really my only major issue, I'd just like to know what's
> going on instead of being surprised all the time.
>
That was an unintentional bug from fixing something else - it has
hopefully been fixed with this patch.
>
> Minor issues that I may as well mention while I'm here:
>
> Why when I'm playing my drum does it look like I'm strumming a stick?
We lost an animation somewhere - hopefully it will be fixed when we do
our art patch (we don't do many art patches - too many megs)
> Why can MOBs SoW themselves indoors, yet players cannot cast SoW or use
> Selo's. Is this a bug or is it supposed to be this way?
It is on our list of things to fix - i don't like it either.
> Bard skills that are capped at 40 (forage, sneak, hide). This limit is so
> low that the skill is useless. I've removed these from my hotkey bank
> becuase they're impossible to use. I'm not saying the cap should removed,
> bards are after all supposed to be jack of all trades, master of none, but
> how about raising this a bit so that they might be at least worth using.
If
> not, they may as well be removed completely as far as I'm concerned
becuase
> they fail too much to be worth using.
I'll check on that.
> How about letting us know when our missing songs will be implemented? I'm
> not saying you have to tell me what they are, or what they do, it would
just
> be nice at least know when they might be available. I'm approaching level
> 39, and am wondering if this song will exist when I get there.
There are very few that are not in - and they are waiting for
something... :)
Geoffrey C. Zatkin
Arch-Mage of Norrath
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Game Designer: Verant Interactive