Scrubbing the Kitchen Sink

StormShade · 02-04-2010, 07:06 PM

Hey gang,

We've been seeing a couple threads where you've been telling us about problems with the "Kitchen Sink" patch.

We want you to know we have been reading your feedback, and we have a new build on the Public Test Server which should have a bunch of fixes for the issues you've been reporting, as well as a ton of fixes on the back end meant to improve performance and stability.

We need your help to make sure that the sink is properly scrubbed, and sparkling clean! We're asking that you spend some time for the next couple of days checking things out on the Public Test Server, so that when we push this build to Live, it's nice and clean. We're going to be there playing with you as well. In fact, we're moving the PvP event for tomorrow onto the Public Test Server as well to help scrub this clean!

To sum up:

The next couple of days, please play on the PTS.
Post your feedback in this thread, or the feedback thread in the PTS forum. RoBoBo, Patchworkcat, and myself will be keeping a sharp eye on these threads.
Please join us from 3-5 p.m. PST tomorrow (February 5th GMT -8) for a Player vs. Dev PvP Event!
Have fun! That's what we're really all here for right?

Thanks,

Stormshade

blakerefuge · 02-04-2010, 07:09 PM

I didn't see the mob difficulty rollback in this patch, or a fix for the oddly-disabled AA on ATI cards. Any word on those?

Exand · 02-04-2010, 07:09 PM

<3 Stormshade for working late.

Niniva · 02-04-2010, 07:17 PM

Got some good work going but...

Really, when is the mob difficulty fix getting live?.. Its rather important to me, as its to the point where im not even bothering leveling my low level characters, which i happened to be in the process of when this bug suddenly hit..a week ago now

StormShade · 02-04-2010, 07:19 PM

[quote=Niniva]Got some good work going but...

RoBoBo's knowledge > Stormshade's

Thanks,

Stormshade

RoBoBo · 02-04-2010, 07:23 PM

Mob difficulty has been adjusted and the fix is on the current PTS build. I recommend you copy your character over and compare hero to hero, mob to mob and post your findings. If there is a bug there I want to know!

There are a few fixes on PTS that are not listed in the current notes. I am working on the rest of the notes now.

blakerefuge · 02-04-2010, 07:27 PM

Good to hear. Will patch and check it out.

UVee · 02-04-2010, 08:29 PM

Mob difficulty appears no different comparing Live vs. PTS. Just fought a solo level 34 "Elemental Master" Master Villain and a solo level 34 "Gladiator" Henchmen both in Lemuria, both just outside the Aegir, on my level 40 character with no defensive passive.

The Master Villain appeared to have the normal attack rate that was present before the Kitchen Sink patch went in both on the PTS and on Live. He was able to kill me in about 30 seconds (without fighting back of course, no blocking, no healing, no defensive passive 5217 HP and about 24% defense from gear. I had enough time inbetween my attacks to throw my shield up and block his attacks.

The Henchmen has a much faster attack rate than the Master Villain, both on the PTS and Live, leading me to believe that no change was made to the attack rate of mobs as the devs claim there has been in the latest build on the PTS. This lone Henchmen was able to kill me in about 30 seconds on both the PTS and Live. I did not have enough time inbetween my attacks to throw my shield up and block his attacks.

I'm not sure if thats how these specific mobs are supposed to behave, but I don't think it makes much sense that 1 lone henchmen can take me down as fast as a lone master villain. Add 3 henchmen together, that means I would be dead within 10 seconds if I didn't defend myself or take out the mobs quick enough - after testing this, thats exactly how it added up - 3 level 34 henchmen took me down in 11 seconds on the PTS without defending myself.

The Henchmen still seem capable of having a 0 ms delay (which I believe was part of the issue) on the PTS as I've seen them attack almost immediately after attacking me, just like they are doing so on Live.

The real test would be against Vikorin as he is absolutely horrid on Live at the moment. If anyone wants to try him out on the PTS, send me a tell.

Added 2/4/2010 @ 10:14PM Server Time - Additional testing: Mega Destroid.

He is still attacking just as fast on the PTS as he is on live. He spams many of his special chargeup attacks, his melee attacks (when he does decide to do a straight line of melee attacks) are still coming in so fast that a person couldn't block his attack, then attack Mega Destroid himself, then block his next melee attack. Before the kitchen sink this tactic worked. He too appears to have a 0 ms delay between some of his attacks, doing one attack almost immediately after another with no "down" time to speak of.

Grimraven · 02-04-2010, 08:54 PM

You say you want us to hit the PTS and sniff out some bugs for you and check to see if things are working properly. You guys, in the past, have asked us to do the same thing. Also, in the past, it seems that our bug/issue reports were pretty much pointless seeing as how issues we reported many times still went right over to live.

Having said that, why should we bother playing on the PTS in the first place? If doing so in the past hasn't really had much of an effect, why should we think it will help now?

Perhaps the old kitchen sink needs some more Ajax.

Keep this in mind: I'm in no way attempting to troll, nor flame. I'm simply looking at past track record that tons of players have had issues with. A lot of players have pretty much quit bothering with the PTS because they feel as though it wasn't accomplishing anything.

Also keep this in mind as well: If we hit the PTS and give comprehensive reports on issues, and then they STILL make way to live; that's not the way to really win over players that are a bit rabid right now. So be very careful what you ask for.

heathenish · 02-04-2010, 11:46 PM

Played a bit tonight in MI and Lemuria.

The Good:

1. Framerate seems better in both zones, no lag to speak of (of course this probably benefits from low server load.

2. Some UI problems seem fixed, including direction problems and camera problems. Block actually seems more responsive!

The Bad:

1. Mission Accept/Completion sounds have vanished.

2. There's a big glowing red square in Lemuria, on the ground, seen from above, near the Madrangalore or whatever it's called. Not sure if this is a video card-specific problem (I've got a 9800GT, latest driver) or what.

3. Lightning Reflexes appears to have been nerfed into oblivion, or perhaps the attack speed bug hasn't been fixed, or both. My Munitions/LR Dex/Ego build, a killing machine pre-kitchen sink, is now throwing smoke bombs and limping away from battle, especially any battle with a MV.

02-04-2010, 07:09 PM	#2
blakerefuge DevSlayer Join Date: May 2008	I didn't see the mob difficulty rollback in this patch, or a fix for the oddly-disabled AA on ATI cards. Any word on those? __________________

02-04-2010, 07:27 PM	#7
blakerefuge DevSlayer Join Date: May 2008	Good to hear. Will patch and check it out. __________________

02-04-2010, 08:29 PM	#8
UVee Vanguard Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Over there.	Mob difficulty appears no different comparing Live vs. PTS. Just fought a solo level 34 "Elemental Master" Master Villain and a solo level 34 "Gladiator" Henchmen both in Lemuria, both just outside the Aegir, on my level 40 character with no defensive passive. The Master Villain appeared to have the normal attack rate that was present before the Kitchen Sink patch went in both on the PTS and on Live. He was able to kill me in about 30 seconds (without fighting back of course, no blocking, no healing, no defensive passive 5217 HP and about 24% defense from gear. I had enough time inbetween my attacks to throw my shield up and block his attacks. The Henchmen has a much faster attack rate than the Master Villain, both on the PTS and Live, leading me to believe that no change was made to the attack rate of mobs as the devs claim there has been in the latest build on the PTS. This lone Henchmen was able to kill me in about 30 seconds on both the PTS and Live. I did not have enough time inbetween my attacks to throw my shield up and block his attacks. I'm not sure if thats how these specific mobs are supposed to behave, but I don't think it makes much sense that 1 lone henchmen can take me down as fast as a lone master villain. Add 3 henchmen together, that means I would be dead within 10 seconds if I didn't defend myself or take out the mobs quick enough - after testing this, thats exactly how it added up - 3 level 34 henchmen took me down in 11 seconds on the PTS without defending myself. The Henchmen still seem capable of having a 0 ms delay (which I believe was part of the issue) on the PTS as I've seen them attack almost immediately after attacking me, just like they are doing so on Live. The real test would be against Vikorin as he is absolutely horrid on Live at the moment. If anyone wants to try him out on the PTS, send me a tell. Added 2/4/2010 @ 10:14PM Server Time - Additional testing: Mega Destroid. He is still attacking just as fast on the PTS as he is on live. He spams many of his special chargeup attacks, his melee attacks (when he does decide to do a straight line of melee attacks) are still coming in so fast that a person couldn't block his attack, then attack Mega Destroid himself, then block his next melee attack. Before the kitchen sink this tactic worked. He too appears to have a 0 ms delay between some of his attacks, doing one attack almost immediately after another with no "down" time to speak of. __________________ Read more about my champion! - Now on the PRIMUS database! REVAMP Power Replacers - Suggestions on how to rework the current power replacers system! PATROL MODE - An alternative levelling system that encourages teaming! Last edited by UVee : 02-04-2010 at 09:15 PM.

02-04-2010, 08:54 PM	#9
Grimraven Champion Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: North Carolina	I hope you have a really big sponge You say you want us to hit the PTS and sniff out some bugs for you and check to see if things are working properly. You guys, in the past, have asked us to do the same thing. Also, in the past, it seems that our bug/issue reports were pretty much pointless seeing as how issues we reported many times still went right over to live. Having said that, why should we bother playing on the PTS in the first place? If doing so in the past hasn't really had much of an effect, why should we think it will help now? Perhaps the old kitchen sink needs some more Ajax. Keep this in mind: I'm in no way attempting to troll, nor flame. I'm simply looking at past track record that tons of players have had issues with. A lot of players have pretty much quit bothering with the PTS because they feel as though it wasn't accomplishing anything. Also keep this in mind as well: If we hit the PTS and give comprehensive reports on issues, and then they STILL make way to live; that's not the way to really win over players that are a bit rabid right now. So be very careful what you ask for. __________________

02-04-2010, 07:09 PM	#3
Exand Vanguard Join Date: Aug 2009	<3 Stormshade for working late.

02-04-2010, 07:17 PM	#4
Niniva Hero Join Date: Aug 2009	Got some good work going but... Really, when is the mob difficulty fix getting live?.. Its rather important to me, as its to the point where im not even bothering leveling my low level characters, which i happened to be in the process of when this bug suddenly hit..a week ago now

02-04-2010, 07:23 PM	#6
RoBoBo Cryptic Studios Team Join Date: Oct 2008	Mob difficulty has been adjusted and the fix is on the current PTS build. I recommend you copy your character over and compare hero to hero, mob to mob and post your findings. If there is a bug there I want to know! There are a few fixes on PTS that are not listed in the current notes. I am working on the rest of the notes now.

02-04-2010, 11:46 PM	#10
heathenish Champion Join Date: Aug 2009	Played a bit tonight in MI and Lemuria. The Good: 1. Framerate seems better in both zones, no lag to speak of (of course this probably benefits from low server load. 2. Some UI problems seem fixed, including direction problems and camera problems. Block actually seems more responsive! The Bad: 1. Mission Accept/Completion sounds have vanished. 2. There's a big glowing red square in Lemuria, on the ground, seen from above, near the Madrangalore or whatever it's called. Not sure if this is a video card-specific problem (I've got a 9800GT, latest driver) or what. 3. Lightning Reflexes appears to have been nerfed into oblivion, or perhaps the attack speed bug hasn't been fixed, or both. My Munitions/LR Dex/Ego build, a killing machine pre-kitchen sink, is now throwing smoke bombs and limping away from battle, especially any battle with a MV.