Design Notes

December 10, 2012

Server and Game Fixes

Big Day for Big Lag-Squashing!

After a weekend marathon of:

lag-attacking, code-crunching
server-stabilizing, database-optimizing 
and dangerous levels of coffee-consumption...

we have released new fixes to the individual parts of our system that keep AQWorlds running! Yorumi, Zhoom, Captain Rhubarb, and the rest of the programmers who pulled together this weekend are excited to see a visible improvement as we monitor lag... and we hope YOU are experiencing a noticeable improvement in game stability, too!

Guil Kashin's Chaotic Server Hamster has been de-chaorrupted!

So... What'd We Do to Fix Things?

Between the server and database needing optimization and exploits available to players using third-party programs, AQWorlds was under a too-heavy load!

The investigations leading to today's fixes began a long time ago, but the hard work and dedication of our programmers (and the testing help you gave us!) all resulted in the latest round of fixes!

We changed some very integral ways the server and database talk to each other, making sure that the game never sends more messages to the database than the game can handle. When the flood of information coming into the database got too heavy, the database could not keep up. Requests (like monster respawns, quest completes, etc) would get dropped and never go through.

Combine database and server fixes to destroy hansengomulia's FrankenLag Monster!

We also patched some exploits that allowed players using third-party programs to spam the game with junk data to cheat, which can cause lag. And to top it all off, Captain Rhubarb's continued investigations into the failed login issues so many players have been having paid off! He has adjusted the login monitoring code to prevent most of those issues, and has plans to improve it even further!

These fixes should improve login speed and reduce chat and combat lag. We are investigating reports of random disconnects, and hope to discover a reason for that with your help! We need as much information as possible when you make bug reports: class equipped, monster being battled, quest you're on, server, Flash/Browser version, etc

What Comes Next?

In terms of lag fixes and game improvements? We will keep working to improve AQWorlds' speed and function as new browser and Flash Player versions affect it in random, Chaotic ways. But Yorumi's focus is going to return to the biggest project on the horizon: Guild Halls!

And don't miss our 12-12-12 event! See Artix's Design Notes post for an EPIC pic of a mysterious villain! When ancient evils rise, Lore falls... unless YOU can save it! Check back tomorrow when Cysero tells you more about what releases on Wednesday!

This Friday, we've got a Quibble update AND Beleen's Birthday shop coming!

August 13, 2012

The Dragon of Time

Return to The Span this Friday to learn more!

Very long ago but not so far away, Galanoth slew the Dragon of Time. Very little is known of this creature except that it is vital to your existence... and Lore's. Why did Galanoth slay it and what does its death mean for you? Battle through the TimeVoid across the back of the Vaxt Ahas, the Un-Ending, to find out this Friday!

J6's To-Do List: "Space Snake." Check!

But first, check out Dage the Evil's concept sketch for the Dragon's still art:

Battle-scarred and wise, the Dragon of Time would have taught you much.

Dragon of Time? Wait... what?!

Those of you who have battled with us for a few years may remember the Design Notes post from 2009 where Sepulchure teases you with not-quite-enough information about this timeless being:

The Prologue's Prologue
When Galanoth's blade struck true, he slew the Eternal Dragon of time and destroyed everything... creating the void. A vast empty wasteland of nothingness. Reality was literally, uncreated. They say mortals could not comprehend what happened next. I beg to differ.

I think if you looked inside that slain Eternal Dragon you would find an shattered Hour Glass where his heart should be. The Hour Glass would be bleeding out the sands of time on the floor... but before the last drop of sand fell, ending everything.

Someone (or more likely... someTHING) must have noticed that there was not one hourglass in that Dragon's chest... but three!

Quibble Coinbiter Returns to Battleon Friday!

Quibble has traveled many light-years and alternate-timelines to bring you this gear straight from your past, present, and future! You can see a partial list of what he'll be stocking in this Design Notes post! We'll have more previews of the rest of Quibble's inventory later this week.

Technomancer and Dravir Armors from DragonFable!

But if the above picture isn't enough, and we're sure it isn't, here's a list of what else to look forward to:

• Tonbo-Giri polearm from AdventureQuest
• The Baconing Mace from DragonFable
• Antique Frying Pan from MechQuest
• And more!

Dark Caster Class Release Planned for Friday!

Cysero and Yorumi have designed the skills for the incredibly offensive, single-target Dark Caster Class... and now Dage is working on its art. We WANT to release the Class this Friday. Barring unforeseen obstructions to that, we will.

Remember, you must have the ORIGINAL Dark Caster Armor to unlock the path you'll take to get to the Dark Caster Class. Dage's evil mind is feverishly working on the details of just what price you'll have to pay to get it! We'll announce more details once they're finalized.

The Lorelympics Shop Leaves Now!

Originally, we announced that the Lorelympics shop would be up for a week. In the spirit of fostering healthy competition, and because so many of you asked nicely, we left the shop up until the end of the Olympics. That was yesterday, and so down it comes today.

I hope you got all the gear you were after, because we're not sure when the shop will return! (Possibly in two years.)

Yorumi's Quest to Crush Bugs Continues!

The lag has been better recently - but BETTER isn't GOOD ENOUGH! Yorumi has a list of things to try which should hopefully help reduce lag... or show us what else might! He also fixed one very colorful chat bug over the weekend and another earlier today.

With your help in reporting the botters and cheaters who break the game, we will continue working hard to make AQWorlds the best game it can be! We are very, very lucky to have so many players who want to make the game safe and secure for ALL players. For that, we thank you.

Cyser-notes Tomorrow!

You might have noticed that you haven't heard much from Cysero recently. While the rest of the team and I have been hard at work creating your weekly releases, Cysero has been pushing on some MUCH needed updates to the game. These should hopefully improve your in-game experience.* He'll have more details about his projects tomorrow!

* But are not gameplay functionality. Guilds is still in progress, as are new tradeskills.

PS: More news about the war and rewards tomorrow!

July 27, 2012

Countdown to Chaos!

It’s time for Chaos!

Return to The Span in AQWorlds this weekend to visit a city of half-remembered faces and monsters that seem familiar, but aren’t. The golems there tell stories of a mysterious Master and hint at the dark plans he has for you. But just how dark ARE they?

Adventure through simulations of AdventureQuest, DragonFable, and MechQuest as the clock counts down to the Chaos Lord’s big reveal!

Sage Armor and Sage Eyewrap with Nemesis Mace

More War Rewards!

The war of Evil vs Evil is not yet won! Warriors, rally to your commanders - they have rewards to offer you! Accept, and you will be compelled to battle for them for the rest of eternity!

Legion, this week Dage offers you:

• The Rage of Evil (Rares Shop)
• Brutal Wolf Blade (Legion Shop)
• Brutal Bone Daggers (War Merge Shop)

Archfiend followers, Nulgath has these rewards for you:

• Mortality of Revontheus (AC Shop)
• Neofiend Blades of Revontheus (Diamond Shop)
• Neofiend Helm of Revontheus (War Merge Shop)

Last Weekend to get the FlameStop Blade!

Visit your local GameStop store by July 31st, 2012 and purchase an Artix Upgrade card to unlock the exclusive FlameStop Blade! For a detailed walkthrough of how to obtain your FlameStop Blade, take a look at this post!

Yorumi's on a Roll - More PTR Fixes!

This Friday, Yorumi is rolling out more fixes! They should address the issue of some of the random disconnects as well as a potentially significant portion of the lag in general. /cheer Yorumi on as he monitors the servers this weekend to track how efficacious* his patches are!

Coming Soon!

• The finale of the Dage vs Nulgath war!
• Olympics 2012 Celebration Shop!
• The Span release, Part III: Dragon of Time!
• SkyGuard release: The Beast?!

July 24, 2012

More Chaos, Servers, Fixes

This is the week of MORE in AQWorlds!

It's only Tuesday and we already know this is going to be a VERY full week! A lot of work is going into a lot of projects - fixing the lag, getting two new servers for AQW, more chaos, more war items, and more work on future releases!

More Fixes: Attacking the Lag on PTR!

Yorumi has been pushing all weekend, yesterday, and today as we work on getting the servers in shape. We're going to punch lag in its code! Over the past few days, he has worked on inventory load times, login lag (if you see all of the characters in Battleon drawing quickly, that is the reduction of login lag), fixing the friends list, and logging, tracking, and tracing the causes of AQW's lag.

He's spent so much time staring at a wall of scrolling code, we are pretty sure he's devloped the ability to look into the mAEtrix. /Cheer him on!

More Chaos: A new update in The Span!

The Span: A town full of people you don't know, but almost remember. Monsters you are fighting for the first time, but whose attacks seem so familiar. Streets you've never walked in a town that feels like a place you once called home.

This is but one hall in the Library of Time. You will not see them all.

Return to The Span this week to begin the storyline which will teach you much about Time, Drakath... and your Destiny! Meet a stranger you already know. He will send you on the journey of a lifetime - many lifetimes. His lessons begins this week inside the Library of Time, but what you learn will help you prevent the end of Lore!

More War Items: The battle continues!

Dage, Nulgath, and their minions are hard at work crafting gear to drive you towards their goals! This week, we will update each of their war shops with a new item. The rewards keep coming as war rages on in the Underworld!

More AQW Servers: Yorumi and Zazul!

While we're rebuilding our server code to be better, stronger, and faster... we thought we'd add in two more! With more servers, you'll have more room to adventure with your /party and find new /friends!

This week we're working on getting those added to the game. It takes a lot to add a new server. We need the server itself, an IP for it, software licensing, a good deal of new code, and then there's attaching it to the game itself. We are trying to get them to launch this week, but won't release them until they are ready.

More Better Things in the Future: Looking Ahead!

Every week we push on that weekend's release, but there is SO much going on in the background. From making new ads to producing rewards for HeroMart, creating new website graphics (like login screens and homepage banners) to going back and cleaning up old bugs/areas of the game... there is ALWAYS more to do!

Like Cysero's current project: completely re-doing the tutorial area for AQWorlds. We're going to clean it up and make it a LOT easier for new players to learn how the game is played. All of the original intro content will be available, and the intro cutscene isn't changing, but future AQW players will have a much brighter, much cleaner first adventure through Lore!