ATS: New things related to the Ring

[Marjo]

First, read the news here to know more about the ATS patch.
Second, play and enjoy.
Third, if you want to comment on these Ring modifications, here's the right place to do so.

* Ring: the objects and NPCs' number limitation are increased. In your Ring Scenario, you should be able to place 300 objects (components and bot objects) and 200 NPCs.

* Ring Editor: you can now draw an array of walls. You simply have to tick the "Draw Array" option in the "Palette" and trace a line of objects.

* Ring Scenario Scoring: you can vote for a scenario. To do so, open the "Scenario Scoring" window (shift+J when you are playing in the Ring Scenario) and fill the different fields. The scenario score will be displayed in the Loading Scenario windows (when you create a Ring Animation) and in the scenario's description tooltip on the Ring Terminal.

[raynes]

More items available in the Ring! YES YES YES!!!

What is meant by "array of walls"? Does this mean we can close of areas by adding walls? Does this go against our total item count?

[nephy13]

* Ring: the objects and NPCs' number limitation are increased. In your Ring Scenario, you should be able to place 300 objects (components and bot objects) and 200 NPCs.

Not sure if you made a typo or it is not implemented correctly, but using the editor on Arispotle ATS, it is actually 200 scenery objects per scenario and 300 entities (including controls and NPCs) per act.

For myself, I have found that I run out of scenery in a multi-map scenario a lot sooner than I run out of entities (especially since I can always just make a new act on the same map to get more entities). In my opinion, 300 (preferably more) scenery per scenario and 200 entities per act would have been a better choice. The current limit of 100 scenery is just about enough for a single small-medium sized map as long you don't need a partilcularly large number of objects (definitely no forests or cities). 200 is barely enough for 2 maps! If you really must limit it, please consider 100 items (or more) per MAP rather than per scenario.

* Ring Editor: you can now draw an array of walls. You simply have to tick the "Draw Array" option in the "Palette" and trace a line of objects.

You can actually draw an array of any scenery object, not just walls. The "array" function is just a way for placing a lot of objects at once, evenly spaced and in a dead-straight line. Once placed, they act in all ways like regular items and are no longer linked in any way (each individual item still counts as 1 scenery object in your quota).

I can't really see the point of an array of anything, since I don't think Atys is the place for dead-straight lines of anything (except maybe Karavan things?) *shrugs*

I made a screenshot of me dragging out an array of walls (and you can see the object/item limits at the top-right).

**EDIT** I actually take a fair amount of time adding small rotations and inconsitent spacings to objects I place so it doesn't look like I used a ruler to place them!

[nephy13]

Good to see that the author, owner (host) and scenario all get seperate ring points. This will encourage me to publish my scenarios so that others can host them for themselves, without fear that I'll be giving away all the Ring points that will be generated too.

* Ring Scenario Scoring: you can vote for a scenario. To do so, open the "Scenario Scoring" window (shift+J when you are playing in the Ring Scenario) and fill the different fields. The scenario score will be displayed in the Loading Scenario windows (when you create a Ring Animation) and in the scenario's description tooltip on the Ring Terminal.

Actually, when playing a scenario, the key for the "My Scenario Scores" window is SHIFT-S. Another new window seems to have been added (At least I could see it in Keys->Windows), called "Ring", which initially doesn't have a key set. Even when I set a key, I couldn't open a "Ring" window in or out of a Ring session.

I'd really like to be able to get the name of the scenario and its author in the Scenario Scores window, so I know what I'm voting for, since it might have been a while since I started playing it before I want to enter the scores (Just in case I forgot what scenario I entered at the terminal).

The categories for voting on a scenario are:

• Fun
• Difficulty
• Accessibility
• Originality
• Direction

Unfortuntatly, none of them has descriptive descriptions in the tool-tips (e.g. Difficulty is "The Difficulty of the scenario"). I think some detailed descriptions would be beneficial to try and keep people's voting consistent.

Not sure Fun is a perfect word, since a serious scenario that makes you cry (though not through frustration) is not "Fun", but should get a very high "enjoyment" or "immersion" rating (no, I can't really think of a better word...).

Difficulty is the hardest thing, since on a level 51-100 scenario, a homin trying to solo at level 50 will say a scenario is impossible while members of a group of 9 level 100 homins will say it is easy. Perhaps say "Difficulty for a team of 3 at level 75" for a 51-100 scenario? But then, some scenarios will be aimed for soloing, others for large groups. Is a high Difficulty Rating an indication that the difficulty is high (or impossible), or that it was perfect for the level-range quoted? In any case, "Difficulty" on its own is going to be a real headache.

Accessibility: What does that mean? That the English is simple and/or clear so everyone (even those whose first language is not English) can understand? Does it mean that it isn't too complex in plot that you are left wondering what to do next? Something else?

Originality: OK, no problem there! Except maybe...one might ask whether a scenario that follows the official Atys lore/style have low originality and a scenario that makes new stuff up (that contradicts the canon) be original?

A clearer picture of what "Direction" is would be helpful. Is it an overall "quality" rating? Is it just for scenarios where events occur and you watch them? *shrugs*

I expect you already have full descriptions somewhere of what these categories represent, but it would be nice to have them in the tooltips.

[katriell]

**EDIT** I actually take a fair amount of time adding small rotations and inconsitent spacings to objects I place so it doesn't look like I used a ruler to place them!

*nods* I'd find an option to auto-randomly-rotate a scenery object as it is placed more useful than drawing a straight array.

[nephy13]

* Ring: the objects and NPCs' number limitation are increased. In your Ring Scenario, you should be able to place 300 objects (components and bot objects) and 200 NPCs.

Not sure if you made a typo or it is not implemented correctly, but using the editor on Arispotle ATS, it is actually 200 scenery objects per scenario and 300 entities (including controls and NPCs) per act.

This is STILL wrong in the patch notes (at least those just put on ryzom.com/news for the patch to occur on the 21st December). I'm assuming that the actual values are still the same in the editor though.