Where Are All The Areas?

I was browsing the facebook group and saw a complaint regarding the development focus being placed on artifacts rather than building new areas to expand Lusternia. I wanted to take the time to address the issue from my personal perspective since, as players, the administrative side of Lusternia is largely a mystery and I can't expect you to know if I never tell you.

From my personal experience, artifacts are generally pretty easy to create. It took me about 5 minutes each to do the damage type whips I made (I'm not sure the coding time that went into them). The manse mob generators I did took me maybe 10-20 minutes (again, I don't know about the coding time) and some of the admin probably did them faster.

Conversely, a "pocket" style mini-area I did took me about a month to do. During that month, I was probably working on it 10 or more hours a week. A full area I did took me just over 3 months, working 20-40 hours a week on it. There were some weeks during that time where I was online programming the quest more than I was sleeping. For reference, the Night Market, a pretty middle of the road area, took around 5 months and that was with 2 admin working on it. We currently have some areas that have been in development since before I became an ephemeral.

As you can see, the development of an area takes an extremely long amount of time compared to artifacts, and that is what really influences why players see new artifacts more than they see new areas. Add in the fact that many admin also handle administrative duties (issues, bugs, the library, the website, crafting design review, bardics and artisanals, training ephemerals, patron requests, etc.) as well as being volunteers who work, have friends and family, and other hobbies, leads to a generally slow rate of new areas being released.

All the admin love areas and I'm really excited for all the ones we currently have in progress. I wish we could create and release them more frequently, but I hope this alleviates the concerns some of you may have had!

#justmy2cents #pooroverworkedadmin #applytobeanephemeral

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Comments

  • ShaddusShaddus , the Leper Messiah Outside your window.
    I like pockets, and I understand why we get them, but it doesn't help that 90% of them are basically forgotten once they're released. Maybe we should get a list going of all the minor places so that people can see all the work you guys have put into Lusternia.

    As for #applytobeanephemeral, I'd have to have five of them at once and Estarra won't allow that.
    Everiine said: The reason population is low isn't because there are too many orgs. It's because so many facets of the game are outright broken and protected by those who benefit from it being that way. An overabundance of gimmicks (including game-breaking ones), artifacts that destroy any concept of balance, blatant pay-to-win features, and an obsession with convenience that makes few things actually worthwhile all contribute to the game's sad decline.
  • Shaddus said:
    I like pockets, and I understand why we get them, but it doesn't help that 90% of them are basically forgotten once they're released. Maybe we should get a list going of all the minor places so that people can see all the work you guys have put into Lusternia.

    I would also like to point out that there is an effort being made, from here on out, to add quests to the QUEST system - making such a list very possible in the future. Many older pockets and areas, however, were the creation of admin who no longer work with Lusternia, and so farming through them involves the sometimes slow process of understanding another admin's coding style.
  • edited November 2013
    I didn't even know there was a QUEST system.

    (On an unrelated topic, I finally clicked on Isune's profile and now I see her picture is not a my little pony looking-thing that it looks like when tiny. My life has changed.)
  • It's still being developed. For now it's got mostly village quests and, ironically, a quest in Eventru's old Godrealm.
    Everyone is a genius. But if you judge a fish on its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.
  • EritheylEritheyl ** Trigger Warning **

    Zvoltz said:
    #applytobeanephemeral
    Hope there's another call soon, I think I'm ready to apply instead of just typing everything up and sobbing over it for days on end!
    Crumkane, Lord of Epicurean Delights says, "WAS IT INDEED ON FIRE, ERITHEYL."

    -

    With a deep reverb, Contemptible Sutekh says, "CEASE YOUR INFERNAL ENERGY, ERITHEYL."
  • Ardmore said:

    (On an unrelated topic, I finally clicked on Isune's profile and now I see her picture is not a my little pony looking-thing that it looks like when tiny. My life has changed.)
    I was under the same impression :o 
  • ChibIsune? ChibIsune.
    I'm Lucidian. If I don't get pedantic every so often, I might explode.
  • It's always worth applying even if you're not accepted or don't think your work is up to snuff. If you're considering doing it, it's worth the glimpse behind the scenes and the ability to contribute to building, if nothing else - even very baby Ephemerals have the chance to really build lore and something awesome with much-dismissed pockets.

    Some pockets that come to mind: the beauty salon in the Presidio, bookwurms, the plant baby, Waystations, the Mahalla organ, the lucidian statue, and the Kelpie Maiden.
    Art is by the wonderful Gurashi!
  • EritheylEritheyl ** Trigger Warning **
    Oddly enough, my biggest fear isn't being turned down...it's being accepted, and then running the risk of having to give it up sometime afterwards. Woe, woe!

    But we'll see. Maybe. Hopefully!

    Also: much love to whoever birthed the Kelpie Maiden, even moreso if they'd also dipped their fingers into other parts of the crystal dove quest - definitely makes my top five list of random stuff I absolutely adore. Actually, just widespread love to the Divine and Ephemerals across the board, y'all make my soul happy and stuff. Take it :|
    Crumkane, Lord of Epicurean Delights says, "WAS IT INDEED ON FIRE, ERITHEYL."

    -

    With a deep reverb, Contemptible Sutekh says, "CEASE YOUR INFERNAL ENERGY, ERITHEYL."
  • KagatoKagato Auckland, New Zealand
    Zvoltz said:

    #justmy2cents #pooroverworkedadmin #applytobeanephemeral
    Keeping my eye out for the next ephemeral application opening, I applied (unsuccessfully) the last time they were open, but definitely not giving up hope.  Main reason I am hoping I will be successful one day is because I think it will dovetail nicely with my Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing that I am studying (and due to graduate in December 2015 at present), allowing me to hone my creative skills.
    Never put passion before principle.  Even if you win, you lose.

    If olive oil comes from olives, where does baby oil come from?

    If vegetarians eat vegetables, what do humanitarians eat?
  • KarlachKarlach God of Kittens.
    I'm very much torn between my character/my org and the joy of playing, and the will to see new content be out there and using the excessive amount of free time I have to help make these places a reality.

    Is there any chance that positions will open (or are open) for mortal builders, NDA agreements and all included? PvE content and design is something I absolutely adore, but I'm not done with Mork and the world around him to put him aside.

    The divine voice of Avechna, the Avenger reverberates powerfully, "Congratulations, Morkarion, you are the Bringer of Death indeed."

    You see Estarra the Eternal shout, "Morkarion is no more! Mourn the mortal! But welcome True Ascendant Karlach, of the Realm of Death!


    image
  • KagatoKagato Auckland, New Zealand
    Morkarion said:
    Is there any chance that positions will open (or are open) for mortal builders, NDA agreements and all included? PvE content and design is something I absolutely adore, but I'm not done with Mork and the world around him to put him aside.
    IIRC Mortal Builder applications are always open and they review applicants on an as-needed basis.  HELP MORTAL BUILDERS has all the information that you should need.
    Never put passion before principle.  Even if you win, you lose.

    If olive oil comes from olives, where does baby oil come from?

    If vegetarians eat vegetables, what do humanitarians eat?
  • KarlachKarlach God of Kittens.
    The Help file suggested it was more a "from time to time we may recruit MB's" hence my question of "Is there currently/will there be an opening."

    Other than that, thanks for linking the help file, just incase other people are curious and want to take it on board.  :-bd

    The divine voice of Avechna, the Avenger reverberates powerfully, "Congratulations, Morkarion, you are the Bringer of Death indeed."

    You see Estarra the Eternal shout, "Morkarion is no more! Mourn the mortal! But welcome True Ascendant Karlach, of the Realm of Death!


    image
  • Is there such a thing as a mortal coder? Or is ironing out bugs and such left up purely to the Anomaly due to the access to the source code it needs?
    image
    You have received a new honour! Congratulations! On this day, you have shown your willingness to ensure a bug-free Lusternia for everyone to enjoy. The face of Iosai the Anomaly unfolds before you, and within you grows the knowledge that you have earned the elusive and rare honour of membership in Her Order.
    Curio Exchange - A website to help with the trading of curio pieces in Lusternia.
  • There are (or at least have been) mortal coders, yeah. Not sure what the status is on that now though.
    image
  • KagatoKagato Auckland, New Zealand
    Rialorm said:
    Is there such a thing as a mortal coder? Or is ironing out bugs and such left up purely to the Anomaly due to the access to the source code it needs?
    I do believe bug squashing is left these days to the Anomalies and other admins, though I could easily be mistaken...
    Never put passion before principle.  Even if you win, you lose.

    If olive oil comes from olives, where does baby oil come from?

    If vegetarians eat vegetables, what do humanitarians eat?
  • XenthosXenthos Shadow Lord
    Give me thousand-room areas RIGHT NOW or you clearly don't care about us as players!

    This is a somewhat pervasive attitude, but it is just not feasible. I love when we get new areas (even if some just seem weird, like the wyrden river quest that we have all promptly and intentionally forgotten about). There are so many little areas witg NPCs that you can stumble across and offer you things to do, and it is great.

    PS: Bets on Estarra reading the first sentence and taking it as serious?
    image

  • Xenthos said:
    Give me thousand-room areas RIGHT NOW or you clearly don't care about us as players!
    Screw areas, I WANT MORE ARTIFACTS!!!
  • Xenthos said:
    PS: Bets on Estarra reading the first sentence and taking it as serious?
    I hope not, I'd feel bad. Poor Esty :(<3
    image
    You have received a new honour! Congratulations! On this day, you have shown your willingness to ensure a bug-free Lusternia for everyone to enjoy. The face of Iosai the Anomaly unfolds before you, and within you grows the knowledge that you have earned the elusive and rare honour of membership in Her Order.
    Curio Exchange - A website to help with the trading of curio pieces in Lusternia.
  • KarlachKarlach God of Kittens.
    Xenthos said:
     PS: Bets on Estarra reading the first sentence and taking it as serious?
    Till She sees who wrote it, then you'll just log in and find you've been maggoted :p

    The divine voice of Avechna, the Avenger reverberates powerfully, "Congratulations, Morkarion, you are the Bringer of Death indeed."

    You see Estarra the Eternal shout, "Morkarion is no more! Mourn the mortal! But welcome True Ascendant Karlach, of the Realm of Death!


    image
  • I'm with Morkarion. I'm torn between wanting to see this game grow more and deeper and such and fancy and yes, and wanting to help. And ironing out Alary and playing her. I'm not ready to give her up yet, not just yet. But I hope to be a major help to the game in the future. Also, as for pockets, I still dunno what xoqil root is exactly for, but Alary has discovered it and nothing will ever be the same. Also the dude for the root is hilarious. 
    But yeah, I love this game. And when the month of doom ends, I plan on applying for mortal builder. 
    Mysrai, the Beckoner Beyond the Maze intones, "Continue to manifest the paradigm of working, My Alary."
    The Divine voice of Camus the Cinderfly echoes in your head, "Thank you, once-body. I am happy that I fell into that eye."
    image
  • It's for a quest. In Dairuchi/Skarch/Zoaka. Good luck!
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