Publish 30.0 - 1/11/2012

[King Kong]

Publish 30

      Happy 2 Year Pandora!

      Pandora this month officially turns 2 years old. Thank you to everyone to make it what it is today. A lot has happened since then and we have came out stronger than ever. As a thank you (and a replacment for the referrer apron) there is a special half apron for both Humans and Gargs that you can get for only 10 Pandora Coins in Insula. Has 222 Luck and 5 Hit Point bonus on it, and it's a really cool color.
     
                              Client Update: 2.0.22

      Going to Client Version 7.0.22
      Go to your UO Directory, double click UOAutopatch. If having trouble... Go to your UO Directory, Right click UOAutoPatch, Run as Administrator. You will notice snow everywhere across Pandora and this will allow us even more access to make cool things.

                       About Publish 30.0

      This patch was worked on countless hours by King Konstantine and Vorspire (Who is a highly respected professional scripter in the RunUO community and developer from the United Kingdom paid for by Pandora player donations.) We will not stop adding on to Pandora, our goal is to see how far we can push UO and how much better we can make it.
      This is our biggest publish to date, which means it took the most work. The Christmas 1/2 off donation sale did well, this is what you Pandorians get. More stuff. So thank you to all the donators out their who are raising the bar on Pandora and the entire Ultima Online genre.

      New MOTD Message of the Day

      As you can see we have a new MOTD or Message of the Day system when you log in. A lot of work was put into making this feature. It's clean and custom for Pandora. All updates and news will go here.
      It can handle colors, even links for you to click on within the messages that open your browser if we want you to read more information or see a screenshot. This is a important feature to double check everytime you log in, by just looking at the date, so you are always in the know and don't miss anything.
      No! there is no way to cancel it from showing up when you log in because it's important. Just right click to close it whenever you want, and type [motd in game to open it back up anytime.

      .NET Framework 4

      We are now working in Windows .NET Framework 4.0 as opposed to .NET 2.0. (All shards still run on 2.0 ha!) We are the first live shard to do this! It means that the server will handle things rapidly faster. You might notice in game, you might not. But the server does. Should create less lag and compile the server on reboots much faster with much more benefits. With this framework you will notice things in game you didn't know was possible with UO.
      With this we are using Dynamic Saves, which this will effect the server world wide. Less lag, lower save times, faster script compiling, faster information processing, etc. It's pretty much going from a V4 Engine to a V8. Too much to explain here.
      Special thanks to Vorspire and ASayre (The guy who wrote the first line of code for RunUO, which is the engine Pandora runs on and every other free shard out there. Though ours is nothing like theirs by now as we do take the crown for most content and complexity than any Ultima Online world.)
      For you who are detailed, nerdy, coding minded read more about it HERE. You do not need to download anything, it's all on our servers.

      Introducing Super Gumps

      Window you see in Pandora, like the window to use the moongate is called a gump. We now have super gumps. When using certain things in the game, everything around the window your looking at will go dim. This allows better, cleaner, and smoother functionality of certain things in the game. While using the window/gump, you will not be able to move or do anything else until you close the window.
      This not only looks great and professional, but it allows you to focus on what your doing at that moment, and prevents making mistakes by doing many things at once as UO is a complex and busy game. Also it is a huge lag and crash preventer. It might take a little to get used to. But it's kind of like a mini traffic light, keeps things running smooth and controlled so not so many things going on at once.
      We believe it's best to adapt to this way as this is the future of these kind of game engines, especially UO. As we promise to our players to stay ahead of the curve and be the most innovative shard in the world, it is the now on PandoraUO.
      There are too changes in game that this effects, so you will just see for yourself as you play. (Notice as your reading this, everything is dim around the Pandora Update and News window? Wink Wink.
      This also opens up a huge door for more complex and awesome systems in the future. It allows things on UO you did not know were even possible.

      Virtue Bane Peerless Pack

      New Peerless Boss, Virtue Bane. He is mean, fights a lot like Dreadhorn but stronger. He mostly hurts you with his mind as he is a genius, but has been known to slam the ground once or twice. Has a much better chance to drop the Crimson Cinture (Pandora Peerless) than any other boss. Loot is between 40 - 60 Pandora Coins, 20-30 Oceanic Coins, 1-5 Relic Fragments, Level 7 Treasure Map, and Talismans.
      He can be found in Buc's Dun (Felucca) around every 8 hours. (Let's bring back Buc's Den PvP). He will also spawn in Ter Mur (Trammel), on the swirly island where Ice Steed can be found about once a day at random. If you don't know where it is, just look on this MAP. See the swirly looking thing in the bottom left corner?
      Bane Chosen Dragon Rider, is a protector of Virtue Bane and ride's a Bane Dragon (looks like a dark swamp dragon) which is a tamable, ridable mount and is about equal to a Greater Dragon and has a chance to be even stronger than a GD. You must kill the Chosen Rider first to knock him off his mount. Then you must subdue to beast (hurt it until it's very low, don't kill it!) and tame it. Takes 113.1 Animal Taming minimum to tame it. 5 Slots. Will spawn around Virtue Bane randomly.
      Bane Chosen Recruit, is a on foot guardian of the Virtue Bane. Has a chance to drop 1 - 4 Pandora coins. Will spawn around the area also.

      Order and Chaos

      Order and Chaos guilds will now be able to fight anywhere, any facet, any time, except in Pandora Safe Zones.
      Safe Zone places include Insula, Luna and Inside Luna walls, Artifact Room. You will have to figure out all the safe zones to be sure.
      If you do not want to PvP in all facets and you are in a Order or Chaos guild. Simply type: I resign from my guild.
      I wil be doing more with these 2 teams down the road.

      Treasures of Tokuno

      Greater Treasure of Tokuno Artifacts (the ones you get by turning in 10 lesser tokuno artifacts or 'ToTs' to Ihara), most of them have been upgraded considerably with better stats (really awesome), and they are also now IMBUABLE!

      Treasures of Tokuno stone that is outside the Fan Dancer Dojo and Yomotsu Mines will have a chance to turn Green more often and longer to drop Lesser Tots. Any monster inside these dungeons has a chance to put a artifact in your pack at random. Only when the stone is green though!

      There are now over 50 new Greater Pigments of Tokuno colors added on to the 10 already on Pandora. These colors are very cool and unique, they are on display at the Lesser Artifact Turn in Building in the town of
      Mako-Jima in Tokuno, near Ihara. Use the moongate > Tokuno > Treasures of Tokuno and it will place you in front of the building. (Beware the stones don't make the colors look near as cool as they are ha!)

      To have a chance to get these new pigment colors to dye your weapons and armor and more, you must collect 10 Lesser Tokuno Artifacts from any monster inside the Fan Dancer Dojo or Yomotsu Mines when the stone
      at their entrances is Green in color as stated above. You collect 10 and walk to Ihara the Treasure Artifact Specialists in the location mentioned above. He will put in your back 1 RANDOM Greater Tokuno Artifact. Out of the 11
      Greater Tokuno Artifacts you can get, 1 could be a colored pigment bottle. If you get a colored pigment bottle then it will choose 1 color out of the 58 or so colors at complete random. Good luck!

      Pigments of Tokuno now only come with 5 charges each bottle.

      Note* You must be at the latest, or close to it, client to show most of the new colors, if you see them as straight black then you are out of date, and follow steps stated above about Client 7.0.21.2.

      Gargoyle Throwing

      Cyclone/Soul Glaive/Boomerang

      (This will effect all NEW throwing weapons, crafted or looted, including artifacts)

      All Gargoyle throwing weapons can now be Imbued, Including the artifacts.

      All throwing weapons ranged has increased. You will be able to throw them from longer ways away.

      All throwing weapons natural swing speeds have increased, you will throw them over and over faster. Dex does play a part though.

      Throwing weapons damaged has been increased.

      Throwing weapons have new / modded weapon abilities...

      *Cyclone and Soul Glaive: Armor Ignore and Mortal Strike

      *Boomerang: Conussion Blow and Mortal Strike.

      Geo Location

      Geographic Location Display of players is back. Click the stone in Insula if you want to show information about yourself, such as country, state, region, etc.

      Your Country, based on your IP, will automatically show at first, for old and new players, so people can easily group up with people who share common interests such as language, culture, music, etc. You can always hide / show this information anytime you choose via the Location Stone.

      To see where a Pandorian is from, simply move your cursor over their avatar. If you do not see a country listed then they turned it off or their ISP has some kind of block on it. Remember you can turn this off whenever you choose, but it's a cool feature.

      Geo Location Stones Locations: Insula, on top of Serpent statue. In front of Luna bank. On Moongate> Geo Location Settings
     
      P.Coin and Donation

      New Mini-Game on Pandora, called "Liar's Dice." If you don't know this game or it's rules read about it HERE! You will be able to buy the game for your house, etc. in the Pandora Coin room. Also there will be a couple public ones to use for free around Pandora.

      Added Futons for house deco in Pandora Coin room.

      Added Lady Bug trophies to Pandora Coin room.

      Added Blackrock Coffins to the Pandora Coin room.

      Donation Skill Balls (+20, +10, +5) Have been tweaked and bettered (Is that a word?). They have a different look and no longer will require staff to set your skills manually for you anytime you donate for one. They will automatically read your skill and your cap via powerscrolls and adjust properly.

      Added "Linked Gates" to the Donation House. 2 Moongates that are married to each other. You can lock 1 down, and lock the other 1 down where ever you want and they will allow you to travel back in forth with ease between the 2. Perfect for multiple houses, etc. The cost will be $40 for the pair.

      Added Everlasting Enchanted Apple to Donation House. It's an Enchanted Apple that when ate removes any curses on you including Mortal Strike. Same delay and timer as a normal Enchanted Apple that you can cook. ($50)

      You can buy Rustic Distillary tanks from the Pandora Coin room. They are only for decoration in your home. We have too many citizens with drinking problems as it is, so they do not make drinks. See what they look like HERE

      Gothic and Rustic Housing

      Gothic and Rustic housing is now available! (This is the kind of stuff I can pull when you use the most updated clients)

      Use the custom house menu on your house sign, they will show up on the last page of your Walls section when building your house. (This does not include the stairs yet)

      Here are a couple of links with pictures to get an idea of the look.  There is much more options with walls fences, etc. Than what these show. (Gothic allows you to build a 2 story tall Chuch/Cathedreal window!)

      Rustic - Wall Sections

      Gothic - Wall Sections

     Pandora Underworld, Death

      There is now a Corpse Retrieval Stone at various locations. Evantually it will be at somewhere around the majority of dungeons, but for now it will replace the Corpse Summoner in Insula next to the Training Elementals. It looks like a big grave stone, shadow in color. Pay 7500 Gold coins and your corpse will be summonened to your location with everyone on it. This works for new and old players. Careful about where you summon it though, if your in Felucca another player can loot it.
      Make sure you to get to the Corpse Stone, if you need it, before your body fully decays. Usually between 5-10 minutes. This is perfect for very new players, and old players who are in a bind with spawn around it, or simply to lazy to go get it. Ha! (Thank you Pandorian MinaLisa for the script)

      When you die in Pandora, you will automatically ressurect in 15 minutes time from your time of death. Of course you can find other ways of coming to life before this, using all the normal ways, (Ankh, Healer, Player Ressin You, etc).
      This will help the people who are stuck as a ghost in a random dungeon, etc. and need to come alive to use their runebook. Also there is a bonus if you do wait the time in the Pandorian Underworld: You do not lose any fame or karma coming back to life! When you die you will get a message saying you have 15 minutes. There is no window asking if you want to be ressed or not once 15 minutes is up, you simply will gasp for air and be pulled out of the Underworld.
      *Note If you are waiting the 15 minutes out as a ghost, make sure your in a spot where their is no Monster or PKer around you, as you will be ressed, once your alive you can easily die again as you did before. Keep those Lord and Lady titles!

      Misc. Tweaks and Bugs

      High Stakes Poker has been activated in the Casino. Use the Moongate > Pandorian Settlements > Las Casino

      Browser Books will be placed in their appropriate spots around Pandora. For Example) A book called "Skill Training Guide" when you double click it, it will open your web browser to Pandora's Skill Training Wiki.

      When joining the [DailyPvP you will have to shrink or stable your pets before you go. When you type [dailypvp while on a pet it will automatically dismount you and tell you to get rid of the animal. Too many people's pets were getting stuck in holding, and this should have been done a long time ago. Much more efficient and cleaner for everyone.

      You will no longer remain hidden when your pet is being aggressive. Your pet is bonded to you, so when he attacks or fights anything you will become unhidden as you are in the battle too. (this was a long time bug and just now getting around too it)

      Fixed a bug where growing plants, while in bowls would just show a error when your cursor moved over it (TID Error out of range thing). This has been fixed. You can now see the status of your plant growing much easier.

      When creating a new character with a name already in use, you cannot do anything until you find a name not taken by typing it in your chatting area. This will prevent people running around with the name Generic Player.

      Communication Crystals now will get 10,000 charges by using diamonds, and goes a bit down depending on what gem you use from there. Players have been using these locked down by their Vendors at their houses, and are able to read people saying things like 'Oh man shes out of refresh potions'! Well time to make some refresh potions!

      Removed the bug "Chat is not currently supported" message when logging in, when it actually is supported.

      Added new messages that pop up when you our chat banned/chat banned lifted. Pretty much explains the most common reasons oh why server banned you and usual time frame so people don't
      think they are banned forever or wonder what they probably did. If you page about it or PM any staff asking about it your time will be longer. Just wait it out, not that big of a deal.

      Pandora rarely crashes, but even 1 small bug that crashes it once and awhile is unacceptable to our team. 1 bug that has been haunting us and crashing the shard once a month has been fixed. Not
      saying it will ever crash again, as it happens with all games and is expected. (There will probably be a crash from this huge patch we will have to fix, ha!) But know that we always run Pandora in Debug mode now, so when it does crash we know the exact problem down to the line of code out of
      millions, then will never crash again from that specific bug. Pandora saves once an hour, so the roll back is never a huge time frame if it does crash. In 2 years Pandora has shown Online and running status about 99.45% of the time.

      Restarted and ran all updates on the Pandora server box.

      Vote Stones have minor changes. You will now get 500 gold as opposed to 2.5k for each vote as most people voting do not need the extra gold but still gives some. Also there is a 50/50 shot if you get a Pandora Coin each time you vote at each stone. You might get 5 Pandora Coins in a round of voting, might get non.
      But you will on average at least get 3 voting on all stones. This is mostly to prevent on all the people farming the vote stones creating 1000's of characters and items on the shard that are just not needed. Remember, only use 1 account per day to use voting stones. When your web browser opens to vote for Pandora,
      you must type in the CAPTCHA code, and CLICK the button to vote. It is very easy to see people who do not actually do what they are suppose to. Staff deletes 100's of Pandora Coins a week from players who do not actually vote. If you have not been caught yet, you will. It can also lead to jail time. We work very hard
      to give everyone a clean, professional and FREE Ultima Online world to call home. All we ask is you take the 30 seconds and actually vote. Your votes, put us at #1 on the websites, which in turn brings more players.

      Fixed bug with vote stones where you could double click and use them anywhere. You now must be right next to the stone to use it.

      A few changes to character creation to be more efficient and reduce items and garbage on Pandora. Things like, you will only get the new player LRC armor that applies to the race you are. You also now only start with 6k check and 5k gold, only if Young status. Older players will get a little gold also. Your new player will no longer start with a runebook to give scribes a better market again. This prevents again from
      people creating new characters just to farm the gold, creating 1000's of unused character that just I have caught. This is not good for the server what-so-ever. Also it's one of those things, where I don't want to do it, I like players having a lot of gold! But a few exploit it and ruin it for everyone.

      You will gain less valor at champ spawns, and will take less time to start decaying.

      Malas runes will appear in an orange color inside your runebook to tell the difference between all facets easier.

      Misc tweaks to the dueling gumps and other menus.

      On logging into Pandora it will no longer tell you the amount of players, items, mobiles etc etc. This is pointless information when you can see everyone who is in the global chat channel by typing [c. Usually that number plus 15-20 is how many players are on the shard at that given time, or just look on the website. This is little stuff to become more professional and sleek.

      Gargoyle's can now wear Bone Harvesters properly, and if it's human it will change to Gargish if equipped by Gargoyles, when equipped by human/elf it will turn back to a normal looking one.

      When creating items for a Gargoyle via Blacksmith or Tinkering, or any race for that matter. You can just make the weapon in human form, when you equip it with a Gargoyle it will change to Gargish. If you equip it back on a human it will change back. Ex. Create a normal (human) cleaver, but if you equip it with a Gargoyle it will turn to a Gargish Cleaver. Vis Versa.

      Increased the gold drop rate of Trammel Facets. (Trammel, Malas, Tokuno, Ter Mur) Felucca facets will still drop slightly more.

      Reset the I wish to Duel 'Top 10' scores.

      Removed [r or Region global chat for now, as players were abusing it to see what players were in the area when PKing.
     
      Added a Geo Location place to Moongates, Has the Geo Location Settings stone there.

     Remember Your Attitude

      A lot of work has been put in Pandora and this update. We do not always tweak everything perfectly and there might be minor changes to some things in this patch as we go along and collect more information.
      A rule on Pandora is no negativity. If you complain about patch or anything in it in global chat you will be chat banned for 1 week. You can have a opinion, but don't need to share it with the entire shard.

      Publish 31, Major Goals

      PvP Battles, Free For All, The Maze, Red Light, and more will be put back in. We were going to put them in this Publish but we got some more great ideas and still adding to it. It will be worth the wait.

      Email registration for Pandorians. This will be used to verify accounts when forgot information, news letters, and other helpful things.

      Toolbar for players, a toolbar that you have while in game to allow easy to use commands by just clicking it. For example, Mail, Daily Pvp, etc.

      More items, shrouds, and things Tokuno Dyable.
     
      New mounts and monsters.
     
      Order and Chaos additions.
     
      And more.
     
      Thank you

      Again thank you for being loyal to Pandora. We looking forward to many years together. As long as players keep playing and donators keep donating we will never stop to make Pandora the best free UO world ever.

[Casho]

looks like a really great update!
thanks

[King Kong]

*Note


The Rustic & Gothic housing is only working on staff characters, we mis calculated the thing that blocks it for players. Will be working on this shortly. Sorry

[zaxarus]

First: Good job, great achievements!

Second:

Greater Treasure of Tokuno Artifacts (the ones you get by turning in 10 lesser tokuno artifacts or 'ToTs' to Ihara), most of them have been upgraded considerably with better stats (really awesome), and they are also now IMBUABLE!

I just tested if for example the Swords of Prosperity are imbuable (the ones I already had): they are, cool.^^
The stats of this artifact stayed the same. Could be that they belong to those ToT's where nothing changed. Or is it that these upgrades only affect new gained ToT's? Would be a reason for me to get new ones.

Thanks

[arcariel]

Most of the updates look pretty good.  The 1/2 apron with 222 luck and 5 hp is great!  I'm a little disappointed with the 500% reduction in voting gold and the 50% chance of getting a coin.  At this point, I'm not sure if it's even worth taking the time to vote.  The new aggressive pet no hiding update is a big disappointment.  Isn't that supposed to be one of the points of the Smoke bomb?, to be able to hide when being attacked?  Also that taken aside, why not at least allow using the Invisibility spell ?  Was that supposed to just be for Bonded pets?  Because I tamed a new animal and the same "no hide rule set applied". I am posting this in hopes that you may consider changing this back in a future update or at least modifying it.  It comes across more as an anti-tamer update, instead of a bug fix.  I really enjoy Pandora, you have done a lot of great updates and have a lot of really nice features.  In support of that, I have donated literally hundreds of dollars to show my support.  Because I do really enjoy playing on Pandora, I feel it is necessary for me to at least voice the few concerns I do have regarding current updates.   As far as everything else, it all looks great and very well thought out!  Keep up the good work!

[xcalibre]

Most of the updates look pretty good.  The 1/2 apron with 222 luck and 5 hp is great!  I'm a little disappointed with the 500% reduction in voting gold and the 50% chance of getting a coin.  At this point, I'm not sure if it's even worth taking the time to vote.  The new aggressive pet no hiding update is a big disappointment.  Isn't that supposed to be one of the points of the Smoke bomb?, to be able to hide when being attacked?  Also that taken aside, why not at least allow using the Invisibility spell ?  Was that supposed to just be for Bonded pets?  Because I tamed a new animal and the same "no hide rule set applied". I am posting this in hopes that you may consider changing this back in a future update or at least modifying it.  It comes across more as an anti-tamer update, instead of a bug fix.  I really enjoy Pandora, you have done a lot of great updates and have a lot of really nice features.  In support of that, I have donated literally hundreds of dollars to show my support.  Because I do really enjoy playing on Pandora, I feel it is necessary for me to at least voice the few concerns I do have regarding current updates.   As far as everything else, it all looks great and very well thought out!  Keep up the good work!

Totaly agree with arcariel, this update is awsome !! Only thing is vote stone, 500 gp ?! I think people dont need to waste time for only 500 gp and a little chance in pandora coins...  You need people to vote to be the best share in the world so it's a little risky to put a poor reward...  

The second thing is  "no hide rule set applied". For a newbie like me is not a good thing because i'll really apreciate than my drag do the job for me and help me to became a better player...  So it's 2 little thing in a great update... Hope you made chage for this...  For the 10 second for your backup you got a really big thumb up from me !! Framework 4.0 rule and this shard going to be the best and the fastest in the world !!  Thanks King !

[Jupiter]

The hidding while your pet did the dirty work was a sweet deal for awhile. But you have to agree its kinda unfair that everyone risk their hides in battle while we sit aside and do nothing (god knows im guilty of this too). Also, as a tamer, shouldnt you be healing your pet? Using vet or just greater heal will reveal you anyhow. I'd look at this is a chance for you to better your skills in battle. Your pet can still be a tank, and thats all that really matter for me.


...Getting 12.5k for voting was a bit much anyway. We should be voting of our free will to support the shard, which we are all enjoying for free btw, for the shards sake. As long as were number 1 we will get more players=more fun=potential more $ for more upgrades. Either way we benefit from voting. I don't remember ever hearing someone getting paid  to go to the ballots during any real life election.

...The only thing i don't like about the updates are that i have no ToT to turn in. AWESOME UPDATES!!

...PS; can anyone tell me how to get into the firepit in Ter Mur? I used the gate, but i cant see how to get onto the trail that I imagine that bane fellow is. I might just be blind, but all the same, a hint would be appriciated. I want one of those new dragons!!

[Idahocrow]

GREAT JOB!!!!!!!  I agree with Jupiter and others on the hiding/taming change.  Just takes a slight modification in your approach.  Was nice while it lasted, but......

Where do you purchase the half apron?  I thought the most obvious was the coin room but no luck.  Is it only referral reward replacement?

Anyway, 30 was well worth the wait if only for the fast world saves

[Maggdalena]

The new apron can be purchased with 10 pcoins (I think it's 10) from a stone in front of Insula Bank. (just the other side of the bridge)

[King Kong]

I shouldn't even have to reward you guys to vote. The only thing I ask of you really is to vote... from playing my server called Pandora that you can play for free. Taking 30 seconds isn't worth my endless hours and years of coding?


To even mention "not worth voting" -- well, just sad. You can play another shard if you'd like.

[Voxpire]

Wouldn't worry about the Voting Konst, I'm sure I can whip up something that will make it fair, but interesting.

How would people feel if there was an accumulative Vote Points system where you could spend your VotePoints each month on small rewards? Nothing massively special, cool things like fireworks, or Puzzle Tiles for your house, fun things, not things you'll use in PvP or PvM, things that won't degrade your game-play but will increase the fun factor?
How does that sound for compromise? There could even be the option to cash in your VotePoints for gold of PCoins, but that will be up to Konst

The aim here is to keep everyone happy, Voting should have incentives and it shouldn't always just be gold, hell there should be a 0.05% chance that you explode into tiny pieces when you click the stone, but that's just me xD

[Belegerandh]

I'll agree if you add the exploding chance.

[King Kong]

:lol:

[Tyrone Biggums]

I think the exploding thing would be comical. I would love to screen shot me blowing up.

[Dirk Kincaid]

Heck I'd vote for free, I'm happy for a shot at a couple P coins.