[b]NOTE: you've missed The Hunt, the first major update to Fractured Online since release? [url=https://fracturedmmo.com/the-hunt-update-free-week/]Check it out here[/url]![/b] --- Hi, fellow gamer and MMO enthusiast! The big [b]Quality of Life[/b] update that was promised has been released, and the game is now built with [b]Unity 2022.3[/b]! Read on for all the details on this major milestone and for more info on what's coming to the game in September! [h1]RELEASED: Today's Patch Log[/h1] [h2]Free Play Extended[/h2] The Free Week has officially been extended once again until [b]Monday, September 9[/b], at [b]8am UTC[/b]! We've taken this decision because we promised you'd be able to experience this major update during the Free Play event last week, but completing testing and fixing all the issues generated by the engine update took longer than expected. This is the last extension though, so make the most of it! ;) Please note that Steam doesn't allow running more than one Free Weekend per year for B2P games, so this event is available only on our [url=https://fracturedmmo.com/play/]Standalone Launcher[/url]. No worries though, if you later purchase the game on Steam you'll be able to link your Fractured Online account to your Steam account the first time you launch from Steam. [b]No progression will be lost[/b]! [h2]Unity 2022.3 LTS Upgrade[/h2] We'll be getting a litte technical here. If tech insights aren't interesting to you, feel free to skip this paragraph! Due to restrictions in our backend engine, we've been long [b]forced to use an older version of Unity[/b] (2020.3 LTS). Being a "Long Term Support" version, it was still being updated with bug fixes, but some of the core systems used by both our client and server were Beta releases, thus not fully stable. Inherent flaws in those core systems are the reason behind the [b]server crashes[/b] that we've been experiencing in the world in the last few days. Do note that the issues didn't lie in the core of our backend engine, which is not part of Unity, but in the Unity processes that control different areas of the world. A [url=https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1426050/view/4240788773943782347?l=english]first attempt[/url] to just update those Beta packages to the most recent Beta versiown supported by Unity 2020.3 LTS yielded no improvements. We then realized a full engine update was needed, which is now done! This update also paves the way to many potential client and server performance improvents which we can't wait to start working on! [h2]Quality of Life[/h2] [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/38797856/3a11bf5c82daca703ac8c59a199db703573aa252.jpg[/img] Here we have some of the QOL changes most requested by the community! First, we have added more options to the Settings menu, giving you the chance to: [list][*] Change [b]controls to MOBA/RTS-like[/b], i.e. you move with right click (basically mouse controls become inverted compared to the current ones). [*] Disable [b]quick casting[/b], i.e. you get a target cursor instead of casting the spell directly at your current cursos position. [*] Change the [b]mouse cursors graphics[/b] to more visible (brightly colored) ones. [*] See the [b]names of monsters[/b] on mouseover.[/list][img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/38797856/c325b55bb5e975666b2ec48eb1f4f4f3becc997d.jpg[/img] Second, we have implemented the following changes:[list] [*][b]Mounting[/b] as Peaceful when not in combat takes [b]1 second[/b] instead of 4. Gatherers rejoice! [*][b]Targeting[/b] is now smarter - trying to cast an offensive spell on a target will ignore allied creatures on top of the target. [*][b]Dismounting as Aggressive[/b] when other non-allied Aggressive players are within 15 meters from you makes all your ability go on a 5-seconds cooldown. [*][b]Double-clicking[/b] on the [b]center[/b] of a [b]radial menu[/b] automatically selects the "default" option of the radial menu. This means that if you are mounted, you can pick up your wagon with double-click, while if you are dismounted, you can open the wagon's inventory with double-click. If you own a house, you can open a chest with double-click... [*]The [b]I'M STUCK[/b] button can now be used in [b]sieges[/b], and [b]Game Masters[/b] can enter active siege zones. [*]Trying to interact with an item while in [b]Combat Mode[/b] now triggers a message saying "Can't do this while in combat". [*][b]Combat Mode[/b] is no longer triggered when casting spells or attacks if such spells or attacks don't connect with any target. This means you can now jump to that plant and harvest it right away, yes. [*]Instant-pickup (e.g. small stone) can be interrupted. [*]In the Book of Knowledge, if you've reached 100% knowledge of a creature, a text now explains you can't gain more KP from that creature. [/list][h2]Bug Fixes[/h2] We've got several big ones here, let's go over them![list] [*]Selecting the [b]Italian language[/b] no longer disables the [b]chat[/b]. [*][b]Claim item recovery[/b] is now functional. Items from abandoned claims have been saved correctly, but could not be recovered because the recovery UI would not open. If you've abandoned a claim, you can recover your items now. [*]The [b]traps[/b] placer by a player no longer hurt the [b]summons[/b] of that player. [*]The base damage of the [b]Chadra Primal Form[/b] attacks is now correctly 140 instead of 100. [*]Totems now always attack, also when the caster is in Summon Follow or Summon Guard mode. [*]Auto Combat Mode no longer overrides Manual Combat Mode. If you turn on Combat Mode manually through the hotkey, it will stay on until you disable it. [*]Emote preview is now functional for all races. [*]The "combat mode prevents looting" option is now disabled for new players.[/list] [h1]UPCOMING: September Roadmap[/h1] [h2]Premium Houses[/h2] [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/38797856/a27312a13a416bab86b594a2b48a05e481c69d9b.jpg[/img] Not much to add here. Owners of Founder Packs are getting their unique blueprints, and everyone will be able to buy house skins from the store to re-skin their homes :) [h2]Consumables[/h2] You all want that dedicated consumable hotbar slot, even though there are just a handful of consumables to put in there. It's time to change this! [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/38797856/ade10ea35eb2209bde46342fd99d20df88d1002c.jpg[/img] We have a huge expansion of consumables in store, which will add value to items and events that currently have little, such as [b]gems[/b] and [b]ghosts[/b]. [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/38797856/e4c325ca671bc1c7cb1e400bd1160f0ccfcb92ba.jpg[/img] We can't get into detail in there, since this is such a big topic that it requires a dedicated post. Let's just say that you will get that dedicated hotbar slot, and you'll be able to put 1 consumable there out of several categories. [b]Note: all numbers are for illustrative purposes only and still require balance.[/b] Stay tuned for the dedicated post, and let's move to the next step of gear progression in Fractured: artifacts! [h2]City Crafting Orders[/h2] Right now, there is no reason for players to upgrade their cities. This is also something that really needed to be changed, so here we go! With the last patch of September, city shops will be populated with [b]NPCs[/b] that require T1 items crafted by players. Each day each NPC will have a unique request, meaning it will look for a maximum N units of a specific type of item, made of a specific material and optionally with a minimum quality. Note: N unit from each player who wants to contribute, not N in total. The more complex the request, the higher the amount of reward points earned! When enough points have been accumulated, they can be traded for a random reward, including:[list] [*]Gold [*]Crafting Recipes (the ones currently found in chests and Divine Rewards, which will no longer be dropped there) [*]Artifact Recipes [/list]The higher the level of the city, the better the requests of the NPCs that populate it and the largest the rewards. Moreover, the taxing system will be changed to equalize all cities. More details will follow, since this is also a huge topic. [h2]Artifact Equipment[/h2] Once you've got your recipe, you can now use it to turn a weapon or a piece of armor of into an artifact! The item must be of [b]Legendary[/b] quality to undergo this process - that's a new quality level not yet available in game, only achievable by the most skilled crafters who are getting their crafts quality boosted by a Crafting Recipe. Note that the recipe is not the only requirement - unique items found battling Legends in PvE are also needed. An item turned into an artifact gains a unique suffix which gives it a unique passive ability. Just a few examples below:[list] [*]Weapon [b]of Wizardry[/b]: attacks and physical abilities use Magical Power instead of Physical Power as scaling factor. [*]Shield [b]of Absorption[/b]: Converts 20% of the magical damage you take into mana. [*]Armor [b]of Strength[/b]: Your Strength score increases by 2 points. [*]Helm [b]of Protection[/b]: You take 50% less damage from critical hits. Only the critical portion of the damage is affected. [*]Boots [b]of Stealth[/b]: You move 20% faster while hidden. [*]Gloves of [b]Brawling[/b]: Your unarmed attacks deal 20% more damage. [/list]These are just a few examples out of many. [b]Note: all numbers are for illustrative purposes only and still require balance.[/b] --- This is all for today! Enjoy Fractured Online!