As you all know, we've been pretty busy the past couple of weeks trying to make sure that Chunk #1 is stable and happy. Thankfully, it looks like all is well now...

So, what's in the next build? And, when is the next build?

Our plan is to release monthly content updates with sweet new features every two months or so. Well, like all plans, the reality may be different than what's on paper. The cleanup work on Chunk #1 has taken a bite out of our work on the next content build (causing some extra delays).

However, things are shaping up this week. It looks very likely that we'll have this build in QA early next week (likely Tuesday). They'll be testing it for some time and we'll get it out on the PTS once it's given the all clear.

The next build is a content build and includes new quests, items, skills and various balance changes. It also includes a boatload of bug fixes and other various tweaks.

An sampling of the changes coming in build 92:

Improved PvP Matchmaking and Balance
This is covered in more detail on the PvP forum. Basically, we're implementing an automatic scaling system to allow people of various levels to fight in PvP. This will improve the matchmaking time tremendously and will hopefully bring some more interest to the PvP world.

World Design
We've made another pass on the shared spaces between the lower dungeons. This includes adding some loot chests after the Shadow Queen fight and various other adjustments.

More Quests
A bunch of new quests have been added to Ratsputin's Gulag and a few of the other dungeons.

More Skills
Two new skills have been added to this build:

Light in the Loafers - This active skill allows your character to ignore all movement speed debuff effects for a period of time. This includes monsters molasses as well as armor-based and magical movement speed reducing effects.

Mad Melee Mastery - This passive skill increases your melee attack rating by a sumbstantial amount, with a small reduction in overall health.

We've made balance and artwork adjustments to many other spells as well.

Spell Criticals
We've added the possibility for spell critical hits to this build. This applies to most player spells.

Monsters and players with negative resistances to specific damage types will suffer critical hits from those damage types more often.

Resistance Updates
We've overhauled the spells in this build to handle resistance more logically. For example, if you resist ice bolt you will no longer become slowed.

New Items
26 new amulets! 19 new two-handed picks! 18 new two-handed axes!

Many more mythic items have been added as well.

Monster Changes
We've given many monsters new skills and abilities to better smash you to bits. Some boss fights have been adjusted also.

Improved Performance
We found a neat bug in the graphics engine that would cause a 50% decrease in FPS on some dungeon levels. Fixed!

That's a good sampling of what's on the way. I'll post the final patch notes when it's ready for the PTS!

steve

UPDATE!

This build has been making the paces through QA. There are a handful of bugs that will stop us from pushing it to the PTS until next week.

Testing is going to be a bit slower than usual because Tabula Rasa has taken all but one of our testers for the next couple of weeks.

Again, this build looks like a PTS candidate next week.

steve

UPDATE!

This build is going to the PTS now. Please check the PTS forum for the patch notes.

steve

It looks like build 95 should be going to the live server on Tuesday, October 23. I'll post more information on Monday.

steve