[Threshold]

After years of data mining and analysis, tons of player submitted feedback and data, and a number of smaller tweaks to the system over the years, it was decided that the spell component conjuring system needed some major improvements. These changes are quite dramatic, and should result in a very significant improvement in the enjoyability of the various casting classes/guilds. The changes are:
<ul>[*] New skill: <span style='color:blue'>components</span>
<span style='color:blue'>*</span> This skill is taught when you join the guild, or by using the fix command (type: fix your_guild_name ).
[*] Doubled the total amount of each component you can have conjured. The total for ALL components is now your conjuration school + component skill.
[*] Standardized all conjure times for components to 20 seconds. Overall, this equates to about a 33% reduction in total conjure time for your spells - especially for your most commonly used spells.
[*] <span style='color:blue'>Advanced Conjuring</span> (Component Skill: 22)
<span style='color:blue'>*</span> In the field conjuring reduced from x4 to x3 casting time.
<span style='color:blue'>*</span> Fast conjure room conjuring is 25% faster.
<span style='color:blue'>*</span> Max components you can conjure at one time: 7
[*] <span style='color:blue'>Conjuration Mastery</span> (Component Skill: 40)
<span style='color:blue'>*</span> In the field conjuring reduced from x4 to x2 casting time.
<span style='color:blue'>*</span> Fast conjure room conjuring is 50% faster.
<span style='color:blue'>*</span> Max components you can conjure at one time: 10
[*] Created a storage room in each guild where components can be deposited for other guildmates to use. Only glevel 15+ casters can withdraw components. All deposits and withdrawals are recorded.
[*] Created a storage room in each guild for raw and purified focus crystals. Deposits and withdrawals are recorded.
[*] Doubled duration of focus crystal bonus conjure speed effect (from 15 minutes to 30 minutes).
[*] Halved the time it takes to purify a focus crystal.
[*] Halved the time it takes to fill a focus crystal with energy (it now also makes use of the new component skill).
[*] New Ability: <span style='color:blue'>quickconjure</span>. This will rapidly conjure a small pouch of various components. This is particularly useful in an emergency. [/list]

[Isaviel]

[DonathinFrye]

Are you concerned at all with how these changes could possibly make caster classes over-powered, or is it sort of on a "test run" right now? Components are an interesting concept - we use them for a few specific spells/enchantment skills on Clandestine; I am curious about the quickconjure skill... if it allows you to quickly create a randomized set of spell components, do you fear that it has the ability to what I call "luckify" spell-casting combat too much? Is PVP taken into consideration, or is it mostly focused towards improved roleplay?

[Threshold]

The above changes don't actually make the casting classes more powerful - it just reduces their downtime. The component system was put in place in order to give people an in-game reason to congregate in specific locations and encourage interaction. The "fast conjure" rooms (places where conjuring components is x2, x3, or x4 faster) become more heavily populated than they otherwise would be, which creates more opportunities for interaction and role play.

The theory is: get enough people in the same place at the same time, and something interesting will tend to happen. :)

The quickconjure ability is not random. It conjures X amount of a set of the 12 most commonly used/needed components. The X is 1 to 4 depending on your skill. It is on a very long timer (12 RL hours), so this is meant to be used for emergencies - like logging in during an invasion or some other surprise event.

Again, since component conjuring is mainly an aspect of downtime, it doesn't have any effect on PvP.

Overall the system has achieved its main goal of generating quality interaction between players (especially since non-casters will even go to these fast conjure locations to hang out since they know they tend to be populated). The problem with the system was that at higher levels, the amount of time needed to fill up your component pouch got too onerous.

When the system was designed many years ago, there were very few players even level 15 or higher. Most were around level 10 or lower. Since the first few levels of spells do not even require components, it wasn't a big deal for casters. But as the years went by, and lvl 20+ players became more common, it started to become clear that the system was imposing too much downtime on casters. Since higher level spells also use more components, the system scaled up quite poorly.

We tried a number of small tweaks here and there over the years, including the ability to find raw components as loot that you could add to your pouch, crystals that could increase your conjure speed, etc. But what we really needed was a more significant redesign to solve the problem with its scalability at high levels. I think we have done that now, but only time will tell. :)

[DonathinFrye]

Ah, I see what you mean by conjure/downtime/etc now - I had taken it to mean something different. Our system works backwards, breaking down standard spells into multiple components and then crafting different components together to create player-unique spells, so that's the sort of idea of what I had in mind with those questions - breaking down components and creating spells for a given situation faster(while in combat). Making one have to travel to a specific place to do it would keep the speedy bonus from affecting PVP. Sounds cool.

[Isaviel]

Having specific places to conjure more quickly is definitely a plus when trying to create more RP. There are very common areas in the game that I and I know others often travel to just to see who is around in which there has been numerous times that RP has been created.

The quickconjure is a huge plus. There are always times when people wake up in the game and find out something big is going on. With the new system you don't miss out on the fun by having to wait to conjure a bunch of components. To me that is a HUGE plus!