Bob

Azure_Zero

Bob
DirectX vs. OpenGL is something we could experiment with further at some point. Sadly, there usually turn out to be various forgotten dependencies in large projects like ours that result in unforeseen complications, though it's usually possible to work around those eventually.

The only thing I could think of that would cause an issue is having HLSL shaders rather then GLSL shaders.
But given you have a Mac version PFO, I REALLY doubt Goblinworks will have any issues switching the rendering Core from Direct X to OpenGL.

Most likely such a change would go pretty smoothly, though we don't really even have the option right now with the current version of Unity we're on. For that version, all we can do is use a command line parameter to force the game to run in OpenGL, we can't really change how the base game is built until we upgrade at least a little. When we get to that point, we could try it out (assuming we can easily make the change throughout our build pipeline) and see if it results in any performance/compatibility issues for various subsets of players.

Bob
DirectX vs. OpenGL is something we could experiment with further at some point. Sadly, there usually turn out to be various forgotten dependencies in large projects like ours that result in unforeseen complications, though it's usually possible to work around those eventually.

Bringslite

Edam

Bringslite
I don't see any real solid reason for it right now.

I thought the reason for it was obvious.

There are player groups in the game who have randomly kept grabbing more and more settlements. Vastly more than they need or can use. When new players eventually come into the game the only way they have a hope of getting a settlement is to grovel and beg to the groups with excess settlement in the hopes they can make a deal and get one for themselves.

Out of the thirty odd landrush settlements none are currently available to just take they are all tied up. Sure you can negotiate with someone and buy or otherwise acquire one but that is beside the point.

What the game actually needs is someway that unused settlements if they are not maintained turn back into NPC settlements (not just become available for some large group to grab) so that eventually they can be made available for new groups to compete for when the game picks up.

Well that's not exactly true. The Commonwealth has already given, freely and without restrictions/requirements, a settlement to a guild from outside this game. We did this because the real goal here is to have the game GROW by making it be less onerous to get started. We will probably do so again for groups that show honest interest in playing the game. Would be nice if more "Groups" with more than one "castle" might follow that example. Another reason, is of course, that The Commonwealth simply doesn't need as much land or control at this really down time in the game situation. We are working on reducing the burden's of support, hoping that the game will get less "chore-full" than it is now, for now.

Also remember that these multi settlement groups formed organically because others were doing the same thing and it is human nature to want to "win". Most around today basically started as One Settlement groups and created Alliances <- a natural result in any Territorial MMO I have ever seen.

Edit: But I do agree that more land should somehow be freed up before OE. If not simply so that new players coming in, feel like there is hope of having their own castle. Who said anything about limiting the ability to take over settlements anyway? Even if shut down they still have to be sieged…