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[image]http://epicduel.artix.com/images/icon/Cinderella_ED-DN_2011.jpg[/image]
April 10, 2012
Bunny Battalions Continued
Post PAX Preparations

First things first: welcome back Nightwraith! For those not in the know, our creative lead was away at PAX East over Easter weekend. He got back safely so we can all bother him to tell us all about PAX. Will he do a recap? I dunno. That's up to him.

Don't worry. I've written enough to punish him for having too much fun.



Roll On Roll Up Roll Out

[image]http://www.epicduel.com/images/cms/CSTroll_DNs_notext.png[/image]

We are finally moving the game to CS5. For realsies this week. If all goes well, you guys won't notice a thing! Maybe a reduction in lag, and better performance with Flash Player 11. For us it means enormous changes and vast potential for implementing all the cool features we've had to put off until we upgraded.

Some of you might be wondering why we didn't just use CS5 all along. Well, at the time EpicDuel was first being developed CS3 was new, and it was impossible to forsee it's limitations. This happens all the time in software development, but it was an extremely valuable lesson to learn and formidable challenge to overcome. Hopefully, we can wrangle Titan into giving us more details in the next EpicDuel Q & A.

Last week we also rolled out quite a few backend things. For example, you can now hit shift while you click to add or subtract 5 points from a skill. Armors got a little cheaper, and you can now buy misc or mission items with a full inventory.



Nerf a Derf

RabbleFroth is planning a nerf for Tech Mages. What is it? I dunno, nobody tells me anything. Watch here for details.



New Promo Packs!

I am sorry to report that these new packs will be delayed by another week. This week was very trying with all the CS5 testing, so we were unable to implement and thoroughly test the new packages. We really wanted to get this in, but it's not something that can be rushed out. Again, I apologize for the inconvenience.

--Nightwraith

This week we will be adding new items to packs at different price tiers and different levels. This should increase the usefulness of promo items for our players who wish to upgrade but have not yet reached the level cap. In case you are wondering, the Bionic Battlegear will remain as promotional package for the time being.

The new packs will include sets of brand-new weapons that can asist players who are having trouble climbing the ranks or finding just the right set of gear for their level. Behold!

[image]http://www.epicduel.com/images/cms/veteran_battlegear_DNs.jpg[/image]

[image]http://www.epicduel.com/images/cms/advanced_battlegear_DNs.jpg[/image]

These new packs will also give us more flexibility for players to mix and match Varium quanities with promotional items, and will allow us to give players more exciting options for packaged gear in the future.

Happy Dueling!



Bunnies!

We will be continuing the Bionic Battalion saga by accompanying Myxoma and the others on their mission to save little Lepus. While in the Biodome, the bunnies will discover the secrets of their origin. What else will the rabbits uncover in the Archives?

[image]http://www.epicduel.com/images/cms/Xraal_clone_test2.png[/image]

Maybe they know!



Addendum

Two points I want to address. Yes, I'm helping out with words on HeroSmash, but I am not leaving EpicDuel, as I know many of you were concerned.

[image]http://herosmash.com/images/cms/HS_DN_IMG_Easter_pt2.jpg[/image]

Also, if you are a fan of EpicDuel on Facebook, you are now able to send me a direct message. I don't care if you use it to send reports, ask why you were banned, or things of that nature. However, if you have an account issue, payment issue, want to ask for free things/varium or send me death threats, please don't. Account issues must be dealt with by the help team (thru the help link on portal.Battleon.com) and I am not authorized to deal with master account issues. I also cannot give you free varium. Even if I wanted to. Threats, it should go without saying, are unwelcome and can lead to bans or worse if they're serious enough.



Mechachillids

[image]http://www.epicduel.com/images/cms/Mechachillid_DNs.jpg[/image]

When the first miners came to Delta V, it became increasingly apparent that Varium mining is not for humans. Varium does not form like a typical ore, and after one too many fatalities in the subterranean caverns, the workers began to imagine sentience in the stones themselves. In response, scientists and tech mages worked on a form of artificial life. The idea was for robots that could build and maintain tunnels, keeping them safe from the dangerous earth. But the mages took it one step further: the robots could replicate themselves, repair and evolve. The inventors were amazed that after only a few generations, the mechanical bees had formed a caste structure and had started building infants with different qualities: workers who dug the tunnels, repaired the machinery, nurses who tended to the sick and injured, and warriors who protected the workers from wandering Hazards. The mechanical bees were nicknamed "Mechachillids". For generations, the Mechachillids and mine workers worked in tandem, but as the human workers turned into slaves, they grew distrustful of the social robots, who recognized Baelius's authority without question. When the citizens were exiled by Baelius, the Mechachillids were forgotten by the humans, but happy to evolve without human interference. They've been working and living in the tunnels beneath the minetower for a while now, and mostly don't trust any animal who keeps their skeleton on the inside...



Wednesday Livestream at 4pm with Mido!
Mido comes to AQW! If you've played through Etherstorm, you'll have met him already. If you have only played EpicDuel, we can only assure you that he is an awesome artist and now you get to see his incredible art skills in action! This Wednesday at 4PM server time, log in to AQWorlds and /join stream to see Mido take YOUR suggestions and turn them into an awesome in-game item (AQW that is)!

[image]http://www.aq.com/images/cms/Mido2.png[/image]

Real Life Kraggor

Kraggor and her people are based on real life animals called Megachillidae: the family that includes mason bees and leafcutter bees. While Kraggor's people are eusocial, many megachillids are solitary, including the creatures which serve as Kraggor's visual reference: the orchard mason bee. This shiny bluish purple bee will find a natural hole or opening in which to build her nest, and she protects her babies by building a house out of mud bricks. They are gentle, industrious bees and rarely sting. They are cosmopolitan across North America, and are efficient pollinators, keeping the pollen on the underside of theory abdomen rather than on their legs like honeybees. They do not produce honey, feeding their young with pollen.

Tags: PAX East Cinderella Nightwraith CS5 Flash development programming livestream Art Bugs Bunnies Promo packs

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Hi EpicDuelists,

I have an important message to tell you guys before the release. Due to new Flash CS5.5 changes, the new promotional packages are unable to make it into the game this week. Testing has been going on in the core game for about 2 days now, as we had to re-test the entire game from scratch. Having it put in the game now would take way to long to work out and test, along with the other things that need fixing and testing. If you were planning to get the new mid-level promotional, we recommend you wait till next week when they are released.

Here is Nightwraith's message:

quote:

I am sorry to report that these new packs will be delayed by another week. This week was very trying with all the CS5 testing, so we were unable to implement and thoroughly test the new packages. We really wanted to get this in, but it's not something that can be rushed out. Nearly every system in the game had to be tweaked for the CS5 update -- even small stuff like your eyes blinking and bike wheels turning. Again, I apologize for the inconvenience.

--Nightwraith

If you have any questions, I encourage you to PM me or any other ED staff member about what is going on.

Sorry for the inconvenience, and Duel On!
~Practel

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RabbleFroth is planning a nerf for Tech Mages

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Will there be weapons with the smaller varium packages?

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Will these promos permantly replace any other promo?

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Do you get all of these promos with one epic varium supply or just the promo that fits your level?

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Kraggor and her people are based on real life animals called Megachillidae

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What else will the rabbits uncover in the Archives?

quote:

Kraggor and her people are based on real life animals called Megachillidae

quote:

They've been working and living in the tunnels beneath the minetower for a while now, and mostly don't trust any animal who keeps their skeleton on the inside...