Landmark (formerly EverQuest Next: Landmark) now has PvP (Player versus Player) combat, Sony Online Entertainment announced today. Though the company does plan to expand upon combat with PvE (Player versus Environment), these early stages are limited to PvP only. Combat arrives alongside a massive update that also adds Movers (springs, translocation pads, magical platforms), overhauls the Claim Management window, and allows the following of players and tags within the Showcase.
There are currently three types of PvP matches: zone control, free-for-all-deathmatch, and team deathmatch. Each type of match has its own game table, which is crafted on the tinker's workbench and can be placed on your claim like props. For a match to begin, you must first meet the requirements of the game and then enable it, allowing players to join using the button on your claim banner. When enough people join, the game will begin.
For combat, there are three temporary weapon types in place. Proximity mines and other new props can be used to make your arenas more interesting, and though there is death, there is currently not death penalty "yet." Falling damage, however, is enabled. For the full explanation of how PvP and game tables work, check out SOE's forum post.
Below are the full patch notes for today's Landmark update.
Combat and Game Tables
- Ladies and Gentlemen… are you ready to rumble? Combat is now in Landmark, and we're starting with PVP.
- To engage in PVP, you'll have to join a Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch, or Zone Control Game Table that is running on someones claim (or set up your own!)
- For a more detailed explanation on Combat and Game Tables, please read Emily Taylor's write up here.
Movers!
New to this update, Movers are props that you can place on your claim that will fling, teleport, or generally move you about your claim as you see fit.
- Spring Loaded Launcher
- This prop will launch the user in the air, at a speed and angle that you specify! Right Click the object and select "Setup" to modify the settings.
- Spring Loaded Flinger
- This prop acts similarly to the Launcher, but is a two piece prop. The secondary piece can be moved and placed as you see fit, and acts as a landing spot. Simply place the Cube Object wherever you want, and when you activate the flinger, it'll propel you towards the target! You can also right click this object and select "Setup" in order to change the Height (angle.)
- Translocation Pad
- This is a prop that has two pieces, and can teleport the user from one piece to another. After initially placing the two-piece prop, simply right click one of the Pads and select "Reposition." Move it anywhere else on your claim, and when you walk over one of the Pads, it'll teleport you to the other pad!
- Magical Platform
- This is a three-piece prop, that acts as a moving platform. You can reposition the two end pieces to make the platform move in any manner that you want. Left to Right, Right to Left, Up and Down, Diagonally – you can even rotate the ends in any axis, which in turn rotates the pad as it moves!
- These props can be crafted at the workshop.
Claim Management Overhaul
- We've significantly overhauled the Claim Management window. You no longer have to open multiple windows to edit your claim, or pay upkeep – this is now an all-in-one solution that lets you easily manage everything in one window.
- Press U to open Claim Management
- On the left side, you can see all or your claims. Clicking on one of them will refresh the middle pane of the window with that selected claims information (no more separate windows!)
- In that middle pane you can update your screenshots, change the claim name and description, and add tags. There is a tab on top of that middle pane that accesses the Security Settings.
- The right pane displays the Upkeep information for all of your claims. Simply input the number of days you'd like to pay, and it'll tell you how much Copper or SC it will cost.
- Speaking of SC, we've added the option for you to pay for your upkeep with Station Cash. The current cost is 10 SC per day, per claim.
Showcase and Player Studio enhancements
- You can now Follow players and tags within the Showcase!
- On the My Store tab, click "Start Following." From here you can type in the name of your favorite creator, and start following them.
- You can also decide to follow certain tags, and this is where you can really get specific.
- For example, you could put in two separate tags: PVP and Castle. If you're just searching for these, you would get updates from anyone who submitted something with the tag "PVP" or "Castle."
- However, you could also group tags together! So if you only want to get updates on "PVP Castles" then we would only update you when someone submits something that has BOTH of those tags.
- Every 24 hours, we'll search for anything that has been successfully submitted to the Marketplace or Gallery, and send you an in-game mail with updates from your followed tags and creators. If you have your personal e-mail on file, we'll also send you an e-mail with the same information.
- You can now bundle your Player Studio items together!
- Bundling is a system that lets you bundle any approved Player Studio objects together into a single item that can be purchased from the store. This is obviously useful when you’re attempting to sell anything built with modular pieces, or even just to offer collections of your items at a single price point for convenience.
- To bundle items together, go to MyStore.
- You can only bundle items that have been submitted successfully and approved previously.
- When bundling items, you will name the bundle, give it a description, and then add items from your MyStore list into the bundle.
- Your bundle price cannot be lower than the total of all the item minimum prices contained within the bundle. Example: If I make an item and submit it to Player Studio, it will have a minimum SC price that needs to be charged. Let’s say I made an archway and the minimum price was 25SC. I list that item for 100SC individually. When I add it to a bundle, it will raise them minimum price of that bundle by the item’s minimum price of 25SC, not by the higher price you decided to charge. 10 such items added into a bundle would raise that bundle’s minimum price by 100SC.
- Once a bundle is created, it is submitted through the regular review channels for content check. Once approved, you’re good to go!
- You do not pay any additional Listing Fees for creating a bundle. The listing fees were charged already for the individual pieces.
- You can create any number of bundles, but you can currently only actively list 10 of them at a time.
New Props and Material Changes / Additions
- We've got some great Kerran themed props for all you Workshop builders!
- Hanging Kerran Lamp
- Standing Kerran Brazier
- Hanging Kerran Lantern
- Wooden Kerran Lattice
- Rectangular Kerran Rug
- Ornate Kerran Vase
- Wooden Kerran Table
- Wooden Kerran Lamp Post
- Simple Kerran Stool (six colors)
- Ornate Kerran Stool (six colors)
You can also now craft Proximity Mines. For more info on Proximity Mines see the Combat and Game Tables link above.
As a side note, we've also categorized our Prop Lists, since the list seems to grow every update!
- Prop – Decoration
- Prop – Furniture
- Prop – Lightsource
- Prop – Interactive
- Added ten new colored Stucco variations, and sixteen new Burled Wood variations (light and dark tints to all current burled wood textures.) These should add some diversity to Kerran Workshop builds!
- We've made the Glass Voxels more clear (it previously had a green tint) and removed the rippled texture from it.
Claim Attachments
- Good news everyone! We've increased the amount of attached claims you can have to five!
- To recap, you can have up to two root claims, and up to five attachment claims (total.)
- As a reminder, all claims must be in a 3x3x3 box around the root claim.
Performance Improvements
- We've made a number of optimizations that should improve framerates for many players. This does not include the Multithreaded Rendering, which we are still working on.
Bug Fixes / Misc
- Ledge grab has been enabled!
- You can now interact with a prop, if you have a sickle equipped.
- Added the following message to Character Delete. "WARNING: Deleting your character will permanently delete all items in your inventory, chests, and vault. This includes items purchased from the Marketplace. Note: Building templates currently saved will carry over to your new character. If you are SURE that you want to delete your character and all its items, please type DELETE below to confirm."
- Windowed Full Screen should now allow you to Alt Tab to a window that is on another monitor.
- Fixed numerous crashes.
- The Portal Spire should now have a near infinite view distance.
- Added a proper skin to all the Notification Windows (Mail, Upkeep reminder, Player Studio Approvals, etc)
- The Showcase should now close with "B."
- Fixed an issue where you would continue to swim on land, if you migrated on to user placed voxels from the water
- Turned the FPS meter off by default. You can bring it back with Alt + F.
- You can now press "F" to interact with objects.
- You are now able to map the Mouse4 and Mouse5 buttons to any control.
- If you have an item that enables Double Jump, you can now jump after falling.
- The Contacts list will now keep the Friends / Guild dropdowns regardless of the "Show Offline" setting.
- Addressed numerous Guild UI bugs