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DEVELOPER'S BLOG
The Lore You Know – Murmillo
As the new class, Retiarius, makes its way into the TOS battle scene, let’s take a look at one of their fierce opponents in the arena, the Murmillo – the “fish-fighter.” In ancient Rome, watching gladiators fight in the amphitheatres was a common pastime. What may seem cruel to us now was simply a way for the Romans to celebrate their successes and relive their victories as they enjoyed watching the combat styles of their defeated enemies. Gladiators were organized into different classes according to their weapons and fighting styles and were usually matched against gladiators with contrasting advantages and disadvantages. For example, if a gladiator was heavily equipped but slow, they may face off against a swifter gladiator with less armor. In the case of the Murmillo, their opponent in the ring was the Thraex, the Hoplomachus, or the Retiarius. The Murmillo was one of the most heavily armed gladiators at the time and was created to replace the Gaul gladiator class. Although, not much is known about these earlier Gaul gladiators, their replacement by the Murmillo reflects the development of a fruitful relationship between the region of Gaul and Rome as they no longer want to portray the Gauls as enemies. Historians suggest that the word murmillo is derived from the Greek word for fish, mormulos, with further evidence seen in the fact that their helmets would sometimes be decorated with an image of a fish. The helmet of the Murmillo, Cassis Crista, was large with an angular chest decorated with horsehair that had a visor that protected the wearer’s face. Some believe that the small eye-holes in the helmets were there to protect the wearer’s eyes from the narrow prongs of the retiarius trident. The Murmillo were also equipped with: a gladius, a roman sword with a handle made of bone; an orcea, which was a metal greave worn on the lower left leg; and a manica, which was an arm guard made of cloth or leather wore on their right arm. The Murmillo also carried a heavy shield, the scutum, that was oblong and semi-cylindrical and could not only deflect blows with ease but could also provide protective covering from shoulder to calf. The heaviness of the shield forced the Murmillo to develop different fighting techniques and to build up a hearty level of endurance as the key to their victories usually involved a great deal of patience. They fought in the defensive, using their shield to protect against overzealous attacks and waited until the opponent was open or showed signs of fatigue to make their move. Which makes me wonder if our Murmillos in game are just as patient in the heat of battle. References Alchin, Linda. 2017. Tribunes and Triumphs. Murmillones. [Online]. Coleman, Kathleen. 2011. BBC History. Gladiators: Heroes of the Roman Amphitheatre. [Online]. Dunkle, Roger. 2013. Gladiators: Violence and Spectacle in Ancient Rome. Murmillo. [Text]. Remembering the Gods. 2016. Recognising Gladiators: IV the Murmillo. [Online]. Warriors and Legends. 2018. Murmillo Gladiator. [Online]. Wikipedia, 2018. Murmillo. [Online].
Client Performance Optimization Tests
Greetings, Saviors! This video is a preview of our latest client optimization patch, set to be released this April 10th. We recorded densely populated maps in three different situations (city map, Territory Wars and field boss) before and after the application of the patch. Check out the results below. Test Results For this optimization patch, our main focus was addressing lag issues and improving frame update processing times. Overall, we noticed a visible improvement in loading times, reduction of lag, and general smoother frame performance. Recording Environment All videos were recorded using TOS' F12 video recording function. The BEFORE videos (city map and field boss) were recorded in iTOS during the GM Playdate of March 13, 2018. Since Guild Territory Wars haven't been updated on Steam yet, the corresponding BEFORE video was recorded in our own test environment. The AFTER videos were also recorded internally at IMC from March 30 to April 2, after applying the client optimization patch set to be released on April 10, 2018. PC Specifications [City Map] CPU: Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-4690 CPU @ 3.50Ghz RAM: 16.0GB GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 550Ti OS: Windows 7 (64 bit) [Territory Wars] CPU: Intel(R) Core(TM) i3-4150 CPU @ 3.50Ghz RAM: 8.00GB GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 OS: Windows 7 (64 bit) [Field Boss] CPU: Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-6600 CPU @ 3.30Ghz RAM: 8.00GB GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 750 Ti OS: Windows 10 (64 bit)
NPC Profile - Plague Doctor Master
Plague Doctor Master - Philip Aureolus "Plague Doctors don't depend solely on the grace of the goddesses for their healing powers. We also use human medicine, which means we are able to cure ailments other clerics cannot." Who is Philip Aureolus? Philip Aureolus is both a cleric and a healer. However, his curing technique differs greatly from his peers in that it does not rely solely on the divine grace and power of the Goddess. As a Plague Doctor he cures using both the Goddesses' divine forces and the lessons he has gained through vigorous scientific research. Yet, this is not to say that he does not find comfort in their grace and strength. Instead he, as well as other Plague Doctors, simply set their minds to maximize the effectiveness of treatments that could utilize the fruits of human medical research. However, before Medzio Diena, this work was not widely accepted. After Medzio Diena? When disaster stuck after Medzio Diena, many illnesses appeared that clerics were unable to manage on their own. Through this strife, Philip Aureolus and other Plague Doctors rose to importance. After the disappearance of the Goddesses, it was clear that the World needed to look elsewhere for additional medical help and the role of Plague Doctors became ever more important. As a result, as clerics with both a background in the teachings of the Goddesses and the lessons learned from practical medical research, the Plague Doctor’s existence became a necessity. Now, Aureolus, in order to reduce the World’s dependence on the Goddess’ power, has doubled his efforts and has increased the amount of groundbreaking research done during his time as master. As the need for Aureolus’ work continues, he also sets his mind on fostering other Plague Masters to continue in his footsteps. While you are here, feel free to take a look at our previous article about the true history of the Plague Doctor.
TOS Magazine First Issue: The Popolion Post!
Greetings, Saviors! Introducing 'The Popolion Post', your new Tree of Savior official magazine! Check out what's out on the first issue! - Q&A with the Devs! - Interview with CEO Hak Kyu Kim - Now in development: BEAUTY SHOP... AND MORE! Click here to read all about it!
Future Updates in the Transcendence System
Greetings, Saviors! It’s your dev team here, back for another post. Today we want to talk about the supply and consumption of Blessed Gems, and reveal a few updates we’re preparing for the transcendence system. Let’s go. Since Tree of Savior was first released, one by one, we have introduced measures to restructure the game’s economy into a trade-based setup: in today’s TOS, Blessed Gems are tradable; items no longer lose potential when they’re traded; and players have more Team Storage slots available. Increasingly, the time and effort invested into your items is worth not just their basic use, but also their value in the game’s economy. As it is, transcended items are still restricted to the possessing character, and they are one of the biggest influences in combat ability. The return rate of Blessed Shards is also high (90%), with the amount of Blessed Gems required to transcend an item currently set to that standard. On the other hand, considering how Tree of Savior is periodically updated with new content to grow your character and new high-level equipment items, obtaining the amount of Blessed Gems necessary for one character means running the Saalus missions 10 or 20 times with multiple Convent-optimized characters. Experiencing different class builds is an important element in the game, so having this environment where players are compelled to create certain characters out of the need to follow the current status in item balance and repeat the same missions over and over again is less than ideal. Our solutions in addressing this situation will be to diversify the sources of Blessed Gems, expand their places of use, make transcended items tradable, and adjust the required amount of Blessed Gems and their performance. This, we hope, will provide a better structure for the circulation of Blessed Gems and transcended items, alleviating the stress of growth-focused activities and preparing the transcendence system for the arrival of new game content in the future. Saalus Mission Rewards Saalus Convent mission rewards will be changed to the following. Runs (of the team) Cubes of Blessing Bonus Cubes (Blessed Shards) Saalus Cubes 1st run 1 2 3 2nd run 1 2 3 3rd run 1 2 3 4th run+ 1 - 3 Your team will continue to receive Blessed Shards through the bonus Cubes until the third run of the day. From the fourth run on, however, each character will only receive one Cube of Blessing per run. In the updated Cube of Blessing, the chances of acquiring Blessed Gems increase by 20 times (from 0.15% to 3%). Reopening the Cube, however, will not be possible. Statistically, the expected number of Blessed Shards dropped per Cube of Blessing will be 1.3, and Blessed Gems will not drop from bonus Cubes. No. of characters clearing Saalus missions Max. daily amount of Shards (Token users) - BEFORE Expected max. daily amount of Shards (all users) - AFTER 1 character 3 3.3 3 characters 9 9.9 10 characters 30 19 20 characters 60 32 Blessed Shards in Farming After this update, Blessed Shards will drop not only from Hunting Grounds, but also from Elite monsters in regular fields starting at level 240. These monsters can drop up to 2 Shards at a time, but not if they are 30 or more levels below your character. We will also be increasing the chances of acquiring Blessed Shards in Hunting Grounds by about 3 times (the drop rate of Elite Monsters, however, will be the same as those from regular fields). Blessed Gems in New Content To go with these changes, we are introducing a new RvR feature called the Baroconsi Crystal Mine Feud. The Baroconsi Crystal Mine is a resource long known by the Kedora Merchant Alliance, but it is only now beginning to be explored. In order to protect the mine, the Alliance has made it accessible only through a magic portal and, to ensure that the location is well guarded and increase productivity in the mine, they have hired a series of different mercenary groups. Recently, the Alliance announced plans to temporarily grant exclusive rights to the mine to the team that produces the most yield. Naturally, this heightened the competition between the mercenaries and, after an initial brawl, only two groups remained: the Pledge of the Blade and the Golden Note. Both units are now recruiting talented fighters to join the fierce dispute for the Baroconsi Crystal Mine. Players participating in the Crystal Mine Feud get randomly assigned to either the Pledge of the Blade or the Golden Note camp. Once inside the mine, players depart from their team’s base camp and defeat nearby monsters to collect Gemstones. Your goal is to take as many Gemstones as possible back to your team’s camp within the time limit. The number of channels in the mine expands according to the total number of participants, but even on different channels all players on the same side (Pledge or Note) will count as the same team. After the session starts, however, you cannot change to a different channel. There are a few strategic elements to take into account inside the mine. First, in the center of the mine is an area with rocks that provide even more Gemstones than the regular monsters. Second, the team that defeats the mine’s boss monster is awarded with a buff that lets them collect twice as many Gemstones. Depositing large amounts of Gemstones at once in your team’s base camp earns you more points than bringing them in little by little. You can prevent other players from gathering Gemstones and, if you defeat an opponent, you gain half of all the Stones they’re carrying. If a player becomes incapable of combat inside the mine, their character can start again from the base camp after 10 seconds, and they’re granted a period of 30 seconds of immunity. There are no penalties applied for becoming incapable of combat during the session (no Gem drop, Silver loss, etc.), but on the other hand, you can’t use Soul Crystals to revive instantly. In the Crystal Mine Feud, characters with lower combat power and players who prefer a stable play environment can stick to the rear areas of the mine, defeating monsters and stacking up points for their team. In turn, those with combat-focused characters or a more audacious spirit can venture into the depths of the mine to collect large amounts of Gemstones or interfere with the opposing camp. After the end of the session, the results of both camps are counted from all channels to determine the winning team. Then, the participants receive the amount of points they collected during the session, with those on the winning team also drawing a bonus amount. With the points, players can purchase Blessed Shards and other items from the Crystal Mine Shop. We’re still working out the details regarding level restrictions, how frequently we want the Crystal Mine Feud to open, and at what times. That information will likely be revealed through a future update, so keep an eye on our channels. Item Transcendence As the biggest factor in Blessed Gem consumption, the transcendence system is set to undergo a few significant changes. To summarize: - Increased basic equipment values (weapons +50%, armor +70%). - Armor enhancement increments increased by 25%. - Transcendence effects changed from +20% to +10%. - Amount of Blessed Gems required for transcendence reduced by 50%. - Blessed Shard extraction and item extraction functions removed. - Team Storage and trading allowed for transcended items. En: Enhancement Tr: Transcendence Wp: Weapon As you can see from this graph, with transcendence effects reduced to 10% per stage and basic weapon value increased by 50%, the actual increase obtained from transcending the item only reduces by 25% (from 20% of 100%, to 10% of 150%). In terms of concrete performance, there is little difference in items transcended to Stage 10, but a visible increase in lower Stages. After the update, even with no transcendence applied (2004), the weapon performs similarly to one transcended to Stage 2.5 in the current game. At Stage 5 (3008), its effects become comparable to a current Stage 6 (2941). En: Enhancement Tr: Transcendence Arm: Armor Armor items receive a 70% increase on their basic value, getting the Lv 350 Unique Primus Basticle Plate Armor, for example, from 764 to 1298 after the update. Unlike what happens with weapons, armor items still see a significant increase in performance when transcended to Stage 10, in this case going from a physical defense value of 2292 to 2695. Plus, by increasing the enhancement value for armor items by 25%, we hope to tackle the current disparity between weapon and armor enhancement increments. And by the way, these armor updates include shields, but not bracelets or necklaces. Enhanced to +11 Enhanced to +16 BEFORE AFTER BEFORE AFTER Top/Bottom 304 380 498 622 Gloves/Boots 384 480 632 790 <Primus Basticle Plate Armor enhancement effects before and after the change (+25%).> We consider the current transcendence system to be a little too far ahead of the game’s update cycle, with both performance and requirements set unnecessarily high, and equally hefty Blessed Gem return rates, compared to effect. The difference transcendence makes in the performance of equipment items, combined with the time requirements associated with the system, are one of the main factors contributing to the disparity between players. Of course, it’s only fair that a player who invests more time and effort should obtain better results, but if the gap is too wide it becomes more and more difficult to maintain an environment where players of all types can participate together, not to mention the contrast it creates in terms of content difficulty. Our main goal in boosting non-transcended gear is to allow average players a little more comfort in the fields (daily quests, scenario quests, Elite hunting), without interfering excessively in the difficulty of end content. The other big changes coming up are, as mentioned above, reducing the amount of Blessed Gems required by 50% and eliminating the extracting functions. To sum up: - Blessed gem extraction and item extraction menus will be removed from the Blacksmith NPC. - Spell Rods and Hammers of Dismantlement will no longer drop. - The 50% decrease in required Blessed Gems has already been applied to the future Velcoffer Legend gear series, so it won’t be further affected by these measures. Stage Total Blessed Gems required for transcendence (Primus Raffye Sword) Total Blessed Gems required for transcendence (Primus Basticle Plate Armor) BEFORE AFTER BEFORE AFTER 0 0 0 0 0 1 4 2 2 1 2 10 5 5 2 3 19 9 9 4 4 32 15 15 7 5 49 23 23 11 6 71 34 33 16 7 104 50 47 23 8 147 71 65 32 9 204 99 89 44 10 290 142 125 62 <Amount of Blessed Shards required for transcendence (Lv 350 Unique one-handed weapon).> Accessory Stats So far, the basic stats of most bracelets and necklaces have offered little more than a low increase in magic defense. Now, we’re getting ready to introduce new accessories with physical attack, magic attack, and higher values of physical and magic defense. These items will be transcendable, and like other equipment their main stat can be increased up to 2 times the original value. Team Storage and Trading After the diversification of Blessed Gem sources and transcendence system revisions, we have plans to expand the tradability of transcended items, allowing players to deposit them in the Team Storage and trade them at the Market. We won’t be opening 1:1 trades for transcended items, however, so there will be no trade count restrictions or penalty fees associated with that. Once the Market is open to transcended equipment, we expect to increase the cap on how much Silver a character can own from 200 million to 1 billion, to account for the higher prices associated with these items. Market registration fees will also be revised as follows. BEFORE AFTER 1 Day 1.0% 1 Day 0.5% 3 Days 1.5% 3 Days 0.75% 5 Days 2.0% (No 5-day option) 7 Days 2.5% 7 Days 1.0% [NEW] 14 Days 1.25% With these changes, players will be able to use their hard-earned transcended gear for multiple characters, or sell it at the Market to others. This will allow reasonably transcended items to circulate in the market for as long as their performance allows, and give players of all kinds a chance to obtain them. To sum up, taking our Primus Raffye Sword example (transcended to Stage 5), here’s a comparison of what you could expect after the update. BEFORE AFTER 1336 Physical attack 2004 +267 (20%) Bonus per stage +200 (10%) 2672 Attack at Stage 5 3006 49 Blessed Gems required 24 440 Shards returned Blessed Shard extraction Not possible Item returned Item extraction Not possible or needed Not possible Team Storage Possible Not possible Trading Possible via Market Blessed Shards as Materials In order to expand the range of uses given to Blessed Shards, we’re developing a new potion that can be crafted using the Shards as a material. This potion won’t be as potent as the current Boost Potions you can get from Guild Quests, but we also want to have Boost Potion recipes drop from the Challenge Mode on Stages 6 and higher. These recipes, too, will require the use of Blessed Shards. Traveling Merchant Exchanges Finally, we have an idea to diversify the sources of Blessed Shards involving the business of Traveling Merchant Geraldas. In this new function, players can exchange material items or recipes they collect while farming for different amounts of Blessed Shards. The list of items accepted by the Merchant will be different every day, and there will be a limit to how many items you can trade there per day (per team). Given the changes in the amount of Blessed Gems necessary for transcendence, when the update hits we expect to reset all transcended items and compensate players with a set of Blessed Gems corresponding to the amount required for transcending their items back to the former stage (100% chance), but we’ll make a more detailed announcement when the patch is ready. Thank you for joining us, and remember that the content discussed here may not look exactly the same when it’s applied to the game. Make sure to keep up with future dev blog posts and the patch notes for more details.
The Lore You Know: Nak Muay
The true origin of our hidden class, Nak Muay, is shrouded in mystery. Although Muay Thai dates back centuries, its roots and prominent figures are heavily debated amongst modern scholars. What can be agreed on, however, are its traditions and the existence of a man known as the father of Muay Thai. Muay Thai (Thai Boxing) is the national sport and cultural martial art of Thailand, and those who practice its craft are called, Nak Muay. Muay Thai is a form of fighting that utilizes the whole body – hands for solid punches, elbows for sharp blows, knees for powerful strikes, and legs for lethal kicks – giving it the second name: the “art of eight limbs.” This fighting style also consists of three different combat distances, each with their own techniques. The signature tattoos, wards, amulets, and ceremonies of the Nak Muay are there to increase the fighter’s good fortune and to ward off bad luck or whatever evil spirits that may follow them into the ring. The origins of Muay Thai are still unclear as much of its history has been lost. However, there is a prominent figure from Muay Thai history that is celebrated every year on, March 17th. The father of Muay Thai, Nai Khanom Tom. Nai Khanom Tom was a historical hero turned legend. In 1774, Nai Khanom Tom was one of thousands of Thai prisoners that were taken captive by King Mangra, the Burmese King, after the Burmese invaded and destroyed Ayutthaya, the ancient capital of Thailand. Because the Burmese also had their own form of martial arts that was similar to Muay Thai, King Mangra, during a special festival, wanted to see which fighting style was superior. For this trial, Nai Khanom Tom was selected to go head to head against one of Burma’s best champions. Nai Khanom Tom prepared for the fight by performing the ritual of Wai Khru Ram Muay, where the fighter circles the ring in a counter-clockwise direction, prays at each corner, then performs a dance that expresses their respect to their teacher, parents, and ancestors. The Burmese were mesmerized by the dance, thinking it to be some sort of black magic, and as such, when Nai Khanom Tom defeated his opponent, the referee deemed it invalid. The king then sent nine other fighters, one-by-one to go against Nai Khanom Tom and he defeated them all without taking a single break in-between. King Mangra was so impressed that he said, “Every part of you is blessed with venom, even with your bare hands you can fell ten opponents,” and granted Nai Khanom Tom his freedom and the freedom of his fellow Thais. This famous story illustrates the best attributes of Muay Thai: the willingness to face against any odds and to win not only for oneself but for others -- thus proving that the path of the Nak Muay is a tough one, but its rewards, just as great. References Khiri. 2016. Thailand’s Art of Eight Limbs. [Online.] World Muaythai Council. 2018. Nai Khanom Tom Muaythai Legends. [Online] Martial Arts Thailand. 2015. Nai Khanom Tom: Father of Muay Thai. [Online] Wikipedia, 2018. Wai Khru Ram Muay. [Online] Kombat Group, 2018. History of Muay Thai. [Online]
NPC Origins – Bullet Marker Master
NPC Origins – Bullet Marker Master Who is Flint Winterwood? Flint Winterwood's hobby is keeping an eye out for exciting opponents. Unlike others who may simply hunt stronger foe, Flint searches for a deeper challenge: opponents who can match his skill in battle and offer an interesting fight. This follows that he relishes the trial presented when facing off and defeating wickedly skillful foes. And to continue to do so he has developed the areas of gun-tech, marksmanship, and bullet manufacturing. Although he did not break any of the Kingdom’s laws, he did have a poor reputation due to his life or death fighting ways. In truth, he lived by his own rules and presented a personality that was hardened and not the least bit sociable. But this changed when the day came that his opponents were no longer people, but monsters and demons. It was that day, Medzio Diena, that helped his reputation. Winter Flint A mansion, dating back centuries, had been overtaken by a melancholy mood that matched its aging years. Yet, it was not always like that. Just a few weeks ago, the mansion glowed with the prestige it had gathered over the years and the atmosphere was not so heavy. But, the actions of a certain someone led to a family meeting being held in a mood so somber that it affected not only the disposition of the mansion but the extended family as well. Walking down a corridor of this mansion, in the direction of the meeting, were two men and one woman. Of these three people, the one to the far right, Vaidotas Winterspoon, addressed the man walking to his left. “’I did wrong. I will not do so again in the future.’ That is what you will say. Understood? Don't speak of anything else.” The woman interjected, “But, why must our Flint apologize? And you, Vaidotas, are being quite annoying.” ”You are the annoying one, Lucienne. Do you then think it's alright for Flint to be punished?” “What did he do that this is the case?” “I also think he did nothing wrong. But if it's all so simple, why have the elders gone so far as to hold a family meeting?” “For the elders to feel the need to do so, shows how old fashioned they are. If Flint inherits the head of the household our family will have to change as well.” “It's important that he first endures today's meeting before considering his inheritance.” Although Flint was carefully listening to the words of his cousins, he did not speak. It was not that he refused to answer, but rather he had yet to decide what it was that he would do. Whether they were aware of this or not, Vaidotas and Lucienne continued their debate until the three of them arrived at the doors of the meeting. Just before opening the door, Vaidotas stressed his previous thoughts onto Flint one final time. The door, now opened, revealed dozens of men and women sitting inside the hall. A look around and one would note a single, remote chair that was prepared as though its future occupant was to face trial or interrogation. To the front and at an angle on either side of this chair, the men and women waited. Vaidotas and Lucienne took their seats in their respective places. And, without a word, Flint Winterspoon, the man who had followed them both, took his place at the center in the lone chair. However you viewed it, this event was for him. Although his seat seemed that of a criminal on trial, he was today's main protagonist. In other words, today these people would judge if he would be a hero or a villain. From that perspective, you could say he was less like a criminal waiting trial and more like an actor awaiting the reviews of the audience. Now there was but one place of honor that remained empty. If this place was also filled then the hall would seat 33. However, if one excludes the man sitting in the place of the defendant, there were only 31 people sitting around him, staring him down. An elderly man, sitting to the right of the empty place of honor, opened his mouth to speak. “With this, the current members of the Winterspoon family who have completed the rite of passage, for the exception of one, have all gathered here today. In place of our vacant Patriarch, I will take the role of eldest and announce the start of the 817th Family Meeting.” He paused slightly before continuing. “Kohath Winterspoon you have requested the right to speak and thus, you may go first.” To his right, a man sitting in the center of the group rose, bowed his head towards the rest of the family in greeting, and spoke. “This meeting was originally intended to be a joyful one to fill the vacancy of the Patriarch in the family. However, it is unfortunate that one of our members, who was a strong candidate for such a position, has been suspected of violating the family law and the rules of the alchemists. This meeting now serves as an investigation. Our family has been regarded for centuries as the most prestigious in the kingdom and the very founders of alchemy.” Kohath took a breath, then spoke on. ”One. An Alchemist's research and results will not interfere with the divine providence of the Goddesses. Two. An Alchemist's research and results will not bring harm to the Goddesses. Three. An Alchemist will never use the Goddesses or humans as raw material. All Alchemist will seek to follow the aforementioned provisions and will work to ensure others do as well. As you know, as a member of this family, these are the first sentences you learn and last that you keep until the day you die. Yet, it seems that Flint Winterspoon has allowed these rules to slip his mind. He hopes to use alchemy to craft more powerful weapons. If we begin to use the skills and capability of our family to create such things, what sort of issues will arise? What sort of horrible place will our world become if these weapons exist? I judge that we stop this type of research and experimentation. There is not one person in the history of the Winterspoon family who has directly used alchemy to develop weapons. No, even more, no one has spared the thought. And to come here and hear that the person who will be inheriting the family hopes to use alchemy as a foundation to create weapons cannot be ignored.” When he was done, a young man raised his hand and asked for permission to address the family. The elderly man gave such permission with his eyes, and the younger one began. It was Vaidotas Winterspoon. ”What was just said does not match the truth. Cheminis Sword, Vine Equipment, Riena Equipment and more were all created by our family or were provided for by our skill. With these weapons we have made great contributions to the kingdom by saving many lives. If we consider this example, and continue to think that making weapons with alchemy is a problem then this would lead to the absurd thinking that all blacksmiths and weapon makers in our world are killers who do not know the sanctity of life.” Although a select few nodded at Vaidotas words, Kohath did not stand down. ”Do you think I don't know that? My nephew knows of only one thing and speaks unknowingly of the second. Do you know how long ago gun powder was invented? During the time of Sosel the 2nd, our family created gun power, yet as time passed, as powerful as it may be, gun power based weapons did not become the norm. Even the majority of the Kingdom's soldiers use spears and swords. Have you considered why?” But before Vaidotas could retort, another person raised their hand. This time it was Lucienne Winterspoon. With permission, she began to speak. “Nonetheless, the Royal Army does use Sappers and Cannons. The reason why the Kingdom tends not to use gun power is because they are already using weapons founded in magic and divine energy that are just as good as gun powder. But this doesn't mean that gun power is weak. Guns and swords are all just weapons. Our family applied alchemy to swords and spears, so there is no reason for us not to do the same with gun powder based weapons. It is our family that has developed gun power and we should consider it time to develop it further, Father.” And with grace Lucienne Winterspoon ended her appeal. But Kohath words were harsh. ”I have failed as my daughter’s teacher. From the time of Sosel the 2nd for thousands of years, you think that various patriarchs have not thought of applying such research because of a lack of curiosity or ability? It was through wisdom and discretion that they began to realize the dangers.” Before either Lucienne or Vaidotas could recover permission to speak, the doors flew open and a single person walked in. Although not a usual attendant of such meeting, it was for this person that the highest chair of honor was left vacant. And though not many were used to seeing her, all members of the family knew her face. It was not a face easy to forget even if seen only once over several decades. Time had passed and yet her features had not changed at all, making her all the more recognizable. When she entered the room, the other members of the family rose from their seats and bowed their heads in reverence of the eldest member. And as she walked, she began to speak, “Although I have attended great meetings, it has been awhile since I've attended one where the moment it opens a debate has already started.” The elderly man who was acting representative addressed her. ”It has been awhile, Great Aunt.” The woman, Lucid Winterspoon casually nodded her head and disappeared. Reappearing in the vacant chair high above. ”As time went by I grew tired of being called Grandmother, Great Grandmother, Great-Great-Grandmother and asked to go by Great Aunt, but Kenaz, we are both old and to hear you call me that has put me off.” Lucid Winterspoon took her seat and the rest if the family followed suit. As Kenaz Winterspoon considered what to say, Lucid stopped him. “In the time it took to approach this chair I saw all that had occurred here. You do not need to explain it to me.” With that said, Lucid turned her attention to the man sitting in the defendant's chair, Flint Winterspoon. ”It is not clear if pausing a heated discussion is the best idea, but if the opinions differ so much as to start a fight and where opposing opinions could lead to further misunderstandings, the discussion must be put to rest. And I think that time has come.” After speaking, Lucid took a moment to examine the other members one by one. She saw in them the descendants of her brothers and sisters who had long passed away centuries ago. Then spoke again. “Although, I would like us to share our thoughts and wisdom to work towards an appropriate conclusion, I know that the truth is that we do not have the time. Lucid Winterspoon directed her next question towards Flint, “This whole time, we still have not asked you of your opinion. Hearing the opinion of the others is important, but first we must hear from you. What are your thoughts? Do you wish to use alchemy to develop these powerful bullets and sell them?” Flint Winterspoon, shocked by the appearance of a famous family member he had only heard stories about, was at a loss for words. As such, Lucid Winterspoon waited quietly for the answer and this was the result. ”I would prefer if it was not summarized in that way, but your summary is not wrong. Great Aunt.” Lucid Winterspoon turned back to the whole assembly, ”For the exception of a few, the majority of the family members here oppose this thought. I, for one, think that working on something again with alchemy that I have left untouched for the last 100 years would bring exciting developments...” Kohath Winterspoon's mouth fell open and a weak indignant voice escaped his lips. “Great Aunt!” But Lucid Winterspoon silenced him with a wave of her finger. ”This is not the time to get excited, my boy. I simply mean that I do not wish to deal with the family's work here and there. And I am past the age of being able to do such exciting experiments... She stopped and after a long paused continued again. ”I understand that this is not the opinion you would like to hear. But if anyone shares a different one then feel free to speak. But right now, I will ask Flint. The work you would like to do, can you complete it with the help of our family?” Flint's expression changed. It was because he had never let the thought cross his mind. Lucienne and Vaidotas, who were sitting amongst the family, shared a look over this exciting prospect and waited for Flint's response with anticipation. The other family members as well shared a similar anticipation as they stared at Flint. His concerns were many, but time was short and the answer he had for himself was ever more so. Thus his answer came easy. “Of course not. I would not need to focus on the Winterspoon's family power or influence. But, the problem remains that I will not be using my skills for the family.” “If that is the case, why do you feel the need to convince them? If you have no interest in the patriarch seat, can't you simply go and do the work you wish? If you feel frustrated and unable to use your talents within the family, then leave. The family will not collapse without you. I know this because I, too, have done nothing to contribute to the family for centuries.” Kohath and a few others wished to protest but, the family, for centuries, faced no problems with the absence of Lucid's alchemy and there was no evidence to support the opinion that removing Flint would suddenly cause problems. But Flint was still shocked by the idea of leaving the family, a thought that had never occurred to him. But as he thought about it the more the idea was to his liking. When Lucid Winterspoon saw this change she was prompted to speak. “If Flint leaves the family, then whatever work he does we have no reason to interfere. However, we cannot ignore the fact that the foundation of Flint's work is our own teachings. So, if you carry the Winterspoon name you cannot complete the work you would like to do. Whatever comes next will be difficult, and ending your connection with the family will also bring challenges, so in the future go by the name, Winterwood. I ask that you use this name as a guide to remember to walk the path between what you have learned from the family and what you hope to do in your own work.” Kohath spoke, ”Saying he will leave the family does not excuse him from the rules of alchemy. It is not just our family but all Alchemists in the Kingdom -- no the world who must adhere to these immutable principles.” Lucid Winterspoon replied. ”I know your worries. But Flint is not the type of person to use what he has learned with reckless abandonment. You too already know this, no? And I also believe that in the long-term this work will be good for the family and for the advancement of our world. Have you forgotten that I am a Chronomancer? And if you would like to discuss the rules of alchemy, it was I who was at the center of its creation. Forget the thought that you can tie me down using the fear of these principles.” Kenaz, not waiting to miss the opportunity to keep the rarely seen Lucid Winterspoon involved with the family, spoke. ”If it pleases you, how about also recommending the next head of the family? Just mention a promising person to be patriarch and you can go your way.” If the person Lucid picks does become the next patriarch, and Lucid is there to help them the success of the family would be even greater. If one considers the generations of patriarchs who had begged Lucid earnestly for a single shred of advice, this was an opportunity the family could not let slip by. “You should pick a person from the next generation. Vaidotas would do well. The family elders will help to guide the younger Patriarch...” Kohath who was ignoring Kenaz's gaze had a need to object this time too. “Vaidotas' alchemist abilities are fine. But he does not share the same strength as Flint. He is but a scholar. And, as you know, to be the patriarch you need to have a certain level of fighting skill as well.” On hearing this, Kenaz realized that Kohath was not opposed to Vaidotas as leader but rather wanted to restrain Lucid to the role of looking after a weaker patriarch. To ensure what this is what was said, Lucid Winterspoon spoke first. “Since he is still young we can prepare him carefully. To develop his other skills. If you feel anxious, we can send him to train. In fact, let us do this. Recently, the Swordsman Master gave up his public office and retired to Klaipeda. Let us send Vaidotas to Klaipeda to receive his guidance.” The elder, Kenaz, spoke. “Learning how to fight like a warrior isn't bad, but don't you think, if it is possible, learning how to fight as a Wizard from you, Great Aunt, would be simpler?” “The Wizard Society would be in an uproar if I trained him. It would be seen as favoritism and I will still need to be responsible for the work I am supposed to do. Send him south. Let him experience the Great Woodlands and other areas, and along the way I will teach him about the climate of each region and their special materials. It has been hundreds of years since I've trained someone in alchemy. But I will yield this amount. In this case you will arrive to Klaipeda a bit late, but warrior training needs not to be rushed.” At this, Lucid stopped and closed her eyes for a moment. ‘No…if our family’s members try to save this world, even just a small step it will prove difficult. We will have to match the time… We cannot be too strong, nor weak, we must match the moment perfectly… It doesn’t need to be Vaidotas, but there is also no reason not to. As long as it does not interfere with the providence and expectations of the Goddesses, it will be okay…’ And like that the thought disappeared. Of course, she could not share her thinking with the others. Instead, she turned to Flint and spoke. ”You have given up the burden of Patriarch, but there is other work you must bear. I will pray that the honor of the goddesses be revealed through you. You still retain half of the family name and for that you must carry our reputation with you.” This frustrated Flint.” If someone else has said that I would not have found it so strange, but from you Great Aunt, I do not know.” At that accusation, Lucid replied. ”Oh? But it is like that, no? Even if we go our separate ways, no matter how far we go, we cannot be fully apart.” When those words were spoken, Lucid Winterspoon, without a single goodbye began to disappear. The remaining family members, who were used to this behavior, sent her off by bowing their heads. Although they did not have the ability to see as far into the future as Lucid, they could feel that this was the start of a new era. However, not one of them remaining there knew how difficult this new era would be.
The Lore You Know: Matador
The Matador is the star performer in bullfighting, using both a cape and sword to bring down a raging bull. This spectacle is one of the most well-known but also one of the most controversial customs of Spanish culture. However, today we will simply take a look at the history of the Matador -- to see how this practice came into existence and how the role of the Matador is reflected in our game. It’s possible that the first recorded bullfight may have been from the Epic of Gilgamesh, where Gilgamesh dreams that he and his friend Enkidu stalked and hunted the Bull of Heaven and offered its heart to the sun god, Shamash. This act was a form of bull worship and animal sacrifice common in Mesopotamia and the Mediterranean region and is where bullfighting can trace its roots. Then it was seen again in the amphitheaters of Rome, where there were many human verses animal events during the rule of Emperor Claudius as a substitution for the short-lived ban on gladiatorial combat. Later in Medieval Spain, bullfighting was seen as a noble sport reserved only for the rich. And, while Spanish colonist took the practice of breeding cattle to the American colonies, the Pacific and Asia, areas of southern and southwestern France developed their own style of bullfighting. The practice of fighting the bull on foot and with the flourishing of a cape and sword was developed by the matador, Francisco Romero, in Spain in 1726. During this time he introduced the world to the muleta, a stick with a red cloth hanging from it that is used during the third stage of bullfighting to hide the matador’s sword. The muleta is used to attract the bull through a series of passes. But it was the matador, Juan Belmonte, in 1914 who upped the ante and introduced the modern practice of skillfully using the muleta to get even closer to the bull’s horns than matadors before him had ever dared to do. From then on forward, matadors stopped using footwork to escape injury and risked their lives by letting the horns just barely glide past them as they directed the bull with the use of the muleta. Now it is important to note that the muleta is different from the capote. The capote is magenta on one side and yellow on the other. It weighs between seven and nine pounds and will stand upright like a pyramid when placed on the ground in the right way. As mentioned before, while the muleta is used during the final stages of the bullfight, the capote is used during the “opening passes” where the bull enters the arena and the matador teaches the bull to follow the cape. If the passes done by the matador impresses the crowd, they will be rewarded with shouts of "Ole!" Although bullfighting is controversial, it is still considered an art form, a tradition, and a highly ritualized cultural event. The matadors work to create an emotional connection with the audience and execute various formal moves during the fight that have not only meaning but also names that allude to the matador’s specific style and school of training. Bullfighting is indeed a spectacle and our Matador class entices us with their agile movements and impressive skills. References The Editors. 2006. Encyclopaedia Britannica. Juan Belmonte. [Online.] Spanish Fiestas. Bullfighting History. [Online] Conrad, Barnaby. 2009. Encyclopaedia Britannica. Matador. [Online] Wikipedia, 2018. Muleta. [Online] Wikipedia, 2018. Bullfighting. [Online] Across Europe. Bullfighting: Having Roots in Ancient Rome. [Online]
Future Silver Adjustments
Greetings, Saviors. It’s your dev team, here to talk about some changes that are being planned regarding the use of Silver in Tree of Savior. After the last Rank update, our game was affected by a Silver inflation that has been growing more and more severe as time goes by. For an economy-based MMORPG, inflation is one of the most telling signs of danger, which is why we need to look for ways to adjust the routes of Silver supply and consumption in TOS. Our plan to prevent this inflation from growing is to introduce new Silver-consuming content and revise current Silver systems. As far as the consumption of Silver is concerned, we want to steer away from adding Silver fees to features catered to the general player base. Instead, we’re looking to increase Silver consumption mostly through new higher-end content or growth/EXP-related functions. To put it in perspective, the measures we want to implement are less akin to increasing the price of public transportation, and more like raising taxes on luxury sports cars, for example. Our goal is to expand Silver consumption not on essential functions, but on optional ones. Some examples of game features through which you can expect increased Silver requirements would be the previously introduced Velcoffer Legend gear system, Lv 100 enhancement attribute bonuses, and future PvP content (which, by the way, is already being tested). So that’s our plan for adjusting Silver consumption. But what about the supply? Well, the supply of Silver as a whole is not a problem, but there is an issue with instanced dungeons. Up until Character Rank 8 (Lv 330), Castle Dungeon had a relatively higher degree of difficulty, and the Silver it generated wasn’t yet enough to escalate the supply up to alarming levels. In regular, level-adequate play environments, the Silver supply from instanced dungeons wasn’t excessive. With the arrival of Character Rank 9 (Lv 360), however, it became feasible for stronger characters to earn large amounts of Silver from Castle Dungeon a lot more easily. As many of you may have experienced, it is now possible for a party of one or two maximum level characters equipping decent gear to clear Castle Dungeon in only 3-4 minutes. This means that, not only are stronger characters making easy Silver, average characters can benefit from it as well by accompanying them in parties. Even a player with no significant combat investments can round up 220,000 Silver every 5 minutes for as many characters as they possess. That said, the fact that we didn’t add a new instanced dungeon adapted to Character Rank 9 was intentional. We wanted to scale down the role of instanced dungeons as the be-all, end-all of PvE gameplay, and lead players into regular fields and Hunting Grounds. That’s why we introduced the Challenge Mode, the Unique Raid Dungeon and better Hunting Grounds rewards. Being mostly disconnected from TOS’ storylines and scenarios, instanced dungeons were created to act not as staples of everyday gameplay, but as bonus content that helps you catch up to the latest Rank more conveniently (especially for new and returning players). Convenience was, after all, the reason why we moved all instanced dungeon entries to Klaipeda. What’s causing the problem we’re seeing now is that, while EXP gains vary according to your level, Silver is supplied in fixed amounts. That is why we came to apply Silver restrictions in instanced dungeons, similarly to what already happened with EXP. In the future, instanced dungeons will continue to serve as EXP/Silver boosts until the next highest Rank. As such, a Lv 330 dungeon will be added only when the maximum character level increases beyond the current Lv 360 (with the addition of Character Rank 10). That way, characters can quickly get to Rank 10 while earning a prescribed amount of Silver, but after reaching that maximum Rank, they’ll be encouraged to pursue EXP and currency gains through regular fields, quests, Hunting Grounds, and various challenges and raids. This means that, overall, the supply of Silver in instanced dungeons is expected to slow down. Besides these measures, we also have plans to increase the supply of Silver and goods in gameplay content that doesn’t contribute to inflation. We’re currently working towards reintroducing the old advancement quests as Class Master quests with Attribute Point rewards, and we want to expand the rewards of other existing quests with not only Silver but also Attribute Points and other useful assets. Finally, we realize the importance of protecting the value of Silver as the de facto in-game currency, while keeping in mind the balance between its production and consumption. Any new content or system changes that come out of this endeavor will be duly announced through our dev blog and the patch notes, so keep checking in for more updates. Thank you.