Feedback Request 06/15/2014: Terrain Reversion (Test Server)

Terrain Reversion is running on the Test Server at an accelerated pace.

Terrain reverts to its original height over time on public land.
Water on public land rapidly reverts to its original level.

Terrain on tribe land plus a buffer around the tribe does not revert. Currently the buffer is 10 meters.
Terrain reversion on public land is blocked by buildings including ghost buildings.

Small objects such as bins and bundles on public land move with reverting terrain.
Long and short logs decay and are removed.

Currently terrain reversion should have affected most public land.

In addition I have cleaned up the database to remove old objects that apparently should have deleted but were still in the database.

Note: Terrain reversion affects terrain and water heights only. Terrain surfaces are not going to revert with this current implementation.

Possible improvements:
- Buffer zone adjustable and set at the tribe totem allowing the buffer to be set between 0 and 10 meters.
- Logs on road surfaces do not decay.
- Stumps decay and are removed.

I require feedback on:

Terrain Reversion:
- Are bundles and bins properly moving with the changed terrain?
- Are logs completely gone from public land?
- Are buildings properly blocking reversion?
- Are there any problems with water reversion?
- Are there any problematic areas with reverting terrain?

Concerns:
- There are locations where players moved a totem around to terraform outside of their tribe boundary. These changes will revert to the original state. Is this a big issue?

- There are locations where players lined roads with logs. I could not have logs on 'road' surface decay. This, however may lead to a lot of logs not decaying because many abandoned tribes are entirely paved with 'road' surface. I would appreciate player thoughts on what is best here.

- Are there any other concerns that I am overlooking?

Cleanup - Important!
- Are your tribes and contents of bins and inventories normal? (The data on the Test Server is from Sunday June 8)

If you encounter any locations with problems, please post the zone number and coordinates.

Thanks!

Checked spots for several zones around my tribe and everything I saw looked good. My tribe's bins appear normal.

Is surface revision (bare spots in grass, paved over junk) in the works for the future?

I wouldn't mind logs on paved surfaces remaining. We're all used to lots of logs everywhere, so a few remaining would not be a problem. Then again I wouldn't mind player paved surfaces off tribe land reverting periodically. Rebuilding roads would give players a way to get terraforming experience without digging more ugly holes.

I ran around on test for a bit today and checked things out. Noticed nothing wrong with any of my inventory...but honestly, I probably wouldn't notice anything unless it was drastically unusual. lol.

As for the terrain reversion....everything near me looks to be working perfectly and as intended. No logs to be seen, all terrain (including water) appears to have reverted properly, buildings are blocking reversion on public land and the lone bin I know of that was on a surface that should have reverted, isn't hanging out in mid air so think that is working as well.

My opinion on the log lined roads issue - I would prefer logs on 'road' surface NOT decay. I know a great many of us spent a lot of time lining our roads with logs or branches for looks as well as to help us use them in winter. I would like that to remain an option. As for those logs that won't decay on abandoned tribal areas because of large scale paving...leave it up to us players to take care of (just as we'll have to with dismantling buildings in those areas). I don't think that's too much to ask of us; we're the ones playing here and if we want something to revert, we'll put in the bit of time to either use or destroy the logs. I don't see an issue with it really, think most of us would be fine with helping out to keep our winter roads visible. ;)

Great job, and thank you for all the work you've put into this. I know a great many of us are excited for terrain reversion to be put in place. And as someone who hasn't been playing since the beginning, I love seeing the land as it was originally. :)

Everything looks good so far.

But this is a clone/back up of the Peace server, anyway we can see the War server to see if there is errors in the inventory?

Logs on roads being removed I think is fine, as long as there are plans to give us ways to mark them (like signs) some time later.
Also I believe they do take time to be removed so I see no issue with people that wanting logs to mark the roads to simply just replace them every few months correct?

As far as I could check bundles and bins are moving properly on reverted terrain and match the new surface, I couldnt find logs outside tribe land, and buildings and shadows of them block terrain reversion as they should.
I saw one place where water reversion looked like having trouble, coords are 823 Pos: 253.95 / 488.90

About the concerns, the first one isnt a big issue for me at all, the ones I saw doing it was to either fix terrain (thing that will do the reversion now) or build bridges (which will stay due to being made with floors). I think the logs dissapearing is ok, even in paved surfaces, we can still use grass bundles, branches or twigs to mark them, adding stuff like DDT says will be better tho, maybe signs or small torches we could make with fire building. Would be good to know how much it takes to logs to dissapear tho.

Also I noticed you get always the "you are still thirsty" message every time you drink.

I removed a post and a couple campfires from a random area about an hour ago. How long until the terrain begins to revert? I'm trying to test if the reversion does indeed kick in.

Edit: I just checked again after 5.5 hours, and the spot has been reverted. It may have happened in the last couple of hours, as I have been afk. Everything seems to be fine for me. My suggestion for roads is to not allow snow on them. Then logs and anything else can revert.

It's set to an accelerated rate right now. 5 meters of change per 30 minutes or so. He is thinking of making the change rate about 10 meters per week. That is not finalized.

The surfaces will not repopulate at this time. That will require more work.

mO.Om....peeks out from under his rock to see...Pristine areas...ahhhh

I grabbed some new reverted moss to eat and ran around the map....I am very pleased with the reversion. The absence of the logs we use to mark where roads are in the winter does not bother me at all. If a person wants to up logging now...well darn they will have to chop their logs up after they chop the tree down or it wont be there later. this will help forestry also as the tree count will increase by planting. Bins/bundles i see have worked as intended. the reversion close to the camps looks good. if a land bridge across water made by moving totems has had floors put down...the floors will still be there. The time is now...this looks good and works. put it in and move on. You work hard and we appreciate the efforts you have made.

I stayed on test for 1 hr and saw no bugs in actions or in bins i own. Sure there will prolly be a bug or two but we all know coding is not perfect...to be Human is to ere...shit will happen but we can take care of it.

Glorp

I've restarted the Test Server with the PvP server data from earlier today (June 16 1:00 AM PST) with the database cleaned up. Terrain reversion takes about 6-8 hours to run a pass through all zones.

For those that play mostly on the PvP server, please check your tribes and inventory and let me know if everything looks correct.

Thanks for all the feedback so far. I'm going to make a few more changes (such as the ability to set the buffer zone size around your tribe) and will post when the next update is ready.

mO.Om.... peeks out from under his rock on pvp

Hi... 1 hr...seeing logs dissapear, ok. personal bins ok. reversion not far nuff aong to see if bundles, etc are working. land reversion doing ok tho but...

Zone 897/52.59/512.42, 3 holes in water and what looks like a tear in the map going straight up. can fall all the way to the lake bottom...cannot get out...fell to death finally. (on alt)

Z820/831/102. water reaching up to sky...many places in this zone. so i guess reversion is borked up on pvp.

Last edit...Z861/140/760, strips of land in water.

food/water...hunger/thirst seem way fast . concumed 4 large fish and drank 8-10 times within 1/4 of way around lake. Bins/bundles are working right with reversion.

Glorp