Questions for the week of 12/3 through 12/10 2010

Trenixdecease Asks:
Will there be some sort of "Looking For Tribe" feature? Sort of like how players look for guilds or groups in MMORPGs? I really don't think relying on the forums is the best way to bring people together to join or create tribes.
Tribes will be able to set if they want to be in the public spawn point list and set a brief tribe description. Players will be able to choose spawn points from this list in addition to the basic starting spawn points.
Will there be a "invite a friend" feature which will give us something in return for getting someone to register?
After launch I will consider this and other promotions, yes.

Keithstone asks:
Can architecture structures be damaged by other players at any time?
As the game evolves yes. This won't be in for a while as towns are planned as safe zones in the Prelude, though I am considered tribes to allow to choose if they want to be warring tribes during the Prelude. Warring tribes will be able to attack each other.
Will architects get towers that can be placed without having to build or terraform dirt towers.
Yes, we will add towers in the future.
Can you explain how the market system will work, as in how will we be doing trades?
Players will be able to post items with prices at a trade totem.
I know you said you don't plan to implement carts, however is there some other way you plan for us to do large quantity trading over large distances?
I don't plan to add carts soon. Many things will be added as soon as we can expand the team and evolve the game. I plan to allow pack animals to carry additonal loads before we add things like carts though.
Will global chat be in at the game at prelude/launch? It doesn't bother me, however I know there are a niche of people that will feel like it's game breaking.
No. It will be removed for launch. Later we will probably add a system of linking tribe chats or having communication dishes as some players have suggested.

Venciera asks:
Will there be any form of tribal upkeep? Either paid through currency, or items?
Tribes will be able to choose to collect tax (currency). In addition, buildings will decay so there will be a need for players to keep up their town.
Will player run trading markets be implemented before, or after the beta? Or at all?
The will be player trade totems (or player will trade using the main totem). I'm not sure if we can get this done before or shortly after the final wipe and launch.
Will we be able to place sign posts with short messages on them? Like in Minecraft?
I have this on my suggestion list and yes, I'd like to add this in the future.

Jadzia asks:
Will we be able to gain stat points and assign them ? If yes, will there be any restriction about assigning them?
Stats will increase through actions (very soon). I may add some stat points to the levelling up as well.

Mrcalhou asks:
What are your plans for how you will set up the in-game economy?
This will start off with simple player bartering / trade. We will add trade totems to allow players to set up offline trades. Tribes will be able to set currencies based on common items. Object decay and loss of quality as well as resources limited to certain areas should help to drive trade and the economy.
What are the current plans with regards to handling skill points for characters as new skills are introduced into the game? Will we be allowed to respec our skill points so that we can become a different role if we get bored of something? Say, I start off by leveling up bladed weapons and sink all my skill points into that, then I get bored with it, could I switch my points over to "archery?"
You won't be able to switch points between skills. I will consider a system where you can choose what skills degrade to allow you to build up new skills at the cost of old skills, but I don't know when we'll be able to implement something like this.
Are there plans to have seperate skill point pools? Like, you can get so many skill points to be allocated to combat skills, some for crafting, some for harvesting?
Yes. This is already implemented. There is a soft cap for each skill group.
Are there any plans to add sub-skills and sub-sub-skills to current skills?
No.

Deacon asks:
Will we be able to actually place bin and stuff in our houses/tents?
Yes. Before launch.
And what system for making terraformed area level, if you plan to remove coordinates?
I will leave in coordinates until I can implement a levelling system as you and others suggested.

Aliksteel asks:
I know that you said that we was going to be able to sit, And that you already have a lot of dance moves ready to go. As far as this type of stuff goes, What more will we be able to do? Like different sitting positions, Laying down, Back flips, Drunk walking/running
Additional moves that we have almost ready are sitting, sitting on objects, sleeping and dance moves. Dance moves will be implemented as a feature well into the actual Prelude. If you have suggestions for emotes or other moves you'd like to see, feel free to post them.

Kitsume asks:
Are there plans to update the character creator, where we can customize faces beyond the template faces we have now? If so, will existing characters be able to use this or will players have to reroll the character?
When we can expand our team, yes. We have a character facial system designed but it will take a lot of work to implement it. Changes we make will be available to all players.

Gamefreak asks:
The primary question is what will entice people to perform quests, and how will they be ensured that they are actually going to receive what is enticing them?
What system will be in place to ensure that the required items reach the player when he has completed his/her task?
Players will be able to create quests at a totem. They will be required to add a reward to the quest. When a player accepts a quest, he must come back to the totem to submit objects collected or claim quest completion. There will be timers sets on quests so that if a player that accepts the quest does not complete it with the alloted time, another player can accept the quest. The quest creator will be allowed to cancel a quest and retrieve reward items if the quest is not currently taken by another player.
Both the creator and the questor will receive experience for a completed quest. This will entice players to both create and complete quests. You will get more experience by completing quests created by other tribes.

Foreseer asks:
Will we be able to create preservation area's where resources and land are protected from chopping, forming, and gathering within our lands?
You will be able to set tribe permissions for individual ranked members to prevent tribe mates from chopping or terraforming if you wish to do so.
I've heard we'll be allotted Three character slots. Will each character be able to join separate Tribes, or are all character's to be restricted to one tribe?
This is incorrect. There will be only one character slot.
How will quest materials be handled?
See the above answer.
Will said items disappear into an interface window or will an object or tent house them input/retrieval?
There will be an interface similar to construction 'ghosts'. The interface will be accessed through a totem. I like the idea of a quest house though, so maybe in the future quest items will require more physical storage. I'll consider it.
Will said Quest system be automated or will the Tribe leader be required to preform the tedious duty of finding items, counting items, and rewarding after players complete them?
It will be automated as described above, but the rewards will have to be gathered before placing them into a quest. Any tribe members given quest creation permissions will be able to create quests.