The SMOB Project

A place for Immortals of the game to post changes in policy or other relevant announcements for the game.
Korsik
Posts: 512
Joined: Tue Apr 07, 2020 1:46 pm

The SMOB Project

Post by Korsik » Thu May 12, 2022 4:18 pm

Smobbing is about to undergo a significant overhaul. There are over 100 smobs in wotmud so this will be a lengthy process with changes being rolled out in phases.

Phase 1 will see each mob assigned a specific equipment type; abs, dodge, parry, or combo. Each smob will have the potential to load a full set of the equipment type assigned. As an example, the base abs set is full helmet with visor, ebony greaves, ebony vambraces, shining plate, thick boots, and heavy gauntlets. With this change, the percentage chance of loading this equipment is being adjusted from a previous level of 30-35% to 44% per item slot. Weapon loads will also be adjusted to be a true random roll as compared to a cascading series of checks that occurs now. For those lucky adventures, some may even find a rare weapon on a very small percentage(1%).

Please be patient as we start rolling this out. A running list will be posted on this thread as mobs are updated. Any issues you find should be reported to Korsik or Feneon.

Later phases will include a full review of trinket loads, potions, and herbs as well as mobs that fall into “special” categories like mini-chains or Murgoz. Each phase will be declared as it continues and information will be provided at the end of the project to give the playerbase some knowledge about #s and load %s. We won't reveal everything, but we want to provide enough that at a glance and a few hits you could update the wiki with good information.

Korsik
Posts: 512
Joined: Tue Apr 07, 2020 1:46 pm

Re: The SMOB Project

Post by Korsik » Thu May 12, 2022 5:32 pm

Phase 1 Completed Smobs:

Altaran Kingpin
armored sentry
Beast Master
Belroi
Bryn Plambo
Burly Dragonsworn
Captain Layten D'hael(DWC)
Captain Tariq Ibrahim
Celia
cold eyed
commander aylia
dark spirit lord
dark trainer
darkfriend ogier
Demented Dreadlord
Deranged Wolfbrother Hermit
Disgraced Arafellin Officer
Disgraced Darkfriend
Elorachim the Pirate
Escaped Damane
Filthy Man
Forest Brigand Leader
Forest Dweller Leader
Gorthel
High Lord Meneril
Hulking Mercenary Commander
Imrysa Doberak
Jonar
Kennel Keeper
Kiraf
Kreeza
Kural
Lady Mirnavaere
Lizard King
Maegor
Master torturer
Mos Teranz, rogue Illuminator
Najdeer
Paishain
Pravus
Obscured Woman
Orma
Raerdan Magi'i, the Tainted
Ragnor
Renegade Aielman
Renegade Cargomaster
Renegade Comamnder
Renegade Tribal Leader
Roland
Rosande
Shadow Master
Smitty d'Shays
swarthy pirate captain
tall thief
Underground Mistress
wicked myrddraal
zamara khel
zamora khel

Feneon
Posts: 1747
Joined: Sat Dec 19, 2015 5:02 pm

Re: The SMOB Project

Post by Feneon » Thu Jun 02, 2022 9:52 am

With Phase 1 being completed we'll be looking to move to Phase 2. It will impact more than smobs as we look at locations where things load. In general:

1. We will be addressing the gap between trinket loads and the overabundance of herbs that provide little use and lead to a large amount of players idling with too many herbs. We want to reduce the amount of available herbs that can be easily farmed while also making sure that a larger variety is available that are directly related to the making of potions.

We've adjusted potion loads in general up north but we haven't taken a deep dive with them (or herbs) in kits specifically and on random mobs. These can add up (e.g. Lockshear militiamen + bodyparts for example) and so we'll be overall downing potion loads frequency in consideration to respective difficulty and ease of access.

2. We will also be using phase 2 to increase the viability of duo smobbing and looking at places to adjust for soloability. For those who haven't figured it out--a warrior can taunt Maegor or Renegade Commander and leave the room and pull two mobs. Small things like this speed up the smob for a large group while making it possible for a smaller group to do the smob.


3. Trinkets have also taken a large hit since the removal of the weary merchant / slobbering trolloc exchange mechanism and we'll be adjusting for that gap with the intent of making changes relative to difficulty. For example, Rosande having a 10% load rate on obsidians and gold chains is excessive. Compare this to the lack of a good trinket load for a smob that is more difficult (burly dragonsworn) and you can start to see that the current issue is not a lack of loads, but that loads are specifically farmed by people in the know and missed by those who do not have the information available. While FOFY has always been a good way to get players to explore, some transparency should help a wider swathe of players re-equip or build groups to do so when they need it without being excessively delayed.

4. We will also be adjusting doors in smobs for risk versus rewards. Before we adjust the specialized smobs we will take a look at the locking mechanisms on the inside of doors that were introduced to allow players who idled a means of leaving. This has largely been used as a mechanic to lock the door behind you and goes against the intended difficulty or risk associated with those smobs. Conversely, a large amount of smobs exist in doors and while we find this acceptable, the one room / smob / door setup largely means if you are caught off-guard you have very limited counter-play. We'll be looking to add at least a single room for maneuverability and these may come from spare rooms in the zone, or where it is impossible, they will be taken from the existing layout.

5. We will also be integrating smobs that are outside of their zone into the actual zone. An example is Surelle which is below the Tanchico village, but is not in that zone, countering the ability to use zone sense or mob notifications effectively. This will also mean rooms will be taken from existing layouts and moved. Most smobs are in unused zones related to PK so this largely will be a non-issue. But, it is something that you should be aware of. We will make that changelog as public and sensible as possible in order to empower players to understand what changes are taking place without them having to explore.

Overall with phase 2 we will be continuing the adjustments mentioned in phase one, however, instead of these loading on bargle they will load directly from the game. It means that even if a smob loads naked, it will have a chance to load trinkets. We will also be adjusted TP awards for a variety of smobs where necessary. It will always be worth it, though, to kill a naked smob to trigger a repop if you are capable of doing so.

Korsik
Posts: 512
Joined: Tue Apr 07, 2020 1:46 pm

Re: The SMOB Project

Post by Korsik » Fri Jun 03, 2022 1:00 pm

Phase 2 trinket update is completed. The below listing of smobs have additional loads;

a burly dragonsworn
a cold-eyed man
a deranged wolfbrother hermit
a disgraced Arafellin officer
a filthy man
a forest brigand leader
a hulking mercenary commander
a leader of renegade aielmen
a renegade cargomaster
a renegade commander
a renegade tribal leader
a swarthy pirate captain
a wicked myrddraal
an armored sentry
an escaped damane
Belroi Cavolinde
Bryn Plambo
Captain Layten D'hael
Captain Tariq Ibrahim
Celia, the Domani thief
Elorachim the pirate
Gorthel Par'tan
Kiraf the vagabond leader
Kreeza, the trolloc warrior maiden
Maegor Juliyan
Magita the Mercenary Queen
Mistress Paishain de'Lematch
Mos Teranz, rogue Illuminator
Najdeer the Highpriest
Pravus the Savannah Lord
Raerdan Magi'i, the Tainted
Smitty d'Shays, Wine Baron of the South Coast
the Altaran kingpin
the beast master
the demented Dreadlord
the Lord Meneril
the underground mistress

Feneon
Posts: 1747
Joined: Sat Dec 19, 2015 5:02 pm

Re: The SMOB Project

Post by Feneon » Sat Jun 04, 2022 2:33 pm

Doors & Zones:

1. carvedopening removed from great blight worm.
2. hidddenknot/door removed from renegade commander.
3. stinkyclay removed from dark trainer, bloodyclay removed from dark trainer.
4. Additional nomob added 1d 1s of Carchton that loads empty. Room taken from SE of woad island (bottom corner from map).
5. Stonehatch/floortrap removed from Kreeza, stonedoor added to Kreeza's entrance.
6. Door removed from Pravus proper.
7. Waterdoor removed from Wicked Fade, connected to the Waterwood zone. 3 rooms taken from the random hovel in the SW corner.
8. Removed door from mole king smob room
9. Stalactite/stalagmite removed from Gorthel. Boulder/rockslab added between Gorthel tunnels and the outdoors.
10. Greatdoors moved to 1n of the room where it currently is at filthy smob.
11. Meneril backdoor and stairdoor removed. 1d 1n manorgate added to the zone. Meneril secret room vial load chance removed and gold cut by 50.
12. Burly dragonsworn greatdoor and chamberdoor removed. Door moved to first choke as greatdoor.
13. PM stonedoor removed and moved 1u 2w of current location.
14. Curtain removed from Layten smob.
15. carpetpanel/ceilingtrap door removed from KL.
16. Rockwall/fissurewall removed from Rene Aiel. Fissure set to close 1u and search requirement dropped from 75 to 50 from outside.
17. Childrens and roserug doors removed the smitty area.
18. Mosaicdoor moved from Raerdan to room 2s. Mass of shadows with key outside of the manor. Nomobs removed apart from 1s of Raerdan.
19. Thickdoor removed from renegade cargomaster, water room changed to indoors and shark load removed.
20. Oakdoor removed from cold-eyed man Almoth
21. Rustydoor moved from najdeer to between 1w and 1s.
22. Brush/boulder removed from kural. Rockdebris door added 1s 1e of Kural.
23. Slidingwall removed from Aylia.
24. Thronedoor removed from DFO.
25. Surelle now loads in Tanchico road zone and no longer is a separate zone. 3 rooms were taken to build out. The room all east of Surelle village. Rooms 2w and 2w 1n of herb load on the south part of the road. An additional room has been added 1w of trapdoor.
26. Hideout removed from 1u of Jaq.
27. Membrane removed from Tear Dwellers
28. Cavern removed from replicating maiden.
29. Rockwall removed from Deranged Wolfbrother, canoe load removed as well.
30. Bandit Warlord in spine near TT access removed from game. If you accidentally get in somehow you can leave.
31. KOI marblegates door removed.
32. Hideoutdoor/ornate removed from Ragnor.
33. Woodendoor removed from Roland. Roland key reduced to two uses.
34. Plank removed from Orma.
35. Chamberdoor removed from ant queen room.
36. Obsidiandoor removed from scorpion lair.
37. Tombdoor removed from SK.
38. Greatdoor removed from Filthy.
39. Najdeer door deleted completely.
40. tentflap from tariq removed.
41. gate between south and north Amador removed.

Feneon
Posts: 1747
Joined: Sat Dec 19, 2015 5:02 pm

Re: The SMOB Project

Post by Feneon » Tue Jun 07, 2022 6:24 pm

Chain Notes:

1. IoMM is currently inaccessible.
2. You are no longer able to lock doors behind you using sconce mechanics in Jafar.

Feneon
Posts: 1747
Joined: Sat Dec 19, 2015 5:02 pm

Re: The SMOB Project

Post by Feneon » Thu Jun 09, 2022 5:58 pm

Potions that loaded on smobs and herbs that loaded on smobs have been altogether downed.

Dynamic events have been removed.

Potion and herb loads on mobs in the north has been hit substantially.

Cook will no longer have a chance to give a completed potion for bodyparts.

1. More cookpots added to patrols in the interim until potions are adjusted, specifically for darkside.
Locations: WB fade, Camp zone, Blodfest, Crackedslab fade, Pat west of Granlin, and Tear Fade.

2. Dusty Tower smob swapped a single vial/str tea for a pouch of vials/a pouch of str teas for now.

3. DS Treasurer removed --> the likeliest purchases in the short term expected would be potion loads on smobs/herbalists, issuable equipment, quest points, gardens, or additional patrols. These goals will be achieved through alternative means moving forward for Dark Side, but for now the mechanism to invest or sell rares for Dark Side treasury is removed.

4. CTFs now have notice.

Feneon
Posts: 1747
Joined: Sat Dec 19, 2015 5:02 pm

Re: The SMOB Project

Post by Feneon » Mon Jun 20, 2022 3:51 pm

Large adjustments that will impact fades and channelers: unlikely to impact sense for fades.

We're going to be moving forward in the future with our no channel room audit to remove the randomness of it all in general and we've started with the smobs in the game. We've removed all the hard channel rooms from the majority of mobs that respond to smob rooms (exception being CTFs).

This should give more freedom to channelers who want to do smobs together, however, a change in conjunction has been to remove the ability to teleport into / out of the majority of these smob areas. In most cases, in order to do a smob you will need to leave tracks. There will be exceptions such as Kiraf, and in the north places like MT and FDL have 1 teleport out area left in order to allow fades to conceal their tracks.

You should note: you may not be able to leave or enter areas you commonly did as easily as you have had historically using travel mechanics. This also means that you can no longer check smob loads via locate (though in most cases this was not possible).

In some areas no-hides / no-sneaks that kept smobbers pretty secure (scorpions and smitty for example) have been removed.

What we expect smobs to do: you should be able to use your ability to channel in order to add to a group, but we don't want you to have an easy time incinerating, blinding, or sleeping those smobs themselves. If you find one that is entirely too reliable let us know.

What we expect out of chains: you should have to clear rooms in their entirety to be rewarded for killing them. Anoluram has been made this way and the room 1n of him won't spawn a key until it is cleared. If any issues come out of this feel free to mail. Right now if you are using a channeler to smob the only thing that should interrupt your ability to channel weaves should be bargle and you can differentiate that with it sending you 'Ok.' versus the spell failing because of the room.

Alamir has been removed from the game as a smob. If you run into an residuals from the horse thief / Alamir in particular then post.

Note: most of the original smobs are in rooms that are coded to the smobs. So some of the channel restrictions are limited by coding and not by flags.

Aureus
Posts: 968
Joined: Mon Dec 28, 2020 11:13 pm

Re: The SMOB Project

Post by Aureus » Tue Jun 28, 2022 11:58 pm

We will be taking a look at some of the northern/"DS" smob loads with the intention of encouraging more raiding and PK out of DS, and fewer smobs that are soloable or give access to great (non-abs-basics) eq without venturing somewhat south. More to come here, but the goal will be you can re-gear in abs/etc basics pretty easily to jump back into the game, but nicer stuff requires leaving the Blight.

As a first pass, the following northern smobs are now no-hide:

- Shadow Master
- King of Illusions
- Filthy
- Imrysa Doberak (Kandori Lithe)

Feneon
Posts: 1747
Joined: Sat Dec 19, 2015 5:02 pm

Re: The SMOB Project

Post by Feneon » Thu Aug 11, 2022 12:00 am

With some adjustments in place to Jafar the first hit of the Island will be significantly difficult if the numbers of mobs in the area have not been culled (e.g. deep into post boot). While following the conversation today there were around 268 dying mobs left in the zone which are just aggros that will destroy someone who is not controlling mob pulse, and so we're focusing on the point of clearing out the infection of the castle. This will likely take awhile for groups to figure out the correct way to do it and if it is not done carefully or collect it will lead to the smob becoming close to impossible, I would imagine. We'll make adjustments to this as they come. The first gate is also removed, so the dirtdoor is no longer a requirement.

Without giving too much away, I'd suggest that you make a clear and conscious effort to clear out the minions you leave behind you because if you don't they will writhe up into more and more powerful creatures with Anoluram. If you do it incorrectly once then it is likely you will either need a very big and dedicated group or to wait till a reboot to try it again.

The doors have always been classified as stuck, so once the key unlocks them and they open, you will not be able to shut them. This should give some playing room to the area and increase the dynamic in (hopefully) an interesting way, while culling out the ability to speedrun it. If you do enjoy the PVE aspects then I hope this makes it very interesting. If you wish you had chances to interact with the larger groups then the removal of the ability to close the doors should make it possible to keep these groups honest.

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