PTR Changelog 2017-07-25


  • Dev Team

    This post describes changes on the Public Test Realm. The estimated launch date is August 3.

    • Regenerated world map on shard1. Both shards now have unique terrain.
    • On shard1 launch, all portals to shard1 will be closed for 60 days by means of indestructible walls: 



      No inter-shard communications will be possible during this period. You can think of shard1 as a giant Respawn Area and an opportunity to make a fresh start in the whole new world. When 60 days are over, the portals will open, and outside invaders will appear to compete with native shard1 inhabitants for new territory.

      Currently all portal walls lack one tile on the PTR for testing purposes.

      Shard resources management system (via both UI and API) will be developed and published to the PTR during this 60 days grace period.


  • Culture

    I like it. I will miss exploring the new world from shard0, but I think it makes good sense for players who are thinking about respawning as well as new players.

    Thanks for being patient with your vocal, fiesty community and working toward a solution on the API question. I know you here a lot of complaining when new features like this come out, but I think for most people (definitely for me) the complaining is because we enjoy the game and care about the direction it takes.


  • Culture

    What he said 🙂

    I was excited to jump in on day 1, but I think this is a better option for you. You get time to write the API, and breathing room for new players. Great plan.


  • Culture

    I'd prefer a window of 30 to 45 days personally, but I can live with 60.


  • Culture

    I have a request-

    Can you add some portals that are completely walled off to PTR? I want to make sure my code can detect "open" versus "closed" portals, but since there are only "open" portals at the moment that's hard to do.

    Also, is it safe to assume that when a portal leads to a respawn or novice area the walls will appear again?


  • Dev Team

    Can you add some portals that are completely walled off to PTR? I want to make sure my code can detect “open” versus “closed” portals, but since there are only “open” portals at the moment that’s hard to do.

    Well, you will have 2 months to test it starting from August 3. During this period, walls on the live world will be closed, and on the PTR missing one tile.

    Also, is it safe to assume that when a portal leads to a respawn or novice area the walls will appear again?

    Since portals are always in crossroad rooms, there will always be a way to put them outside the area walls. Such cases will be handled manually while designing new area.



  • is the shard1 map going to be the one from the PTR? How often would it expand as in the a case a lot of players decide to spawn/respawn there, it might get too crowded real fast?


  • Dev Team

    Yes, it will be the same map on launch. It can always be expanded in the future, or a new shard might appear, it will depend on performance.



  • How many rooms are going to be open on shard1 when it goes live? Is it just going to be the middle 16 as it is currently on ptr or is it going to be the full shard1.


  • Dev Team

    It will be middle 16, but we'll be ready to open more sectors at any moment.



  • > It will be middle 16, but we'll be ready to open more sectors at any moment.

    Thanks for the speedy response. 

    Are you aware that the SK portals on shard1 point to rooms that are "Not available"