Xsyon - Prelude News

Hello everyone!

Several patches have gone out since my last post here.

In general, I am continuing to optimize code and eliminate infrequent crashes and issues. My goal is to clear up any critical crash issues even though they are rare and optimize the most time consuming functions both client and server side to improve the game's performance and stability before adding new features.

Although these patches may seem minor, they require a lot of work.

These patches include:

- Further optimizations and changes towards upgrading DirectX features.
- Array optimizations.
- Continued function optimizations.
- Critical section revisions and code clean-up.
- Build uses updated Microsoft libraries.
- Server logs streamlined and improved.
- Problems caused by 0 stat values fixed.
- Additional error checking and function safety to prevent crashes.
- Additional logging to catch future client crash and freeze issues.
- Issue with tribe expansion potentially causing overlap fixed.
- Improved crash and error log reporting and collection.
- Several causes of client crashes eliminated.
- Rare cause of server crashing in creature AI functions fixed.

I will continue to monitor the game and patch minor revisions for the next week or two.

Thanks for your patience as I continue to check through and rework a lot of old code at this time!

Today's minor patch culminates a series of patches that I've been releasing over the past several weeks.

All of these changes that seem minor have been a bit grueling, but necessary. As more players are running Windows 10 at screen resolutions that weren't readily available when the base engine for Xsyon was coded, upgrading libraries used in some of the core systems had become a priority.

With all this out of the way, I can get back to more interesting changes.

Many thanks to all of you that provided input and bug reports during this period of optimization!

Optimization / Upgrade Patch

Improvements:
- Windowed modes should properly adjust for Windows 10 machines and high resolution displays.
- DPI scaling automatically adjusted for.
- Windows libraries upgraded
- Steps taken towards upgrading DirectX. These are in progress.
- General optimizations and code cleanup for both the Client and Server.

Bug Fixes:
- Bugs with splitting stacks in the middle of actions such as eating fixed.
- Bug causing architecture parts to sometimes be caught fishing fixed.
- Issues with carts sometimes getting stuck open over long distances fixed.
- Problems with actions overlapping fixed.
- Quest displays fixed.
- Incorrect surfaces fixed (more surfaces can show per tile now).
- Issues with items in your pack activating incorrectly fixed.

Critical issues:
- Several potential exploits blocked.

Xsyon’s 2017 Event Season commences this weekend!

The Event Season kicks off with a Capture the Flag PvP event, this Saturday, June 24th at 11:00 AM PST on the Peace Server.

We are happy to announce a schedule full of fun and challenging events for all players!

The apocalyptic fantasy sandbox MMORPG's Guide and player run events this year will include:

- Capture the Flag Fortress
- Scavenging Contest
- Swim Meet
- Rodeo
- Costume Contest
- Feed the Bears
- Chicken Round Up
- Cart Races

... and more!

Events will take place at Founder's Isle, the Event Zone and various player tribes.

This year we are also planning a few regular events:
- weekly Tuesday Comedy Night
- weekly Thursday Scavenger Hunt
- monthly Saturday and Sunday Trade Fair

Players will earn tokens at these events that can be traded for in game goodies (blueprints, materials, special items).

All events including PvP events will take place first on the Peace Server with a follow up event on the War Server if enough players are present.

The full tentative Event Schedule will be posted later this week in the Event Calendar on the Xsyon website. This schedule will be adjusted to accommodate any newly submitted player run events.

If you would like to hold a player-run and Guide-assisted event at your tribe please check the Call For Player Led Events

If you would like a monthly Trade Fair to be held at your tribe location please contact us

All players are welcome. Come join the fun!

I am re-posting this information to clear up some confusion. I will continue to re-post this for a while so that it stays visible on the Store Page.

Potential players are getting obsolete information from reviews and other sources mentioning Xsyon's past subscription model. I want to make sure that it's clear that this model was dropped last year.

Since December, 2015, Xsyon: Prelude, the apocalyptic fantasy sandbox MMORPG no longer requires a monthly subscription!

Due to popular demand, Xsyon switched to a one time buy-to-play price allowing for unlimited and unrestricted game play.

Past paid players are welcome to return for free to the world of Xsyon to rejoin and rebuild tribes or check out the latest features and improvements!

For those who haven't kept up to date on Xsyon:

Features now include:
- Revised versatile architecture system with multi-story construction.
- Laying out and visualizing full constructions before finalizing your creations.
- Building of bridges, tree houses and fantastical structures with ease.
- Many new structural components including trusses, cantilevers and railings.
- Building uses including Infirmaries, Trading Posts and Welcome Stations.
- Extensive farming system allowing players to plant, water, tend and harvest a variety of useful crops.
- Innovative cooking system allowing players to combine ingredients and seasonings creating custom recipes. Players can save their recipes in a cookbook and create powerful signature dishes.
- Many improvements based on player requests and feedback.
- Optimized and revised engine code for improved performance.

Steam Keys are available for free to all past paid players for those that wish to rejoin Xsyon through Steam.

Xsyon will be on sale for 50% off through May 1st!

Come join us or take advantage of the sale to increase your tribe size. Xsyon accounts are also available directly through the Xsyon Website

In addition, as posted before, I am working on a series of updates that will start to roll out once enough improvement are ready and tested so that I can maintain a steady flow of patches for a while.

In the past, as a lone developer, it's been difficult for me to patch regular updates. Big updates were often followed by slow periods, especially due to health issues I've had and an injury I sustained last year (I'm doing much better now!).

This has caused an ebb and flow of activity in game and I'd like to keep the game more consistently alive.

First, in May we will inaugurate a new Event Season in game. Events typically run on weekend and have included contests, races, maze running, fashion shows and trade fairs. The Event Season will run through the summer!

Next up, several patches are now ready and will start to roll out in May.

The upcoming series of updates will include (roughly in this order):

Continued heavy optimizations
Revised position and action synchronization
Creature AI revisions
Creature stat revisions
Creature path finding revised
Combat revisions
Animal Taming
Pets
Mounts
Artisan and Master weapons
Two handed weapons
Weapon bonuses revised
Party System
50+ Improvements based on Player Suggestions
War Server territorial conquest system
Personal currency consolidation
Ranged Combat
First round of Achievements

Note: These improvements will come in a series of regular patches, not one massive update.

More information will be posted regularly on the Xsyon Website