This reboot:

• Identical objects are now properly compressed again
• Inventory order no longer reverses when players enter the game
• More comma groupings added in numbers
• Missing affects are now shown in identify
• Max auction bid has been increased to 500mil
• Hold is now an invalid implant position

• Using a staff now emits different messages in different terrains

• Azi & Synth :

Ugh removing hold.. really?

rem hold sucks…

Also Id and item stacking is messed up something fierce.

Yes, hold is outside the body, held by the hand, and therefore an invalid position – like wield has always been.

Can you post examples of what's up with identify and item stacking?

OK, I see the identify issue. What are you seeing in inventory stacking that needs resolution?

Red's Bag O' Goodies seems to be in perfect condition. Red's Bag O' Goodies (here): a rename redemption ticket [9] a rename redemption ticket [2]

Items are stacked when they are put into a room, an inventory, or a container. If you take all the tickets out, drop them, pick them up, and put them back in, do they stack?

My first thought is that they are different objects because of clones, but there is only one rename redemption ticket object. They should be identical in terms of cost, functionality, etc.

For example, there are many blue volatile and volatile potions, so you could still end up with multiple stacks if they come from different areas.

Removing the hold position is beyond dumb. If its not a real position then I want other positions to take a new direction to be more realistic. Add 8 more finger slots cause we all have 5 fingers on each hand not 2. The hold position has been in the game for how long? Never been a problem till now. If you can give me another reason other than its not a real body position (which in a game based on fantasy where you cast spells shouldn't matter) then I will squash my beef with it. Till then your reasoning means nothing

Is there a problem you are trying to resolve? Four new cyborepair tools are waiting for world approval and then will be in game. Two already exist, with the Cybertech tool available for finger or hands.

Please remember that even though this is a fantasy world, we do want it to make sense.

Rather than focusing on how "dumb" it is to lose one implant slot out of twenty, it would be helpful if you explained the impact to you that is concerning.

I am with bush on this one. If they are waiting to be approved, then why remove something before the other items are in place? The position has been there for as long as I can remember. If we are moving to a more "real life" era, then are we going to have 10 places for fingers? Toes?

woo finger_middle, finger_ring? :p yeah i just counted to be sure i do have 10 fingers not just two

So there are a few things that happened with this change that went wrong, and I want everyone to understand what we're looking to do to fix this next time around.

First, this change was planned because there was a bug reported with the hold position. This led to uncovering two other bugs with the hold position. To fix these three bugs would have required a decent amount of effort.

The coders and architects discussed the issue and determined that the hold implant position made no sense, since it represented not a body part but the hand holding something, and you cannot hold an internal thing. And the hand, wrist, and finger positions already existed as implants.

We determined the impact was a loss of armor for non-cyborgs, and a loss of armor and damroll for cyborgs (Cybertech standard repair tool). Furthermore, cyborgs would be unable to repair unless we provided additional valid implant positions for them. We determined that hands, wrist, and finger made sense for a cyborg repairing components. We coded support for these positions. Furthermore, to accommodate for cyborgs losing damroll, we built several cyborepair choices. We immediately updated the cyborepair tool in Simeon's to support a position and the Cybertech tool was updated for new positions as well – in fact it has been this way for three weeks, but apparently people have been getting bad damroll on the loads.

The plan was to unveil these new world items and the coding change at the same time. I failed to communicate to Azimuth that the world changes didn't make it, and the reboot implemented the change before the world items were ready. Code changes requiring world changes will no longer be eligible for implementation until the world changes are already live.

Second, the change received about an hour's worth of testing, but an issue was not caught in testing where some implant types conflicted with the change and caused the game to incorrectly report that cyborgs were not using cyborepair tools in the new positions. As a result, cyborgs using the new tools could not repair. I tried to spread the word that immortals could implant your old tools in hold, but this didn't get to everyone. Lesson learned: we will put 'known issues' in the news or message of the day, or perhaps realm–somewhere–so that you can know what the issues are and what we're doing about it.

We realize that player feelings about cyborepair but about changes in general. I've been approaching players individually for feedback, but moving forward, I'll likely be more public to provide anyone the opportunity to weigh in. The primary place for this will be these realm forums, which the coders read actively.

TLDR lessons learned:

Problem: All players, not just some, need the opportunity to provide feedback.

Cause: Approaches had been ad hoc to individual players likely to be affected.

Solution: More changes will be previewed on realm forums for player feedback.

Problem: Cyborepair was in a half-implemented state.

Cause: Code change implemented before world items were in place.

Solution: Code changes will not be made live if world changes are not in place. Code review, which happens with all changes, will include a step to ensure any necessary world changes are complete.

Problem: Testing failed to uncover a bug with a change.

Cause: Unable to test every scenario.

Solution: When we become aware of issues, we'll be sure news, message of the day, or realm is updated with the nature and status of the "known issue." (Often these are fixed same day, but this isn't always possible.)

As always, if players have any concerns, we are listening. Post to realm, use the 'idea' command if it's short and sweet, or send me a MUDmail. Remember to have respectful dialogue. If you take the issue seriously, we will take you seriously.

Synthesis