Mark Jacobs has listed the upcoming goodies for Dark Ages of Camelot. I will make that list short and sweet and you can read the details. The goodies are...

RvR Add-ons

Macroing and game add-ons

Housing

New Content, ie. epic dungeons, quests, and NPC's

New Server Type

The last three weeks have been quite interesting, what comes next is even more so... Folks, Well, it’s been an interesting few weeks here at Mythic. On the plus side we have already gotten in almost everything that was in my last thirty-day letter with a week to spare. The last two items (dungeon itemization and server types) are being taken care of so it is time for my next update. Unlike my previous two letters, this will be a six-week plan because of the scope of this update. Let’s start with the various focuses of this update: Realm vs. Realm, Macroing and Add-Ons, Housing, New Content, Class Balancing and a new Server Type. Now, let’s break them down by sections: Realm vs. Realm RvR is progressing nicely but we want to add even more cool stuff to it. We also know that many players are avoiding RvR until they reach higher levels than we originally intended. We also know that players want greater rewards to spend their Realm Points on other than what is currently in the game. To this end with will do the following: 1) Add a new battlegrounds area where lower level players can enjoy RvR without worrying about getting thrashed by those player that are much higher in level. 2) Implement the full taking of keeps by Guilds with their emblems fluttering in the wind. 3) Test a variant on the RvR combat system where lower level players have a greater chance of not only surviving in RvR combat but also so that they can also make a difference. 4) Begin implementation of new Realm Point bonus system so that players can add new skills, lines, etc. based on their success in RvR. Macroing and Add-Ons We know that there are people who are using macros in violation of our EULA. We also know that there are people who have written, are attempting to write add-on programs that would give the player running them an advantage. Unfortunately we will now have to spend a considerable amount of time actively working to combat these programs as well as in enforcing them. This will detract from other things our programmers should be doing but we need to take action now before things get out of hand. Housing This is arguably the biggest item in the list. Implementing a full housing system that goes beyond what is available in any of today’s games is our number one goal. As such, it is not an easy nor trivial thing. The full implementation will take several months. However, in order to make sure that we get it right we are breaking it up into two distinct stages, the first of which we will implement in this update. Contained in this update will be the following. 5) There will be at least three types of buildings that can be purchased by the player and/or guilds. 6) Each realm will have at least 50 home sites set up for guild and higher level housing. These sites will be pre-selected by the world developers to not only fit in with the landscape but also in not a way to clutter the environment and inhibit gameplay. 7) The homes will contain a variety of features including vaults, guild banners, emblems, tradeskill tools. Please keep in mind that this is only the first stage of the housing system. The second stage will include new areas that will be designed for the majority of player housing (vacation homes, crafter towns, consignment stops, etc.). While we could wait and put them both in together, by separating the two we will be able to focus on the core system over the next six weeks but also then be able to better gauge the impact on the game from a player’s standpoint as well as the real demand for housing. New Content Okay, we have something exceptionally cool that I want to share with you. As you know we have recently added the first Epic Zones in the game. Now we are going to add something really special, the first Epic Dungeon. 8) Epic Dungeon - Now, what makes this special? First it will be large, greatly eclipsing the largest dungeon in DAoC. Second, it will be open only to the Realm that has achieved a certain goal in RvR. The goal achieved, the dungeon is open and it’s time for a crawl. Because this dungeon will be open to all three realms it will allow us to focus on only one version of the dungeon rather than have to make three different dungeons for the three realms. This will result in a much cooler and challenging place. 9) All dungeons will be itemized. 10) Higher level material types will be added to the game and will only be found in the Epic Zones. Players can take these types to experienced craftsmen to make special items crafted. 11) Lots of new quests – These quests will be focused on integrating and expanding the backstory of each realm. Lots of background information will be added and things will tie very nicely together. We’ll also finish all Guild track quests to 50th level for all classes. 12) Improved and more interesting monster encounters and A.I. This does not mean that things are going to get harder just more interesting. We have a full-time person assigned to improving what is currently in the game. 13) Lots of new NPCs. As you can see from the last update, we are no longer focused on keeping the download and updates small but rather on adding lots of new stuff. Class Balancing As part of our strategic focus we will be looking at certain classes and certain lines of spells that need some additional work. While I won’t go into details now, I think that the players will find that our decision is rather charming. :) New Server Type Okay, now for the good/bad or better depending on your perspective. In my last letter I said that we were going to try to try to implement the first of our new server types. However, due to some technical issues (we had to move a number of servers elsewhere on our system) as well as lots of player feedback we are making a 180 degree change in our plan. While we could have simply delayed the server type for a week or so, things have changed a bit here. While I won’t say exactly what our next server was going to be, I will say what our next one will be. So, thanks to player requests, feedback and the occasional basket of rotten fruit hurled at our windows, we have decided to begin work on a enhanced PvP server. Now, this will not simply be a PvP server with a couple of different switches or something else similarly cheesy but rather a very different set of rules as well as lots of new features. Over the next six weeks we will be designing and implementing the new server. We hope to open it LIVE early this Spring. We will also be soliciting feedback and comments from the player community. Please do not send email, documents or anything like that because we will not read them (lawyers, don’t you just love them!). We will be talking more on the boards than we have recently and, as always, we will be reading them. However, I will say that there are a few things that will certainly be a part of the rule set and are not going to be changed: 1) Players will be able to gain all their experience from PvP. 2) Players may lose experience for getting killed in PvP depending level of attacker, who initiated, etc.. 3) Players will not be able to communicate with players of other Realms. 4) Players will be discouraged from ganking, farming, etc. players significantly lower in level than them unless the other player initiated combat. 5) Realm keeps, towers, guard posts, etc. will be weakened so that Realm vs. Realm warfare in the homelands will be not only possible but an expected part of the system. Now, we will have a lot more to say about this over the next six weeks and we have some other rather neat stuff than I won’t talk about until we know that we can do it. And again, please do not send email, feedback, etc., just talk to us on the usual sites, places, back-alleys etc. I hope this (among other things) puts to rest the stuff that we see on the boards that Mythic isn’t listening any more, we don’t read the boards, we don’t care, etc. We have moved this server up on our priority list (it was originally scheduled for early this Summer) based on what we have seen/heard from our community. Finally we are also working on some other things but as you can imagine, it’s going to be a busy six weeks. Normal Disclaimer Now, please keep in mind, as I said earlier, this is just our "plan" for the next update. This list does not encompass the only things we are working on. So, before some of you get concerned and say "Hey, how come you are not working on my class?!" keep what I just said in mind. We will be working on lots of other things and my letters, as always, are just some of the newer (and sometimes bigger) things that are part of this update. As always, please look at this letter as a guide as to what we hope to have in a month from now and not as a guarantee of any kind. Priorities shift, new problems arise (now there is an understatement) and frankly, nobody's perfect.