Articles - Dreams of Anarchy - Dreams Repackaged
This is the sixth of a series of articles based on my extensive game experience. I have written editorials in the past with suggestions to Funcom on changes that I would like to see in AO to improve the game (some which were implemented).These articles will be on the same subject, but it will be detailing what would I change if I was a Dev, and I will be very thorough going through each area of Rubi-Ka. Not only will I cover what I would like to change/update about my favorite game, but also what I would like to add to it...expect to read ideas about new quests and locations that could enhance the AO experience if they were ever done.
PS: I wrote the previous DoA articles on my old main Windguaerd, my current main is Windkeeper =D
Since 2006 I've managed to trick some of the community with fake game updates at the official forums, looking back, some where not very useful, while others still are in my wish list of things I'd like added to the game.
In this DoA edition, I will bring back the best ones I thought of and hope that perhaps a Dev (or Means himself) may want to grab some of the ideas and perhaps consider implementing them into my favorite MMORPG. Get a cup of coffee, this is a long read.
Here goes.
New and Revamped Emotes
- You can now do the famous /moonwalk at parties!
- Show your agility with /handstand and impress your friends as you are upside down on your hands!
- Rock on with the /headbang move, for the heavy metal lovers on Rubi-ka, bang your head!
- Emulate your pet and do /robot and move your arms and head in a robot-like manner!
- The old emote /kneel now show you kneeling on your left knee with your head down.
- The original /kneel emote has been renamed /groundsearch for those who are RP tracking someone down, have fun!
- The old /surrender emote has been changed, you will keep your hands up until your character moves, uses an item or executes a nano.
- A new salute is now available, do /salute-b will show your fisted right hand pounding on your chest, hail ceasar! (or your superior officer)
- The old emote /fishsize has been removed, there is no fishing allowing on Rubi-Ka!
- New dance theme moves are now available! /salsa, /breakdance, /funk, /macarena and /hiphop, try them at parties and get down with your bad self!
- Athletes (and some brawlers) will get some new love with the following emotes: /pushup, /shadowboxing, /situp, /highkick, /lowkick, /highpunch, /lowpunch and /legsplit (yes, on the ground an even leg split that even an Atrox can make...well...barely)
- The old emote /strong1 has been renamed to /armscross
- Added another new emote, /pointdow (point down) to complete the emotes for directions
- Don't know who is behind you? then do a /lookback and turn your head and torso around to see if someone is indeed behind you.
- Want to cheer a friend or a team? new cheer emotes! /cheerjump-a (jump with hands up) /cheerjump-b (jump with hands up and legs folded back), /chbackflip (looks like a cartwheel)
- Feel down? then go and /cry with your hands on your face and release all the stress!
- Martial Artists will have fun with the new poses they can do! /wolfclaw, /flyingvulture, /chopstick, /snakestrke, /shaolin /drunkenmaster (also handy if you want to appear drunk) and /lotusblow (devs will need to see several low budget old kung fu movies to learn these moves...some maybe have to be temporarily hospitalized since they may have to...practice the moves to get a good feel in the creative process).
- New emotes can be done in the water while swimming! (we don't recommend this when sharks are nearby, they do NOT work underwater in Adonis) /backstoke and /syncronized (with your feet up and your head in the water), show off your skills to your friends at the local pool!
- New emotes with yoga postures are now also available! try out /lotus, /lion, /tree, /headstand and /corpse (also handy if you want to play dead).
New Emote Quest!
This will be the first of a series of quests where the rewards are unlocking new emotes, new social items and secret locations within known areas in faction cities.
Missing Girl
- A neutral trader in Newland is asking for help in finding his daughter who has been missing for a few weeks. It is rumored that if someone can locate her for him, he will reward the person with a secret backdoor to an underground smuggler's hangout in Borealis that requires a special card for access and share how a businessman can double his profits by using a series of magnificent poses to impress clients (new emotes).
She was last seen near the ruins of a temple in Broken Shores.
Note: New locations are unlocked only through quest rewards NODROP access cards, these locations do not allow warps into their establishments.
Avatar Customization, New Social Clothing & Items
- Avatars can now be further customized during the character creation process and within the Clinique Plastique. Skin tone, Hair Color, Eye Color, Height and Weight are more customized to add more diversity.
- New social clothing added to the Miir Shops:
Pilgrim's Desert Survival Outfit
Knights of Avalon Traditional Wedding Dress
Eco Warriors Tree Hugging Outfit
New Dawn Robe of Peace
Terra Firma Democratic Robe
Sentinels Blood Initiation Robe
Unionist Reinforced Miner Outfit
Vanguards Business Robe
Omni-Pol Casual Suit
Omni-AF Ceremonial Uniform
Omni-Trans Maintenance Outfit
Omni-Reform Greeting Outfit
Omni-Admin Formal Suit
Omni-InternOps Men in Black Suit
Omni-Med Bloody Medical Outfit
Omni-Engineering Technogeek Labcoat
Omni-R&D Semi-destroyed Test Suit
Omni-Mining Dirty Outfit
Omni-Com Grid Tested Robe
Sheridan's Captain Uniform
Kirk's Captain Uniform
Morgan's Captain Uniform
Picard's Captain Uniform
Nevarstiyeh's Blunt & Bloody Robe
Khuri's Code Leet Robe
Wind's Commander Uniform
Adama's Commander Uniform
Tussa's Metaphysical Robe
Vixentrox's Black Camouflage Outfit
Radiman's Robe of Trust
Ross's Chess Playing Suit
Ailish's Brown Camouflage Outfit
Googly Gog Search Robe
Dev's Robe of Evil Intentions
ARK's Robe of Good Intentions
Genetic Manipulator's Party Robe
ICC Peacekeeper Desert Survival Outfit
Old Council of Truth Guard Outfit
Retired Foreman Suit
Galactica's Battlestar Robe
Stargate Maintanence Suit
Atlantis Waterproof Suit
Who's Doctor Suit
Ranger's Protectorate Outfit
Silirrion's Robe of Gaming Mastery
I <3> 2 Frag T-Shirt
That's BS T-Shirt (ehem, short for battlestation)
Kiss the Cook Apron
Dude! T-Shirt
R u L33t T-Shirt
Scary Glow-in-the-dark T-Shirt
- New social items has been added including:
Gridstream Radio wrist reciever
New tanning lotion, it will make your skin a bit darker for a few days.
New hair coloring nanoformula for females, it can only be used once every 2 weeks. Colors available: black, red, blonde, green, purple, blue.
New Content & Changes
- New Female Bartender now available at Skybar in player cities with an Atrox Bouncer.
- Happy Rebel has a basement with a dance floor, chat with new dancers and flirt with them, at your own risk.
- The Cup has a backroom with a wine cellar and a high class room, liquor is expensive, consider yourself warned.
- Enjoy it While it Lasts decides to expand their business and now feature 3 separate rings with ongoing fights between combatants, it is the only place in Tir where you can legally gamble.
- The Beer & Booze Bar in Mort has decided to paint the outside of their establishment to appear clean...but it's still a mess inside, you may even notice a lot more blood on the floors and walls of the place where only the brave dare go...and fight their way out. Now patrons (NPC's) will pick a fight with you if you're within their PvP range, watch your back!
- Neuter's R Us bathroom's is remodeled, also a new coat of paint and new furniture replacing the old are now in place.
- Baboons has a new guarded VIP room, you need to be a high level omni employee to gain access or the guards will not let you pass. Items available in the VIP Room are rare food products (NODROP) from across the universe in a relaxing atmosphere.
- Reets Retreat has been slightly remodeled to handle all the parties that happen every week. Old storage room is now a fancy party room. Due to patrons complaining about the gore the bloodly room has been moved to a new basement and the old location now is a tea room.
- Rompa Bar now has a "high roller" room called the "Smoker's Lounge" with a butler and a bartender, smoking is allowed there (thus the shady guy selling imported cigars) .
- The Dancing Atrox Bar has expanded due to Mr. Mack Dartt's popularity, with a new crew of atrox dancers the place has expanded along with the laser show.
- The Vanguards have decided to step up security to avoid loss of clientele in Athen City, new ion cannons are right outside the gates of the city with half a dozen guards patrolling at all hours.
- The Sentinels have finally decided to allow neutrals in Tir after a severe decline in business over the years, with two condition...they can't get near the Tower of Truth building...any attempts to do so will mean death.
- The second and third floors of The Tower of Truth are now accessable to clan citizens, with a library that contains the history of the clans for the past few centuries and original clan art.
- The Newland City Council has decided to move the Borealis Whompa to the nearby forest for security reasons, the Grid Access has also moved near to the new location of the Whompa.
- The Omni-Admin building in Omni-HQ has opened some offices for the Omni-Tek Board of Directors Monthly Meeting. The offices are guarded by Unicorn Company members and is highly secure.
- The old "backyards" have been turned into local zoos to preserve endangered specials and display rubikan wildlife, new signs and ICC personnel have been assigned to the maintanence of these zoos.
- Old refferences in backards have been removed. A new sign to show where available apartments are located have been added for newcomers to find.
- Mission Terminals have been redesigned to look more modern.
- New information terminals have been added to display Rubi-Ka Timeline from September 03 28702 to June 26 29475.
- When arriving at the Mooningstar Spacestation you will see Rubi-Ka under siege by large alien ships in orbit (you will also be able to see this during the character creation process).
- Morningstar Space Station now has a "Holo Library" explaining the past few hundred years of history on Rubi-Ka.
- During your shuttle transport to Rubi-Ka you will now go through a mini-quest to help the pilot land the shuttle on the water. You will see a large alien mothership opening fire on your ship as part of the experience.
- A new help window explaining to new players how the chat window works in detail now appears automatically as soon as you land on Rubi-Ka.
- Small backpacks are now available for purchase at the ICC Shuttleport at a low price, it is unique and nodrop, only one per character.
- Now if you move in any direction when you're sitting, you will automatically get up.
- When rooted you now can turn in place, you can't move forward, backwards or sideways but you can turn around where you're standing.
- You can now turn off the Local Map from following your movement through the Options Menu.
-The amount of credits a character can have has been increased, you can now have up to 99,999,999,999. The trade window now also allows for that amount in trade.
- All furniture in-game is now solid, no more walking through your sofa, you can now sit, lounge or sleep on it.
- New furniture has been added for apartments including:
Gridsteam Radio Holo-Poster
Excess Radio Holo-Poster
Widescreen Holovid (the future version of a plasma tv)
Holo Guard Dog to protect your home
Holo Butler that serves you liqour
Holo Maid that serves you non-liqour beverages
Pet Leet bed
Miniature Eremite Statue
Framed Omni-Tek Employee of the Month certificate
Framed Council of Truth letter of appreciation
Nano-driven artificial tweety bird
Light dimmer to give you control of the amount of light in your apartment.
Neon Sign "In the Corporation we trust"
Neon Sign "We are clan, we are freedom"
Neon Sign "Neutral 4 Life"
- New benches has been added around Rubi-Ka (specially towns) for the weary rubi-kans who travel around the world.
- The tradeskill window has been removed from the GUI. Instead now special tradeskill stations in every town can be use for tradeskills. Engineers are more proficient with these stations and will receive a nano buff enhancing some of the respective tradeskills.
- Agent's Ruse of Taren will no longer change the scale of the avatar (character) but instead will now have a "ghost" visual effect which will make him appear semi-transparent. This specific effect can be turned off in the GUI options under Visuals| Misc | Stealth on/off. We didn't design agents to be little "mini me" wannabees, you don't see a 3 feet tall James Bond now do you?
- Methaphysics's Quantum Wings will now show a pair of "virtual wings" on the back of the avatar, white wings for clan side, black wings for omni side and grey wings for neutral side. The wings are semi transparent and glow, they are fixed and do not flap or move. This will also appear if done by an agent.
- Enforcers now have a limit of scale, it is set to 200%. We did not intend on creating avatars the size of buildings.
- All vehicles now have a set scale, neither nanos or items will affect their size. It's just common sense, which is a new concept for us still.
New Features
- A new profanity filter is now in place, you can customize it to add words you do not want to hear. In chat these words will be replaced with ****. Part of this feature also allows you to quickly add and list people you wish to ignore (you won't receive tells from them in-game unless you remove them from the list).
- Rubi-Ka Mission Markers have been upgraded. Now you will see a tall beam of light which only you or your team (if you're in team mission) will be able to see. Red for clan, Blue for omni and White for neutral. You'll be able to see it from afar (like the beam from landing alien ships) to help you find your mission entrance easier.
- Mission Terminal Sliders now have a small help menu explaining what each slider affects in specific in a mission. You now can also save mission slider settings.
- The Friends window has been consolidated and revamped. Now you can customize sub-categories and created your own listing yourself i.e. "friends", "guild", "raid friends", "norway friends", etc. The limit of friends listed has been raised to 5,000 and the list itself is now consolidated to one per account. This means that all your characters will share one list of friends, which you can edit and customize when you are playing any character in your account. The friends window also now has a sub-listing of who you have on ignore, with the options to remove or add people to your ignore list.
- Voice Chat Capability has been added for paying subcriptions only - Powered by GameSpy. You can now use your microphone and chat with members of your team for better organization during events and raids. This feature also supports up to a 6-team raid group meaning up to 32 players can communicate with eachother. Microphone is required. Voice chat will not work outside a team, meaning nobody outside your team (or raid teams) will hear you.
- Your keyboard mapping can now be 100% customized through the Options Menu.
- Team Window now has an assist button next to each player's name. Clicking on it automatically will target the mob that player is fighting.
- Planetmap now shows the locations of players in your team in the world. If they are in an instance or inside a mission their position will be fixed in that location (does not apply to members of a raid group).
- Chat window(s) can now be set to "lock" in place, so you can't accidentally move them with your cursor.
- A new Quest Timer Window has been added as well. Certain quests will have a time lock which means you cannot re-enter the quest instance for a given amount of time. This window will keep track of the time lock and display the name and location of the instance and how long you need to wait to try again (you can also use the old command /raid locks).
- First person view has been enhanced when inside a vehicle. If you are inside a mech, you will see yourself inside the cockpit of your mech with new cool with altitude and coordinates HUD display. A similar cockpit will also be seen when using a yalmaha (also in manta and other type of vehicles). This view is optional and it will automatically be disabled. If you want to use it, enable it in the GUI options.
- A New Window with Perks combinations listing has been added. The list displays each profession's perk and the correct combination with eachother for special attacks. Learn these combos to make your team a force to be reckoned with!
- Pandemoium is now a raid instance, up to 6 teams can enter the instance. More challenges have been added, with 6 full teams the chances of success (if the players are experienced) are about 50%. The zone has a raid lock of 2 days.
- Mobs now will no longer be just a small red dot on your Minimap, they will be categorized with 3 different colors based on their threat to you:
White if it's harmless (grey mobs)
Yellow if it can attack you (around your level)
Red if it's deadly (much higher than your level)
The dots also will be slightly bigger so you know exactly where each mob is located, however be aware that if mobs are in a pack or group, your minimap may appear to display less mobs than there actually are due to their proximity.
- A new window will pop up with a warning when you enter an area which is considered highly dangerous at your level. This warning window can be turned off in the options menu.
- You can now be notified when a battlestation battle has concluded, stating which faction won! you can select this through the chat configuration window.
- New Guild Window, you now can see which players from your organization are online. The window also allows players to enter a note about their character for their guild mates to read.
- You can now customize where your screenshots will be saved. The default directory will be the "Anarchy Online" directory in "My Documents".
- You are now able to select a directory from which AO will play MP3's in alphabetical order if you activate the new in-game music player from the options menu. The player is compact and easy to use. This free service may come with an offer to download free MP3's from a known music source website.
- Luxury Jobe Apartments now have a small vault with 9 slots for people to store their precious belongings.
Gameplay Enhancements
- A New Music System has been implemented! All players can now play the following instruments:
Nano-enhanced Electric Guitar
Nano-enhanced Electric Piano
Nano-enhanced Drums
The following instruments are available through Paid Points:
Deluxe Nano-enhanced Electric Guitar
Deluxe Nano-enhanced Electric Piano
Deluxe Nano-enhanced Drums
Deluxe Nano-enhanced Violin
The Deluxe versions can be customized with different colors, styles and shapes.
All instruments can play music notes and have a visual effect. A new menu will be available with the notes which can be dragged and dropped into a shortcut menu. You can also use a script to compose your own music to jam alone or with friends!
To play your instrument you need to equip it in one of the social equip window slots so you won't need to unequip your weapon(s). Be aware that while you have the instrument equipped you cannot use your weapon.
- Traders have a new nano (level 100 required) which will allowed them to "set up shop" anywhere within their own faction's cities. Upon execution of the nano a temporary kiosk (1 hr) will be created around the Trader with a neon sign which reads "Trader Shop NOW OPEN". This should help players find a tradeskiller easier when one is available.
- Doctors can now purchase a "Virtual Nurse" nano (level 220 required), upon execution a tall blond solitus in nurse outfit will follow the doctor anywhere and will increase first aid by 20 points within the doctor's team, she will also add +5 health delta. The Virtual Nurse does NOT work under combat conditions, she will be too scared to help.
New Quests
- **3 New Rubi-Ka Instance Quests for levels 100-150**
- Aid an Omni-Pol officer in tracking a suspected Dust Brigade spy in Omni-Trade.
- Aid a Council of Truth security guard track a suspected Dust Brigade spy in Tir.
- Aid a Newland City Council security milita track a suspected Dust Brigade spy in Newland.
- Complete new missions and quests inside the playfields
3 unique and different instances which are in-doors in a building in each respective location, access is provided by an NPC if you are level 100-150 only.
These quests will give you a bit more information about the Dust Brigade and their operations, succeed and you may get a medal of commendation that enhances your rate of experience by 3% that can be equipped in any HUD slot among other rewards.
New Rubi-Ka Playfields
- The area between Tir County and Perpetual Wastelands known as "Plains of Salt" has now passed ICC safety inspection and travel is allowed in the area to all rubikans. The Council of Truth has build an outpost to help clan citizens. New ICC approved city plots are available in this area. Due to previous hazardous radioactive materials that mutated some lifeforms, people are recommended to be armed while traveling the area.
- The Plains of Salt can be access through the Tir zone side.
- Fight new mobs and mini-bosses while exploring The Plains of Salt.
- Omni-Tek has opened the area south of Rome known as "The Rock". New ICC approved city plots are available in this area. The corporation has build a new outpost there to provide protection to it's employees. It is rumored that on a clear day on the south shores of "The Rock" you can see the floating city of Jobe in the distance.
- The Rock can be access through the Rome zone side.
- Fight new mobs and mini-bosses while exploring The Rock
2 New Raid Instances
- Players beware, you will need 4-6 teams to have a chance to succeed in these new raid instances. They are huge, challenging and will test your skills as a gamer.
- Omni Raid Quest: "Dark Sentinel". The Sentinels clan has stolen Omni-Tek advanced technology from the Orbital Battlestations and are in the process of building a Super-Mech that can change the tide of the war.
Your Mission: Neutralize all possible escape exits from their secret underground facility in Wailing Wastes, eliminate all military personnel, capture at least 10 scientists alive (we believe there are 15 of them) and reposses the stolen technology and any other military tech found.
- Clan Raid Quest: "Corporate Juggernaut". Omni-Tek Armed-Forces has been developing a new heavy-assault vehicle based on Omni-Pol's Juggernaut-Class vehicle. The new military transport is twice as big allowing 2 full teams of omnis to be transported within as well as new Kyr'Ozch-based heavy weaponry and shields. This would not be much of a problem, if it wasn't because it is rumored the hull of the new beast will have new stealth capabilities to hide it from any kind of surveillance or scanning.
Your Mission: Infiltrate their secret underground facility in Clondyke, eliminate all military personnel, capture at least 10 scientists alive (we suspect there may be more) and either capture or destroy the new Juggernaut!
- Both raid instances will have complete different layouts, and different defenses. The Omni-Tek base will have fewer personnel but stronger cannons and defense turrets creating a hard to breach defense. The Clan Base will have fewer mechanical defenses, but clanners will have a very large number of sentinels eager for blood.
Next: Dreams of Anarchy - New Dreams
Last updated on 12.07.2011 by Khuri
Article written by Windguaerd
Do you have questions about this article or found an error? No comments yet - Please login first to post a comment.
Article written by Windguaerd
Do you have questions about this article or found an error? No comments yet - Please login first to post a comment.
