Game Mechanics: PVP plugging/ /q'ing with new rules

[a_gnoll_pup]

Originally Posted by Alecta [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

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I didn't say I was turning off plugging. And actually, no changes were made to plugging mechanics in the previous patch either.

The way plugging works today is the way it's always worked, the only difference is that if you timed your plug well (or poorly), you went from being an 'invulnerable rape machine' for 30 seconds to being one for 3 minutes.

The zoning process is basically this:

1. Client changes to loading screen.
2. Client says "ZoneEntry"; Server load the player profile, factions, etc. from database and sends it
3. Client changes to show status bar loading.
4. Client says "ReqNewZone"
5. Client says "ReqClientSpawn"; Server sends zone contents (mobs, doors, etc).
6. Client says "SendExpZonein" aka Zone me in, Scotty; This is where you show up in game.
7. Client says "ClientReady" and releases mouse; This is where you are made not invulnerable

If you happen to kill your client between the last two stages, you show up invulnerable, your connection will time out, and then you will go LD while partially loaded. That's when you are invulnerable and LD.

I will talk to Rogean about moving the point where you show up into ClientReady, but we have to see what other impacts that will have, aka it might break things.

tl;dr - I am not removing plugging. I am changing it so that if you plug late in the process, you are not rewarded with an invincible LD toon that can kill people for 3 minutes. If my changes negatively impact you, plug better (aka earlier).

If you do this make sure to freeze the client in place, prevent all position updates and packets that involve another player or NPC. Plus make it only enabled on Red. Pretty much ignore everything from the client when the client is in the connecting phase.

I think your base does that, though I could be wrong. That would be my only concern. Basically don't want a scenario where you are LD invul and actually still playing by blocking the OP_ClientUpdate from sending itself. Though if you do that other things can trigger as a result [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]