This humble site houses an archive of news and announcements from Simutronics Corporation's text-based massive multiplayer online roleplaying game GemStone IV. The most recent announcements are on the entry page and a more comprehensive archive can be accessed through the links on the right sidebar. You may also narrow the focus through the various labels on the lower righthand side of this page. Click on the title of each post for the original post in the official GSIV message boards. Keep in mind, however, that if the post had been pushed out of the official boards, the link will take you to the GemStone IV announcements folder.
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ALCHEMY INGREDIENTS AND FLASKS

Author: GS4-NAOS
Date: 9/29/2007 10:19:30 PM


Dateline 9/29/2007:

Alchemy ingredients that are purchased in flasks (such as water, blessed water, oil, and blessed oil) will now leave behind empty flasks which can be used to store the resulting potions.

Along with this change, the empty flasks have been removed from the Alchemy shops in pure profession guild halls, and some ingredients previously sold in flasks are now described as being sold in vials.

END NEWS ITEM

This message was originally posted in Magic Spells and Systems, Alchemy Discussions. To discuss the above follow the link below.

http://www.play.net/forums/messages.asp?forum=102&category=18&topic=16&message=4696

Ta'Vaalor Sorcerers Guild

Author: GS4-BERNT
Date: 9/21/2007 1:08:18 PM


The Sorcerers Guild for Ta'Vaalor is now open.

If you can find it. And figure out how to get in.

(smiles evilly)

Cheers,
GM Bernt

This message was originally posted in Towns, Ta'Vaalor. To discuss the above follow the link below.

http://www.play.net/forums/messages.asp?forum=102&category=19&topic=15&message=7755

Ebon Gate 2007: The Return of Velathae

Author: GS4-LOTHWYN
Date: 9/17/2007 4:17:25 PM


The time is drawing near for the village of Velathae to manifest. Are you ready to walk among the dead? The ghostly residents of the village will once again host the annual Eve of the Reunion celebration.

Platinum: October 19th - October 26th

Prime: October 26th - November 2nd

Find out more information at https://www.play.net/gs4/news.asp?id=93, as well as how to purchase tickets to this event!

This message was originally posted in Quests, Sagas, and Events, Ebon Gate Festival. To discuss the above follow the link below.

http://www.play.net/forums/messages.asp?forum=102&category=12&topic=5&message=11328

Of Rolling Rocks and Grim Gazes.

Author: GS4-MESTYS
Date: 9/15/2007 9:32:48 PM


A couple of creature maneuvers have been updated tonight, after a review of their previous effectiveness.

First, the boulder roll maneuver employed by both regular krynches and greater krynches has been modified in the following manner:

- Non-visible targets of the roll will receive a significant bonus to avoiding the maneuver.
- Critical failures will result in partial immobility, instead of the previous full immobility, and will last only as long as the roundtime induced by the failure.
- Critical failure will result in only a significant stance reduction, instead of the previous full stance reduction.
- A new tier of successful maneuver avoidance has been added, which will result in no roundtime, and will not reveal non-visible targets.
- The maneuver will no longer always be performed upon the creature's generation.
- The maneuver will now also be performed on occasion when the krynch moves from room to room.

Second, the freezing gaze attack of the various cockatrice creatures has been modified to more modern mechanics. Side effects may include dizzy spells, depression, and unconsiousness.

-M.

This message was originally posted in Game Design Discussions, Critters and Creatures. To discuss the above follow the link below.

http://www.play.net/forums/messages.asp?forum=102&category=6&topic=6&message=4978

~~TARABELLE'S TO CLOSE~~

Author: GS4-XYNWEN
Date: 9/15/2007 8:53:57 PM


~~TARABELLE'S TO CLOSE~~

Ta'Illistim city officials, responding to rumors in shopping circles, confirmed today that Tarabelle's Boutique in their city would be closing on the first of Jastatos. They cited new ownership and remodeling as the reason for the close. The new owners, the city spokesperson informed us, plan on reopening with an all new inventory in the month of Eoantos. Asked if the Nalfein designer, Yfane, was one of the owners, the spokesperson went quite pale, nodded once, and left abruptly, muttering indecipherably.

END NEWS ITEM

OOC: If there's stuff you like in Tarabelle's, get it out before it's gone for good!

--Xynwen--

This message was originally posted in General Roleplaying, Elanthian Fashion. To discuss the above follow the link below.

http://www.play.net/forums/messages.asp?forum=102&category=9&topic=17&message=3107

New Flags: SilentLogon and SilentLogoff

Author: GS4-ALYIAS
Date: 9/15/2007 10:18:07 AM


All,

Two new flags have been introduced into the FLAGS verb. The SilentLogon flag will toggle whether or not the default system message (So and so joins the adventure!) will be broadcast to the game when your character logs on, and the SilentLogoff flag will toggle whether or not the default system message (So and so just returns home from a hard day of adventuring) will be broadcast when the character logs off. These flags are character specific, so you'll have to set them individually.

-Alyias

This message was originally posted in General Roleplaying, Roleplaying Verb Discussion. To discuss the above follow the link below.

http://www.play.net/forums/messages.asp?forum=102&category=9&topic=10&message=3272

Dateline 9/13/2007: ALCHEMY RECIPE CHANGES

Author: GS4-NAOS
Date: 9/13/2007 9:14:52 PM


A large number of Alchemy recipes are scheduled to be updated tonit around 12:00 Midnight EST, and once this update is completed, any previous recipes will no longer be recognized as valid by the system.

The recent updates to Alchemy training tasks have necessitated these changes. Particularly, the added requirements of using recipes related to a skill and that that recipe be considered 'tough' to count for repetitions.

We hope these updated recipes will help to ease the progression through the middling ranks of the General Alchemy skill, and the lower to middle ranks of the Alchemic Potions and Trinkets skills.

As mentioned above, previous recipes will have CEASED TO WORK as a result of these changes, and any recipes currently written in recipe books will NOT reflect these changes.

Alchemists are strongly advised to take their recipe books to any skilled master in their guild halls and ASK them to UPDATE the recipes in their books. (ASK {name} TO UPDATE) The skilled master will indicate which pages, if any, have been updated.

Please note that the skilled master will most likely indicate that he or she does not recognize recipes for most if not all DISTILL and EXTRACT recipes. This is expected. Please do NOT assist, report or post about these recipes. Newly written DISTILL and EXTRACT recipes should be properly recorded in recipe books from now on.

Please direct any questions and comments you might have to the Alchemy Discussion topic in the Magic Spells and Systems category on the official forums.

This message was originally posted in Magic Spells and Systems, Alchemy Discussions. To discuss the above follow the link below.

http://www.play.net/forums/messages.asp?forum=102&category=18&topic=16&message=4043

Last Chance for Platinum Trials

Author: GS4-KHALADON
Date: 9/13/2007 2:13:35 AM


The three month ones anyway. On Monday, September 17th, we'll revert back to our normal one month trials, so this is your final opportunity, until next summer.

In the coming weeks, we have a special Platinum only storyline and auction planned, and if you hurry, a chance to transfer Premium Points over to Platinum for your immediate use.

For those who signed up earlier, please note that in the coming days and weeks, you need to cancel your trial subscriptions or extra characters, else when your next billing cycle comes around, you will be charged for them. Please do any housekeeping as soon as you can.

GemStone Platinum offers a more in-depth environment due to its amazing community, and once you wander in, it's hard to ever wander out. They will hook you in, and keep you coming back. To sign up for a free 90-day trial, head over to http://www.play.net/gs4/news.asp?id=65.

Your last chance for this trial is soon! Do it today!

~The Upsells Team

All your cookies are belong to us.

Flask and Vial Updates

Author: GS4-OSCURO
Date: 9/11/2007 9:30:00 PM


The flasks and vials used to collect sea water for alchemy (and troll blood for Animate Dead) have been updated.

- Flasks can now be submerged in the sea to be fully filled with no need to fill the vial for one dose at a time.

- Flasks can now be MEASUREd to get an estimate of how many doses of sea water/troll blood remain.

- Vials can now be TURNed to empty them out just like flasks.

- Note that vials are still necessary for ALCHEMY EXTRACTION as well as for collection of troll blood.

- Mist Harbor now has a sea water collection site.

= - GM Oscuro - =

Empath/Cleric Team

This message was originally posted in Magic Spells and Systems, Alchemy Discussions. To discuss the above follow the link below.

http://www.play.net/forums/messages.asp?forum=102&category=18&topic=16&message=3847

Hunter Trolls

Author: GS4-OSCURO
Date: 9/11/2007 8:32:32 PM


Hunter trolls are now skinnable. It might be a little gross sticking your hand in their mouths, though. I suggest wearing gloves. But that's just me.

= - GM Oscuro - =

Empath/Cleric Team

This message was originally posted in Hunting and Combat, Ta'Illistim Hunting Areas. To discuss the above follow the link below.

http://www.play.net/forums/messages.asp?forum=102&category=4&topic=55&message=1150

Warrior Guild Opens in Zul Logoth

Author: GS4-AIZA
Date: 9/11/2007 5:51:44 PM


After much constructering by heavily imbibed dwarves, the Zul Logoth Warrior Guild has been completed. There was much rejoicing by the dwarves of Zul Logoth, they cheered with pints of ale in their meaty dwarven hands. One dwarf's comment, "As soon as I * hiccup * can walk straight, I's gonna go batter sumthing in the guild. Ayep." In this reporter's opinion, while ale is not a prerequisite to finding the guild, it can't hurt. For those sober individuals who wish to find the guild, seek the entrance east of one of the dead-ends in the Sapphire Tunnel.

Brought to you buy the Zul Logoth Public Affairs Board, bringing the latest news under the DragonSpine since five minutes ago.

This message was originally posted in Warriors, Announcements. To discuss the above follow the link below.

http://www.play.net/forums/messages.asp?forum=102&category=30&topic=1&message=15

GemStone IV Staff Openings

Author: GS4-LOTHWYN
Date: 9/10/2007 6:23:16 PM


Have you ever wanted to control a vast army of trolls to siege against a city? Or do you wish you could be a leader of a crime syndicate, plotting against the constabulary? How about a boisterous, and suspiciously wealthy merchant peddling your odd-and-end wares at a festival?

YES?!

Well you may be the person we are looking for!

The GemStone IV Events team is currently looking to add talented and creative individuals who have interest in creating and implementing storylines, quests, and other events -- such as NPCing, festivals, invasions, and more! As we look towards 2008, we plan on producing events of all shapes and sizes, and you could be a part of it!

If you are interested in becoming a GameMaster for GemStone IV on the Events team, please visit http://www.play.net/gs4/apply/gmreqs.asp to familiarize yourself with the requirements of a Customer Experience GameMaster and fill out an application today!

This message was originally posted in Discussions with Simutronics, Announcements. To discuss the above follow the link below.

http://www.play.net/forums/messages.asp?forum=102&category=8&topic=1&message=40

Alchemy Training Task Changes

Author: GS4-NAOS
Date: 9/5/2007 10:45:52 PM


The stress/cauldron tasks have been changed to follow the standard item creation process and require solutions to be created. Repetitions will be awarded upon a successful sealing of a solution that uses the correct subskill (simmer, boil, etc.) indicated by the task assignment. CHANT stress/cauldrong tasks will also require the chanting of a spell of equal or greater in level than your ranks in the skill being trained divided by four.

The various tasks that require creating items will now require that a recipe from the skill being trained be used to gain repetitions.

All skilled master, practice (create an item using simmer, etc.) and stress/cauldron tasks will now require that 'tough' recipes be used to gain repetitions.

The equipment cleaning and lens polishing tasks have been altered to function similarly to the window cleaning tasks in the Warrior and Rogue guilds. These tasks, now 'crucible cleaning' and 'lens assembly polishing' respectively, require players to clean and polish the equipment already present in the guild workshops. Each piece of equipment will only be able to be cleaned by a particular player once before the player must wait for it to become 'dirty' again.

A fifteen minute wait period has been added to the ingredient gathering task for those who turn in 'incomplete' lists. An 'incomplete' turning is one that leaves a player with repetitions remaining for the task.

These changes have been implemented to bring the rate of progress through the ranks of Alchemy in line with those of other guilds.

--
Naos

This message was originally posted in Magic Spells and Systems, Alchemy Discussions. To discuss the above follow the link below.

http://www.play.net/forums/messages.asp?forum=102&category=18&topic=16&message=2629

Ta'Vaalor Empath Guild

Author: GS4-XYNWEN
Date: 9/2/2007 11:28:30 PM


Look for it off Gaeld Var, a brick path set in a herringbone pattern. ;) Open in both Prime and Plat.

--Xynwen--

This message was originally posted in Towns, Ta'Vaalor. To discuss the above follow the link below.

http://www.play.net/forums/messages.asp?forum=102&category=19&topic=15&message=7685

"Elemental" Crossbows

Author: GS4-KHALADON
Date: 9/2/2007 4:45:27 PM


Or more specifically, crossbows that create their own ammo, mostly from the Wavedancer, but Elbrion's blade-crossbows as well.

To bring them in line with Mestys's recent changes as posted elsewhere, these now require they be COCKed before firing them, and the blade-crossbow's had their pseudo cock standardized to normal mechanics.

On a positive note, GM Mestys reports he squashed the bug with additional RT in FIRE for these types of weapons.

While we regret changing something, it was needed to be consistent in our application of mechanics, and given their abilities, still impressive weapons of war.

Slay many!

~Khaladon, SGM

All your cookies are belong to us.

This message was originally posted in Hunting and Combat, Archery. To discuss the above follow the link below.

http://www.play.net/forums/messages.asp?forum=102&category=4&topic=6&message=4446