Earlier this week, I read a complaint asking why moves in PWO that make multiple hits on a Pokémon continue to deliver hits if a Pokémon has already been knocked out after the first hit or two. The simple reason was that the server randomly decides how many hits to deliver when the move is selected; and will simply keep on making hits until it hits this number - no check is made for the Pokémon fainting until afterwards. This has been the way it is since multi-hit moves were introduced to PWO.
Then it hit me. Why DOESN'T the server check for if a Pokémon has fainted in the middle of the move? Why SHOULD people have to have their time wasted? And I realised I thought there was a lot we could do to improve the PWO Battle System. So I discussed my plans with two other members of Staff; and then, when the Server was available and under cover of darkness, I decided to dive in and work on the code to bring some new tweaks to PWO. And I am pleased to bring all of the following changes to our Players!
Firstly, if the server detects a move will take multiple hits to complete, then from now on, it will check the current remaining HP of the defending Pokémon each time before making a hit. If it detects it has fallen below 1HP, no further hits will be made and the move ends there and then. This means no wasted time waiting for the game to resolve pointless extra hits, leading to faster and more convenient battles for everyone.
Secondly, I tweaked some slightly faulty Status Effects so that moves that perform ailments should work more reliably from now on. This doesn't necessarily mean Status Effects will work more often or better, but it means they at least shouldn't get seemingly ignored all the time any more. Good news for Trainers, but probably BAD news for the Pokémon <img src="http://www.pokemon-world-online.net/forum/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/MeowthEvil.png" class="bbc_emoticon" alt=":evil:" />
Finally, the act of catching Pokémon has significantly changed; and you'll probably find it a lot more suspenseful now as a result - and more true to official Pokémon games as well. If the words "3-count" don't give you the idea... well, maybe you'll just have to go in-game and find out <img src="http://www.pokemon-world-online.net/forum/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/MisdreavusWink.png" class="bbc_emoticon" alt="
" /> Many of the messages involved with using Poké Balls have also been changed as part of this update. Sadly the glitch with Poké Balls not disappearing from bags still exists - it's a client-side issue, not a server-side one - but remember, you can be banned for abusing glitches; so if you ever find yourself using more Poké Balls than you have, report it immediately and stop throwing any more! A future update may fix the problem.
All these changes go live as of the next server restart - which, seeing as the Server crashed while I was writing this Announcement (yes, I noticed), will be in just a few minutes - stay patient and you'll be in-game very soon! Now it's time for me to return to the Shadows. Until next time, Trainers. <img src="http://www.pokemon-world-online.net/forum/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/HaunterTease.png" class="bbc_emoticon" alt=":tease:" />
Then it hit me. Why DOESN'T the server check for if a Pokémon has fainted in the middle of the move? Why SHOULD people have to have their time wasted? And I realised I thought there was a lot we could do to improve the PWO Battle System. So I discussed my plans with two other members of Staff; and then, when the Server was available and under cover of darkness, I decided to dive in and work on the code to bring some new tweaks to PWO. And I am pleased to bring all of the following changes to our Players!
Firstly, if the server detects a move will take multiple hits to complete, then from now on, it will check the current remaining HP of the defending Pokémon each time before making a hit. If it detects it has fallen below 1HP, no further hits will be made and the move ends there and then. This means no wasted time waiting for the game to resolve pointless extra hits, leading to faster and more convenient battles for everyone.
Secondly, I tweaked some slightly faulty Status Effects so that moves that perform ailments should work more reliably from now on. This doesn't necessarily mean Status Effects will work more often or better, but it means they at least shouldn't get seemingly ignored all the time any more. Good news for Trainers, but probably BAD news for the Pokémon <img src="http://www.pokemon-world-online.net/forum/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/MeowthEvil.png" class="bbc_emoticon" alt=":evil:" />
Finally, the act of catching Pokémon has significantly changed; and you'll probably find it a lot more suspenseful now as a result - and more true to official Pokémon games as well. If the words "3-count" don't give you the idea... well, maybe you'll just have to go in-game and find out <img src="http://www.pokemon-world-online.net/forum/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/MisdreavusWink.png" class="bbc_emoticon" alt="
" /> Many of the messages involved with using Poké Balls have also been changed as part of this update. Sadly the glitch with Poké Balls not disappearing from bags still exists - it's a client-side issue, not a server-side one - but remember, you can be banned for abusing glitches; so if you ever find yourself using more Poké Balls than you have, report it immediately and stop throwing any more! A future update may fix the problem.All these changes go live as of the next server restart - which, seeing as the Server crashed while I was writing this Announcement (yes, I noticed), will be in just a few minutes - stay patient and you'll be in-game very soon! Now it's time for me to return to the Shadows. Until next time, Trainers. <img src="http://www.pokemon-world-online.net/forum/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/HaunterTease.png" class="bbc_emoticon" alt=":tease:" />
