Tomorrow afternoon (Tuesday Feb. 5 at 5PM EST) Massively will be holding a livestream dev chat with GM SC. They'll be discussing the Broken Lands announcement and taking questions.

Please post any questions you have in a reply to this thread. If you've already posted questions in the Broken Lands announcement thread, you probably don't need to repeat it here. I'll be gathering the best questions from both threads to be answered for the dev chat. 

As always, don't ask "when" because it won't get an answer. ;) 

You can view the guide at Massively, here:

http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/04/the-stream-team-on-the-road-again-edition-february-4-10-201/" rel="nofollow - http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/04/the-stream-team-on-the-road-again-edition-february-4-10-201/

The livestream will take place here:

http://massively.joystiq.com/livestream" rel="nofollow - http://massively.joystiq.com/livestream

See ya then!

GM Luna

The Broken Lands seems to be an rather large and expansive effort to make a new player area where everyone starts at ground zero. Almost like a new instance of the game. This is great for recruiting new players, but what about existing players? 

Is the game where you want it to be? How much money do you need to get pathfinding and boats in production tomorrow?  

Are you hiring? 

Was the deployment version of trade 2.0 / crafting what you initially envisioned? It seems trade 2.1 should of came out a few weeks after 2.0 to provide uses for the rest of the unusable materials, what happened?  

Will the new factions have cities that are siegable? 

How do I craft a lightsaber? 

Do the devs have any thoughts about the mass war that is being waged?  

Why are all the factions asleep?

What will be the future interaction be between Broken Lands and Elgea?

    Navy, armies, will it be limited to certain 'ports' or just water in general?

Can we call it something other than 'Broken Lands'?  

you forgot DropBear's -  they are more dangerous than lemmings ...

oh look.....there goes Kinesis....off with her unicrons.....YIPPEE....

but us true aussies, we want the drop bears.

now to my question, which is simply.....WHEN do we get to go there?

Whats is your general view of Illy society in terms of Bart Stewart Personality and Play Styles?

Many of these have been answered in the FAQ. I'll paraphrase here: 

The_Dude wrote: Please explain the basic mechanics of existing Elgean players establishing a city in TBL/Virten.  - Teleporting existing Elgean city?

The_Dude wrote: - A tech leading to a special settler unit that travels to TBL?

The_Dude wrote: - A tech leading to a new city spawn in TBL?

The_Dude wrote: In order to establish a TBL city, must an Elgean player first have 10 cities in Elgea?

The_Dude wrote: After establishing a TBL city, are future TBL cities created by settlers as on Elgea?

Will the rules for exodus be the same in BL (level 20 warehouse) and rules for seiging (level 20 barracks)?

Is is mandatory that everyone initially settle their first city in the neutral area, and if so what are the rules for being allowed move a city (again, level 20 warehouse)?

Will there be any changes to buildings, such as combining the blacksmith, forge and armorer to the same plot and earning each through levels to save plots in city?

If we cant have armies in BL actively misbehaving in the neutral zone, what about thieves or sabs?

Also, it basically states that city movement is probably the same there as in Elgea.

I would also assume that your towns over there start with a Tenaril spell of their own, so after 7 days you could move your capital anywhere you wanted.  Any vets around to let us know what it was like with no vets around to overload us with resources?

Really slow, as you had to bring all those res fields up to a certain level before being able to build anything... We were happy for those little res we got sent from King Sigurd after finishing the Tutorial (some 200 basics each, plus 10 horses, if I remember correctly...)

What sort of updates are in the works to streamline a lot of the micro-management issues, especially if we will have the opportunity to oversee 20 cities?  Along the same lines are there any plans to update the micromanagement that was introduced in Tv2.0 gathering/crafting?  

Is there active review of the combat/diplomatic results?  If not, is there any plans to review them to ensure that the results are within expected parameters?  If so, are the results within expected parameters?

can't get it to load

transcript would be better. 

http://www.twitch.tv/massivelytv/b/364392390" rel="nofollow - http://www.twitch.tv/massivelytv/b/364392390

Luna

I may have pending questions lol 

Sorry for the slow reply, but here are some additional (short) answers for your questions.

gameplayer wrote: can the strategic alliance prestige pool be used for both areas?

Yes.

Darkwords wrote: There are alot of major changes presented in the release notes for the Broken Lands expansion, will these be released in stages in Elgea before the Broken Lands is released?  Or are they going to come into effect all at once, when the Broken Lands goes live?

It should be something that happens all at once. 

Aurordan wrote: Can you elaborate yet on the mechanics for players on Elgea to start settlements in the Broken Lands?

There will be something along the lines of a new tech you'll research that'll put your first settlement on the opposite continent. 

Darkwords wrote: Will the current war continue and spill over into the broken lands?  I know you cant answer that, but I would still be interested to know the answer.

Which players decide to have a war with eachother, when and where is not determined by us, so you are right in that we cannot answer that question for you.

Albatross wrote: Is The Broken Lands a chance for you to develop new gameplay and mechanics that you wouldn't have been able to do with Elgea (perhaps because changes in Elgea would be too drastic, and would impinge on the emotional investment that players have built up) ...?

Yes, exactly. For example, having a PVP-protected zone is a new feature for us, so it makes sense to try it out in a new area. 

abstractdream wrote: How about that new and improved chat?

How about it, eh? ;) I'd say it is still a goal, though lower priority at this time.

geofrey wrote: How do I craft a lightsaber?

You go play swtor. ;)

Auraya wrote: Will there be muskrats, unicorns, dodos or koalas in the Broken Lands? (Please say yes!)

Maybe?

DeathDealer89 wrote: Will the remaining 70% of rare res actually do anything? Do the devs have any thoughts about the mass war that is being waged?   Why are all the factions asleep? What will be the future interaction be between Broken Lands and Elgea?     Navy, armies, will it be limited to certain 'ports' or just water in general? Can we call it something other than 'Broken Lands'?

Eventually.

We are aware of it of course, but have no professional opinion either way.

Because they are tired? And will wake up when the Broken Lands launch.

Can't say exactly yet, but there will probably be some sort of interaction at some point.

You are welcome to call it whatever you like. :)

Yeesha D'ni wrote: 1. Will  battle magic and terraforming be parts of the new update (or once)? How about market visibility? 2. Will the new update bring more unpredictable player independent existence to Elgea and the Broken lands (dynamic weather, deseases, riots), more discoveries, townbuffs, blueprints or unique items that can be found? 3. Will we be able to interact with Elgea through trade or in another way, to make the gaming experience a more consistant one (not two different games, but one)? 4. Will we get more military or diplomatic options? 5. How easy will it be to influence factions. Are there decisions, that can't be revoked? Or will all players have 80% faction standing soon (after 3 months trading with some hubs)? 6. Will the faction give special items, buffs or blueprints (with a small chance)  to players with a good standing? 7. Are features planned to make micromanagment easier and more player friendly (less  time consuming)? 8. Do the factions interact with each other or fight each other? 9. Will we get more caravans once? And get a trade chat? 10. Do we ever get hot spots, which can be used for player driven quests or tournaments?

1. Features in the expansion at this time are the ones announced.

2. See question 1.

3. Eventually

4. See question 1. 

9. More caravans, probably not. Additional chat channels, probably yes, eventually.

Nimzo wrote: Designer Dragon once said that a game without Bartle killer type players is a stagnant society. Do you think that is true for Illy? Is that of any concern to you and will Broken Lands change it?

PVP is fairly fundamental and I can't see how it would ever not be a part of Illy.

Bonaparta wrote: Will Broken Lands and Elgea get connected in any way in the future, like some kind of trade ships?

Something along those lines, at some point, yes.

Sliveen wrote: Will BL begin implementing magic, and will Bl have creatures there that are not in Elgea, which have been hinted in other forum threads? Creatures like Monstrous and un-dead, for example.  Will the rules for exodus be the same in BL (level 20 warehouse) and rules for seiging (level 20 barracks)? Is is mandatory that everyone initially settle their first city in the neutral area, and if so what are the rules for being allowed move a city (again, level 20 warehouse)? Will there be any changes to buildings, such as combining the blacksmith, forge and armorer to the same plot and earning each through levels to save plots in city? If we cant have armies in BL actively misbehaving in the neutral zone, what about thieves or sabs?

New creatures? Maybe. 

Same exodus rules apply.

Yes, everyone's first city on BL will spawn in a "newbie ring" type area that is not in the PVP-protected zone. Moving mechanics in the game are the same with the exception that you can't move a city from one continent to another.

Changing or combining buildings is not planned at this time.

In the PVP protected zone you can't attack cities with any armies, diplos or magic.

jeantall wrote: We in Wot were wondering a few things and ill put them into a list. #1. Will we have the same alliance in broken lands? Or will it be a separate alliance at that? #2. If its the same Alliance will the maximum limit of people in the alliance be raised or will each side have their own limit? #3. Will we get another transport spell to use like we did before? #4. Will the fractions be given more power then just their hubs? #5. How much of the currently useless crafting goods will be finally be useful? #6. If the Alliance is the same will broken lands chat and elga have the same room or not?

1. Same

2. No plans to raise membership limits at this time.

3. Your first city in the BL will have a tenaril spell, yes.

4. What factions will be doing and what effect they'll have was expanded on a bit in the video.

5. At some point, yes.

6. No additional public chat channels are planned at this time.

Anjire wrote: Why a new continent to roll out "active/semi-active" factions rather than utilize the current factions on Elgea? What sort of updates are in the works to streamline a lot of the micro-management issues, especially if we will have the opportunity to oversee 20 cities?  Along the same lines are there any plans to update the micromanagement that was introduced in Tv2.0 gathering/crafting?   Is there active review of the combat/diplomatic results?  If not, is there any plans to review them to ensure that the results are within expected parameters?  If so, are the results within expected parameters?

A new continent isn't required to roll out the factions features, it is just combined as a part of the land expansion update.

I'm open to hearing specific, constructive and realistic suggestions for helping to deal with micromanagement of cities (that do not involve things like automation, because building bots into the game is probably counter-productive). 

If you have concerns about diplo/combat results not working properly we need to see specific evidence, in petitions, so we can review them.