New Focus group update released for MO

Focus on the improved GUI, really does look much nicer and the inclusion of new fish types and usage for fishing is much needed great update.

Dear community,

The progress of Awakening is going well, however there has been some areas that need more time from us to make sure it's working as intended. We are adding the final content areas of the GUI.

We are going to tweak more on the AI system before we are ready to release Awakening. While working on those systems, we will also take our current progress and mechanics, and apply it to new ideas to increase the content that will be released.
We aim to add the long awaited fish list as well, since it now goes into so many areas such as cooking and alchemy. The polishing time we have left will determine the amount that we are able to get into this large expansion.

However, it is hard to estimate a proper release date. We will not say any date at this time. With testing we will be able to determine more as we continue towards making this the expansion our community deserves and demands.

We want to share in some of the GUI we are testing at the moment, it's not only a replaced GUI system but it also as you can see on the screens below, adds a lot of flexibility and options for the players to customize their windows. The community's feedback over the past months for different options and support are also being looked at, and sometimes implemented into the development of Awakening.

Please note the GUI is not entirely finalized in these screenshots, but it is getting very close now.
The weapon icons now support the material so you can see the material type at a glance. (last img) The head piece lacks this in the current build that those screenshots are taken from. "

http://www.mortalonline.com/forums/threads/focus-group-update-12.76046/

P.S. Deathshroud, people can't see screenshots you link unless they login onto official MO website first.

Henrik is making announcements that everything is going awesome? You don't say.

While working on those systems, we will also take our current progress and mechanics, and apply it to new ideas to increase the content that will be released.

lolwhat?! I don't speak hype-gibberish. Can anyone translate? I suppose he means that they're taking the awesome stuff and putting it on top of the other awesome stuff to make it even more awesome?!

How do you 'increase content'?

That's one thing I don't get, this guy has been the laughingstock of the MMO community for at least the past two years by releasing worse crap than anyone could imagine, but he's too proud to get a ghost writer for public announcements? Then again, if you really have just about nothing to say, not even a good ghost writer can save you. :S

I suppose he wants a pat on the back now for announcing what looks like an early draft of an ugly but perhaps usable user interface after 3 years (not like it will work anyway).

It will be interesting to see what and when they release.

Originally posted by FastSloth

Henrik is making announcements that everything is going awesome? You don't say.

While working on those systems, we will also take our current progress and mechanics, and apply it to new ideas to increase the content that will be released.

lolwhat?! I don't speak hype-gibberish. Can anyone translate? I suppose he means that they're taking the awesome stuff and putting it on top of the other awesome stuff to make it even more awesome?!

 

How do you 'increase content'?

 

That's one thing I don't get, this guy has been the laughingstock of the MMO community for at least the past two years by releasing worse crap than anyone could imagine, but he's too proud to get a ghost writer for public announcements? Then again, if you really have just about nothing to say, not even a good ghost writer can save you. :S

 

I suppose he wants a pat on the back now for announcing what looks like an early draft of an ugly but perhaps usable user interface after 3 years (not like it will work anyway).

i bleieve what he means is... other features that can easily be implemented with the new features currenly added like the illegal item system was add due to the npc guard system. I could be completely wrong but thats what im guessing.

Originally posted by deathshroud

New Focus group update released for MO

Focus on the improved GUI, really does look much nicer and the inclusion of new fish types and usage for fishing is much needed great update.

We are going to tweak more on the AI system before we are ready to release Awakening. While working on those systems, we will also take our current progress and mechanics, and apply it to new ideas to increase the content that will be released.
 

So what I'm reading here is:  "The AI system is still totally broken, and has major issues that make it impossible to release what we were promising."  

And the new GUI seems to be just reskinned version of the old one.  Granted, in game preferences are a nice addition THAT WE HAD BACK IN BETA BUT GOT TAKEN AWAY.  Why is there only one tab in the chat interface?  Did they really design it so you have to open a configuration window to change chat windows?  And the macro window... WTF?  They designed a macro system where I have to use the lame hotbar instead of binding to key?  Why would I not just keep using autohotkey?  They made the excuse for keeping the old static inventory system because they did not have artists to make new icons, and yet they made new icons anyway but kept the crappy old inventory system...  they didn't even show how bags/backpacks work (are they in??).  In the player interface the guy is fully armored but nothing equipped in his slots (a placeholder, obviously).

What I'm seeing so far is bad design decisions on top of unfinished functionality.  My awakening expectations are now at an all time low.

Predictable people are predictable.

Are we any closer to knowing when this masterpiece will be released?

Waiting with baited breath here...Really.

Originally posted by ltank

Predictable people are predictable.

This. 

Why does that guy in the screenshot have the Batman logo on his chest anyway? Is he Batman?

They better fix the text color in spellbook, really hard to read dark yellow on yellow background..

They've stated the spellbook art and I think some of the UI art is not finalized. I guess that is sort of the barebones look of it in Flash as opposed to whatever it was before.

So, no UO-style inventory after all?

I am disappoint. A system like that would have made thievery a lot more interesting.

Otherwise the new UI looks pretty ok, a helluva lot better than the old one at least. Too bad they won't release any time soon. I'm starting to think Awakening is the new DF 2.0...

Originally posted by ltank

They've stated the spellbook art and I think some of the UI art is not finalized. I guess that is sort of the barebones look of it in Flash as opposed to whatever it was before.

I really really hope that screenshot will not have anything to do with the final UI and the looks of it. I m not impressed at all. Its better in comparison with the crap they had before but still looks old, cheap and outdaded. Its funny and mark my words: Henrik will consider the release of DF 2.0 as a race with Awakening so he will rush things out again and my concern is that new patch will be similar to the previous failed ones.

Originally posted by BiskopToo bad they won't release any time soon. I'm starting to think Awakening is the new DF 2.0...