Desert Sickness Bugs

[Karna5]

I spent several hours yesterday and today crossing the Valencia Desert on foot. I repeatedly noticed that:

a) I don't get an indicator telling me when I'm sick and which sickness it is, and

b) even if I (or my fairy) drink the appropriate tea (night) or water (day) I continue taking damage right after drinking the beverage. I'm often forced to drink three or four beverages before the sickness damage stops.

Here's a short couple of minute video I made of my character setting out from the Sand Grain Bazaar into the desert, getting sick, and not being cured by the beverage (or if cured, the cure only lasting seconds).

https://youtu.be/eDuwTUoz28s

[[CM] Cadry]

Thank you for reporting this. I will forward it to our team on Monday so they can start an investigation.

[Karna5]

Thank you very much, CM_Cadry. I am grateful for your always kind and helpful actions.

I have a few related suggestions if you don't mind. As I'd consumed a compass earlier today I figured I'd explore the regular desert areas some more.

Test 1: See if desert nagas area also gets desert sickness or if it's just deep desert

Answer: Yes, desert sickness at nagas

Observation: I was able to spend an hour or more killing nagas by using a character with good life leech. I noticed that even though it was a weekend morning, there were no other players there. That's usually the most popular desert hunting spot, but classes without good life leech are excluded.

Observation 2: I got no compass parts in an hour of nagas. I was getting about one part an hour in the jail area, but newer players who don't know the whole desert yet need the compass parts the most.

Suggestion: Now that Oasis vendors don't sell compasses, I suggest very heavily increasing the compass parts drops at all desert areas but especially the lower level ones so that newer players can spend the many, many hours needed to explore all the areas in the desert.

Test 2: I also went to the centaurs, and while there are usually at least one or two other people there on weekend mornings, there were none. As that area also gets desert sickness, I suspect the area is too lethal now.

Observation: I needed to step away from my pc for a couple of minutes (call of nature), so I got in a safe place, drank a water to heal my desert heat exhaustion and left for no more than 3 minutes. When I returned I was down 3000+ hit points from desert sickness, and my fairy had drunk a potion for me meaning I'd taken nearly 4000 damage. The fairy had also drunk a water for me. If I didn't have 4319 hit points I'd have died just hitting the restroom.

When I'm at the keyboard I can keep healing by hitting monsters and life leeching, but the desert is now unsafe to leave the keyboard even briefly.

Suggestion: Even if they fix the desert sickness to stay healed when you drink a water or a tea, perhaps they could add areas of shade or shelter that people could use to afk for a bit even if they're sick and don't have water or tea. Perhaps a tent for that?

The stable keepers sell tents, but it's unclear what they do as I've only ever seen something that resembles a storm twice in more than 7k hours of game play, and there's no announcement or indicator saying there's a storm. So I carry tents, but I don't understand when to use them. Perhaps the tents could simply be changed to let people go afk for a while in the desert without dying of sickness. Perhaps even the tents could cure sickness if they spend a couple of minutes in them.

Thank you again for your help and kindness, CM_Cadry.

[[CM] Cadry]

Originally posted by Karna5:

Thank you very much, CM_Cadry. I am grateful for your always kind and helpful actions.

I have a few related suggestions if you don't mind. As I'd consumed a compass earlier today I figured I'd explore the regular desert areas some more.

Test 1: See if desert nagas area also gets desert sickness or if it's just deep desert

Answer: Yes, desert sickness at nagas

Observation: I was able to spend an hour or more killing nagas by using a character with good life leech. I noticed that even though it was a weekend morning, there were no other players there. That's usually the most popular desert hunting spot, but classes without good life leech are excluded.

Observation 2: I got no compass parts in an hour of nagas. I was getting about one part an hour in the jail area, but newer players who don't know the whole desert yet need the compass parts the most.

Suggestion: Now that Oasis vendors don't sell compasses, I suggest very heavily increasing the compass parts drops at all desert areas but especially the lower level ones so that newer players can spend the many, many hours needed to explore all the areas in the desert.

Test 2: I also went to the centaurs, and while there are usually at least one or two other people there on weekend mornings, there were none. As that area also gets desert sickness, I suspect the area is too lethal now.

Observation: I needed to step away from my pc for a couple of minutes (call of nature), so I got in a safe place, drank a water to heal my desert heat exhaustion and left for no more than 3 minutes. When I returned I was down 3000+ hit points from desert sickness, and my fairy had drunk a potion for me meaning I'd taken nearly 4000 damage. The fairy had also drunk a water for me. If I didn't have 4319 hit points I'd have died just hitting the restroom.

When I'm at the keyboard I can keep healing by hitting monsters and life leeching, but the desert is now unsafe to leave the keyboard even briefly.

Suggestion: Even if they fix the desert sickness to stay healed when you drink a water or a tea, perhaps they could add areas of shade or shelter that people could use to afk for a bit even if they're sick and don't have water or tea. Perhaps a tent for that?

The stable keepers sell tents, but it's unclear what they do as I've only ever seen something that resembles a storm twice in more than 7k hours of game play, and there's no announcement or indicator saying there's a storm. So I carry tents, but I don't understand when to use them. Perhaps the tents could simply be changed to let people go afk for a while in the desert without dying of sickness. Perhaps even the tents could cure sickness if they spend a couple of minutes in them.

Thank you again for your help and kindness, CM_Cadry.

Hello again,

Our team got confirmation that the Dessert Sickness is not working correctly. We hope to have it fixed maybe during this week's maintenance.

About the desert tent, you can use it to avoid the damage of the desert storms, but as you said it's something that rarely happens (and to be honest the storm is not that fast to catch you).

Thank you for the rest of suggestion to improve the desert, we will forward them to the devs for consideration. If you have another issue or suggestion, do not hesitate to post it on the forums.

Have a wonderful day.

Kind regards.

[Karna5]

Hi, CM_Cadry (and any curious readers). The patch notes for today didn't say anything about the desert sickness, but I went ahead and tested again just in case. At first I thought it was fixed because the first heat exhaustion I got running from Sand Grains Bazaar to the Jail was cured by just one water. But a few minutes later when I got sick again that sickness took 4 waters to cure, and the next one likewise took several.

Fortunately I know the way even without a compass, so I made a fairly direct path to the jail in around 15 or 20 minutes running, and it took 10 waters to arrive.

I'd only taken 12, but I had a maid open my storage and call a few more for me so I'd have them for the return journey later.

On a side note, because I traveled without compass I slightly missed the entrance and went into a side entrance I didn't even know existed. I must say I adore this dungeon. It's so friggin' ominous and spooky and aggressive and fun. Whoever(s) designed this dungeon, they're marvelous :)

p.s. In that hour with loot scrolls active to level 2 I didn't get a black magic crystal, but I don't mind because the dungeon was so fun. I only mention it because the patch notes might make people think BMCs will start dropping like candy from a pinata, but they don't . They'll probably just increase from nearly non existant to very rare.

[[CM] Cadry]

Originally posted by Karna5:

Hi, CM_Cadry (and any curious readers). The patch notes for today didn't say anything about the desert sickness, but I went ahead and tested again just in case. At first I thought it was fixed because the first heat exhaustion I got running from Sand Grains Bazaar to the Jail was cured by just one water. But a few minutes later when I got sick again that sickness took 4 waters to cure, and the next one likewise took several.

Fortunately I know the way even without a compass, so I made a fairly direct path to the jail in around 15 or 20 minutes running, and it took 10 waters to arrive.

I'd only taken 12, but I had a maid open my storage and call a few more for me so I'd have them for the return journey later.

On a side note, because I traveled without compass I slightly missed the entrance and went into a side entrance I didn't even know existed. I must say I adore this dungeon. It's so friggin' ominous and spooky and aggressive and fun. Whoever(s) designed this dungeon, they're marvelous :)

p.s. In that hour with loot scrolls active to level 2 I didn't get a black magic crystal, but I don't mind because the dungeon was so fun. I only mention it because the patch notes might make people think BMCs will start dropping like candy from a pinata, but they don't . They'll probably just increase from nearly non existant to very rare.

Hello, Karna :)

Thank you for keeping us updated about this. The dessert sickness was not tweaked after today's maintenance, as you pointed out. We hope to have news about this soon.

About the BMC I agree with you, some people might have thought the increase of drop rate was really high, but it's not like that. As you wisely said, the drop rate was increased from something on the lines of extremely low, to very low.

Kind regards.

[Reverielle]

It's wonderful CM_Cadry you're responding. As someone who spends a lot of time in the desert, I've long though the desert sickness (whilst an absolutely warranted mechanic!) could do with a little tweaking. My simple suggestion would be this:

Our Fairies can learn Inexhaustible Well. At it's highest rank (V) our fairy will throw water, or tea, at us to cure our sickness every 5 minutes. However this skill is not that useful presently as we can be infected again with sickness mere seconds after we cure it. I think a simple 5-min duration sickness-protection buff that is only applied to our characters when we drink water or tea to cure desert sickness would address both these issues;

a) Stopping us having to continually use water/tea again mere moments after curing sickness, and
b) Make the Fairy's skill Inexhaustible Well a skill that is absolutely worth having for those that like to spend a lot of time in the desert.

Finally, just as an aside; the dynamic music that begins when we first get sick is really great! It would be nice if that loop is played in it's entirety through even if we immediately cure sickness.

[[CM] Cadry]

Originally posted by Reverielle:

It's wonderful CM_Cadry you're responding. As someone who spends a lot of time in the desert, I've long though the desert sickness (whilst an absolutely warranted mechanic!) could do with a little tweaking. My simple suggestion would be this:

Our Fairies can learn Inexhaustible Well. At it's highest rank (V) our fairy will throw water, or tea, at us to cure our sickness every 5 minutes. However this skill is not that useful presently as we can be infected again with sickness mere seconds after we cure it. I think a simple 5-min duration sickness-protection buff that is only applied to our characters when we drink water or tea to cure desert sickness would address both these issues;

a) Stopping us having to continually use water/tea again mere moments after curing sickness, and
b) Make the Fairy's skill Inexhaustible Well a skill that is absolutely worth having for those that like to spend a lot of time in the desert.

Finally, just as an aside; the dynamic music that begins when we first get sick is really great! It would be nice if that loop is played in it's entirety through even if we immediately cure sickness.

Thank you for these Suggestions, Reverielle. It's really interesting to see all the possible improvements and solutions you guys are providing. Some of them might be difficult to implement or tweak, but for sure we will take them into consideration for future updates related to the desert.

[Karna5]

Hello. I noticed the desert sickness was mentioned in today's patch notes, so I went into the desert running from Sand Grains Bazaar to Ibella Oasis to see if curing the sickness grants any kind of temporary immunity to getting sick right away. It still does not.

However, I did notice that I got heat stroke while actually talking to the Node Manager in Pilgrim's Haven. I guess that doesn't count as an Oasis.

I also had heat stroke when I ran into Ibella Oasis and tried swimming in the pond there to see if it would cure it. Swimming does not cure heat stroke.

Ibella Oasis itself, however, doesn't let you get sick hanging out in it. So as long as you cure whatever you have when you enter the Marzana tent you can go AFK if you need without dying.

That's about it. I don't plan on visiting the desert much until curing illness sticks longer because it's a major pain in the butt and time consuming to make those teas and whatnot, haha. Ciao :)

p.s. I forgot to mention there's also still no icon or message telling us when we get sick. I only know it by the health bar popping up when I take damage :)

[Tsel13]

I've noticed in the past that most players would carry 75 waters and 75 teas in the desert. The way the desert is now, do you think that would keep you safe enough?

[Karna5]

Originally posted by Tsel13:

I've noticed in the past that most players would carry 75 waters and 75 teas in the desert. The way the desert is now, do you think that would keep you safe enough?

I do, though that's a heck of a lot of weight *Laughs*

I think 75 of each would last as much as several real life hours.

If you have marketplace or storage maids/buttlers, you may find it easier to keep a good stash of water and tea in either the marketplace or storage, and when you need more have a maid open the inventory for you. That's what I do :)