Patch Notes

[Ueda]

Village Environmental Agency
Furniture placed in shared areas (villages for now) will now be sent back to the original owner (through mail) of the furniture, when the Kage or any authority "picks it up". This will make it non-risky on the contributor's part to help decorate public areas, as they remain the sole owner of the furniture items.

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Halloween 2021 Event Phase 2 Begins!

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Trick-Or-Treat Bucket

All mobs (except bosses) will drop Candy from now until 31st October.

Find the Trick-Or-Treat Bucket in each village, fill it up with Candy and watch it explode with tricks (prizes) or treats (better prizes!). Make sure you have at least one empty slot in your inventory each time.

Cosmetic Prizes:
 Devil Wings

 Skull Mask

 Hockey Mask

 JiangShi Hat

 Pumpkin Mask

Furniture Prizes:
 Bloodstains

 Cobweb I

 Cobweb II

 Gravestone

 Pile-O-Bones

 Torture Rack

 Bloody Torture Rack

 Church Organ

 Caged Skeleton

Other Prizes:
Event Coupons, Blank Scrolls, Chakra Pills, Barrier Tags

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New Event Prize Shop Item

Added New Halloween Event Shop Item -  Wizard Hat 

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New Cash Shop Cosmetic

Added New Cash Shop Cosmetic Item -  Devil Horns 

 

Note: This cash item is not a time exclusive item, but will only go on sale during Halloween periods each year! I'm hoping to build a catalogue of seasonal items every year going forward.

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New Cash Shop Items designed by players for the Halloween Pixel Art Contest!

A total of 53 new cash shop furniture items designed by

@Adarya @Angelik Date @AlexTFM @Eroyuu @Fuze @Galodar @GROGDRINKER @Indra & Adilson (From Nin Online BR)

Thank you all for the submissions, and good luck! The top sellers will win prizes including a Brand New Nintendo Switch and Razer Accessories.

 

Best Haunted House Event

This is a showcase of a bunch of things for sale and free for players to earn in-game now! This is poorly put together, and I'm sure you can do much better, so I hope you send us your best Halloween Haunted House for the event! Stand a chance to win a brand new Nintendo Switch Lite, Razer Keyboard or Ninja Credits!

Best Dressed Contest, Halloween Edition

We'll be resuming our best dressed contest, but going straight into our Halloween Edition. Give your Halloween-themed character styles and win a Razer Kraken X Ultralight Gaming Headphone. Be creative! You don't have to limit yourself to items from this event, but they could help!

 

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Fixed visual bug where you could seemingly add more stat points than you had with Shift + Add. This was purely a visual bug, but could confuse players.

Fixed being able to knockback NPCs through walls.

Fixed login issue for players who have too many cash shop items.

Fixed "None.       Does not exist" error messages.

 

 

 

[Ueda]

Moved Halloween Event Trick-Or-Treat Buckets back to village squares

Halloween Event Trick-Or-Treat Buckets now fill up as many candy as required to fill the bucket automatically at once.

Combined Event Information NPC with the Trick-Or-Treat bucket.

Fixed an NPC dialogue bug where certain dialogue choices that are supposed to end with going back to the choice selection after, wasn't working.
Eg. Scribe -> Information -> Back to choices
was just
Eg. Scribe - Information -> Exit

Fixed Rent Paid message
Spelling error and it now displays time as 60 days 2 hours instead of 60.12 days.

Added debug information for us to more accurately evaluate server performance over time

Added some double checks on death and imprison events
Not sure why, but sometimes it's unreliable and sends players to the wrong hospital or jail. Added some fail safes which hopefully will band-aid the issue for now.

[Ueda]

Fixed server crash if we typed something wrong in the server console

Improved timer system
Will affect Battle Injuries timer
Will fix server delay over time

Edit to explain what happened with the server having a delay:
In yesterday's patch notes we announced that we had "Added debug information for us to more accurately evaluate server performance over time".
Basically, our previous method of evaluating server performance was bound to our timer system. By adding this new more accurate method yesterday, we were able to ascertain that the issue was the timer system.

Because the timer system was both the cause and the method in which we evaluate how to server was performing, our metrics to evaluate the server's performance was also being calculated slower, giving us the same result as if the server's performance was optimal.

Hence, it's easy in hindsight to see that the only place that could've been causing this issue was the timer system because there was no metric being affected, but performance was degrading. Because the timer was going slower over time, things were being "delayed".

This malfunctioning timer system was part of the major updates around a month ago to resolve projectile/cast consistency. While it did do that, it was not reliable over time.

Today we pushed a fix that replaces that method of calculating time (timer) to a new method, and are evaluating it's performance based on this more accurate method. So we should have a better picture of server performance even if the timer system is faulty in the future.

[Ueda]

Fixed bug where invisible walls that cause rubber banding appear on random maps.

Logging important server information into cloud, allowing for server info to be accessed by charts and APIs.

[Ueda]

Testing new UI System
We've implemented a new immediate mode UI system that Wolf created that we will slowly move all our UI over to. For the time being, it is being used for Corps and Houses.

This UI system is highly optimized, once we've completely moved all our UI over to it, it should increase performance (FPS) marginally.

There's still some quirks to work out, like typing in the name input box will open other windows and scroll wheel for scrolling isn't working yet.

• In-game Corps UI (Previously running on WinForm)

• Updated House UI (Previously running on WolfUI)

 

Added TV functionality for players
TVs will only work in Instanced maps (aka. Houses) for the time being.
To display any YouTube video on a TV, copy a youtube URL in your clipboard with CTRL+C, then interact with your TV. It will sync the video with other guests ( but not the time stamp at the moment)

Quote

Once again, I'd like to emphasize that Wolf spent his off hours, his own weekend, to add this because he thought it'd be a cool experiment for himself and something fun for players. It wasn't work done in place of feature X, content Y or bug fix Z that you really want or Nin needs.

But by all means, if you feel strongly that we shouldn't bother working over time or have fun while working, keep throwing shade and insults this way.

Added new graphics for Pushball
New blue look and logo for Pushballs to differentiate it from Dodgeball.

Collecting server performance analytics to MongoDB

Moved Blessing Data to MongoDB

Players can now report other players while fainted/incapacitated and waiting for revives.

(Admin Only) GMs can now mute players with spaces in their names with text command.

(Hopefully) Fixed bug where players could not be traded sometimes
The error message "This player is busy!" would appear, even though they weren't.

Names now appear in error messages that say "Player is not online!"
Will instead display "John is not online!".

Removed shadows when sitting down
They didn't make sense.

Removed shadows when lying down
This made it look like they were floating above the bed/floor.

Improved wing animations for both Angel Wings and Devil Wings based on player feedback
They now bob along with the character on all directions.

Fixed the following graphical bugs
Restored quality of Black Shoes paperdolls, they loss a lot of shading in optimizations a year or two ago
Fixed rogue pixels with Black Shoes for female characters while sitting down
Fixed Weasel Kit head turning into wolf head in one sprite pose
Fixed Anniversary Robe color issues for female characters while sitting down and stunned
Fixed Hide Hair functionality on a system level for things like masks that wrap your entire head.

Fixed message "Player's level is too high" spacing, grammar and punctuation issue

[Ueda]

Improved pixel art for Swordsman Hairstyle & removed rogue pixels.

Fixed corp panel promoting/demoting/removing yourself instead of selected player.

[Ueda]

Baked Player Rendering
Player characters and all their paperdolls (Skin, Eyes, Hair, Weapon, Accessory, Shirt, Vest, Pants, Shoes, Buffs) are now baked to a single render texture, should increase performance on maps with large numbers of players drastically. This also allows us to apply shaders to the player character like the outline shader.

Look behind feature
You can now see your own player, and your vicinity behind walls.
You can now see your target and it's vicinity behind walls.

Outline targeted players
Player targets are now outlined, like mobs have been.

When zooming, smooth maps texture
Previously when zooming, the map would stay "nearest neighbor" style rendering, which didn't work well with non-integer scaling. This wasn't obvious, but now we smooth it with the same bi-linear filtering we had on the player for non-integer zooms. The transition should be slightly more seamless now when zooming.

Corp chat (/c)
Type /c <msg> to speak to everyone in your corporation

Targeting tracking is now available on any zoom level, not just when zoomed in
You can still disable it in settings if you don't like it, meant to help track action.

Fixed Corp UI flickering bug

[Ueda]

New Day/Night Overlays & Lighting System

A good example of how our new UI system is helping speed up development. This feature and all the editors were completed by @TheWolf in the last two days.

Also, the new Day/Night Overlays are done with shaders and is more optimized than the old day/night system. It's possible that some users may experience good performance gains from the new system.

Fixed Item Sell Price being displayed wrongly, improved message
Spider eggs would sell for 2 Ryo but when you double-clicked it, it would say
"This item will sell for 1 ryo"
Now it'll say
"Spider eggs sells for 2 ryo"

Fixed GPU Utilization being high in Main Menu
Forced VSync on main menu to make sure the client isn't trying to render infinite frames on main menu.

Fixed furniture rendering [BUG] image over them sometimes

[Ueda]

Time/Day/Night related changes

Game time now takes place over the span of 24 in-game hours. Previously the game's clock would go from 0-12 and then restart. This was a little weird. The game's world now has 24 hours, but moves 4 times as fast as real hours. Meaning 6 hours per day cycle. This should help players who play short periods of time a day at fixed time being subject to only ever seeing one time of day.

Added clock at the bottom right of the HUD.

We intend to next, sync the time system with the server's time and set raids and world events to happen at fixed in-game world time. For example, raids might happen every (game) day at 12pm. In the future with automated tournaments and such, we could make it happen every 4pm game time, as another example. This should make things a lot clearer.

Fixed day/night sometimes turning black for a moment when GMs adjust time.

[Ueda]

New Dynamic Shadow System

An advanced 2D shadow system that works together with our Advanced Lighting System to create cool subtractive rendered shadows.

Added options for Advanced Lighting System & Dynamic Shadows

While it may be tempting to stick to what you are used to, and while it may have some performance impact. We have optimized our advanced lighting system (not so much the dynamic shadows yet) to the point where most computers should be able to run it with very little performance impact. Generally, if your client is already running at hundreds of FPS, eg. 500fps, and you have a 144hz monitor, you get the same experience playing at 144fps or 500fps. So even if it feels good to reduce effects to get arbitrary numbers above your monitor's refresh rate, I highly advise against it. Enjoy the improved visual fidelity!

Optimized Lighting System with Sparse Quadtree Grid

Should see up to 20% more FPS on lighting heavy maps. We generate something known as a Sparse Quadtree Grid to optimize what needs to be rendered by the game.

Basically, this very simple automatically generated grid contains the information the engine needs to tell what lighting effects it needs to render and what it doesn't. Super advanced coding magic by @TheWolf

Increased Max Lighting Size for Spotlights in our Advanced Lighting System

Fixed Samurai Hairstyle visual glitches

Fixed Sound Issue that started in latest versions (regression)

Fixed Transformation Technique (regression)

Improved Day/Night Clock
Would show PM at 12AM, this is fixed.

Improved Day/Night Overlays
Longer days, shorter dawn and dusks.

Improved light intensity at dawn

Glowing/Pulsing/Flickering Lights now pulse at different timings

[Ueda]

Fixed adding friends

Give error message when trying to equip item when you are not in the right corporation

Locked Pushballs to only be usable on Pushball map

Fixed manually resizing game window / screen size causing weird graphical glitch (holes between tiles)

Improved lighting color at dawn

Added lighting minimum opacity for lights that can be visible in day time

Server now restarts monthly instead of weekly
We've been reviewing server performance over time with new metrics, we've fixed all issues as far as we can tell causing any decline in performance over time. Weekly automated restarts are no longer necessary.

Our next goal is to review the performance over a month (however, we manually restart the server way too often because we push updates almost daily)

Fixed dynamic shadows being off when login even when set on

[Ueda]

Glowing God Rays Effect
Note: This is not actual speed, this is x10 the actual speed of the effect.

 

Subtle effect, previously static god rays from the sky now fade in and out and move a little each time to simulate clouds moving in the sky.

Improved Clarity of Night Effect
As much as we like the idea of vision being obscured at night, we hear you. We reduced the darkness and fogginess of night.

(Hopefully) Fixed a common crash that has been happening over the past few days linked to Corp Chat.

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Side note

Also, the pace of updates the past few 2 days have been slower due to Wolf being ill. So it's just been me fixing stuff I can. Hopefully he'll be back soon! (Probably tomorrow)

[Ueda]

It's still just me today. Wolf's having more health & family health issues and will be back soon.

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Lighting System now works indoors too
We can add lights to stuff like the candles in Abandoned Lair, lamps etc. Maybe for furniture in the future as well.

Camera focus in dialogue
Camera moves to focus on Events/NPCs you are in conversation with.

Rebalancing of Critical Damage
Reduced Critical Damage from 1.5x to 1.25x This applies to both NPCs and Players.
No changes to critical chance.

I don't think this needs too much explaining, but it never felt good to randomly get so much damage in caused by randomness. It's important that when you take a large chunk of damage from both NPCs and players, it feels deserved. While we still want some element of randomness, 1.5x is too much and in some cases with bosses would mean the difference between getting 1-shot to death.

Fixed Ghost Hits on weapons caused by AGI Stat
Self-explanatory, hits that weren't registering would happen for weapon users with higher than normal Agility stat.

Fixed Visual Events/NPCs bug where they moved when you entered the map
Visually, NPCs would appear to move 1 tile, most commonly downwards, the first second you entered the map.

Fixed Events/NPCs bug where each dialogue you clicked would technically exit you from the event.
This was mostly a system level error, but could have caused other issues.

Slowed down pulsing God Ray effect
It was a little too fast.

[Ueda]

Wolf came back after all, so we worked on some stuff together!
We got more done, but those require server restart, so we'll do it tomorrow.

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Title Selection

A long and much requested feature, the ability to choose between different titles you've earned or been assigned.
They also display a description when selecting them! (I'm still thinking of them)

Added Mouse Scroll Wheel functionality to New GUI system windows like Corp Panel and Housing Panel.

Typing in New GUI System input boxes should ignore other input now.

Fixed visual error with minimum light intensity for Rect lights.

Improved visuals for Blood Tonfa, shines brighter red now.

[Ueda]

Added special map mode where maps can be set to always Day or Always Night.
Useful in special cases. For example, for Chunin Exam arenas, we don't want them to be night time in the arena map as it'll be too dark for spectating and in videos.

Players transformed into objects are no longer targeted by target key or clicking
Can use transformation into objects to really hide. Right-click menu still works, otherwise players can transform into objects to avoid getting reported.

Players and NPCs target boxes expanded to include their heads
(Before & After)

Will still prioritize the player standing on the hovered tile so that people can't be blocked.

Display Player Title over name

Show off your titles or turn them off when you want with the new title manager (as of next server update)

Different titles come in different colors!

Also increased name size on hover and target.

Transformation Technique cast time increased from 2s -> 5s
Transformation Technique cooldown increased from 30s -> 60s

Transformation Technique Experimental Change
Transformation technique now works as a substitution when the player is hit. It teleports the user behind the attacker but also reveals his true identity.

(Admin Only) Fixed event references being wrong when an event is deleted. This is the reason why so often there are NPCs with the wrong names in the dialogue boxes.

Hotfix for bug where when you tried to trade a player, sometimes it would say you can't because they had a pending team invite.

Fixed Critical Damage still being 1.5x towards mobs and in some cases.

Fixed events/npcs giving Titles but removing previous ones. We'll add a way for players to collect the ones they deserve in-game soon.

(Hopefully) Fixed the bug where some players were getting negative buff durations that lasted forever. Eg. Infinite Battle Injuries

(Hopefully) Fixed missing furniture bug

Fixed error cause lights in day time to be too bright in last few versions

Fixed title menu error when no titles available

[Ueda]

Collecting Titles
When you get a title now, it'll save in your title manager panel (accessible through Ninja/Character window).
Added a way to get back "Hero of the Toad" and "Beast Slayer" titles, just revisit those NPCs.

Also, added "None." option that allows you to turn off your title to display.

(Admin only) New map list panel for GMs & admins
Neatly lists active instances and normal maps separately & built in new UI system. No more winforms.

Fix for point light minimum intensity being too bright in day time (This should be the last problem with the lighting engine)

Adjusted clone names to match players (Hopefully we can add clones back in soon)

Removed hardcoding of Cloak of Invisibility breaking on next hit. Now shares a universal "NextHit" property in our editors. We can add NextHit to any kind of buff now.

[Ueda]

Wolf is off today, but I'm working the weekend because I'm going to be away for 2 weeks for military reserve training starting Monday... so I want to leave some goodies before I go.

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Chat Bubble & Emoticon Improvements

Chat Bubbles, Emoticons and Names never overlap anymore. Eg. If the name is being rendered, it will push the chat bubble and emoticon up.

Chat Bubbles are colored if you are a Gold Ninja or higher rank! GMs and Admins get bigger text so we can stand out during events.

Map Item Improvements

Fancy new animation when items are dropped!

Hold CTRL to reveal item names, also helps to locate items behind walls/trees etc. 

 

Fixed something to do with lighting indoors... again.

[Ueda]

The duration each message shows in Chat Bubbles depends on it's length
Short chat messages like "Oh" have short Chat Bubble times compared to long chat messages now.

Transformation Technique now lasts infinite duration, but breaks when you are attacked or attack.

Transformation Technique no longer works as a substitution technique.

Transformation Technique cast time reduced to 4 seconds.

Transformation Technique cooldown reduced to 40 seconds.

[Ueda]

Key bind for revealing item names
You can set a different key (default is still CTRL) to use as the key to hold down to reveal item names on the map.
You can set it from the Options menu in-game.

Chakra Charging now glows with our new lighting system

Adds some ease in spotting enemies at night at strategic timing, and also visually cool.

Further improved drop animation

Moves out towards it's final location from the center, and has a shadow now. This also helps separate items visually from the ground so they don't look like part of the background. The shadow also helps make it clear where the item's final tile position is.

NPCs/Mobs fade in when they spawn
It looked weird when creatures popped in out of nowhere. Although it's still weird, it's a lot less jarring.

NPC Bodies fade out when they disappear
Same as creatures popping into existence, disappearing instantly was a little odd.

Better positioning of chat bubble text when text size is increased (for admins at the moment)

Fixed issue where if you position your cursor right you can have the hover image render over two players

 

[Ueda]

Rebalanced some daily mission requirements
Waging War I: 4 Kills -> 3 Kills
Waging War II: 6 Kills -> 4 Kills
Waging War II: 8 Kills -> 6 Kills
Waging War IV: 10 Kills -> 8 Kills
Cold Blooded Killer I: 4 Kills -> 2 Kills
Cold Blooded Killer II: 6 Kills -> 3 Kills
Cold Blooded Killer III: 8 Kills -> 4 Kills
Cold Blooded Killer IV: 10 Kills -> 6 Kills
Cold Blooded Killer V: 12 Kills -> 8 Kills
Cold Blooded Killer VI: 14 Kills -> 10 Kills
Blood Puppet Retirement: 40 Blood Puppet Kills -> 25 Blood Puppet Kills
Old Blood Puppet Retirement: 20 Old Blood Puppet Kills -> 15 Old Blood Puppet Kills

Removed Shirokata from Samurai Loot Table

Added two new cosmetic items

 

 

Made vending machines in Sand Village interacted with with the action/attack key
This is instead of walking on the tile in front of it to activate it. This would get annoying when you were just walking by and the shop activates.