Endless Online 0.4.52 : Dev Post
Return of the Casters
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Dev Post:
After releasing HoP in patch 4.51 the next logical focus becomes completing Vulture Island. One of the last missing areas in the effort to rebuild the world.
Completing all remastered maps from scratch would be a big milestone after the last three years of development. During this time (also) many quality of life improvements fixes and upgraded systems were delivered across the project.
Patch 4.52 will serve as a modest introduction to both Vulture Island and the two new classes. This update focuses on laying the basic foundations for both the new area as well as the 2 classes, while additional content, refinements, and functionality will follow in future patches.
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Detail: Class / Skill Reworks
IN PROGRESS
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What is being removed:
The hotkey menu created for the 3x builds is now deprecated and will be removed in version 5.52. Removing something that took a lot of time and effort is never an easy decision. Now development is focusing on supporting multi-class gameplay, the menu became an obstacle to properly support it. Keeping it would have meant adding more complexity to an already complicated system.
The new class dialog will now take over the role previously handled by the 'bottom panel slots', which will become the actual hotkeys. This creates a more natural flow, keeps important actions in a consistent place, and simplifies the overall interface. keep read to learn more..
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What has been made:
The class menu has been expanded with two tabs: General Skills and Class Skills. Both tabs display learned and unlearned abilities, making it easy to see what is available now and what can still be unlocked. Unlocking skills by learning through a trainers or item is kept as-is.
The former hotkey button now opens the class menu, which has been moved below the paperdoll for quicker access. Since the dedicated hotkey menu has been removed, the original class menu button no longer has a function.
Learned skills can be dragged directly from the class menu onto the bottom action bar. Skills can also be placed multiple times if different hotkeys or layouts are preferred. Each class will store its own hotkey layout, which will be loaded on changing class.
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The biggest improvement is behind the scenes. The bottom action bar has been rewritten to store hotkey layouts separately for every class. When switching classes, the correct previous hotkey setup for that class is loaded automatically, restoring the previous layout without any additional configuration. This makes changing classes much faster, keeps each class organized, and removes the need to rebuild hotbars every time a different class is selected.
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Engine: Item Class Requirements
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The issue:
Supporting multiclass characters introduced a few design challenges. One of the key simplicities (and probably one of the greatest strengths) of classic EO was the freedom to collect and wear most things you liked. But at the same time, it would feel strange to see a Priest fighting effectively with a bow or an Archer casting powerful spells with a staff..
The original client simply prevented equipment from being equiped when the required class did not match. That approach no longer fits a system where class switching is encouraged and every character stores the progression, hotbars, and settings for multiple classes. It would also mean that both the server and client would need to automatically remove mismatched equipment during a class switch to enforce this idea, which would become frustrating. A player could switch from Priest to Paladin and suddenly have half the equipment moved into the inventory. Besides creating unnecessary inventory management, etc.
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What has been made:
Instead, both the client and server have been redesigned to allow every (mismatched) item to be equiped and remain equipped. However if the item does not match the active class: all of its stats are simply disabled until the correct class is active again. To support this, equipment now supports two class filters:
- Single Class: the items is tied to a specific class.
- Class Group: Shared between related classes such as Fighter, Ranger, or Caster
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Disabled stats on class mismatch:
Any item that does not match the active class provides no stat bonuses. This means every item can still be worn for cosmetic reasons or while preparing another class build, but combat performance naturally encourages appropriate equipment without forcing inventory changes. The server remains the authoritative source and automatically resynchronizes equipment states whenever needed, ensuring both client and server always stay in sync.
Visual feedback:
To make equipment mismatches immediately obvious, several forms of visual feedback have been added. Paperdoll slots containing mismatched equipment are highlighted in red, making it easy to spot incorrect items at a glance.
Item tooltips also display disabled stat bonuses in red and clearly show the required class. Together, these indicators explain exactly why an item is currently inactive and help players quickly correct their equipment after switching classes.
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Paperdoll improvements:
The paperdoll has been updated to make the active class more obvious. A new class icon is now more prominent, by replacing unused space on the left side of the character name, with this new icon.
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UI/Engine: Targeting System
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What is being made:
A new targeting system has been added to the client that was not available in the original client. For classes such as Priest and Mage, accurate real time targeting is important. That's why the client now provides visual feedback for whatever the mouse is currently targeting the armed skill on the screen.
Cursor targeting:
The mouse-to-grid now snaps out of grid locked cursor, whenever a valid hitbox is detected, making target selection feel much more responsive and precise. Targeting also respects the spell type: Healing spells snap to valid player targets, while offensive spells snap to npcs, or to both npcs and players on maps where player PK is allowed. Addionally the color of the target-cursor(s) will change to grey in case the armed skill is in cooldown.
Area targeting:
Area spells now display every affected tile before casting, along with highlights for all NPCs that would be hit. This provides a clear preview of the spell's area of effect before committing to a cast.
Future Proof:
The targeting system has also been designed with future classes in mind. The same foundation can be extended to support line based and arc based targeting feedback for classes such as Warrior, Paladin, Archer, and others as new abilities are introduced.
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About: Priest Class Introduction
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What has been made:
After the world rebuild and the creation of the new Magic Academy Hub north of Aeven, the priest class is now being added back in a way that fits more naturally into the game world.
The Academy serves as the place where players can learn Priest skills as they progress through the class. The Priest will have access to the best heals in the game, including regeneration and group healing. As well as holy shield and attack boosts.
The class launches with a base set of around 15 skills, providing a solid foundation that can be expanded, tweaked, and balanced over time based on your feedback.
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About: Mage Class Introduction
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What has been made:
Like the Priest, the Mage class has existed in classic EO but was never properly setup and balanced. The new Academy Hub added north of Aeven, is also the home where the players can learn new Mage skills throughout their journey.
The Mage class basics are focused on elemental ranged attack spells. Abilities such as summoning boulders and calling fire from the sky, previously found on the DevTest npc, are now exclusively moved to the Mage class.
In future patched the Mage should also receive a few limited support spells to be able to assist the priest on the support side.
The number of Mage skills should continue to expand alongside ongoing balance and gameplay improvements based on your feedback.
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Detail: Vulture Island
IN PROGRESS
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What is being made:
Vulture Island is being readded as a reworked zone in the upcoming patch 5.42. Once known as a small hidden area with a pyramid in the classic version of the game, it will now become a more detailed location perfect for deeper secrets, narrative, quests, and exploration.
Rework:
The island will be expanded with a coastal landing camp, cliffs, and updated locations inspired by its original concept. New locations should connect Vulture Island to the (new) main storyline, where players will discover layered objectives and hidden passages that encourage exploration and reward curiosity. The redesign of Vulture Island aims to make it a more meaningful bridge between early game mysteries and late game progression.
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Concept & foundation:
Originally, Vulture Island was a relatively compact zone consisting mainly of a small entry hub and a large (mysterious) pyramid. While the layout was minimal, it already hinted at a much larger concept an isolated place with untapped mysterious potential that were never fully explored in the early EO versions.
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Map Rework:
With the rework, this potential is now being fully realized. The island has been expanded into a more structured and layered region, starting with a detailed coastal landing hub that properly establishes player arrival and world integration.
From this hub, players could explore to future interconnected sub-areas, including the classic Pyramids as well as additional new points of interest that together create a richer area.
Mysteries:
The heart of Vulture Island remains the pyramid, now significantly upgraded and reimagined with integrated scifi-like elements that tie directly into the main storyline.
Rather than acting as a standalone mystery, it serves as a narrative anchor that connects early-game exploration with late-game revelations. Future patches should lift Vulture Island to a key location in the player's journey.
Vulture Island is a work in progress.
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What's been made
Some water visuals have improved using the new stamp gfx layer capabilities, introduced in patch 4.49. This patch enhances the water surface, with richer caustics, depth variation and some more detailed visual layering on the water. The result is a more rich environment, with water that feels a little more dynamic, natural, and visually consistent during gameplay while preserving the game's distinctive retro Endless Online aesthetic as much as possible.
Slide the below picture to get some idea about what has been made:
- Improved: Richer water (depth) tiles
- New: Caustics animated layer
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Detail: PUB Sync optimizations
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What is improved::
Pub file resyncs (file downloads) have been further improved through optimized packet handling and more efficient cached server-file compression. While the client and protocol were already designed to be extremely compact, lightweight, and fast, these improvements push their efficiency even further. Even a complete resync involving all pub files can now be completed in a matter of seconds.
These changes further reinforce the lightweight nature of both the client and protocol, reducing bandwidth usage even below the already ultralow footprint of EO, while simultaneously improving performance and responsiveness for both players and servers.
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Update patch 4.52 is a work in progress.
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