Direction
This week, Direction met to discuss the logistics of a new survival map and plugin deployment on the server.

• LumosJared worked on financial updates, direction paperwork, lore direction oversight, and tickets.
• MonMarty worked on various Lore projects and server maintenance.
• BillyTheScruffy worked on the PR monitoring and individual direction, overseeing the first podcast recording + participating, planning the last parts of the Borough and Trading Card projects. ETA 2 weeks on both. He also worked on Progression writing/Military Progression Prep, and Noble DM questions and tickets.
• Birdsfoot_Violet worked on lore upkeep and updates, mostly regarding Vampires with the recent server event, and answering tickets.
• CS_Birb worked on the 1.17 project and met to discuss plugin deployment logistics.
• Derpadillo worked on mob development and multiple testing sessions for the REDACTED event, installation of quests for the REDACTED dungeon, training for Quest and Game members on mob development and mulitple plug-ins, and Game dept oversight.
• QGMK hosted Survival Staff meetings and performed individual direction for Game members.

Game

1. CreativeGates (portals) update: First, our Tech Department has combat-flagged portal use. This means that when you are in combat, you cannot use player-made portals. Second, we have made major simplifications to our rules regarding traps involving portals, which can be found here: https://www.massivecraft.com/rules#rules-related-to-plugins-and-mechanics
   With these changes, we hope to cater towards raiders by removing the ability of players to use portals mid combat and cater to Trap-Makers by eliminating nearly all restrictions on portal-traps. Going forward, if a minimum 2 block portal is freely visible in enemy land, it is your responsibility to decide whether to enter or not.
2. We are currently in the process of deleting barren plots, plots owned by players who have not logged on in months, and expanding the creative world border. Although low chance, it is possible a mistake may be made. If you notice any issues with your creative plot, please make a ticket.
3. The third of three PvP tournaments was held on August 28th! Congratulations to MDJAYYY, Ieso, and Avenqing for their victory in the 3v3 tournament!
4. You may have noticed various new holograms at important introductory locations around the server which are designed to provide crucial information to new players.
5. The Custom Crafting Recipes page (https://www.massivecraft.com/recipes) has begun to be updated. Previously, each potion and sub-type (extended, II, splash extended, etc) were imaged. We have simplified the page to include one image for each potion. Some recipes listed on the page are no longer working or incorrect. We have now identified which recipes are imaged improperly and which recipes are coded improperly on the plugin configuration side.
6. Gauntlet Dungeons Nether Level Pack is undergoing a final testing phase by Game Staff before being added to the live server.
7. Keep in mind we offer holograms for your faction for a fee! https://forums.massivecraft.com/threads/faction-holograms.81588/

• QGMK aided players, handled reports and appeals, updated and identified issues with the custom recipes in game and webpage, performed final checks on 1/5 of the Gauntlet Dungeons levels, added useful new player holograms to various important locations, and updated the Portal Trap rules.
• BlueChaos aided players, hosted the PVP tournament, and added faction holograms.
• Talantius aided players and hosted the PVP tournament.
• skhosh aided players, answered help chats, investigated players, tested Gauntlet levels, learned plugins, and aided in the Ezekiel event preparations.
• Sevak hosted the PVP tournament.

PR
The PR department have been busy this week! We mostly made progress on our personal projects this week. We had a voting about voting incentive and held the speedrun on Saturday.

• Kirishark submitted the PR round-up, reminded players to vote, answered tickets and attended the voting incentive meeting.
• Femma shot content for all platforms, upkept social medias, reminded players to vote, attended the voting incentive meeting and held the speedrun.
• Seoulmate shot content for all platforms, upkept social medias and held the voting incentive meeting.
• Wan_Xia brainstormed future projects.
• Battlebrawn worked on the bimonthly factions thread.
• Wynstiel upkept social medias.
• Northern_Ireland published the staff spotlight and started working on the player spotlight.

Quest
This week Quest worked on Gauntlet and Ezekiel event testing and development. Gauntlet quests are complete.

• Derpadillo – Gauntlet quest testing on updated quests and Ezekiel testing and development.
• Iyyiushi – Gauntlet quest writing and workshop planning.

Lore
Lore Updates:

https://wiki.massivecraft.com/Alais_Bloodline
https://wiki.massivecraft.com/Milôt_Bloodline
https://wiki.massivecraft.com/Wyrden_Bloodline
https://wiki.massivecraft.com/Von_Kërle_Bloodline
https://wiki.massivecraft.com/Dorkarth_Bloodline

Personality Updates:
If you are planning on sending in a ticket about some sort of “divine” interaction, or action that has wildly experimental or unexpected results (like tossing an artifact into the death pit, summoning an arken, trying to contact a Unionist God, praying to the sun, all these kinds of interactions) the response will always be:

You can only ever ticket and explain the process after you’re done. We cannot tell you beforehand what will happen. You need to make an educated decision based on what your character knows and feels like, and accept the consequences come what may.

Due to good feedback and ongoing things in roleplay, we are extending the ongoing events. They were originally planned to end in 4 days, but we’re going to continue them for the next 2 weeks at least. We have lore staff employed in most groups to self generate, and wider events will be done every so many days.

As promised, the new Undead page is finished.
https://wiki.massivecraft.com/Undead

This is a lore update but also a systems one: as of this page’s public release, Basic Undead no longer require a Special Permission Application to roleplay. This does not change for Enhanced Undead Permissions.

World System Updates:

https://forums.massivecraft.com/threads/de-azcoissia-chancellery-emergency-decree-01-hope.95237/

Event Updates:
The darkness looming over Regalia persists as the situation devolves further into chaos.

Dragons sighted in Regalia! At first, A Black Dragon with cracks of red scale and red wings, charging down towards Demetrius, however before the castle can even be in position to fire its death mortars, the Imperial Dragon intercepts the Black Dragon mid-air, and the two engage in an aerial battle, blue and red lightning coursing through the sky. After several minutes of battle, the Black Dragon perches on the Crookback Emporium, and the Imperial Dragon perches on the Newtown Bridge Tower, neither responding to anything happening on the ground even if a Vampire would stand right underneath them, content to stare each other down, waiting for the other to act first and likely preventing the other from acting.

Roleplay Updates:
https://forums.massivecraft.com/threads/demetrius-on-the-doorstep.95176/

All Abilities that allow for long distance communication of any kind are disabled as the Exist Arken are getting closer to the city and want to paralyze long distance communication – This will save us a lot of meta accusations and enforcement.

Anyone who gets Vampire or Cahal infected, may have the CHOICE to speed up the infection process to instantly, or 10 minutes, or whatever time frame between instant and the full 3 days.