THRONE AND LIBERTY: Tico Talks (April 2025)

Summary

In this episode of Tiko Talks Thrown in Liberty, Tiko, the globalization design manager at Amazon Games, discusses key updates and issues in the game. Topics include fair play measures, such as addressing abuse in Dimensional Trials and combating botting and PVP cheats, with varying disciplinary actions. Tiko also shares exciting upcoming events like the Loot Goblin Festival, as well as changes to tier 2 progression and the Trait Resonance system. Additionally, controller players will soon be able to edit their hood, and players are invited to vote on which weapons they’d like to see enabled for dying. Tiko wraps up with a reminder to use the breeze line for free resistance travel.

Takeaways

• 😀 Players who didn't abuse the Dimensional Trials bug will receive 600 precious rune chests as a reward, and can still earn them normally through tier rewards.
• 😀 Players who abused Dimensional Trials gameplay to attack bosses without taking damage will receive a warning, be ineligible for end-of-season rewards, and get a permanent mark on their accounts.
• 😀 A bug caused fewer than 100 players to receive extra matchmaking boxes from Dimensional Trials, but no further action will be taken aside from fixing the issue.
• 😀 Players who run macros or bots (part-time botters) will receive 3-day temporary suspensions, be ineligible for end-of-season rewards, and have permanent marks on their accounts.
• 😀 Action against third-party PVP cheats is ongoing to avoid penalizing legitimate players, with disciplinary actions ranging from warnings to permanent bans.
• 😀 A rare case involving two EU players who exploited an edge case to craft nine Arc Boss weapons led to permanent bans and the removal of these items.
• 😀 The increase in Arc Boss weapons in the auction house is due to higher drop rates from PVE instancing during peace mode portals, with no impact on the in-game economy.
• 😀 The team is addressing performance issues since Tandre's release, focusing on FPS drops and desync issues affecting combat, with improvements to be made over several months.
• 😀 Tier 2 progression is more demanding than intended, and upcoming weekly events in May, including the Loot Goblin Festival, will help players advance their gear.
• 😀 Trait Resonance, arriving on May 1st, will allow players to unlock an extra trait on their gear with no leveling requirements, and there will be significant reductions in cost for trait selection and random rolls.
• 😀 On May 1st, controller players will be able to edit their HUD, improving gameplay customization.

Q & A

What is the main focus of today's update from Tiko?

The main focus of the update is to address fair play concerns in the game, particularly regarding abuses in Dimensional Trials, the handling of botting, and the disciplinary actions being taken against cheaters.

How does Amazon Games approach handling fair play issues in the game?

Amazon Games' approach involves analyzing the overall impact of the issue, weighing the speed of implementing fixes versus risks of minimally tested hotfixes, and determining appropriate actions based on the severity of the violation.

What happened in Dimensional Trials that required action from the developers?

Some players abused game mechanics by attacking bosses without taking damage, which led to unfair rewards like rune chests. Additionally, a bug caused some players to receive extra matchmaking boxes.

What are the consequences for players who exploited the Dimensional Trials bug?

Players who exploited the bug will receive a warning, be ineligible for end-of-season rewards, and have a permanent mark on their account. They may temporarily appear on leaderboards, but will be removed before the season ends.

How is Amazon Games addressing the issue of 'part-time botters'?

Part-time botters, who use macros or bots to supplement their gameplay while AFK, will face 3-day temporary suspensions, ineligibility for end-of-season rewards, and permanent marks on their accounts.

What is the current state of action against third-party PVP cheats in the game?

The developers are working on refining their detection systems to prevent penalizing legitimate players while identifying and taking action against players who use third-party PVP cheats. Disciplinary actions range from warnings to permanent bans.

Can you explain the issue with Arc Boss weapons and how it was handled?

Two players from the EU region exploited a rare edge case to craft nine Arc Boss weapons. They were permanently banned, the items were removed, and no significant impact occurred to the in-game economy.

What improvements are being made to performance, specifically regarding FPS and desync issues?

Amazon Games is actively working on improving performance with small adjustments during each maintenance cycle, focusing on reducing FPS drops and desync issues that have been affecting combat.

What event is being introduced to assist players with tier 2 progression?

The Loot Goblin Festival, starting on April 24th, will feature a 15-minute loot goblin event every 3 hours, offering enhanced rewards to help players progress, including materials like solvent, growstones, and nebula chests.

What changes are being made to the Trait Resonance feature coming on May 1st?

The Trait Resonance feature will allow players to add an extra trait to their gear, with no leveling requirement. Players will be able to select their preferred trait instead of relying on random rolls, and the cost for random rolls and basic trait selection will be significantly reduced.

What will be the new functionality for controller players on May 1st?

On May 1st, controller players will gain the ability to edit their hood, offering more customization options for their gameplay experience.

How does the weapon dye system impact the game, and what question is the community being asked regarding it?

The weapon dye system allows players to customize their weapons with different colors. The community is being asked which weapon they would like to see enabled for dyeing next.