Announcements & News

[center][permalink][img]http://flightrising.com/dropbox/banner_cantwaittopostmyclever84yearsmeme.png[/img][/permalink][/center] The long-awaited update to our [b]world map[/b] is complete! Explore familiar locations and discover entirely new ones, all illustrated with completely [b]refreshed artwork, effects, and animations[/b]. [center][permalink][b]Click here to find out more about this update.[/b][/permalink][/center] [more] ---------- As of this post, the [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/world-map][b]revamped world map[/b][/url] has launched! Sornieth comes alive like never before thanks to entirely new artwork, effects, and animations. Below, we'll go over some of the upgrades and changes you'll be seeing as you navigate the new map. [size=5][b]The Wide World of Sornieth[/b][/size] One of the biggest changes you'll notice is that rather than eleven small maps (one per region), everything has been [b]combined into a singular large map[/b]. We're able to do this thanks to some new options. [center][img]http://flightrising.com/dropbox/wm_prev_mapscombined.png[/img][/center] [size=2]Caption: [i]A diagram depicting the old collection of maps above the new world map with downward arrows indicating that they have been combined.[/i][/size] [size=4][b]Zooming/Panning[/b][/size] Because the map is so large, we've added a few [b]options[/b] to help you explore the new artwork. You can, of course, view the whole realm at once in a smaller, more generalized zoomed-out view, but you'll also be able to zoom in and see the finer details. While zoomed in, you can [b]hold down your finger or mouse button on the artwork and drag to pan the map around[/b]. [center][video url=http://flightrising.com/dropbox/where-are-my-keys.mp4 type=mp4 width=400 height=300 poster=http://flightrising.com/dropbox/where-are-my-keys.jpg loop=true][/center] [size=2]Caption: [i]A short video showing usage of the zooming and panning functions.[/i][/size] [size=4][b]Full Browser View[/b][/size] For those that want to dive headfirst into the map, we've also added the ability to [b]expand the viewable area to your entire browser window[/b]. In this mode, the site UI will disappear, and the map artwork will take up the whole window. This is an incredible way to immerse yourself in the new map and see a lot more at once. [center][img]http://flightrising.com/dropbox/wm_prev_fullbrowserview.png[/img][/center] [size=2]Caption: [i]A screenshot showing the world map in full browser viewing mode, in which the rest of the site UI is hidden and the map artwork extends to all edges of the window.[/i][/size] [size=4][b]Map Layers[/b][/size] Because the dragons of Sornieth live above and below the waves, we've added the ability to [b]move between terrain and underwater layers[/b]. Right now, this mainly applies to the [i]Sea of a Thousand Currents[/i], but the system allows us to possibly do some interesting things in the future! [center][video url=http://flightrising.com/dropbox/seaweed-is-always-greener.mp4 type=mp4 width=400 height=300 poster=http://flightrising.com/dropbox/seaweed-is-always-greener.jpg loop=true][/center] [size=2]Caption: [i]A short video showing what it looks like when a player moves from the terrain layer to the underwater layer. Because only the Sea of a Thousand Currents exists on both layers, it is the example used.[/i][/size] [size=4][b]Places of Interest ("POIs")[/b][/size] In the legacy version of the map, special locations in each elemental territory were represented by icons and flavor text below the map, but you never got a true understanding of their exact placement. With the revamp, we've plotted these locations on the map with [b]POI[/b] (Place of Interest) [b]markers[/b], and you can click or tap them to read the flavor text. [center][img]http://flightrising.com/dropbox/wm_prev_poimarkers1.png[/img][/center] [size=2]Caption: [i]A screenshot showing what it looks like when the POI (place of interest) marker for the Oculus of the Eleven has been selected. The marker window includes an icon and description of the location.[/i][/size] [size=4][b]Animations & Visual Effects[/b][/size] In addition to new artwork, we've tried to bring extra vibrance and life to the map by way of [b]animations[/b] (like floating islands, grass waving in the breeze, and wiggling spikes) and [b]visual effects[/b] (like embers, snow, and light beams). For our players who are sensitive to flashing or moving graphical elements, you can [b]turn them off[/b] on the [b]bottom right corner[/b] of the map. Also available is the ability to toggle off the POI map markers, if desired. [center][img]http://flightrising.com/dropbox/wm_prev_animvfxtoggle.png[/img][/center] [size=2]Caption: [i]A screenshot displaying the toggles that will enable or disable POI map markers or animations and visual effects.[/i][/size] ----------- [size=5][b]Relocate Your Lair[/b][/size] With this update, we've [i]doubled[/i] the number of locations for every elemental region and it is now possible to modify, officially, where your lair exists. Each lair tier (e.g. Lesser, Mighty, Venerable, Ancient) now unlocks two (2) locations, and you can choose to move your lair to either one, [i]or[/i] to a location in any of the lower tiers you've already unlocked. [info]Example: If you're a fire clan that has just unlocked the [b]Venerable[/b] tier, you can move your lair to either: [list] [*]Blacksand Annex [*]Magmablood Rebuke [/list] However, you could also move your lair to: [list] [*]Emberglow Hearth [*]Magma Sanctum [*]Molten Scar [*]Flintlock Fumaroles [/list] [/info] [b]There is no limit to how often your clan can move within your current flight/element[/b], so don't feel tied down to any one location! You can access the lair location options by clicking the [b]small gear icon[/b] next to your current lair location on the [b]clan profile[/b]. [center][img]http://flightrising.com/dropbox/wm_prev_changelairlocation.png[/img][/center] [size=2]Caption: [i]A screenshot from the clan options page, displaying a list of all possible lair locations that would be available to a wind player with a "venerable" tier lair, as well as highlighting where their lair is currently located.[/i][/size] ------------ [size=5][b]Sharing POIs and Custom Locations[/b][/size] An additional feature we've included with the launch of the revamped world map is the ability to [b]share POIs and custom locations within forum posts[/b]. Using new bbcode functions, these will be represented by a widget that others can click to be taken directly to the spot you wanted to share! [size=4][b]Sharing POIs[/b][/size] To share a [b]POI[/b], click or tap the small share icon in the top right corner of a POI's flavor text window. From there, you'll be able to copy the bbcode necessary to share the POI in a map widget on the forums. [center][img]http://flightrising.com/dropbox/wm_prev_sharePOIs.png[/img][/center] [size=2]Caption: [i]A screenshot indicating where the share button is located on POI location windows. The button itself is in the top right corner.[/i][/size] [size=4][b]Sharing Custom Locations[/b][/size] To share a [b]custom location[/b]: [list=1] [*]Click or tap the marker button in the top right corner of the world map window. [*]Click or tap the spot on the map you want to share to drop the marker there. [*]Click or tap the marker you just placed. [*]Highlight and copy the bbcode in the share window that appears. [*]Paste it in your forum post! [/list] There are also a few [b]parameters you can modify[/b] in the copied code to customize your shared custom location a bit more. You can change the following parts of the code to edit the [b]height[/b] ([i]minimum 200px, maximum 480px[/i]) and [b]width[/b] ([i]minimum 200px, maximum 480px[/i]) of the widget, as well as add your own [b]custom text[/b]. [center][img]http://flightrising.com/dropbox/wm_prev_customlocationsyntax.png[/img][/center] [size=2]Caption: [i]A diagram indicating the variables that can be changed in the new bbcode to customize how a shared custom location widget appears in the forums. The variables highlighted are height, width, and custom text.[/i][/size] Using the bbcode above, it will create a widget that looks like this: [center][img]http://flightrising.com/dropbox/wm_prev_customlocationwidget.png[/img][/center] [size=2]Caption: [i]A screenshot showing what a custom location widget created with the variables in the previous diagram would look like embedded into a forum post.[/i][/size] --------- We want to thank everyone for waiting patiently while we worked on this feature. When we first unveiled it, we certainly had intentions of releasing it far sooner than now. Game development can be an unpredictable process sometimes, and as many of you witnessed, there were urgent or much needed demands on our engineers' time (ex: server migrations and critical backend updates) as well as bringing other awesome or highly requested features to you. We also remain committed to being anti-crunch and maintaining healthy work/life balances. This included adjusting for our team's overall well-being through the events of the past year. This update is our labor of love, we're overjoyed to share it with you all, because it's been a monumental team effort. This revamp is easily the most massively ambitious art and engineering-heavy thing we've created, and every single developer we have has touched it in some way. Denizens of Sornieth, here's to you and its ever-expanding glory!

[b]Quick reminder for everyone[/b]: If you have any suggestions for features, updates, or for today's release, please be sure to post them in the [b][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/sug]Suggestions Forum[/url][/b] as posting your suggestions here is either off-topic or runs the risk of them being lost in the replies. Thank you! [emoji=new friend size=1]

I'm getting dizzy.

This place has so much charm!