The isles are being built as a shared world, and this update is about making that world feel properly shared.
Players, creatures, dropped items and conversations all need to appear in the right place, for the right people, at the right time. Here's what's changed.
What's Nearby?
As you travel, nearby players and creatures can now enter and leave your view without the whole world following them. The same applies to movement, animations and items on the ground.
Walk towards a busy harbour and its activity comes into view. Leave for the hills and the harbour falls away behind you, freeing the game to concentrate on the part of the world you're actually exploring.
Different Places Stay Different
Floors, caves and private areas now have their own world addresses. Two adventurers can stand at the same map coordinates but remain in completely different places if one is upstairs, underground or inside a separate adventure area.
That keeps players, enemies and dropped items from appearing through floors or leaking between private spaces.
Preparing the Other Side
Teleporting and moving between areas now prepare the destination before letting go of the place you left. If the destination cannot be loaded or entered, the move is cancelled and your character stays safely at the starting point.
Local Chat
Local chat is also taking its place in the world. Messages are sent to adventurers within speaking distance, with flood protection and message checks applied before anything is delivered.
What's Next?
We'll continue joining these pieces to the client, improving area transitions and testing them with busier towns and encounters. Friends, private messages and wider social features will follow in later updates.
The isles are better when they feel inhabited. This gets us another step closer.