If you think about it.....

[Mack]

I was just playing for the past few hours. Nothing too strenuous just milling around and chatting to LS. Then I went and hit some things and as I was swinging my sword wildly I though: "Bloody hell the dev team has got a job on their hands!" By no means was that a direct comment at the combat but rather a realization that they are basically RE-DOING the battle system.

They now have to adjust every single skill/ability in the game. Removing the Stamina bar means writing script for the effects of slow,haste,w/e to auto adjust timers.

On top of this removing phys levels and pretty much giving "fixed" stats depending what class you are. Not only do they have to work out a way to re-balance every class but they also have to come up with a way to transfer your exp so far into this new system.

Then there's the new jobs system and the skills/inner-workings of that.

Dungeons - 'nuff said

New NM's/mobs

New recipes - again....

New quests (for jobs system, but quests all the same)

and people are complaining that there hasnt been much word from the homefront? When these are set to drop in the next week or so in 1.18 spare a thought for how much workload is actually on their shoulders! I'd imagine they'll be working some crazy hours on the run-up to 1.18 release.

(That being said it may land with a flopping sound roll over spill out 2 quests and a new hat with a note on saying "I promise 1.19 will be better"! But here's hoping it's not the case!)

I doubt all those changes will see light of day at 1.18. In fact I'm only expecting the initial changes being the introduction of auto attack and what that entails (i.e., weapons would all have to be given at least one extra stat which is speed of swing imo although I'm not sure how they're treating this) and adjustments to classes in preparation for the implementation of jobs and in order for them to work right with auto attack and then little by little they will balance, re-balance and re-balance some more as they come to a point where they introduce jobs. I doubt 1.18 will see jobs. But yea, this said, I think they have a lot on their plate.