GM Island - Testing And Holding

• Rydian wrote on 2015-06-23 02:14
  GM island is region 22, named "_TestRegion".
  
  [spoiler=""]

  [Image: http://i.imgur.com/4SVbmBZ.jpg]

  [/spoiler]
  
  The main bit of it appears to be for testing decorations and stuff. There's lots of trees and shrubs and stuff strewn across it, along with some test NPCs that may or may not be functional. According to Xcelled, packet logging shows that when NPCs warp away or shift (Rua, Bearlach), they actually warp to GM island to be hidden from the players.
  
  So that's GM isla-
  
  [spoiler=""]

  [Image: http://i.imgur.com/r76TYmM.jpg]

  
  
  

  [Image: http://i.imgur.com/ZDsH2Ch.jpg]

  [/spoiler]
  
  There's another section of land connected to it which was probably used for dungeon tile testing, right now it's full of Peaca and Rundal pieces for examination. So I guess the only thing we'll see is-
  
  [spoiler=""]

  [Image: http://i.imgur.com/r76TYmM.jpg]

  
  
  

  [Image: http://i.imgur.com/WiXZxxb.jpg]

  [/spoiler]
  
  Okay so there's a third section to the island. It appears to be used for testing various Iria textures and decorations and stuff. The thick forest has a fake Karu entrance (with no warp) in it.
  
  [spoiler=""]

  [Image: http://i.imgur.com/Op33TYv.jpg]

  [/spoiler]
  
  So there's the overview of GM-
  
  [spoiler=""]

  [Image: http://i.imgur.com/r76TYmM.jpg]

  
  
  

  [Image: http://i.imgur.com/A3qsczB.jpg]

  [/spoiler]
  
  GODDAMNIT. Okay so off in the distance...
  
  [spoiler=""]

  [Image: http://i.imgur.com/HGny0vi.jpg]

  [/spoiler]
  
  There's a waterfall test.
  
  ...
  
  Okay yeah that's it for the landmasses.
  
  Anyways as far as NPCs on it, Xcelled grabbed some old packet logs of GM island and used it to reconstruct the NPCs that were on it... at least in terms of race, appearance, and names. Functionality isn't replicated, but we can at least see what was on GM island at one point in time.
• X wrote on 2015-06-23 06:33
  Thank you Rydian.
  
  Despite being so remote, over 50 NPC's call GM island "home". Others, like Tarlach, Fleta, and Rua, most likely visit occasionally, whenever they're not working. Price lives here, but leaves soon after the server starts to go sell his wares.
  [SPOILER="The List"][CODE]A Lost Resident
  Abb Neagh Castle Watchman
  Black Wizard
  Buchanan
  Chalumeau Brownie
  Claudius
  claudius2
  confessional
  Cuilin Castle Guard
  Devil Cat
  Dugald Royal Guard
  Eiry
  ferghus_ai
  Flute Brownie
  Gertrude
  Guildenstern
  Hamlet
  Horatio
  House Manager Brownie
  Jarlath
  Jenna
  Laertes
  Lost Child
  Mandolyn Brownie
  nao2
  Ophelia
  Personal Shop Brownie
  Personal Shop Brownie
  Personal Shop Brownie
  Polonius
  Price
  Refining Brownie
  Rosencrantz
  Sen Mag Royal Guard
  Shakespeare
  Spirit Bow (F)
  Spirit Bow (M)
  Spirit Mace (F)
  Spirit Mace (M)
  Spirit Sword (F)
  Spirit Sword (M)
  Spirit Wand (F)
  Spirit Wand (M)
  storyhelper
  storyhelper2
  Tin
  Tiro
  triona
  Weaving Brownie
  신묘한 고양이[/CODE][/SPOILER]
  

  [Image: http://i.imgur.com/IjePINt.png]

  
  
  This includes all of the Shakespeare characters. If you look closely, you'll notice that there are two Claudius's, and one of them has the "detection" effect from that annoying shadow mission where you had to sneak around and avoid stuff.
  

  [Image: http://i.imgur.com/XTAkP2S.png]

  
  
  Everyone's favorite lady, relaxing when she's not working. Wonder where she does her laundry?
  

  [Image: http://i.imgur.com/qdDKmR3.png]

  
  
  Quick, someone tell Ruairi!!
  

  [Image: http://i.imgur.com/or4wqK5.png]

  
  
  Continuing on, we find out that devCat loves Nao too! There's one NPC per ego weapon type. When you talk to your ego, the server connects you to the appropriate NPC, who loads your data and interacts with you. So, you and your buddy are sharing that hot bow ego. Surprise!
  
  Note that we don't have definitive proof for the "single-npc" model. That would require access to a live GM island and maybe even some server internals. However, based on what I know of the workings of the game, I'm going to say the likelihood is over 99%.
  
  The egos have to be stored someplace, so of course devCat stores them on GM Island. Disturbingly, however, all egos use Nao's model. This is presumably because they lack character models themselves, but nonetheless it makes for a disconcerting experience.
  

  [Image: http://i.imgur.com/ybjwRYO.png]

  
  
  Next to the egos, you'll find a varied and assorted cast. Most numerous are all the brownies - maybe the egos are really pawning all the gems you give them? Possible reasons for their existence here include single-conversation handler (like egos) or the fact that brownies require effort to show up in game. Maybe some were stationed here so the devs didn't need to keep opening personal shops to test them.
  
  Castle guards are stacked on top of one another as well. Their reason for existence is likely along the same line as the brownies. Also interesting: the housing castle guards are hanging out here as well. This is anecdotal evidence for the fact that every server has a "housing area", but one is chosen to be the Hch, and all housing requests are re-routed there. Presumably, if you could escape the housing area on the Hch, you'd find a fully functional, if deserted, world.
  
  Good ol' Tiro (recently fixed on NA if you didn't know), pals around with the brownies when he's not trying to rob you in a dungeon.
  
  Lastly, we have a few lost Tuatha Dé Dananns. Heck, I'd be lost on GM Island too, if not for my magical ">warp" powers!
  

  [Image: http://i.imgur.com/Ce5Tt0q.png]

  
  
  Tin... needs some medical attention. I assume he was unused and broke, and no one bothered to fix him.
  

  [Image: http://i.imgur.com/h7oyYKi.png]

  
  
  A couple other honorable mentions include Buchanan (no longer lost in the Shadow Realm), Jenna (homeless since G9?), a Ferghus with a Lute (trying to break your hearing?) and and NPC named simply "???", which appears to be the confessional NPC used in G12. You know, the one that popped up that picture of Ferghus saying he liked it when your sword snapped in half?
  
  In general, GM Island has a lot of test NPCs and others who need to "hide" for various reasons. This includes single-instance NPCs like egos, specialized NPCs like Nao, and others that don't have a normally accessible, or variable, location. One exception to this, however, is Morrighan, who lives on the stage where you see her in G1.
  
  Finally, we have my favorite NPC of all time, forever and ever, always. Lovingly rendered into English by NA's localization team, and keeping a steadfast watch over the game, we have...
  

  [Image: http://i.imgur.com/bdr4daF.png]
• Kingofrunes wrote on 2015-06-23 12:09
  Beware of Devil Cat's wrath. It will pierce deep into your soul and destroy you. Does NA Nexon think devcat is evil?
• Snowie Stormflower wrote on 2015-06-23 23:45
  I have mixed feelings when it comes to that island, seeing as I've already been there before because of certain people...
  
  [video=youtube;JHekx3IYxCE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHekx3IYxCE[/video]
  
  Not sure if there are any acutal differences compared to then, though.
• X wrote on 2015-06-24 01:36
  Ahh, ouch. Sorry you got kidnapped to GM Island. You saw a later GM Island than we have. Looks like your vid was g15 or so, judging by Romeo, Juliet, and the belvast pirates.
  
  Note how the NPCs are all active - they're saying phrases. Too bad you didn't try to talk to one.
• exec wrote on 2015-07-01 21:13

  Quote from X;1279781:

  Ahh, ouch. Sorry you got kidnapped to GM Island. You saw a later GM Island than we have. Looks like your vid was g15 or so, judging by Romeo, Juliet, and the belvast pirates.
  
  Note how the NPCs are all active - they're saying phrases. Too bad you didn't try to talk to one.

  
  
  I did, but somehow I messed up the video quality back then =<
  
  [video=youtube;L2Aqkb7Mk9Y]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2Aqkb7Mk9Y[/video]
  
  Unfortunately the servers froze shortly after I got there, and I don't remember why I didn't explore the region further... it was very late in EU's life span though, and when those regular freezes started I rarely logged in anymore iirc.
  
  

  Quote from X;1279691:

  
  Tin... needs some medical attention. I assume he was unused and broke, and no one bothered to fix him.

  
  Actually that's the Tin you encounter in the Soul Stream when you login/rebirth (?) as a pet. Just like Nao, this NPC's appearance and positioning is client sided, as is the Soul Stream itself. That's why for those two NPCs only the race is set, but no equipment or anything. Like egos you simply talk to them from afar.
  
  

  Quote from Snowie Stormflower;1279765:

  I have mixed feelings when it comes to that island, seeing as I've already been there before because of certain people...

  
  I think your video inspired me to look for this region back then xD"
• X wrote on 2015-07-01 23:18

  Quote from exec;1280540:

  Actually that's the Tin you encounter in the Soul Stream when you login/rebirth (?) as a pet. Just like Nao, this NPC's appearance and positioning is client sided, as is the Soul Stream itself. That's why for those two NPCs only the race is set, but no equipment or anything. Like egos you simply talk to them from afar.

  
  
  Does that include his name too?
• Rydian wrote on 2015-07-02 01:59
  IIRC NPCs make name references that get pulled out of client data files?
• X wrote on 2015-07-02 02:02
  Yes, but in that case, his name should be Tin, not tin_soul_stream. Unless... do you ever see his name??
• Snowie Stormflower wrote on 2015-07-02 04:14

  Quote from exec;1280540:

  I think your video inspired me to look for this region back then xD"

  
  
  That video ended up raising worry and questions (nasty questions sometimes).
  I don't know why that video and another one related to Mabi EU are the 2 most viewed ones I have (excluding wiki example vids), it's like people LIKE to be remembered of sad things!
  
  

  Quote from exec;1280540:

  Like egos you simply talk to them from afar.

  
  
  ...Which also explains how people's ego's were "broken" back in the day, killing the NPCs in GM island did that!
• exec wrote on 2015-07-02 08:37

  ...Which also explains how people's ego's were "broken" back in the day, killing the NPCs in GM island did that!

  
  I've never experienced that, but yea, that is quite possible. However, iirc you were still able to talk to dead NPCs at that point in time. I remember reading about ppl killing NPCs and others then sending the dialog start packets to talk to them, because they were just not clickable, due to being dead. They did "fix" that later though.
  
  

  Yes, but in that case, his name should be Tin, not tin_soul_stream. Unless... do you ever see his name??

  
  Actually... I expected a duplicate, that would be the devCATean way, but looks like they might have gone to the ultimate extreme and hardcoded it. Can't find a reference to "tin_soul_stream" in the data anywhere.
• Poshwosh wrote on 2015-07-05 18:04
  http://i.imgur.com/N1iCu7P.jpg
  
  I have been there as well on Mabinogi EU, Snowie isn't the only one who got sent there. This was during generation 13 but it was actually on a more recent version with disabled features since we had Cobh working (but not accessible through normal means) and that didn't come out until generation 14.
  
  Most of the NPCs did not do anything, in fact, they just got me stuck in a conversation so I had to restart so many times, but there were some exceptions.
  The Black Wizard allows you to obtain Dark Knight (which is how "elf stacking" became a thing I believe?), anyway, it turned my giant into an abomination, if you were on Morrighan you probably recall seeing it.
  There was a giant cat from Nekojima, he gave me a wing presumably to the isle, but the wing did not work.
  
  And finally, there was a mysterious cat. Memory is foggy, I don't remember if it was two of them or just the devil cat, but I remember it commented about how I am not a GM.
  Further inspecting the G13 leaked files, you can see the cat has a lot of commands associated with it, including marriage, guilds, etc. It was probably an all-in-one NPC for testing features.
• ironwoman wrote on 2015-07-05 18:08
  So that's how those infamous Dark Knight Elves became a thing. Makes sense now.
• Kapra wrote on 2015-07-05 18:36
  I though elf stacking was a keyword exploit, like how for the longest time Giants could get Magnum Shot (and for a short while in KR, Spider Shot).
• X wrote on 2015-07-05 19:35
  There are probably multiple ways to do it.