1
Skyward Collapse / Re: Contest! Help name the world of Skyward Collapse.
« on: April 08, 2013, 12:18:08 PM »
Dim
Vyr
Qoa
Jol
Jor
Aar
Vul
Who needs more than three letters?
Vyr
Qoa
Jol
Jor
Aar
Vul
Who needs more than three letters?
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2
Shattered Haven / Re: Lost in Stantonsburg
« on: March 16, 2013, 08:44:29 PM »
Oh. Well that worked. I'm not really sure how I missed that house with all the times I searched through the town.
Thanks!
Thanks!
3
Shattered Haven / Lost in Stantonsburg
« on: March 16, 2013, 08:37:48 PM »
I'm really not sure how to proceed.
I was able to complete a few missions in Stantonsburg, but I can't find any more. I have no way to get into the mines, warehouse, or other locked building in town. Willis said (the first time I talked to him) to ask Arlene for a key, I have no idea who Arlene is, but she sure isn't anyone in town unless I'm incredibly stupid and missed a house. Golden grays block the path to the west of the store, and the weird monster blocks the way out from the sewers.
I'm stumped.
I was able to complete a few missions in Stantonsburg, but I can't find any more. I have no way to get into the mines, warehouse, or other locked building in town. Willis said (the first time I talked to him) to ask Arlene for a key, I have no idea who Arlene is, but she sure isn't anyone in town unless I'm incredibly stupid and missed a house. Golden grays block the path to the west of the store, and the weird monster blocks the way out from the sewers.
I'm stumped.
4
Shattered Haven / Re: Question from the devs: How do you want to gain access to the level editor?
« on: March 04, 2013, 04:00:31 PM »I would go for all levels being available in the level editor without any limitations right from the start. If somebody wants to cheat - let 'em cheat. This is better in my opinion than limiting the World builders. This Way everybody can decide which experience they want to have and are responsible for it...
I agree completely. Think of it as just another variable for difficulty. A level-editor serves as a way to un-stuck yourself as well. Maybe I missed how to use iron tacks. Maybe I hate iron tacks. Maybe I'm just really bad at iron tacks. I get to the level that is all about iron tacks, and I hate it. It's a level I can't bypass... so I edit myself in a super squid. Hooray! level complete.
5
Shattered Haven / Re: Forming Shattered Haven Store Copy
« on: February 28, 2013, 04:18:06 PM »
Definitely avoid the word roguelike. It's not procedurally generated, nor is death permanent, so far as I can tell. It just forces a replay of the current level.
I'm not sure about the word zombie. I think more will be gained by using the word zombie than will be lost. Keep in mind, that trying to push this as anything but a zombie game is quite misleading, given that almost every level (that I have played) is completed upon killing all the zombies. Pretty standard zombie-fare as it goes. By all means, don't feel the need to use the word zombie as a hook, (zombie-killing action! zombies everywhere!), but don't shy away from it either, because the game is what it is, and there is no sense trying to obfuscate that it does, in fact, contain zombies. Trying to sell them as 'greys' will be shattered (HA HA) the moment someone looks at a gameplay trailer that contains anything resembling gameplay.
If I had to describe this game, it felt primarily like a puzzle game with action elements, rather than an action or survival game with puzzle elements.
I'm not sure about the word zombie. I think more will be gained by using the word zombie than will be lost. Keep in mind, that trying to push this as anything but a zombie game is quite misleading, given that almost every level (that I have played) is completed upon killing all the zombies. Pretty standard zombie-fare as it goes. By all means, don't feel the need to use the word zombie as a hook, (zombie-killing action! zombies everywhere!), but don't shy away from it either, because the game is what it is, and there is no sense trying to obfuscate that it does, in fact, contain zombies. Trying to sell them as 'greys' will be shattered (HA HA) the moment someone looks at a gameplay trailer that contains anything resembling gameplay.
If I had to describe this game, it felt primarily like a puzzle game with action elements, rather than an action or survival game with puzzle elements.
6
A Valley Without Wind 1 & 2 / Re: How DO you dispatch Lilith? [resolved]
« on: February 25, 2013, 04:23:17 PM »
Yes, I was attempting to vanquish all the henchmen before I took on the Big D himself. After 3 or 4 attempts, I gave up and went for it, but the post-game story-drop clued me in very subtly (if you fight Lilith again she will die). 
7
A Valley Without Wind 1 & 2 / Re: So what *do* the puzzle rooms reveal? (Spoiler)
« on: February 23, 2013, 11:01:35 PM »
I can only tell you what I (very) vaguely remember of the story of Jinsiek and John.
One of the two, I'll say Jinsiek, was one of the early glyphbearers after time shattered. Everyone was still very unfamiliar with the wind and the glyphbearering, but they knew that if you left the protective radius of Illari stone, you would become a monster. John was Jinsiek's pal. One day, John went out in the wind and didn't return. Jinsiek went out looking for him, and found him, tied him up, and brought him back to the Illari stone, but he had long-since gone mad. Jinsiek kept him tied up and hidden in his basement or some such thing. Jinsiek tried unsuccessfully to 'cure' John, and in desperation, he attempted to use a glyph transfer scroll to give John his glyph. It worked, but John wasn't cured. Instead, John gained the ability to come and go within the Illari stone's radius, but was still monstrous and evil and shit was all fucked up.
DISCLAIMER: I have likely brutally mangled the story / combined two or more stories / made everything up, but this is what I remember from playing lots of Valley 1.
One of the two, I'll say Jinsiek, was one of the early glyphbearers after time shattered. Everyone was still very unfamiliar with the wind and the glyphbearering, but they knew that if you left the protective radius of Illari stone, you would become a monster. John was Jinsiek's pal. One day, John went out in the wind and didn't return. Jinsiek went out looking for him, and found him, tied him up, and brought him back to the Illari stone, but he had long-since gone mad. Jinsiek kept him tied up and hidden in his basement or some such thing. Jinsiek tried unsuccessfully to 'cure' John, and in desperation, he attempted to use a glyph transfer scroll to give John his glyph. It worked, but John wasn't cured. Instead, John gained the ability to come and go within the Illari stone's radius, but was still monstrous and evil and shit was all fucked up.
DISCLAIMER: I have likely brutally mangled the story / combined two or more stories / made everything up, but this is what I remember from playing lots of Valley 1.
8
A Valley Without Wind 1 & 2 / How DO you dispatch Lilith? [resolved]
« on: February 23, 2013, 10:33:52 PM »
That blasted witch won't die! I've knocked out the oblivion crystal and laid Wordrak, Fanzara, and that ex-paladin guy to rest, but Lilith is being stubborn. What am I missing?
EDIT: I did it.
EDIT: I did it.
9
A Valley Without Wind 1 & 2 / Issues I encountered in my latest Valley2 foray
« on: February 05, 2013, 03:16:23 AM »
Posting a list of things I encountered upon playing AVWW2 for the first time in a while. Feel free to answer/explain/link me the Mantis bug report any of these things even if you aren't a Dev.
- I started on Queen strategic difficulty but died on turn 5 due to morale loss from lack of food, because my farm survivor was too busy destroying adjacent tiles to work the farm.
- I keep randomly teleporting when I get hit by an enemy. It's not super common, but it happens once every few maps.
- Enemies keep randomly disappearing when I first hit them. Maybe related to the above?
- Default 360 bind of confirm+jump on A works well, until I encountered a cave where I couldn't progress.
- Lots of enemies are extremely difficult due to their 100% efficient turning prowess. Clockwork Automaton missiles, Mimic chests, etc. They are not fun to fight and impossible to dodge.
- I just died in default difficulty due to lack of food on turn 9. Hmm
- Just died on easiest difficulty due to lack of food on turn 12. Uhhh
10
A Valley Without Wind 1 & 2 / Re: (Devs requesting feedback) How's the strategy game?
« on: February 05, 2013, 12:56:15 AM »
The strategic game seems way too hard, or maybe I just had a string of bad luck. I don't consider myself bad at these type of things, but I just got done losing 4 consecutive games on Queen, Default, Less-than-Default, and then Easiest, all to running out of food, which made my morale hit 0, which made all my survivors die the next turn.
Just to clarify, having food shortages gives a -10 morale penalty per survivor without food, so if this happens you're bound to end up at negative morale, which is game over due to all the tiles being 200% difficulty, even the farm tile you were trying to work to fix it. I'm not sure if the negative morale fixes itself if you get food again, but it wouldn't matter because you can't get food anyway.
As I didn't really get to play too much, I can't make suggestions on the balance, but I feel like it's really less strategy more "cross fingers and hope your starting farm isn't next to a tile that can be destroyed and that demonica doesn't attack the starting farm for a few turns and find another farm quick and"
Just to clarify, having food shortages gives a -10 morale penalty per survivor without food, so if this happens you're bound to end up at negative morale, which is game over due to all the tiles being 200% difficulty, even the farm tile you were trying to work to fix it. I'm not sure if the negative morale fixes itself if you get food again, but it wouldn't matter because you can't get food anyway.
As I didn't really get to play too much, I can't make suggestions on the balance, but I feel like it's really less strategy more "cross fingers and hope your starting farm isn't next to a tile that can be destroyed and that demonica doesn't attack the starting farm for a few turns and find another farm quick and"
11
A Valley Without Wind 1 & 2 / Re: Let's Play AVWW2
« on: January 10, 2013, 07:47:05 PM »
Read patch notes, interested in joining you (both?) again.
12
A Valley Without Wind 1 & 2 / Re: Let's Play AVWW2
« on: December 21, 2012, 11:07:11 PM »
Alternate title: Let's Listen to Gemzo rage about bats / squids / green blobs / high caliber spells / low caliber spells / perks / SRF / aiming.
This title was scraped in favor of the current title.
This title was scraped in favor of the current title.
13
Valley 2 Slices / Re: A note about vertical slices
« on: December 21, 2012, 03:01:35 PM »Your forum graphic-FU is strong. /claps
Pfft, I only used the same symbols that they use themselves in the slice txt files. Take a look yourself ar RuntimeData/Logic/ChunkSlices
The hard part was finding a monospace font.
14
Valley 2 Slices / A note about vertical slices
« on: December 21, 2012, 04:21:46 AM »
Some of the existing slices have problems meshing well with other certain slices. Below is some puzzling I've done to figure out why certain slices work sometimes but mess up other times, and my suggestions as to how to avoid making vertical slices which will stuck some buildings or caves.
In the case of a slice that looks like this
FFFF@,,,F
F,,,,,,,F
F,,,,,,,F
FFFF,,,,F
F@,,,,,,F
This slice could correctly fit with a slice that looked like this
F@,,,,,,F
F,,,,,,,F
F,,FFF,,F
F,,FFF,,F
F,,,,,,,F
F@,,,,,,F
To look like this (added second slice on the top and bottom of the first slice):
F@,,,,,,F
F,,,,,,,F
F,,FFF,,F
F,,FFF,,F
F,,,,,,,F
F@,,,,,,F
FFFF@,,,FFFF
F,,,,,,,F
F,,,,,,,F
FFFF,,,,F
F@,,,,,,F
F@,,,,,,F
F,,,,,,,F
F,,FFF,,F
F,,FFF,,F
F,,,,,,,F
F@,,,,,,F
But it would not work if the second slice looked like this:
F@,,F
F,,,F
F,F,F
F,,,F
@,,,F
Which would produce the following:
F@,,F
F,,,F
F,F,F
F,,,F
@,,,F
FFFF@,,,F
F,,,,,,,F
F,,,,,,,F
FFFF,,,,F
F@,,,,,,F <----- here is a blocked passageway
F@,,FFFFF
F,,,F
F,F,F
F,,,F
@,,,F
As you can see, there is a 1-block high passage on two otherwise functional slices. To avoid this, ensure that the slice guide marker has 1 block clearance of open terrain below or above in all vertical segments.
In the above example, changing the first slice to this will fix the issue:
FFFF@,,,F
F,,,,,,,F
F,,,,,,,F
FFFF,,,,F
F,,,,,,,F <---- added this extra space, slice guide isn't vertically crowded
F@,,,,,,F
In the case of a slice that looks like this
FFFF@,,,F
F,,,,,,,F
F,,,,,,,F
FFFF,,,,F
F@,,,,,,F
This slice could correctly fit with a slice that looked like this
F@,,,,,,F
F,,,,,,,F
F,,FFF,,F
F,,FFF,,F
F,,,,,,,F
F@,,,,,,F
To look like this (added second slice on the top and bottom of the first slice):
F@,,,,,,F
F,,,,,,,F
F,,FFF,,F
F,,FFF,,F
F,,,,,,,F
F@,,,,,,F
FFFF@,,,FFFF
F,,,,,,,F
F,,,,,,,F
FFFF,,,,F
F@,,,,,,F
F@,,,,,,F
F,,,,,,,F
F,,FFF,,F
F,,FFF,,F
F,,,,,,,F
F@,,,,,,F
But it would not work if the second slice looked like this:
F@,,F
F,,,F
F,F,F
F,,,F
@,,,F
Which would produce the following:
F@,,F
F,,,F
F,F,F
F,,,F
@,,,F
FFFF@,,,F
F,,,,,,,F
F,,,,,,,F
FFFF,,,,F
F@,,,,,,F <----- here is a blocked passageway
F@,,FFFFF
F,,,F
F,F,F
F,,,F
@,,,F
As you can see, there is a 1-block high passage on two otherwise functional slices. To avoid this, ensure that the slice guide marker has 1 block clearance of open terrain below or above in all vertical segments.
In the above example, changing the first slice to this will fix the issue:
FFFF@,,,F
F,,,,,,,F
F,,,,,,,F
FFFF,,,,F
F,,,,,,,F <---- added this extra space, slice guide isn't vertically crowded
F@,,,,,,F
15
A Valley Without Wind 1 & 2 / Re: Valley 2 - Bug or Something I'm missing?
« on: December 21, 2012, 03:55:22 AM »
I'm going through and fixing slices that will have this issue. It's just an issue of one slice joining with another slice and they don't work together. I hope I'm doing this right as I modify all these text files. Tigersfan I assume is looking over my revisions and seeing that they aren't totally bjorked? 
What I think I have discerned is that vertical slices need a 1 block clearance of open air below the @ symbol at the top of the slice and one block of open air above the @ symbol at the bottom to ensure that any generated towers will not contain a 1-block high area. I'm not entirely sure, but if I can make a concise explanation I'll post it here and in the slicemaking forum.
EDIT: http://www.arcengames.com/forums/index.php/topic,12203.0.html
What I think I have discerned is that vertical slices need a 1 block clearance of open air below the @ symbol at the top of the slice and one block of open air above the @ symbol at the bottom to ensure that any generated towers will not contain a 1-block high area. I'm not entirely sure, but if I can make a concise explanation I'll post it here and in the slicemaking forum.
EDIT: http://www.arcengames.com/forums/index.php/topic,12203.0.html