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16
Share Your Ideas / Re: Environment Ideas
« on: June 30, 2018, 07:19:31 AM »
Here's an example to get this started: Volcano slopes.
I envision charred earth, maybe a few patches of dried grass here and there. One or two blocks of rock ejected from the crater may also be present on tiles (blocking line of sight, indestructible, not rooted).
In addition there should be a few tiles of glowing lava. Passing through these would cause 1 damage to non-flying characters. Standing on these would equally cause 1 damage at the beginning of one's turn.
Lastly some of the tiles would show cracks. Only visual appearance thus far, at least until the volcano wakes up...
The volcano waking up would indeed be the key feature of this environment.
At random frequency (probably set so that it typically happens once or twice during a battle), the volcano would emerge from its apparent sleep, causing the following to happen:
- the whole playfield sees tremors (screen display "shaking" + device vibration on if equipped + rumble sound)
- all units tend to lose balance, moving them 1 space in a random direction (if the space in that direction is empty). This may cause them to end up on a lava tile (ouch!), or on a tile with cracks...
- toxic fumes are then expelled from the tiles with cracks, inflicting poison (1) to any unit standing there.
- and lastly as hell unleashes, an additional rock falls from the skies on a random tile, destroying decor on that tile if any, and dealing 4 damage and knocking back (2) in a random direction any unit standing on that tile.
I envision charred earth, maybe a few patches of dried grass here and there. One or two blocks of rock ejected from the crater may also be present on tiles (blocking line of sight, indestructible, not rooted).
In addition there should be a few tiles of glowing lava. Passing through these would cause 1 damage to non-flying characters. Standing on these would equally cause 1 damage at the beginning of one's turn.
Lastly some of the tiles would show cracks. Only visual appearance thus far, at least until the volcano wakes up...
The volcano waking up would indeed be the key feature of this environment.
At random frequency (probably set so that it typically happens once or twice during a battle), the volcano would emerge from its apparent sleep, causing the following to happen:
- the whole playfield sees tremors (screen display "shaking" + device vibration on if equipped + rumble sound)
- all units tend to lose balance, moving them 1 space in a random direction (if the space in that direction is empty). This may cause them to end up on a lava tile (ouch!), or on a tile with cracks...
- toxic fumes are then expelled from the tiles with cracks, inflicting poison (1) to any unit standing there.
- and lastly as hell unleashes, an additional rock falls from the skies on a random tile, destroying decor on that tile if any, and dealing 4 damage and knocking back (2) in a random direction any unit standing on that tile.
17
Share Your Ideas / Environment Ideas
« on: June 30, 2018, 06:56:58 AM »
Hi all,
I'm creating this thread for people to post their ideas about new playing fields. Please include a description of the visual appearance of the tiles (or even best attach pictures).
Also describe decor items that may be placed on tiles in that environment, along with their properties: are they rooted (cannot be moved)? blocking line of sight? indestructible? reacting to collision? causing damage? others?
Let your creativity show!
I'm creating this thread for people to post their ideas about new playing fields. Please include a description of the visual appearance of the tiles (or even best attach pictures).
Also describe decor items that may be placed on tiles in that environment, along with their properties: are they rooted (cannot be moved)? blocking line of sight? indestructible? reacting to collision? causing damage? others?
Let your creativity show!
18
Game Updates & News / Re: Daily Updates
« on: June 30, 2018, 01:33:18 AM »
Sorry to say, but I'm not a big fan of these additions. Too intrusive imho.
19
Share Your Ideas / Re: Spell & Equipment Card Ideas
« on: May 09, 2018, 12:42:41 AM »
Hello,
Here are new ideas inspired by the post on the Shadow.
Fear (ability)
Target enemy turns its back to the Shadow and runs away 3 spaces. Can only be used every other turn.
Sleepwalking (spell)
At the beginning of the caster's turn and until the game is over or the caster is defeated, target enemy moves 3 spaces in a random direction.
Here are new ideas inspired by the post on the Shadow.
Fear (ability)
Target enemy turns its back to the Shadow and runs away 3 spaces. Can only be used every other turn.
Sleepwalking (spell)
At the beginning of the caster's turn and until the game is over or the caster is defeated, target enemy moves 3 spaces in a random direction.
21
Share Your Ideas / Re: Spell & Equipment Card Ideas
« on: March 29, 2018, 12:45:54 PM »
A few new suggestions:
Foresight: Show to the caster the next 3 (?) cards in his deck.
Master Seer: Same as above, but for the caster's deck as well as his opponent(s).
Charged: Next time the targeted character gets attacked with melee, deal damage to the attacker through a lightning bolt. We'd have to decide whether to make it a surprise spell of not. I would propose not, and then to show small electric arcs surrounding the body of the character while charged and until hit.
Supercharged: Same as above, but all surrounding units receive damage through lightning bolt. Only the one having attacked receives more damage than the others. We may even decide that units surrounding the attacker receive damage as well (chain lightning), to give a further edge as a defense spell.
Foresight: Show to the caster the next 3 (?) cards in his deck.
Master Seer: Same as above, but for the caster's deck as well as his opponent(s).
Charged: Next time the targeted character gets attacked with melee, deal damage to the attacker through a lightning bolt. We'd have to decide whether to make it a surprise spell of not. I would propose not, and then to show small electric arcs surrounding the body of the character while charged and until hit.
Supercharged: Same as above, but all surrounding units receive damage through lightning bolt. Only the one having attacked receives more damage than the others. We may even decide that units surrounding the attacker receive damage as well (chain lightning), to give a further edge as a defense spell.
22
Meeting Place / Hero Mages revival
« on: March 28, 2018, 02:38:18 PM »
Hi all!
Since we cannot enjoy the beta of Summoners Fate just yet, I propose to all to join a HERO MAGES live gaming session this Sunday, April 1st!
For former fans, this is a unique opportunity to put a few more hours in this tremendous game, playing with real players, maybe even reconnecting with former friends and foes!
For those who don't know Hero Mages, you can learn first hand what Ross was able to pull out by himself about 10 years ago. There is a "spectator" feature built in, so you can watch games real time (or even replay some). Be sure to install the app beforehand from the Apple store or Google Play, and create an account. And if you're tempted to try the game for yourself, I'm sure we can get a few volunteers to teach you the basics (it's not as easy to learn as Summoners Fate is, but it's sure addictive once you're past that).
So let's meet this Sunday at 2 PM MDT (9PM Western Continental Europe).
Come and join the fun!
Since we cannot enjoy the beta of Summoners Fate just yet, I propose to all to join a HERO MAGES live gaming session this Sunday, April 1st!
For former fans, this is a unique opportunity to put a few more hours in this tremendous game, playing with real players, maybe even reconnecting with former friends and foes!
For those who don't know Hero Mages, you can learn first hand what Ross was able to pull out by himself about 10 years ago. There is a "spectator" feature built in, so you can watch games real time (or even replay some). Be sure to install the app beforehand from the Apple store or Google Play, and create an account. And if you're tempted to try the game for yourself, I'm sure we can get a few volunteers to teach you the basics (it's not as easy to learn as Summoners Fate is, but it's sure addictive once you're past that).
So let's meet this Sunday at 2 PM MDT (9PM Western Continental Europe).
Come and join the fun!
23
Game Updates & News / Re: Daily Updates
« on: March 15, 2018, 11:08:58 PM »
I vote for number 2, as in my opinion it shows more clearly what is going on.
24
Game Updates & News / Re: Dev Log
« on: March 10, 2018, 01:29:40 PM »
You have a point, I didn't think about multiple stacked surprises. Although you still would resolve them sequentially, right?
As for the difficulty of displaying two cards... you're far too modest, my friend!
Anyway, in the end you're right. A simple mention can do the trick for now. It's non-essential stuff at this point. I should apply my own recommendations as far as keeping focus.
Let's table that for future enhancements.
As for the difficulty of displaying two cards... you're far too modest, my friend!
Anyway, in the end you're right. A simple mention can do the trick for now. It's non-essential stuff at this point. I should apply my own recommendations as far as keeping focus.
Let's table that for future enhancements.
25
Game Updates & News / Re: Dev Log
« on: March 10, 2018, 02:51:53 AM »
Ross,
I first saw the ice trap counterspell video on YouTube, without having read your explanatory text yet. I must say that I didn't understand at first that the ice trap was the countered spell. The fact that it is shown AFTER the counterspell is counter-intuitive in my opinion.
In this specific case of the trigerring spell being a surprise itself, I agree that the placeholder "surprise" card should be shown first, but I would then reveal its true nature by showing the ice trap card, and only then display the counterspell card.
I envision an animation like this:
1) Normal surprise animation showing the surprise placeholder card.
2) After a slight delay (to read or recognize the surprise placeholder card), show the actual trigerring spell card, and at the same time show the counterspell card, scrolling from the side of the screen where its caster's team is.
3) When the counterspell card reaches the trigerring spell card, then send it stops and the trigerring spell card gets pushed away to the other side (this is the low-intensive programming version), or it explodes/burns/spins out/etc. (for later development?).
Of course trigerring spells will not always be surprise cards. In the general case of normal spells, only steps 2) and 3) would apply.
Food for thought.
I first saw the ice trap counterspell video on YouTube, without having read your explanatory text yet. I must say that I didn't understand at first that the ice trap was the countered spell. The fact that it is shown AFTER the counterspell is counter-intuitive in my opinion.
In this specific case of the trigerring spell being a surprise itself, I agree that the placeholder "surprise" card should be shown first, but I would then reveal its true nature by showing the ice trap card, and only then display the counterspell card.
I envision an animation like this:
1) Normal surprise animation showing the surprise placeholder card.
2) After a slight delay (to read or recognize the surprise placeholder card), show the actual trigerring spell card, and at the same time show the counterspell card, scrolling from the side of the screen where its caster's team is.
3) When the counterspell card reaches the trigerring spell card, then send it stops and the trigerring spell card gets pushed away to the other side (this is the low-intensive programming version), or it explodes/burns/spins out/etc. (for later development?).
Of course trigerring spells will not always be surprise cards. In the general case of normal spells, only steps 2) and 3) would apply.
Food for thought.
26
Game Updates & News / Re: Daily Updates
« on: March 04, 2018, 03:22:03 PM »
Congratulations to the art team, this sage has awesome looks!!
Oh, and nice pun btw...
Oh, and nice pun btw...
27
Game Updates & News / Re: Daily Updates
« on: January 19, 2018, 10:48:11 AM »
Let's see what #1 is!
28
Share Your Ideas / Development Strategy and Ranking of New Feature Requests
« on: January 14, 2018, 04:43:26 AM »
Hello all,
I've been thinking about how to prioritize new feature requests, and how to expand Ross' development roadmap into the post-worldwide-launch era. In order to determine priority I will stick to the value the feature brings, mostly because I cannot assess the programmation cost. I'm sure Ross will jump in if a given request entails too much work.
Anyway, to determine value for each feature you have to make judgements, and hopefully consistent ones. This is how I got into thinking about development strategy, so as to provide an overarching scale with which to consistently measure value.
This is what I'll be describing in this long post below, so that this community (and of course Ross and Kelly) can weigh in and reach some alignment. Please reply with your comments!
DEFINITIONS
Let's first align on a common terminology. Ross, let me know if these conflict with any of your own documentation, and I will edit this post to not confuse anybody with differing terms.
Game content: characters, spells, environments, missions, classes, etc.
Gameplay:
I've been thinking about how to prioritize new feature requests, and how to expand Ross' development roadmap into the post-worldwide-launch era. In order to determine priority I will stick to the value the feature brings, mostly because I cannot assess the programmation cost. I'm sure Ross will jump in if a given request entails too much work.
Anyway, to determine value for each feature you have to make judgements, and hopefully consistent ones. This is how I got into thinking about development strategy, so as to provide an overarching scale with which to consistently measure value.
This is what I'll be describing in this long post below, so that this community (and of course Ross and Kelly) can weigh in and reach some alignment. Please reply with your comments!
DEFINITIONS
Let's first align on a common terminology. Ross, let me know if these conflict with any of your own documentation, and I will edit this post to not confuse anybody with differing terms.
Game content: characters, spells, environments, missions, classes, etc.
Gameplay:
- type of player (human, standard A.I., other A.I. levels?)
- number of players of each type per game, and whether fixed or not (reinforcements)
- type of game (cooperation, opposition, race...)
- type of player interaction (live, async, de-sync, auto-adapting...)
- starting conditions (number of characters, deck size, limitations...)
- event triggers (number of turns before reinforcements, etc.)
- victory conditions (today's defeat the other Summoner, or defeat the whole party, rout the enemy, survive a number of turns...)
- types of in-game actions possible (adding wall spike capability was the latest addition)
- others that I missed?
Supporting features: forum features, website features, etc.
Monetization: way of making at least enough money with the game to sustain it
STRATEGY
Foundations: This section includes the vision for what D20 Studios will be bringing to the gaming world, the mission of the game development team, and policies (privacy, transparency, quality, refunds, player behavior, etc.).
FIrst things first, I think it comes to Ross and Kelly to express the core values they want to instill in the game and its community. Some features may have to be developed specifically to ensure that these values are maintained, but mostly these values should be guiding how to do stuff.
Here's an example to clarify: if they decide that there should be a fair level of transparency on the financial robustness of the game (as it is a conditions for its continuation), then the in-app purchase section should probably mention it, so that people know how much they're contributing, not only buying a feature. And/or the list of optional gameplay modes could show the next upcoming one and how much it is funded so far. So support for the Transparency foundation has better be thought from the start of developing these parts of the app.
These foundations should not be negotiable, that's why I took them out of the priority list per se.
Priorities:- Marketing - I know that some will jump at having this come on top of the list. I typically wouldn't myself! But the truth is, with the challenge of launching a game as an indie, everything you do is meaningless unless you can let it be known, tell a story, wow people with it, in other words market it, and bring additional people onboard and reach the critical mass. And again, I wouldn't propose this if it wasn't for Ross, because I've seen enough of his work to know that he's certainly not about fluff! He's all about innovation, performance and polishing. And what I intent to include in this Marketing section is any feature which will make the game worth of an editor's pick (Apple Store, Google Play, Steam, or specialized media). Because that level of quality is the best marketing tool you may have. What you don't want is the obscure feature which will avoid game fatigue of some players down the road, and is not a differentiator that will wow an editor. This is merely additional future content, way down the list.
- Building the community (size and spirit) - Because reaching the critical audience mass is absolutely vital to the continuation of the game, I think that a special focus should be given to features helping grow the community. Things like posting your best games from the beta on Facebook, etc, which will entice others to download the game when worldwide launch comes.
- Go-live gameplay, game content, app features, supporting features and monetization - What are the minimum features which will achieve the above goals, meet the Kickstarter promises (400 cards for instance), without shooting too high so that the quality and timing constraints are met?
- Method for creating and balancing content - This will actually have to take place in parallel of creating Go-live content. But I'm showing it separately as its purpose is mostly useful for additional (post Go-live) content. You could always get by using the beta for checking that the game is balanced. Not optimal, but it should work. What I envision however is developing an automated method, and using the beta to check that this process works. This way it can easily be applied to future content with maximum efficiency. As far as the balancing method itself I think it will deserve its own thread.
- Additional gameplay, game content, app features, supporting features, and monetization - Anything else should be pushed back. It doesn't mean it shouldn't be discussed, on the contrary. For good planning, we should be discussing these as well, and organizing them in a continuation of the development roadmap. And in the game itself I think it very important to show the players that there is more to come (grayed out options in the menus for instance), to stimulate their anticipation.
Thanks for reading through all of this, and please voice your comments!
29
Game Discussion / Re: Name our Snakemen Race!
« on: January 11, 2018, 11:38:28 AM »
I like a lot Maltross' suggestion of adding an Egyptian reference.
I would point out however that Set doesn't seem to be associated with snakes. Plus his name might be confusing (even with the alternate spelling Seth), and the Egyptian reference lost to most.
Depending on the personality we want to give to these snake people, we may refer to the protective goddess Wadjet, or the snake god of Chaos Apep (a.k.a. Apophis).
What about "Children of Wadjet", or "Followers of Apophis"?
P.S. Of course one of them would have to wield a khopesh, then!
I would point out however that Set doesn't seem to be associated with snakes. Plus his name might be confusing (even with the alternate spelling Seth), and the Egyptian reference lost to most.
Depending on the personality we want to give to these snake people, we may refer to the protective goddess Wadjet, or the snake god of Chaos Apep (a.k.a. Apophis).
What about "Children of Wadjet", or "Followers of Apophis"?
P.S. Of course one of them would have to wield a khopesh, then!
30
Share Your Ideas / Ranking system
« on: January 06, 2018, 08:27:46 AM »
Adam has already shared on discord some interesting thoughts about deck ranking.
I vote to reinstate the elo-based player ranking for victories, as it was pretty effective with Hero Mages.
But seeing again today the post on "killer bunny", and thinking about all the fun races and spells (polymorph, time spells...) which will be available, I thought: why not add a "fun" ranking?
The idea is to rate after each game how much fun you had playing that opponent/deck. The result goes towards that opponent/deck "fun" ranking.
In a similar line of thought, we may want to add a ranking for tactical mastery. Again the opponent would be the judge of the other's ability to pull off a unique combo, take full advantage of terrain, etc, whatever the final outcome of the encounter was.
Some might go for tactical mastery, caring most about how the battle is fought. Some might think that all means are fair as long as Victory smiles to them. And some may just be all about having fun! Let's have something for everyone.
A few practical comments:
- When I talk about ranking each game, I really envision offering the ability to do so when the game closes. You don't want to have to tell most of the time that the game was average ("average" is most common by definition, right?), but you want to make it extra easy to highlight the remarquable moments.
- The games which led to the highest fun or tactical ratings could be automatically posted to a YouTube channel. This could be a good way to show off Summoners Fate's best moments!
- And if we're going down the game rating path, we could also offer specific markers, such as "Awesome comeback", "Epic failure", etc.
Comments, anyone?
I vote to reinstate the elo-based player ranking for victories, as it was pretty effective with Hero Mages.
But seeing again today the post on "killer bunny", and thinking about all the fun races and spells (polymorph, time spells...) which will be available, I thought: why not add a "fun" ranking?
The idea is to rate after each game how much fun you had playing that opponent/deck. The result goes towards that opponent/deck "fun" ranking.
In a similar line of thought, we may want to add a ranking for tactical mastery. Again the opponent would be the judge of the other's ability to pull off a unique combo, take full advantage of terrain, etc, whatever the final outcome of the encounter was.
Some might go for tactical mastery, caring most about how the battle is fought. Some might think that all means are fair as long as Victory smiles to them. And some may just be all about having fun! Let's have something for everyone.
A few practical comments:
- When I talk about ranking each game, I really envision offering the ability to do so when the game closes. You don't want to have to tell most of the time that the game was average ("average" is most common by definition, right?), but you want to make it extra easy to highlight the remarquable moments.
- The games which led to the highest fun or tactical ratings could be automatically posted to a YouTube channel. This could be a good way to show off Summoners Fate's best moments!
- And if we're going down the game rating path, we could also offer specific markers, such as "Awesome comeback", "Epic failure", etc.
Comments, anyone?