Update - June 17

[BasiliskWrangler]

I was just sitting here drinking coffee and thought "I should post an update on the forums". So I am.

Nothing worth posting to the front page, just a message letting you core fans know that I am working hard as ever on the new game. We've made some great progress, though game content just feels like it takes forever. Like, I spend weeks working on one area, and when it's complete I look back on it and think "damn, I just spent 4 weeks on an area that might represent 20 minutes of gameplay". But I do think the content creation process is speeding up, as I am able to reuse some objects and elements from different areas of the game.

And then there's the perfectionist in me- this past week I spent most of my time updating some character animation that bothered me. I really need to learn to let cosmetic issues rest until I am done with core game content, but in my defense I wasn't sure if this animation would end up in the trailer and I want it to look cool.

Let's see, since the last update I've also worked on combat visual effects as well as some physical effects (like getting stunned or disabled). I'm also starting to make combat stat tweaks as some imbalances are starting to show (mostly tweaking the Eschalon-era combat functions to support a 4-member squad).

Oh, and I added a notification (a little star icon in an item's description) for when you find a item that is better than the lowest equipped comparable item in your squad. So let's say a two of your squad members are using beam weapons, and you find a new beam weapon which is better than what one of the members is using, it'll have a gold star in the description. I did this because in traditional fantasy RPGs, we've all become pretty used to knowing that two-handed sword is better than a long sword, but in a sci-fi game, how do you know if the SP7 'Sucker Punch' Rifle is better than the Multibeam Shotgun (other than picking it up and having to swap compare stats)? Now you get a little star icon to help you.

So yeah, there's still a lot to do but I am making headway. I was hoping to have a trailer / game announcement this summer, but it is looking like this fall right now. We'll see.

[blatherbeard]

Thanks for the heads up! Sounds like its gonna be fun.

And if youre a dad, Happy Fathers Day! if not, Happy Fathers day to your dad and all other dads.

[Arkos]

Looking forward to hearing more in the future!

[john1v6]

(mostly tweaking the Eschalon-era combat functions to support a 4-member squad)

Ooh, a party of adventurers! Is this a new bit of information about the game, or did I miss an earlier update that mentioned it?

[Randomizer]

Oh, and I added a notification (a little star icon in an item's description) for when you find a item that is better than the lowest equipped comparable item in your squad. So let's say a two of your squad members are using beam weapons, and you find a new beam weapon which is better than what one of the members is using, it'll have a gold star in the description. I did this because in traditional fantasy RPGs, we've all become pretty used to knowing that two-handed sword is better than a long sword, but in a sci-fi game, how do you know if the SP7 'Sucker Punch' Rifle is better than the Multibeam Shotgun (other than picking it up and having to swap compare stats)? Now you get a little star icon to help you.

Thanks for this feature.

It took Jeff Vogel a long time before he added a feature to let players see the stats for a new item and at the same time see it for the comparable equipped item to decide which was better. It's not always a straight choice if there are other factors besides damage or protection.

[Painted Lady]

I was just about to post something asking for an update, and lo and behold here is an update. Very exciting news and can't wait for the trailer!

[MyGameCompany]

Oh, and I added a notification (a little star icon in an item's description) for when you find a item that is better than the lowest equipped comparable item in your squad. So let's say a two of your squad members are using beam weapons, and you find a new beam weapon which is better than what one of the members is using, it'll have a gold star in the description. I did this because in traditional fantasy RPGs, we've all become pretty used to knowing that two-handed sword is better than a long sword, but in a sci-fi game, how do you know if the SP7 'Sucker Punch' Rifle is better than the Multibeam Shotgun (other than picking it up and having to swap compare stats)? Now you get a little star icon to help you.

I like how Battle Chasers: Nightwar does it. It shows all of the affected stats and bonuses (positive changes in green, negative changes in red).



That would be more useful than just a *

[CrazyBernie]

(mostly tweaking the Eschalon-era combat functions to support a 4-member squad)

Ooh, a party of adventurers! Is this a new bit of information about the game, or did I miss an earlier update that mentioned it?

It's not new information, but then again there's not much information out there yet. BW has talked on and off in the forums about making the next game party based (there might even be a poll around here somewhere), as well as things like the aspect (first person vs three-quarter-overhead).


I really like how Diablo 3 console version (I have the PC version as well, but the wife won't play PC games with me... >.>) handles the equipment, with 1-3 red or green arrows for the offense/defense/health aspects of the character's stats. It makes it pretty easy to weed out the vendor/salvage trash unless its of legendary quality (then you have to look at the special effects to decide).

d3inventory.JPG (42.53 KiB) Viewed 4355 times

[Kreador Freeaxe]

I just want a multibeam shotgun.

[BasiliskWrangler]

I had a lengthy meeting this past weekend with one of my lead testers (a guy who has helped with everything I've done since Book I) and he gave me some much needed feedback on the interface. Due to the nature of TRC not being a "traditional fantasy" RPG, it is more important than ever that we give the player extra feedback on the process of character building. Visual cues on stat improvement, like the screen caps that @CrazyBernie and @MyGameCompany shared, is definitely the direction we're heading.

If any aspiring game designer is reading this: always have outside, trusted people give your early game a play and listen to them. If you find yourself having to explain some aspect of the game to them, then something is wrong with your design!

[Painted Lady]

Your interface design has always been top notch, and the games are unusually intuitive to play. It's really nice not having a huge learning curve between the player and the game. Keep up the good work! Your instincts (including getting advice from others) are a big reason for your success.