SX Development

[SpoOkyMagician]

Mabuse: Meh, I might be up to it. How many units to you have/plan/estimate to be coded? 25? 50? ...100+?

[Mabuse]

great, spooky

good question.

3 factions (only lvl 2 +3 needed though, i think/maybe one faction will have lvl1's also)
+ bosses

+ some non-faction critters
+ some non-faction bosses

well i think you can assume about 75-100 units ...
maybe less

sounds too much ? - well, you dont need to make them all
also theres some time.

i will set up a basic sheet which units i gonna use and then send you the files

one more point:
----------------
with "mainline balance" i dont mean that the units need to be balanced against a mainline faction in any way.
just keep the stats within certain boundaries, i.e. the damage of a lvl1 unit should not exceed 24 (avaerage woudl be 5-4, 7-3, 10-2). look out for similar mainline units. or similar units in other eras.

you dont need to code abilities or specials, you can insert some ideas how ceratin specials of the units may look like.



welcome abord the sx-rpg team then

as a team member you can also make maps of course and i will try to aid you in that.

i can send you a version of the map also.
more maps are planned, so it may well be that if the progress is quicker than exspected (if i finsihed the SCN.cfg i may also go unit coding)

then we can take on the next map (a new map may take soem weeks though)

if you want to include story elements, new ideas let me know it.



current working title is
"Temple of Bones"

In the far eastern deserts, in a deserted and hostile area. an ancient brotherhood guards the entrance to the temple of bones where an ancient artifact from another dimension is hold.

the players are send out to destroy this artifact

[Mabuse]

btw, spooky, if you are stil interested - the first row of units is ready to be deliverd ... about 50-60 units - i can add more if you want

[SpoOkyMagician]

waiting for your response by PM. (and yes I am.)

[Mabuse]

ok spooky.
believe me, this will be fun designing the new sx map(s) with you.

a little downfall is that i dont have time at the weekends.
so i will now go home, maybe put some more units into the pack and then send it to you.

[Mabuse]

ok, list is out.

btw the number in the filename indicates the level of the creature.

for example if theres a unit like "a2swordshield"

then it is a lvl 2 with a sword (blade) and a shield (impact), the shield is usually weaker than the sword.
ahh, and ATTACK icons are also kinda your part

so find good ones that you can use and that fit, if yu are really in need soem i can send some

[Mabuse]

hey spooky
i got yur messages

first off; i never said you have to complete them in one weekend
I also did unit coding in the past and know its a hard, dry job.
(the fun is only to see the units in action, but that dont help when you have a long list of units to do)

instead it is absolutely wanted that you relax and take as much time as you want.

too much unit coding at one is not good for your health, also it is a pretty dry job.
take your time, thats all i say.

i think i can get the basic map up soon and you get a version of it.
maybe i put in some placeholder monsters, also possible that i code the undead units for myself.

i think its great that you help me, i just say relax and take your time, no need to put yourself on pressure.
as said im interesting in a real sooperation, so we might also give one of your projects a go.

i know that the little details (die, hurt sounds, unsing right sounds, possibly using altered or new sounds ..) can take up time

[SpoOkyMagician]

So, I didn't get anything done yesterday. (I wasn't feeling up to it sorry...) Although, I did test/play sxc with -stf-, lester, pkz, and velot... something like that. (sorry forgetting the name.) Anyway, It was an interesting test. Although, we all died around turn 60ish or so...

Anyhow, I feel 50% better today. (But I am still... nevermind...) I will try to code some more units today. (I also tested the 5 units that I got done the other day and they work fine.) I also asked before in a PM but, I didn't get a response to it. Do I have to worry about the unit names/descriptions? (or do you want to do all that stuff later?) Currently, I just have it as...

Warrior A, Warrior B, Mage A, Mage B, Monster A...
desciption: "this unit needs a description later on... modify this later..."

I can change these if you want or you can. I don't mind either way.

[Mabuse]

Do I have to worry about the unit names/descriptions? (or do you want to do all that stuff later?) Currently, I just have it as...

Warrior A, Warrior B, Mage A, Mage B, Monster A...
desciption: "this unit needs a description later on... modify this later..."

I can change these if you want or you can. I don't mind either way.

is ok like that.
as said i will "final-check" the files anyway, and will add the specials also.

[Mabuse]

Ok, Time for some Teaser pics.

Temple of Bones, RAW Teaser Pics.
(no units, no animated stuff just some map info)


Temple of Bones, 92 x 74 Tiles of challenging SXRPG Fun

Break into the Sanctum:

Explore forgotten Places:

[Mabuse]

some other development notes (for anyone who is interested)

i think (as everybody else does) that reloading seriously sucks and thus i will definately ADD a REVIVE MODE.

at begin of each game the HOST will be able to chose one of the following options:



DEATH MODE
(Dead Players are gone forever. Dead Players leave Chests with a MAXIMUM of 400 Gold, Dead Players dont raise the Creep difficulty)

REVIVE MODE
(Dead Players spawn at starting SHOP. Dead Players keep their Gold (no Chests), Dead Players raise the Creep difficulty)



The differences:

DEATH MODE is like usual SX (as we know it) with 2 exceptions, the Death-chests will contain a maximum of 400 Gold. I make this to prevent the "i let the other players die to get their gold strategy". As a benefit of preventing this Strategy the dead Players dont need to raise the Creep difficulty.

REVIVE MODE is like unlimited Playing Fun (no reload), walking through the half Map can be an annoyance though if you die in late Game since you respawn at starting shop (with 1 HP and 0 Moves left), also Dead Players raise the Creep difficulty - so each Time somebody dies the Game gets harder.



I think this is a worthy addition, since its still about giving a challenge to the players (you still have to beat the Map), but i also want to make the Game as much Fun as it is. By now if somebody dies (happens to the best Players) there will be a reload or the Game is ususally broken. The REVIVE MODE allows to deal with Player Death.

If you dont like REVIVE you can always play the unforgiving DEATH MODE.



This will be implemented as soon as possible



some minor tweaks:
--------------------

- terrain def is raised to 40% if you train a terrain
- add more traits (possibly depending on hero class) to chose from
- more items
- dead bosses will possibly drop minor items
- new spells
- and such


wil be included in 3.7.1 version

[Lester]

some minor tweaks:
--------------------

- terrain def is raised to 40% if you train a terrain
- add more traits (possibly depending on hero class) to chose from
- more items
- dead bosses will possibly drop minor items
- new spells
- and such
wil be included in 3.7.1 version

some minor tweaks, but great idea's!
drop minor items by bosses: +10 def/res for random terrain/type?
placed items: random blank weapon?

[Mabuse]

hi lester, nice to hear from you.
hehe, yes the minor tweaks are able to produce a lot of work though

of course i take your suggetsions into consideration


the def/res items for sure
will be more like in the 5% category though

there will be a new potion type "mana potion" (purple) it will fill up the mana to maximum

new items, will also include "scrolls", which may give a higher mana-recovery rate, or increase the maximum mana
(you see a lot stoff for the mages)


yeah, blank weapons are a great idea -

also just a small pile of extra gold coins (for 1 players only) will be included.



also i plan to place really valuabale weapons as new items.
you might be able to get a berserk/slow sword/axe (sword of the mauler) for example


the value of the dropped items may also depend on the level of the boss




ideas for new traits:

- swimmer (deep and shallow water cost 1 move and have at least 50% def)
- cave explorer (cave terrain and hills cost 1 move and have at least 50% def)

the cave explorer thingy is esspecially useful if you want to explore the caves with something else than a Dwarf
makes possibly more heroes useful.


i wil also leave a few notes in the sxc thread on my thoughts to balance more heroes for sx

[Golbeeze]

In the REVIVE mode, will you retain the stats from just-before-death or will it revert to base?

[Mabuse]

of course you keep your stats.
your hero simply respawns at the starting shop
(the only punishment is tha you have to walk all the way up to join party again AND that creep strengh is raised (also AI leader get a monetray bonus, but i need to think about that in detail - may be only worth in later stages of game OR monetyr bonus depends on the turn number), so i dont recommend to die to often, since it can be that the creep gets too strong then


revive mode works good.
(except that i have to fix the issue if another unit is standing on the starting shop while a unit is revived, if this case the unit on the shop actually gets overridden and thus permanantly removed from the game )
i think its a realy good thing to have.
it fixes the issue like ... "ooops, i died when my 90% ctk failed -- reload ?"



btw, i thought more about the items that bosses should drop.

soemthing that i want to avoid (atm) is "senseless" drops.
so a fire ghost that drops a "mithril glove" doesnt make much sense.
to work around completely randomly drops i would ned to add tags to the bosses which classify them a bit.
this results in even more work.


i think for that reason i will stick with most basic drops.
some extra coins or a potion occasionally have to do it.


i though also about the res/def drops and think they are too powerful.

i may even NERF the actually existing ITEMS. RES Ring for example wil only give 5% armor of each kind.
the special armors (fire armor for example) wil only give +10% resistance of that special kind

also some items will get renamed - ring of resistance will be ring of protection
ring of defense will be ring of agility


that wil also allow to add more items, a "ring of power" for example.

items placed on the map may be more randomized instead



EDIT:
i seriously looking forward testing this all out extensively on the server in the near future, however, thres a crapload of work to do still, and i absolutely want to finish the map first. so all free time goes into developing right now.

looking forward to test the new map with the old crowd.


so i cant join you on the server atm.. weekend is also reserved

spooky rejected from making the units (i can understand that - since its an awful job)
(but someone must finish it nevertheless - i guess i have to do it -



btw, i someone wants to write a MANUAL for SXRPG it woudl be still very great



EDIT2:

i talked in the other thread about rising the slot limit in SXRPG to 15.
i overhtought this (again)
it will stay 14, due of balance between armored heroes.


unarmored heroes (0% positive armor at may level) may get 16 free slots if they dont have at least one 70% defense terrain.

new TRAITS will be:


CAVE EXPLORER (Caves and Hill cost 1 moves and have 50% def (if default is lower))
will replace the +1 strike trait (as it was kinds useless, due to warriors get +1 ranged strike and rangers get +1 melee strike)
good choice if you want to make a cave explorer hero


SWIMMER (shallow water, deep water cost 1 move and have 40% def (if default is lower)
allows to perfom new strategies