Did another 10 patches for Warlordocracy, and put a new alpha for Ch.6 up on the Patreon (www.patreon.com/c/lcsoftware). Release date for Ch.6 is mid August. Then the voice acting will begin.
VERSION 8.0:
Finally finished scripting the murder mystery at Frostgate in Ch.6 and I've started on the later maps. Included a bunch of new parallax backgrounds that I will screenshot soon. Opening the manuals in the game menu will now minimize the game, plus a new reward for the Loner rep in Ch.5.
Also added a TON of new original music by Sonic Kitchen for Chapter 6: Lively Hearths, 101 Damnations, March of the One Guy, Waltzing Snowflakes, Desolation of Snow, Cathedral of Ice, Enlightenment of Nomadism, The Deaf Magician, Battle in the Snow, Buttons Bricks and Candlesticks, Victory Laps, Big Bad Brute, Spider's Song, Anvil Song, Defeat Jingle.
I'll continue working on the new maps for a bit and then upload the new Ch.6 alpha to Patreon tonight.
Complete list of changes:
-Seven new tracks from Sonic Kitchen: brute, spiders, snow, monastery, wontonWelcome, dungeon3, defeat2.
-These commands now have optional parameter to play alt versions: "victoryMusic", "defeatMusic", "restingMusic".
-Winning a major battle will now play 2nd victory tune by default (if it exists).
-Added a ton of new parallax backgrounds (from craftpix.net)
-Ernoso now gives you reward for Loner rep at start of Ch.5.
-Opening manuals from game now minimizes the game.
-Added some more Ch.6 dialogue.
-Updated Builder's Manual.
VERSION 7.9:
Fixed a bunch of problems with the Alchemy ability script. Blast bombs are now made from boomdust (like they should be), and boomdust can be derived from fertilizer, nitrate ore, or sulfur ore. Also, sulfur can now be used to make acid as well as boomdust (thanks to Age of Decadence).
Finally killed my first guy in Age of Decadence as a Loremaster (in the first arena fight), and I did it by brewing a bunch of acid flasks from sulfur ore and throwing them at him. Curiously, throwing flasks in Age of Decadence always have 100% chance to hit, which is also true in Warlordocracy. This is probably to make dork scientist classes more viable, which I support.
Also fixed a party selection bug from the previous patch, and allowed scrolling upwards more if a window is open (since the message window is moved to the top of the screen).
Complete list of changes:
-Fixed a lot of bugs with Alchemy ability script, brewing bomb components, etc.
-Fixed bug from previous patch where mouse-drag selection would sometimes not register.
-Fixed bug with changing maps back to back in scripts that would fuck up main party roster (used a lot in Ch.6).
-Blast bombs are now made from boomdust, which can be made from multiple sources (fertilizer, nitrate, sulfur).
-You can now also use sulfur ore to produce bottles of acid with Alchemy ability (thanks to Age of Decadence).
-Allowed scrolling upwards farther if a window is open (inventory, etc.), since messages are moved to top.
-Added some more Ch.6 dialogue.
VERSION 7.8:
Fixed party selection with small mobs like pet cats. Also improved dragging mouse for multi-selection, so if the selection box touches any part of the character it will be selected. Previously, the box had to touch the very center of the tile the character was on.
Also fixed some major problem with the new follow cam option, including artillery targeting. It's a very cinematic mode and I'm thinking about making it the default setting.
Also improved some old dialogue, added more rewards for the Loner reputation, and added new achievements for Ch.6.
Complete list of changes:
-Added more rewards for the Loner rep in Chapters 3 to 5.
-Greatly improved multiple party selection with mouse dragging.
-Fixed bug when selecting small mobs like pets (Y-detection was off).
-Fixed problems with follow camera boundaries while targeting.
-Fixed some bugs with touchscreen party selection.
-Fixed very rare crash related to cursor image.
-New Ch.6 achievements: Skinwalker, Wendigo.
-Improved some old dialogue.
VERSION 7.7:
Got the Steward system working in Ch.6, where you can appoint one of your party members to stay behind at Frostgate Keep to oversee defenses while the main party is out questing. When the keep gets attacked, you can switch control to the appointed Steward to fight the battle and control henchmen outside one of the 3 city gates.
Also fixed Camera Follow mode when targeting with abilities, items, and especially artillery. You can scroll around a little bit while you are targeting, and the camera will linger for a second after launching artillery so you can see the impact before it snaps back to the party. Also fixed some graphical glitches with the cannon from a previous patch.
Finally, when a magical weapon breaks, it will now leave behind an imprinted gemcrack (which you can use with the Overclocking ability to make disposable spell gems).
Complete list of changes:
-You can now set "changeMap" parameter to "player" to go to the map the player is on.
-Implemented Steward system to defend Frostgate in Ch.6 while player is away questing.
-You can now scroll a little bit in Follow Cam mode when targeting with items, abilities, artillery, etc.
-Fixed bug where cannon blast and smoke effects were being played at the target instead of at the cannon.
-Fixed artillery targeting with Follow Cam mode (positions cam and then lingers on impant for a second).
-Fixed inconsistent enemy force growth when buying contracts at Wartable (takes 1 day) in Ch.3-5.
-Fixed merchant factions when using Economics at a Wartable to buy supplies.
-Changed "Student" reputation to "Academic" (sounds more prestigious).
-Magic weapons now leave an imprinted gemcrack when they break.
-New command: "timeUp" to pass time without doing any checks.
-New boolean: "if_mapID" to check for ID of map (1 to 30).
VERSION 7.6:
New option to have the camera follow your first-selected party member, which looks more cinematic and plays easier on a touchscreen.
Also got town raids working for Ch.6, which required a few more script commands and booleans to make it efficient. You can see the new commands below, or in the updated Builder's Manual.
Complete list of changes:
-Added LOTS of new raid scripts for Ch.6 (coming early August).
-Added Camera Follow setting to turn off the free-scroll camera (better for touchscreens).
-New script commands: "pickSpecies", "pickFaction", "pickHostile", "objMobTargetFaction".
-New script booleans: "if_objCountSpecies", "if_objCountFaction", "if_objCountHostile".
-Updated Builder's Manual.
VERSION 7.5:
Font names are now displayed in the menu, and you can add an additional 10 custom fonts into the font folder (20 max).
And, of course, added tons of dialogue and scripts for Ch.6, including raids on the main town that you can decide to help with or ignore. Also new objects like snow piles that accumulate on the map and obstruct movement while it's snowing. You can remove them instantly with a shovel, or spend 1 hour removing them by hand. Also, wolves and dogs can dig up loose dirt and snow instantly now if you are controlling them.
Added some new script commands and fixed some bugs.
Included the Holiday Havoc stories again for America's 250th birthday (we're doing great). Here's a video from that mod testing combat balance between a wyrm and a high-level wizard character.
I will have a new Ch.6 alpha up on Patreon very soon, along with a new pocket notebook of dev notes.
Complete list of changes:
-Included Holiday Havoc story again temporarily.
-Added TONS of new dialogue for Ch.6 (coming this summer).
-Font names are now shown in menu, additional fonts allowed (20 max).
-Digging loose dirt with a shovel now takes 1 hour, digging snow with a shovel is instant.
-Wolves and dogs can now dig up loose dirt and snow piles without a shovel (when in party).
-Fixed "pickParty=6" command, which is supposed to pick a random henchman (not main party).
-You can now use the parameter "if_objCountForces=enemy" to check unit count of all enemy factions on map.
-New command: "defeatMusic" to play defeat tune through once (like "restingMusic" and "victoryMusic").
-New command: "cancelWait" to cancel passing time from waiting or resting (for raids, etc.).
-New object for Ch.6: SnowPile (melt with heat or use shovel to remove).
-Added hemp plants and leafs in Ch.5.
-Updated Builder's Manual.
VERSION 7.4:
Resting and passing time (including travel times) is now MUCH faster. Both the code and party checks script have been streamlined.
Fixed some bugs, including one where mobs weren't changing color if they had more than one status that changed color (poison+disease, for example). Fixed a lot of other little bugs, listed below.
Added a new command, "mapTileReplace", in order to cover maps with snow eventually in Ch.6 after a blizzard starts. It turned out to be too slow for a custom script, doing each tile filename one by one, so I made another command, "mapSnowCover". This will automatically make everything snow tiles and is very fast. I'm still working on the command for future purposes, but it works for the map I need it for in Ch.6 already.
Also added more Ch.6 dialogue, obviously.
Complete list of changes:
-Added TONS of new dialogue for Ch.6 (coming this summer).
-Updated all chapter story files with new item values, etc. from previous patches.
-Rearranged party checks script to make resting/waiting a lot faster, including travel wait times.
-Fixed bug where mobile color wouldn't change with more than one status effect (like both diseased and poisoned).
-Fixed bug where all noble interiors looked dusty in Ch.2 (only exiled House Tevani should be dusty).
-New special autosaves for the start of each chapter: "Chapter 1 Start", "Chapter 2 Start", etc.
-New script command: "mapTileReplace" (replace all tiles of given filename to another filename).
-New script command: "mapSnowCover" (replace non-snow tiles with snow tiles, very specific).
-New objects for Ch.6: steam engine, electric light.
-Added overlays to Jawala's Tower maps in Ch.4.
-Fixed bug with Mental Blast spell script.
-Updated Builder's Manual.
VERSION 7.3:
Almost entirely just crunching on Ch.6 dialogue.
Also fixed a rare world editor crash if you deleted a character who had a pet in its inventory, added new objects for Ch.6, including a strong Culian performance enhancing drug called Hillblood, enlarged the loose dirt sprite so it covers larger items, and updated the ending slides for Ch.5 a bit.
Complete list of changes:
-Added TONS of new dialogue for Ch.6 (coming this summer).
-New script command: "callScriptMap" (runs current map's script).
-Fixed very rare crash in world editor when deleting a mobile that was carrying a pet.
-Made the looseDirt sprite bigger to cover more items.
-New item for Ch.6: Bottle of Hillblood (Culian drug).
-New objects and sprites for Ch.6: gore, rugBear.
-Updated ending slides in Ch.5 a bit.
VERSION 7.2:
Fixed a bug where you couldn't target items if they were on same tile as a shadow (which I really only use to represent a bridge on a map that is supposed to be upstairs from current map). Also added new Culian baddies/henchmen for Ch.6 and I'll put a new Ch.6 alpha on the Patreon in a few minutes.
Gotta start the day job again tomorrow, but new patch next weekend.
Complete list of changes:
-Setting "selSizeX" or "selSizeY" to -1 will now disable cursor selection.
-Fixed bug where floor shadows would prevent cursor from targeting other objects on same tile.
-New Culian units for Ch.6: Culian Warrior, Culian Warden, Culian Druid (also contracts).
-Added some new dialogue for Ch.6 (coming this summer).
VERSION 7.1:
Prices of iron and steel weapons were way too low compared to food, so now they are all more expensive, and they require more resources to craft. It shouldn't change the game too much, because most players spend money on food, contracts, and rare items (not weapons, which can be found everywhere).
Also, new steel crossbow weapon that you can craft with Mechanics ability, Smithing ability, and 10 Education. You won't be able to find one anywhere. Also new horseshoe items you can throw, but I haven't added them into the game yet (next patch).
New script command to set player's wealth to a percentage of current wealth, so that wealth can get cut in half when you start Ch.6. Also all food and contracts in your inventory will expire due to 20 years passing.
Mostly I'm still just crunching on Ch.6 dialogue and quests. Gotta start day job again on Monday, but I should have a new patch out on Wednesday.
Complete list of changes:
-Tweaked lots of item and food prices.
-New throwable item: horseshoes (will add to older chapters later).
-New weapon: steel crossbow (only obtainable by crafting with Mechanics ability).
-Greatly increased value of most metal weapons, as well as materials required to craft.
-New script command: "wealthPercent" to set party's wealth to percent of current wealth.
-Starting Ch.6 now cuts your wealth in half using new command.
-Fixed bug where steel shovels had the wrong item properties.
-Added TONS of new dialogue for Ch.6 (coming this summer).
