7 Mages - turn-based blobber where you play a party of mages

[aweigh]

I think that's a good idea. It doesn't have to be loot. One very quick example: if the only way to unlock a character class in Elminage was to a puzzle-heavy theme dungeon. I wouldn't mind that at all!

This same philosophy applies to every facet of the dungeon crawler: as long as the reward is worth it the player with agree with game to learn how to best "play it". The "reward" doesn't have to be loot.

I realize now that the main and primary reason I dislike complex "Adventure game-style" puzzles embedded inside pure dungeon crawls is because they're almost ALWAYS used to gate the player and not to reward them.

 

[V_K]

I think that's a good idea. It doesn't have to be loot. One very quick example: if the only way to unlock a character class in Elminage was to a puzzle-heavy theme dungeon. I wouldn't mind that at all!

That still means the puzzle is optional, while the fighting isn't. I prefer parity, like e.g. in Quest for Glory games.

I was asking which banner goes where since the game leaves it at trial and error with a whole bunch of backtracking.

Basically, each banner goes to nearest pad, and if I'm not mistaken you should never pass a bones plate on your way from the banner to the relevant pad.

Spoiler

IIRC the red banner is for eastern pad, the green one is for western pad and the blue one is for third pad (I forgot where it is exactly). However, to get to the final area you have to split your party and have one character plant the blue banner into the western pad, while the rest are waiting at the jaw.

 

[aweigh]

OK, i can respect that. BTW, i was never "flaming" you or anything just in case you were wondering. I think you're one of the most level head persons engaging with me in conversation in these forums recently!

If I was making a turn-based blobber right now, man, I'd be basically like this:

- Game zones straight into character creation using a question-based system like in Ultima; no backstory, no explations yet.
- 2D World Map screen with multiple "points" of interest spread across the continents of this world; some greyed out.
- Player chooses from the initial available locations, each one a city with an accompanying "introductory" dungeon and "story mission" to explain why the have to clear it. Each one of the initial cities' introductory dungeon mission varies in difficulty and execution of design philosophy from the other.
- After all are cleared the player is allowed access to some event location [insert something interesting here] and after this event the player is free to visit ALL of the remaining points of interest, some of which will be cities; some purely dank dungeons; and some cities WITH dungeons.
- Each city would have its own story and coherent reason for needing help or whatever, and there would be lots of political intrigue between each city/town/ruler. Clearing some dungeon missions would lock out the player from doing warrion faction cities missions; but this element would be minimal as I would want maximum playing time for the player. Therefore these decisions would be "game-changing".
- City interfaces and interaction would be straight Wiz-clone style.
- Combat, classes, and general "game play" would be a mix of the best things of Wiz 1-5 and the best things from Elminage.
- There would be NPCs to recruit in random places or random cities, each with a story and class thereby giving the player the option to utilize "companions" or travel always with their generated characters. The player would have 100% freedom of course so if one wanted to murder them for equipment by all means.
- Dungeon design would be wildly varied with an emphasis on three philosophies of design: some dungeons would underground and be straight out of Wiz 1-5; some would be Bradley-ish and probably in "themed area" and probably outdoors; and some would be "wildcard" dungeons that would hopefully be original and memorable and intended to be specific homages or "styles".
- Perma-death would be forced, thereby giving actual meaning to the decision to have "story companions" available.
- Instead of struggling with trying to decide what type of save system to implement the game would hard-save the game state every 30 minutes. (This part is open for debate in this fantasy of mine).

 

[V_K]

I mixed flame with flood, sorry. Been too long since I used any of those terms.
TBH, if I were to design a game, it wouldn't be exactly a blobber but more of a mix of Myst and Quest for Glory - open world, no combat, puzzles with alternative solutions that depend on you character's abilities. Maybe some traps and survival elements.
Blobber-wise I think Legacy: Realms of Terror did it quite right (except that it wasn't technically a blobber since it only had one character) - battles were very hard to win head-on (though doable, if you didn't run out of resources - whic were extremely limited), but each enemy could also be defeated in a puzzle-like way that would make them trivial (e.g. fire elementals could be killed with fire extinguisher, zombies would stop attacking if you carried a certain totem etc.), and you could always just try to sneak past the enemy. I would probably also add reverse challenges: puzzles that were very hard to solve without help, but you could fight battles to get clues.

Instead of struggling with trying to decide what type of save system to implement the game would hard-save the game state every 30 minutes.

Implementing any sort of save restrictions on modern PC is pointless, since you can't stop the player from making backups.

 

[Mustawd]

I mixed flame with flood, sorry. Been too long since I used any of those terms.
TBH, if I were to design a game, it wouldn't be exactly a blobber but more of a mix of Myst and Quest for Glory - open world, no combat, puzzles with alternative solutions that depend on you character's abilities. Maybe some traps and survival elements.
Blobber-wise I think Legacy: Realms of Terror did it quite right (except that it wasn't technically a blobber since it only had one character) - battles were very hard to win head-on (but doable), but each of them had also a puzzle-like solution that would make them trivial (e.g. fire elementals could be killed with fire extinguisher, zombies would stop attacking if you carried a certain totem etc.), and you could always just try to sneak past the enemy. I would probably also add reverse challenges: puzzles that were very hard to solve without help, but you could fight battles to get clues.

Instead of struggling with trying to decide what type of save system to implement the game would hard-save the game state every 30 minutes.

Implementing any sort of save restrictions on modern PC is pointless, since you can't stop the player from making backups.

Fuck hard puzzles in the asshole. I just hate them.

 

[aweigh]

well if the player is willing to make backups that's none of the developers concerns. might as well worry over the player using the game disc as a frisbee, you know what i'm saying? one can only implement what one can implement; go with your gut as they say. better to do what you think best serves the vision of the game than break the authorial contract with the player.

 

[V_K]

Fuck hard puzzles in the asshole. I just hate them.

Well, that's a sentiment I largely have about hard combats, but here we are.

 

[Mustawd]

Like you said. Agree to disagree. No sense in starting a "I like XYZ in games so it should be better" flame war.

 

[V_K]

 

[Sykar]

This game looks really nice. Might buy it today and test it out myself. How far can you play in the game? Just a few initial areas or is it pretty advanced already?

 

[V_K]

This game looks really nice. Might buy it today and test it out myself. How far can you play in the game? Just a few initial areas or is it pretty advanced already?

Early access version is a full game, just not optimized for PC.

 

[Sykar]

This game looks really nice. Might buy it today and test it out myself. How far can you play in the game? Just a few initial areas or is it pretty advanced already?

Early access version is a full game, just not optimized for PC.

Is it a big game? Lots to explore?

 

[V_K]

Is it a big game? Lots to explore?

Roughly 25-30 hours, give or take, depending on how good you are with puzzles.
On the plus side: the first half of the game is completely open, areas are all very different both visually and mechanically (e.g. you get an underwater level, a level in the insides of a dead dragon, a level where you get to fly a rather clumsy dragon etc.)
On the minus side: next to no optional content, second half of the game is completely linear.

 

[Nyast]

I'd love to play, unfortunately I have an Azerty keyboard, and the developer didn't think it'd be high priority on a PC port to make his game work on non-qwerty keyboards. Remapping keys doesn't work, and switching to a en/us layout in Windows doesn't work either. Fuck it. I want to be spanked by mind-boggling puzzles too

 

[V_K]

You can use the arrow keys instead of wasd. It's less convenient, but works.

 

[agris]

I'd love to play, unfortunately I have an Azerty keyboard, and the developer didn't think it'd be high priority on a PC port to make his game work on non-qwerty keyboards. Remapping keys doesn't work, and switching to a en/us layout in Windows doesn't work either. Fuck it. I want to be spanked by mind-boggling puzzles too

Check out AutoHotkey, you can remap anything.

 

[V_K]

Finished it today. The economy does break in the later levels, but still lasts longer than in most games. Also, the balance isn't very good, Sawyer won't be happy - there's some madly overpowered stuff. Like "Autowin button" level overpowered. Me and another player are now trying to convince the devs to nerf it a bit.
Overall, I'd rate it at
If they fix the balance, economy and translation while in EA, could be a 9/10. And if the make an Enhanced Edition with a couple of optional areas and more vaired encounters, could eventually become a 10/10.

 

[Sykar]

I think that I read in the forum that there is a buff which lets you go first and gives extra attacks. Just the sound of it feels broken.

 

[V_K]

I think that I read in the forum that there is a buff which lets you go first and gives extra attacks. Just the sound of it feels broken.

Yes, that's one thing that needs a lot of nerfing. The good news is you get it only about 1/3 through the game, and it takes a couple more levels after that to unlock higher grades, when it really gets into automatic win territory.

 

[Deleted Member 16721]

This looks great. You guys realize it's coming to Android as well? Should instantly be one of the better dungeon crawlers on Android currently. Should be fun.

 

[Reapa]

Finished it today. The economy does break in the later levels, but still lasts longer than in most games. Also, the balance isn't very good, Sawyer won't be happy - there's some madly overpowered stuff. Like "Autowin button" level overpowered. Me and another player are now trying to convince the devs to nerf it a bit.
Overall, I'd rate it at
If they fix the balance, economy and translation while in EA, could be a 9/10. And if the make an Enhanced Edition with a couple of optional areas and more vaired encounters, could eventually become a 10/10.

you don't just give out 10/10s like that. translation fix doesn't solve missing narration and/or missing conversations.
the game features virtually no loot at this point. you get some 10 magical staffs of the exact same kind in one area and some 10 sledgehammers in another. almost no armor at all. haven't seen any uniques so far. so itemization is also definitely a problem.
the game also features no lore, no item descriptions for a lot of items.

This looks great. You guys realize it's coming to Android as well? Should instantly be one of the better dungeon crawlers on Android currently. Should be fun.

drag and drop on mobile along with fucking long loading times don't make it a good example of an android game. and yes, i am aware there are no good examples of android games. i'm just saying this one also doesn't cut it.

 

[V_K]

the game features virtually no loot at this point. you get some 10 magical staffs of the exact same kind in one area and some 10 sledgehammers in another.

There is loot in the last two levels, problem is by that point you have so much money that you've probably already bought everything you wanted.
Personally, I don't have a problem with having to buy equipment. If anything, I would change it in the other direction - i.e. make it so that enemies would only drop consumables or money.
The game could do with another tier of quipment, though, that I agree with.

haven't seen any uniques so far.

There is one unique set of armor you get throughout the later levels (Beholder's everything) and one unique battle staff. Maybe something else I've forgot.

I guess I just don't care much (or even at all) about loot. QfG games were perfect for me, and they had virtually none.

 

[Infinitron]

V_K You reckon I should Codex Curate this?

 

[V_K]

Once it gets out of EA - sure.
At the moment it's a bit too rough around the edges to present it to the wider audience. :D

 

[Lord Azlan]

I missed this thread from last year. Recent posts have got me quite excited.

Steam reviews are mostly positive with some remarks about a level where you can't wear armour making me very curious.

I think I will get it and have a good look at it.

Question - why isn't there a Blobber section in the forums to help the combat fags find their way?