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Archmage Rises - the play-how-you-want mage simulator - now available on Early Access

Infinitron

I post news
Staff Member
Joined
Jan 28, 2011
Messages
97,228
Codex Year of the Donut Serpent in the Staglands Dead State Divinity: Original Sin Project: Eternity Torment: Tides of Numenera Wasteland 2 Shadorwun: Hong Kong Divinity: Original Sin 2 A Beautifully Desolate Campaign Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire Pathfinder: Kingmaker Pathfinder: Wrath I'm very into cock and ball torture I helped put crap in Monomyth


http://www.archmagerises.com/news/2021/3/12/update-131-meet-new-team-member-josh

Meet the newest team member helping finish Archmage Rises: Josh! Get to know Josh's background a bit, what he's been working on, and the thoughts he'll bring to procedural storytelling.

Josh is currently working remotely until we figure out how to get him into Canada. He’s so excited, he already started packing!

41ib0XZTyKL._SX324_BO1%2C204%2C203%2C200_%5B1%5D.jpg


Here is the book Thomas mentioned about procedural storytelling.

Who knows, maybe when we’re done we should write an in depth book on how we really did procedural design.
 

Infinitron

I post news
Staff Member
Joined
Jan 28, 2011
Messages
97,228
Codex Year of the Donut Serpent in the Staglands Dead State Divinity: Original Sin Project: Eternity Torment: Tides of Numenera Wasteland 2 Shadorwun: Hong Kong Divinity: Original Sin 2 A Beautifully Desolate Campaign Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire Pathfinder: Kingmaker Pathfinder: Wrath I'm very into cock and ball torture I helped put crap in Monomyth


http://www.archmagerises.com/news/2021/4/10/update-132-combat-build-next-week

Combat
The four of us have been working hard on Combat (Build 13) and a taste of it is coming next week!

We’ve creates a series of specific combat scenarios so we can test and tune the combat experience. We’re going to release this as a “game” to see if you can make it through all of them successfully, and to get your thoughts on the experience.

Game Design
I continue to toil away finishing the game design. My goal is to finish May 1. As of today:

30 Significant Features left to design.

WAIT, HAVEN’T YOU HAD 7 YEARS TO DESIGN THIS GAME?!
Er… yes. It has sort of been like shooting the movie while still writing the script.
And about as effective. :-p

There have always been “key features” on a list, such as:
  • Interacting with the Conclave
  • Renegade Mages
  • Army Level Combat
  • Bards
  • Religions
  • Rival Heroes
I know what I want to achieve with them, their purpose within the whole design, but until now the actual feature description has been a bit sparse:
Make it awesome.

A tad difficult to assign to a developer.
Even harder for them to estimate how long it will take. :)

The last several months, most of the team has focused on combat, while I try to figure out the roadmap to completion. I help them with combat, they help me with design, so it’s not as siloed as it sounds.

All of this is in the effort to decide:
  1. Keep - it’s required for release
  2. Free Update - it’s required, but can happen after release
  3. DLC - it’s additional to the experience, can happen after release, and significant enough effort we need to charge for it
  4. Cut - it’s secondary to the experience, and not meaningful enough to pay for it
This game being “my baby”, I want to put everything into #1 Keep column. :) But I’ve been making software and managing projects long enough to know management has to make the tough calls, not push it onto the devs and hope for the best (Looking at you CD Project Red and Cyberpunk 2077).

More to say and more opportunity for you to have your say soon.
FOR THOSE WHO LOVE ORIGIN AND ULTIMA…
through+the+moongate.jpg

An excellent book series on the rise and fall of Origin Systems, Inc. during the 80’s and 90’s has just released. The author split the work into two volumes, probably to double his income. Smart!

The first volume covers Richard, Lord British, up until the launch of Wing Commander and Ultima VI.

The second volume, just released, picks up at Ultima VII The Black Gate until the end.

Really enjoying it! You may too!

Before we go, a Question
Recently the staff have been critical of the video updates. Too long, too boring, meandering babble, watch it at double speed, etc.

I've been thinking of moving back into writing updates.

In about the time it takes to make a video update, I can write an effective, to the point, honest update on the game's progress. Much like the above.

Let’s be honest: It's not like my face is winning me any fans!

I wouldn't stop doing video updates entirely.
I would shift to weekly written updates and video updates every 2-4 weeks to show the game.

Thoughts?
 

Infinitron

I post news
Staff Member
Joined
Jan 28, 2011
Messages
97,228
Codex Year of the Donut Serpent in the Staglands Dead State Divinity: Original Sin Project: Eternity Torment: Tides of Numenera Wasteland 2 Shadorwun: Hong Kong Divinity: Original Sin 2 A Beautifully Desolate Campaign Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire Pathfinder: Kingmaker Pathfinder: Wrath I'm very into cock and ball torture I helped put crap in Monomyth


http://www.archmagerises.com/news/2021/4/16/update-133-build-13-combat-preview-now-available

Build 13 is Almost Here!
Now you can try what we’ve been working so hard on for many months.

This is a work in progress, but complete enough to be engaging, interesting, and show the tactical depth we are trying to bring to the full game’s combat encounters.

There are Five Scenarios to try. The first is relatively simple, giving you several damage and status effects spell, but you have no shield to protect you. Each scenario introduces more aspects of the system, so see if you can beat them all!

How to Play
For those who have pre-ordered, in Steam you switch to the Beta Branch called Testing. It will ask you for a password, and the super secret password is… CombatCombat

SHORTCUT KEYS
  • Cancel current cast - ESC

  • Pass turn, save AP to next turn - Spacebar

  • Cast spell again - Tab

  • Skill Quickbar - 1-6

  • Quit - Alt+F4
Now, with only 34 Bugs!
Last week we had 100 bugs, now only 34. Most of the worst issues have already been solved, so it is playable enough that those who want to try it, can!

Do You Like This Direction?
We’ve greatly expanded your combat options, and hopefully, made combat more engaging and strategic to play. Like where this is going? Drop us a comment!
And It Almost Didn’t Happen…
THE ART OF ART
Last week we had 100 bugs and it looked like this:

combat+build+13+programmer+art.png

Would we be ready for next weekend?

We’ve been using placeholder “programmer art” for months to show terrain type and objects on the battlefield. The systems were coming together, but it looked and played terribly. I haven’t shown it in the update videos. It was never quite ready to show.

A major issue is our main artist, Rogier, is a contractor. Recently, he took a full time gig at a game studio (good for him!). Little had been done on combat the past few months, and he was getting more behind with other commitments. If the past is any indication, it would be months before we get anything, if anything at all.

Do I find another artist? Do I put more pressure on Rogier? If I apply too much pressure, he’ll quit: In my career, I’ve always seen people choose their current commitments over their past ones.

A typical example is the “I’ve been offered a higher paying job somewhere else.” Even if you match the new salary/bonus compensation, they still feel more loyalty to keep the agreement they just made with the new people than to those they’ve been working with for years. (This is an imperfect example because the #1 reason people leave is the people they currently work with. They want a new environment… but the point is still true.)

Rogier is the first person hired to help make Archmage Rises; 7 years ago. It’s not his fault I’ve taken this long to finish the game. It’s not his fault he found a good opportunity and took it. Rogier has been great to work with all along, is really invested in this project, and is very proud to say he’s done all the art in the game.

Enter the new VFX artist: Rubi.

She’s new, she’s hungry, and she’s excited to work on the project. How I found Rubi is a story for another time. For 6 months we’ve had this problem: Each spell needs unique particle effects to really “sell it”. No one on the team is good at particles & shaders. Time spent learning and growing this skill could be valuable, but it is also a huge time sink. Time spent doing VFX is time not spent building features, fixing bugs, and balancing the game. And we’ve got a pile of VFX needs:

vfx+codecks.jpg

We use Codecks to project manage. 57 unique tasks just waiting for someone to tackle them…

Rubi wants to do VFX and technical art. So I asked her to do a test. What would a teleport spell look like? I purposefully kept the instruction vague, because this is game dev.

I received her test a week ago:

vfx+test.gif

Within 5 mins of getting the email, I hired her!

Rubi is also an accomplished 2D artist.

rubi.jpg

I think this is a self portrait…

What to do?

PRINCIPLES ARE DECISIONS YOU MAKE, BEFORE YOU MAKE DECISIONS
I booked a meeting with Rogier early this week to see where he is at. I conveyed our need to ship a build on Friday. And right now, it looks like ass.

He was the first to table that maybe it’s time to get another artist. But, he also reiterated his commitment to this project: he wants to do the work, he thinks he can. He’s just been slammed recently.

Recently at Defiance, we codified our corporate principles. #6 is Loving Respect. Basically treat others the way you want to be treated. Rogier wants to do the work, he’s committing to getting us what we need, and I’d like to continue this relationship. So, I’ll take him at his word. I bet the Build that Rogier would deliver by Friday.

Wednesday… nothing.
Thursday… nothing.

Rogier is 6 hours ahead of us. When I wake up in the morning, he’s almost done his work day.

First thing Friday morning, I check my phone.
Nothing.

TOUGH CALL
I shower and get ready, but all I can think about is what to do.

The team has been pushing hard all week to get the build ready. Do we ship as is?
Do we delay releasing for a week to buy more time?
Do I engage Rubi, if she’s available, as an emergency measure for today, to get a few key elements?

10am, stand-up meeting just finished. I ping Rogier to see what is going on.

He asks me what size to export the terrain tiles. He’s working on Archmage!

MAD DASH
Over the next 4 hours Rogier delivers all the assets we’ve been waiting for! He’s a great artist, and he’s firing on all cylinders! Pieces are flowing in.

Instead of the work I planned to do Friday, I spend the rest of the day integrating all the new artwork into the Build. I polish it up as the coders fix the worst bugs and UX issues. Some of it is still work-in-progress. But in the final few hours, thanks to a loyal dedicated team, we pulled it all together to something presentable.

This Is Game Dev

Here are some samples of how it changed in the final few hours of Friday:

combat+build+13+programmer+art.png

Combat+2021-04-17+12-05-334.png

Combat_2021-04-16_15-43-174.png

Combat+build+13+ver+1.png
 
Joined
Jan 17, 2015
Messages
781
Just clicking this thread, glancing over Infinitron's post about the "new and upcoming features" and the posts saying that this game is never coming out has become my own little codex tradition
 

Infinitron

I post news
Staff Member
Joined
Jan 28, 2011
Messages
97,228
Codex Year of the Donut Serpent in the Staglands Dead State Divinity: Original Sin Project: Eternity Torment: Tides of Numenera Wasteland 2 Shadorwun: Hong Kong Divinity: Original Sin 2 A Beautifully Desolate Campaign Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire Pathfinder: Kingmaker Pathfinder: Wrath I'm very into cock and ball torture I helped put crap in Monomyth
http://www.archmagerises.com/news/2021/4/24/update-134-combat-gauntlet-hotfix-1

UPDATE #134: COMBAT GAUNTLET HOTFIX 1

title+134.jpg

A week later with a new version of the combat gauntlet! Thanks to Dhuran, Willsama974, VIXsigma, dRow, and all the rest that have given us detailed feedback over the last week.

35 OPEN BUGS LAST WEEK, NOW 58… ISN’T THAT BACKWARDS?
As Daniel said this week, “Well, if the fans are noticing it, it’s probably a high priority bug.” as opposed to the ones we have just logged internally. Most, if not all, bugs reported by you have been fixed.

Our internal definition of a bug has changed with the general improvement of the build.

Last week: crashing, stupid, or embarrassing
This week: Doesn’t play well, not clear or is misleading

We resolved all of the crashing/stuck/frozen issues.

Build 13.1 Release Notes
  1. Rebalanced all the monsters, spells, and combat scenarios. Scenario 2 is now more clear and therefore easier to pass.

  2. Reworked weapons significantly. They are much more awesome. Dropped single hand AP cost 3->2, two-handed 5->3. They are now more viable.

  3. Changed the build to run windowed 1600x900. Hope that isn’t a problem, provides greater compatibility to more displays.

  4. Added new VFX to Teleport spell

  5. Revised how the castbox displays. It’s bigger, centered, and appears faster. I love it, hope you do!

  6. Updated Banish, Fly AP values

  7. Added ESC now closes character sheet screens

  8. Revised enemy AI to only attack props in their way getting to the player, not just any prop! (whoops)

  9. Fixed bug with Crossbow in back row

  10. Fixed flying buff bugs

  11. Fixed HP bars not visible when enemy is floating

  12. Removed HP bars from decoration objects, simplifies the combat display. You can still see the HP through the tooltip.

  13. Fixed frozen/crashing after dying and going back to the beginning

  14. Updated Stamina to now use whole numbers, instead of % with decimals. This allows us to change the player’s max stamina based on wellbeing, buffs, and other factors without being weird.

  15. Fixed standing up AP cost: it was setting AP to 3, throwing away AP that was saved up.

  16. Updated combat log to expand easier and scroll nicely

  17. Revised prone/fly camera position for player. It’s not great, but better than it was.

  18. Many other fixes and improvements.
Still To Come
We didn’t quite have enough time for these big changes:
  • We’re implementing an initiative based turn order. The game is about being a solitary mage fighting groups of bad guys. This means you are always outnumbered, and it just doesn’t feel great to cast 2 spells and then get hit 12 times, then cast 2 spells, then get hit 12 times. Soon the player will be able to go more often, based on speed, breaking up the monotony. We’ll see how you like it next week.

  • Couple more spells will get their own VFX
 

ArchAngel

Arcane
Joined
Mar 16, 2015
Messages
19,885
This guy is insane with the feature creep. Only other competitors are our dear Mechjammer devs.
 

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