Magic & Mercenaries: The Curse of Eternal Darkness

[Flux_Capacitor]

As the old adage goes: the first 90% takes 90% of the development time, the last 10% takes the other 90% of the development time.

 

[dragonx1]

yo is the game still alive????

 

[ProphetSword]

Of course.

 

[ProphetSword]

Since you asked so nicely, here's a current screenshot of the party exploring some burned out ruins in the middle of a forest...

 

[Dorateen]

That looks really gorgeous. The character of the masonry, the trees in the background. It all spells adventure.

 

[ProphetSword]

Maybe the only thing better than a CRPG that gives you choices is a CRPG that also ties those choices to the skill system...

 

[anvi]

This seems way more advanced than I was expecting.

 

[Flux_Capacitor]

Something super minor, but I was wondering if you had a reason for having mana on the left, and health on the right. From what I remember of most old school games, it was the opposite.

 

[ProphetSword]

Something super minor, but I was wondering if you had a reason for having mana on the left, and health on the right. From what I remember of most old school games, it was the opposite.

Mainly because in the Gold Box games, the HP were all the way to the right:

What I've done is aligned things in a similar fashion, but squeezed "Condition" between the name and the armor, and then squeezed "Mana" between the armor and health.

If it bothers people in some major way (you're the first person I've heard even mention it), swapping them would be trivial, so it's something I could do. (I might even make it moddable in some way).

 

[ERYFKRAD]

It struck me as odd too. I mean, I suppose the hp of a character is the first thing I'd like to look at against their name.

 

[ProphetSword]

This screenshot shows the difference in the two mini-maps built into the game:

The small mini-map on the middle left is always on. It moves with the party and shows you your current surroundings.

The larger mini-map, activated by the MAP button, shows a much wider view. The player cannot move while it is activated, but it allows you to take some time to get a better vantage point on what lies in your general vicinity. Useful in some situations where you might want to know what general direction to head to get to a specific point in a dungeon or something (like back to the exit).

BONUS:
This screen also shows that the characters have all gained enough experience and are ready to train to the next level. You will know when this happens when their name turns yellow instead of the usual green. (All this information will likely be documented in a manual that nobody will ever read once the game is released).

 

[The Avatar]

(All this information will likely be documented in a manual that nobody will ever read once the game is released).

If you want people to read the manual, put some manual-based copy protection in there(Type the first word of paragraph x on page y...) or better yet, journal entries.

 

[anvi]

Needs a bigger compass

 

[ProphetSword]

Needs a bigger compass

Can't believe I missed something so obviously important. I think this should serve your needs...

 

[ERYFKRAD]

Actually, if the arrow in the map points my heading, why do I need a compass at all?

 

[ProphetSword]

Actually, if the arrow in the map points my heading, why do I need a compass at all?

I...umm...hadn't thought of that...

To be fair, the compass was put in before the smaller mini-map was made a permanent feature of the screen. The original plan wasn't to have a mini-map available at all times, but over time I came to realize that players will probably get quite a bit of value out of it. So, maybe I'll reconsider the compass.

 

[ERYFKRAD]

Actually, if the arrow in the map points my heading, why do I need a compass at all?

I...umm...hadn't thought of that...

To be fair, the compass was put in before the smaller mini-map was made a permanent feature of the screen. The original plan wasn't to have a mini-map available at all times, but over time I came to realize that players will probably get quite a bit of value out of it. So, maybe I'll reconsider the compass.

There is the consideration of people with eyesight issues of course, but then the screen size could fix that.

 

[Grauken]

Can you make an option that the map at the beginning is covered and only if you step on a square does it get uncovered. I know you follow the Goldbox formula, but its the one thing I really hate about Goldbox games, that they always showed the full map from the start, instead of letting you explore it and discover it square by square.

 

[Ysaye]

(All this information will likely be documented in a manual that nobody will ever read once the game is released).

If you want people to read the manual, put some manual-based copy protection in there(Type the first word of paragraph x on page y...) or better yet, journal entries.

Maybe a more effective way to get people to look at the manual would to be put full page scantily clad female characters 1/3, 2/3 and 3/3 of the way through.....

 

[Dorateen]

Using Might & Magic III: Isles of Terra as an example, you could have a persistent mini-map with an arrow that shows the party facing, as well as compass direction indicated in the center diamond of the adventure screen. Of course, these were spells that could be cast by the player, but it seems this would be a valid approach for first person exploration.

 

[Quilty]

Can you make an option that the map at the beginning is covered and only if you step on a square does it get uncovered. I know you follow the Goldbox formula, but its the one thing I really hate about Goldbox games, that they always showed the full map from the start, instead of letting you explore it and discover it square by square.

Definitely this.

 

[CryptRat]

Can you make an option that the map at the beginning is covered and only if you step on a square does it get uncovered. I know you follow the Goldbox formula, but its the one thing I really hate about Goldbox games, that they always showed the full map from the start, instead of letting you explore it and discover it square by square.

Definitely this.

I tend to like that you can't know where you went and where you didn't go the way it is currently.

 

[ProphetSword]

Changing the map style probably won’t happen.

For one, I have no desire to do it. But also, it would require a huge overhaul and a whole new system to implement, which would suck away time that’s going into content development.

 

[d1r]

This already looks better than Grimoire.

 

[Kalin]

Location: Germany