KickStarter Solasta Pre-Release Thread [GAME RELEASED, GO TO NEW THREAD]

[whydoibother]

Neverwinter Nights, a game from 20 years ago

...made by a team of about 150 people (not counting the publisher staff). As opposed to Solasta's 30 (or was it 20? Can't bother to check).

... made by a team of mostly amateurs and interns, before modern tools streamlined video game development. I am not a published game developer, but the kind of "level editor" they are showing us here is something I specifically have done in Unity while playing around with that system. Its just a 2D plane, in which you place tiles, and then this map is translated into a 3D level to play through. Its not something you need 150 people and years of development to do, it something a beginner can do in a month, only working on weekends.

...because the development of the actual game clearly doesn't take up any resources at all.

... because this is a charity and them overpromising and underdelivering is not in any way their fault. I mean, not like we paid them.

 

[V_K]

Neverwinter Nights, a game from 20 years ago

...made by a team of about 150 people (not counting the publisher staff). As opposed to Solasta's 30 (or was it 20? Can't bother to check).

... made by a team of mostly amateurs and interns, before modern tools streamlined video game development. I am not a published game developer, but the kind of "level editor" they are showing us here is something I specifically have done in Unity while playing around with that system. Its just a 2D plane, in which you place tiles, and then this map is translated into a 3D level to play through. Its not something you need 150 people and years of development to do, it something a beginner can do in a month, only working on weekends.

...because the development of the actual game clearly doesn't take up any resources at all.

... because this is a charity and them overpromising and underdelivering is not in any way their fault. I mean, not like we paid them.

...because they're obviously forcing you to buy their game with a gun to the head.
Besides, level editor was not a part of the kickstarter pitch.

 

[whydoibother]

Neverwinter Nights, a game from 20 years ago

...made by a team of about 150 people (not counting the publisher staff). As opposed to Solasta's 30 (or was it 20? Can't bother to check).

... made by a team of mostly amateurs and interns, before modern tools streamlined video game development. I am not a published game developer, but the kind of "level editor" they are showing us here is something I specifically have done in Unity while playing around with that system. Its just a 2D plane, in which you place tiles, and then this map is translated into a 3D level to play through. Its not something you need 150 people and years of development to do, it something a beginner can do in a month, only working on weekends.

...because the development of the actual game clearly doesn't take up any resources at all.

... because this is a charity and them overpromising and underdelivering is not in any way their fault. I mean, not like we paid them.

...because they're obviously forcing you to buy their game with a gun to the head.
Besides, level editor was not a part of the kickstarter pitch.

Right now the game says "level editor inside", and there's only the most basic thing. I don't understand why you are being such a contrarian shit about this, the level editor presented is sparser than what RTS games get.

 

[Mortmal]

Dont want to derail the discussion, but were the save turned incompatible in some latest build ? Seems i cannot load anything. I am pretty sure they said we could keep playing where we stopped.

 

[whydoibother]

Dont want to derail the discussion, but were the save turned incompatible in some latest build ? Seems i cannot load anything. I am pretty sure they said we could keep playing where we stopped.

Yes, but you can change your version to the older one, and continue your save there. They released a video on how to do it with the last patch notes, I think.

 

[Mortmal]

Dont want to derail the discussion, but were the save turned incompatible in some latest build ? Seems i cannot load anything. I am pretty sure they said we could keep playing where we stopped.

Yes, but you can change your version to the older one, and continue your save there. They released a video on how to do it with the last patch notes, I think.

So if i want to play release build i will have to start from scratch again...Big annoyance, there's not so much to do with builds to warrant a replay through act 1.

 

[V_K]

Right now the game says "level editor inside"

Where?

I don't understand why you are being such a contrarian shit about this, the level editor presented is sparser than what RTS games get.

Quite frankly, I was initally just reacting to a retarded comparison of a 150-person publisher-backed AAA studio with a 20-strong indie, then got carried away a bit.

 

[Acrux]

Dont want to derail the discussion, but were the save turned incompatible in some latest build ? Seems i cannot load anything. I am pretty sure they said we could keep playing where we stopped.

Yes, the big update from a couple of weeks ago broke saves. They had announced that would happen, but they've also said that's the only time it would happen.

 

[Mortmal]

Dont want to derail the discussion, but were the save turned incompatible in some latest build ? Seems i cannot load anything. I am pretty sure they said we could keep playing where we stopped.

Yes, the big update from a couple of weeks ago broke saves. They had announced that would happen, but they've also said that's the only time it would happen.

Nothing i can do, but not pleased with it.

 

[Reinhardt]

People only hate elves due envy.

The only envious here is you.

 

[Multi-headed Cow]

That was a fucking trip. Click the thread to see if there's any new info on when it's hitting version 1.0 and I can pull my dick out, and instead I'm greeted with slavery and just about the only box set I ever owned. Even then I think I've probably lost the goofy CD, only one I've still got the box for though. Know I had a Ravenloft boxed set but not only did I lose the box over the years I don't even seem to have any of the books on my shelves any more, only have the tarokka deck left. Unexpected nostalgia hit though. If I post this and then look at the final page in the thread and see a fucking Skyrealms of Jorune book or GURPS Discworld I'm losing it.

I really wanted this to be at least on par with Neverwinter Nights, a game from 20 years ago.

I'm with you there, but since Solasta wasn't really pushing for an editor or showing it as a big banner feature (Unlike NWN) I'm not too bothered. It bugs me that no other RPG has gone back to the sweet spot NWN hit of usability and depth, though. Only one where a casual person could quite reasonably make good and fun adventures over a few weekends, but if you really wanted to go neckbearded you could do all kinds of cool shit with it. NWN2 ruined the balance by making even the most basic shit take forever, which I know that opened up the door for a lot more options (Painting the ground instead of just snapping in Legos) but that kills the lone dude doing a bit here and there for fun. Even ignoring my unreasonable burning hatred of playing NWN2 because the UI somehow sends me into a rage, after dumping a fucking ton of time into NWN1 fucking with my own modules and doing scripting for other people I skipped NWN2's editor after a few days.

Got off on a rant but yeah, Solasta's dungeon crawler isn't the focus like the editor was for NWN so it would be NICE if people could do more with it, but if not then it's easy to ignore. Alternatively it might reach a decent spot where people can make fun combat encounters with it, and you'll be without storyfagging entirely and can shoot pure combatfaggotry into your veins supplied by the community. Might be alright.

 

[The_Mask]

Taken from their Discord:

Hello there folks, As we are approaching the full release, we're looking for volunteers to help give feedback on the game's balance.

As we've explained in the past, while the dev team is doing their best to give you the most enjoyable experience possible at launch, we're also very very used to playing our own game - meaning that we do not necessarily have the same approach than a regular player would.

As you'll be doing multiple runs to try out different iterations of our balance patches and send us feedback, be aware that this may very well impact the enjoyment you'll get from the final release. So don't force yourself to apply if you're concerned it might suck the fun out the game for you!

If you're still interested, please send us a mail at TacticalAdventuresGames@gmail.com with "Balancing Application" in the title, briefly explaining why you're interested to volunteer and your Discord ID (you can find it on the bottom left of your screen, you need to have the numbers as well. For instance, mine would be Myzzrym#2108). We'll then send you a NDA for you to sign before adding you to the Discord channel.

Note: Every profile is welcome - from those who play the game in hardcore Cataclysm mode and who know D&D from inside out, to those who enjoy playing the game more casually and are just getting into D&D.

I tried to format just like their Discord post, but I may have failed somewhere in there. I'm sure you guys get the point(s).

 

[Larianshill]

I wonder if they'll fix Spiritual Weapon.

 

[Myzzrym]

I wonder if they'll fix Spiritual Weapon.

We already explained that it's a technical limitation here.

Summon Spiritual Weapon: Bonus Action
Attack with Spiritual Weapon: Bonus Action
Only exception, the turn where you summon the Spiritual Weapon - meaning we'd have to develop a workaround just for Spiritual Weapon (instead of working on other stuff or fixing bugs)

Also... we all know that Spiritual Weapon is a very strong spell as it's not concentration, so it's not like that unintended nerf is going to make it completely useless either :p

 

[Cryomancer]

If playing till the moment where the EA ends took about 15~20 hours, how many hours I could expect on full release? Will the launch include more of the amazing Solastan subclasses? I was thinking that the lack of class diversity would be the greatest problem of Solasta, but when I saw the subclasses, got surprized. Solasta devs traded quantity for quality.

 

[Myzzrym]

We're hoping that the full game would take somewhere around 35-40h with sidequests and all

No more subclasses for launch!

 

[Larianshill]

Thank you for making Marksman.

 

[fantadomat]

We're hoping that the full game would take somewhere around 35-40h with sidequests and all

No more subclasses for launch!

Sooo it is like 15 hours then,ok,pretty short.

 

[Cryomancer]

And Shock Arcanist. I really enjoyed a class focused in evocation the unique useful 5e spell school.

Sooo it is like 15 hours then,ok,pretty short.

They aren't AAA 300 dev developers. And they will include a dungeon creating tool which can extend the gameplay by IDK how much hours.

 

[fantadomat]

They aren't AAA 300 dev developers. And they will include a dungeon creating tool which can extend the gameplay by IDK how much hours.

Nigga when was the last time there was a AAA rpg lol. Underrail is an indi,ELEX is a AA,ATOM is an indi,Spellforce3 is AA,etc etc. All those games are longer than 15 hours,not being a AAA is not an excuse for being 15 hours lol. Just look at fucking vagrus - the riven realms,it is an amazing indi and have more than 50 hours of top tier quality content.

 

[Lacrymas]

I'm gonna use the dungeon maker tool to make tabletop maps. Print Screen + Paint to the rescue! Also - Baldur's Gate 3 is AAA (?)

 

[fantadomat]

I'm gonna use the dungeon maker tool to make tabletop maps. Print Screen + Paint to the rescue! Also - Baldur's Gate 3 is AAA (?)

Yes,but it is not out and it will be shit when it is released. Solasta looks a lot better than it too,i am a lot more interested in solasta than bg3.

 

[Ontopoly]

And Shock Arcanist. I really enjoyed a class focused in evocation the unique useful 5e spell school.

Sooo it is like 15 hours then,ok,pretty short.

They aren't AAA 300 dev developers. And they will include a dungeon creating tool which can extend the gameplay by IDK how much hours.

And this will lead to any future projects they make in the same engine. The future is looking bright, even though realms beyond is gone.

 

[Infinitron]

Here we go: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/tacticaladventures/solasta-crown-of-the-magister/posts/3160702

Solasta graduates from Early Access on May 27th!

Hey there folks! We weren't lying last week when we said that you'd get to know the launch date of Solasta soon :D


Solasta is graduating from Early Access!
On May 27th 2021 after a little more than 7 months in Early Access, Solasta will finally launch its 1.0 version with all the promises made during our Kickstarter Campaign! What a ride it has been, from the small prototype made by the hands of Mathieu Girard (our CEO and Creative Director) in Summer 2018, to the core team of Tactical Adventures shaping up end of 2018, to our Kickstarter Campaign and Ruins of Telema Demo in Summer 2019, to our Early Access launch in Autumn 2020... all of this leading to full release in Spring 2021!

And we wouldn't have made it this far without you, our community, supporting Solasta in your own ways - whether by backing us on Kickstarter, buying the game on Steam / GOG, giving feedback and reporting bugs to help us improve the game, or simply talking about Solasta to your friends! To think that our Discord server, which had less than 200 members when our Kickstarter started now has grown to 5,500 members. Our tiny subreddit with 12 subscribers is now nearing 2,000 subs. And we just passed 3,000 Steam reviews and 45,000 members on the Solasta Steam group!

We'll have more exciting news leading to the final release of Solasta: Crown of the Magister - so keep an eye out for more information!

Spoiler

Frequently Asked Questions - Launch Edition
Since we've announced that our next update would be the 1.0 launch of Solasta, we've seen a lot of questions going around. Considering not everyone has been on the Solasta train since our Kickstarter Campaign, we thought it'd be best to tackle them in a little FAQ so that people know what to expect from the full release of the game!

Will I need to buy the game again if I already bought the Early Access version?

No, of course not. If you already own Solasta: Crown of the Magister, it won't vanish from your library at launch - you will simply be prompted to download an update which will upgrade your Early Access version to the full 1.0 version.

How long is the game going to be at launch?

Originally we were aiming for around 40h in total, sidequests included - but that number will depend heavily on your playstyle and the difficulty setting of your playthrough. For instance, for those whose Early Access runs already took 30h, you may not be finishing the entire game in 40h - there is a quite a bit of content that was not included in the Early Access version to avoid spoiling the main campaign too much!

Is the level cap going to be level 10? Not level 20?

Indeed, it has always been planned that the level cap would be level 10. We've announced from the start that you wouldn't be able to go past level 10 in our first game at launch. There are quite a few reasons for that, as each additional level would require:

• Development time to implement the new features, as well as animations, visual effects and sound effects for each class.
• Time and money to design, create and implement new and higher CR monsters (who also need their own animations and effects), otherwise you would just demolish any encounter at higher level.
• Time and money to increase the length of the campaign, meaning more work for the narrative and level design teams, as well as more recordings required.

So we always knew and said that level 10 would be the limit, given the scope of Solasta: Crown of the Magister. Which doesn't necessarily mean that the level cap will forever stay at level 10 post-launch!

Why are certain D&D classes like Barbarian and Bard missing?

Just like with the level 10 cap, we've been clear from the beginning that the 6 classes available at launch would be the Fighter, the Rogue, the Wizard, the Cleric - and the two classes that were added through the Kickstarter Stretch Goals, the Paladin and the Ranger. There is also a 7th class that has already been announced, the Sorcerer, who will be available in a free post-launch DLC for everyone.

As for the other classes, they may be added in future DLCs but we don't want to make any promises before the game is out. That said, trust me when I say that we want to have them in Solasta as much as you do!

Where is the Battle Master Fighter? The Vengeance Paladin?

Remember that Wizard of the Coast only granted us a license to use the SRD 5.1, not the full D&D license - meaning that we can only use what's in the SRD 5.1. This includes the vast majority of the tabletop ruleset and most of the classes, races and spells - but only one subclass for each class. This is why you won't find certain official archetypes, feats and spells in Solasta - which we replaced by homebrew content linked to our own setting.

Will my Early Access saves be compatible with the 1.0 version?

We are doing our best to not break save compatibility, so you should be able to play the 1.0 version with your existing post Spring Update saves.

Should I start a fresh run at launch?

Yes, we heavily suggest you start a fresh run as we will have made many changes between the current Spring Update EA version and the full 1.0 release!

How complete be the game at launch?

Solasta will be fully complete at launch! As stated before, we have always been very transparent about what would be in the final version of our game, and you can track our promises back to our Kickstarter Campaign from 2019 - so you can go back and check if you want to.

We know some people have been burnt in the past by Early Access titles that had to release in their current state because they could no longer afford to continue development, but we can assure you this is not the case here - otherwise we wouldn't make so much noise about our upcoming launch, would we!

Can we expect further updates after that?

While we don't plan on adding more content to the campaign, we do intend to make sure to keep an eye out for bugs, balance issues or popular improvements requested by the community - we're not going to suddenly disappear. Also, because the Dungeon Maker is a recent addition to Solasta, it will still be in Beta at launch - meaning we will be doing some Dungeon Maker upgrades as well post launch.

Depending on how Solasta performs, we might also work on some paid DLCs - but we have a game to finish first before thinking about that!

Do you plan on supporting additional languages?

We can't promise anything for now - our four languages at launch will be English, French, German and Simplified Chinese. That said, we did spot that some community members started to work on a fan translation mod in Portuguese, so you may want to check the modding section of our Discord Server if you want to know more.

Are you going to improve facial animation?

We did rework some of the mugs we had in our Character Creator, but the visuals and animation for our character faces won't change drastically. Keep in mind that we're not a story-focused RPG, but a Tactical RPG - where combat is one of our key focus, just like in the X-COM series.

Will you release Solasta on other platforms?

Solasta: Crown of the Magister is currently available on PC, but we did plan to have a Mac version developed post-launch. We unfortunately can't commit to a Linux version - unfortunately the Linux player base is simply much too small for a port to be affordable. As for consoles... we'll have to see how it goes!


Alright folks, this is the end for today! Thank you for reading, and don't hesitate to drop by our Forums or our Discord Server.

Article by Tactical Myzzrym

 

[Shrimp]

Just like with the level 10 cap, we've been clear from the beginning that the 6 classes available at launch would be the Fighter, the Rogue, the Wizard, the Cleric - and the two classes that were added through the Kickstarter Stretch Goals, the Paladin and the Ranger. There is also a 7th class that has already been announced, the Sorcerer, who will be available in a free post-launch DLC for everyone.

Why not just include it in the base game then? Am I missing something here?
Anyway I'm glad to at least have a launch date. I played it during its first iteration of early access and intentionally avoided doing subsequent playthroughs to save the experience for the full release. It'll be interesting to see how much has changed.