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

[Lacrymas]

Initial impressions - it's cool how the tutorial is the party telling stories to each other. I would've liked a bit more roleplaying opportunities within the stories, but whatever. My favorite was the stealth mission where you steal the gem. The character creator is excellent, I just wish we had more classes, but we all know this. All the faces are shades of uncanny valley, though. Exposition Man after the stories are done is a bit too exposition-y perhaps. Do we need this information at this point in the game? I felt like I'm in a Warcraft game - Badlands, Eastern Kingdoms, Cataclysm, etc. I was playing this with a friend of mine on Discord and we were having quite a laugh about it. Why can't we edge pan the camera? I'd also like a panning speed/sensitivity option, it's way too slow for me. UI - you know my feelings about it, that hasn't changed. Not having party formations feels like an oversight.

My biggest criticism outside of the UI are the casting animations. Even my friend said it's way too involved for a cantrip, which are supposed to be snaps of the finger basically. He didn't know anything about this game and I hadn't told him how I feel about those, he mentioned that totally unprovoked. But we've talked about this many times as well.

 

[Sherry]

Hi!

gosh. Gosh! GOSH!

Finally got to try out the demo they released and it was enjoyable for the most part but there were things that annoyed me but it is just about leearning how to use the engine more tha n anything but anyone coming into the game for the first time may e xperience the exact same issues okay? Okay. SO just keep that in mind.

I think the UI could use more fantasying up in its design it was a little too modern for my tastes maybe some nice borders and scroll work instead of the crisp, clean button design.

Never a fan of exploring witha sing le palrty member and then having the rest of the party jump into a cutsceene when that single player you are exploring with hits some sort of cutscene triggeer that just brings them all over magically.

Sometimes the ground would vanish if it was high and there were more levels below to explore but that is about learning how to use thee camera and whee n that happened the camera tutorial information had not appeared yet.

Telling me I should use torches to see as one goes deeper into a dungeon sounds fantastic until you experience that deeper dungeon and reealize you still do not need torches because you can still see just fine like make it pitch black already and stop worrying about the casual gamer okay? OKAY.

There are some neat conceept ideas with pushing blocks, pillars and other objects onto enemies when you h avee the higher ground thhis was a nice touch that other games miss out on and does make battles a lot more engaging.

But then you encounter spiders on walls that really do not do spiders justice right? Okay so one at least 3 spiders can swarm one party member at block them in while another spider on the wall can shoot webbing on the floor or spit poison on the blocked character right? Or at least have webbing on the ground already that would take a full turn to ignite to release the party when they all get trapped in it but would also take fire damage as the webbing burns so you hsave to make a choice on whether you want to burn away the webbing and burn your party members or let them try to make a save each round to break free.

Most of the time spiders just hug on the walls and did nothing.

Okay and what is with some of the kill camera shots okay? Get rid of them or let me turn them off okay? They are so annoying. Thank-you.

Will most certainly create my own party. I got annoyed by the elf thief playing a human personality. It is like the designers forget they were an elf. Unless there is more back story that makes sense it was not a good fit.

You can skip buying it on early access if you had already downloaded the free combat demo despite steam not letting you run it from steam. Just go to the directory and run the .exe file.

Game looks promising.

Thanks,
Sherry

 

[Lacrymas]

Also, the inclusion of multiclassing would also be great and would extend the usability of the 6 available classes. Is multiclassing that hard to implement or is it excluded for balance reasons?

 

[NJClaw]

Okay and what is with some of the kill camera shots okay? Get rid of them or let me turn them off okay? They are so annoying. Thank-you.

You can disable those wacky zoom-ins: Settings -> Game -> Contextual Camera Frequency (set it to 0).

Is multiclassing that hard to implement or is it excluded for balance reasons?

They already said it's the former. Implementing multiclassing is not hard if you take it into account from the beginning, but it can be nearly impossible to add it to an already """finished""" game.

 

[Lacrymas]

Some more things before going to bed. The goblin encounter at Caer Lem is more tedious than anything else. You have no way to lose, so they running away for no reason just extends the fight unnecessarily. The naiveté of the story and situations is endlessly charming and nerdy. I'm not going to comment on graphics because I know it's waaaay too late for that, but the close-up dialogues are uncanny valley and unnecessary. Everything being voiced obviously has an impact on how long the dialogues are, which is actually a good thing in this particular case. Brevity is the soul of wit after all.

The map is tremendously linear, one of the most linear maps I've ever seen in an RPG. Perhaps it gets better after going through this introductory dungeon. Some obstacles are very pointless and don't work in a consistent manner. For example, the crates before getting to the 4 stooges at Caer Lem. You can't jump over them before you push them away, but you can after that. Is that only to show off environmental interactions? It's more awkward than anything. The linearity and lack of checks when interacting with the environment in this manner is also awkward and very pointless, it's more platformer logic.

I do like the history checks and such, I hope they continue.

Performance is noticeably bad. I'm getting sub-60 FPS on a machine that can handle Deus Ex: Mankind Divided on ultra at at least a steady 60 FPS, so yeah, optimizations would be good. It's not 100% necessary because it's a turn-based game, but still. Is this made with Unity? It shows.

 

[Harthwain]

I felt like I'm in a Warcraft game - Badlands, Eastern Kingdoms, Cataclysm, etc. I was playing this with a friend of mine on Discord and we were having quite a laugh about it.

It has little to do with Warcraft though. Even Tolkien had names like Dale, Dead Marshes, Brown Land or Old Forest for some areas of Middle Earth. Frankly, I like very straightforward naming convention.

 

[rojay]

I'm about 4 hours in, and I think this game is going to be good eventually.

I keep wishing they hadn't gone with the animated conversations, but I get why they did it and I like the concept of "personalities" for party members. I have a feeling they can tune that aspect and make it better.

Initially I was not impressed by the "puzzle" aspect of the verticality. Most of the time when I'm faced with what looks like an inaccessible area, I just click on that area and the characters find a way to get there. But I've seen a few areas where I thought, "Oh, if I had the 'jump' spell memorized, I'd be able to reach that," and I'm betting it's more complicated down the line. It's already pretty good and there's a lot of potential.

I don't know 5e rules, and I was pretty surprised when on level-up I had very few options other than "click next." The combat is pretty good and is at least not, "HEY THIS SURFACE IS FLAMMABLE". I also like the limited amount of magic items in the game. I've just hit lvl 3, and the closest I've gotten is one weapon and one armor that are "primed" to be enchanted at some point. That seems like a deeply, deeply problematic design decision from a marketing standpoint, and that gives me warm feelings.

Most of all I like the feel of this game. I'm enjoying it and I think the end result is going to be better.

Edit: of course it crashes on me now.

 

[mediocrepoet]

I felt like I'm in a Warcraft game - Badlands, Eastern Kingdoms, Cataclysm, etc. I was playing this with a friend of mine on Discord and we were having quite a laugh about it.

It has little to do with Warcraft though. Even Tolkien had names like Dale, Dead Marshes, Brown Land or Old Forest for some areas of Middle Earth. Frankly, I like very straightforward naming convention.

I used to be into more fantastical names when I was younger. I changed my mind hard after Pillars of Eternity came out with all of its retarded and unpronounceable crap.

 

[NJClaw]

The goblin encounter at Caer Lem is more tedious than anything else. You have no way to lose, so they running away for no reason just extends the fight unnecessarily.

I wholeheartedly disagree. I think both goblin encounters serve their purpose: the ambush is necessary to give you at least a single combat experience before the diabolic flying snake death trap (they already nerfed it, but you can easily find yourself with two downed characters if you don't tread carefully), and every game should have an encounter that gets absolutely wrecked by a single cast of Sleep; the goblin encampment rewards your attention and/or skills and lets you stealth through an area to start the fight on your terms.

The map is tremendously linear, one of the most linear maps I've ever seen in an RPG. Perhaps it gets better after going through this introductory dungeon. Some obstacles are very pointless and don't work in a consistent manner. For example, the crates before getting to the 4 stooges at Caer Lem. You can't jump over them before you push them away, but you can after that. Is that only to show off environmental interactions? It's more awkward than anything. The linearity and lack of checks when interacting with the environment in this manner is also awkward and very pointless, it's more platformer logic.

I still haven't played the content added with the winter update, but don't expect improvements to the linearity of the maps, the introductory area is a perfect example of what you get with this game: a series of combat encounters connected by fancy linear corridors. Each map has the occasional hidden room or area only reachable through a particular spell, but it doesn't get crazier than that.

Is this made with Unity?

Do you have to ask?

 

[V_K]

lack of checks when interacting with the environment

There are checks actually, they're just only shown when you fail them.

 

[Lacrymas]

lack of checks when interacting with the environment

There are checks actually, they're just only shown when you fail them.

I'm pretty sure there are no checks when you push the crates since you won't be able to continue the game if you fail them because you can't jump over them before you have pushed them. That's what I mean.

NJClaw I'm not saying the encounter is needless, but the way they run away in a context in which you can't lose. You just have to chase them down.

 

[NJClaw]

I'm pretty sure there are no checks when you push the crates since you won't be able to continue the game if you fail them because you can't jump over them before you have pushed them. That's what I mean.

Yeah, the whole crates-pushing basically is nothing more than a repetitive cutscene. After a while you get used to it, and I think that in later areas it feels less insulting, but it still never gets "creative". The game doesn't really want to give you the opportunity to "fail" its exploration, platforming, and puzzles, and I don't know how I feel about that. It can feel like a waste of time, but on the other end it still gives that sense of adventuring on some rare occasions.

NJClaw I'm not saying the encounter is needless, but the way they run away in a context in which you can't lose. You just have to chase them down.

I have played that encounter multiple times and those goblins never tried to run away, maybe it's some sort of unwanted behavior?

 

[V_K]

I'm pretty sure there are no checks when you push the crates since you won't be able to continue the game if you fail them because you can't jump over them before you have pushed them.

I don't remember the crate-pushing stuff, but you can definitely fail climbing/jumping.

 

[NJClaw]

Damn you got me, my cat picture pyramid scheme is falling into shambles.

You have more serious problem than your cat picture pyramid scheme failing, Myzz. You are showing early symptoms of senile dementia and you are possibly getting blind:

You are flying Myzzrym, how could you possibly not see a path to the destination?

You should also start some kind of anti-5G treatment, because you are so radioactive that your wand don't use up charges.

Ah, and you are also a glowing bad luck magnet, because the Channel Divinity: Fiery Presence class feature of the Oath of the Motherland Paladin says that the Blindness lasts 1d4 turns, but apparently that 1d4 ALWAYS rolls 1.

One last thing: the damage bonus from the Bracers of Archery incorrectly applies to any weapon, as long as you have a bow in one of your weapon slots.

 

[V_K]

5g is just an advanced version of 5e.

 

[Myzzrym]

You are flying Myzzrym, how could you possibly not see a path to the destination?

You should also start some kind of anti-5G treatment, because you are so radioactive that your wand don't use up charges.

Ah, and you are also a glowing bad luck magnet, because the Channel Divinity: Fiery Presence class feature of the Oath of the Motherland Paladin says that the Blindness lasts 1d4 turns, but apparently that 1d4 ALWAYS rolls 1.

One last thing: the damage bonus from the Bracers of Archery incorrectly applies to any weapon, as long as you have a bow in one of your weapon slots.

1. I'm not sure you're supposed to be able to get up there, isn't that out of the level?
2. Another player also said wands did not consume charges anymore. Can anyone confirm that?
3. RNG REEEEEEEeeeeee
4. Known bug, is getting fixed

Can you send me your save that has the infinite charge wands? The path is for the save folder is %AppData%/../LocalLow/Tactical Adventures/Solasta/Save Files/

Send it to contact@tactical-adventures.com

 

[Spectacle]

Speaking of wands, the wand of lighting bolts has a fixed save DC of only 5, which means enemies will almost always make their saves and take half-damage. That makes it a pretty weak magical item. Is it a typo and the DC is actually meant to be 15?

 

[Myzzrym]

Speaking of wands, the wand of lighting bolts has a fixed save DC of only 5, which means enemies will almost always make their saves and take half-damage. That makes it a pretty weak magical item. Is it a typo and the DC is actually meant to be 15?

Yea we just fixed that bug today, so it will be in a future patch

 

[NJClaw]

1. I'm not sure you're supposed to be able to get up there, isn't that out of the level?

There's a container (or at least the map says so) and clicking on the ground displays both the glowing circle that only appears where characters can actually walk and the "no path to destination" message, while clicking on "out of level" terrain, from my experience, usually does nothing (and the cursor has a red X). The same thing also happens in:

Spoiler

the library in the Tower of Magic area. You can't fly to the "unreachable" container (the same happens with Jump, Misty Step, and the Shadow Dodge class feature of the Shadowcaster Rogue, so I don't really know how to reach that.

3. RNG REEEEEEEeeeeee

Roll Deception.

Can you send me your save that has the infinite charge wands? The path is for the save folder is %AppData%/../LocalLow/Tactical Adventures/Solasta/Save Files/

Sure, sending it right now.

I've also encountered another strange behavior: the guy who wears the Imperial Crown can't use a wand, because the item doesn't appear in his "character actions" bar. If it's not intended, than the crown is probably taking the only "item slot" in the bar.

Ah, another thing. The world of Solasta is incredibly dangerous, and your characters are never safe: my party got killed while leveling up. I was in the level up screen after a long rest and the combat music started. At first I didn't pay attention to it, but then I heard the sound of a character taking damage and, after cancelling the level up, I found myself in a fight. I mean, it's pretty funny, but I don't think that's the intended behavior (activating cautious mode before starting the long rest solves the issue). But hey, at least we know that those skeletons on the walls are doing their job.

 

[V_K]

my party got killed while leveling up

IIRC, in the Traveller PnP system your character could die during creation. So that's just par for the course for an old school game.

 

[Abu Antar]

Myzzrym Does the GOG key and the Steam key include the same supporter stuff?

I'm planning to give away my key in the Giftstravaganza thread.

Also:

Hotfix 0.4.14
Hey there folks!

Teenie tiny hotfix for a few very annoying bugs, which should be fixed now:

• Attempting to cast Shield to block Magic Missiles should no longer destroy space time continuum
  
  
• Defeating Razan before the end of round 4 should now properly complete the quest... to finish the Winter Update content. Yea, there isn't much after that - you can go back to the teleporter and click to get a "You finished Early Access!" pop-up.
  
  
• Interacting with the puzzle in front of the Wizard Tower during the day will no longer break it during the night.

That's all, now go back to playing!

 

[Rafidur]

I used to be into more fantastical names when I was younger. I changed my mind hard after Pillars of Eternity came out with all of its retarded and unpronounceable crap.

But if 30 seconds into the game, when choosing your race, you can't hover over "dwarffe" to know that their kulkokikens are the best nagencrafters of all Southern Wablabidah, how can you truly get immersed in the world?

 

[Lacrymas]

My point was not so much the straightforward naming but more how many Warcraft zones or concepts were named one after the other. Cataclysm is a generic name, but not when capitalized for example, and it got us thinking about WoW's Cataclysm due to the already-mentioned Eastern Kingdoms and Badlands (which is a wasteland).

Subclasses are a way to add semi-multiclassing options. Greenmage is already kind of a Ranger splash. I haven't inspected all the clerical domains in detail, but a thievery one that adds a mini sneak attack would be great. Yes, I am biased towards Cleric/Rogue multiclasses, sue me.

 

[santino27]

My point was not so much the straightforward naming but more how many Warcraft zones or concepts were named one after the other. Cataclysm is a generic name, but not when capitalized for example, and it got us thinking about WoW's Cataclysm due to the already-mentioned Eastern Kingdoms and Badlands (which is a wasteland).

Solution: Never play Warcraft so you don't associate generic names with it.

I'm just out here solving problems.

Subclasses are a way to add semi-multiclassing options. Greenmage is already kind of a Ranger splash. I haven't inspected all the clerical domains in detail, but a thievery one that adds a mini sneak attack would be great. Yes, I am biased towards Cleric/Rogue multiclasses, sue me.

Still a Skaenite, after all this time...

 

[Lacrymas]

Still a Skaenite, after all this time...

It just makes so much sense to me and I can't resist its siren call. And it's super complex as a character concept in terms of roleplaying. I'm playing a Pathfinder campaign atm as a Cleric/Rogue and it's one of my favorite characters ever hands down. I've always been partial to playing clerics/priests in games, so that's also a factor.