[Campaign] Shadowmancer: INHERITOR (CHAPTER 1,2 + INTRO)

[Fruit Forest]

SHADOWMANCER: INHERITOR

This is my second project that continues a plot of SHADOWMANCER.

Since I finished first part, a plot line for a main hero wasn't finished yet. It requires a second part.

GAMEPLAY

CHAPTERS

SCREENSHOTS

SOUNDTRACK

CHANGELOG

GAMEPLAY FEATURES:

- Hard work with HASH tables. It could help to decrease loading time.

- Triggering abilities (including triggering stun durations, triggering critical attack, triggering absorb, triggering vampirism, triggering cleave, triggering bash and more)

- Hero may use two weapons: for ranged and melee battle (see attached screenshot - single sword for melee physical damage and double blades for ranged spell damage.) Each weapon is effective against certain enemies.

- Combat AI.

- 12 slot inventory (the main hero gains bonuses of item in its inventory AND of items of secondary hero inventory. For example F1 hero has item +1 to agility and f2 hero has item + 1 to agility and + 1 to stregth. In conclusion f2 hero gains nothing, but f1 hero has bonus +2 agility and +1 strength)

- Simple potion using. Press (F3), (F4) or (F5) to drink potion.

- Added items with unusual fully triggered bonuses.

- Optimized loading time.

Intro: Unrealized Dreams.
Chapter I: The Cold Awakening.
Chapter II: Meeting of Destinies.
Chapter III: The Most Expensive Heart

Spoiler: Ingame

Spoiler: Ambient

Borderlands 2 - Southern Shelf Ambient
Daniel Sadowski - Tears of a Griffin
Disciples 3 - Legion of Damned
Ivan Torrent - The Light Crusaders
Matrix: Reloaded - Highway Car Chase
Neverwinter Nights: Waterdeep, City of Splendor
Peter Grundy – The Elixir of Life
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim - Out of Cold
Zack Hemsey - Mind Heist: Evolution

01.02.2017 / 1 / v. 0.6

Uploaded.

28.03.2017 / 2 / v. 0.6

2nd chapter.

29.03.2017 / 3 / v. 0.6

Fixed some bugs.

GAME MECHANIC: IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
TOTAL PROGRESS: IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

 

[neven1]

No offense or anything but if i were you i would get back to optimizing your campaign and fix those grammar mistakes.

 

[Fruit Forest]

It's a parallel project, don't worry.

 

[Fruit Forest]

Uploaded basic demo version. Download the map, read Demo Download tab in the map description.

 

[Fruit Forest]

I added items in the map. You can wear all you want (12 slot inventory is working now)
You can hire enemies in nearest mercenary shop and fight them using items or abilities.
I need your advices or suggestions about it. Thanks for attention.

 

[This is my Hammer]

The 12 slot system was very well made, I am not a big authority on Balance because I love unbalanced bullshit provided it works in my favor. That being said, one mechanic I personally think you should do away with is stat gains being determined by RNG, I see that the majority of abilities and passives in this game are based on percentages, but I don't think permanent bonuses should have that same philosophy, namely I think the Transmutator should give a set amount of stats and energy per level up, so that people don't keep save/loading for an ideal stat gain every time they level up. And I would ask the same for tome drops, because I noticed that in the first campaign, tome drops are random, which is very frustrating and exploitable, having set tomes in each chest would be far easier on my soul.

 

[Fruit Forest]

think the Transmutator should give a set amount of stats and energy per level up, so that people don't keep save/loading for an ideal stat gain every time they level up.

I counted it already. Save/load doesn't help you here, all chances are stored beforehand, just like with drop items.
Also In first campaign Perfectionists level up bonuses were stored too.
About percentage: I'll count it, if item bonuses became imbalanced.

 

[This is my Hammer]

I counted it already. Save/load doesn't help you here, all chances are stored beforehand, just like with drop items.
Also In first campaign Perfectionists level up bonuses were stored too.
About percentage: I'll count it, if item bonuses became imbalanced.

In any case, I think that permanent bonuses shouldn't be decided randomly such as items being randomly dropped with very low chances, Also I have no idea if you implemented this or not, but maybe you should consider having a small incentive for playing on harder Difficulties, such as like one extra side quest, or another tome or two.

 

[Fruit Forest]

but maybe you should consider having a small incentive for playing on harder Difficulties, such as like one extra side quest, or another tome or two.

I implemented Normal and Easy difficulty because of long loading time, if you follow the plot, then play on Easy. If you want the challenge and you have enough patience - play on Normal. In SM2 I'll try to avoid large loading time, it means I wouldn't implement the system of optional difficulty (if you dies a lot of time, then at least you don't have to wait so much time)

 

[This is my Hammer]

I implemented Normal and Easy difficulty because of long loading time, if you follow the plot, then play on Easy. If you want the challenge and you have enough patience - play on Normal. In SM2 I'll try to avoid large loading time, it means I wouldn't implement the system of optional difficulty (if you dies a lot of time, then at least you don't have to wait so much time)

Ah, That makes sense, Normal is worth the pain in the ass because it makes the wins more satisfying!

 

[Fruit Forest]

Ah, That makes sense, Normal is worth the pain in the ass because it makes the wins more satisfying!

Question: Is the secondary hero (F2) from SM1 is useful for you?

 

[This is my Hammer]

Question: Is the secondary hero (F2) from SM1 is useful for you?

Uhh, well I see him as pretty much necessary, literally the antiinvis alone is vital, but I also make use of Mind Control and Life Leech very often, But it is my understanding that you have a similar thing in SM2? with different abilities.

 

[Fruit Forest]

But it is my understanding that you have a similar thing in SM2? with different abilities.

SM2 secondary hero has own abilities which doesn't look like sm1 ones.
Also don't ofrget to use Invisible detect to get rid of enemy illusions, Adamant Power to restore Shadow Lance penalty level and Pain Suppression to remove stun effects.

 

[Dehua_Darbuya]

There's a great deal of potential here but there are some things that need to be addressed before they become problematic. And just to spice things up, I thought I'd structure my post all fancy and such.


THE GOOD

The abilities and combat system are great! I like the combos and that spells can have certain effects altered by the current weapon equipped. The special effects are also fantastic but what I love most is the General Information, which has detailed explanations on pretty much everything you need to know. There's not much else to say and in this case, that can only be a good thing.​

THE BAD

There seems to be some leaks that are causing certain spells to lag as they are cast and a couple of those which are causing the demo to eventually lag the map in general. I didn't figure out which abilities they were but you might want to double check the triggers just in case. While I'm at it, there are a number of point targeting abilities that don't have an AoE indicator even though they have an AoE. This isn't as much of problem as the lag but I'm a bit OCD like that!​

AND THE UGLY

I just wanted to add this section for the sake of reference but I feel like I should add something meaningful as well...
The load time is long, considering there's not much in the map and that it's of the smallest possible size. It might help if you find an alternative to pre-placing most of those items. There's also no respawn if you die in the demo. A simple, automatic 5 second revive should be enough so that testers don't have to reload the map and wait another minute or two. Lastly: I don't know if it's any easier but out of curiosity, is there any reason why you uploaded the demo as a campaign map (w3n)?​

That's about it for now. I'd have to mess around with the demo a bit more but all in good time. Keep up the good work!

 

[Fruit Forest]

THE BAD
There seems to be some leaks that are causing certain spells to lag as they are cast and a couple of those which are causing the demo to eventually lag the map in general. I didn't figure out which abilities they were but you might want to double check the triggers just in case. While I'm at it, there are a number of point targeting abilities that don't have an AoE indicator even though they have an AoE. This isn't as much of problem as the lag but I'm a bit OCD like that!

So i have a leak.... I thought it was my computer. I should check all triggers. I thought it because of my CPU.
AoE abilities has target cursor, because some battles would going on on destructibles (not on the ground) and the aoe cursor may show you wrong position.

I don't know if it's any easier but out of curiosity, is there any reason why you uploaded the demo as a campaign map (w3n)?

I need to get some advices about items and game play then I could fix it and continue to build the campaign.

A simple, automatic 5 second revive should be enough so that testers don't have to reload the map and wait another minute or two.

My load takes about 25 sec, it's strange. I'll revive then it will be done.

It might help if you find an alternative to pre-placing most of those items.

Yeah, looks like i need to create sort of market which spawns items.

 

[Dehua_Darbuya]

So i have a leak.... I thought it was my computer. I should check all triggers. I thought it because of my CPU.

I played it some more and it seems to be caused by the more "flashy" abilities; maybe there's too many special effects at the same.

AoE abilities has target cursor, because some battles would going on on destructibles (not on the ground) and the aoe cursor may show you wrong position.

Fair enough, thought it was a bit odd.

I need to get some advices about items and game play then I could fix it and continue to build the campaign.

Ah ok. No worries then. Never actually made a campaign myself, so don't mind me.

My load takes about 25 sec, it's strange. I'll revive then it will be done.

Yeah that one's probably on me. My laptop is getting old and not in tip-top shape. The revive would be nice bonus anyway. Cheers.

Yeah, looks like i need to create sort of market which spawns items.

Would most likely be better than having the game create +100 globally generated variables at the start of play.

 

[Fruit Forest]

The game mechanic is almost ready.
I uploaded a new version with all items, respawn system + 2 new enemy types.

 

[Fruit Forest]

This is the last upload until I make a playble demo version.
Added 2 more items.

 

[Fruit Forest]

The Shadowmancer II campaign is in progress, but Chapter 1 is done. Any testers are appreciated.

 

[Fruit Forest]

2nd chapter has been uploaded.

 

[Fruit Forest]

Slightly fixed some bugs.

 

[Fruit Forest]

- The project has got some renew.
- Completely reworked damage system.
- Reworked skills, items and formulas.
- Optimization. Periodic events that loads memory won't be so hard anymore.
Now available only 1 chapter. And it still requires some balancing.
- INTRO would cause some bugs with text. It's ok because it is connected with the credit list which hasn't been filled up yet.

 

[Fruit Forest]

New demo version contains 1st and 2nd chapters.
The 2nd one is too large so it have taken a lot of time to make.