The Last Guardian - Book-to-Campaign-Project

[saphiree]

ehm. Sorry, i dint really udnerstand that xD

 

[supertoinkz]

hows the game going?

 

[saphiree]

By the way. I have a little idea for you. I know its a bit late to say this, but music REALLY helps your campaign alot. Cinematics with some really good and fitting music is always nice.
Just look here http://www.hiveworkshop.com/forums/maps-564/mordorks-quest-wood-80431/?prev=search%3DMordorks%26d%3Dlist%26r%3D20

 

[OutsiderXE]

There will be custom music in some of the cinematics. I've played around with the original WoW-Karazhan music but somehow found it either distracting or unfitting. Also the project has exceeded the aimed 50MB and currently weighs about 60MB.

Progress of the campaign: I've worked on the 107 bugs and I'm currently playing the campaign for a fifth time which proves to be the most dissapoining so far: many of the major-bugs don't seem to have been fixed properly. the amount of minor bugs also didn't really get any smaller but what annoys me the most is that every map now seems to have some critical issue, some of which I currently have no clue where they are coming from.
(the strangest bug I ever had in a map in any project is in Chapter 4 (would also be the funniest if it wasn't so damn annoying): the citizens in Stormwind attack you after some time, which make it look like you're being mugged in the middle of the streets.)

I'm currently at work but I can't stop thinking about this mess... I'm thinking of changing my strategy: instead of replaying the whole project and redoing much of the stuff that actually works I will probably concentrate on the things that are buggy and skip through all the cinematics and texts that are currently working. Though there's also sthis strange matter that stuff that seemed to work flawlessly now seems to be corrupted. And Blizzard is going to release the next patch which I fear might mess up some of the JASS included in some spells (I didn't create any of the jass spells because I have no idea about jass so if there was really a problem with this patch i would have problems dealing with it).

Or maybe it's just this version or doing the same thing over and over for weeks has finally gotten to me. ...Just want to get back home and fix this mess. Can't wait. 2 more hours...

I'm so dissapointed. I mean... the overall amount of bugs that get fixed is usually steady and melting. But these critical bugs are f****ing me.

Hmm just realizing that writing here doesn't get me into any better mood. I'll report back (sunday at latest) once the next version is running.

 

[arthas_king]

LoL,why the heck do ppl at Storm attack you?Made a trigger that u get attacked at a tavern or......

 

[OutsiderXE]

LoL,why the heck do ppl at Storm attack you?Made a trigger that u get attacked at a tavern or......

That's exactly why I'm wondering why this is happening. There is never ever a situation when neutral passive units should be hostile. There's just a couple of scenes when you are supposed to attack specific neutral passive units. But they should never attack you unless triggered (which is the case in some scenarios).

Oh I can already see myself turning off dozens of triggers and testing the map over and over just to nail this one down...

My first assumption is that the Alliance aspect got changed somehow, though again, I wouldn't know how.

Anyway... just letting off some steam here. Bugs happen.

 

[arthas_king]

So,i quessed right.

 

[OutsiderXE]

Just completed Run 5. At least the bug-count is steadily decreasing: 84 this time.

 

[saphiree]

I would kill blizzard for their crappy leaking, buggy GUI -_-

 

[WILL THE ALMIGHTY]

EH-HEM.

 

[saphiree]

When i say theese two things have nothing in commen but the names then im right. Right?

 

[punwisp]

Wow dude, I loved the book and so far this really impresses me. Excellent job, 5/5

 

[OutsiderXE]

I've ironed out most of the annoying bugs (The Stormwind-citizen-bug happened because at one point you are supposed to fight a neutral passive mutated sheep which was set to "enemy" whenever you entered the building it was inside. I had added a Staff of Teleportation to the previous version so the player could leave the building without using the normal exit, thus the "enemy" is never set back to "neutral").

I'm currently playing the campaign for the sixth time and it had a pretty flawless feeling so far. Except for Chapter 6 where Khadgar is replaced by a grunt-version for no apparent reason. I've stopped the testing and will resume next weekend at the latest. So far, except for this new bug everything seems really cool now. (hope to get under 65 bugs this time).

 

[saphiree]

:O So that means, (dint really understand the orc thingy,) thats theres only 1 major bug in the campaign Thats awesome

 

[OutsiderXE]

Well, it means that the current version has one major bug (major bug meanign to me that it prevents the player from completing a level) so far. Haven't played the last chapter (seven) yet which probably also contains a single major bug towards the end of the map which has been annoying me for quite some time.

Overall it is a big improvement over the last run but it can be a lot better.

 

[OutsiderXE]

Beta nearing

The amount of bugs has been minimized. Only the the backpack-system (made by weaaddar which you can find here on the hive) is giving me a headache. Sometimes it works, sometimes not, sometimes it crashes the game and I never have a clue why.

If I can get it to work until the next weekend the closed beta will start. Interested people may apply now through this thread.

Probable beta procedure:
I'll pick 2-3* people from this website, another 2-3* from another website I sometimes post and I will watch two of my friends closely while playing the campaign. Everyone will have 7-10* days to post feedback. You'll most likely get a survery with questions that will me understand your way of thinking. Keep in mind that this is an adventure-type gameplay-campaign and you are "supposed to get stuck" from time to time, and think about what to do next. But feel free to ask any question on this board whenever you like.

(*to be determined)

When those days have passed I'll write a summary about how it went and how I'll be going along with your suggestions and bug reports. Fixing will most likely not take longer than a week, though this will not mean the release pof the project yet. Some work will have to be done, but I'll tell you about it when the time comes.

 

[Mechmap]

I'd like to beta test!

 

[OutsiderXE]

Uploading the beta now! Interested people my still apply for the next 20 hours or so.

Beta sprint will end on July 15th. Please post all feedback until then. More information in the readmes that come with the beta.

I'm very nervous. Hopefully bugs will not kill the test...

Oh btw. you can talk about the campaign in any way you like but please dont post any screenshots unless for the purpose of explaining bugs, feedback or any problem with the test.

 

[arthas_king]

Im here to BETA test!

 

[OutsiderXE]

Beta is on hold! I have found a plottstopper bug in chapter 4 (stormwind). You cant enter the Kings Palace after Medivh told you to do so. Beta will be extended for the amount of days I need to upload a fixed version + 1 day. You can play up to chapter 3 and the interludium that follows.

 

[arthas_king]

Okay, then we have to wait till its fixxed.I didnt found any bugs so far, im on stage 3 and its t stage 4. Fail!

 

[Linaze]

I'd love to beta test this, seeing as I am a big fan of your previous campaigns, if there's still a spot open for me, that is.

 

[OutsiderXE]

I'm getting very good feedback and new applicants are advised to wait for the full version. There's bound to be a big leap in quality for the release version.

 

[arthas_king]

Can we have a list of the current BETA testers?

 

[OutsiderXE]

Hive: arthas_king, Mechmap
inwarcraft.de: quellquun, Kricz, Storm-Panda, Manfred.Top
+ two friends I watch while playing.

so it's eight people.

 

[Mechmap]

I don't know how to get Garona to stop. Any ideas?

 

[OutsiderXE]

There is something you can destroy in front of the banquet hall.

 

[arthas_king]

Pls post the 'how to unstuck at a mission' via private mesages.

 

[Mechmap]

Never mind, i just stood infront of her in the doorway for some time and she began fighting.

 

[OutsiderXE]

Never mind, i just stood infront of her in the doorway for some time and she began fighting.

sounds like a bug. please tell me where exactly you stood and how long it took for the fight to start.

 

[Mechmap]

I will try to when i replay it.

 

[OutsiderXE]

Remember guys. Post your feedback until July 16th so I can spend the entire weekend on fixing (that sounded pretty geeky, but that's how it is in the end-stages of a project )

 

[rcshaggy]

I'll be gladly too give feedback for your campaign.

 

[Mechmap]

Aha, finished it! I must say that it's intresting campaign with a lot of good lore that intrested people like me can delve into. Also I must say that I haven't been able to find many bugs at all.

The campaign has gone very smoothly except for one time. In chapter seven during the Medivh fight and you've already gone old. If you die at that point you will rewatch the cinematic but Medivh and Khadgar are not there. Only Lothar is.

The statue fight was very annoying at first so I decided to write down all the different combinations you could get and boy was it easier then trying to figure out which one to do. Of course I had to write it again during the Medivh fight but it was a new and inventive way to fight. However, I don't see why Medivh should be bound by statuecombat laws.

I have also included some screenshots:
1: Those bandits death animation must've bugged or something. I don't think this is a real bug.
2: My damage had gone up with 200+ damage. I have absolutly no idea how this happened!
3: That's where I stopped her doing my first playthrough, I guess it took about 30 seconds then. This time however i looked at that support column and it was invulnerable for me. Second time I looked at it however it wasn't and I was able to trap her with it.
4: Think this happened when I made a clarity potion, don't know why it is unlimited uses and no cooldown on it though.

The rest of my bug/errors/typos are in the rar file which contain altered documents with answers. Hope you like it!

Anyhow, now I'm going to play Day of the Dragon, I've never actually finished it! (shame on me)

 

[saphiree]

Yeah big shame on you XD

Now, i cant help much on theese bugs, because they were clearly meant for outsider, as he know what to do in those missions, and i dont. I can only tell that the first bug looks like the bandits were ordered some sort of stand anim (or some other anim), which you forgot to "remove" or something.
Rest you must fix yaself outsider, but i dont think you find any big trouble with your skillz

 

[arthas_king]

I am b ack from the trip(Oh no!Still in map 3!Shame on me )I will play tomorow cause im not it my house.

 

[OutsiderXE]

Beta is supposed to end on July 16th but you are invited to give me an incomplete report if you can't manage to finish it by then. Also don't be too shy to ask for help. After all this beta is mostly to understand where players have problems and not so much for the bugs.

I've started gathering all the feedback I can and I'm currently on around 250 suggestions gathered from various people (see that number as what used to be the bug-counter). This number will probably not become more than 300 by thursday and with the following weekend this number will slowly melt down to 0. I will keep you updated as I go.

Now, the big difference to the bug-hunting in the alpha-version is that this number will probably not go up so high as I playtest the campaign myself again. There will be some new bugs caused by implementing these suggestions but it is safe to say that this will be a very small number. probably under 50. I should have dealt with the last fixes by the end of the month. Release will hopefully be sometime in August.

My schedule for the coming weeks:
Gathering feedback until July 16th
Implementing all suggestions/ until July 26th
Replay campaign 2-3 times and fix last bugs until August 2nd
Translating the campaign into german until and fixing more minor bugs until August 15th
Release in August 16th


this is the current plan. one that might not work btw.

add: something more for the testers: when you play chapter 7 and you are supposed to fight the statues make sure to SAVE your game before you attack the Garden Statue (Keeper of the Grove), because if you lose you will be stuck (bug). but DONT try to get into a fight with him until AFTER you got the Statue Combat Rules.

 

[saphiree]

Oh good. I dint really look forward to august as i have to get back to school there. But i guess something good will happend there after all I love you campaigns, and this should be even more special than the other two were, so i guess i'll get a good August anyway

 

[OutsiderXE]

Implemented 114 of 268 feedback-reports so far. hope to be done by the end of next week.

The 268 used to be 305 but not every request can be implemented because some are too big, or too insignificant or twice (or more) in the list. So it's safe to say that even the overall amount of feedback-reports will become smaller. 1/4 of all requests were left out on an average so far.

 

[Deolrin]

The terrain looks amazing, this is so awesome! I can't wait for its release. Though a better Khadgar model\skin could be a nice touch, as the current one doesn't seems to fit him(imo).

 

[Slaydon]

looks nice, how do you get the dialogs to have rows of text, not just a line
like
lol
lol , Epic tho

 

[OutsiderXE]

Half-Time! implemented 132 of 265 suggestions. (if you consider that the 265 is also getting smaller i've done a lot more than 50% on a single weekend)

looks nice, how do you get the dialogs to have rows of text, not just a line
like
lol
lol , Epic tho

you probably mean the Alchemy Selection Screen? It was created by another guy (is already credited, just cant remember name right now).

lol, I never put a lot of thought into that and you just made me realize to take a look at it myself and I can tell you how he did it.

by using |n (the | is not an i but the character that coems when you hold Alt-Gr and Press the key next to Left-Shift)

Texett1 blabla|nText2 jippe would appear as

Texett1 blabla
Text2 jippe

This is also a way to make item-texts have rows btw.


Oh, and Khadgar already has a better skin. No new model though. but a skin that is based on this: http://www.scrollsoflore.com/warlock/heroes/khadgar.jpg

 

[supertoinkz]

when would you release it?

 

[OutsiderXE]

I already wrote, if all goes well on August 16th.
but it could be earlier than that. (or later)

I may be able to take two vacation days extra next monday and tuesday which would allow me to complete the process of implementing all suggestions and also testplay the campaign a couple of times.
If all goes well I will translate the campaign into german, which may take me a week, 2-3 days later (playtesting and fixing again) we may have a release.
So expect a release between 7th and 23rd of August.

 

[supertoinkz]

okay tnx

 

[OutsiderXE]

0.The feedback implementation is done (221 out of 305 suggestions have made it into the current version. Some were double..)

1.The resulting bugs will be fixed in 2-3 playthroughs over the next week (similar to the bug-fix-marathon i had a month ago).

2.After that the final step will be to translate the campaign into german (approx. max. 2 weeks).

FIN. When that's done I'll playthrough the campaign 2-3 times again to fix more bugs (grammar and spelling errors are more likely). Then we'll have a release.


Before I forget. Some of the new features that came with the feedback-implementation:

1.Khadgar has a new spell. "Haste" is a buff that will make him move and attack faster for some time.

2.Created Items will be in your inventory now automatically. You wont have to pick them up.

3. Many more hints, texts, leaderboards and colored texts to help you understand an objective. Some riddles are easier. Some texts are shorter

4. Terrain and cameras were fixed to for clearer overview.

5.many map specific changes to make gamplay more fluent (Stormwind now has a gate wax that will allow the player to move faster).

6.More bug-fixes naturally and a lot more!

 

[missfairy]

What's this about translating the campaign to german? Does that mean there won't be an english version. =S

I'm really, really looking forward to this. Lord of the clans and DOTD were probably my favorite campaigns for wc3 I've ever played. And by the look of it this will be even better!

 

[saphiree]

No. He is making it in english now as far as i know. Then, when he is done, he is going to translate it into german.

If this was only german he wouldent have wasted time showing it here anyway. Its an only english site.

 

[OutsiderXE]

what saphiree said.

also, the german community has become very small and most of them would understand english almost as well, but i do this because dotd and lotc had a very complete feeling by having two language versions and i didnt want TLG to be somethign that was left out only because WoW is the current main Blizzard-game and starcraft 2 is around the corner.
and.. it gives me more time to find and kill bugs. I'm not one to create versions 1.1, 1.2, 2.x and so on. when i'm done i really want to be done, which is why i'm currently really pissed that people seem to find new plotstopper bugs in dotd and lotc after so much time.

I'm taking a short break from work until the end of the week. I plan on replaying the campaing at least one more time (probably 2) and fix the bugs. That should be done on Friday at the latest. So it means I'll start translating the campaign into german on the weekend. I find it really hard to estimate how long the translation process will take me because there are fewer missions than in the other campaigns but A LOT more text. it would be cool if I could get 50% done before monday, though I wouldn't count on it. But let's say I do, I may be able to finish this process until August 1st, then I would have to replay the campaign again 2-3 times to kill last bugs and grammar errors, so I would release it in the weekend between August 7th and 9th

 

[rcshaggy]

Sweet. Looks very good Outsider, and I love how it looks right now. Can't wait to see the finished campaign so I can play it every single day of my life.