[Role Playing Game] Pearl of Azshara

[The Nightmare Book]

Stormvasel aka Storm released a new part of his walkthrough of my map!
Here you can watch it and use as help material.

For Storm: Thank you for your walkthrough, I hope that you're doing well and stay safe, wish you best regards & luck!

 

[The Nightmare Book]

Development of v1.03 comes in final phase, so I want to teaser you what you'll see in new version:

• 10+ new events: discover new special traders, hidden across whole Azshara or fight with dreadful demons, who wills to corrupt this peaceful land;
• Event tweaking: now elementals can be peaceful towards you, if you complete some special requirements;
• 2+ new areas to be discovered and new enemies be defeated;
• Hissesh will recieve hidden buff, that will increase your elemental power, but in cost of your sanity. Would you like to sacrifice sanity or keep sane?
• 1 global event, that reshuffles elemental balance in Azshara - will find it or not?
• And more you can discover by yourself...

I expect that I'll release new version today or tomorrow.
Stay safe & tuned!

 

[The Nightmare Book]

Released new version, please check it out! If you find out bugs or have suggestions, please don't be shy - express them!

 

[The Nightmare Book]

Storm released a final part of his walkthrough, just check it out!

 

[The Nightmare Book]

After release of my new version 1.3 for campaign "Call of The Swarm", I decided to make a small update for "Pearl of Azshara", mainly focused on balance changes and quality of life features.
In new small patch, related to v1.03, next changes or features You'll encount:

• Now player shouldn't be able to increase his elemental spell levels before he learn at least 1 spell from elemental school. Example: from gamestart, player will be able to increase level of his "Air" spells due to unlocked "Chain Lightning". But he wouldn't be able to increase levels of other 3 elemental schools due to non-unlocked spells;
• Changes in side quest "Natural Balance" - Now all enchanted deers spawns in early morning and doesn't despawn. However killing enchanted deer would require player to wait next morning to spawn it (if player don't dispell his arcane corruption);
• Rebalance of attack type/defence type damage values;
• Major change in Hissesh spells - some spells like "Fireball" was deleted and replaced with new ones, other like "Enslave Water Elemental" was tweaked and rebalanced.

However it's not full list of changes, but that I can tell you about right now. More changes You need to discover by yourself while completing map.
Stay tuned and keep in touch.

 

[The Nightmare Book]

I expect to release new update for v1.03 today, so stay tuned and be ready

---

UPD:
New update to v1.03 was released!
As I said before, I'll skip v1.04 and next major version will be 1.05, with dozen of new content and new mechanics.

 

[The Nightmare Book]

As development of 1.05 version is on full speed, I'm taking part in Maporino 2022 and just in recent stream Jay has played my map and I understood, what I should change / clarify on it.
So I want to tell you about next plans, that I'll surely implement in new version 1.05:

• About Graphics - from 1.05 I'll restrict map graphics as classic only, due to lags or other issues on reforged graphics;
• About Hero Spells - currently they're mostly based on standarts like Chain Lightning, so some of them will be replaced or majorly modified to be fun and useful;
• About Main Story - I want to slightly polish the Pearl of Azshara finding process and main story wouldn't end after receiving Pearl, because of new major event - Appulse. So because of that, I'll make whole ritual more uncomplicated and understandable, but without remaking it whole. You'll see more ingame or on another devpost;
• About Side Stories - mainly I don't wan't to change them, and maybe new ones will come in v1.05, along with new side quests after Appulse event. Maybe I'll rewind some side quest rewards, but currently it's not main task;
• About Difficulty - I don't think that map is hard right now, but some monsters are tough and they will be polished;
• About Events - after Appulse, which will occur after finding Pearl of Azshara, all of 39! events will receive additional effects or be completely revisted, so map will have at least 78 events in total!

Also some new screenshots from development, with new events or other things are on them!
Stay tuned and be safe.

 

[The Nightmare Book]

New devpost with new screenshots here:

• Kill all Questgivers: Now player could kill any questgiver (no matter main questline or side quests) in game! If you attack questgiver, you'll fail all his unfinished yet discovered quest and face battle agains mini-boss. Some questgivers are easy to kill, some of them could rip you off;
• Changes into "Eternal War" side quest: Instead of spawning attackers, each side will constantly build up their forces and upgrade them with 5+ upgrades for each side, like increasing attack damage or unlocking new spells for their casters;
• Speaking NPC: Most of new npc's speak with you just by selecting them. Note that NPC couldn't speak with you, if: sleeping, stunned, ensnared or hostile towards you. Animals can't speak, but makrura's and murlocs are count as humanoids, so they could speak with you (also murlocs have special sound effects when speaking);
• New Side Quests To Complete: Drink a strange potion to learn "ancient knowledge" or be questgiver, who will dispence tasks across different types of adventurers - more interesting quests are to come in v1.05, and I can't wait to tell you about other new ones, but in next time;
• Spell Changes: Summon thunder orbs with air elemental spells or defeat and enslave summoned sea elemental, who will fight for your life;
• New Secrets To Discover: Will you find a hidden pirate treasure? Or re-activate Runeforge? Time will only tell.

P.S: Next devpost will include information about "Planet Appulse" or "Planet Parade", which is new main phase of map, occuring strictly after finding Pearl of Azshara.

 

[The Nightmare Book]

Just resently @Jayborino released a video of walkthrough of "Pearl of Azshara", during his map showcasing stream "Maporino 2022".
Check it out:

 

[The Nightmare Book]

Today I want to share with you some information, that I should. It's not about new global event, as promised in last devpost, but about new mechanics in "Pearl of Azshara":

• Additional Hero Stats: Although Hissesh have wellknown STR, AGI and INT, I decided to add something inspired by Oblivion & Skyrim - new hero stats. They include charisma, mercantile, balance and luck. All stats now could seen in new multiboard in right. Now I want to tell you about all of them one by one, reader:
  • CHARISMA or CHARM: currently dummy hero stat, equal to half of your Strenght. Will be used to determine chance of successful dialog phrases in some reworked cinematics, and for power of your summoned creatures;
  • MERCANTILE or TRADE: stands for cashback value - more the TRADE value you've, the bigger cashback chance and cashback value will be. Yes, in new version trading will recieve some small features like these, just because of high item costs. Cashback could evoken while buying or selling goods;
  • BALANCE: stands for world configuration - less BALANCE you have, the more often you'll recieve negative effects from your actions. Balance starts from 50 and could be decreased or increased by dozens of your actions;
  • LUCK: doesn't affect your spells in normal way, instead it affects additional passive (hidden or not) positive chances to occur. Example: more you have luck, more the chance that your "Blink" will send you into invisibilty.
• Changable Quest Texts: In current released version all quest texts are same for any phases of quest, so I decided to implement their changement by occuring situation. Just check them out to see, how Hissesh reacts to different events in her adventure!
• New Spells: In new version I will add 3 new Arcane spells to be discovered and re-master other 8! Now your Phylosophical Stone will transmutate target items into gold, or your Polymorph could transform target into passive critter or hostile bear permanently;
• Player Multiboard: Although multiboard is WIP, I decided to add an counter for completed quests and what last quest you have completed. Each completed quest have their special icon;
• New Pet?: Whole idea is WIP, but I started to implement my long-awaited wisp pet, who will follow Hissesh in her adventure and help her find Pearl of Azshara and more!

That's all for today…
Oh, just forgot - some screenshots have arrived.

Thanks for attention, have a nice day/evening/morning/night.
Will see you in next devpost, which 100% would be about new global event!
Cya!

 

[The Nightmare Book]

…However I said in previous post:

Thanks for attention, have a nice day/evening/morning/night.
Will see you in next devpost, which 100% would be about new global event!

It was an mistake.

---

Some weeks have passed after First of May devpost, and I've some unusual information about new version 1.05.
Today I want to tell you about Hissesh talent system, new pet and ressurection mechanics & more with screenshots:

TALENT SYSTEM

• Hissesh Talent System: In addition to new attributes, our main heroine Hissesh will recieve an options to diversify her playstyle with plenty of different effects, that you can find around whole Azshara. Each acquired talent will remain with Hissesh permanently, so you don't need to bother up with "unlearn" mechanics. All talents are classified into 4 magical schools: nature, arcane, void & fel. Let's talk about first two of them:
  • NATURE TALENTS:usually affects Hissesh by altering her healing/damaging spells, also with some sort of summoning:
    • As example - "Circle of Life": Each killed animal could spawn an Seed of Life, which you can grow up by healing spells, spawning an friendly animal unit of killed animal type.
  • ARCANE TALENTS:usually effects Hissesh only arcane spells, increasing their overall effectivenes, but some of them increases power of your elemental spells too:
    • As example - "Blink't On!": Your "Blink" spell will restore your HP & MP each cast, but chance of summoning arcane creatures are gradually increased.
• Hissesh only?: Hell no! Many of new talents will additionaly affect your summons, new companion and hireable mercenary. Also some talents will directly affect the Azshara, but you need to discover it by yourself.

SPELL CHANGES

• Spellpower?: Yes, in new version all of your spells (including your items) will calculate their power by using your attributes. All %-effects now increase their frequency by increasing your LUCK. Your elemental spells will automaticaly update their tooltips, in order to properly show You a real information about their base power.
• …That's all for Spells?: No! Now your elemental spells (like "Chain Lightning" or "Regrowth") will have only 1 level - their spellpower will increase with leveling your main hero and increasing her attributes. You don't need to calculate values by yourown - as I said, their tooltips will constantly updating their descriptions to match actual spell power of your main heroine.
• Allied Power: Your allies like mercenary hero will also use their attributes to modify their spellpower, so that's feature wouldn't include only main heroine!

MEET COMPANION - IO, THE WISP

• Prelude: Whole idea was inspired by WoW Pocopoc, Star Wars PROXY and plenty of others player companions: small hero, who will help player to gather clues about Pearl of Azshara and understand who is who in this mystical land. In my case, our companion is Io - mystical spirit, who has found Hissesh on Azshara's shore and joined her in her adventure. He have… A strange power.
• Strange Power?: …Io is an shapeshifter - he can alter his appeareance by using visages of different kaldorai warriors: from melee tank-like vanguard up to casting druid. He can freely change his appeareance in any time player wants, after unlocking preferable form of course. Io cannot die in wisp form, but dying in visage form will force Io to instantly revert into wisp and used visage go on cooldown.
• Visages Are Locked?: Not all of them - when you firstly meet Io, he'll have an unlocked "Vanguard" visage - melee tank-like kaldorai warrior. In Wisp form, you can find all other unlockable forms and their requirements. Each of Visage form wil have upgrades into more powerful visages. Currently player could unlock 6 different Visages - 3 normal and 3 upgrades for them.
• Visage Power: I'll determine them as additional heroes - they'll have 4 heroic spells, that resembles current role and form, and spellbook with other 4 supportive spells, also determined by their roles. In Wisp form, Io wouldn't have heroic spells, but still have 4 supportive spells like his visages.
• Flavour Content: Just because Io is companion, he'll have plently of phrases in different situations - and his visages too! Currently it's WIP, but I expect to make at least 80+ companion-unique phrases. Also Io is need to decipher Rune Language and collect ciphers from ancient Azshara ruins, and even have idle animations and dozen of world interactions!
• …How to unlock him?: You'll get him just from map start!

NEW MECHANIC - BONFIRES

• Unlike previous ideas, this idea is currently WIP and I'll post some screenshots later, in next days - in them you'll practicaly see it's workout.
• From new version, player could die without defeat screen due to introduction of DS-like Bonfires, where Hissesh could restore herself and setup one of them as current respawn point;
• However, like Dark Souls, their numbers are limited - you can find them in specific Azshara spots, activate only 1 of them as your current resurrection point. To activate, you must select preferable bonfire with Hissesh nearby.
• But in addition your companion Io will be able to create special bonfire in any map point, and it would work like others. Only 1 summoned bonfire - each cast will move it into new spot;
• Bonfires cannot be destroyed.
• When heroine dies, she will be respawned near selected bonfire, but her "killer" or "killers" will restore their HP & MP and refresh their spells in order to achieve honest death penalty;
• If Hissesh dies without activated bonfire (it could be), she'll be respawned near Eldarath bonfire (if it unlocked) or in map starting point (if it doesn't).

That's all, folks!
In nearest future I'll post some screenshots about bonfire resurrection, and after that, I swear, I'll tell you about Appulse global event.

Until next post, cya!

 

[The Nightmare Book]

Long time has passed after last devpost, and I want to tell you that 2 devposts before remained:

• Summarizing all before Appulse Global Event;
• Appulse Global Event.

So tomorrow I'll post an summarizing post about everything I've done in past days, from 16.05.2022 up to 28.06.2022. It would consist of some information about bonfires, Hissesh's companion, balance changes and more.

See you tomorrow, cya!

 

[The Nightmare Book]

Pearl of Azshara Devlog #...

Well, Hello Everyone who reads this and today I want to share with you some next information. Just to be clearer, I will tell you about it in next order:

1. Release before new patch;
2. Respawn Mechanics;
3. Io Companion;
4. Hero & Balance System

I hope that you'll find it enjoyable and recieve needed information.
Let's start!

Release Data and Why New REF Patch is Important

• Well, actually I wanted to do next version a bit more time and add a bit more content, but when I saw news about Reforged and PTR v1.13 has started, I decided to speed up my development and release a new version 1.05 just BEFORE releasement of new Ref patch. I think that patch would release on next week or bit later, so I've plenty of time to finally complete & polite new content like Appulse;
• Why speed up? Well, I don't know what patch will trully fix, but I'm sure that it would BREAK something, that would allow us to do normal editor stuff.

Respawn Mechanics & Player Altering It

• As I told you in previous devlog, I decided to go away from "One Death - Lose" principle and decided to implement a small-scale respawn mechanic, linked to Azshara bonfires. Literally bonfires;
• How it works? Well:
  • You need to find a bonfire and click it to activate. You'll see corresponding message if done well;
  • If you die, after short amount of time Hissesh will respawn near it, her allies like companion Io, Mercenary Hero and Backpack will be teleported to bonfire;
  • If you died before activating bonfire or before you can activate bonfire, don't worry - you'll respawn near bonfire in Eldarath, which will become your activated bonfire, or in starting position;
  • Some screenshots below:
  • Spoiler: image 01

    
• Some Hissesh talents could alter respawn mechanism: for example talent "Spiritwalker" allows Hissesh to move to her death site for reward or respawn near active bonfire.

Io, Your Faithful Companion

• Mostly I spended my time to implementing what I written about Companion Hero in previous devlogs. Now I want to add some clarification about him and his visages:
  • His Visages divides into 3 categories: melee, ranged and mage. Each category have 1 "Normal" and 1 "Advanced" Visage;
  • Normal Visages are unlocked from game start (like melee Vanguard) or after completing side quests. Each Visage have specified spells and have different phrases for EACH quest and cinematic (just one line after cinematic ends) - let me show you it just below:
  • Spoiler: image 02

    
  • As you can see, each Visage (normal shares phrases with advanced) have their specified opinion on same event, just according to their "character";
  • If you play with one Visage for long time, sometimes you will overhear their special dialog lines, and after some amount of them you'll unlock special quest - "Visage Quest", temporary locking visage with whom you're walk for. That proccess I call "Visage dating" - note that when Visage dies or changes back into Wisp, you'll lose your "dating" progress. You can activate only 1 Visage Quest at the same time.
  • Advanced Visages are unlockable only for completing corresponding Visage Quest. I don't wanna to spoil anything about their story, can tell only one - those quests are slightly different from others in "Pearl of Azshara".
  • Unlocked Advanced Visage will replace your Normal Visage, so through whole walkthrough you'll have enough time to play with 3 Normal Visages and 3 Advanced Visages.
  • Oh, and some image about that:
  • Spoiler: image 03

    
• That was about Io Visages, but what about himself? Well, Io will recieve an special exploration system with different rewarding features for player and I called it "Decryption":
  • It consist of only 1 Io ability, which could be casted on anything expect himself - from small crab critters to big yet strange mechanical golems;
  • To explore preferrable object, simply use ability on it! Firstly you'll recieve an "Special Object Reward", different for each object type. For example examining "Critters" will reward player with LUCK attribute, or examining "Animals" will reward player with undying spectral wolf pet;
  • You can get "Special Object Reward' only once, but each object type have an "General Reward" for future explorations and sometimes you could be lucky enough to recieve "Additional Reward": from gold coins to rare items;
  • And some image about that, of course:
  • Spoiler: image 04

    
• Other thing that I've added was "Io Controls": allowing auto-move, summoning it to Hissesh and changing it's color. Nothing spectacular at all.

Hero & Balance System - Hero

• During this development time, Hissesh doesn't recieved some precious updates like Talents from previous devlog, but I've add some juicy stuff:
  
  • Now after speaking with NPC "Tide Priestess", Hissesh could determine her ABYSSAL SIGN: strict analogue to Elder Scrolls Sign mechanics of passive boosts in gamestart. Here in "Pearl of Azshara" you cannot change Sign after selection, but player could complete all content without them;
  • Each Sign adds some special effects for Hissesh. For example Sign of Siren will allow hero to summon "siren servant" while casting spells on deep or swallow water, or Sign of Myrmidon will allow hero to visit special Altars to recieve "Depths Blessing", which boosts your random attribute permanently.
• Now even terrain affects your spellpower: standing in deep water or on swallow water will increase power of your water and air spells, but decrease power of fire spells; casting earth spells while standing on blight will decrease their power, but fel spells will be empowered and etc;
• Also I've deleted spell levels and now each Hisseshs spellincrease it's spellpower with her levelups. Freed place in Elemental Book I've distributed to new elemental spells, allowing player to learn at least 12 different hero spells and freely manage through them. And I don't even told you about new elements like fel or fire-earth;
• And last thing I've added was "General Spells":
  
  • Completing some side quests will reward player with special reward spells, which could be managed through this spellbook. So don't worry if you see it empty at game start - that's normal situation.
  • Spoiler: image 05

    

Hero & Balance System - Balance

• It's not about game balance, it's about WORLD BALANCE:
  
  • Special system, which increase or decrease power of your arcane/nature spells, determining how much you "drift" towards it;
  • Firstly it was an non-rewarding, messy thing that would only make your game harder without any reward for it, but now it's more player-friendly.
  • To watch over Balance, you can use "Balance" attribute in your multiboard - normal value is 50, while >50 will be marked green - "nature-drifting", or while <50 - purple "arcane-drifting";
  • How to manipulate it? Easy: cast arcane spells or kill nature creatures (animals doesn't count) to lower it, or cast nature (all elemental spells except fire-ones) and kill arcane creatures;
  • Leaning heavily towards 0 or 100 will slightly increase your game difficulty, but your units will became stronger, like nature/arcane beings. Also you can get some extra items or talents from big or low Balance value.
  • And some screeshots about it's changement:
  • Spoiler: image 06

    

PS:
That was a big one for me, but I wanted to share you something that I've already done during past days. Now I'm focusing myself to complete all side & main quests, testing them and releasing new version.
That's all for now - see ya in next and last devlog about "Appulse". When it would be? Well, I would like to post it soon as possible, but everything could change.
Cya!

 

[The Nightmare Book]

Hello everyone! That's the last devpost before incoming release of new 1.05 version "Appulse".
And today I want to share with you information about…
Well, "Appulse" itself.

PLANET APPULSE

General

Imagine next:

• You're playing a peaceful RPG map, where you can level your main hero by collecting gems or gifting flowers, peaceful atmosphere fulfills you. Then you find a magical "Pearl of Azshara" and think - "Damn, I'm doing well! This is the end?"
• You returning Pearl to your questgiver and now you're free! But after some time you'll start to notice something change: appearing of rifts, mad animals, etc;
• When you trully understood what's going, it's too late - Azshara's Balance was broke apart and astral magic caused Planet to start Planet Appulse, re-shaping your map forever.

As you can see, it's a trully global - now you will FIGHT most of playtime. Maybe on first time you'll notice a small amount of arcane creatures, and still enjoy mostly peaceful gameplay. But you should know - slowly yet steady, arcane creatures will conquer more and more land, open many-many rifts and your neutral animals will slowly vanish.
And after that you'll feel how to live in hostile world.

How to see, how bad things are? Well, you can monitor your multiboard: here you can see 2 new rows: "Appulse Phase" and "Appulse Progress":

• Appulse Phase answers for current "badness" of event. It will start from lowcore "Venus" and will end as nearly impossible "Azeroth" phase, each with it's special world impact;
• Appulse Progress answers for value, which slowly increases each second of "Appulse" event. It starts from 0 and up to 2451.

PHASES

Planet Appulse can be divided into 8 phases, and here brief look of some of them:

• VENUS - Starting phase, you would notice main changes like new monsters, quests, secrets or something else;
• MARS - Arcane creatures will became stronger and some new of them will appear;
• AZEROTH - Final yet most dangerous phase, you maybe wouldn't play for too long to see it.

In total, player will encount 8 different phases, each odd of them will bring something special to you. Also most of game events will be afflicted by Appulse.

CHALLENGE APPULSE

And how player can fight agains Appulse? Well, he can temporary stop progress timer by next things:

• Completing new Appulse quests will stop timer for 5 minutes (if completed main quest), for 90 seconds (if completed Appulse side quest) or for 45 seconds (if compelted pre-Appulse side quest or Visage Quest);
• Collecting "Sanity Shard" - new item, which will start to drop from any arcane creature killed by player, after progress value reaches "AURORA" (1000+ PV) phase;
• Value cannot increase while player is in cinematic or in special gamephase like rabbit or visage quest.

---

That's all, folks! This is was a last devpost and sooner I'll release my new version.
Doesn't matter what WC3:REF version will be on current week, I plan to release it until Sunday, if everything will go smooth.

In addition I add some screenshots of latest changes, related or not related to "Appulse". Later I'll add more screnshoots, mainly about "Appulse".
Thanks for reading and cya! Until release.

UPD:
Slightly changed post, provided with most recent information and clarification, which I think you'll be able to see today-tomorrow by yourself!

 

[The Nightmare Book]

As new version was released, right now I think that development of "Pearl of Azshara" is over. Maybe sometime later I'll return to map, but right now I'm refocused myself into another project - "Exodus of the Horde TD Edtion".

If you find issues or have suggestions - please, tell me about them I would be happy to read about it.
Any reviews: positive or negative - I'll be glad to read and answer them

 

[The Nightmare Book]

With coming release of 1.33, I'm looking forward to wait for it and slightly update "Pearl of Azshara", majorily fixing errors and balance issues, so changes wouldn't be so much with current version!

 

[The Nightmare Book]

Recent checks on 1.34 version - map works. Even I had concentrated myself on another map, I look forward to release small correction & balance version for Pearl of Azshara, tweaking post-Appulse world mostly.
Don't expected it before January, but mircales happen.

 

[The Nightmare Book]

As I don't see release of new version in January, I still want to share with you some information about what I gonna add/change:

• Item rewards will be tweaked from all kind of sources: some will be nerfed, some will be buffed to provide more diversive playground for Hissesh.
• More corrections to Appulse game phase - adding missing spells for appulse creatures, tweaking some quests if player doesn't finished them before Appulse, adding mini-bosses and respectful rewards from them. Note that not only player can fight against mini-bosses.

In general, new 1.06 version will be about finishing Appulse game phase & correction all of before. And I'll unlock Reforged graphics for map, so you can complete it on whenever graphics you've choosen.

Expect release in February, if nothing extraordinary will be.

 

[The Nightmare Book]

Looking futher to release new small 1.06 version on coming days. It will consist of some tweaks to Appulse Phase, item balance corrections and nothing more.
After that I'll say, that map development of "Pearl of Azshara" will be stopped for now.

 

[The Nightmare Book]

It has been a while since I wrote something here.

In the coming days I'll update this map with the new version - 1.07.
It won't add some grand new content, but rather polish, balance, and fix all the mess that has been added to the map since 1.05.

Stay tuned and be ready to help Hissesh uncover enigmatic "Pearl of Azshara"!...

 

[The Nightmare Book]

Uploaded new small version - 1.07. Check it out! Please report any issues that you'll find, post your suggestions and opinions - I'll gladly read them!