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Post by Gando on Mar 10, 2009 0:40:27 GMT -5
I was thinking maybe you should label your next build .004 since you are adding so much to it.
Had some questions too: What has been done so far? How far along is the next build? Need any help with anything? Anything preventing the launch of the next build?
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Post by Variaz on Mar 10, 2009 16:19:43 GMT -5
- Music skill is implemented, along with a few songs and instruments. - Mining is almost complete. Pickaxes are there, so is the treasure digging feat and a basic random ruins code. All I need is the second feat and maybe a few special ruins and that will be done. - Started the Bard class a bit, but only the first ability is implemented. Bard will be a basic class, since it's the main and only supporting class for Music at the moment. - The character screen has been modified to display basic stats, modifiers, mutated and "real" stats. Total Misfortune will also be displayed. Age and height/weight are gone. - Implemented junyortrakr's k_info modifications. - Started Nightmare abilities, though only four nightmares are done at the moment. I may make Violet Nightmare, Mechanized Golem and maybe Restless Dead, and leave the rest for future versions when you can actually beat the rank 60+ nightmares. - Some old junk cleaning in the source code, and a couple changes and fixes there and there. I don't know, to be honest. There's still many things to do. Mainly: - Finish the Bard. - Repair Rogue and Marksman. - I want some new quests for this one. More content = more fun. Well, contributions are always welcome. Not sure about anything specific at the moment... - Me not being much in a coding mood at the moment. - Other games. I know it's taking too long... And to think a few months ago, I worked on it almost every days exclusively... Coding overdose perhaps?
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Post by junyortrakr on Mar 11, 2009 19:09:01 GMT -5
I like the looks of the upcoming changes, upgrades, and additions. I had a few questions about things that have been previously discussed but not included in the list of changes, though. I was just wondering what their status is so I can plan my new characters.
--Scroll of the Mundane.
--Will Spell Piercing remain at Int-based, or is it going to be changed?
--Will there be a 'View Known Magic' screen or something similar?
--Will we be able to read a 'Magic Item' scroll or use a Red Lic. on crafted items?
--Will there be the discussed NPC or such that will allow base weapon damage type to be changed.
As I said, I'm mostly interested in knowing if these will happen so I can plan for them being there or not.
BTW, I have managed to kill an Elemental Elemental and a Doom Soldier with my lvl 39 Zulgor(under carefully controlled circumstances and with deaths), but he's well beyond what is needed for the regular story line at this point. I'm saving the reds for use in case I want to take something valuable into the flow.
Thanks for all the hard work!
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Post by Variaz on Mar 11, 2009 21:16:53 GMT -5
The NPC will most likely be there, though I haven't decided how it will work yet. As for the rest, haven't really decided either.
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Post by Gando on Mar 12, 2009 4:07:55 GMT -5
I know it's taking too long... And to think a few months ago, I worked on it almost every days exclusively... Coding overdose perhaps? Not likely. Coding is in your blood. But here is what I think has happened: I think you accomplished alot of the vision that you had initially and now you need something else to fuel further efforts because you are satisfied with your game as it is despite not having finished the storyline etc. You probably feel like that stuff matters less now than when you started this. But it seems to me like writing a few chapters of a book and getting bored with it (something that has happened to me more than once.) The game is incomplete. It is a very good incomplete game and if you never did another line of code for it, it would still stand the test of time. On the other hand why not finish it even though you have other things you want to do instead? I mean you chose to be Variaz creator of Portralis and like many a parent, your child needs you. You've also developed a gathering of people who like your game (us) and we are a resource underutilized.
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Post by Variaz on Mar 12, 2009 16:16:05 GMT -5
There may be some truth in this, however, I can assure you that I do want to complete the game. And perhaps more importantly, play it more, though thing is, I don't like playing with "in-development" versions.
I have many, many ideas for quests, monsters and stuff. But it seems that everytime I want to get going with this, there's always a feature to balance, a class/skill to add/improve, a new ability to implement, new items-related stuff... And it's what I've been doing a lot, much more than actually completing the storyline. Despite all the new abilities, items, and powers, we still don't know the fate of the Stealthy Vipers who are being attacked, Dhazen Summapal is still a mystery, Shan still haven't gotten her palace, Ivhala is 33% built only, etc...
I think it's this that I'm getting bored of. To be honest, I'm having no fun implementing the Nightmare abilities. I always had some sort of sadistic fun making these guys, but now I'm afraid that I will start thinking twice about adding new ones, because this means coding a new ability. I also have little motivation for remaking the broken classes and abilities, as well as adding new ones. Yet, this needs to be done, so I do it...slowly. Oh, and source code cleaning of old junk code isn't exactly fun either.
Right now, what do I want to do for Portralis? Make a new town. I have one in mind. I want to build it, and make it's related quest. But those abilities and classes and skills are stuck in my mind, and whenever I want to complete them, I get bored because that's not what I feel like doing. So I play other games instead.
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Post by junyortrakr on Mar 12, 2009 19:10:52 GMT -5
I don't mind living without upgraded features, but I was hoping to know which ones to plan on. You pretty much answered that, so I can plan for a new character better now. Since all the basic things work, I wouldn't mind more story and world development over new or improved features. The exception, of course, would be the repair of any bugs that happen to show up along the way, but those are usually relatively minor.
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Post by Gando on Mar 13, 2009 3:45:24 GMT -5
Refactoring old code that isn't even yours to start with is quite a pain. I'm sorry you have to deal with this. Hopefully those Angband variant maintainers who also read these forums/play the game etc will take this to heart and think about refactoring the bands in general so that there is less legacy code for people to muddle through. Anyway if you feel like doing a new town then do it. Do the chores in between ideas. It probably wont take you any less time to just do the chores. If I were you Id wait until new Nightmares are needed and then do your creative thing. That way the payback is more immediate and less a drudge task. I guess the reason you put forth is the main reason I haven't finished any serious development tasks on my own. Lots of great ideas, not much interest in coding all the grunt work that needs to with them.
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