What changed
0 fixes6 additions1 change0 removals
- Events
- UI and audio
- Gameplay
addedThis update was focused on restoring the save system. We had saving in earlier versions, but when we added the event system and started transitioning to a more RPG style game, it was not updated for those new features. This update brings an initial save system back to the game, but it should be considered experimental. We've tested the scenarios that we thought of, but there are likely things we missed. Future updates will likely have breaking changes that will prevent continuing an old save. For now it would be best to assume that saves will not be compatible with any new releases, though some small ones may not break things.
changedSaving only happens at preset locations, which will generally be in towns right before you get the Town UI. This may change in the future. Our first goal is to do a second save just before you leave the town, so everything you have done is saved, but nothing is finalized. Beyond that, though, will depend on how the game feels as we test different options. Saving at the town allows you the opportunity to make changes should you run into trouble during the next segment, especially if you run into a boss fight and had just sent back some items that would have been useful.
addedMany features that have been added were not designed with saving specifically in mind, and getting them to save & load nicely has been a lot of work. Many things are designed to trigger off of each other. This ensures each step leads smoothly into the next. It becomes a problem when you need to simply set many properties all at once, without the triggers firing, but also need some of the steps that happen inside those larger triggered steps. Working on the save system has shown me several earlier design choices that need to be revisited. Some of them come from the older gameplay that was meant to be endless and procedurally generated. Those need to be updated to better fit the current game design. Others simply expected things to be done in a certain order, because that is how they would happen in normal gameplay. We will be taking the notes from this update and in the coming weeks reworking some of the other systems to better work with the save system, and better fit the game's current direction. Once those updates are done, we should have more flexibility in how we setup the save system.
addedThere is now an animated loading screen when you start a new game or continue from a save. It is a simple animation of a dragon and the text "Loading..." changing colors. In the future we will be updating it with some Slimes, but for now it gives the player some feedback while the game loads.
addedIn addition to restoring the save/load functionality, we have also updated the Combat UI. When we changed to the new system with multiple steps, we acknowledged that it was not always clear what steps each ability had and when selecting an item or target would be the last step to perform the action. We have added an additional display at the top of the screen when selecting items & targets. The first step is selecting an item, as long as the ability can use an item. The second step is selecting a target, unless it is a self-targeting ability. The last spot will show the name of the ability being performed. There are arrows between these sections, which will be lit up when pointing from the current step to the next, and dim otherwise. So, when you move to the Select Target step, the arrow between Select Item and Select Target will dim, while the one between Select Target and the action name will be lit up. Each section will also be dime when not active, while being lit up and have a white border when it is the current step. You will not actually reach a separate step for the performing of the action, as that UI will close once the target has been selected, but the action name will still appear in roughly the same spot in the blue action text area as it is being performed. The Select Item & Select Target sections will also be updated as you make selections showing icons for what has been selected, and updating the text to reflect the current state. If you are selecting an item and the target has already been selected, it will also show an arrow in its section showing that you will be moving past it. The in-between arrow after it will also be lit. Hopefully this new UI will help to better convey to players what steps their selected ability has, and when selecting something will activate it, rather than move to the next step.
addedThe Inventory & Traders' Depot transferring of items has also had an older feature restored. Before we switched to item stacking, we had some bulk transfer buttons next to the tab bar. These were always meant to be used with the filters, but the old filter system was a bit clunky and based on comments neither the filters nor the bulk transfer were being used much. As we redesigned the UI, and switched to item stack, the bulk transfer buttons were not needed as much, and were removed to make space. Now that the filter system is more streamlined and always visible, we have decided to add back the bulk transfer buttons for those cases where they may be more useful. We are mainly thinking of the Traders' Depot where you can filter to the items you want to send back, and then transfer them all at once.
Hungry For Loot changes
addedThis update was focused on restoring the save system. We had saving in earlier versions, but when we added the event system and started transitioning to a more RPG style game, it was not updated for those new features. This update brings an initial save system back to the game, but it should be considered experimental. We've tested the scenarios that we thought of, but there are likely things we missed. Future updates will likely have breaking changes that will prevent continuing an old save. For now it would be best to assume that saves will not be compatible with any new releases, though some small ones may not break things.
changedSaving only happens at preset locations, which will generally be in towns right before you get the Town UI. This may change in the future. Our first goal is to do a second save just before you leave the town, so everything you have done is saved, but nothing is finalized. Beyond that, though, will depend on how the game feels as we test different options. Saving at the town allows you the opportunity to make changes should you run into trouble during the next segment, especially if you run into a boss fight and had just sent back some items that would have been useful.
addedMany features that have been added were not designed with saving specifically in mind, and getting them to save & load nicely has been a lot of work. Many things are designed to trigger off of each other. This ensures each step leads smoothly into the next. It becomes a problem when you need to simply set many properties all at once, without the triggers firing, but also need some of the steps that happen inside those larger triggered steps. Working on the save system has shown me several earlier design choices that need to be revisited. Some of them come from the older gameplay that was meant to be endless and procedurally generated. Those need to be updated to better fit the current game design. Others simply expected things to be done in a certain order, because that is how they would happen in normal gameplay. We will be taking the notes from this update and in the coming weeks reworking some of the other systems to better work with the save system, and better fit the game's current direction. Once those updates are done, we should have more flexibility in how we setup the save system.
addedThere is now an animated loading screen when you start a new game or continue from a save. It is a simple animation of a dragon and the text "Loading..." changing colors. In the future we will be updating it with some Slimes, but for now it gives the player some feedback while the game loads.
addedIn addition to restoring the save/load functionality, we have also updated the Combat UI. When we changed to the new system with multiple steps, we acknowledged that it was not always clear what steps each ability had and when selecting an item or target would be the last step to perform the action. We have added an additional display at the top of the screen when selecting items & targets. The first step is selecting an item, as long as the ability can use an item. The second step is selecting a target, unless it is a self-targeting ability. The last spot will show the name of the ability being performed. There are arrows between these sections, which will be lit up when pointing from the current step to the next, and dim otherwise. So, when you move to the Select Target step, the arrow between Select Item and Select Target will dim, while the one between Select Target and the action name will be lit up. Each section will also be dime when not active, while being lit up and have a white border when it is the current step. You will not actually reach a separate step for the performing of the action, as that UI will close once the target has been selected, but the action name will still appear in roughly the same spot in the blue action text area as it is being performed. The Select Item & Select Target sections will also be updated as you make selections showing icons for what has been selected, and updating the text to reflect the current state. If you are selecting an item and the target has already been selected, it will also show an arrow in its section showing that you will be moving past it. The in-between arrow after it will also be lit. Hopefully this new UI will help to better convey to players what steps their selected ability has, and when selecting something will activate it, rather than move to the next step.
This update was focused on restoring the save system. We had saving in earlier versions, but when we added the event system and started transitioning to a more RPG style game, it was not updated for those new features. This update brings an initial save system back to the game, but it should be considered experimental. We've tested the scenarios that we thought of, but there are likely things we missed. Future updates will likely have breaking changes that will prevent continuing an old save. For now it would be best to assume that saves will not be compatible with any new releases, though some small ones may not break things.
Saving only happens at preset locations, which will generally be in towns right before you get the Town UI. This may change in the future. Our first goal is to do a second save just before you leave the town, so everything you have done is saved, but nothing is finalized. Beyond that, though, will depend on how the game feels as we test different options. Saving at the town allows you the opportunity to make changes should you run into trouble during the next segment, especially if you run into a boss fight and had just sent back some items that would have been useful.
Many features that have been added were not designed with saving specifically in mind, and getting them to save & load nicely has been a lot of work. Many things are designed to trigger off of each other. This ensures each step leads smoothly into the next. It becomes a problem when you need to simply set many properties all at once, without the triggers firing, but also need some of the steps that happen inside those larger triggered steps. Working on the save system has shown me several earlier design choices that need to be revisited. Some of them come from the older gameplay that was meant to be endless and procedurally generated. Those need to be updated to better fit the current game design. Others simply expected things to be done in a certain order, because that is how they would happen in normal gameplay. We will be taking the notes from this update and in the coming weeks reworking some of the other systems to better work with the save system, and better fit the game's current direction. Once those updates are done, we should have more flexibility in how we setup the save system.
There is now an animated loading screen when you start a new game or continue from a save. It is a simple animation of a dragon and the text "Loading..." changing colors. In the future we will be updating it with some Slimes, but for now it gives the player some feedback while the game loads.
In addition to restoring the save/load functionality, we have also updated the Combat UI. When we changed to the new system with multiple steps, we acknowledged that it was not always clear what steps each ability had and when selecting an item or target would be the last step to perform the action. We have added an additional display at the top of the screen when selecting items & targets. The first step is selecting an item, as long as the ability can use an item. The second step is selecting a target, unless it is a self-targeting ability. The last spot will show the name of the ability being performed. There are arrows between these sections, which will be lit up when pointing from the current step to the next, and dim otherwise. So, when you move to the Select Target step, the arrow between Select Item and Select Target will dim, while the one between Select Target and the action name will be lit up. Each section will also be dime when not active, while being lit up and have a white border when it is the current step. You will not actually reach a separate step for the performing of the action, as that UI will close once the target has been selected, but the action name will still appear in roughly the same spot in the blue action text area as it is being performed. The Select Item & Select Target sections will also be updated as you make selections showing icons for what has been selected, and updating the text to reflect the current state. If you are selecting an item and the target has already been selected, it will also show an arrow in its section showing that you will be moving past it. The in-between arrow after it will also be lit. Hopefully this new UI will help to better convey to players what steps their selected ability has, and when selecting something will activate it, rather than move to the next step.
The Inventory & Traders' Depot transferring of items has also had an older feature restored. Before we switched to item stacking, we had some bulk transfer buttons next to the tab bar. These were always meant to be used with the filters, but the old filter system was a bit clunky and based on comments neither the filters nor the bulk transfer were being used much. As we redesigned the UI, and switched to item stack, the bulk transfer buttons were not needed as much, and were removed to make space. Now that the filter system is more streamlined and always visible, we have decided to add back the bulk transfer buttons for those cases where they may be more useful. We are mainly thinking of the Traders' Depot where you can filter to the items you want to send back, and then transfer them all at once.
The buttons are not as prominent as before, as we wanted to give more space to try to have some text explaining them. To do this, without sacrificing the space for other things, we have put them in a popup. This also helps to prevent accidental presses. When no items are selected, you will see a button that says "Bulk Transfer" in the transfer controls section in the right column. If an item is selected it will be smaller, simply say "Bulk", and be to the right of the "Split" button. Either button will popup a new panel with 5 buttons. There is an "X" button at the bottom right for closing, and 4 buttons for bulk transfers. The top 2 will transfer all visible items from one Bag to another, with buttons for top to bottom, and bottom to top. The lower 2 buttons are bulk transfer variations of the Split button. They will take all of the items in the selected Bag and split them roughly evenly among the Personal Bags of each member of your party. The one on the left, with the left-right arrow, with transfer items from the Bag that is visible in the bottom area, typically one of the Slime's Personal Bags, and divide the items out. If the source is a Slime's Bag, they will keep their share. It you do this on the Traders' Depot screen from the Party Bag, then it will not keep any items, and they will be divided among the Personal Bags. The last button takes all the items in the Bag visible at the top, and Splits it out among the Slime Personal Bags. If you don't want to deal with figuring out who gets what items, and haven't enabled the easy mode setting to use the Party Bag for abilities, then you can use this to simply divide things among all the Slimes. This works best when there a at least 4 of an item in the stacks, as it starts by giving items to the front of the party and then moves through each until it runs out of that item. If you only have 1 of each item, this is not so useful, as it will just give everything to Phil. After collecting a lot of Loot, such as at the camp or if not spreading it out for a while, it can be helpful. Let us know if you use the bulk transfer, and if there are any variations of it you'd like to see added, or which you find the most useful. For now we have kept it fairly simple to gauge if players find it useful. We have additional plans for ways to improve the item management aspects of the game, but want to hear what players think about the systems and ways it could work better for them. Some form of automated Loot distribution is on our wishlist of features, but will take a fair amount of time to implement, so is further down the line.
