alpha/prototype build 0.5.1

[jack1974]

Yes, or maybe just "Magic Vortex" or something

[jack1974]

I'm at good point with the skills, have implemented the Burning that causes damage to melee attackers (it has very high DoT, but that side effect) while other conditions for example do lower DoT but bigger effect (Frozen slows down so is important).
I've also added several of Thalia's, but I'm missing the last Defensive skill. It should be a combo skill so quite powerful, if you have any suggestions for it let me know Defensive means that can't do damage to enemies but should buff a single party member somehow.
The idea I had was similar to the 0SP skill in SOTW:
"Preparation" (or some other name) - the next skill costs 0 SP. Maybe the progression is the next 1-2-3 skills. It could be a bit too powerful though

[yayswords]

Distracting Blows
Increases an ally's defense by x% of Thalia's attack.

This could also have a defensive penalty to Thalia. It combines well with Kira's Guard/Protect (whichever name you used) either way.

[jack1974]

Yes that could work, but no penalty, since it's a combo skill so should be very powerful (more than a normal skill)

[jack1974]

I've FINISHED THE SKILLS! yay!
In the end I put the Distracting Blows as normal skill with speed penalty, and moved the Hide In Shadows as combo skill since was more powerful.

Obviously that skill pairs perfectly with Kira's Protect and makes a deadly alliance but I think is cool as it is!
Before doing another build, I need to implement the combo skill system. Well more like see if I can make it

[Troyen]

Those buff/debuff icons are really hard to see. I didn't even notice them for like 30 seconds while I was staring at the character portraits.

[jack1974]

Well that is the same as first build, so I didn't change that. If I make them bigger would cover the portraits, so... I plan to show a more detailed info on each character when you click on them in the space currently occupied by the log though.

[jack1974]

All right, combo don't work

The problem is: either I make the combo bar take longer to fill = result is that you might kill all (or almost all) the enemies BEFORE you use the combo!
If I have the combo bar fill faster, you end up using the combo skills too often (since are more powerful) and the game becomes too easy

I think this whole combo thing might have worked better with a game like SOTW, with a big party and longer battles than this game. I am thinking what to do now. Maybe I can have those combo skill become "special skill" and limited to 1 use each battle, or something like that (obviously will also need to tweak their powers).

Or if I nerf them down I can make them normal skills

[yayswords]

Yeah, it's a bit of an odd combination (no pun intended) actually. Between Loren, SotW and QoT we definitely have the fewest party members here, so all the utility I've come to expect from all warriors (and thieves and mages) combined needs to be provided by a single representative. In Joanne's initial tree we saw the problem that came with that - she couldn't heal or dispel outside combos. That's something I'd like to see as normal spells.

[jack1974]

Yes probably worth doing that. Since there is still very limited SP regain, even allowing some healing spell for sure won't make the battles necessarily too long. I forget about the combo thing while testing and I sometimes used those skills as normal skills, and still I couldn't heal so much to make the battles long as SOTW.
I guess will spend today to do this then