Amber Beta Demo (NOT full story!!) 0.7.6

[jack1974]

It's not as bad as all that, I was pretty tired when I fired up the game last night, but it does jump between tenses a bit. It seems like the overall tense is the present, but sometimes it slips into the past tense for a few sentences during the same scene.

The first time is the farewell scene with Vin.

Thanks, well I checked and I'm using the "right files" (the ones that have been edited). So at least there shouldn't be many mistakes like those... unless I need to start using my spiked whip on Forsaken

Rollback must be disabled during the main gameplay, because would crash the crafting framework, but during the scenes it's available.

It would be useful if you could see your max energy.

It's the heart icon in the top-left of the screen I could add some tutorial for that too.

Crafting the tutorial fertilizers gave Potionmaking XP, but when I crafted copper ingots for a task I picked up, I got nothing? But I did the second time I crafted some, wtf?

That's not "XP" but you increase the skill value, but it doesn't happens ALWAYS, otherwise would be too easy (you would reach level 100 in too fast). Maybe I can word the text better or explain it too?

What do those numbers mean? "Morning (80-5)" and why do they increase every time I switch location? Ah, it seems they're a time measurement, but should it really increase if I switch location without doing anything there? Just looking at the status screen causes time to pass!

Sorry that wasn't supposed to show was supposed to be in debug mode only (yes it's internal time calculations).

The game could give a bit more feedback on what you're likely to find in different gathering fields (likely types of items and expected quality), and approximately how much energy you use for different tasks (gathering trips and crafting).

I guess I could add a help button or something? I wanted to let the players discover what they can find

How can I tell what type an item is? I need to buy some "basic fuel", but I have no idea what items satisfy that requirement.

That's where the quick shop will come handy: you click on it while in recipe screen and will automatically search all shops for that item (if present)

However, I am doing an update now because there was a bug in the quick shop that could lead to a crash later. Wait for version 0.7.1 before using the quick shop!

[Astrala]

First of all... Woo! Beta! I really like the game, so far. There are a few things that confused me, though.

Firstly, after the tutorial, Daniel and Amber switch places, which really wasn't confusing, just weird. I double checked to make sure I hadn't missed something.

Secondly, I find it strange that the Alignment bars are different between Amber and her romances. Amber has "dark" on the right and "light" on the left, but it's reversed for Daniel, Ruby, ect.

Finally, I feel like the "short trips" you take to gather ingredients aren't really that short. They seem more like medium trips to me, because they take half a day or all night.

[Franka]

Rollback must be disabled during the main gameplay, because would crash the crafting framework, but during the scenes it's available.

Yes, but in the scene following the tutorial, rollback is disabled.

It's the heart icon in the top-left of the screen I could add some tutorial for that too.

That's current energy, is the max 99?

Crafting the tutorial fertilizers gave Potionmaking XP, but when I crafted copper ingots for a task I picked up, I got nothing? But I did the second time I crafted some, wtf?

That's not "XP" but you increase the skill value, but it doesn't happens ALWAYS, otherwise would be too easy (you would reach level 100 in too fast). Maybe I can word the text better or explain it too?

Just seems strange that I craft 4 copper ingots for 0 skill, then craft 2 of lesser quality for lots of skill.

[jack1974]

Secondly, I find it strange that the Alignment bars are different between Amber and her romances. Amber has "dark" on the right and "light" on the left, but it's reversed for Daniel, Ruby, ect.

Well you need to consider it like this: each character, so Amber included have their own alignment. They're influenced by Amber's choices. But if Amber makes a "light choice" with Daniel, why Bernard should change his alignment too? or Lynn, or Ruby? since they're not even involved in that choice.
It's a bit complex maybe, but I wouldn't be able to change it now

Finally, I feel like the "short trips" you take to gather ingredients aren't really that short. They seem more like medium trips to me, because they take half a day or all night.

Initially they were shorter, but to avoid grinding too much I made them longer, since otherwise you would have hard time to "spend your days" with the activities
The Icesilia/Reol bay are the two shorter ones and can be done after studying, so the young age daily cycle could be:
1) study
2) gather ingredients
3) to to bed early (to keep Energy up)
I've uploaded version 0.7.1 which fixes a possible crash while crafting and using the quick shop

[jack1974]

Yes, but in the scene following the tutorial, rollback is disabled.

Ah OK I'll re-enable that on next update!

That's current energy, is the max 99?

Yes, but there wouldn't be enough space to display it. But I think should add some short explanation at beginning of the game. Or if I can find the space, a "?" button that will display the help for the left-panel.

Just seems strange that I craft 4 copper ingots for 0 skill, then craft 2 of lesser quality for lots of skill.

Right now it's a bit randomized, on each time you craft (regardless of quantity) you can gain a point in the item related skill based on weighted random chance.
I'm open to suggestions, though it shouldn't give +1 on the skill EACH craft, otherwise would be too fast!

[Franka]

Bad reward:

I have a save if you want it, it looks like the issue is I have two tasks that give the same reward, completing both of them causes the second one to go bad.

Code: Select all

I'm sorry, but an uncaught exception occurred.

While running game code:
  File "game/plot/gameflow.rpy", line 665, in script
  File "game/plot/gameflow.rpy", line 665, in <module>
Exception: Token is already in inventory

-- Full Traceback ------------------------------------------------------------

Full traceback:
  File "game/plot/gameflow.rpy", line 665, in script
  File "F:\Temp\AMS-0.7.0\renpy\ast.py", line 814, in execute
    renpy.python.py_exec_bytecode(self.code.bytecode, self.hide, store=self.store)
  File "F:\Temp\AMS-0.7.0\renpy\python.py", line 1719, in py_exec_bytecode
    exec bytecode in globals, locals
  File "game/plot/gameflow.rpy", line 665, in <module>
  File "toa_rpg_framework/GUI_logic.py", line 28, in process_input
  File "toa_rpg_framework/GUI_logic.py", line 605, in take_all
  File "toa_rpg_framework/Inventory.py", line 50, in add_items
  File "toa_rpg_framework/Inventory.py", line 46, in add_item
  File "toa_rpg_framework/Inventory.py", line 293, in add_item
Exception: Token is already in inventory

Windows-8-6.2.9200
Ren'Py 6.99.12.4.2187
 0.7.0

[Franka]

Just seems strange that I craft 4 copper ingots for 0 skill, then craft 2 of lesser quality for lots of skill.

Right now it's a bit randomized, on each time you craft (regardless of quantity) you can gain a point in the item related skill based on weighted random chance.
I'm open to suggestions, though it shouldn't give +1 on the skill EACH craft, otherwise would be too fast!

The main problem right now is that if I save scum a bit, I can get +1 skill every time I craft 1 item, and it definitely looks like crafting 1 item at a time is ALWAYS the better way to do it (except it uses more time).

[jack1974]

Yes please send the save for the crash!
And yes, then clearly the skill point you get while crafting needs to be reviewed

I'm now adding the possibility to click on the task item to automatically open the crafting with the selected recipe

[jack1974]

I have an idea, I could code rather quickly a sort of "Level Up Screen" where on each level up you can assign points in the various crafting disciplines (with an AUTO button of course). That would be better maybe?

[Franka]

As long as you can come up with something that's balanced (!) to how you want progress, anything goes. Off the top of my head:

Make it dependent on level ups like you suggest, but then you need to balance XP gains.

Have some sort of skill XP so you have to craft at least X amount or quality of items before a skill up.

Require you to do a study session when you have enough skill XP before you can gain a skill level (that might not work for the adult stage, I imagine)...