myoksy
Apr 21, 2017
and maybe one small coding thing: can you add an auto-save before the end of the demo? roll-back is blocked and "maybe later" throws one to the main menu. I just lost two hours of play time.
jack1974
Apr 21, 2017
Yes that's a good idea, but actually there should be an auto-save function, you should find some more recent games in the "auto" folder (so at least you don't need to start from the beginning).
myoksy
Apr 21, 2017
nah, the 6 auto save slots reachable via the gui are empty (and the "auto-auto save" is now one based on an oldish save of mine I just loaded)
jack1974
Apr 21, 2017
Ah weird. Anyway I just added and auto save+warning before the end of demo screen! Sorry about that
Franka
Apr 21, 2017
Well, the crafting game is definitely playable, just not really that fun to do more than once. When I've regained some willpower, I'll see if I can test it with the changes you made, but really burned out on it right now (can't imagine how you feel after so much internal testing). So, there's a functional game there at least, unless you broke something. Would be great to find people to test different crafting paths, I've only completed Ruby's dark paths, and there's no way I'm going through all the paths with crafting.
Troyen
Apr 21, 2017
I'll try to squeeze in a full run of Lynn's path (does she have crafting? If not I'll do Cosmina) next week, but I'm facing a writing deadline and I'm not sure if I'll have enough time to finish the game before the end of the month. (I thought I saw somewhere Amber was supposed to be released at the end of the month.)
BobTheMob
Apr 21, 2017
No more experiments from me ever, the risk is too high compared to the rewards!
C'mon, Jack, don't talk like that!
So this
one thing didn't quite go as planned--doesn't mean you're a fail at Life!
If ya never try a new thing how can ya learn if it will pay off or not?
jack1974
Apr 22, 2017
Well, the crafting game is definitely playable, just not really that fun to do more than once. When I've regained some willpower, I'll see if I can test it with the changes you made, but really burned out on it right now (can't imagine how you feel after so much internal testing).
Haha no worries, if you manage it cool, otherwise I understand! And yes, you can imagine how burned out I am
I tested so much that just THINKING about any game with crafting...lol.
I'll try to squeeze in a full run of Lynn's path (does she have crafting? If not I'll do Cosmina) next week, but I'm facing a writing deadline and I'm not sure if I'll have enough time to finish the game before the end of the month. (I thought I saw somewhere Amber was supposed to be released at the end of the month.)
No Lynn is the only one who doesn't have crafting
(for her romance, there's still the main plot crafting goal)
And yes I thought by end of month it could be ready. However, it's not like it MUST be out at the end of month, I can wait a few weeks more. But beside tweaking some values (like I did in the last update) I don't want to do anything else (also because I don't think there's anything else that can improve this game the way is designed).
If ya never try a new thing how can ya learn if it will pay off or not?
Yes it's true, however as I said several times, if I try a new thing must be a small experiment, not a big game like Amber. It would be cool if I was good at following MY OWN ADVICE sometimes!
Anyway, after all I think the game is playable once, but as Franka said, playing it again to unlock the other endings becomes too tiring. Luckily there's the VN Mode
myoksy
Apr 22, 2017
What's New In Version 0.8.7
[..]
- BELOW, CHANGES DONE TO REDUCE THE ADULT AGE GRIND!!
[..]
- reduced the crafting times of all recipes, so now you can craft something at evening too (before was always too late)
are you sure this is implemented as described? I am still in the apprenticeship stage and crafting times are noticeable shorter.
related: this change makes gathering useless*. I try to keep the energy level above 75 (otherwise jobs with high-quality demands are too much of a hassle) and even a short trip takes 20+ energy. imo this should be extremely reduced to give a comparable output to crafting alone. Like 5 energy for a short trip, 10 for a medium and 15 for a long.
* maybe with the exception of raw materials only procurable with gathering, but so far I never saw such a thing
jack1974
Apr 22, 2017
Ah no the time is reduced also in the young age. But the other things not.
Yep I could reduce the gathering time, but remember that gathering in practice gives you free money, while with crafting you don't get it. You can craft better item from raw materials to make money, but gathering (if you get high quality items) brings more money even if you simply resell them in bulks at the docks.
myoksy
Apr 22, 2017
typo ; ) One "s" too many, or is Ambra a snake in disguise? [sounds intriguing, btw. maybe something to keep in mind for a sequel.]
"It iss a little small but I have a huge stone window [..]"
-----
what is the function of the gold value on gathering sack/payment chest screens? I have yet to see an example when the first value is even near the sum of the items in the container, the latter is typically a tiny fraction
myoksy
Apr 22, 2017
Yep I could reduce the gathering time
not time. energy. reducing the first would break the energy economy even more...
and maybe players with a benevolent random number god can use gathering as a money source. in my experience it's not worth it, jobs with a gold reward are much better plannable (and with only a short time penalty for generating new job offers. but I presume save scumming is perfect for gathering and random chests in the thieves' guild)
jack1974
Apr 22, 2017
not time. energy. reducing the first would break the energy economy even more...
Ah OK, yes that would make more sense
Regarding the gathering sack, remember that you can use previous/next buttons at the bottom to change the page (I think your problem is because not all the items are displayed).
jack1974
Apr 22, 2017
I can change the gathering on next update to have fixed time/energy values. Now it's a bit randomized, because even in reality you don't know exactly in how much time you'll find items. On the other hand, since the resulting items is randomized, you could say that "I went out for 2h, and I found this". Seems "realistic" enough I guess!
myoksy
Apr 22, 2017
Regarding the gathering sack, remember that you can use previous/next buttons at the bottom to change the page (I think your problem is because not all the items are displayed).
nah, I mean the total value displayed at the bottom
http://fs5.directupload.net/images/170422/aah2qn8a.png" style="max-width:100%">
about the pacing: I just started the adult stage and my status is
http://fs5.directupload.net/images/170422/xf3slsi4.png" style="max-width:100%">
until about lvl 8 0.8.6, since then 0.8.7a. are skill levels like this expected? feels a little bit highish, especially as Franka described the leveling of all skills to 300 as nearly impossible (not her words, but something similar. I'm too lazy to look at her post).
jack1974
Apr 22, 2017
Ah OK the chest/container cost is NOT the total of the items. Otherwise would be too easy. It's randomized. Like smugglers that say "I can sell you this chest for 200 but inside there COULD be items worth 500!" but sometimes it's not true
The skills are quite high indeed
I know why though, the daily cap before was 4, now is 6 and that, together with reduced crafting times, could have led you to those values.
That's what I meant when I said was better if I stop tweaking the game. More or less it was balanced for one playthrough. And since playing it takes AGES every time, even testing the changes takes an insane amount of time.
Anyway I'll make those changes work only in adult age on next update, it should fix this. Or I can simply reduce the bump you get at the beignnin of adult age (before was 25, I put 50 but I can put it back to 25). But I think will be the last update I do regarding tweaking the values, it's too risky
myoksy
Apr 22, 2017
Ah OK the chest/container cost is NOT the total of the items.
but it wasn't even the cost. the guild sold this for 110 iirc.
and why do have gathering sacks a value at all? I mean, I (as my char persona) just _collected_ the stuff
That's what I meant when I said was better if I stop tweaking the game. More or less it was balanced for one playthrough.
I cannot say anything about the differences between former and current versions, sorry. I even have a rather good excuse: first play through : )
jack1974
Apr 22, 2017
but it wasn't even the cost. the guild sold this for 110 iirc.
Ah yes because those prices are fixed, while that price is in theory the price I set in the item database. Probably better just hide it when it's a chest/container
and why do have gathering sacks a value at all? I mean, I (as my char persona) just _collected_ the stuff
It's because how the engine is made, was easier to do it that way (I have created predefined "bags" for each location containing certain items in percentage).
I cannot say anything about the differences between former and current versions, sorry. I even have a rather good excuse: first play through : )
Yes I know, the problem is that testing changes on such a game is even worse than in a RPG (because takes a lot of time)
I never thought it, but it is!
Anyway regarding the skills: young age lasts around 130 days more or less (I already subtracted the days where there are the plot scenes, since in those cases you cannot craft/study). Then if the skill cap is 6 a day, in theory you could even reach 600
of course assuming you always have all the required materials to craft (which is impossible). Anyway, I put back the cap to 5 since that was the biggest factor I think. I compared the code and that was the major changes vs previous version, I mean crafting time would have an impact but up to a certain point.
I can see to increase the time again for young age though.
myoksy
Apr 22, 2017
I can see to increase the time again for young age though.
from a story pov probably a Good Idea - I routinely fulfilled two jobs per day, not really what one expects from an apprenticeship
