I refuse to sign up for another site (http://www.formspring.me/) just so I can answer your questions. Instead, I will do so here, in this thread.
Ask me anything (within reason), and I will answer!
Just out of curiosity, what kind of questions do these include? Simply related to game development, future aspirations, plans, etc, or more personal ones with you more or less stop being anonymous and letting in the general public into the know about who you are? (Like you've been slowly doing over the last year or so.)
You can ask whatever you like: questions about game development, life advice, trivia, etc. I'll then decide whether to answer.
Oh goodie :)
Then I do have one from steelfist here, which is rather suiting to start things off:
Quote from: Steelfist on February 07, 2010, 03:09:42 PM
Why didn't you keep Malignus as a name? Everyone knew who you were anyway.
I guess that's true about all of you knowing who "malignus" is. You can consider the screen name change as just another part of the process I've been going through over the past year, trying to make Sinister Design and everything associated with it (myself included) more approachable to new fans and more professional as well.
If you release TSOG to the public early, pre-total completion (as no RPG is totally complete, but complete enough) will you continue to work on it or start on a new game altogether?
Hm, I'm trying to figure out what you mean. Are you asking if I'm going to keep updating the game with additional content post-release? If so, the answer is "maybe."
I'm not in a position where it makes economic sense to just keep adding more and more content after the game is done and released, but if there's something that I think the game really needs that I didn't think of beforehand, I'm certainly not going to shrink from adding it in afterwards.
That's just the answer I wished to hear, thank you.^^
What are your plans for future projects? I remember you talked about Fool's Gold at some point, and the Shadowling Assassin? Do you have desire to expand into another genre?
Are you thinking of mixing up games in future, making some free-for-all, and some buyable premium ones to keep your profile high in the Flash gaming community?
Are you considering at one point to make this your main job focus- developing flash games and, possibly, to create a design studio?
What's your thought of venturing into making short games in Flash for iPhone?
Given an article with regards to Flash game prices that your posted in summer, what are your thoughts on the general potential of Flash game market and general user mentality? Do you reckon, with enough concerted effort, certain Flash developers will be able to set the price-tone in light of the crisis and changing customer attitudes?
Any thoughts on how to tackle the issue of selling Flash games to minors and facilitating methods available in the future?
Thoughts on using social community websites like Facebook, as well as Twitter, to promote your products?
Just general thoughts on shifting attitudes and expectations towards Flash games that you noticed in the last 5-7 years? (Or better yet, over the last decade?)
Quite a few questions there, but I'll definitely be interested to hear your opinions on any of the questions above.
What actionscript version did you use for tsog? (just curious).
Do you plan on expanding your programming department? (i.e. more programmers(even if only volunteers))
I am using Actionscript 2 for TSoG, though I'm moving to Actionscript 3 for all future projects.
I'd certainly like to have an experienced programmer I can rely on to do work for me, volunteer or otherwise. If you know someone like that (or, for that matter, if you
are someone like that) let me know. :)
Quote from: KZ on February 09, 2010, 12:07:19 PM
What are your plans for future projects? I remember you talked about Fool's Gold at some point, and the Shadowling Assassin? Do you have desire to expand into another genre?
Are you thinking of mixing up games in future, making some free-for-all, and some buyable premium ones to keep your profile high in the Flash gaming community?
Are you considering at one point to make this your main job focus- developing flash games and, possibly, to create a design studio?
What's your thought of venturing into making short games in Flash for iPhone?
Given an article with regards to Flash game prices that your posted in summer, what are your thoughts on the general potential of Flash game market and general user mentality? Do you reckon, with enough concerted effort, certain Flash developers will be able to set the price-tone in light of the crisis and changing customer attitudes?
Any thoughts on how to tackle the issue of selling Flash games to minors and facilitating methods available in the future?
Thoughts on using social community websites like Facebook, as well as Twitter, to promote your products?
Just general thoughts on shifting attitudes and expectations towards Flash games that you noticed in the last 5-7 years? (Or better yet, over the last decade?)
Um, geez. That's a lot of questions to ask at once! :D Do you want to put together an interview for the front page of the site?
Aye, I thought maybe you'd like to answer some of them. ;)
As for putting up an interview- methinks you've already just done that :P
I was thinking is the full version of TSOG going to be available to everyone and then you have a version that you buy which has extra goodies, or is it going to be a buy and play with no free version?
I would expect TSoG to be like Telepath Psy Arena 2, with a free demo and a full game that is pay-to-download.
Quote from: KZ on February 10, 2010, 06:54:19 PMAs for putting up an interview- methinks you've already just done that :P
All right, all right. You win. :P I'll pick and choose a few of these:
QuoteWhat are your plans for future projects? I remember you talked about Fool's Gold at some point, and the Shadowling Assassin? Do you have desire to expand into another genre?
My latest idea is to make a game that combines turn-based tactics with a collectible card game. Instead of recruiting characters, you collect cards. Some cards let your hero cast spells directly on the battlefield, some change the rules of combat, and some summon minions for you to command. You can build multiple decks, level up your minion cards in battle, and go dungeon-delving for especially rare cards.
That's just one idea, though. Whatever I end up deciding to make next, you guys will be the first to know. ;)
QuoteAre you thinking of mixing up games in future, making some free-for-all, and some buyable premium ones to keep your profile high in the Flash gaming community?
I've considered it. The free Flash game market is pretty competitive, though. As I learned with TPA1, it doesn't really work to release a not-so-great free game to build buzz these days. And the games I tend to like making take a lot of time and effort to make. I'd consider it if I had a large enough sponsorship offer waiting in the wings, but I can't really predict whether that's likely to happen or not.
QuoteWhat's your thought of venturing into making short games in Flash for iPhone?
Well, the iPhone doesn't support Flash, so that's pretty much DOA. Unless you're talking about Flash CS5's reported ability to export to iPhone format? I've heard some mixed opinions on how well that'll work. Given the technical limitations of the iPhone platform and the likelihood that Flash-exported games will run slowly on it, I think iPhone development should probably be left for people better at optimizing code than I. (And that's without even getting into how the iPhone App store basically requires your game to be sold at $0.99 per copy in order to get any attention.)
QuoteJust general thoughts on shifting attitudes and expectations towards Flash games that you noticed in the last 5-7 years? (Or better yet, over the last decade?)
Well, just in terms of being a program you can plausibly use to make games, Flash basically didn't exist prior to the beginning of this decade. Check out Tom Fulp's description (http://www.newgrounds.com/lit/history.html) of how he made Pico's School with Flash 3 back in 1999:
QuoteThis year also saw the introduction of Pico's School, hailed by many as the pinnacle of Flash 3 "programming". I say that in quotes because Flash 3 didn't offer much in terms of programming - it didn't even support variables. I came up with a very complex work-around for tracking events and data, making Pico the most advanced Flash 3 game I am aware of. It wasn't until Flash 4 that variables were introduced, and Pico would have been much easier to make. :)
It didn't support variables--that's just crazy!
Flash games have gotten a lot more sophisticated over the past 5 years, particularly in terms of graphics. Only over the past year or two has Flash started to gain acceptance in the larger games-making community as a legitimate game development platform, and not just an engine for crummy, free games, which I think very important for indie developers.
Heh. I'm aiming to be a flash developer, and would love to join CraigSterns "team" after some practise. Long way to go tho ;)
Thanks for the answers, CraigStern. I've been loosely following development of newgrounds since 2004, so have been fortunate enough to observe the changes that took place during teh time and read Tom Fulp's article you're referring to- quite interesting to see how things started off.
Quote from: Kivatti on February 13, 2010, 05:44:33 AM
Heh. I'm aiming to be a flash developer, and would love to join CraigSterns "team" after some practise. Long way to go tho ;)
Same here, though I've never programmed in Flash, I'm a quick study. Once I feel confident in my abilities with Flash expect to see an application from me. ^^
I'm still working with my "escape the room"-game, which is not going very good right now... It's becoming too big. Should propably change some of the videos used in it to movieclips.
I'm making a strategy game, top-down like TSoG, but the characters' motion isn't limited to a grid. I'm hoping to make an onRollOver / RollOut function that makes an info box with dynamic text about the character's status appear, but the text boxes don't respond to their variables when inside a movie clip, aren't moveable when they aren't, and I can't do an onEnterFrame function with a button, apparently. Should I give up the immediate, up-to-date info of the onEnterFrame function and use a button, inside which dynamic text responds to its variable, or is there another way to make this portable HUD?
Quote from: algebra15 on February 21, 2010, 05:11:19 PM
the text boxes don't respond to their variables when inside a movie clip
Make sure the "variable" property of your dynamic text field is pointing to the correct level. For example, in AS2, if you have the onEnterFrame function running on the main timeline keeping track of a variable called
currentHealth, an embedded text field could point to
currentHealth by having
_root.currentHealth as its variable property.
Thanks a ton; that really helps.
I read on the old forums that weaknesses weren't supported by the current game engine, and I thought, why not? I'm guessing the resistance set-up is probably quite simple, like dividing the enemy damage by 2. So, couldn't you simply have a new type of "resistance" say, -Heat, -Cold, -Physical, -Light, -Shadow, as opposed to normal Heat, Cold, Physical, Light, Shadow, and make it multiply the damage by 2? I still haven't gone into flash coding much, but all it would need extra is simply making the .5 into a variable with an if then preceding it checking if the first character is a - or not (I forget the line that does that, midseg or something) The - sign could even come after the name such as Heat- depending on how you check for which resistance is appropiate.
So, what I'm saying is, couldn't that be a simple way to create a weakness?
If it's just a question of multiplying the associated damage by a set amount if a creature resists the opposite element, you're right--that wouldn't be too hard to code.
The biggest reason I can think of not to do this is that it would require a fair bit of rebalancing. (One example comes immediately to mind: Luca in the spirit cellar mission. Her physical resistance would cause her to take double damage from just about every enemy in the mission, since they all use Mental attacks--this would make her much less useful.)
On the other hand, this might make combat that much more strategic and challenging. And I suppose I could limit the "weakness" effect to the four primary elements (Heat, Cold, Light, Shadow). If you like, feel free to create a thread in TSoG Wish List where folks can discuss this idea, and I'll consider adding it in.
Hi, I'm playing through chapter 2 right now, and I do have a ton of questions! I don't know where to begin, so I'll just ask you the first thing on my mind:
Tell me about your decision to use Flash. I don't know anything about Flash myself, but I've been learning C#, so I do know some things about programming. Are there advantages to using Flash for this type of game, or did you just happen to be familiar with Flash, so it was an obvious choice?
Also, I'm curious about the decision to have the game run in a browser. Believe it or not, this is the first time I've ever played a game in a browser! So I'm wondering if there are advantages to doing it this way, as opposed to just having a download-able installation? Also, did this decision have anything to do with using Flash?
To be honest, I didn't really know about the huge range of alternatives when I first started--I got started with Flash mostly because I knew someone who used it and liked it a lot, and that convinced me to give it a try.
The reason the first few games are browser games is partly because that's what Flash was originally designed to produce: animations in-browser. So it's very easy to embed a Flash game inside a webpage. I wasn't even entirely sure that a Flash game would work as a standalone executable until I experimented with TRPG2 Special CD Edition.
It's also easier to distribute Flash in-browser from a business standpoint: there are tons of Flash games portals with lots of traffic that will pay you money for your work. ("Easier," however, doesn't necessarily translate to "better long-term business plan," which is why I'm going the pay-to-download route now.)
Since I really know nothing about Flash... When you're working on a game in Flash, are you mostly writing code, as with most other languages, or do you have like a drag & drop editor or something?
Since Flash works so naturally in a browser, would you say it's pretty much the ONLY viable medium for developing a browser game? You mentioned that there are portals full of Flash games... So I'm guessing that a browser game written with something else might not be easily distributable?
I was really surprised when I started playing the first two chapters of TRPG, and they were running right in Firefox. I had never expected to play an RPG that way. It always seemed that Flash games are usually just tentative, brief distractions, which is why I never really paid them much mind. But when I was playing your games, it was kind of like, "Why not? As long as you can save your progress, what's the difference?"... I guess there isn't really any disadvantage, is there? Or maybe from a marketing standpoint there is? Like, you mentioned about deciding between pay-to-download versus letting a commercial site host your games. I'm guessing that you couldn't directly "sell" a browser game to players, as you could with an executable...?
There are platforms other than Flash that support in-browser games, but most of them kinda stink. One exception I can think of is Unity. While Unity is awesome, however, it doesn't have anywhere near the install base that Flash does. That means that most players will have to download a plug-in and restart their browsers before they can play your Unity game, which will cause a lot of them to say "Ah, forget it."
The biggest advantage to making a Flash game as a downloadable executable is performance. Flash runs way faster when it's not embedded in a browser. (Don't ask me why, but it's true.)
Also, it gives you much more flexibility to make large game files. If I include all the music and art and sound effects I need for TSoG, for instance, it's going to weigh in at well over 100 MB. No one is
ever going to wait for a game that huge to load in-browser every time they want to play. It'll be better to make it a file that you download one time and then can execute at will.
Quote from: Zero Mission on February 27, 2010, 01:40:07 PMI'm guessing that you couldn't directly "sell" a browser game to players, as you could with an executable...?
In fact, you could--that's what indie developer Farbs has been doing with Captain Forever.
Speaking of performance, I did notice a lot of slowdown with TRPG2, and ultimately settled on using the lowest graphics setting, just to squeeze the best performance out of it. Even in the card game. It didn't seem that it was graphics intensive, so maybe that's a caveat of running it in a browser.
One thing I'm dying to ask you about is how you got started... When you were first making TRPG1, did you intend from the start to develop a game for release? Was it originally released through one of those Flash game portals, for commission? It's a short game, but I'm thinking that it's a fine length for a game on a portal site... Also, how much time did you spend learning to work with Flash before getting started on the game?
Heh. I learned to use Flash by making Telepath RPG Chapter 1. (Which, in retrospect, was probably the wrong way to go about it.) I intended to release TRPG1 as a finished game from the beginning, which is in large part why it's so short.
I originally released TRPG1 on Newgrounds as an entry for an Armor Games competition. (It won $250.)
when you were learning flash did you learn it from a site a book or did you have a friend help you out?
I relied on free tutorials from sites like kirupa.com and gotoAndPlay.it, but I also had help from more experienced developers on a forum I visited regularly at the time. :)
How long did it take you to make the first game?
Also, how do you work out a balanced battle system? Did you just get the game working, and then tweak the numbers until it seemed right, or was it all mathematically figured out ahead of time?
It took me two and a half months to make. The battle system was a little of both--I thought it through ahead of time, then tweaked the numbers as necessary based on my experience playtesting the game.
Hey, thanks for answering questions btw. It's really great to be able to play a game, and actually know who made it and where it came from, and even be able to "reach out" and ask questions directly to the developer! It's very cool.
So um... Do you ever see yourself seeking employment elsewhere in the programming field, or perhaps joining a team, working on someone else's games? Or maybe a better question would be... Is this a profession for you, or do you still consider yourself a hobbyist?
See, I totally aspire to make games, and the way I see it, working alone just seems to make sense... But sometimes I worry that it'll be harder than I'm anticipating... It seems that even small games usually have at least a handful of names in the credits. So I'm trying to figure out if I should plan on having to be involved with a team, or if I should stick with my gut feelings & try to do everything myself...? I'd really value your opinion!
Sure, no problem. ;)
Going it alone has it advantages and its disadvantages. The primary disadvantage is that you'll have to make sacrifices, whether that be through reducing the scope and ambition of your game, or through taking many years to complete it. Having a team makes game creation much, much faster.
The main disadvantage to having a team, however, is that people can be unreliable. There's nothing worse than having a game 70% done, then having your artist or your programmer decide he's not interested in working on the game anymore. Do you try to find a replacement to come in and produce similar work? Do you have to scrap everything they did and start over? It's bad news.
Basically, if you're going to create an indie game, you have to choose your poison.
As for whether this is a profession or a hobby for me: I'd like to be able to design my own games professionally. Whether I'll be able to do that and still pay the rent remains to be seen, but as long as I have peoples' support, I remain optimistic. :)
What's your favorite part of game development? How about least favorite?
What's the hardest part?
I noticed you said you have Flash 3, the only version I currently have access to is Flash 4. It said something about converting files from flash 4 to flash 3 somehow... but I don't know...
Anyways, do you think I'd actually be able to help you program if I use flash 4?
Quote from: Zero Mission on March 03, 2010, 09:59:47 PM
What's your favorite part of game development? How about least favorite?
What's the hardest part?
My favorite part is probably a tie between writing dialog and writing music. I guess you could say that I just like writing in general, as long as it isn't writing code. :)
Actually, even programming can be kind of fun, but only the parts where I'm figuring out how to make some new system work. That's kind of like a fun puzzle. The remaining 90% of my coding time is spent fixing bugs, though, and I hate that about as much as anyone can hate anything.
Quote from: Zhampir on March 03, 2010, 10:02:15 PM
I noticed you said you have Flash 3, the only version I currently have access to is Flash 4. It said something about converting files from flash 4 to flash 3 somehow... but I don't know...
Anyways, do you think I'd actually be able to help you program if I use flash 4?
You mean Flash CS4 and Flash CS3? (I'd be surprised if anyone in the world was still using Flash 4 and Flash 3. ;) ) I'm currently coding TSoG in AS2, which every version of Flash dating back to 2003 supports. So if you know the language and want to help, I might be open to it. Send me a PM.
I think you might have mentioned this somewhere but, do you have a plan for all the games you create before creation, like do you have the storyline in your head? For instance, do you know what you want the game after TSOG to be like or even the game after that? Or do you create them as they come to you, and if another idea strikes you, you right it down for a rainy day after your current project is done with?
I have a few ideas for future projects that I've thought through and written out at various times while working on TSoG. It doesn't really work to just blunder headlong into designing a game: they're too complicated for that sort of approach, even the simple ones. You always have to plan out what you're doing ahead of time, even if it's just a rough jumble of ideas, then refine as you go. (Or I do, at least.)
What do you think of having a special edition of TSoG to be released if sales are going as good as expected? I know it is likely much too soon to think about a project after TSoG.
I've had a few thoughts on this (some of which are named in my topic More Strategy (http://sinisterdesign.net/forum/index.php?topic=193.msg1959#msg1959)
The premium edition could contain
1. more quests
2. more mini-games
3. more powers
4. more teammates
5. more enemies (maybe)
6. lastly (and my favorite) A certain time-traveling dark spriggat (or whatever race you choose to be this time ;) ) that can show you glimpses into the history of Cera Bella, and even have you relive great battles of war. Giving Cera Bella a great official (in this time-line) history. A neat idea would be that, at the end of Malignus's telling of the history something strange happens and you are teleported into the future gaining a (brief) glimpse of what the next game could be like/focused on. |
I don't think this should be left entirely to you to program, however (unless you wish it, after all, it is your company). I think that the development of this should be worked on a trusted volunteer (perhaps myself when I finally get the right flash, I think I have it now but I'm having issues getting it to even install) or a loyal team of volunteers. It's not like the ideas for the quests, powers, mini-games, teammates, or even the History would be thought up by the volunteer(s), but it simply includes the stuff thought up on the forum that were well-liked and well-formed ideas, but because of a time constraint (perhaps) were left out.
also I'm not sure where to say this but, the link to the forums in the FAQ still links to the old forums.
If I ever re-release TSoG, it'll be because A) I've come up with a new, vastly superior engine, or B) because I've found a way to port the game to console.
I don't mean a re-release per say, but an add-on
Well, from a business perspective, I don't want to cannibalize my own sales. So if sales of the ordinary game are going well, I'll probably leave well enough alone. :)
When you get rid of enemies with code, especially like bandits in battles with reinforcements, what method do you use? the .removeMovieClip method? And kind of an add-on question. In battles, are the enemies dynamically generated? I figure they have to be, in battles with reinforcements, but I heard on some Actionscript-related forums that just using the .removeMovieClip leaves a "shell," whatever that is.
I do indeed use removeMovieClip(). So far as I know, that's the most efficient way to get rid of a movieclip. (I haven't heard anything about this leaving a shell behind, personally, but that doesn't mean it isn't true.)
Heres My Question, what sort of ideas are you thinking of doing for the next Telepath RPG
So far, I haven't put much thought into it. All of my energy right now is going into making TSoG the best game it can possibly be. Once I'm done with that, I'll start thinking about what comes next. :)
I wa checking the Telepath wiki and it says something about a character named Rajav, when you try to put the name in (as your name) then next button dissapers, the same when you put Set, Griffin, Rahel. Will this character join your team or is that just a glitch
I guess that Craig will say that you have to wait to see... By the way, to complement the above post, I have noticed that we are allowed to use the names of our future enemies, so I'm assuming that Rajav is reserved for some team mate.
Will Telepath Adventure: Shadowling Assassin be a premium game or a free game?
The reason you can't use a teammates name for you own is that their is an odd glitch. Say you name yourself Griffin, as long as one of the Griffins are alive you can win the battle. In other words, as long as the original Griffin is alive and your hero dies, the battle can still be won. I haven't felt the need to report this as it seems that Craig all ready knows and has attempted to eliminate this bug.
You turn into Griffin. I don't know how the stats are contrived; when I called myself Arman I did far more damage than the actual Arman.
Is Nocuts Still Alive?
Maybe. :)
Why do you have to restrict us non-paying gamers from Telepath psy arena 2. I REALLY wanna play it but there's nowhere you can play it for free.
From the explanation (http://sinisterdesign.freepowerboards.com/viewtopic.php?f=26&t=2050) I gave on the old forums:
QuoteI'm changing my strategy. As most of you have no doubt figured out by now, I'm just one guy working on games in his free time. I'd love to one day make this a real career: making these games combines so many of my loves, it's as close to my ideal job as I can imagine anything being.
In order to enable me to do this full-time, however, I've got to find a way to make a living off of game design. For a long time, I thought I might be able to do it by making free games and living off of sponsorship money and ad revenue. After several years of experimentation on my part, I've determined that this just isn't going to work. Complicated role-playing games take a very long time to make, and neither advertising revenue nor sponsorship money is great enough to cover the costs of rent and food during those long periods of development.
Elaborating on that explanation here (http://sinisterdesign.net/forum/index.php?topic=153.msg1282#msg1282) on these forums:
QuoteAds in Flash games really weren't all that lucrative back before the recession hit, and they're certainly no better now.
I do know of a small handful of Flash game developers who are able to make a living releasing free games (Pixel Jam being a prominent example), but most free Flash developers are either in high school or college, and don't have to worry about paying rent, paying back school loans, buying food, paying for doctor's bills, and so on and so on. With Pixel Jam, the kind of games they make--short, addictive action games--are much quicker to put together and release than the kind of games I make, and they appeal to a much larger audience. In short, they're a good fit for the free Flash model. Sad to say, mine really aren't.
So, there you have it: that's why it isn't available for free. If you really want to play TPA2 that badly, you should buy it! (And if you're young and don't have a credit card, just ask your parents to buy it for you. It works for kids all over the world. ;) )
What's Rahel new attack: True Shaft Supposed to do?
It's a sniping attack: it hits 3 spaces away, like Bow 2, but it deals a large amount of extra damage. It costs 10 PsP.
Neat!
Are you not ruling out adding more attacks to the teammates that are already in-game?
As far as I'm concerned, no character's attack line-up is necessarily complete yet.
Is there a certain hours of game-play that you are trying to reach? For many RPGs they try to extend game time for as long as possible usually around 40hours if everything is thoroughly completed, 20 if you rush.
I am not aiming for any particular amount of play time. I am aiming for quality. So I won't be padding it with tons of filler battles just to make it take longer to beat. There will still be plenty of side quests, though. :)
What's a 'sticky topic.'
A topic that isn't moved down the page as other topics get posted in--it remains "stuck" at the top of the page.
Craig why is it when i saved a more current game on a old one and go out of the site then go back on I lose the saved settings?
Is this in TSoG? Make sure you're clicking twice to overwrite the saved game file.
I did it still doesn't work it just loads the old saved game.
Wow I feel like and idiot or worst a fool. For those who think i'm talking about the saving of the game you sir or madame
are wrong.
Quote from: Tastidian on March 30, 2010, 02:45:53 PM
Craig why is it when i saved a more current game on a old one and go out of the site then go back on I lose the saved settings?
It might be related to the size flash is allowed to use. It might not be enough to accommodate for the new save. Try the following: Right click the game and go to Settings. In there, raise the allowed local storage (I allow 10MB in my computer, but try a higher value if that don't work). (http://sinisterdesign.net/forum/index.php?topic=198.msg1984#msg1984)
Craig or KZ: Perhaps move this discussion to somewhere else?
Oh yah I completely forgot about that. Thanks a million Ertxiem that really helped me. You know i'm used to games that automatically ask for the space.
Craig do you play your own game just for fun or to relax even old ones that are not so popular?
Quote from: Tastidian on April 02, 2010, 12:27:19 AMCraig do you play your own game just for fun or to relax even old ones that are not so popular?
I have to have a pretty long cooling off period after finishing a game before I can go back and play it for fun. I've programmed every last nook and cranny of the thing, so giving myself room to forget stuff is the only way the experience can be fresh for me.
So far, the only one I've really done that with has been TRPG2--and it was actually quite a lot of fun. I'm looking forward to the day, most likely years from now, when I can do that with TSoG and be suitably impressed with myself. ;)
What do you think about free software projects, operative systems like Linux or games like the battle for Wesnoth?
I've heard great things about the Battle for Wesnoth, but I have yet to play it. (I should make a mental note to review that game for IndieRPGs.com.)
About open source software in general: I absolutely love it. I use Audacity and OpenOffice.org quite frequently. :)
About open source games in particular: I think they're a great idea, but I personally have no interest in pursuing that sort of development. I never liked group projects back in school, and I have too strong of a vision for what I want in the games I develop to want to cede that much control over it.
Why didn't you choose a degree in an area related with programming?
If I'd known this was how I wanted to make my living back in (or before) college, I probably would have! But I only realized how much I wanted to keep doing it once I was already enrolled in law school.
What is your IQ?
179 just below Albert Einstein. Craig if you really did say that I would have to meet you in person and have you tested by a professional.
Quote from: CraigStern on March 04, 2010, 11:56:46 AM
Actually, even programming can be kind of fun, but only the parts where I'm figuring out how to make some new system work. That's kind of like a fun puzzle. The remaining 90% of my coding time is spent fixing bugs, though, and I hate that about as much as anyone can hate anything.
What would you say was your favorite system to make?
I had fun developing the system for randomly generating unique battles in TSoG. It wasn't easy, but it wasn't quite the hair-pulling experience that figuring out some of these other systems was. :)
How much longer -do you think- the downloadable demo will take for you to put it on to your site/finish it.
Quote from: Zackirus on April 25, 2010, 05:02:08 PM
How much longer -do you think- the downloadable demo will take for you to put it on to your site/finish it.
Right now I'm waiting for the new portrait artist to finish redoing all of the in-game portraits. I think it should hopefully be ready within the next week or so, but it might be a little longer than that.
what are the odds that we will be able to keep our old saves when the downloadable demo comes out?
i know it sounds ridiculus, but could you transfer the saves over for people with usernames on SinisterDesign or something?
I have a level 22 Shadow affinity hero that i really don't want to loose-i didn't even cheat to get there!
You'll need to transfer your save files to a new folder, but they should work.
who is your favorite philosopher?
I don't have a single favorite philosopher. Even if I did, though, I'm not sure I would want to answer this question, since it might color the way you guys experience TSoG. :)
can't even tell me in a pm? :) I solemnly swear I won't tell anybody else.
now the real question: What happened to KZ?
Would you call yourself an artist?
Quote from: rainen on April 25, 2010, 06:13:30 PMWhat happened to KZ?
See here. (http://sinisterdesign.net/forum/index.php?topic=329.msg5596#msg5596)
Quote from: Guye on April 25, 2010, 10:15:58 PM
Would you call yourself an artist?
Yes, I would.
Quote from: CraigStern on April 25, 2010, 05:40:15 PM
You'll need to transfer your save files to a new folder, but they should work.
what do you mean by that? Players can't select the save destination, so i can we trasfer the files?
Quote from: mikew781 on April 26, 2010, 05:28:49 PMwhat do you mean by that? Players can't select the save destination, so i can we trasfer the files?
Find your saved game files on your hard drive, copy them, and then paste them into the new folder Flash will create when you play the downloadable demo. Here is how you do it, step by step:
Step 1: Find your saved gamesGames are all saved as .sol files.
To find your files in Windows, do the following:
- Start a search of your hard drive
- Turn on the "find hidden files" option (if you have Vista, it will call this "include non-indexed, hidden, and system files")
- Search for TelepathRPG3*.sol (just like I've written it there)
- You should find the old saved game files; keep their folder open until we're done with Step 3
Quote from: Ertxiemin Ubuntu (a Linux distribution) the save game is located on:
user home folder/.macromedia/Flash_Player/#SharedObjects/[letters and numbers]/www.sinisterdesign.net/TRPG3.swf
I assume that, since Mac is Unix, the location is similar to the above one.
Step 2: Start a new game and save it
- Run the new TSoG downloadable demo
- Start a new game and save it. We'll call this the new saved game. (It doesn't matter where you save--you're only doing this so Flash will create a new folder for downloadable demo saved games)
Step 3: Bring over your old saves- Using the same technique you used in Step 1 above, find the folder containing the new saved game's .sol file–that's the new directory for your game's save files
- Copy the old saved game files you want to use and paste them into the new folder
thank you very much-for both the instructions and for allowing us to keep our old saves
Is there anything new in the download that we would miss by using our old saves (cut scenes, new dialogue, etc.)?
That depends on when the last time was that you started a new game. ;)
Just to add to the file location, in Ubuntu (a Linux distribution) the save game is located on:
~/.macromedia/Flash_Player/#SharedObjects/[letters and numbers]/www.sinisterdesign.net/TRPG3.swf
I assume that, since Mac is Unix, the location is similar to the above one.
~ = user home folder
Could you give us a list on what will be in the new demo?
I certainly could. But it would be easier for me to link to Twitter, where all the changes are listed already, so I'll do that. :)
https://twitter.com/sinisterdesign
craig i am having issues with trying to download the new demo for tsog is there something that i am doing wrong
He might be able to help you with just that, but in all likelihood he'd need more info. Even a good mechanic has a tough time fixing a car with just "it isn't working".
Hey torugo, have you been able to get the demo?
Here's a question that was submitted to me by email from a fellow named Bernard:
QuoteFirst, I must say I'm a great fan, I'll definitely buy TSoG. But to the main point: how many installments of Telepath RPG will there be?
This is a good question, and I figure the answer is worth sharing with everyone, so here it is: Beats me. Chances are, as long as I still have stories to tell set in that universe, I'll keep making Telepath games. I'm probably going to take a break and try something different for a little while after I release TSoG, though. :)
i finaly got the demo to download but it was the only time i have been able to play it. i dont know what i did but i got it to work only once.
Craig, did you write (at least part of) the license agreement in your games?
I was just installing the TSoG Demo when the question just popped out. (lol I switched a "p" by an "o" when I was writing.)
I took it from another, big studio game, then adapted it for use with my own games. Why do you ask? :)
(Legal forms, by the way, are customarily considered fair game for copying in the legal community, if that's your concern.)
I didn't read the entire license agreement. I just gave it a quick look, but it seemed to have here and there a few differences from what I usually read (but I can't really point where, apart from referring www.adr.org). So, it just crossed my mind that you might have written bits of it.
(I wasn't concerned about you using the same text as everyone else, since I notice that everyone uses more or less the same form and you have knowledge on the legal field. I was just curious if you would take the time to edit at least some bits of it.)
If I were to say, murder a man in Reno (very cleanly, I might add). Would you have the legal expertise to fight for my innocence in court? If so, what would it cost to hire you? The clocks ticking Mr. Stern. Time is a factor.
On a less serious (but coincidentally related) note, I don't suppose you would mind giving out any disturbingly vague details or enticingly cryptic clues about the trial scene you recently mentioned being in the game.
Oh, I don't want to spoil it. ;)
Quote from: Guye on May 12, 2010, 09:47:28 PMOn a less serious (but coincidentally related) note, I don't suppose you would mind giving out any disturbingly vague details or enticingly cryptic clues about the trial scene you recently mentioned being in the game.
For the right price, sir, I will have any legal expertise you want!
I'm flattered by your speedy denouncement of the moral implications of defending an obviously guilty murderer, when in light of a speedy paycheck. Unfortunately my funds may not be quite enough to buy your services at the moment. I may or may not have lost a vast amount of money gambling in Reno. This also may or may not have something to due with the aforementioned murder.
Quote from: CraigStern on May 12, 2010, 09:55:39 PM
Oh, I don't want to spoil it. ;)
Such a tease.
sorry to interrupt, but if one wants an onEnterFrame behavior on all the instances of one object, how would one phrase the onEnterFrame? More specifically, WHATGOESHERE.onEnterFrame. I tried to use the name of the library item, ("platform") but it only worked on instances named "platform."
P.S. as another question, how do you change the game so people can't just right-click the game and step forward or backward?
You have to give every movieclip a unique instance name regardless. So whatever code you're using to generate the movieclip instances, simply include an onEnterFrame function. For example (using AS2):
newInstanceNumber = 0;
function generateInstance () {
newInstanceNumber++;
var newInstanceDepth:Number = 50 + newInstanceNumber;
var newInstanceName:String = "movieClipName" + newInstanceNumber;
var newInstance:MovieClip = attachMovie("movieClipName" , newInstanceName , newInstanceDepth);
newInstance.onEnterFrame = function () {
//here goes whatever you want each movieclip to do on every frame
}
}
//this should run generateInstance 20 times, thus creating movieClipName1 through movieClipName20
for (i = 1; i < 21; i++) {
generateInstance();
}Quote from: algebra15 on May 14, 2010, 08:48:45 PMP.S. as another question, how do you change the game so people can't just right-click the game and step forward or backward?
I believe you'd want something like this, provided you're working in AS2 or lower:
var myMenu:ContextMenu = new ContextMenu();
myMenu.hideBuiltInItems();
_root.menu = myMenu;AS3 works pretty much the same way (http://www.blogaboutflash.com/2008/01/make-your-own-custom-right-click-menu.html).
I hope that helps!
With all due respect, Creator, you don't participate in the games very much, why? ???
The forum games, you mean? Well, it's mostly because I try to spend my free time working on TSoG, answering questions, and marketing the game. I only have so many hours in a day, you know. ;)
Right now, for instance, I'm working out some bugs I caught when I was playtesting earlier today. Every moment I spend thinking of clever ways to corrupt a wish is a moment I'm not spending making TSoG better.
Fair enough, but don't you have some magic free hour when you are too tired to work on TSoG, but not so to as to participate in a forum game?
Occasionally--but that's what my girlfriend is for! :D
Who is your girlfriend?
Wow, Duskling, aren't we getting personal?
It's his PCG (Personal Computerized Girlfriend)!^^
How many hours (on average) per day/week/weekend/etc do you spend on TSoG?
Before this conversation gets too far astray (and it may have already), thanks a million.
No problem. :)
Quote from: Zhampir on May 15, 2010, 01:32:00 AMHow many hours (on average) per day/week/weekend/etc do you spend on TSoG?
Honestly? I'm not sure. I typically work on TSoG for a couple of hours before I leave for work. I oftentimes write dialog or think up ideas while I'm riding the train to or from work. Then I usually spend between one hour and six hours working on it after I get home, depending on the circumstances.
you ride a train to work? a real train or a subway? or a trolly?
is KZ ever gonna come back?
will the telepath testing crew ever have a real home? (not just the thread i started it in)
I was making some code for the game I asked you about before, and I opted to make it a bit differently. The code makes 5 platforms once. Problem is, "thyPlatform"'s properties and methods seem to go away when the variable is assigned to a different platform; this means only one works, and causes the jumper to bounce. I also have some code for the class "Platform", but the hitTest seems not to work as simply as it does in the frame code.
_root.makePlatform = function(){
if (_root.make != true){
for (x = 0; x < 5; x += 1){
newPlatformNumber += 1;
_root.attachMovie("platform", "platform" + newPlatformNumber, 50+newPlatformNumber);
thyPlatform = eval("platform" + newPlatformNumber);
thyPlatform.onEnterFrame = function(){
thyPlatform.checkJumper();
}
thyPlatform.checkJumper = function(){
if (thyPlatform.hitTest(jumper._x, jumper._y, true) && (jumper.dy > 0)){
_root.boing = true;
trace(_root.boing);
}
}
_root.make = true;
}
}
}
Class:
class Platform extends MovieClip {
function Platform(){
_x = Math.random()*Stage.width;
_y = 400;
}
function checkJumper(){
if (
}
}
sorry for double post, but I forgot to add the question. Is there a better way to do this with the structure I've got, or to I have to rip it out and start again with coding for the class?
theres an edit button you can use to put that info in with your first post. also i have another question, what are the chances of a multiplayer version of TPA2 or another game like it? or does it already exist? I've been thinking of buying it recently.
That may be, but we won't find out until later.
Quote from: rainen on May 15, 2010, 11:39:43 AM
you ride a train to work? a real train or a subway? or a trolly?
It's an elevated train (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicago_%27L%27).
Quote from: algebra15 on May 15, 2010, 12:53:20 PM
sorry for double post, but I forgot to add the question. Is there a better way to do this with the structure I've got, or to I have to rip it out and start again with coding for the class?
Yes--if it's something with its own class, just add the onEnterFrame function into that movieclip's class as a method, and refer to the movieclip as
this.
Quote from: rainen on May 15, 2010, 01:23:36 PM
theres an edit button you can use to put that info in with your first post. also i have another question, what are the chances of a multiplayer version of TPA2 or another game like it? or does it already exist? I've been thinking of buying it recently.
I definitely would like to do something like that at some point, though it probably won't be TPA2 in particular. (I'd like to take a stab at doing a brand new turn-based tactics engine in AS3 once TSoG is done!)
Quote from: CraigStern on May 15, 2010, 11:42:39 PM
I definitely would like to do something like that at some point, though it probably won't be TPA2 in particular. (I'd like to take a stab at doing a brand new turn-based tactics engine in AS3 once TSoG is done!)
What is this "AS3?"
ActionScript 3.0 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ActionScript)
Quote from: CraigStern on May 16, 2010, 12:01:54 AM
ActionScript 3.0 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ActionScript)
Correct?
Yup. ;)
When did you come up with the idea to do a "forum games" section?
I think that having a forum games section is pretty standard in the all the forums.
It helps members sticking around, creating a sense of community. In the case of forums related to games in development, it helps keeping people here without getting (too much) bothered while waiting for updates (by the way, when will the last mission be completed? Today??? :D Just joking. I know it will be tomorrow. Again, joking.)
I believe the Naughty Dog forums don't have a games section.
If I'm not mistaken, someone requested it at one point back on the old forums. Since it was so popular, I carried it over onto the new forums as well.
I'm glad you did ;D
How did you come up with the whole Telepath RPG idea in the first place?
I've finally seen the light and started to program in AS3.
The thing is, I was making a menu system, a level screen, and an options screen; I test out the whole thing, and the entire screen is black (that's my background colour), so while no actual errors have shown up, my main menu isn't showing up. Since I can't actually put my code here (it would take up several pages -- you know AS3), do you know of a general cause or type of cause that would do this?
There's a bunch of things that could cause that problem, and it's hard to say which it is without seeing the code. The most basic ones I can think of are:
1) Not having a class with the same name as the Document Class you set in Flash;
2) Not having a class method with the same name as that class (you need this so that it will run as soon as the program is executed and attach your main menu);
3) Doing 1 and 2 correctly, but not using proper code to attach the main menu in the class method.
1. How long has Ertxiem been a mod?
2. What made you decide to promote a new mod?
3. Is he replacing KZ?
1. A few days.
2. He's been a mature, intelligent poster on the forums for a long time now, and he seemed like a good candidate to be a mod.
3. Nope. He's just helping out.
Nice. Good idea not to publish the promotion, and get even more mod requests
Also, I got stuck in Harvester. Is there any way to gain more information on what I am doing wrong?
I don't think that my document class is unattached; I ran a few trace statements, and found that everything was working, expect for the fact that Flash wouldn't actually draw the MovieClip object. The document class, my menuHandler Class (I set up a class to handle all of the menu screens; drawing them, and setting them to null once I'm done with them), and my first screen, (the Main Menu)-- all of them ran their constructor functions. The system was working fine until I added a GameLevelHandler (a class that would handle the level select screen and the screens nearby, like achievements, stats, shops, that sort of thing), using an Event called NavigationEvent to deal with menu navigation, GameNavigationEvent to deal with level screen navigation, and GameEvent to deal with going between the menu, the level select screen, and later, a class that dealt with toolbars and pulldown windows. The following is my document class.
package {
import flash.display.MovieClip;
public class DocumentClass extends MovieClip {
public var menuHandler:MenuHandler;
public var gameLevelHandler:GameLevelHandler;
public function DocumentClass() {
menuHandler = new MenuHandler();
menuHandler.addEventListener(GameEvent.GAMESTART, onGameStart);
}
public function onGameStart(gameEvent:GameEvent):void {
gameLevelHandler = new GameLevelHandler();
gameLevelHandler.addEventListener(GameEvent.GAMEBACKTOMENU, onGameBackMenu);
menuHandler = null;
}
public function onGameBackMenu(gameEvent:GameEvent):void {
menuHandler = new MenuHandler();
menuHandler.addEventListener(GameEvent.GAMESTART, onGameStart);
gameLevelHandler = null;
}
}
}
I'm going to have this problem solved in a while anyway, so if you think it's probably some problem that you can't solve because of lack of information, I'll solve it on my own. But if anything jumps out a t you, let me know please.
P.S. For some reason, in a different game I was making, the Timer instance I was using for the game Timer was saying it didn't want an input variable for the constructor, whereas I had been informed that a "25" for 25 milliseconds was what was supposed to go in...? I don't think anything happened to t he Timer class, so if you know what might have hapened, lplease let me know as well. It kind of forced me to abandon the project...
☺
P.S.
Now I feel kind of stupid. I forgot to add the "addChild" statement...
yeah.
Quote from: mikew781 on June 01, 2010, 06:20:06 PM
Also, is there any way you could make the TsoG demo obtainable in the same way Harvester and Ham Sandwhich RPG are? I.E. no installation required?
Even better would be to have a portable version that we could have on a USB pen/disk with the saves stored in there too. I have no idea if it's easy to do.
(May I suggest that the Harvester questions are moved to the Harvester (http://sinisterdesign.net/forum/index.php?board=26.0) section?)Edit: I tried to move the questions, but it ended up being a mess! :( Sorry. Anyway, with some quotes, I guess everything is understandable...
Quote from: Ertxiem on June 02, 2010, 07:36:57 AM(May I suggest that the Harvester questions are moved to the Harvester (http://sinisterdesign.net/forum/index.php?board=26.0) section?)
Go for it.
How long has Duvalier known about his Gift?
Where do most humans live, besides Ravinale and the Psy Academy (which seems more like a boarding school to me?)
Can all spirits revive those who died in battle?
Are we ever going to get to visit the Rubat Clan? (If we actually can in the demo, my bad.)
1. Since Duvalier is 18/16, he has probably known about the Gift for a few years, perhaps 2-8 years.
2. Humans don't only live in Ravinale, as you have heard, the Mechanics and Duvalier's family are from the North, also, there are bandits who live in the desert.
3. Any spirit that can use Soul Suck and kill someone or something with it should be able to revive those who died.
4. Most likely, but for now, CraigStern is working on Somnus, the Great Forest, and finishing up the current Ravinale quests.
I hope my answers were acurate enough, I don't remember much from the game, or know about many current workings.
:o
Craig has abandoned us and left Duskling in charge! *feints*
lol just kidding.^^
I was wondering, how are you doing Mr. Stern?
Quote from: Zhampir on June 03, 2010, 08:16:22 PM
:o
Craig has abandoned us and left Duskling in charge! *feints*
Boy, wouldn't that be a nightmare for you all? Especially Bromtaghon, he hates me! :D
Quote from: Zhampir on June 03, 2010, 08:16:22 PMI was wondering, how are you doing Mr. Stern?
A pair of nasty bugs in the new AI code are giving me grief. >:(
But other than that, I'm doing well. :)
Quote from: Bromtaghon on June 02, 2010, 10:01:52 PM
How long has Duvalier known about his Gift?
Where do most humans live, besides Ravinale and the Psy Academy (which seems more like a boarding school to me?)
Can all spirits revive those who died in battle?
Are we ever going to get to visit the Rubat Clan? (If we actually can in the demo, my bad.)
I'd say something on the order of 8-10 years by the time of his arrest at the start of the game.
Most humans live in small towns and settlements scattered around the continent.
No.
Yes, but I don't know if that will end up being in the demo or not.
Did the Duvaliers live in West Ravinale, East Ravinale, or some other unaccessible area of Ravinale?
How old is Duvalier at the time of the events of Servants of God?
Did most people willingly convert to Cult-ism or were all the Anu-ists killed?
I haven't decided where they live(d) yet.
At the time you take control of him, Duvalier is somewhere around the age of 18.
All of the people you see in TSoG who worship Yawah do so because they chose to convert, though some people had different reasons than others. ;)
Does the native religon in Ravinale have a name?
Do the Cult call themselves the Cult? (Seeing as they believe themselves to be a religion, probably not.)
What's the main building of worship for Yawah? (Church, temple, sacrificial alter, blood-stained arena, etc)
The Cult is currently building a temple south of the Docks. Members of the Cult generally refer to themselves as followers of Yawah.
Apologies for re-posting, but does the native faith of Ravinale have a name
Yes. :P
Which is......
HI! IM GOD
So, what is there to do on these forums?
Here's a few things you can do around here: post bugs you find in TSoG, make suggestions for things you'd like to see in the game, discuss plot, characters, and game features for any game that I've released, participate in forum games, discuss politics, read fan fiction, write your own fan fiction, write game reviews, post music, post videos, browse and contribute fan art, start developing a game and post about it, browse and contribute to game walkthroughs, edit the wiki.
If there's one thing I appreciate, it's thoroughness ;)
when will you let KZ out of your cellar since that's the only logical explanation of why he hasn't been online?
Malignus' cellar is also known as tests.
What does KZ stand for?
Wild guess: in the fifth mission, do we find out that Rahel has been captured by the Cult and is on trial, and thus the rest of the Resistance goes to save her? In the end, Duvalier personally rescues her and thus begins the inevitable relationship they would share for the rest of their lives?
Wow. I just realized that's actually plausible. Sometimes I surprise myself.
1: Who could want to have a relationship with a guy with eyes like Gollum on a BAD day?
2: how do you make a preloader in AS3? I looked on the web, but the solutions were all for programming on the timeline. How would you do it in a 1-frame game?
Did you ever have wild dreams, as in "I'M GUNNA TAKE OVER THE WORLD!!! MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!"
Well... I did have quite an embarrasing dream when I was small: me and a friend of mine were being chased by giant pokemon.
That's fine, in one of my dreams, I couldn't speak, see, hear, or taste. The next morning I woke up to find my face in my pillow.
What does the Nameless One do with all the money?
Quote from: Bromtaghon on June 13, 2010, 10:38:47 AM
What does the Nameless One do with all the money?
That's really the Nameless One's business, don't you think? ;)
Quote from: CraigStern on June 13, 2010, 11:53:51 AM
Quote from: Bromtaghon on June 13, 2010, 10:38:47 AM
What does the Nameless One do with all the money?
That's really the Nameless One's business, don't you think? ;)
I think it depends-if it involves Rahel, its very much our buisness, isn't it? ;)
How does one refer to a movieclip that is... a cousin?
(The grandchild of a grandparent movieclip)
I want to put, in a class definition, a checking hitTest statement for wave boxes. (In a defense game, waves come, right? So since there are boxes overhead that show wave progress, I needed to set up the game so as the wave box hit the present (like past, future and __), it would start up a wave of enemies. Since I'm no longer in AS2, I can't just use the _level0 that worked for me before)
So can one refer to a cousin, or do you have to have a complex workaround with events and such?
I'm not sure why'd you'd need to hitTest for that. By "box," you are referring to a progress bar, right? Why not just use a setInterval to time the release of each wave, and scale the bar's x proportionately to time passed during a wave?
Right... thanks a lot :). I swear there was no sarcasm in that sentence.
But unfortunately, I don't know how to do a setInterval, and since I'm lazy, I'd like to use code I already know. Do you think a Timer class instance would work in it's place?
Actually, what might work better (since setInterval is independent of framerate, and might be unfair to people with slower machines), is to have a simple counter function that runs onEnterFrame. Something like this:
var waveCounter:Number = 0;
var timesUp:Number = 5000;
function increaseCounter () {
waveCounter++;
if (waveCounter>= timesUp) {
launchNewWave();
waveCounter = 0;
}
}
I see.... sounds great!
Thanks a lot. :)
But one more thing... (although I'm sure I'm going to be back with more questions sooner or later; such is the nature of learning anything)
I read on a blog about the this.parent property of a MovieClip.
I tried to access this in the class definition, and it said that I was trying to access the parent property of a class, which doesn't exist. (I'm turning this into English, of course; error messages are bothersome) Is there a way one can access the parent of a movieclip though a class script? Don't worry, I'm taking your advice. It would still just be useful.
Honestly, I'm still trying to wrap my mind around the scope shifts in AS3 myself--I'm probably not the best person to ask. :)
Well, okay. Thanks again for what you've helped me with so far; it let me get about 400% farther than I would have without.
:) :D ;D 8) :-\
Is it possible to code in a multi-tile enemy that can be attacked on more than one tile?
Is it possible to code in an enemy with more than one resistance?
Will there ever be a Mental-Resistance orb for TSoG? (Seeing as very few enemies attack with Mind Blast, maybe not.)
Quote from: Bromtaghon on June 17, 2010, 11:57:20 AM
Is it possible to code in a multi-tile enemy that can be attacked on more than one tile?
Is it possible to code in an enemy with more than one resistance?
It's always possible to code anything, but TSoG's engine isn't designed to handle those things. It would require a major rewrite to add support for them.
As for the orb: probably not.
can you make an easter egg in the game where you can rename your character (or give it a nickname)?
and will you ever take the names of the regulars and put us into your games as characters?
Maybe. :P
What about an easter-egg boss battle with KZ ('999' HP, all area attacks) that unlocks a new orb? Okay, maybe this should go in the thread about orbs...
What is the name of the native religon of Ravinale?
You mean, the religion where people worship Anu? I haven't revealed that yet. :P
If you get done with making games, what will you do next? Other than being a lawyer...?
Who knows? I like writing. I like music. But as it is, I'm happy making games, and I don't see myself stopping.
Do have any other plans for Mahboob's Basment or are you going to keep it as it is
[spoiler]With it's one treasure chest[/spoiler]
Or it could have something on it already but who knows?
Quote from: CraigStern on June 20, 2010, 08:11:06 AM
But as it is, I'm happy making games, and I don't see myself stopping.
THANK GOD!
Why did the Cult hide books instead of burning them/destroying them?
Will Azma return?
Is the collaboration mission featuring Gelf ever making it in to TSoG?
How much health does Nelis have on normal?
I ended up doing a hitTest for the waves, because the Timer always hit too soon or too late.
Now I'm writing the program for the waves, but a few problems occur.
Once the wave occurs, a Timer is created to manage when the monsters come out of the tent.
On the timer, a monster drawing function is incurred, and the monster is created using several variables for the type of monster, which wave it's from, and which way it has to go.
The problem? If I use a Timer, TimerEvent is the only argument I can use, and no info about the monster. If I use a level-wide variable, the function won't make any more monsters of one type if the next wave overlaps. If I set the value of the monster-making function within the other function, I don't have to use a Timer, but when I use the term "this", it no longer refers to the level and says that "addChild" is not a valid function of "[object global]". If AS3 had a simple "delay" function, this wouldn't be a problem, because I could just use a "for" loop
I was thinking about making a MonsterMaker class that would; have a Timer, a class-wide variable for attributes (all the monsters within a wave are going to be very similar), and only handles one wave.
Do you think this would work?
This is some of the failed code.
[spoiler] public function drawMonsters(wave, type, numbers, interval):void {
var releaseTimer:Timer = new Timer(interval*1000, numbers);
releaseTimer.addEventListener(TimerEvent.TIMER, drawMonster);
releaseTimer.start();
function drawMonster(t:TimerEvent):void {
monster = new Monster(wave, type, passageWay);
monster.addEventListener(MonsterEvent.DEAD, onMonsterDeath);
trace(this);
this.addChild(monster);
trace(l, type);
l++;
}
}
[/spoiler]
If you start a thread in the Forum Games, does it count?
Quote from: algebra15 on June 23, 2010, 02:08:00 PMIf I set the value of the monster-making function within the other function, I don't have to use a Timer, but when I use the term "this", it no longer refers to the level and says that "addChild" is not a valid function of "[object global]".
You don't need to use
this--just type
addChild(monster); and it will add monster as a child of the current class.
Quote from: Bromtaghon on June 24, 2010, 01:24:35 AM
If you start a thread in the Forum Games, does it count?
Towards what? Post count? I don't believe so.
I mean to the number of threads started.
Since Spriggats can be referred to as Shadowlings, do Shadowlings (the floating smoky orb ones) have another name also?
I believe not, since they are never referred to as anything but Shadowlings, plus only anything within the Shadowling Empire can be called Shadowling.
Is it possible to change a non-poll topic into a poll topic?
Yes, but only if it is your topic, you can change it into a poll via the "add poll" button.
Is there a way to turn the enemies in the map editor of TSoG?
You mean, determine their rotation by hand? Nah--that's all handled automatically by the battle engine when the map loads.
I'm used to programming robots in C++. Where should I begin in flash?
I'd recommend starting out coding in Actionscript 3. If you don't have Flash (http://www.adobe.com/products/flash/) (it costs $699, but you can try it free for 30 days), here is a great website to help you get started making Flash games using Flex (http://flashgamedojo.com/wiki/index.php?title=Installing_FlashDevelop#Download_Flex_SDK) and other free tools: http://flashgamedojo.com
Out of curiosity, what is the maximum number of lines that can be put in one single post?
Why are they Red Spriggats, Dark Spriggats and Frost Spriggats? Two are related to its colour and the last is about its element... they could be Red, Black and White, or Fire, Shadow and Frost...
How do you get too level 7 of Baz's cellar? I only made it to 3/4.
That should go in TSoG Walkthroughs.
[spoiler]
I'm pretty sure there's two secret things you need to press: one is a tapestry early on in the cellar, but you probably already found it.
[spoiler]
The other is a barrel, check the Titan Shield thread for more info.
[/spoiler]
[/spoiler]
How much of a profit do you expect to make from TSOG, and how much have you already made from TPA 2?
Of course, if you don't want to discuss that, I completely understand.
Long time he hasn't been online.
Quote from: cypher27 on July 01, 2010, 11:23:58 AM
Long time he hasn't been online.
he is on vaction, remeber guys?
Is it possible to create a stat that is the average of the active team's levels weighted towards the highest level?
I think including that stat in the damage formulas would better balance the enemies. As I frequently overtrain my main and leave the rest out, except for set and luca who I use to heal/recharge the main.
...Zhampir, I didn't understand any of that.
So, you're using some number based on how much you train your characters in the enemies' damage formulas? That sounds complicated...
It's not really... I'd write up a bunch of VB code to show you... I was just wondering if it'd be too much script to put into a flash game (trying to keep lag down) as that would mean it'd have to run about 9-10 more lines of script than it does now for every attack, also it could be implemented into the enemy's health system...
That might slow the game down a tiny bit, though.
How do you come up with plots for the Telepath series?
Can a unit have a counterattack that they can't normally use in-battle?
Quote from: Bromtaghon on July 03, 2010, 12:39:44 AMHow do you come up with plots for the Telepath series?
Can a unit have a counterattack that they can't normally use in-battle?
Second question first: yes.
I get plot ideas from all over the place. National and international political events, for instance, give me plot ideas. Other plot ideas come from history, and from thinking about the needs of the characters and how they would go about trying to achieve their goals.
I shall quote myself :P!
Quote from: Steelfist on July 01, 2010, 11:23:16 AM
How much of a profit do you expect to make from TSOG, and how much have you already made from TPA 2?
Of course, if you don't want to discuss that, I completely understand.
If I don't answer a question, it's safe for you to assume that I don't want to. ;)
Do you have a good idea of what you would like to try your hand on in terms of game projects after you finish TSoG?
Oh, sure. I have plenty of ideas. I'll probably pick one that will be relatively quick to develop, release it as a free browser game, then move on to another premium game.
Aye, give the chaps something light to whet their whistles. A good plan sirrah!
(btw, I feel like talking piraty. Making a pirate mod for oblivion does that to me...)
Quote from: CraigStern on July 06, 2010, 03:09:25 PM
If I don't answer a question, it's safe for you to assume that I don't want to. ;)
Be this why you did nae answer meh quandary about average-team-level variable?
Well, uh, considering that team members don't have levels, I wasn't really sure what you were getting at. :-\
What do you think of the idea of making the next TRPG chapter based on NoHR?
you should base the next chapter of TRPG on the RP's that we have in the forums :) hell quest could take place in the deeper downs and nation of hubras as well as the other TRPG based stories could just take place in the same location that they are based in.
lol, ah I see. Well I thought their "levels" could be based like the hero's (every 3trainings they gain a level (no random stat boost though))
I'm faced with (yet) another dilemma in making my game. I don't know how to tell the computer to get rid of a unit in a wave thorugh the Level handler. (the class that deals with the level and such) I tried saying
public function checkMonsterHits(t:TimerEvent):void {
for each (var mWave:MonsterWave in waveArray){
for each (var mon:Monster in mWave.monsterWaveArray){
if (mon.hitTestObject(yourTent)){
mWave.getRidOfMonster(mon);
}
}
}
}
but that didn't work so well, because I got an error message saying "ArgumentError: Error #025: The supplied DisplayObject must be a child of the caller. I'm working with the monsters through array only, as their variables were lost. in construction. I tried triggering a function that is within the Wave class, but it gave me the same message. How would you deal with this?
Are their land masses beyond Cera Bella?
Are you religious?
Quote from: Duskling on July 21, 2010, 10:42:29 PM
Are you religious?
Craig has been asked this question before. I do believe he said answering it would reveal parts of the TsoG storyline
Dangnabit Mike! I was asking the question with the very same goal in mind and in hopes that he would forget! Gosh! >:( :D
When is TSoG relesed?
Quote from: Zackirus on July 08, 2010, 03:27:04 PM
Are their land masses beyond Cera Bella?
Yes. :)
Quote from: Duskling on July 21, 2010, 10:42:29 PM
Are you religious?
Read this. (http://sinisterdesign.net/?p=545)
@algebra15: Is the monster array a public variable? You might try broadening its scope by defining it as a public variable right after you declare the class. That's just a guess, though, since I don't know how you've got your game set up.
Quote from: Dorgon 5000 on July 26, 2010, 01:06:09 AM
When is TSoG relesed?
The answer to the ever recurring question is:
TSoG will be released whenever it's ready. ;)
Since the old deadline (autumn 2009) has past and Craig hasn't mentioned a new date, I assume that there isn't one.
However, if you notice, the project grew in complexity: new graphics, voice acting, being able to select characters in battle by our desired order.
On top of that, there are the new missions and sidequests that aren't done yet (perhaps 10 more missions), expansion of the locations to explore, new team mates (I think 2 or at 3 are already planned) and new dialogue.
So it will take a while until everything is in place and debugged (perhaps 1 year, who knows).
I hope I didn't forgot anything...
Shall I make a sticky with this info in the TSoG (http://sinisterdesign.net/forum/index.php?board=13.0) section?
If you like, sure. :)
Can you give another hint on this "Mystery Project's" storyline, gameplay, anything?
Quote from: Duskling on July 26, 2010, 03:27:32 PM
Can you give another hint on this "Mystery Project's" storyline, gameplay, anything?
Yes. :P
Ah, alright, you want to play it that way, let's go. You can, but will you?
Quote from: Duskling on July 26, 2010, 05:28:11 PM
Ah, alright, you want to play it that way, let's go. You can, but will you?
Eventually. ;)
I'll take that as a "no" for now.
Will you in time add a Quest log (http://sinisterdesign.net/forum/index.php?topic=551.0)?
Quote from: CraigStern on July 26, 2010, 06:46:21 PM
Eventually. ;)
I suppose that settles that, then. If I ask when, you'll just say "eventually," won't you? :D
Mmm... we must be more specific in these questions...
Craig, will you give us more information about the "Mystery Project" in the next 7 days? When I wrote "more information" it was in the sense that when most of the regular Sinister Design forum members (say, with at least 20 posts) reads that information would claim that he (or she) has in fact gained more information about the "Mystery Project" as it was referred by you.
Well, it's the best I could do. I guess if Craig wants, he would still find a loophole in the above question (without the need to lie).
Craig: Why didn't you keep the name "Magnilus"? Not that it matters but I kinda liked it a bit better. Not that it matters. Craig does what Craig does I guess.
Quote from: Steelfist on February 07, 2010, 03:09:42 PM
Why didn't you keep Malignus as a name? Everyone knew who you were anyway.
Quote from: CraigStern on February 07, 2010, 11:31:12 PM
I guess that's true about all of you knowing who "malignus" is. You can consider the screen name change as just another part of the process I've been going through over the past year, trying to make Sinister Design and everything associated with it (myself included) more approachable to new fans and more professional as well.
First page of this topic. ;)
Oh ok... I guess I accidentally overlooked it. Thanks :)
No problem- its not overlooking that you didn't read every page of the topic.
I mean.... DIE NEWBIE! DIE FOR HAVING A LIFE!
Lol. Sorry. And I outgrew the newbie. Barely.
You should get an avatar, Buggy.
I had one, but I didn't like it. I'm currently in the search for one that suits me better.
To be honest...I didn't really like it either. ::)
I'm gonna look for one next time I'm on my computer.
Will you in time add a Quest Log? (http://sinisterdesign.net/forum/index.php?topic=551.0)
A quest log isn't a bad idea, but I want to get more work done on the core game before I start thinking about adding in more features like that.
How many teammates are you planning on adding into the game as a whole? Will the Azure orb be findable? Will the finished game be a price I can handle?
There will be at least ten playable characters; yes; yes.
Will the azure orb give flight?
Yes.
Will it be added anytime soon? Or is that in the far future?
(I like the Azure Orb)
It will be added once I've found a suitable place to hide it. ;)
I think a PM or a spoiler would've been suitable for that suggestion, in my opinion.
Will we need to find it? Or work for it kinda like with Mahoboob? (sorry if I messed up the name)
Will the next update include getting into the Black Rose (and knife), the updated prison break, and the new recruitable character? Or are they all on standby for the next one?
I'm not sure. We'll see. Everything is in the game now (except that I still have some work to do with the recruitable character).
What would be your best estimate on when TSoG will get done? We accept all major estimates and/or teasers.
As in, released and purchasable? I'd say spring or summer of next year. That's my best guess.
How many forum goers would you estimate we would have by then? Again, we accept all major estimates and/or teasers.
I have absolutely no idea. I haven't been paying very close attention to forum membership trends, honestly. :)
Is there any chance of TRPG2 getting new content after TSoG is done?
If TRPG2 gets anything new at this point, it will probably be because I've remade the game in a new engine and re-released it.
Is that what this new shiny engine is for? I'm revin up my mouse wheel waiting to test it out lol
Roughly how many emails of praise do you receive a day?
here's some info on membership
Monthly Summary New Topics New Posts New Members Most Online
August 2010 42 1814 11 25
July 2010 83 3186 30 18
June 2010 80 5010 29 30
May 2010 41 2044 31 18
April 2010 46 1402 22 25
March 2010 123 3378 47 13
February 2010 142 1240 91 13
If we have around 30 new members every month, in 7 months (March) we'll have around +210 members than now, which will give a bit over 400 members by March 2011 (roughly the double of the current number of members).
After the final version of TSoG is released, there will probably be a bigger increase in members.
However, I'm expecting that the regulars will not double in numbers by then (perhaps I'm just pessimistic).
Craig (and I believe KZ) have more experience on these numbers than me because I wasn't a member of the old forums when TRPG2 was released, so I might be wrong.
The stats section is also saying we're getting a little over 1 new member a day on average.
Sorry that may be me.
[spoiler] Just Kidding. Will Magnilus be in TSoG? [/spoiler]
[spoiler]Beats me. :D[/spoiler]
How far ahead have you planned out the game?
Are you going to add the 'Ravinale Mafia' mission to TSoG? If so, will you be able to obtain the orb that gives you Vendetta as a reward?
Quote from: bugfartboy on August 17, 2010, 02:19:28 PM
How far ahead have you planned out the game?
I have the game planned out all the way to the end, but there are bits and pieces that need to be filled out in the middle.
Quote from: Cypher on August 17, 2010, 02:21:17 PM
Are you going to add the 'Ravinale Mafia' mission to TSoG? If so, will you be able to obtain the orb that gives you Vendetta as a reward?
Well?
@cypher I was going to ask that. Oh well. How many more TRPG games are you going to make?
Quote from: bugfartboy on August 17, 2010, 02:23:39 PM
@cypher I was going to ask that. Oh well. How many more TRPG games are you going to make?
I already asked him that. He said as long as he kept getting ideas for TRPG games.
Quote from: Cypher on August 17, 2010, 02:21:17 PM
Are you going to add the 'Ravinale Mafia' mission to TSoG? If so, will you be able to obtain the orb that gives you Vendetta as a reward?
My question still stands.
Oh ok. Never mind. What animals are in Cera Bella?
What does it mean when the action of a Guest says
"Nothing, or nothing you can see"?
Quote from: Cypher on August 17, 2010, 02:21:17 PM
Are you going to add the 'Ravinale Mafia' mission to TSoG? If so, will you be able to obtain the orb that gives you Vendetta as a reward?
Why don't you answer my question?,Craig? ???
I thought I did. (My connection to the forums was acting weird earlier.)
I like the Ravinale Mafia mission, but I don't know yet if I'm going to use it or not. As of now, I don't plan on adding in a Vendetta attack to the game.
What about my question?
Quote from: bugfartboy on August 17, 2010, 02:26:25 PMWhat does it mean when the action of a Guest says
"Nothing, or nothing you can see"?
I have no idea what you're referring to.
I was on earlier this morning really early like 2 here and I was watching who's online and the actions of one of the guests read " Nothing, or nothing you can see".
Is any more content going to be added to the demos?
If not, will you let us have Rahel back?
She's already back in the latest version of the game--I just haven't updated the demos.
I'm planning on holding off on demo updates until I've decided how I want to limit the playable content in them. (It's reached the point where I don't want to show off literally everything that's in the game--there need to be surprises left for the final release).
1. Can you just give us Rahel, without the mission?
2. The :-* smiley still says kiss. Can you change that?
Quote from: MikeW781 on August 20, 2010, 05:15:59 PM
1. Can you just give us Rahel, without the mission?
2. The :-* smiley still says kiss. Can you change that?
1. It wouldn't make sense for her to come back without escorting the former prisoners, and I'd say it may be a long walk from Ravinale to the cave, also, there may be some complication, like a proposed mission where she defends the hideout all by herself.
2. I'm not sure why that one isn't fixed yet, or even why it was "kiss" in the first place...
I was just pointing out that even though he may not want to add the mission where Rahel comes back, because he doesn't want to make the demo have to much of the game, he could just give us Rahel. She's a useful teammate.
Use the cheat to get a ton of money and all characters if you want the full team
[spoiler]RollingInIt[/spoiler]
I meant I wanted Rahel back from when she went to escort the slaves to the bandit cave. "RollingInIt" has nothing to do with that
Separate Question:
This may not exactly be your area of expertise, but do you know of a way to trick a program into thinking your Flash player is an earlier version?
I'm trying to play a game, and it says you have to have Flash Player 8. I have 10. It still forbids me from playing. Is there any way I could bypass that, or a file I could edit so the data it would get would tell it I had Flash 8 or 9, rather than 10?
I don't know of any way to do that, but I do know that Adobe makes earlier versions of the Flash player available on their web site. (I'm not sure how far back those go, however.)
when you limit the content on the demo, will you still let us regulars beta test everything you have made?
That's a good bet. ;)
How do you make a save slot, I'm sure that you've answered this but I havenr found it so please tell me.
Make a save slot? You don't. I make those. All you get to do is save in them. :P
Nonono, I meant how would one make one whilst programming?
Sorry to ask again, but:
Quote from: MikeW781 on August 20, 2010, 05:15:59 PM
1. Can you just give us Rahel, without the mission? (I don't care if its done outside the parameters of the story)
2. The :-* smiley still says kiss. Can you change that?
Don't re-post questions.
Sorry. It wasn't answered, so I thought you might not have seen it, because it was moved back a page. I won't do it again.
EDIT: What specific areas of AI should we test? For example, movement, avoiding counters, specific enemies, ect....
Quote from: MikeW781 on August 24, 2010, 09:20:49 AM
EDIT: What specific areas of AI should we test? For example, movement, avoiding counters, specific enemies, ect....
Try starting at the Public Demo Greater Ghost, for some reason, their AI isn't working quite right, as one did Cryo Cross in an area where none of my allies were located, but had he moved one space closer to us, he might have gotten us.
Do you know if you will put the PA2 browser demo back up?
Quote from: bugfartboy on August 28, 2010, 10:17:31 AM
Do you know if you will put the PA2 browser demo back up?
I am going to leave the TPA2 demos as-is.
When do you think you'll be needing beta-testers? And how many missions are you now thinking of having in TSoG (since you mentioned that you've already planned out the whole game)? 'Cause last time you mentioned it was around 14 missions, but that was about 2 years ago.
What does it mean when the Who's Online area of the forums says "Nothing, or nothing you can see..." under actions of a Guest?
User Time Action
bugfartboy 00:26:41 Viewing the board index of The Sinister Design Forums.
Guest 00:25:28 Nothing, or nothing you can see...
Pages: [1]
Quote from: bugfartboy on August 31, 2010, 12:28:36 AM
What does it mean when the Who's Online area of the forums says "Nothing, or nothing you can see..." under actions of a Guest?
User Time Action
bugfartboy 00:26:41 Viewing the board index of The Sinister Design Forums.
Guest 00:25:28 Nothing, or nothing you can see...
Pages: [1]
You may search for an answer in the SMF site (http://www.simplemachines.org/), since they did the software that runs these forums.
have you checked out the site i made yet?
Not yet! I've been busy. Sorry! :'(
We were discussing an incarceration (http://sinisterdesign.net/forum/index.php?topic=611.msg19624#msg19624) (trapping or freezing an enemy inside a shield) and we though it may bring problems to the game engine. Can you shed some light on the subject?
And while we're at it, we would like to know if the new AI is flexible enough that it will work satisfactory on an enemy after he suffers a reduction of speed? Like after a dark breath attack.
The purpose of these two questions is to know if it's worth suggesting similar attacks for TSoG or if we should store this ideas for a future game.
I have a final question, but perhaps you will not answer: is the new AI coded using recursion?
Quote from: Ertxiem on September 01, 2010, 06:17:04 PMwe would like to know if the new AI is flexible enough that it will work satisfactory on an enemy after he suffers a reduction of speed? Like after a dark breath attack.
In a word: yes.
Then leading up from where Ertxiem left off- in light of the above, would you no longer mind us proposing/will seriously consider any ideas that might affect enemy speed on the battlefield?
Anything is possible, but right now I'm focusing on creating content (i.e. quests and new areas).
Well, if you run out of ideas for side-quests, their is still the option of using The Rainvile Mafia or The Strange Traveller.
or both even. Also I was wondering. Instead of just beating the game and then having it end can you add some post end game content? I kind of liked the epilogue in TRPG2 but i was left with an empty feeling inside because i put so much effort into the game and then just BAM boss battle and it's over. So perhaps add some missions after the fact where we can deal with the bonuses and or repercussions of our choices.
What do you think of the new idea for the purpose of the VIP Lounge?
What do you think of Affinity Related Stats? (the link to which is currently located in my signature)
Is it possible to add Air Blast without making any changes to the battle system in it's current state?(The recharge time might cause some problems, I would think)
Quote from: Cypher on September 04, 2010, 06:27:48 AM
Air Blast
As it turns out, our Spriggat teammate (what's his name again?) learned that after long, laborious days training his wing muscles, he could flap his wings much stronger than before, making a very powerful gust of wind. Combined with his telekinetic powers, he was strong enough to knock people off their feet.
Range: 1 space in front
Cost: 5
Damage: Strength + air blast level - 12
Effect: Stuns enemy for 1 turn (The enemy falls down, and is dizzy. It takes them 1 turn to get back up.)
Recharge time: 2 turns
Prerequisites: Strength: 15, Psy Power: 10
Thoughts, guys?
What's the best way to make a method that, over 36 frames, makes one full rotation of a MovieClip, without being dependent on outside variables? I'm new to 3D programming, and I can sometimes get 1 rotation at a time, but when I try to do 2, the whole function is screwed up in practice.
Is the new AI from TSoG able to command (intelligently) units with speed 5 or above or should we forget making such suggestions for TSoG?
are you completely buried in work?
Have you ever done something so crazy and stupid that it was nearly fatal as a child?
What characters are you planning on making in TSOG?
Wow--kind of a backlog here, huh? All right, let's get to it:
QuoteWhat's the best way to make a method that, over 36 frames, makes one full rotation of a MovieClip, without being dependent on outside variables? I'm new to 3D programming, and I can sometimes get 1 rotation at a time, but when I try to do 2, the whole function is screwed up in practice.
I know how I'd do it, but it might be better if you just posted your code so I can tell you why it won't work beyond a single rotation.
QuoteIs the new AI from TSoG able to command (intelligently) units with speed 5 or above or should we forget making such suggestions for TSoG?
See here. (http://sinisterdesign.net/forum/index.php?topic=630.msg21469#msg21469)
Quoteare you completely buried in work?
A bit, yeah. :'(
QuoteHave you ever done something so crazy and stupid that it was nearly fatal as a child?
Nope.
QuoteWhat characters are you planning on making in TSOG?
Playable ones, other than the ones you've seen? Qudssi, Naj, La'Man, and Rajav. ;)
Are you capable of removing the character limit on the signatures? Or is that just part if using SMF?
Quote from: Arch Preist of Craiginism on September 11, 2010, 04:13:43 PM
Are you capable of removing the character limit on the signatures?
Yes. (I just increased it to 400 from 300.)
Do you have more moves for Duvalier planned in the future in terms of affinities?
Okay, watch out. This code is REALLY unorganized.
[spoiler=Code]package {
import flash.display.MovieClip;
import flash.utils.Timer;
import flash.events.TimerEvent;
import flash.display.SimpleButton;
import flash.text.TextField;
import flash.events.MouseEvent;
public class TestingArena extends MovieClip {
public var rocket:RocketPiece = new RocketPiece();
public var firstTimer:Timer = new Timer(50, 120);
public var i:Number = 0;
public var btnTurnLeft:MyButton = new MyButton();
public var t:Timer;
public function TestingArena(){
btnTurnLeft.x = 300;
btnTurnLeft.y = 50;
btnTurnLeft.addEventListener(MouseEvent.CLICK, onTurnLeftStart);
addChild(btnTurnLeft);
firstTimer.addEventListener(TimerEvent.TIMER, spinDemo);
trace(rocket);
addChild(rocket);
rocket.x = 100;
rocket.y = 100;
firstTimer.start();
firstTimer = null;
}
public function spinDemo(t:TimerEvent):void {
trace(i);
if (i < 36){
rocket.rotationZ += 10;
}
if (i < 72){
rocket.rotationY += 10;
}
if (i < 108){
rocket.rotationX += 10;
}
i += 1;
}
public function onTurnLeftStart(m:MouseEvent):void {
i = 0;
var t:Timer = new Timer(50, 110);
t.addEventListener(TimerEvent.TIMER, onTurnLeft);
t.start();
}
public function onTurnLeft(timerEvent:TimerEvent):void {
var mytimer:Timer = t;
if (i < 108){
rocket.rotationX += 10;
}
i += 1;
if (i > 108){
mytimer = null;
}
}
}
}[/spoiler]
How did you come up with the name: Sinister Design?
Duckling: you never reset your i variable in the spinDemo function. It hits 144 and just keeps counting upwards.
Try adding this after i += 1;
if ( i > 144 ) {
i = 0;
}
Quote from: Zackirus on September 12, 2010, 12:30:46 PM
How did you come up with the name: Sinister Design?
It's a play on words, meaning both an evil intent or plan and something designed. When I first thought the name up, I thought it might be fun to release each game with the tagline "This game is a product of sinister design!" as if it were being denounced by a horrified preacher. :)
Do you mind telling us a bit more about these new playable characters you have in-store for us.
I don't want to spoil the surprise. ;)
Do you still work as a lawyer on occasion?
Quote from: CraigStern on September 12, 2010, 12:31:05 PM
Duckling: you never reset your i variable in the spinDemo function. It hits 144 and just keeps counting upwards.
Try adding this after i += 1;
if ( i > 144 ) {
i = 0;
}
I would make it slightly different, that may become handy if the rotation speed is allowed to change:
if ( i > 144 ) {
i -= 144;
}
Craig, are you going to be the voice of anyone? I thought you did a good job with Tastidian in the intro of TRPG2.
Thanks! I'll probably end up voicing somebody, but hopefully I won't have to voice anyone too major.
Can you make a wishlist for future reference of TRPG4 please?
Are you going to select more attacks from the Formulated attacks list, and, if yes, which ones?
What are your thoughts on the new "members" who just seem to be joining as advertising?
How do we know they're joining as advertising? Are they spamming?
No. Like a lot of newbies, they join and never post. They merely have names that seem to advertise things. Like yellowpagescoupons (http://sinisterdesign.net/forum/index.php?action=profile;u=278).
No harm, no foul. You can always report them to Ert or KZ for deletion if they bother you.
Okay. I was just asking. Thanks Craig. :)
[spoiler]Way to go. You got me pulled Into Beethovens 7th. :D I hadn't heard it before.[/spoiler]
Quote from: Cypher on September 19, 2010, 04:53:12 AM
Are you going to select more attacks from the Formulated attacks list, and, if yes, which ones?
Is there a way to make a 'priveleged information' spoiler, based on post count?, or would that be too against the open spirit of the SD forums?
Or maybe a spoiler that only specified members can see including moderators and administrators by default.
I can think of no reason to put such an exclusionary feature on the forums. If you really want something to only be seen by certain members, you can always send a PM.
May my question please be answered?
Nope. :P
So you don't know yet... :D
Quote from: CraigStern on September 26, 2010, 07:00:38 AM
I can think of no reason to put such an exclusionary feature on the forums. If you really want something to only be seen by certain members, you can always send a PM.
I can, so that some body has to work for the cheats to the games. Though that won't really last very long.
Anyways, I was wondering what the max stats you can have? (i.e. gold, defense, power, yadda yadda)
I believe health and pp max at 100 so defense and power probably max(usefullness) at 50
and I'm guessing the max gold you can have is 32,768,000 (2^15 * 1000) (pretty much a wild guess lol)
but I was wondering if you happen to actually know the max values.
There is no max value for gold at the moment, nor is there any cap on any skill levels.
There is a cap of 50 on levels for individual attacks, however, and character Health and PsP both max out at 99.
Should I recruit someone to my design team to help with deubgging, rather than asking you all my questions?
I already work with a graphic designer (Holy Nameless) and many loyal beta testers (my classmates), so convincing someone to join in the awesomeness wouldn't be too hard were I so inclined.
It's oftentimes good to get outside help when trying new things with programming. Why reinvent the wheel all by yourself?
are you personally ever going to use the secret site i made for any reason?
whats the ETA on the next major update?
Have you updated the demo recently? I've seen hints that you have but I'm not sure.
Stuff that appears on the Twitter is just marking the game's progress in development. Unless I say that I've updated the demo, I probably haven't.
when will you update the demo?
how much longer will you be updating the demo?
what % do you think you're at?
I'll be updating it soon, once I'm sure I've fixed the latest bugs.
Which demo would you be updating? Please be online, please be online.
Both, eventually--but for now, just the browser one.
YESSSS!!!!!! Do you know if after the full game comes out to buy, will you be leaving the online demo up?
I hope to have figured out a good way of making downloadable Mac and Linux demos by that point so I won't need to. :)
Darn. That doesn't do me any good. Have you taken a look at the Golden Egg (http://sinisterdesign.net/forum/index.php?topic=712.0) sidequest?
is it possible to make trap tiles, the question of programability has come up and I want to know if it can be done
Why is it that between TRPG1 and TRPG2 the Psi Point cost for Mind Blast (http://telepath.wikia.com/wiki/Mind_Blast) went up? And why did the Psi Point cost for Vengeance (http://telepath.wikia.com/wiki/Vengeance) go up between TRPG2 and TSoG?
For both: game balance reasons.
Also, for Vengeance, there's an additional story explanation: the low cost of Vengeance in TRPG2 reflects the TRPG2 hero's rare facility with the attack. This is part of why he was such an unusually talented psy.
Have you taken a look at the Golden Egg (http://sinisterdesign.net/forum/index.php?topic=712.0) sidequest?
I know better than to repost questions but...
Yes.
"Do you like it?" and, "What are the chances it'll make it into the game?" are the questions Buggy is getting at here.
I know. :)
Quote from: Duskling on October 14, 2010, 07:16:08 PM
"Do you like it?" and, "What are the chances it'll make it into the game?"
Does your yes count towards these too?
Quote from: CraigStern on October 14, 2010, 06:53:39 PM
For both: game balance reasons...
Does this mean traps can or can't be added?
do you enjoy tormenting us by giving cryptic answers that avoid the question and flat out ignoring certain questions? (lol had to ask XD) [spoiler]i'll bet you all this question gets ignored too ;)[/spoiler]
what % are you at until the next major content update?
Don't ya know that you're not supposed to ask a developer that?
Give people a deadline, and they'll hold you to it! ;D
Quote from: The Holy namelesskitty on October 15, 2010, 06:20:24 PM
Quote from: CraigStern on October 14, 2010, 06:53:39 PM
For both: game balance reasons...
Does this mean traps can or can't be added?
That doesn't really have any bearing on whether traps can be added, actually. That said, traps in battle aren't going to be a feature in TSoG.
Is it a coincidence that the Hero of TSoG has the last name of François and Jean-Claude Duvalier, Haitian presidents?
(Forgive me if I've already asked this; I don't remember)
Quote from: CraigStern on October 15, 2010, 11:45:59 PM
Quote from: The Holy namelesskitty on October 15, 2010, 06:20:24 PM
Quote from: CraigStern on October 14, 2010, 06:53:39 PM
For both: game balance reasons...
Does this mean traps can or can't be added?
That doesn't really have any bearing on whether traps can be added, actually. That said, traps in battle aren't going to be a feature in TSoG.
Does this imply traps outside of battle? Or maybe in TRPG4?
There are already arrow traps, spike traps, and probably others in the works for Crypt 3 (maybe not...), so we do have non-battle traps.
How many Crypts are their going to be?
At least 3, probably 4. Which doesn't mean there won't necessarily be any other dungeons: they just won't be crypts. ;)
Quote from: CraigStern on October 19, 2010, 06:00:58 PM
Which doesn't mean there won't necessarily be any other dungeons: they just won't be crypts. ;)
So they will be crypts, but without books hidden in them?
Who knows! I haven't designed any of 'em yet. :P
Quote from: CraigStern on April 02, 2010, 01:03:13 AMSo far, the only one I've really done that with has been TRPG2--and it was actually quite a lot of fun. I'm looking forward to the day, most likely years from now, when I can do that with TSoG and be suitably impressed with myself. ;)
So you never plan to remake TRPG2 with a TSoG game engine?
Quote from: CraigStern on June 07, 2010, 09:45:53 AM
The Cult is currently building a temple south of the Docks. Members of the Cult generally refer to themselves as followers of Yawah.
Is that the forced labor site (http://telepath.wikia.com/wiki/Forced_Labor_Camp)?
Quote from: im2smart4u on October 19, 2010, 06:46:53 PM
Quote from: CraigStern on April 02, 2010, 01:03:13 AMSo far, the only one I've really done that with has been TRPG2--and it was actually quite a lot of fun. I'm looking forward to the day, most likely years from now, when I can do that with TSoG and be suitably impressed with myself. ;)
So you never plan to remake TRPG2 with a TSoG game engine?
I very well might remake it, but at this point even the TSoG engine is feeling kind of clunky to me. If it happens, it will be with a new engine that's even cooler than TSoG's.
Quote from: CraigStern on June 07, 2010, 09:45:53 AM
The Cult is currently building a temple south of the Docks. Members of the Cult generally refer to themselves as followers of Yawah.
Is that the forced labor site (http://telepath.wikia.com/wiki/Forced_Labor_Camp)?
[/quote]
That's the one, yes.
I have a question. Last night I had a weird dream that I was in front of my computer looking at a TRPG game. It looked similar to TSoG but different. If you were to base the new battle engine off of TSoG slightly, would the new attack/ability panel show 6 attacks/abilities per page instead of four? And would they be slighly glowing red?
Quote from: im2smart4u on March 16, 2010, 10:53:39 PM(http://s1.postimage.org/Fdlb9.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/2bojbtdtw/)
Other questions:
Piter said his father bought him "an apartment in the capital". What is the capital Piter is referring to?
What is the human nation above the Shadowlands?
What is the human nation around the Psy Academy?
What nation is around the Great Forest?
What nation is Guy a General of?
Where is the empire mentioned in Anya's book, Histories of the Dundar Emperors?
What nation has sovereignty over the Lake Alto region?
I don't expect an answer, but the questions are worth asking.
The actual docks (North: Ravinale Docks), the right side of the path into Ravinale (Southeast: Ravinale Marketplace), and the left wing of the library (West: Ravinale Library, erm.. Library of Yawah the Great and Merciful) all remain surprisingly bare of content.
Do you have any plans you're willing to tell us of for those areas? I guess probably not, but you've managed to cram very awesome game material into all other parts of the game, and while it's realistic for there to be empty spots, it's not as much so for there to be no ships at the docks... just wondering.
Is it possible to read a golem's mind (http://sinisterdesign.net/forum/index.php?topic=534.0)?
do you ever plan on creating a TRPG app? and if so, how much, about, would it cost?
Quote from: The Holy namelesskitty on October 23, 2010, 11:05:05 AM
do you ever plan on creating a TRPG app? and if so, how much, about, would it cost?
You mean an iPhone/Android game? I've thought about it. I don't have any firm plans to do so yet, however.
Quote from: im2smart4u on October 21, 2010, 12:12:05 AM
Is it possible to read a golem's mind?
In a manner of speaking. A golem's works differently from that of a regular biological organism, but with the right knowledge of how it functions, it can be read.
Based on the Nameless One's question, what elemental affinity would you be?
I think there is something to be said for all of the answers--you could make a good argument that any one of them is the best choice. Based solely on which one answer I personally think is closest, however, I would probably lean toward "bringing new possibilities to light."
Who is stronger: The Mechanics or The Helenites?
As an organization, the Mechanics are much larger and better-funded as of the time TSoG takes place. The Helenites have only been around a comparatively short time, and they don't have infrastructure built up the way that the Mechanics do. In that sense, the Mechanics are stronger.
I have four quick questions:
What is D'kan's Weapon?
What was Piter's Affinity or was he a Healer?
Do you agree with the Pre-Pay option for TSoG?
How many Years does TSoG take place after TRPG2?
1) D'Kah's weapon is a poleaxe.
2) Piter never got to the point of developing an affinity, so far as we know. :)
3) Yes--I will probably be implementing one in the next month or two.
4) That may become apparent based on things you learn later in the game. For now, I'm leaving it to your speculation.
1) Will there be a remake of TSoG as TRPG4, but with an alternate universe where humans lose? (Pardon if it's been asked already)
2) Where are our beloved mods?
3) When do you think they'll be back?
Quote from: Duskling on October 30, 2010, 11:34:55 AM
1) Will there be a remake of TSoG as TRPG4, but with an alternate universe where humans lose? (Pardon if it's been asked already)
You mean TRPG1-2? It's possible, but I have other ideas I want to pursue first.
No, what I think he means is: will TRPG4 take place on the time-line where the Hero (of TRPG1-2) sided with the Shadowlings and destroyed Psy Academy? What could be even more interesting could be that you could play the same characters as in TSoG except they live in this time-line.
Of the current TSoG team, who is your favorite character? (personality wise; not classes)
Quote from: Zackirus on October 30, 2010, 11:46:01 AM
What could be even more interesting could be that you could play the same characters as in TSoG except they live in this time-line.
New Characters. I would pefer new characters and maybe new settings.
Quote from: im2smart4u on October 30, 2010, 12:16:57 PM
Of the current TSoG team, who is your favorite character? (personality wise; not classes)
I'd answer this, but it's a character you haven't seen yet. ;)
Quote from: CraigStern on October 30, 2010, 12:20:04 PM
Quote from: im2smart4u on October 30, 2010, 12:16:57 PM
Of the current TSoG team, who is your favorite character? (personality wise; not classes)
I'd answer this, but it's a character you haven't seen yet. ;)
That is why asked you pick a charcter out of the
current team.
Ah, yes, well, you and I have different vantage points on what constitutes the current team, don't we? ;)
I'd probably say Arman. Though truthfully, I've had lots of fun writing dialog for every last one of them, and I think they're all pretty neat characters in their own ways.
what are you going to do about KZ and Ert not showing up for work?
rainen, is it truly work?, or more like a strongly self-regulated duty or responsibility...
Due to sarcasm, I call it work.
The due your most recent twitter post: What areas do you want us to say out of?
Suffice it to say that if you click on an area and it says that it's not available in the demo, you're best off leaving it that way.
[Scary music plays]
Speaking of which, why was Somnus around for a while if it's not going to be in the demo?
Because I created it before I decided to start closing off areas from the public demo.
Will we meet any of the 4-5 Playable characters that aren't in the game now (at least in the demo) before you release full game?
Not in the demo, no.
Will we meet them at all? :'(
Neither--I'm going to start allowing preorders pretty soon that will allow you to see all new content in the game as it's added. ;)
Quote from: CraigStern on November 13, 2010, 05:07:32 PM
Neither--I'm going to start allowing preorders pretty soon that will allow you to see all new content in the game as it's added. ;)
If we pre-order this, can we display it on the Wiki and tell other people about it?
Sure! :)
Quote from: Zackirus on November 13, 2010, 06:24:17 PM
Quote from: CraigStern on November 13, 2010, 05:07:32 PM
Neither--I'm going to start allowing preorders pretty soon that will allow you to see all new content in the game as it's added. ;)
If we pre-order this, can we display it on the Wiki and tell other people about it?
Quote from: CraigStern on November 13, 2010, 07:05:08 PM
Sure! :)
Did you just ask if we can tell other people about what they're missing when we get the full game?
Thats basically asking if we can help his sales.....
I think Zackirus was asking if Craig wanted to avoid spoilers on the wiki.
Nah--it's a wiki. People go there to find comprehensive information. It's pretty much the last place I'd expect someone to go if they didn't want to see spoilers.
When are preorders starting up? (Maybe I can convince my parents to buy. It would be a first.)
Hopefully, within the next two weeks.
Hey Craig do you think that your game will get enough sales: that it will be reviewed by IGN, X-Play, or any other big Game Reviewers like that?
Well, if the demo goes on Kong, which is owned by GameStop now, it may gain some attention, get a review, and spread like the black plague. (Minus the dying if you get it part).
Quote from: Zackirus on November 15, 2010, 04:31:06 PM
Hey Craig do you think that your game will get enough sales: that it will be reviewed by IGN, X-Play, or any other big Game Reviewers like that?
Honestly, it's hard to say. These sorts of things are notoriously unpredictable, unfortunately. A lot of it comes down to luck.
Does the Homeless Man in the Ravinale Docks give you anything if you give him gold (over and over)?
Nope. And he never gets out of poverty, either. It's a statement on the intractability of homelessness. :P
Quote from: CraigStern on November 15, 2010, 08:10:49 PM
Nope. And he never gets out of poverty, either. It's a statement on the intractability of homelessness. :P
Oh. Well I'm going to donate to him anyway. Is there a chain of command when it comes to things such as thread locking? Example:
I create a thread, I lock it.
Mod unlocks, would I be able to lock?
If Mod relocks, and you or the other Admin unlocks, would Mod be able to unlock?
Quote from: CraigStern on November 15, 2010, 08:10:49 PM
Nope. And he never gets out of poverty, either. It's a statement on the intractability of homelessness. :P
Does he even have a name? I feel as their is still something about him that is important.
I have no money or job due to personal issues (to keep it simple, my dad is a vengeful %^$%! and i'm underage) is there any way i can stay in the SoG loop or will I have to go without until I'm able to get some income
You don't have to pre-order to stay in the loop. I'll still update the Twitter with the latest developments as I continue working. You'll still be able to tell, more or less, what's going on with the game. And when you do get some income, the full game will be there waiting for you. :)
How much more will the Game cost in Canada? The Exchange rate right now is 1 Canadian Dollar = 0.97 American Dollar.
There is only one price, listed in American dollars. So it's the same price, no matter where you're buying it from (though I guess you could argue that it will change depending on fluctuations in the exchange rate).
What do you mean by
Block Puzzles in your Twitter Post?
QuoteWhat's that you say? You want more block puzzles in Crypt 3? Your wish is my command!
Do you mean the "pressing stones" you do in Crypt 2
Nope. :)
What are your thoughts on a game mode that if you lose a battle, you start the whole game over again because fate decides not to intervene?
A Hardcore setting, is it called?
That doesn't really encourage the exploration that TSoG seems to be all about... but I still think Craig ought to answer if he will.
Quote from: Bugfartboy on November 21, 2010, 01:44:50 PM
What are your thoughts on a game mode that if you lose a battle, you start the whole game over again because fate decides not to intervene?
Honestly, I don't think that meshes too well with the kind of game TSoG is. Perma-death works well in roguelikes because when you restart, the world is entirely different. You still get to explore something new as part of the process of continuing to play. TSoG's world, by contrast, is fixed. I can't imagine anyone getting halfway through TSoG, dying in a battle, and then wanting to redo the entire game just to get back to that same point.
Some Quick Questions about the Orbs:
How many are their going to be in TSoG?
How did they get from the places where they were in TRPG2 to TSoG?
Was the Hero Finding Them considered Cannon?
Are their more than one of each?
Were they in the Crypts before the Cult used them to store their books, if so, why didn't they take them?
If the Cult had possession of the orbs, why did they hide them in the Crypts?
You'll just have to wait and see. :)
Is the gap between Luca and Malis on the Character Stats showing that another character will come before Malis, or is it just a glitch? If it is another character, which one is it?
Also: What happened to this little bit in the old TRPG3 Demo: Every creature in this world has a name. Many do not know they have names, but they have them nonetheless...
What is it that affects Duvalier's Knife damage? The only thing I can get to affect his damage dealt is Level of Knife * .5; Strength has no effect whatsoever. Is this is a glitch?
And it seems that the boundaries of the Ravinale areas have come further in, and one leaves the city sooner than one did in older versions. Is this the case?
What are your thoughts on Pre-Area attacks for the main? It was thought that Pyro Hail would become one and Fire Gate would be the stronger area attack. What do 'ya think Craig?
Was Sibelius (http://telepath.wikia.com/wiki/Sibelius) alive during TRPG1, TRPG2, and/or TSoG.
I only ask to find out how old of an organization the Mechanics is.
On the way to the bandit cave the first time before you clear it out and before the first ambush battle, there is a gap in the landscape on the far right. The attatchment shows it. Is this a bug or...?
That's a bug.
Quote from: im2smart4u on November 28, 2010, 04:35:14 PM
Was Sibelius (http://telepath.wikia.com/wiki/Sibelius) alive during TRPG1, TRPG2, and/or TSoG.
I only ask to find out how old of an organization the Mechanics is.
Yes--Sibelius was alive during TRPG1 and TRPG2, but there is some doubt as to whether he is still alive during the time of TSoG.
Can Mr. Craig Stern please post the music score sheet of the music in TRPG2 when the Hero is in Somnus? It's real cool and I'd like to see if I can play it on my piano. Many thanks!
I don't know about sheet music, but I've attached the original MIDI file to this post. Load it up in Sibelius (http://www.sibelius.com/home/index_flash.html) or somesuch other notation program and it should spit you out something like usable sheet music.
Will Fife ever make an appearance in TSoG? If so: Do you mind telling us a bit more about him?
Do you know how the Insert Flash option on this forum works? Because if you do, Forum Games (and possibly other boards) could become a bit more interesting with some forum-goer created material.
[flash=200,200]http://static.onemorelevel.com/games3/great-dungeon-in-the-sky.swf[/flash]
doesn't seem to work, for example. And don't worry, I wouldn't post other people's games. This is just for sake of example.
According to this thread (http://www.simplemachines.org/community/index.php?topic=279480.0) on the Simple Machines forums, I can embed it for you if you give me the embed tag. According to this guy (http://www.simplemachines.org/community/index.php?topic=345249.msg2333978#msg2333978), for security reasons, only I can do it.
However, I've just enabled the option on the forums, which says "This option will allow your users to use Flash directly inside their posts, just like images. This could pose a security risk, although few have successfully exploited it. USE AT YOUR OWN RISK!" So, maybe you can do it after all? Give it a try.
According to who? The link wasn't working.
Thanks, Craig. It works.
I have already asked that. Last I knew, the online is coming down and a Mac/Linux downloadable demo is going up to compliment the Windows downloadable demo.
Ah. Thank you, Bugfartboy. Also, 1 more question: What is the highest level can one possibly achieve in a stat in TRPG2?
Due to the much greater ease of updating the online demo, I'm going to continue to use an in-browser demo after I release the game for pre-order.
Why has the Map Editor been locked in the Online TSoG demo? Is it to start restricting and preparing the game for release?
Quote from: Bugfartboy on December 17, 2010, 05:07:57 PM
Why has the Map Editor been locked in the Online TSoG demo? Is it to start restricting and preparing the game for release?
That's basically correct.
What the name of the track that you used in the new: Telepath RPG: Servants of God Official Trailer after 'What is a Telepath' (The one with the men and women vocals?). Also: can you add it to the TSoG music page?
That's not TSoG music, actually. That's a classic sequence from Polovtsian Dances out of the opera Prince Igor (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prince_Igor), by Borodin.
Was the Shadowling Queen's name common knowledge among her subjects? I ask because it is wierd that we don't see her name untill the boss battle.
Quote from: im2smart4u on December 20, 2010, 12:44:07 PM
Was the Shadowling Queen's name common knowledge among her subjects? I ask because it is wierd that we don't see her name untill the boss battle.
If I remember correctly, Anya receives a book called "Her Name is Unspeakable" as a gift from Festus late in the game. She has this to say about its contents: "So far, it just seems to be legends and folk tales about the Shadowling Queen. Did you know that she's thousands of years old? Also, apparently, she can hear her name being spoken anywhere in the world." That might account for the exceptional rarity with which anyone invokes her name during the game. ;)
I totally forget about that book. Like "Voldemort" in the Harry Potter series, her name is a taboo word.
Why can you only train Qudssi's strength?
Quote from: Zackirus on December 22, 2010, 05:29:32 PM
Why can you only train Qudssi's strength?
Probably because, unlike other members of your party, he is not a Psy, Rahel is a Psy, so is Set, Griffin, Malis, and Luca, but I'm not entirely sure about Arman, but, chances are, he is a Psy too, but Qudissi, it looks like, is just a soldier that was hit by the purge.
Why can't Qudssi not learn new moves like Helena or train in defence like Flint?
I though by "Strength," Zack meant "Strength and Defense," why not both, I haven't a clue, but it may be because he's a complete "Infantry" unit, as unlikely as that is.
I mean you can only train his strength (not defence) which limits his health.
Psy Defense is only available to psys. Qudssi is not a psy. I might consider adding some "New Skill" bonuses for him in terms of health as his Strength increases.
Quote from: CraigStern on December 22, 2010, 09:20:47 PM
Psy Defense is only available to psys. Qudssi is not a psy. I might consider adding some "New Skill" bonuses for him in terms of health as his Strength increases.
Couldn't you boost Flint's Defence? Is Flint a psy?
Whoa! But don't Spearman (class) have Impale, a Psy move?
Was Dorgon a Psy?
On that note, what is a Psy? Do they have the Gift, the Sight, or Sight? Do they have to have one? Or can it be any or all?
Well, that's fair. Golems are not psys. Let me do some more thinking about this--I might change my mind.
Quote from: Duckling on December 22, 2010, 09:25:25 PMOn that note, what is a Psy? Do they have the Gift, the Sight, or Sight? Do they have to have one? Or can it be any or all?
"The Gift" is a colloquial term for psy abilities used in the Ravinale region. "The Sight" is a particular technique, described here (http://telepath.wikia.com/wiki/The_Sight).
QuoteIn rare instances, The Sight can bee used to see through time.
Would Duvalier end up to be one of those "rare instances?"
I don't think so. So far Magnilus is the only, known, being capable of seeing through time.
What differences are there between male and female shadowlings? Or is that not something you've actually thought through?
QuoteWell, just in terms of being a program you can plausibly use to make games, Flash basically didn't exist prior to the beginning of this decade. Check out Tom Fulp's description (http://www.newgrounds.com/lit/history.html) of how he made Pico's School with Flash 3 back in 1999:
I also found this game: http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/98087 (http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/98087)
Also, what does the final boss know? (Sorry for the stupid question, I am just CURIOS.)
Quote from: Steelfist on December 26, 2010, 09:19:58 PM
What differences are there between male and female shadowlings? Or is that not something you've actually thought through?
X and Y shadowsomes.
WARNING: This is going to be possibly the stupidest question EVER!!!!!!
How do you get affinitys? (Told ya)
Once you get far enough in the plot, something happens where you can get your affinity. You're almost guaranteed to stumble onto it sooner or later. ;)
that explains it. :(
Something is wrong with the Windows Demo. Can you fix it? (Sorry for wrong topic, Just want it fixed)
Quote from: TheCerzakfan81 on December 27, 2010, 03:17:53 PM
that explains it. :(
Something is wrong with the Windows Demo. Can you fix it? (Sorry for wrong topic, Just want it fixed)
Are you talking about the fact that it generates a shortcut file that doesn't work? I'm aware of that--I'm actually planning to upload an updated downloadable Windows demo later today which will hopefully address that issue.
Thanks.
I'll edit this when I have a question.
I just bought the pre-order! where's my activation code? I can't find it in the emails :(
Look for the part of the email that reads
QuoteThe product registration key is: blah blah blah
Is Rahel's Guard Informant Name Rajav?
I am, once again, working on a game that I halted work on months ago, not understanding AS3 well enough to pull it off. Now, with the right knowledge, I think I can do it, but Flash isn't registering my keyboard input (the lack of an IsDown method is bothersome, to say the least). There are no errors or exceptions, so I think that I've simply stated something wrong. If you have time to take a look at the code, it would help:
var leftIsDown:Boolean = false;
var rightIsDown:Boolean = false;
var upIsDown:Boolean = false;
var downIsDown:Boolean = false;
...
addEventListener(KeyboardEvent.KEY_DOWN, onDown, true, 0);
addEventListener(KeyboardEvent.KEY_UP, onUp);
...
public function onDown(k:KeyboardEvent):void {
trace("hi");
switch(k.keyCode){
case Keyboard.LEFT:
leftIsDown = true;
break;
trace(leftIsDown);
case Keyboard.RIGHT:
rightIsDown = true;
break;
case Keyboard.UP:
upIsDown = true;
break;
case Keyboard.DOWN:
downIsDown = true;
break;
}
}
public function onUp(k:KeyboardEvent):void {
switch(k.keyCode){
case Keyboard.LEFT:
leftIsDown = false;
break;
trace(leftIsDown);
case Keyboard.RIGHT:
rightIsDown = false;
break;
case Keyboard.UP:
upIsDown = false;
break;
case Keyboard.DOWN:
downIsDown = false;
break;
}
}
The trace function isn't making output when I press keys. Do you have any idea what could be causing this?
It could be a few things. I never use switch myself, so I can't confirm that you're using the syntax correctly. Assuming that you are, I've found that Flash can be quite temperamental if you don't place your keyboard listener in the document class. If it's not in your document class right now, I would move it there and turn those onUp / onDown handlers into regular functions. I would then create some new handlers in the document class that feed the keyCode directly to your onDown and onUp functions as arguments.
I hope that helps!
Alas, I do all you suggest, and to no avail. I was working in my document class, but I can see where it would be finnicky like that.
Was your meaning that I should add functions like this?:
function onDownEvent (k:KeyboardEvent):void {
var kn:KeyboardEvent = k;
onDown(kn.keyCode);
}
function onUpEvent (k:KeyboardEvent):void {
var kn:KeyboardEvent = k;
onUp(kn.keyCode);
}
And have the beginning of the onDown/Up functions look like this?:
function onDown(k:Number):void {
Even though it doesn't seem to solve the problem, whatever that is, is would make my code easier to modify and install later functionality in.
I think that problem is that the event isn't even dispatched, and that perhaps the problem is one lying in my computer.
Thank you for taking the time!
It could also be those last two arguments in your KEY_DOWN listener. I've never seen those used before. Try removing them.
This is what I was talking about as far as the handlers (no need to add an extra variable into the mix):
function onDownEvent ( k:KeyboardEvent ):void {
mainGameClass.onDown( k.keyCode );
}
function onUpEvent (k:KeyboardEvent):void {
mainGameClass.onUp( k.keyCode );
}
The two extra arguments were something I added when it wasn't working, ironically enough. The zero is a priority setting, meaning that that particular event listener gets n priority in dispatching. The higher the number, the higher the priority. It's useful when you don't want one event firing before another gets a chance to, say, clear an array.
The true is the variable "isWeakReference", and I was reading in a book about best practices in Flash Programming that unless you have a good reason to do otherwise, setting isWeakReference to true is a good idea. If the reference is weak, and if whatever object dispatching the event is sent to the Heap, the reference is also garbage-collected. If you have all strong references, they tend to just pile up.
Once again, thanks for all the help you've lent me, and I think I'll just run a simple program that only checks for KeyboardEvents, and try to isolate the error.
But now I have another question: do you encapsulate your getter methods and hash-check them whenever called, to prevent hacking? A few encryptions or hashes here and there (specifically when using a money variable) increase the non-hackability of the game. Not that the game is multiplayer, but just out of an interest to have people abide by the rules...
Something like this (http://www.kongregate.com/forums/4-programming/topics/128304-solved-as3-air-how-to-make-an-effective-file-integrity-check-md5-hashing), you mean? It seems like an awful lot of effort to go through to prevent people from engaging in a victimless offense, especially when i could use that time to create content or fix bugs.
And with TSoG, I'm not even sure I could do it if I wanted to--the engine is (regrettably) coded in AS2.
I've been lost the past few posts. I don't understand much of programming at all. But anyway: what plans do you have after TSoG is finished and released?
Excellent question. Probably, I would imagine, I'll be spending some time after release continuing to fix bugs in TSoG that hadn't popped up before. I'll certainly be spending some time doing marketing for the game. I'm working on a book on how to create games in Flash using AS3; I'll probably finish that up. And then, when I'm good and ready, I'll announce Sinister Design's next game. ;)
What would the book include in general?
Quote from: Fyer on January 03, 2011, 10:26:30 PM
What would the book include in general?
So far, it's 125 pages long, give or take a few. It's for beginners, so it covers all the basic topics you need to know, explaining them thoroughly with examples. Then the book shows you how to make different types of games using what you've learned. So far I've finished the first part of the book and gotten into the second, with step-by-step tutorials for creating a dice game, a card game, and a tile-based game engine. I'm in the middle of the tutorial on creating an RPG, after which I plan to write a tutorial on how to make a platformer, and then possibly a puzzle game for good measure.
That sounds pretty cool. If I knew when it was out and where I could get it, I might have to look into buying it. :) My parents don't mind if I spend money on books. How big of a gamer audience do you hope to get from TSoG and how big of an audience are you likely to get?
Quote from: Fyer on January 03, 2011, 10:38:16 PM
That sounds pretty cool. If I knew when it was out and where I could get it, I might have to look into buying it. :) My parents don't mind if I spend money on books. How big of a gamer audience do you hope to get from TSoG and how big of an audience are you likely to get?
Seriously? I haven't a clue. *shrug* I'm doing my best, but I figure whatever happens, that's what happens. I'm not losing sleep over it. The most important thing to me is to make really cool stuff that I'm proud of having my name associated with.
All right. So do you think you'll be making any large scale games that aren't based on the idea of TRPG? Or do you really know at the moment?
Quote from: Fyer on January 03, 2011, 10:44:52 PM
All right. So do you think you'll be making any large scale games that aren't based on the idea of TRPG? Or do you really know at the moment?
I'm right now deciding between a smallish multiplayer game and a large-ish single player game. One is based on TRPG, one isn't. The rest, I shall leave a mystery for now. :)
So you're not gonna tell us which is based on TRPG? That's somewhat cruel. But I guess you've got to keep people interested. Keep the suspense. So about how many hours a day do you spend working on anything in general? Or is that a question that digs too much?
I know this sounds lame but, is it possible to recruit Qudssi in the browser demo? If yes, when(in which part of the game)?
Will you ever make the full story available for the demo? I really want to know the full story and I don't really care about missing the bonus features (Qudssi, La'man, Naj etc.)
Qudssi can be recruited only if you purchase the game.
The main plot that appears in the demo right now is all of the main plot that is going to be featured in the demo. The full game will be required in order to play through the entire storyline.
Concerning the post about hashing, yes, I agree with the "victimless" aspect of it. The nosy reporter in me begs to ask:
Are you writing a book on making games in AS3 for beginners because you think you can do better than anyone has so far?
If so, I would say that that is an admirable task, in that I had to start with AS2 and Java, and combine my experiences with the two of them to understand what the heck the AS3 books were saying.
Oh, and I resolved my bug. It turns out that I needed to add the event listener to the stage, not the document class. I had tried it before, but my trace method that would have told me stuff was happening was commented out.
Quote from: Duckling on January 04, 2011, 08:56:29 PMAre you writing a book on making games in AS3 for beginners because you think you can do better than anyone has so far?
Basically, yes. I got started using a book which (on the plus side) was very accessible to beginners but (on the minus side) taught extremely poor programming practices and didn't provide a good foundation for learning to program one's own games.
I'm glad you resolved your bug!
So, on the book, where do you think it would be available if it got published? Online? (And I mean the book available to buy and have shipped. Not just text on a computer screen.)
This is rather off topic, but if you absolutely had to pick a name and gender for the TRPG2 hero, what would it be?
There really isn't a topic here. Just ask Craig a question. That's about as topicy as I think this is. Right Craig?
Sure.
I tended to name my TRPG2 character Morton Fink, for no particular reason other than the name sounded amusing to me.
Quote from: Fyer on January 04, 2011, 09:36:12 PM
So, on the book, where do you think it would be available if it got published? Online? (And I mean the book available to buy and have shipped. Not just text on a computer screen.)
No, I'm looking to get it published as a physical book. But maybe it could be distributed as an eBook? I'm not sure yet. I need to finish it and find an interested publisher before I can really start thinking about that stuff anyway!
Alright. I was just curious. And I meant if it would be a physical book that could be ordered online. But okay. Thanks!
Using the cheat BigCheater I can play past the part where it's supposed to be the end of the demo (Duvalier's mother wailing) and I can play Raid the Armory. I wonder why is that? I used the cheat on the browser demo and it seems that Qudssi is scared by Duvalier's actions. also Arman has disappeared. Why has Arman disappeared? When you ask Griffin about it he instead will ask Duvalier about the wherabouts of Arman.
Quote from: The Grotesquery on January 06, 2011, 01:26:33 AMalso Arman has disappeared. Why has Arman disappeared? When you ask Griffin about it he instead will ask Duvalier about the wherabouts of Arman.
You didn't pay off Al'al, so the Order of Black Rose killed Arman.
WHAT?! But does that depend on the Arman side-quest?
Yes.
What about the cheat thing?
I have since taken that aspect of it out of the game.
Wait, even if we killed Al'al will the game count it as if we hadn't paid him yet?
Quote from: CraigStern on January 06, 2011, 10:07:23 PM
I have since taken that aspect of it out of the game.
Sorry, Craig but I don't quite understand what you're saying.
It is no longer possible to skip past mission 4 via the ABigCheater cheat code.
Quote from: Chrono on January 06, 2011, 10:45:17 PMWait, even if we killed Al'al will the game count it as if we hadn't paid him yet?
You can pay off Al'al and Arman will be fine after mission 4. If you go back and fight Al'al after paying him off, then the Black Rose will kill Arman.
Why Naj's class called "White Spriggat" instead of "Frost Spriggat"?
Ah--mixed terminology. The thing is, I created the spriggats many years ago, long before I created TRPG. All spriggats simply went by color names back then; I sometimes forget that I decided to call the frost-breathing spriggats frost spriggats in TRPG. :) I'll fix that.
So are the spriggats' attacks actually their breath, or do they come out of their hands?
Breath. I didn't mix up their terminology that badly. ;)
After a brief respite, I have more questions.
It could just be bad coding on my part, but do you know of any scenarios where Flash would register a MouseOut event while the mouse is still on the DisplayObject listened to?
That's what's happened, with code saying:
this.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_OVER, onOn);
this.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_OUT, onOff);
and then
public function onOn (m:MouseEvent):void {
trace("baseon");
}
public function onOff (m:MouseEvent):void {
trace("baseoff");
}
In the output box, it was flickering from on to off, and would switch from on to off after two clicks on the spot. The MouseDown event, when I tried it, was inconsistent at best, as was Click.
I did a trace of where Flash was registering the MouseOvers, but they were anywhere the DisplayObject was, so something's wrong, and it's not the MovieClip itself...
Basically, I don't know what could possibly be causing the error, and do you?
QuoteBreath. I didn't mix up their terminology that badly. Wink
Sorry, it's just that it looks like it comes out of their hands when you use the attack in the game.
Quote from: Duckling on January 07, 2011, 09:15:24 PMIt could just be bad coding on my part, but do you know of any scenarios where Flash would register a MouseOut event while the mouse is still on the DisplayObject listened to?
I don't believe I've ever used that particular combination of listeners. I generally use MOUSE_OVER and ROLL_OUT. Maybe that will help?
Quote from: CraigStern on January 07, 2011, 03:05:59 PM
Ah--mixed terminology. The thing is, I created the spriggats many years ago, long before I created TRPG. All spriggats simply went by color names back then; I sometimes forget that I decided to call the frost-breathing spriggats frost spriggats in TRPG. :) I'll fix that.
I don't quite understand your logic, Craig. You have Frost Spriggats that have an affinity with cold, and that are white. And yet you name a spriggat that has an affinity with fire 'Red Spriggat', that are the colour red(same for Dark Spriggats). Please explain.
Oh yes, I forgot. I suggest a 'member of the month/week' poll in General Discussion. I wonder if you agree?
It's not about logic--these are simply the names that these particular types of spriggat have acquired in Cera Bella. You might as well ask why we call some ants black ants (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_ant) and other ants fire ants (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fire_ant). Colloquial species names aren't necessarily consistent.
I do hope I don't meet any Frost Ants in a dark alley! ;)
Oh, and I got rid of the bug I mentioned before. I turns out that since I was using a MovieClip to replace my cursor, the MovieClip kept moving itself under my pointer, and "blocking" the mouse from being on the item I wanted to Roll Over.
With Your Twitter Post that says: A Minor Choice You Make At The Beginning of TSoG will Affect the Armory Raid Dialogue? What a choice are you referring to?
I'll leave that for you guys to discover. :)
Do you know of a way to tell Flash to ignore one Display object's mouseEvents and take those of the next MovieClip down? Or how to detect MouseEvents through a MovieClip? Right now, I have a workaround to my problem, but it takes the BoundingBox, so it's quite sloppy.
Quote from: Duckling on January 09, 2011, 09:43:13 AM
Do you know of a way to tell Flash to ignore one Display object's mouseEvents and take those of the next MovieClip down?
You mean, if there are overlapping movieclips, to ignore the mouseEvents for the movieClip with the higher index value? I bet you could find a way to code that in the handlers.
How many missions are you planning to have in TSoG?
Only about 6-7 linear missions, then making the remainder of the game non-linear: namely, scouring the rest of the continent for support in order to launch a full-scale invasion of Ravinale, and performing quests in order to gain the favor of various factions. How many soldiers you get will determine the success of your final assault on the city.
Naj says that Spriggats still live in the Deeper Downs region. Will we ever get to meet any of these Spriggats by going to the Deeper Downs?
What are the chances of a forum member's 90% everything discount? :P
Don't regard the above question. What web browser do you like best?
Will the spammer calling itself Presentiment II be banned?
It already has. :)
And I Reported one of Presentiment II's post.
Are some kinds of negative emotions healthier than others for shadowlings?
Despite all appearances, this is a serious question.
I noticed a post a bit back saying that Arman will die if you don't pay off Al'al. If you join the Black Rose, does the Black Rose still kill him, or does it let him live?
The former, though doing so will have other consequences that I'm not ready to reveal here. :)
Quote from: Duckling on January 10, 2011, 01:35:51 PM
Are some kinds of negative emotions healthier than others for shadowlings?
I don't have an answer for that one at the moment. I can say that shadowlings derive more sustenance from some emotions than others, however. As a general rule, the more intense the negative emotion, the more nourishing it is for a shadowling. That is, ultimately, what makes shadowlings so dangerous to humans: they get some sustenance out of mocking and being rude to people, sure, but not
nearly as much as they get out of kidnapping them, torturing them, or killing them.
Is there a better way to keep an MC on the top of a Flash game than adding object containers as children, and then adding the MC, and only generating MovieClips within the Containers, or is that the best way?
All the other methods concerning fiddling with index levels and such, I've found to be insatisfactory.
Quote from: Duckling on January 10, 2011, 10:04:50 PM
Is there a better way to keep an MC on the top of a Flash game than adding object containers as children, and then adding the MC, and only generating MovieClips within the Containers, or is that the best way?
All the other methods concerning fiddling with index levels and such, I've found to be insatisfactory.
If there is a particular MC you want to keep on top, try using addChildAt() with all the subsequent MCs so they get added below it. (If you want to add them all at a particular index level, use an int variable to keep track of it.)
If Niven can eat pickles (Heh heh. I can't get LethalLaurie's portrayal of it out of my head. :-[ :D) how does the shadowling digestive system work?
Thank you! That was helpful. Off to conquer the world, now... :-*
What do bronze golems look like? We've had pictures of the other two golem types, but not a bronze golem.
TRPG2, and in the Work Site battle. Or try the wiki.
I mean, like a frontal character portrait.
How do you compose your music? Do you use some sort of program? And where can I get the Telepath theme song?
Why was I banned then unbanned? Really, Craig it scared me. I thought you banned me for some unexplainable reason.
This happened to a friend of mine before, not here, but on another forum, and the result was, it was just a simple mistake, and I'm sure that's what happened here, I believe you need not worry, The Grotesquery. ;)
I banned Presentiment II by IP address and email address--that's the only person I've banned in more than a month. Could Presentiment II be someone using your computer, perhaps? ;)
Gah! :o Is that possible?
Two questions:
1. Can't seem to get the stats for the Spearman to learn Thrust. Can you please answer?
2. Why are the Spearmen used as Ravinale Guards, but not Swordsmen? Just curious. ;D
1. There is no attack called Thrust--that's your main problem there. ;)
2. The swordsmen were a later addition. I suppose I could change the guardsmen to spearmen, but I haven't gotten around to it yet.
Hey, the guards ARE Spearmen. Don't quite understand, Craig.
My bad I meant Impale. Wonder HOW in the world I mixed those two up :D!
Will Qudssi ever learn any other attacks other than melee?
Quote from: Zackirus on January 12, 2011, 06:58:13 PM
Will Qudssi ever learn any other attacks other than melee?
Nope.
[spoiler]Qudssi has so many advantages (speed, superior stats, and mental resistance) that giving him psy abilities on top of that would make Griffin totally superfluous. The way things are, he's just an excellent no-frills swordsman, which I think makes him a good alternative.[/spoiler]
QuoteHow do you compose your music? Do you use some sort of program? And where can I get the Telepath theme song?
Is Cera Bella the only country in the Telepath world with Psys, shadowlings, spriggats, and such?
Quote from: TheWanderingShadow on January 12, 2011, 11:33:05 PMIs Cera Bella the only country in the Telepath world with Psys, shadowlings, spriggats, and such?
Cera Bella is a continent; not a country.
Of course this speculation, but I think this is one of those questions that won't be answered. If Craig plans on expanding the Telepath world into more continents, then he wouldn't tell us until after TSoG is finished.
I have asked Craig (if their are other countires) and he has said that their are countires outside of Cera Bella; however they are beyond the scope of TSoG.
Quote from: CraigStern on January 12, 2011, 07:57:03 PMQuote from: Zackirus on January 12, 2011, 06:58:13 PMWill Qudssi ever learn any other attacks other than melee?
Nope.
[spoiler]Qudssi has so many advantages (speed, superior stats, and mental resistance) that giving him psy abilities on top of that would make Griffin totally superfluous. The way things are, he's just an excellent no-frills swordsman, which I think makes him a good alternative.[/spoiler]
Then why did you add the
New Skill button?
It's less a matter of adding it, and more a matter of not removing it.
Quote from: Duckling on January 14, 2011, 12:55:39 AMIt's less a matter of adding it, and more a matter of not removing it.
No, he added it. Qudssi only had Strength, but then Craig added Psy Defence and New Skills.
Is Anu (http://telepath.wikia.com/wiki/Anul) based off of the Mesopotamia god Anu (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anu)? If so, does that mean that the religion before the Cult is polytheistic? What is the religion of Anu called?
Quote from: im2smart4u on January 14, 2011, 03:47:01 PM
Quote from: Duckling on January 14, 2011, 12:55:39 AMIt's less a matter of adding it, and more a matter of not removing it.
No, he added it. Qudssi only had Strength, but then Craig added Psy Defence and New Skills.
Is [ur=http://telepath.wikia.com/wiki/Anul]Anu[/url] based off of the Mesopotamia god Anu (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anu)? If so, does that mean that the religion before the Cult is polytheistic? What is the religion of Anu called?
I am almost certain he either refused to give a name for the followers of Anu, or said there wasn't a name.
Quote from: HeadShot on January 15, 2011, 09:55:59 AMKind of a bug, but just saying:
How are you supposed to go to Gloomlings Basement? I said some things but I cant go into his basment. I just keep walking like if it was a wall.
If you need help with the game, then you go to the Walkthroughs (http://sinisterdesign.net/forum/index.php?board=16.0) section and if you need to report a bug, then you go to the Bugs (http://sinisterdesign.net/forum/index.php?board=15.0) section. Either way, you don't post those type of questions here.
P.S. Sounds like a bug.
Because I want to create a pack of Psy Duel cards myself, just asking how many cards of what type you need? e.g.
Bronze Golem - 2
Bowman- 3
etc
Here is the composition of the full Psy Duel deck:
9 Merchants
9 Smugglers
2 Guard
2 Bowman
2 Scorpion
2 Assassin
2 Psy Healer
2 Psy Fighter
2 Shadowling
2 Shadow Bug
2 Spriggat
2 Stone Golem
2 Energy Golem
2 Bronze Golem
2 Pyro Blast
2 Cryo Blast
2 Feedback
2 Fury
2 Mind Shield
2 Dark Vortex
So what does that mean exactly?
how much of the game is completed? and how long until you start adding in side quests?
Quote from: Fyer on January 16, 2011, 08:35:59 AM
So what does that mean exactly?
That is just how many of each card makes up a Psy Duel deck. Whenever you play Psy Duel in TSoG, the game generates a deck with nine merchants, nine smugglers, and two of each of the rest of those cards, then deals them out to each player.
Quote from: rainen on January 16, 2011, 10:14:18 AM
how much of the game is completed? and how long until you start adding in side quests?
Linear stuff in the main storyline is mostly finished. After the armory raid mission, the game will open up and you'll be able to perform any number of quests to improve your chances of succeeding in a final assault on the city. From that point on, you'll be able to attempt it at any time, but you'll get a bad ending unless you have enough troops to overcome D'Kah and the Ravinale Guard. So in a sense, it'll all be side quests from that point on, in that you'll be able to go through them in any order, picking and choosing as you go.
So you're saying that something in a game, the final result, is not entirely based on stats?
Quote from: Duckling on January 17, 2011, 02:56:40 AM
So you're saying that something in a game, the final result, is not entirely based on stats?
Of course not. This isn't a Final Fantasy game. :P
Yup. Although I liked the battle system In every TRPG Game, I have a question:
Why did D'Kah kill Darime?
D'Kah was won over by Cygnus, which is what made the guard work for the Cult. Did you really not know that?
I didn't know..............
What inspired you to make TRPG?
i cant animate or make a flash but ide be willing to design a character or two ( i could only draw it in anime style though)
Quote from: HeadShot on January 17, 2011, 05:19:32 PMWhat inspired you to make TRPG?
Law school, basically. I had a summer free before I was supposed to start, and I wanted to give myself a creative project to make good use of the time. So I took a couple of months, learned Flash, and in the process I created TRPG1.
Quote from: Reiji on January 18, 2011, 10:59:07 PM
i cant animate or make a flash but ide be willing to design a character or two ( i could only draw it in anime style though)
Thanks for the offer, but I'm pretty full-up on characters I have to animate and code. ;)
Quote from: CraigStern on January 18, 2011, 11:26:12 PMQuote from: HeadShot on January 17, 2011, 05:19:32 PMWhat inspired you to make TRPG?
Law school, basically. I had a summer free before I was supposed to start, and I wanted to give myself a creative project to make good use of the time. So I took a couple of months, learned Flash, and in the process I created TRPG1.
Where you a history major? The more history I learn, the more parallels I see between TSoG and world histroy.
I've studied history, but my college major was English with a minor in International Relations.
Is it possible for a ghost, or other spirit, to become sorta linked to an object, say, maybe a crystal orb and then lend a little of that spirit's, say, resistance to the one holding the orb?
is there a downloadable version of telepath rpg 2 so that you dont need internett connection to play
No, not yet, at least.
Quote from: Reiji on January 22, 2011, 01:49:11 PM
is there a downloadable version of telepath rpg 2 so that you dont need internett connection to play
There was, for a limited period back in 2008: http://telepath.wikia.com/wiki/Telepath_RPG_2_Special_CD_Edition
Where or what did Azur rule over?
In Flash, can MovieClips return HitTestObject as true if one of the MovieClips is not added to the Stage?
Quote from: Duckling on January 22, 2011, 09:19:33 PMIn Flash, can MovieClips return HitTestObject as true if one of the MovieClips is not added to the Stage?
Good question--I've never tried it. Why not experiment and see?
Quote from: im2smart4u on January 22, 2011, 10:37:07 PMI don't think "poet-king" means that he was a poet and a king. It met that he was a master poet.
An interesting theory, but not the case here. If you talk to the librarian, she tells you a bit about Azur.
Quote from: Duckling on January 22, 2011, 09:19:33 PMWhere or what did Azur rule over?
There was, at one point, a kingdom to the south of Ravinale. (It no longer exists as of the time of TSoG.)
What is the character limit for each post?
It used to be 350, but I removed the limit in the forum settings. There might still be a de facto limit imposed by the server software, however, though I am not aware of what that limit might be.
What language does the residents of Cera Bella speak?
I haven't given it a name yet.
How do mind shields heal actual physical harm? I understand that it can be used to block kinetic force, but what if the damage has already been dealt?
Quote from: TheWanderingShadow on January 25, 2011, 11:42:51 PM
How do mind shields heal actual physical harm?
They don't. They just prevent the recipient from suffering a fatal blow when his or her defenses are weakened.
What harm does mind blast actually do?
If you get the downloadable demo, the attached manual explains it pretty well. ;)
Can you understand TSoG's plot without playing TRPG2?
The plot, it looks like it is crystal clear even without playing TRPG2, but there are some minor details that could be checked by playing TRPG2 without checking the wiki.
I think he was asking Craig to once and for all, kill the silly theory that Nelis will appear in TRPG2.
Quote from: im2smart4u on January 27, 2011, 06:54:56 PM
Can you understand TSoG's plot without playing TRPG2?
Yes, though certain things will make more sense having played TRPG2 first.
Will you put a full-stop on Telepath after SoG and SA? Or will you never stop the series?
That, my good man, is what we call a false choice. That's like someone asking you, "Will you eat a whole watermelon, or will you never eat watermelon again?" There are other options. Suffice it to say that I decline to state when (if ever) I'm going to stop developing Telepath games. ;)
What affinity is Cygnus (I assume that he is a psy)?
Quote from: Zackirus on January 30, 2011, 01:20:18 PMWhat affinity is Cygnus (I assume that he is a psy)?
Please don't tell. I want it to be a surprise.
[spoiler]The alternative ending said "the Resistance was forced to flee into the mountains around Somnus".[/spoiler]Does that mean that Somnus is under a mountain range? (Like the dwarves of Lord of the Rings?)
Check out the world map in-game. That should give you the idea.
1. Do you think making games and selling them is enough for a living?
2. Are you a member of the jayisgames.com forums?
1. It can be--whether the income from one's games is enough for a developer to live on depends on how well the games sell, how much they sell for, and how high the developer's expenses are (both living expenses and expenses developing the games). It's a challenge to make a living off of game development, and not everyone can manage it. I hope to eventually reach a point where I can count myself among the lucky ones who succeed at this.
2. Nope.
Does Niven really have a knife floating in front of his face all the time? Also, do energy golems have levitating arms?
No and yes, respectively.
Quote from: CraigStern on January 31, 2011, 01:46:03 PM
1. It can be--whether the income from one's games is enough for a developer to live on depends on how well the games sell, how much they sell for, and how high the developer's expenses are (both living expenses and expenses developing the games). It's a challenge to make a living off of game development, and not everyone can manage it. I hope to eventually reach a point where I can count myself among the lucky ones who succeed at this.
2. Nope.
Funny. I was searching for a walkthrough for the game 'Sonny', which brought me to jayisgames.com, and there was a guy there who's username is Craig, which said something about Sonny's storyline being weak, and Sonny can't even touch TRPG2 on the storyline criteria. He was like the only person to talk about TRPG on the Sonny thread.
Question: What exactly are you doing now? Apart from fixing the bugs and fine tuning SoG I mean. You've already finished SoG, right?
Hm. Okay.
TSoG is not done yet, no. (Believe me, if it were, I'd be trumpeting its completion from the rooftops.)
Alright. Quick question that really is just a question of preference. If you had a cookie, would you trade it for a waffle?
If I was in the mood for breakfast, I would.
Quote
Funny. I was searching for a walkthrough for the game 'Sonny', which brought me to jayisgames.com, and there was a guy there who's username is Craig, which said something about Sonny's storyline being weak, and Sonny can't even touch TRPG2 on the storyline criteria. He was like the only person to talk about TRPG on the Sonny thread.
The only person to talk about TRPG on the whole site, more like.
Quote from: CraigStern on February 01, 2011, 12:37:00 AM
If I was in the mood for breakfast, I would.
A cookie can be breakfast too you know. And some health care "specialists" actually advise getting off the regular breakfast routine once and a while. Did you know that?
Quote from: CraigStern on January 31, 2011, 11:24:42 PM
Hm. Okay.
TSoG is not done yet, no. (Believe me, if it were, I'd be trumpeting its completion from the rooftops.)
Err..... I don't get it. im2smart4u, which I think has pre-ordered, knows things beyond Mission 4. But if one can play right after he has pre-ordered, then surely the game must be finished.... or is there something I'm missing? What can you do after you pre-order?
Play past Mission 4. The game is finished past Mission 4, but it isn't completely finished yet. That's why it's a pre-order, not just an order. ;)
I mean that you finish the demo at Mission 4, where Duvalier's mum wails. If im2smart4u pre-ordered, can he play the 'pre-order' version? If yes, then up to which parts can he play? Because I saw im2smart4u saying about that Duvalier can defect and join the Cult by the end of Raiding the Armory. How did he know?
If you Pre-order, you can play the game as it's being completed. So im2smart4u can play past mission 4 and such if he wants.
How much do the player's decisions effect the storyline?
Is stat-guessing (future enemies eg. D'Kah, Cygnus) suitable in a discussion zone where posts are counted?
Quote from: The Grotesquery on February 04, 2011, 09:16:53 AMIs stat-guessing (future enemies eg. D'Kah, Cygnus) suitable in a discussion zone where posts are counted?
To me, it seems to be a pointless waist of time, but I think you should go head and keep guessing in your own topic. Just don't spam other topics with baseless guesses.
Why is the Nut Merchant surrounded by fruit?
How immature did you feel writing the Nut Merchant dialogue? (It couldn't be as immature as I felt laughing at it)
How come when I answer the door in crypt 3 correctly and go through it brought me to the map but I couldn't click on anything?
Quote from: The Grotesquery on February 04, 2011, 09:16:53 AM
Is stat-guessing (future enemies eg. D'Kah, Cygnus) suitable in a discussion zone where posts are counted?
If it makes you happy, go for it. ;)
Quote from: im2smart4u on February 04, 2011, 03:18:07 PM
Why is the Nut Merchant surrounded by fruit?
How immature did you feel writing the Nut Merchant dialogue? (It couldn't be as immature as I felt laughing at it)
1) I haven't created a suitable stall graphic for the nut merchant yet.
2) Very, but I enjoyed it so much that I didn't care.
Quote from: J_Light_G on February 04, 2011, 05:03:07 PM
How come when I answer the door in crypt 3 correctly and go through it brought me to the map but I couldn't click on anything?
Crypt 3 isn't finished yet.
Quote from: J_Light_G on February 04, 2011, 05:03:07 PM
How come when I answer the door in crypt 3 correctly and go through it brought me to the map but I couldn't click on anything?
Crypt 3 isn't finished yet.
[/quote]
When will it be finished?
In TSoG and TRPG2, a left hand is gathering light. What exactly is going on?
For a videogame that took around 20 hours to make, start to finish, how would you approach selling the game? What's your view on sponsorships?
Sponsorships can be a good way to go, depending on the game.
The time it took you to make the game is irrelevant. You should set your price based on the quality of the game and other factors relating to the conditions of the market (e.g. what other, similar games are selling for).
You forgot this, Craig.
Quote from: im2smart4u on February 05, 2011, 05:44:30 PM
In TSoG and TRPG2, a left hand is gathering light. What exactly is going on?
Anyway, 2 questions:
1. Will you have my baby? (Blahahaha! Just kidding :D ;D!)
2. Will you ever tell us the link between SoG and TRPG2?
Nope, nope, and nope. The last one you can figure out yourself by playing through the finished game, once it's done.
I recall telling you that I can't buy it. 1 more:
Is it possible to use Malis in the SoG demo?
Other than having Qudssi leaving you, everybody (in Ravinale) hating you, and Luca thinking she has become Luca'ra'il, will choosing to kill the crowd do anything else for you (because it seems like it is only negative).
Also: you said in a twitter post than you are adding a interesting choice to make in mission 4, have you put that in the pre-order yet?
The plan is to give Luca a new attack or two, and which attack(s) she get(s) depend(s) on whether she is Luca or Luca'ra'il.
How far are you into development of TSoG? When will we see more of Shadowling Assassin?
Sorry, I'm not answering "how close are you to finishing"-type questions. It'll be done when I've got all the content in there that I want, when all of the major bugs are squashed, and it's ready for release.
Quote from: The Grotesquery on February 06, 2011, 10:39:22 AMIs it possible to use Malis in the SoG demo?
No. The only battles that you can do between Mission 3 and Mission 4 are solo Hero battles. If you want to play with Malis, then pre-order.
[spoiler]Wouldn't Luca become a Djinn if you choose to have her remain Luca'ra'il, which is not really Luca?[/spoiler]
Can I change the location for the delivery, and do I have to pay more?
Quote from: Chrono on February 07, 2011, 12:14:45 AM
Can I change the location for the delivery, and do I have to pay more?
I'm not sure I understand the question. You mean, if you buy the game using one email address, but you want to use a second one instead, do you have to buy it again?
Are the voice actors chosen for the main characters, if so can we hear some of their lines?
Why do most spirits use the Cold element?
[spoiler]Why does Luca learn to use the Light element?[/spoiler]
What does the newest update include? (Black Rose missions?)
Not yet--there's now a set up for some further missions involving them, though. ;)
[spoiler]Re: Luca, the Luca'ra'il personality has a strong, newfound sense of purpose going forward that grants her light affinity.
Had I been thinking about it back when I first designed the spirits, Heat would have probably been a more fitting affinity for most of them.[/spoiler]
So spirits control elements based on personalities like Psy Fighters? Does memory loss cause most spirits to be more Cold oriented?
Something like that. I suppose you could say that Cold predominates in the absence of other personality factors, factors which deteriorate with memory loss.
I didn't think of it that way. I assumed that it was just because the spirits were dead.
I hate to re-ask a question, but, if you didn't want to answer, you could have at least let me know, no disrespect meant.
Quote from: Duskling on February 06, 2011, 11:40:16 PM
[spoiler]Wouldn't Luca become a Djinn if you choose to have her remain Luca'ra'il, which is not really Luca?[/spoiler]
If I don't answer a question, it's safe to assume that I either don't have an answer, or that I prefer to let you guys speculate about it. ;)
Or you just don't want to answer it. Right?
You're getting the idea.
QuoteQuote from: im2smart4u on February 10, 2011, 08:15:52 PMWhat does the newest update include? (Black Rose missions?)
Quote from: CraigStern on February 10, 2011, 08:35:46 PMNot yet--there's now a set up for some further missions involving them, though. ;)
I didn't find any new set up. Do I need to start a new game or something?
Nope.
[spoiler]There's some new stuff down by the docks.[/spoiler]
Who might you reccomend selling a game to?
I've offered to Armor Games in their Business Offer section, and I haven't had a response - it's been a week.
I'm thinking now along the lines of Kongregate. Newgrounds, I don't really like. I don't suppose you know any others?
Quote from: CraigStern on February 07, 2011, 07:15:28 AM
Quote from: Chrono on February 07, 2011, 12:14:45 AM
Can I change the location for the delivery, and do I have to pay more?
I'm not sure I understand the question. You mean, if you buy the game using one email address, but you want to use a second one instead, do you have to buy it again?
Not so much of changing the email address, but the physical address. Or is that only for payment by cash?
What do shadowlings use for lighting in their homes?
Why Doesn't Malis have shadow resistance like most other shadowlings...
What are Shadowling houses even made of, anyways?
Quote from: Duckling on February 11, 2011, 09:41:26 PMI'm thinking now along the lines of Kongregate. Newgrounds, I don't really like. I don't suppose you know any others?
There are like a gazillion others. FlashGameLicense.com is a good place to start if you're looking to get familiar with the universe of potential sponsors.
Quote from: Chrono on February 11, 2011, 11:55:40 PMNot so much of changing the email address, but the physical address. Or is that only for payment by cash?
Yeah, I don't even know why you'd need to change your physical address with them, unless you're asking them to ship you a CD.
Quote from: Zackirus on February 12, 2011, 12:59:18 AM
Why Doesn't Malis have shadow resistance like most other shadowlings...
All shadowlings have shadow affinity, but not all shadowlings have shadow resistance.
Quote from: CraigStern on February 11, 2011, 02:39:58 PMNope.[spoiler]There's some new stuff down by the docks.[/spoiler]
Thanks, I found it.
Quote from: CraigStern on February 12, 2011, 01:50:24 AMQuote from: Zackirus on February 12, 2011, 12:59:18 AM
Why Doesn't Malis have shadow resistance like most other shadowlings...
All shadowlings have shadow affinity, but not all shadowlings have shadow resistance.
Didn't Shadowboxer, Darkling, and Festus have to learn Shadow Resistance?
Is it possible for Malis to learn Shadow Resistance like Rahel learned her bow counter-attack?
Not currently, no.
However, are you planning to add the learning of Shadow Resistance for Malis?
I haven't made up my mind about that yet. It's a possibility.
Do you prefer to read or watch plays?
Your question is ambiguous. Are you asking whether I prefer to read plays or watch them, or are you asking whether I prefer reading books to watching plays? Actually, come to think of it, that doesn't matter. I prefer reading in either event.
Sorry. I meant reading plays or watching them. Okay.
Can you update the registration process Craig?
Quote from: Voicer on February 12, 2011, 02:49:09 PM
Hi! I just signed up and guess what??
Your registration process needs to be updated because it asks what year it is to verify that you're not a bot and it still thinks its 2010. I was trying roman numerals as the answer to the math question, and trying it with caps on or off for every other question before I realized what was wrong with it and was able to register. So for the last 2 months anyone who wanted to register probably left really irritated. Maybe fix that.
Will you ever make a mini RTS out of this game franchise?
I mean, its already a strategy game in its merits, but it would be cool if you made a simple little overview game out of it. I'm sure it would draw many users to Psy games.
Quote from: TheWanderingShadow on February 12, 2011, 12:46:46 AM
What do shadowlings use for lighting in their homes?
Quote from: TheWanderingShadow on February 12, 2011, 01:14:46 AM
What are Shadowling houses even made of, anyways?
I'm sorry for this, but am I being too off-topic here, or do you just not want to answer?
Quote from: TheWanderingShadow on February 13, 2011, 01:11:01 AM
Quote from: TheWanderingShadow on February 12, 2011, 12:46:46 AM
What do shadowlings use for lighting in their homes?
Quote from: TheWanderingShadow on February 12, 2011, 01:14:46 AM
What are Shadowling houses even made of, anyways?
I'm sorry for this, but am I being too off-topic here, or do you just not want to answer?
Quote from: CraigStern on February 10, 2011, 09:00:29 PM
If I don't answer a question, it's safe to assume that I either don't have an answer, or that I prefer to let you guys speculate about it. ;)
will downloading the downloadable version ever reset save games?
It can't. Not really. CraigStern would have to change a whole bunch of variable names for that to happen, because your saved game is saved on your computer, not the internet. Goodnight.
Quote from: Deagonx on February 12, 2011, 09:41:06 PM
Will you ever make a mini RTS out of this game franchise?
I mean, its already a strategy game in its merits, but it would be cool if you made a simple little overview game out of it. I'm sure it would draw many users to Psy games.
TBS is a distinct possibility. I can't say that I have much interest in programming an RTS at the moment, however.
Well, my suggestion is to not have it real time
Squad Turn Based
I can't remember but I think TRPG2 used this system
Your entire squad goes, then theres.
Fallout Tactics used a system very similar to TRPG2s, but I think it would be nice if it wasn't so based around a role play. More of just a battle game.
Quote from: Deagonx on February 16, 2011, 07:08:04 PM
Well, my suggestion is to not have it real time
Squad Turn Based
I can't remember but I think TRPG2 used this system
Your entire squad goes, then theres.
Fallout Tactics used a system very similar to TRPG2s, but I think it would be nice if it wasn't so based around a role play. More of just a battle game.
Like TPA2? ;)
Eh, RTS all the way.
Why can't I find a difference between Normal and Hard in the SoG downloadable demo? It seems that none of the enemy stats have changed. Same damage, same health. Or is it a smarter AI?
Quote from: Idozen Cair on February 18, 2011, 02:56:46 AMsmarter AI
On hard, they go after your hero and healer more aggressively, and avoid attacking characters resistant to the element of whichever attack they're using.
Do you prefer turn-based strategy to real-time strategy?
Do they also avoid attacking counter-attacking characters from the front?
Quote from: Duckling on February 19, 2011, 10:24:24 AM
Do they also avoid attacking counter-attacking characters from the front?
No. Unfortunately, due to the way that counterattacking is coded, this would be extremely difficult to do properly.
Which dialogue in SoG did you enjoy writing most?
My faves:
Nut Merchant
Fernatus
The Shadowling in the place where Snarl stood before (forgot his name)
What does doing the Iblis Side-Quest give you, other than money of course...
Looking at your recent rant about what makes an RPG and RPG, I have to ask, do you consider Dungeons and Dragons (The Board Game) to be a RPG and do you like it?
:D I just read the Nut Merchant Dialogue.
Really, CraigStern? Really?
Was the word/phrase "criss-cross" of any inspiration to "Cryo Cross?" Because it seems like it is.
Quote from: Duckling on March 05, 2011, 01:29:06 PM:D I just read the Nut Merchant Dialogue.
Really, CraigStern? Really?
Quote from: CraigStern on February 04, 2011, 06:21:31 PMQuote from: im2smart4u on February 04, 2011, 03:18:07 PMWhy is the Nut Merchant surrounded by fruit?
How immature did you feel writing the Nut Merchant dialogue? (It couldn't be as immature as I felt laughing at it)
1) I haven't created a suitable stall graphic for the nut merchant yet.
2) Very, but I enjoyed it so much that I didn't care.
Quote from: Zackirus on March 05, 2011, 11:16:53 AMLooking at your recent rant about what makes an RPG and RPG, I have to ask, do you consider Dungeons and Dragons (The Board Game) to be a RPG and do you like it?
In an interview (http://rampantgames.com/blog/?p=2175), Craig mentions making D&D missions.
You posted on twitter that you were you're working on an engine for a game (http://twitter.com/sinisterdesign/status/46332835317039104). I searched a bit about it and ended up thinking that you might be planning to make a stand alone game in the lines of Psy Duel (the card game). From what I read, I guess it's a possibility that the game could be online and multiplayer. Did I took your tweet too seriously?
is there an updated attack list/ "what can you do in TSoG?"
I don't think so, but I can update KZ's lists of Duvalier attacks (http://sinisterdesign.net/forum/index.php?topic=52.0) and things you can do in TSoG (http://sinisterdesign.net/forum/index.php?topic=46.0), if you all give me a hand filling in the blanks.
What is your opinion on the Sonny series?
Ah that's a question I've been wanting to ask for so long. Mine:
How are the sales for SoG?
Quote from: Zackirus on March 05, 2011, 11:16:53 AM
Looking at your recent rant about what makes an RPG and RPG, I have to ask, do you consider Dungeons and Dragons (The Board Game) to be a RPG and do you like it?
The article specifically refers to
computer RPGs--which is to say, video games. So it's not really a fair comparison. But since a bunch of games that are pretty clearly computer RPGs (e.g. Eye of the Beholder, Baldur's Gate, and Planescape Torment, etc.) use the Dungeons and Dragons rules, it would be pretty hard for me to argue that Dungeons and Dragons isn't an RPG in some way, shape or form.
Quote from: Duckling on March 05, 2011, 01:29:06 PM
:D I just read the Nut Merchant Dialogue.
Really, CraigStern? Really?
I'm afraid so. ;D
Quote from: Ertxiem on March 12, 2011, 07:40:46 PM
You posted on twitter that you were you're working on an engine for a game (http://twitter.com/sinisterdesign/status/46332835317039104). I searched a bit about it and ended up thinking that you might be planning to make a stand alone game in the lines of Psy Duel (the card game). From what I read, I guess it's a possibility that the game could be online and multiplayer. Did I took your tweet too seriously?
Let's just say that I've been making some excellent headway on a new game engine that takes some of my favorite things about TSoG and combines them with other elements in a way that is (so far as I am aware) totally unique in the world of video games. I don't want to say more than that for now, though.
Quote from: im2smart4u on March 15, 2011, 10:20:23 PM
Can Malis learned feedback yet?
Nope.
Quote from: Duskling on March 20, 2011, 04:40:38 PM
What is your opinion on the Sonny series?
They provide a very slick Final Fantasy-style experience, albeit one without exploration or player freedom. Krin basically beat Square to the punch in designing a game with FFXIII's hyper-linear structure, but did so without tossing the classic Final Fantasy combat system out the window. Those games are honestly quite impressive for what they are, but they aren't to my taste as RPGs.
Quote from: Idozen Cair on March 21, 2011, 02:59:26 AMHow are the sales for SoG?
Good. :)
I was wondering how many hours a day do you work on average and what sorts of things do you usually do. Can you give a rough estimate?
And how do you organize your time?
Now that we know 9/10 Characters, which one is your favourite character (Based on Attacks, Personality, etc.)?
Do you do anything else when you aren't in the middle of designing a game? What do you do for work when you aren't designing/programming?
Quote from: Bugfartboy on March 26, 2011, 01:45:38 PM
Do you do anything else when you aren't in the middle of designing a game? What do you do for work when you aren't designing/programming?
Yes: if I'm not working on a game, I'll usually write or compose music. There's always something creative on the burner. Also, I have a social life that I like to indulge in now and then. (You know: friends, dating, that sort of thing.) For work, I'm a contract attorney for a law firm downtown.
Quote from: Zackirus on March 26, 2011, 01:20:36 PM
Now that we know 9/10 Characters, which one is your favourite character (Based on Attacks, Personality, etc.)?
Personality-wise, my favorite character is probably either Malis or Rajav.
As far as attacks: if we don't count Duvalier, I'd have to say it's a wash, since the usefulness of each character's suite of abilities really varies by situation. In close quarters with little maneuvering room, Griffin and Qudssi really shine. In wide-open battlefields, Arman and Rahel are stars. Malis is solid in most situations, as are Naj and La'Man. Set is indispensable in pretty much every fight unless you've given Duvalier a healing role, so I suppose I'd have to pick Set by default.
Quote from: CraigStern on March 26, 2011, 03:05:23 PM
Personality-wise, my favorite character is probably either Malis or Rajav.
Oh... that's just mean. Well at least can you tell us a bit about Rajav?
I wasn't aware that you were also working as a lawyer. I thought you were able to work on games full time. (Wishful thinking, I guess...)
Have you done (or considered doing) games with other people?
Quote from: Zackirus on March 26, 2011, 03:11:36 PMWell at least can you tell us a bit about Rajav?
Rajav is a spirit who fancies himself something of a lady's man. I'll leave it at that for now. ;)
Quote from: Ertxiem on March 26, 2011, 03:12:17 PMI thought you were able to work on games full time.
That's one of my goals for the future, but it's not economically feasible for me just yet.
Quote from: Ertxiem on March 26, 2011, 03:12:17 PMHave you done (or considered doing) games with other people?
Yes--whatever my next game is, I intend to partner with an artist to produce it a) more quickly b) with better, more consistent sprite-based visuals and c) better performance resulting from consistent reliance on sprites.
What is your opinion on cloning?
In what sense? Do you mean human cloning, or cloning in general?
You'll see. ;)
All cloning, but please specify which ones you mean when you give your opinion.
I think cloning as a widespread practice is a bad idea in general, regardless of species, simply because lack of genetic diversity weakens species.
That said, I think people are overly afraid of human cloning because of unrealistic expectations about what that means. People hear cloning and think "exact copies," failing to account for the differences between people that arise not just out of DNA, but also development and environmental factors. We already know that human clones wouldn't turn out exactly alike because of identical twins. Identical twins are effectively clones of each other: they come from the exact same egg/sperm combination. And yet, identical twins tend to turn out differently (http://multiples.about.com/od/funfacts/a/differenttwins.htm).
So, in short: cloning is bad, but only because it raises species-wide susceptibility to diseases and genetic disorders, not because it will make everyone identical.
Will the Folk-of-the-Woods appear in TSoG? If So, Will Gelf make an appearance?
Can I refer to the Folk-of-the-Woods as "Gelflets"?
You can refer to them however you choose, if it's not offensive. However, whether you will be understood is a different matter, Buggy.
i always thought they were just referred to as gelfs? gelf = greedy elf? (and through centuries of swindling, their elfish personality, mannerisms and intelligence has all but dissapeared)
onto my string of comments ending in a question, (and i'll note now that i can't post a link since i'm in school.) there's this game on kongregate called (correct me if i'm wrong) endless tower RPG which the creator has, of course, labeled an RPG. the catch? if anything, it is more of an idle/RTD game. there is no story, you're just in an endless tower fighting monsters. Now then, the other half of my argument isn't really bashing the fact that it's not an RPG, because the following CAN in fact be in an underdeveloped RPG. The following is just bashing the simplicity of the game and lack of thought put into it.
-the developer, at one point in time, promised to expand the game pending a high rating
-there are (4?) monsters you can fight (thought they each have a defined role at least)
-there are 4(originally 3 but he had a high enough rating to add a forth apparently) characters each with "defined" roles but the original 3 are totally shrouded by the 4th who is, in layman terms, OP.
-death is a necessity to continue on to higher levels due to the difficulty curve. When you die you get an extra 12 stat points (but the catch is, you can only die twice)
-there IS in fact a shop but you can only buy 3 types of items (all unnamed) that just add to stat modifiers.
Now then, I ask you: as a maker of high quality RPGs, does the existence of this game(labeled and RPG) make you cringe?
I think it's more gelf = green elf, although greedy is not that bad if you consider the amount of gold he asks for his stuff!
Quote from: rainen on March 28, 2011, 07:29:39 AMNow then, I ask you: as a maker of high quality RPGs, does the existence of this game(labeled and RPG) make you cringe?
There are a lot of lazy "RPGs" on the Flash portals these days. I haven't played the one you mention, but I can name a few (like Epic Battle Fantasy 3) that definitely do make me cringe.
Quote from: CraigStern on March 28, 2011, 06:43:30 PM
There are a lot of lazy "RPGs" on the Flash portals these days. I haven't played the one you mention, but I can name a few (like Epic Battle Fantasy 3) that definitely do make me cringe.
Why does EBF3 make you cringe, it is certainly better than 95% of the flash games on the internet.
Also, can we hear that new music track you just created (When talking to Criminals/Shady Characters)?
Wanna lend me 50 bucks, Craig?
Serious Question:
In a couple years, after Sinister Design has grown some more, what do you think you would think of working with a few people to just overall help out a bit?
I'll be using the new music in various missions, so you'll get to hear it pretty soon.
Quote from: Bugfartboy on March 28, 2011, 09:34:17 PMIn a couple years, after Sinister Design has grown some more, what do you think you would think of working with a few people to just overall help out a bit?
A couple of years? More like "as soon as TSoG is done." :)
You're really expecting to grow that much off of TSoG? Wow. So how goes it? How many bugs do ya have to
(http://emob1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc436/bugfartboy/image-6.jpg)
Squash? :-[
(Sorry bout my bad art. If you can't tell, which is likely, it's a screenshot of a giant bug in TRPG2 that I painted a fly swatter over.)
And on a side note, I spread the word about Sinister Design around some of my online gamer friends at school a bit. How many brownie points is that worth? :-[ :)
-Edit
Major spelling fix. Sorry! :)
Quote from: Idozen Cair on March 29, 2011, 08:48:08 AMMalis is a relative of Darkling and Shadowboxer, yes? Or is it just speculation?
Hm? Is there something in the game that suggests that?
Nothing other than the fact that they are Shadowlings and the opinion that it may be interesting.
I thought you had said that at some point, Craig. Or maybe that was someone else.
I think you did say that at one point, Craig. But only faintly do I remember it.
I got this info from a forumer (forgot who) who said you said it, Craig.
Um, okay. If you can find where I said it, I'd be interested to see that. :)
I was probably imagining it.
Is it still possible for people to try figuring out the last cheat for TSoG without needing to buy and complete the game?
Would you confirm the relationship now, since it's not?
Or deny it?
Quote from: Bugfartboy on March 29, 2011, 10:29:59 PMIs it still possible for people to try figuring out the last cheat for TSoG without needing to buy and complete the game?
Yes.
Quote from: CraigStern on March 30, 2011, 07:07:14 PM
Quote from: Bugfartboy on March 29, 2011, 10:29:59 PMIs it still possible for people to try figuring out the last cheat for TSoG without needing to buy and complete the game?
Yes.
Will you tell us what it is when the game is finished and you lock the cheats so only those who've beaten the game can use them, if we havn't found it by then?
what's your opinion on RPGmaker games? which is your favorite/least favorite?
do you think RPGmaker type programs can be used in a high quality RPG?
What's more fitting to a high quality RPG: a comic overtone or a serious overtone?
Have you tried that sad excuse of a game out yet that i mentioned 2 pages back?
Is baking one of your hobbies?
if a tree falls in the woods, does it make a sound?
"I think, therefore I am" does this mean that people with impaired thinking abilities are lesser people?
Quote from: CraigStern on March 29, 2011, 10:21:59 PM
Um, okay. If you can find where I said it, I'd be interested to see that. :)
The best I could find is a KZ post (http://sinisterdesign.net/forum/index.php?topic=58.msg15287#msg15287) and another post by KZ on the old forums (http://sinisterdesign.freepowerboards.com/viewtopic.php?p=22548#p22548). And an older quote from KZ (http://sinisterdesign.freepowerboards.com/viewtopic.php?p=18645#p18645). And another one (http://sinisterdesign.freepowerboards.com/viewtopic.php?p=14255#p14255).
However, Craig, I was unable to find a post by you saying that Malis is a relative of Darkling and Shadowboxer. In your original post when you mention a female shadowling (http://sinisterdesign.freepowerboards.com/viewtopic.php?p=8252#p8252), you don't mention that she's related to anyone.
So it's possible that KZ assumed by himself that Malis was related to Darkling and Shadowboxer and that idea just kept on going. It's also possible that I couldn't find your (Craig's) original post...
... or that you cunningly deleted it just to mess with us! :P
Yes yes! The first link was where I found out that the three were relatives!
Quote from: rainen on March 31, 2011, 07:52:05 AM
what's your opinion on RPGmaker games? which is your favorite/least favorite?
do you think RPGmaker type programs can be used in a high quality RPG?
I think RPG Maker can be used to make good stuff, though more often than not people just use it for cookie-cutter Final Fantasy clones. I've done a few reviews of RPG Maker games on IndieRPGs.com, if you're curious.
Quote from: rainen on March 31, 2011, 07:52:05 AM
What's more fitting to a high quality RPG: a comic overtone or a serious overtone?
They're both legitimate approaches. Tone is just a question of style, really. The only thing that hurts a game is when the tone is inconsistent.
Quote from: rainen on March 31, 2011, 07:52:05 AM
Have you tried that sad excuse of a game out yet that i mentioned 2 pages back?
Not yet.
Quote from: rainen on March 31, 2011, 07:52:05 AM
Is baking one of your hobbies?
Nope.
Oh, also: I don't know what KZ is referring to in those posts, but I'm pretty sure I've never said that Malis is related to Darkling and Shadowboxer.
How big are the orbs in the game? Golfball sized? Bowlingbowl sized?
They're roughly grapefruit-sized.
So has anyone in the Telepath world with bad eyesight ever mistaken the yellow orb for a grapefruit, and tried to eat it?
Yes.
Quote from: Bugfartboy on April 01, 2011, 09:29:31 PM
Really? :) Hmm... Anything's possible I guess.
So what happened when that someone attempted to eat the yellow orb? Did they become a Psy for the time they held it? (a weak one even?) Or...?
Would you say that Darkling and Shadowboxer and Malis are relatives?
We just asked that.
Quote from: Bugfartboy on April 01, 2011, 10:22:04 PM
Quote from: Bugfartboy on April 01, 2011, 09:29:31 PM
Really? :) Hmm... Anything's possible I guess.
So what happened when that someone attempted to eat the yellow orb? Did they become a Psy for the time they held it? (a weak one even?) Or...?
I feel like the pirate from TRPG2 has tried this. Don't ask me why.
Oh, Craig. I didn't went to the main Sinister Design page yesterday and I missed the announcement of the new TSoG character (http://sinisterdesign.net/?p=815). Shame on me!
I was hoping to see something special in the forums, but I didn't thought about taking a look there.
Edit: Typo.
Craig!!! That's really kinda cruel. Putting Buh'Baque up as a joke. And I fell for it. How could you?
Quote from: CraigStern on April 01, 2011, 09:21:44 PM
Sorry--it just seemed like a good April Fool's prank. ;D
How do you think I felt! Making the Quest and All.
C'mon. It was a great prank. And it lead me to read your side quest, Zackirus. So, you got advertised by Craig for free!
Craig: How hard was it program KZ (http://sinisterdesign.net/forum/index.php?topic=197.msg34597#msg34597) and Ert (http://sinisterdesign.net/forum/index.php?topic=647.msg34571#msg34571)?
You have to click the links to understand what I mean at first.
It's been the hardest of my AI programming challenges to date. :P
How much time away from other things does keeping them up to date take out of your schedule?
None--they are programmed to self-update. Ert even taught himself javascript, as I understand.
Wow. You're even cooler than I initially thought. :P
o(^▽^)o
Quote from: CraigStern on April 03, 2011, 12:35:33 PM
None--they are programmed to self-update. Ert even taught himself javascript, as I understand.
Lol!
To be honest, I just took the time when nobody is around here to understand myself (and my code). After that, learning other programming languages is easy.
I just restrain myself to learn actionscript so that Craig can shine with his games. (And if he got mad at me he might delete me - I will not take that chance!)
will you ever create a side-scroller shooting game set in the TRPG universe? (idk how.... well yes i do...) *obscure reference to epic battle fantasy and ge.ne.sis*
[spoiler=Mine Doubly Quantified Pence]If Craig ever made such a game, I would prefer it be more like Echoes: Oper. Stranglehold, with its interesting narrative and rather free gameplay.[/spoiler]
Quote from: rainen on April 04, 2011, 08:20:26 PMa side-scroller shooting game
That genre doesn't really interest me much. I doubt I'll be making one set in
any universe, honestly.
So... How's it going Craig?
Things are okay!
Have you ever thought of going back to improve TPA2? I played it recently and it was a little disappointing compared to TSoG. There were things in TSoG that should be in TPA2 such as better AI, less bugs, more attacks, the choice to "hold", more save slots, and the ability for your hero to choose his element.
It just isn't feasible to constantly go back and redo old games, unfortunately. What happens when I release the game after TSoG, and it has an even better engine (which it will)? I would never have the time to make new games with new, improved engines if i were always redoing the older ones.
Anyway, don't worry: TPA2 will not be the last of its kind. ;)
How long did it take to write the new boss music (http://sinisterdesign.net/?p=823#more-823)?
A few days. (Plus a few more days of fiddling around to get a good render of it due to the large amount of instrumentation in the track and the limited RAM in my computer. Blargh.)
What are you going to Finish First: New Missions, Crypt 3, or Side-Quests?
Missions or Crypt 3. There's one mission I'm trying to finish before I move on to the other ones.
Quote from: CraigStern on April 10, 2011, 09:15:45 PM
Missions or Crypt 3. There's one mission I'm trying to finish before I move on to the other ones.
Is that the Baz's Friend Mission?
Yup.
Why does Fate chose to intervene in the death of the hero in TRPG2, but not in the death of the Hero in TSoG...
How important are sounds and sound effects and music in video games, or what is your opinion to that effect?
Sounds and music are important to set tone and mood, and to convey important information about in-game events. I tend to think they're very important, even if they do necessarily take a back seat to other considerations (such as visuals and gameplay).
How long is it until you're swimming in your pool of money from NERF RPG? :D
In an alternate reality, I already am.
Cool! I guess. Well, what are you doing on your forums when you could be working on your game?!? :)
He's probably answering questions from you...
Craig, have you heard of the game "Caravaneer"? Its battle system is closer to yours than anything else I've ever seen.
Quote from: Duckling on April 18, 2011, 12:04:45 PM
He's probably answering questions from you...
Craig, have you heard of the game "Caravaneer"? Its battle system is closer to yours than anything else I've ever seen.
I've played that before. and you're right, it is. *wonders how i forgot about referencing it in an earlier post in this forum*
There are lots of turn based games with fighting systems like the Telepath games. For instance, fights between fleets of ships in Space Empires is similar (at least in Space Empires III and IV).
Nevertheless, in Caravaneer our characters can evolve (up to a point), making it more close to TRPG2 and flowing games (by the way, I played TRPG2 before Caravanner, so I assume TRPG2 appeared first).
And there are a few differences in combat, namely, in Caravaneer there is a probability to hit and you can equip any weapon to anyone (so, all attacks are available to anyone).
One more question:
When would a good time be to ask you a multitude of questions?; I don't want to crowd the Ask the Developer a question thread.
I'd like to conduct an interview of sorts for a school project, and you seem to be the best person to ask; you're a game developer, you develop in Flash, you're indie, and you do pretty much everything I aspire to do*. So, if there were a good time for you to be able to answer questions (I'd like to be able to ask follow-up questions, and that's why it's a time-sensitive thing), if you would let me know...
[spoiler=*exception]Well, not the bit about being a lawyer -- no offense intended -- because I find physics more interesting.[/spoiler]
I've been a fan of Caravaneer for a long time. It was one of the first games I chose to review (http://indierpgs.com/2010/03/game-review-caravaneer/) when I started up IndieRPGs.com. ;)
Okay, this is a lot of questions, so feel free to pick and choose:
Can you allow swfs to be attached? It would make it a heck of a lot easier to share my game, and combined with the fact that the Embed Flash option now works, people could play the game on the forum!
1) How does making games with large amounts of content and additional features, like saving, sharing, microtransactions, ingame advertisement, and a satisfying achievement system, affect the lifestyle of a game developer?
5) How complete should a game be before the developer hires the services of an illustrator/animator/voice actor/other artist to assist them in the process of creating assets for the game?
7) Is hiring the services of an asset artist worth the cost, for the benefit it does your game?
8) Is a story essential to a successful game?
Demon Duck: you numbered your questions 1, 5, 7, 8!
By the way, using "8 )" without the space showed the cool smiley 8).
Quote from: Demon Duck on April 21, 2011, 01:52:18 AM1) How does making games with large amounts of content and additional features, like saving, sharing, microtransactions, ingame advertisement, and a satisfying achievement system, affect the lifestyle of a game developer?
It makes a game take longer to develop, but it can also increase the amount of income a game generates. The developer has to decide whether any given game warrants this sort of treatment. Microtransactions, for instance, are best suited for multiplayer games, social games, and games with episodic content.
Quote from: Demon Duck on April 21, 2011, 01:52:18 AM
5) How complete should a game be before the developer hires the services of an illustrator/animator/voice actor/other artist to assist them in the process of creating assets for the game?
Depends on what role you want them to have. If you're giving them a revenue cut, they should be on board from the beginning so they can give input during the development process. If you're just paying them a flat fee based on a contract, you should hire them as soon as you need your game to look polished. Maybe that's after it's fully developed, or maybe that's in the middle of development, when you're trying to promote the game. That's up to you.
Quote from: Demon Duck on April 21, 2011, 01:52:18 AM
7) Is hiring the services of an asset artist worth the cost, for the benefit it does your game?
Depends on the game, and how much you're paying. For a small physics-based game that's just going to go on Kongregate? Probably not. For a game you're going to sell to people? Definitely.
Quote from: Demon Duck on April 21, 2011, 01:52:18 AM
8) Is a story essential to a successful game?
No. It's central to many types of games, but other games get by just fine with little in the way of story.
Not sure if this is 'in reason'
but who did you vote for?
What will your next update include? You have talked about a lot of stuff on twitter since you updated last.
I was using the map editor and when I set a reinforcement for a guy the counter for how many turns it would take for one to come back it didn't go away. Please can you fix this?
We do have a BUGLIST (http://sinisterdesign.net/forum/index.php?topic=9.0). Just thought I'd let you know.
Quote from: Zackirus on April 26, 2011, 05:27:46 PM
What will your next update include? You have talked about a lot of stuff on twitter since you updated last.
Go see for yourself. ;)
Hey, I'm a long-time fan, and finally decided to join the forums.
Anyway, on to the question: Will any TRPG or TPA game include the ability to play as a main who isn't a psy fighter, or even a human? I've often wanted to try playing as an archer or fighter, or even a Shadowling Enforcer.
TPA2 did, so I, who am not Craig, don't see why not in the future.
Quote from: Gath on April 29, 2011, 08:01:54 PM
Hey, I'm a long-time fan, and finally decided to join the forums.
Anyway, on to the question: Will any TRPG or TPA game include the ability to play as a main who isn't a psy fighter, or even a human? I've often wanted to try playing as an archer or fighter, or even a Shadowling Enforcer.
Welcome to the forums! And yes--the next couple of games I have planned involve you playing someone who isn't a psy fighter.
Great! I'll check out the demo, and I'll be looking forward to those new games!
One more question though: How grind-heavy is SoG going to be? My main problem with TRPG2 was that the climax sort of got ruined, because you had to train for hours before you could beat the final battle. I've played the demo, and it has some grinding, but what about the rest of the game?
Do you think you'll ever create a Telepath Psy Arena typed game for iPod/iPhone/iPad?
Quote from: CraigStern on October 23, 2010, 11:09:24 AM
You mean an iPhone/Android game? I've thought about it. I don't have any firm plans to do so yet, however.
Quote from: Gath on April 30, 2011, 02:24:42 PM
[...]
One more question though: How grind-heavy is SoG going to be? My main problem with TRPG2 was that the climax sort of got ruined, because you had to train for hours before you could beat the final battle. I've played the demo, and it has some grinding, but what about the rest of the game?
On the "Normal" difficulty level, I was able to beat TRPG2 with little grinding. However, if you don't want to have any deaths in your team or if you're playing on higher difficulty levels, grinding may be necessary (or perhaps not, one member said in the old forums that he was able to beat TRPG2 without grinding -- I'll have to try it someday).
Quote from: Gath on April 30, 2011, 02:24:42 PMOne more question though: How grind-heavy is SoG going to be? My main problem with TRPG2 was that the climax sort of got ruined, because you had to train for hours before you could beat the final battle. I've played the demo, and it has some grinding, but what about the rest of the game?
My goal with TSoG is for it to be beatable without any grinding. It might be difficult; it might require some strategy; and it might require you to rethink the order in which you approach certain tasks, but I want that to be possible. I've gone back in and adjusted enemy stats downwards several times during development specifically for that reason.
If you ever think a mission is not doable without grinding, I want to hear about it.
Has Lake Alto been de-mined by the time of TSoG?
How long until the downloadable demo is updated?
Quote from: rainen on May 02, 2011, 02:44:37 PM
How long until the downloadable demo is updated?
Craig's working on the full game now, so the chances of the downloadable demo being updated are between slim and none.
I was actually planning on updating it in the next week or so. It takes about 1-2 hours every time I update it, which is annoying, but I don't want to let the downloadable demo get too out-of-date.
Great and almighty Craig,
Why am I always wrong? :D
Are you going to update the forum link on Kongregate (http://www.kongregate.com/accounts/SinisterDesign)?
Disregard that, I'm out of the loop
I think it was done shortly (less than 1h) after Bugfartboy's post.
Edit: I meant the update of the forum link on Kongregate.
Alright. Just thought I'd point it out, Craig.
Quote from: CraigStern on April 30, 2011, 10:25:28 PM
Quote from: Gath on April 30, 2011, 02:24:42 PMOne more question though: How grind-heavy is SoG going to be? My main problem with TRPG2 was that the climax sort of got ruined, because you had to train for hours before you could beat the final battle. I've played the demo, and it has some grinding, but what about the rest of the game?
My goal with TSoG is for it to be beatable without any grinding. It might be difficult; it might require some strategy; and it might require you to rethink the order in which you approach certain tasks, but I want that to be possible. I've gone back in and adjusted enemy stats downwards several times during development specifically for that reason.
If you ever think a mission is not doable without grinding, I want to hear about it.
Nice! I just pre-ordered, so I'll go as far as I can and tell you if I have any trouble.
Was the process of reducing the stats (for making the battles beatable) also to open up more styles of play? I could beat all the levels, no grinding, before, but they required a very long battle and a turtling strategy. (Fernatus was very challenging)
It also has that sort of salutary effect, yes, but the main goal is to avoid the necessity for fighting unnecessary battles in order to progress in the main storyline.
As far as the story goes, killing guards for days on end isn't exactly conducive to staying hidden. Also,that reminds me of something. Would it be possible to add a "guards killed" counter?
And another thing, why is it Quidsii always fears you after the saving the parents mission (when he isn't in your services), even if you harm nobody and tell Luca to spare them?
[spoiler]Remember, when you recruit Qudssi before the execution mission, he doesn't realize who you are. Not until it's too late. That's a big part of why he joins.
By the time the rescue mission is over, however, you'll have gained sufficient notoriety that he'll have heard of you even if you never recruited him. And the things he'll have heard aren't necessarily true. He knows the truth about the rescue mission if he's part of the group when it goes down, but only because he's privy to these events as they unfold.[/spoiler]
Why doesn't Al'al give you the password to the Order of The Black Rose's Headquarters when you become an assassin for him/them?
When you enter a secret organization, when do people ever tell you secrets right off the bat? And I'm pretty sure that he tells you exactly what to do... I think... It's been awhile since I've played it.
I'm guessing it's because there's more to that series of side-quests than what we have now. They wouldn't let someone into their secret HQ just because he did one job for them.
Also [spoiler]kudos on there being an actual consequence for not clearing things up re: Arman.[/spoiler]
I'm having some bugs show up in my game, that don't show up in testing -- only online. Is it worth getting Firefox and Flashtrace (allows you to see Flash tracings in the browser) to find the source of the error?
I've never used Flashtrace myself, but if you think the bug is actually caused by something happening in the browser, I suppose it couldn't hurt.
With the Downloadable Demo updated, which of the two versions (Online or Download) is more updated?
Right now they are equally updated.
how about now?
and is it just me or does it seem like the community is starting to wither?
Well, its in a recension right now, we just need a new Telepath game to come out, and then the community will be back.
Quote from: Zackirus on May 29, 2011, 10:37:42 AM
Well, its in a recension right now, we just need a new Telepath game to come out, and then the community will be back.
We're looking at
you, Shadowling Assassin.
Yeah--there's only so much you can say about a game when it's not out yet.
Quote from: Dean_Lukas on May 29, 2011, 04:28:22 PM
Yeah--there's only so much you can say about a game when it's not out yet.
Or when you can't play it since you can't pay for it (About 50% of the forum, more or less).
Here. Here is something I've been keeping under wraps, but it should give you something to discuss while I finish up TSoG: http://sinisterdesign.net/forum/index.php?board=35.0
If the Assassin's Cult is a cult, what's their religion?
I think I'll leave that one up to player speculation.
whats the ETA on an alpha for TT? and who will it be open to?
There's already a playable alpha build, but it's not ready for the public to see yet. I would not expect to see a public demo until after TSoG's release.
How come you don't get a sponsor of TSoG? Or do you already have one?
Sponsorships work on a paid advertising model. I can't imagine a sponsor wanting to pay money for their logo to appear in a non-free game.
would a private alpha for TT be possible?
Is TT going to be a FREE (:D) game, or a pay-for (:'() game?
I haven't decided yet. It might end up being a bit of both. We'll see.
So it could possibly be one of those where it's possible to play through the entire thing for free, but can get special features or something along those lines for pay? If that's it, I could live with that.
Quote from: Bugfartboy on June 01, 2011, 10:08:02 PM
So it could possibly be one of those where it's possible to play through the entire thing for free, but can get special features or something along those lines for pay? If that's it, I could live with that.
That's one idea I'm toying with.
I'm also thinking about porting it to touchscreen devices so you can sit around and play with friends while on the go. Those versions would be pay-to-download for sure.
... Seriously? That'd be awesome. That'd be something I'd definitely be able to buy, if by "touchscreen devices" you mean things along the line of iPod, iPhone, and other types of tablet devices. Good to know. Thanks Craig!
Quote from: CraigStern on May 31, 2011, 07:11:58 PM
Sponsorships work on a paid advertising model. I can't imagine a sponsor wanting to pay money for their logo to appear in a non-free game.
Actually, most of the current sport games (that are sold) have some logos in them, and I assume they have paid for it. I've heard of some soccer player (I'm sorry, but I can't remember who, it was about 5 years ago) that couldn't appear in the cover of a soccer game because he was being sponsored by a different firm.
So, it may be possible to have some sponsors on a sold game. In particular if they can be associated to what the game represents... in your case perhaps the psy academy could have a Harvard wing (mmm... perhaps it's too much... mmm... is a Ronald McDonald's wing a better option? Or the new mechanics weapon being a Ford?).
Jokes aside, it's tricky but possible, in my view.
i thought indi games were supposed to NOT sell out to corporations via sponsorships...
Well, the thing is to have creative freedom. A sponsor gives you money after the game is already done, so (at least in my mind) it's not the same thing as being beholden to a publisher.
How come you haven't posted any new Blogs, Updated the game, or posted on Twitter in the past few weeks?
Indie Developer Appreciation Month?
Quote from: Zackirus on June 04, 2011, 03:57:21 PM
How come you haven't posted any new Blogs, Updated the game, or posted on Twitter in the past few weeks?
The past month has been a busy time for me--I know that I've been remiss in posting updates. I'll get back into the habit this month.
Can I get a copy of the new boss music as an mp3 for my iPod somehow? Or do I need to wait until the soundtrack comes out?
What do you mean by, "Working on Separating the TSoG engine from the main game" on twitter?
The combat engine is being separated from the main game. It's a measure designed to give make developing the rest of the game easier for me, but it shouldn't result in much of a noticeable difference from the player's perspective. (I'll explain it in a proper front page post in a day or two.)
What does levelling up support abilities such as Transfer, or transport abilities such as Leap and Shadowport do?
Quote from: Idozen Cair on June 30, 2011, 09:29:21 PMWhat does levelling up support abilities such as Transfer, or transport abilities such as Leap and Shadowport do?
Leveling up Transfer allows you to transfer more PsP. Some transport abilities such as Shadowport and Juxtapose require leveling up to learn more advantace forms of those abilities such as Shadowport 2 and Juxtapose 2. I don't know if leveling up Leap does anything.
How did you make the preloader? I've looked around on the internet for various methods, but everything I've found seems sloppy, while the code you've shown in the past tends to be elegant and succinct.
Quote from: Duckling' on July 02, 2011, 12:35:08 AM
How did you make the preloader? I've looked around on the internet for various methods, but everything I've found seems sloppy, while the code you've shown in the past tends to be elegant and succinct.
TSoG is coded in AS2, so it's likely that my methods there wouldn't be of much use to you. Also, I haven't gotten to the point of coding an AS3 preloader yet, so unfortunately I can't be of much guidance to you here. Sorry!
Hi Craig! I have a question. You, being a lawyer, might have a better time making heads or tails of this (http://www.govtrack.us/congress/billtext.xpd?bill=s112-978). What do you think?
This is going to be a bit of a long answer, so click the button to see it:
[spoiler="Legal Analysis"]The U.S. Code (http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html/uscode18/usc_sec_18_00002319----000-.html) (a compilation of all federal laws in the United States) imposes criminal penalties for certain copyright infringers who violate the Copyright Act for commercial gain (http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html/uscode17/usc_sec_17_00000506----000-.html#a_1_A). This is the current language of the Code:
Quote(b) Any person who commits an offense under section 506 (a)(1)(A) of title 17—
(1) shall be imprisoned not more than 5 years, or fined in the amount set forth in this title, or both, if the offense consists of the reproduction or distribution, including by electronic means, during any 180-day period, of at least 10 copies or phonorecords, of 1 or more copyrighted works, which have a total retail value of more than $2,500;
(2) shall be imprisoned not more than 10 years, or fined in the amount set forth in this title, or both, if the offense is a felony and is a second or subsequent offense under subsection (a); and
(3) shall be imprisoned not more than 1 year, or fined in the amount set forth in this title, or both, in any other case.
The amendment you linked to would insert a new instance under which an infringer gets jail time and/or fines:
Quote(b) Any person who commits an offense under section 506 (a)(1)(A) of title 17—
(1) shall be imprisoned not more than 5 years, or fined in the amount set forth in this title, or both, if the offense consists of the reproduction or distribution, including by electronic means, during any 180-day period, of at least 10 copies or phonorecords, of 1 or more copyrighted works, which have a total retail value of more than $2,500;
(2) shall be imprisoned not more than 5 years, fined in the amount set forth in this title, or both, if--
(A) the offense consists of 10 or more public performances by electronic means, during any 180-day period, of 1 or more copyrighted works; and
(B)(i) the total retail value of the performances, or the total economic value of such public performances to the infringer or to the copyright owner, would exceed $2,500; or
(ii) the total fair market value of licenses to offer performances of those works would exceed $5,000; and
(3) shall be imprisoned not more than 10 years, or fined in the amount set forth in this title, or both, if the offense is a felony and is a second or subsequent offense under subsection (a); and
(4) shall be imprisoned not more than 1 year, or fined in the amount set forth in this title, or both, in any other case.
From what I can tell, it looks like it's trying to impose criminal penalties for
streaming copyrighted content, as opposed to reproducing or distributing it through downloads (which is already covered by subsection (b)(1)).
The other changes in the amendment seem to back up this conclusion. For instance, it changes subsection (f)(2) from this...
Quote(2) the terms "reproduction" and "distribution" refer to the exclusive rights of a copyright owner under clauses (1) and (3) respectively of section 106 (relating to exclusive rights in copyrighted works), as limited by sections 107 through 122, of title 17;
...to this.
Quote(2) the terms 'reproduction', 'distribution', and 'public performance' refer to the exclusive rights of a copyright owner under clauses (1), (3), (4), and (6), respectively of section 106 (relating to exclusive rights in copyrighted works), as limited by sections 107 through 122, of title 17;
Conclusion: this is probably targeted at people who illegally stream copyrighted content to others via services like Hulu, Netflix and Youtube for commercial gain. It isn't something that affects you unless you're making money by illegally streaming unlicensed content to people
, or going around publicly performing unlicensed works for commercial gain.[/spoiler]
Okay. Thanks Craig.
[spoiler=My mutterings. Don't bother reading.]
Wonder how this is gonna affect YouTube's community and such.
[/spoiler]
Even if Bill S.978 is passed, it's likely many game companies (like Mojang!) will add a special clause to the TOS to allow posting videos of their games, as it's great publicity. For example, one of the reason why Minecraft is so popular is due to the Youtube Community.
Hmm. The director of the acting troupe I'm in never bothers to get performance rights. Hope they don't crack down too much, for her sake.
Duckling, I just read it a second time: it qualifies "public performance" with "by electronic means," so actually it most likely wouldn't apply to your actor friend if he/she's just doing public performances and not electronically distributing video of content he/she has no rights to.
Is there a team that works on the TRPG games? Or is it just you
The readme files he puts in with his games answer that. They say that he's essentially a one man army at Sinister Design. If I remember right from the PA2 Demo I attempted to play.
At this point, I'm working on things that are critical to finishing the game (right now, that being Crypt 3). Rubat is going to be made, but it's an optional area, so it's a little lower priority.
That said, I see your point: for people trying out the demo, it probably strikes them as odd that they can't visit an area they're specifically prompted to visit. Don't worry, I'll get to it. ;)
Your going to make even more devious puzzles than the riddle? It cannot be done!
[spoiler]
My real question is, why are their orbs in the Crypts in the first place?
[/spoiler]
Why is there a boomerang in the middle of a dungeon in Zelda? Who knows, right? Some things are just a mystery. :)
Quote from: CraigStern on July 06, 2011, 09:53:05 PM
Why is there a boomerang in the middle of a dungeon in Zelda? Who knows, right? Some things are just a mystery. :)
Why did a shadowling break into the telepaths stronghold to steal a little boy?
Somethings really are just a mystery.
Actually, GCK, David wasn't even attending the Academy at the time of his kidnapping.
Quote from: Bugfartboy on July 07, 2011, 12:32:29 AM
Actually, GCK, David wasn't even attending the Academy at the time of his kidnapping.
Oh hush, its been like 4 years since I played that game.
Quote from: Game Crazy Kid on July 02, 2011, 07:05:40 PM
Is there a team that works on the TRPG games? Or is it just you
Forever Alone....
http://sinisterdesign.net/?page_id=2
Will we ever see another space-filling enemy like the Bug Queen?
Sure: Iblis (http://telepath.wikia.com/wiki/Iblis), for one.
Oh. How about other enemies like the Dark Spriggats and Scorpions, that debuff player characters?
Possibly; we'll see.
I read your posts about good RPG's combat systems, and I was wondering what do you think about the Tactics100 combat system. One of the things that I found interesting is that ranged attacks deal less damage if the enemy is further away.
Tactics 100 is an excellent example of an elegant tactical combat system.
What is your opinion of the Original 2 fallout games?
What is your opinion of Fallout 3 in relation to the first 2?
The first two Fallout games are excellent--two of my all-time favorite RPGs. I haven't found the time to pick up Fallout 3 yet.
So what was the game idea you were working on that Minecraft decided to do also?
A combination CCG / turn-based tactics game (http://www.scrolls.com/).
Oh. Scrolls? Okay. I wasn't sure what Mojang did that you were taking about.
So, other than Mind Shock. what else is in the "Big Update"?
Well, let's see. Crypt 3 will be completed, for one thing. For another, the Map Editor will have an awesome new look consistent with the rest of the game. I'm also hoping to start adding some voice-overs to the game, but we'll see if I end up with enough time for that.
Also, did I mention that Mac and Linux users will be able to play the downloadable version of the game? Kind of a big deal. :P
How does one update TSoG?
For now: download the latest version and install over the previous one.
Will your game saves remain in-tact?
Yes, but it's possible that you might need to transfer them (http://sinisterdesign.net/forum/index.php?topic=357.0) to a new folder afterwards.
I thought you didn't like di rolls, Craig...?
I like them; I just prefer that they be kept to a minimum. (Snake Eyes, if you recall, was another TRPG attack that used die rolls.)
I think a die roll is justified in the case of Mind Shock because because of how powerful it would be to able to reliably sideline an enemy for turns on end. Of course, if you manage to reach level 6 in Mind Shock, you'll have a 100% chance of success, but I figure that'll probably happen (if at all) pretty late in the game when you'll need all the help you can get.
Can you talk the the Nut Merchant in the Online Demo?
I believe that is a special privilege reserved for those who have purchased the game.
Would you say that one episode there is worth the $20 by itself?
Uh, probably not. It's pretty amusing though. ;)
[spoiler]Touch my nuts, you can FEEL the freshness!
NO![/spoiler]
Craig, a friend of mine is planning on opening a website for selling handicrafts, and I just wanted to ask you if you have any tips on how to make yourself heard in the World Wide Web?
Online marketing is tough and complicated. Three things your friend should consider doing:
1) Sell stuff through affiliates. This means listing his/her work on websites like Etsy, as well as seeking out real-world galleries and boutiques in the area to display and sell the stuff. They'll take a cut of sales, but this is worth it when you consider that affiliate sales are almost always to people who never would have found your friend's products otherwise.
2) Use social media. Twitter, Facebook and Google+ are good, easy-to-use tools to share news about what he/she is up to, but more importantly, to provide a focal point for fans to gather (and for curious newbies to learn more). A website forum is also a good idea, but involves more work.
3) Solicit reviews from blogs that deal with handicrafts. There are a ton of techniques involved in this sort of thing, but basically your friend should try to strike up a relationship with individuals writing prominent handicrafts blogs and try to get them interested in his/her work. He/she should then follow up with updates that they can use when they update their blogs. This part, especially, takes time to do and can be quite daunting at first, but it's a really powerful tool for getting attention.
Griffin points out that he can take more hits, "even with [Mind Shield]." That suggests that Mind Shield could be used for personal shielding.
Set recounts an anecdote about kinetic shields and their personal use.
Despite these, only Big and Titan Shields can heal the user, along with the skill Recover, not seen in TRPG:SoG.
Would you be opposed to the idea of attacks for which one could select a range, possible with letters, + and -, or the arrows as hotkeys? I'll give my example in Flash in a little bit, for illustrative purposes.
Quote from: Osirus on July 16, 2011, 09:10:35 PMWould you be opposed to the idea of attacks for which one could select a range, possible with letters, + and -, or the arrows as hotkeys? I'll give my example in Flash in a little bit, for illustrative purposes.
I would not be opposed to it. In fact, the Telepath Tactics engine already has this capability: check out the screenshot with the Bowman here: http://forums.tigsource.com/index.php?topic=14260.msg558225#msg558225.
Adding this to TSoG, however would entail major changes to the combat engine. Thus, that's something we're only going to see post-TSoG.
Naturally, I don't expect you to change a perfectly good engine this late in the process.
Reading your posts at the linked site begs another question. Were a Spearman, Shadowling, or Greater Ghost with Impale, Dark Vortex, or Cyro Cross respectively to attack Griffin and Rahel, Rahel being behind Griffin, and Rahel had learned the Bow counter-attack, would Griffin's counter with Melee be followed by a Bow-counter from Rahel? What, precisely, does your engine do in these circumstances?
Quote from: Osirus on July 17, 2011, 05:02:10 PMWere a Spearman, Shadowling, or Greater Ghost with Impale, Dark Vortex, or Cyro Cross respectively to attack Griffin and Rahel, Rahel being behind Griffin, and Rahel had learned the Bow counter-attack, would Griffin's counter with Melee be followed by a Bow-counter from Rahel?
That's exactly right: when multiple characters are hit with the same attack in Telepath Tactics, they'll each respond with their counterattacks (if they have any) in quick succession. I made a short video of it here (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MxNqPeYGfIY) so you can see it in action. It's pretty slick.
I was reading the comments on one of the last posts you put on the main page, and one of those comments refered simultaneous turns games. The way I think about it, it would be divided in 2 phases: phase 1 for movement and phase 2 for attack.
I think that simultaneous turns give a bit more of realism and make hard for us to tell what the enemy will do. Another option would be a system that is based on a sort of action points, where the first unit to move will be the one with the most points available (and the leftover points would be transfered to the next turn).
So, finally, my question: have you considered any of these for your games?
By the way, great posts about the RPGs. I must say that I agree with your analysis about common problems in computer RPGs. I also agree that D&D rules sometimes end up complicating some parts of the game and extend fights for longer than what I find desirable. I liked the point about the ice-cream trucks and the Nash equilibrium (made in a comment by Duck).
Edited: The ice-cream trucks idea was posted by Duck.
Simultaneous turns are interesting, and seem to be the new trend in tactics games, but as of right now I'm not convinced that they are actually better. Notably, all of the games that are using simultaneous turns right now are games in which all characters have guns--there's a reason for that. Could you imagine how difficult it would be to arrange melee attacks in a simultaneous turn-based system? You'd constantly be sending out swordsmen and having them "miss" their intended targets. It would be more like a simulated missile defense system than a regular tactics game. The only alternative there is to have the AI move your units autonomously when they're in range of enemies, but that would necessarily entail a loss of player control. I'm not crazy about that either.
Action point systems are great, but I've avoided them in part because I don't want to make it excessively hard to code good enemy AI. As it is, I'm a little intimidated at the prospect of having to write enemy AI from scratch for the Telepath Tactics engine. It's not something I'd completely rule out for the future, but for now I'm sticking with the simpler move-and-attack system.
I know this may sound a big crazy, perhaps even insane, but what about vehicles?
The vehicle would be neutral, a few of your units (maybe an Engineer) are trained to use vehicles (within the realm of Mechanic technology), which they can perform the "Get In" move on. Then, they can move around faster, have more health, perhaps have added an attack or two pertaining to the vehicle (including, but not limited to, the "Get Out" move, a "Ram" move for a boat to be used against another boat...). One added possibility with this is limiting to terrain types. Boats could only travel in rivers and lakes, while steamcars go on land only.
In fact, I'm sure it sounds insane, but I'm willing to showcase the idea in the Game Development thread to show what I mean. However, it could take me a while.
Second question: is battlefield darkness something you might do, where the player can't see the opponent until he/she finds them, and the rest of the map, where players haven't moved, is dark?
EDIT: Oh, right. It's called fog of war.
I'm definitely planning on supporting fog of war. Vehicles hadn't really crossed my mind, to be honest.
Do you know how to dynamically change the z-vanishing point in Flash, or better yet, how to use non-perspective 3D in Flash?
Never mind.
I had the following code for a parent object to move in such a way that it seems that a camera is panning to follow the child object, but whenever I use it, the child object appears to move ever so slightly towards whichever direction it's moving, meaning the "camera" isn't following the object correctly. (The document is 550x400)
public function cameraFocus(d:DisplayObject){
x += ((275 - d.x) - x);
y = (200 - d.y);
trace(x)
trace(275 - d.x);
}
Is this for a top-down game, or side view?
Top-down airplane-flying game. I guess I could have put in a bit more detail.
The project is called "Airspace," and it's a game a bit like "N Ninja (http://static.onemorelevel.com/games/ngame.swf)." The point is to get from point A to point B without being violently shot down by kamikaze enemy aircraft, drone patrol aircraft, tracer firing turrets, laser outposts, missile towers, and anti-aircraft burst-fire turrets, along with anything else I can think of.
Whenever I take relevant measurements, the trace results some out fine. I have an improvised solution where I speed up camera movement to a speed that should overtake the plane, but matches it just fine. Something's fishy.
The easiest way to handle that sort of camera movement is to have two objects: the plane, which remains in the dead center of the screen at all times, and a second object which contains everything else: background, enemies, etc. Never move the plane object--only move the "everything else" object in the opposite direction the plane ought to be "moving."
That's a surprisingly good idea.
And if I wanted to show speed of the plane by moving the plane around onscreen a bit, like in StarfighterDG, then I could just calculate the position of the plane as derived from the velocity information; without cumulative error of the sort one gets from repeated measurements, it would be nearly inerrant. And sure, without changing the movement of the game-holding object, that might change movement a bit, but then again, I've noticed that the Hero in TRPG:SoG moves approximately 1.415 times faster when moving diagonally... (but that's not really an action game, so it's probably okay)
Oh, and another question: where do you get your awesomesauce sound effects? Vocalizing the sounds and working from there is getting me laughed at.
I have a general idea that might help regarding the movement part.
The position of the plane on the screen could be something like:
x = xc + r*v/vmax*cos(w);
y = yc + r*v/vmax*sin(w);
Where xc and yc are the coordinates of the centre of the screen,
r is the maximum displacement from the centre of the screen that you want the plane to have,
v it's its velocity and vmax it's maximum possible velocity,
w the angle that indicates the direction that the plane is heading to.
I'm assuming that when you turn left or right the plane the w will increase or decrease by some small amount (0.1 radians is about 6 degrees).
You may need to change the sign of one of the other equation or switch sin with cos, depending on how the angle w and the coordinates behave.
Notice that if you use the angle and sin and cos, the velocity is only given by v and you don't move faster when you move diagonally.
Hmm. I was thinking about that, and I realized that that would mean that the container object would have to have all enemies as children, and the container object was a child of the object holding it and the plane.
One of the two container objects (either the one holding the plane and the other container, or the one holding the enemies and suchlike) would have to deal with the game mechanics. If it were the former, then it would have to reference the children of its child constantly, which seems a bit sloppy; if it were the latter, it would have to dispatch events to tell its parent to give it information on the plane's position constantly, which seems even more awkward.
I think that I'm going to leave it as is, where everything is a child of one object container. The fields probably aren't going to be big enough that the small movement of the plane across the screen will matter. I think that bug has gone away, anyway.
Sorry to have, quite unintentionally, wasted your time.
To Craig: Did you make any sort of games before TRPG1?
Yes: card games, board games, a pen 'n paper RPG, and a couple of dead simple adventure games in Hypercard (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HyperCard).
Will / Could Fizooz ever remember Luca?
Are the desert tribes nomadic? (I apologize in advance if this has been stated in-game, but I wanted to make sure)
Are you looking forward to the release of Elder Scrolls: Skyrim?
I'll punt on the Fizooz/Luca question--that's something you'll just have to find out about when you play the game.
I'll be honest: I'm actually not all that excited about Skyrim. Bethesda does a good job putting together cool worlds that are fun to explore, but they always have such bland and uninteresting characters that the whole experience generally ends up feeling sort of empty for me. There's a reason the Elder Scrolls games always end up getting mods to fill these gaps. (My favorite: Morrowind's LGNPC project (http://lgnpc.org/).)
That said, this made me laugh quite a bit:
(http://i.imgur.com/f9uwV.jpg)
Just to clarify, La'Man is slower then most Spriggats because he is fat?
In a word, yes.
Thank you for answering my question. One more, if you will.
Does a set of all sets contain itself?
What software do you use to make your music?
http://sinisterdesign.net/forum/index.php?topic=12.msg1378;topicseen#msg1378
Didnt tomfoolio make the music for the 2nd game? (TRPG2)
And who do you think tomfoolio is? ;)
Hint.
Do you have plans for a 'Secret Cow Level' of sorts for the players?
Quote from: CraigStern on February 07, 2010, 11:01:17 AM
Ask me anything (within reason), and I will answer!
Are most questions about political issues within reason?
Depends. There's only one way to find out, right?
How many YouTube subscribers do you have?
37.
Quote from: CraigStern on August 17, 2011, 11:00:12 AM
Depends. There's only one way to find out, right?
How do you feel about president Obama taking a vacation right now?
Quote from: SmartyPants on August 20, 2011, 09:03:16 PM
How does one fight DKah?
One does not simply fight D'Kah. Not with ten thousand men could you do this. It is folly.
Quote from: Deagonx on August 20, 2011, 05:31:37 PMHow do you feel about president Obama taking a vacation right now?
As I understand it, he's taken dramatically fewer vacation days than either George W. Bush or Reagan did by this point in their presidencies. The fact that Republicans are giving him a hard time about it is a little absurd, IMO.
Quote from: SmartyPants on August 20, 2011, 09:03:16 PM
How does one fight DKah?
[spoiler]Take too long fighting and beating Malekahin. (Talking to him makes it much more likely to occur, but that's not sufficient on its own.)[/spoiler]
On a scale of 1-10 how funny was that joke I made about Dkah.
Quote from: CraigStern on August 20, 2011, 09:58:18 PMQuote from: Deagonx on August 20, 2011, 05:31:37 PMHow do you feel about president Obama taking a vacation right now?
As I understand it, he's taken dramatically fewer vacation days than either George W. Bush or Reagan did by this point in their presidencies. The fact that Republicans are giving him a hard time about it is a little absurd, IMO.
When Bush was on vacation, unemployment wasn't over 9% and when Reagan was on vacation, the economy was improving. Plus, it isn't only Republicans who say the President shouldn't be on vacation. Most Americans think congress (including republicans) and the president shouldn't be on a paid vacation when the economy is heading towards a double dip recession. Do you think the president should be campaigning instead of calling back congress to improve the economy?
I don't think his choice to take a short vacation at this juncture matters much at all. The really consequential decisions he made were back when Congress was in session. Perhaps most importantly, he chose to focus on reducing the deficit instead of focusing on job creation, and signed a deal that will hamstring government efforts to pump-prime the economy. The damage has already been done.
In short: there are legitimate reasons to be upset at Obama, but the fact that he is taking his work with him to Martha's Vineyard while Congress is in recess hardly seems like one of them.
Quote from: CraigStern on August 20, 2011, 09:58:18 PMQuote from: SmartyPants on August 20, 2011, 09:03:16 PMHow does one fight DKah?
[spoiler]Take too long fighting and beating Malekahin. (Talking to him makes it much more likely to occur, but that's not sufficient on its own.)[/spoiler]
[spoiler]I talked to Malekahin and defeated him when the timer said 27, but Dkah never showed up. How long does it take?[/spoiler]
[spoiler]
I waited until the turn timer went to 50 and still nothing happened. I even tried waiting. I let the battle run for thirty minutes and nothing happened (I also went through the story).
[/spoiler]
Sounds like a bug. I'll look into it.
What is your favorite video game that was made prior to 2005?
All of my favorite video games were made prior to 2005! :D
Quote from: CraigStern on August 22, 2011, 07:51:56 PMAll of my favorite video games were made prior to 2005! :D
Yeah! No one wants to play a video game made in 2011! ;)
Quote from: SmartyPants on August 23, 2011, 01:51:38 AM
Quote from: CraigStern on August 22, 2011, 07:51:56 PMAll of my favorite video games were made prior to 2005! :D
Yeah! No one wants to play a video game made in 2011! ;)
You guys are Soft. All the best Video Games were made beofre 1972. :P
[spoiler]
Lastly: Is the new dialouge with Rahel and Ali in the game or do we have to wait for the next update?
[/spoiler]
It'll be in the next update.
Is the next game going to be in a place where the beer is good? Or will that be a subtle running joke; that the main character can never get any good beer...?
And since you've added drugs to the game, do wine and beer have any effect?
Beer is probably not going to feature in the next game. ;)
They are probably not going to have any effect, no.
Right.... Telepath Tactics. If there were a smiley for being clueless, it would be all over this post.
Do characters get attack experience from counter-attacking?
I had to check the game's code to make sure, but the answer is "yes."
Does that mean that a character's counter attack could eventually become stronger than that character's basic attack?
No--counterattacks are tied to attacks your character already knows. So Griffin, for example, would get experience in Melee with each counterattack.
Oh okay. Is there a chance that could change in a future game?
There aren't any plans for it to, no.
No, unfortunately. This last release was sped up to fix the glaring issues with the tutorials not showing up.
Is there any possibility of advanced AI in Telepath Tactics that determines the best path for computer-controlled units instead of just moving one space closer in each dimension? I just think that your games are amazing in visual content, yet don't tax RAM much, even on high quality; might there be room for more to be done by the computer each turn? Not to knock the existing AI too much, but I figure that with all that available processing power you have from not using much physics and streamlined programming (I know that if I tried to build a telepath game, it would chug more than a steam engine), even a somewhat inefficient route-creating procedure would be a great addition.
In the current version, you should be able to fight D'Kah without issue,
[spoiler]provided that you take too long talking to/fighting Malekahin.[/spoiler]
Give it a try.
Quote from: Duckling on September 20, 2011, 05:56:49 PM
Is there any possibility of advanced AI in Telepath Tactics that determines the best path for computer-controlled units instead of just moving one space closer in each dimension? I just think that your games are amazing in visual content, yet don't tax RAM much, even on high quality; might there be room for more to be done by the computer each turn? Not to knock the existing AI too much, but I figure that with all that available processing power you have from not using much physics and streamlined programming (I know that if I tried to build a telepath game, it would chug more than a steam engine), even a somewhat inefficient route-creating procedure would be a great addition.
I could do it, but it would require rewriting the combat engine. Given the small size of the battlefield, I don't think this is enough of an issue to warrant the kind of time expenditure required to fix.
Okay, that makes sense. I guess I thought the battlefields were a bit bigger than they were, and I'll have to check the images you've shown again.
Do you have Prince Albert in a can?
No. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prince_Albert_%28tobacco%29#.22Prince_Albert_in_a_can.22)
Really Craig? A romantic scene?
Potentially. Depending on what you say and do. ;)
Is there anything else planned for the Library?
Does D'Kah's attacks have names yet?
Yes. ;)
[spoiler]Melee, Mow, Whirlwind[/spoiler]
If one gives Al'al the bribe, and then promptly self-defenses him to death, is Arman still left alone?
Nope; if he dies, word never makes it back to the Black Rose about Arman.
What ending style (on the link that you showed us on twitter) will you choose for beating D'Kah early?
It doesn't end the game; it merely changes the way certain things play out.
I wanted to know if TRSG is goin to be on a console or computer and if computer MMORPG or just RPG? :)
Telepath RPG: Servants of God is not going to appear on any consoles--it's purely for the computer. Also, it's a single player RPG, not an MMORPG.
Might it ever appear on Android or other mobile Flash-capable devices?
(If that's answered in some FAQs somewhere, I should go find that, so don't answer my question if that's the case)
Unless I ever do a complete, ground-up remake (extremely unlikely), TSoG is not going to appear on any platform other than PC.
That said, future games using the Telepath Tactics (http://sinisterdesign.net/forum/index.php?topic=918.0) engine will almost certainly be getting ported to tablets like the iPad, Nook and Kindle Fire. Ports to iPhone and Android phones are likely as well, but depend on whether I can make the games run satisfactorily on machines with small screens and limited memory.
How many % would you say SoG is completed?
Would you consider writing an AS3 tutorial?
I'm doing better than that: I'm writing an AS3 book. ;)
This is a question regarding the gameplay of TSoG. Why is the hero only limited to 99 hp and 99 psy power, when other characters you control can have over 100hp and psy power?
That's an oversight on my part--I originally capped the hero due to UI considerations, but I neglected to put those limits on the other characters. I'll fix that.
Quote from: CraigStern on October 10, 2011, 07:28:55 PM
That's an oversight on my part--I originally capped the hero due to UI considerations, but I neglected to put those limits on the other characters. I'll fix that.
Fix how? By adding the limit to other characters, or removing the limit from Duvalier?
What flash game do you believe is the most revolutionary? (Preferably a flash game made by a generally non-profit organization. A free one, basically)
If a tree falls in the woods and nobody is around to hear it, does it make a sound?
On a completely relevant note, how many projects are you working on? As a follow up question, what percentage of your life is devoted to game development?
Quote from: Deagonx on October 10, 2011, 09:44:39 PM
What flash game do you believe is the most revolutionary? (Preferably a flash game made by a generally non-profit organization. A free one, basically)
Well, I'm not sure if this is what you're looking for, but Flash games are basically responsible for turning the tower defense genre into a real thing. So in that regard, you could say Desktop Tower Defense (http://www.handdrawngames.com/) is pretty revolutionary.
In terms of creativity, I'd probably pick Free Rider (http://www.addictinggames.com/life-style-games/freerider2.jsp) or Fantastic Contraption (http://fantasticcontraption.com/index.php#).
Quote from: Xemadus Echina on October 10, 2011, 10:30:28 PM
On a completely relevant note, how many projects are you working on? As a follow up question, what percentage of your life is devoted to game development?
I am working on Telepath RPG: Servants of God and Telepath Tactics. So, two. I'd say I spent 40-50% of my waking hours working on game design.
What are the chances of seeing a tile similar to that of a rock or boulder, like a doorway or low branched tree, that only ground based characters, I.E. Not Shadowlings, ghosts, or spriggats, can get through?
In Telepath RPG: Servants of God, you mean? The chances of that are 0%, for a variety of technical reasons that I won't go into here.
It also wouldn't make much sense, honestly, given that all flying units are either bipedal and capable of walking (spriggats, ghosts) or so compact that they would have no trouble floating through a doorway or under branches (shadowlings).
Why did you decide to change from a medieval Europe setting to a Middle East setting?
Partly it was because I wanted a change of pace, and partly it was because I thought a Middle Eastern-style setting would fit better with the themes I address in the game.
Will their be any other solo-battles in the game with another character, like the Arman battle?
None are planned--but I do intend to include a few battles where characters other than Duvalier play the hero.
[spoiler=about TSoG Mission 5]Why do you fight D'kah if Malekahin delays you long enough, but if Fernatus delays you long enough it is just assumed that D'Kah kills everyone? Aren't you pulling a one of these (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/HopelessBossFight)?[/spoiler]
[spoiler]It has to do with the terrain, and with the number of troops D'Kah brings with him on each occasion. D'Kah has a small army with him at Fawaz Gorge, but only a battalion or so when he marches on Al'Dukkan.
Also, Al'Dukkan has a variety of natural barriers (walls) and choke points (doorways) which prevent D'Kah from simply flooding the place with troops. By contrast, although the bridge over Fawaz Gorge provides a natural choke point, there is nothing preventing D'Kah from sending his army around both sides, thereby surrounding and obliterating the Resistance.
In short: a successful defense is possible at Al'Dukkan, albeit extremely difficult. No such defense could possibly succeed at Fawaz Gorge with the player's tiny contingent of troops.[/spoiler]
So... how do our games update?
TSoG doesn't auto-update: you have to download the AIR installer again, then run it. It'll say "preparing to install," then ask you if you want to replace the current install. Click Replace. It'll update the game, but keep your saved games and such.
How come you ONLY get 100 Gold from beating that Brat of a kid, Ikrat?
You get 100 gold for that? ;)
How do you feel about the 2012 Presidential Election candidates?
(Particularly Michele Bachmann and Ron Paul)
Do geese see god?
Quote from: Deagonx on November 05, 2011, 11:24:24 PM
Do geese see god?
Heh; clever.
Quote from: Duskling on November 05, 2011, 09:11:07 PM
How do you feel about the 2012 Presidential Election candidates?
(Particularly Michele Bachmann and Ron Paul)
Ron Paul is interesting; I disagree with him on a lot of issues, but also agree with him on a whole host of other ones. I don't much care for Michelle Bachmann.
What headwear is the TRPG2 Hero wearing, exactly? Is it a winter cap of some sort? And is he/she wearing a scarf, or is that just his/her cape?
I assume you're referring to the TRPG2 hero's portrait? What you see there is a hood and a high neckline that are part of the hero's cloak.
What is a False Consciousness Trap?
Do Shadowlings need chairs? I noticed Malis is placed above a cushion. If not, does Nelis have a throne?
Shadowlings don't need chairs, but they cease to float when they sleep. As such, they might like to have a cushion to rest on when napping. (You can see Malis do this at one point during a scene after the execution rescue mission.)
Quote from: Zackirus on November 08, 2011, 09:54:03 PM
What is a False Consciousness Trap?
In a False Consciousness Trap, the target creates a mock opening in her psychic defenses as a sort of a decoy. The scanner believes he's found a way into her mind--but in fact, he's only found his way into a "false consciousness." A well-constructed false consciousness trap seriously disorients the scanner, leaving him vulnerable to a nasty psychic counterattack.
Is slavery legal in Ravinale?
Are the Rubat a bigger clan then the Marid?
The Rubat are, indeed, the larger of the two clans.
Slavery is technically illegal in Ravinale, but the laws are not strictly enforced. They function more as a way for the Guard to extort money from people running slaving operations than as a proper ban on the practice.
What is your opinion on the Inheritance Cycle (http://www.alagaesia.com/)?
I've never heard of it before.
QuoteQuote from: bugfartboy on November 15, 2011, 08:07:47 PMWhat is your opinion on the Inheritance Cycle (http://www.alagaesia.com/)?
Quote from: CraigStern on November 15, 2011, 10:38:39 PM
I've never heard of it before.
It is one of those high fantasies that tries to imitate Lord of the Rings. While the stories are good, they lack the underling themes and the dark atmosphere of Tolkien's trilogy.
Why don't the Tigs target natives to the Great Forest?
What element is Spore Cloud?
Giant Mantises are carnivorous, and Tig plants are inedible to Wood Folk. As such, Tigs have no need for defenses against them, and have adapted to conserve spores when they pass by. Other, less familiar creatures will still trigger a release, however.
Spore Cloud is physical. Now that I look in the code, though, it looks like I somehow neglected to assign it an element! That'll be fixed in a moment.
How do you feel about the Stop Online Piracy Act (http://www.opencongress.org/bill/112-h3261/show)?
I sincerely doubt that it will stop online piracy. Based on my (admittedly rushed) reading of the bill, it seems like it will create administrative headaches for various legitimate web sites and services, and little else.
I'm wondering if the cries of censorship on various communities are far-fetched. Still, the risk doesn't seem worth the "payoff"--there will always be piracy, no matter what bill gets passed.
I e-mailed my congressman/senators against it, anyway.
What is your opinion of F2P players on games like TF2 and Runescape who piss and moan about not getting enough stuff as F2P?
It depends on what you're referring to: what they're complaining about, and whether those complaints come in the form of constructive feedback or online tantrums. In general, though, I think it's bad form to piss and moan about something you've been given for free.
Quote from: CraigStern on November 16, 2011, 09:56:49 AMGiant Mantises are carnivorous, and Tig plants are inedible to Wood Folk. As such, Tigs have no need for defenses against them, and have adapted to conserve spores when they pass by. Other, less familiar creatures will still trigger a release, however.
Why don't the Mantises attack the Folk-of-the-Woods?
Quote from: CraigStern on November 16, 2011, 09:56:49 AMSpore Cloud is physical. Now that I look in the code, though, it looks like I somehow neglected to assign it an element! That'll be fixed in a moment.
That is kinda funny, since I been wondering what element the attack was since TPA2.
Do you plan on filling up all of Duvalier's empty attack slots?
I've got one:
Obviously, with the presence of psy abilities, there can be no direct correlation, but roughly what time period are TRPG 1 and 2 intended to be set in?
How is it I overlooked all those videos in my subscriptions box you posted?
Quote from: Shadoroq on November 18, 2011, 11:16:18 PM
I've got one:
Obviously, with the presence of psy abilities, there can be no direct correlation, but roughly what time period are TRPG 1 and 2 intended to be set in?
I assume you mean, what period of human history in the real world are they comparable to? The real answer is "none," as you mentioned, but technology-wise, you could probably say that the world has a mix of Renaissance, late 1800s and futuristic technology (but predominantly Renaissance).
What is going to be in the newest update?
About half a dozen new character portraits, as well as a new quest or two. We'll see how much I can get done in the next couple of days!
Are vibra crystals this world's coal/uranium?
In a sense, yes. Vibra is to Cera Bella what coal was to us in the 1800s.
Are the same crystals used for psy boats, energy golem lasers, and steam engines?
Vibra is used in steam engines and boats, but not in energy golem lasers.
Do the cards in Psy Duel work on a probability basis? I don't see Psy Healers or Fury very often (not on my plate, at least).
There is an actual, virtual "deck" that the game shuffles every time Psy Duel is played; that deck contains a fixed number of each type of card. The deck contains two of every type of card, except for Merchants and Smugglers; the deck contains 9 each of those.
Quote from: CraigStern on December 03, 2011, 02:19:35 PM
There is an actual, virtual "deck" that the game shuffles every time Psy Duel is played; that deck contains a fixed number of each type of card. The deck contains two of every type of card, except for Merchants and Smugglers; the deck contains 9 each of those.
Should these cards be used up (Dark Vortex or Fury, for example) or killed (Any of the minions), do they go back in the deck?
The deck repopulates itself only when it reaches zero cards. So unless it's a long game, you shouldn't ever see more than two of the same card come up.
Ok first off, i got into games like this from games like knights of the chalice (d and d tactical game). However i believe that Arena is better than games like those because of the originality and what you can do. My question to you is will your next project after Servants RPG be the telepath tactics ? If not or if so, how does telepath differ from arena? If its anything resembling the tactical approach of arena and servants, ill love it.
Thanks.
-Dave
Telepath Tactics is presented in its About (http://sinisterdesign.net/forum/index.php?topic=918.msg37460#msg37460) thread in these forums. You may want to take a look into that. ;)
Hey Dave, thanks! I'm really glad you've enjoyed Telepath Psy Arena 2 so much. :)
Telepath Tactics will take place in the same universe as Telepath Psy Arena 2 and have a similar focus on turn-based tactics, but with a slick new engine and a focus on multiplayer play. (You'll still be able to play the game's battles against anywhere from 1 to 5 CPU opponents, if you want to go single player).
Thanks both of you. I just watched the official video for some of the new classes. Is the game going to be official as in classes and everything are already designated? If not i have a few class ideas i would like to show that would make it even cooler.
What type of "status-effect-inducing attacks" will Lizardmen have?
As of right now, Lizardmen in Telepath Tactics have three status-effect-inducing attacks, all of them close-range strikes with a mace:
Stunner - has a base 50% chance to Stun the target
Bonebreaker - has a base 50% chance to Weaken the target
Cripple - has a base 50% chance to Slow the target
Of course, like pretty much everything else in Telepath Tactics, this is subject to change as I continue playtesting and balancing the different classes.
Hi Craig,
Ive been thinking about all the classes you have in the arena game and had an idea based on playing a bit for future classes-
Here are the strategies of each character as it may-
Swordsman- Take the heat of the battle and stay alive through hardiness and tough melee. This class would be the so-called fighter and paladin type class of d and d.
Bowman-This class is essentially the archer that is nimble and takes out enemies from afar through shots. This would be the ranger class of d and d.
Psi Fighter-This class thrives on being an aoe blaster. They are weak in the first bit and extremely powerful at the end.
Assassin-This has got rogue written all over it and even more so, this class sneaks across the board and single handedly picks apart pieces.
Of those 4 core classes of arena, i find one thing that could be improved upon (unless you already have it set for tactics). What can be improved upon would be a class that is part swordsman and part assassin, basically a duelist type character (mix of brawn and grace). Its not the name but really its about a class that is defensive in nature. This class is the anti assassin of the game, with almost complete immunities to the backstab ability of almost anyone. They dont have the complete strength of the swordsman but they have the defensive ability that more than makes up for it.
This would be very interesting as assassins (as of now) can be the trickiest characters to fight against, and thus it would be cool to see a guy that can rush up to them and not be screwed totally. Just a thought.
I have paid for and downloaded TSOG a few months ago and I was wondering, is there any way to renew it with any stuff you will have added in since then e.g. Getting Arman Back, Rubat Camp and Finishing Somnus (Not sure if he's done any of them but those are just examples) without having to order it again, doing anything that involves copying codes or deleting my data (I'm OK with deleting my data if it has to be done, but I would prefer it not to)?
@Steel Ersatz Man: just download the installer again and run it. (Source (http://sinisterdesign.net/forum/index.php?topic=1017.msg40276#msg40276).)
@deathknight1728: thanks for your ideas.
Have you been updating the Game with all your recent Twitter Posts, meaning, the alternate ending to the Tikki Quest, a Somnus Quest, and Character Voice Overs + Pictures? Or are you waiting for one day, with one large update?
Unless I specifically say that I've updated the game, I haven't.
That said, check Twitter... ;)
You know what almost slipped my mind, the idea or concept of a monk type character in a telepath game. Its interesting actually as monks are very interesting character classes in old school d and d. Will the shaolin fist be in possible future projects?
It's always a possibility, though I wouldn't count on it.
actually the knife thrower derives and shares many likenesses of the ninja (knives/shuriken) but whatever. Im just trying new ideas as i find the character class system to be great. The engineer class seems very cool for tactics and is something in the right direction.
Is it racist to believe all Shadowlings look the same? :-*
Yes. :P
It's all a matter of what you're used to looking for, right?
Subtle nuances of hue, the way the light bounces off their heads, quirks in the movement of their plume... if you spend time living with Shadowlings, you'll swear all fleshli humans your siblings look the same when you return home. I mean, there's almost no difference of hue between them (just saturation and brightness for the most part) and their eyes are so small that it's nearly impossible to see their eyes well enough to tell them apart in that respect.
Is there as much prejudice among Spriggats as there is among the Shadowlings?
Oh, and you might have already said this, and if you have, I'm sorry; but what kind of law do you practice?
No offense, but I'd rather not talk about my day job here.
Okay, sorry. I didn't mean to intrude. I guess I should have asked whether that was within the bounds of the developer questions first.
I was really just wondering if you knew how legal the usage of the "Save target [of hyperlink] as" button was, since one could theoretically download anything, including swfs; because you were saying earlier about how TRPG1 and 2 were only in-browser and one could theoretically download them.
But if that, too, would be too day-job, I can just ask my uncle about it, and save you the trouble.
It just seems kind of strange that the button would be part of IE, if its usage wasn't always completely legal.
The "Save Target As" / "Save Link As" (depending on what browser you're using) has a lot of legitimate, legal uses. It's just a way of downloading a file. Stick to downloading files you're allowed to download and you'll be fine.
As for why they'd include a feature even if it could be used for illegal purposes, well, let's put it this way. Take a pack of AA batteries. You could cut them open, remove the battery acid, and fling it in someone's face. That's illegal. Does that mean they shouldn't sell batteries? Of course not--batteries have lots of legitimate, legal uses. At a certain point, you're just expected to obey the law even though you have the tools to break it.
Okay, thanks!
Do you happen to know the particulars on when you can use the button? Because sometimes it's made clear (either with strict "NO" written nearby (like with movies), or with a creative commons license in the other direction), but sometimes it's ambiguous whether one can download a copy for personal use. (I'm fairly sure that distribution rights are almost never granted to Joe Schmo internet user)
? (http://sinisterdesign.net/forum/index.php?topic=1045.0)
Falstaff's picture is based on that photo, yes.
How did you manage to add content to the game but lower file size? (download for previous version was 91.1mb this one is 91.0mb)
Yeah, I noticed the lower file size as well. My best guess is "magic."
Either that, or I inadvertently deleted something. I don't remember deleting anything. Oh well. I'm sure I'll be getting a bug report about it pretty soon if I did. :P
Quote from: CraigStern on December 16, 2011, 02:25:20 PM
Yeah, I noticed the lower file size as well. My best guess is "magic."
Either that, or I inadvertently deleted something. I don't remember deleting anything. Oh well. I'm sure I'll be getting a bug report about it pretty soon if I did. :P
You're awesome, you know? ;D
Heh, thanks! :)
How long do you expect flash to stay popular for?
Popular for what? Making games? Displaying web content?
I expect it'll remain popular for making games for quite some time, but it's already starting to decline as the preferred medium for web content due to HTML5 and Apple's failure to support Flash in-browser on the iPhone. From what I've seen, Adobe is already starting to transition into HTML5 tools for its web developers.
I was thinking just popular in any way shape or form. But you anwered my poorly posed question. :)
Will there be enough new attacks to fill Duvalier's attack slots?
Er, maybe? I haven't really been keeping track, honestly--I just threw in as many open slots as possible to give myself room to add new attacks.
I am getting my ass kicked by Hellion. Is it possible to give Malis shadow resistance like other shadowlings?
Not currently, but I'm adding it along with the ability to teach her Feedback.
Why does Duvalier die if Hellion is killed instead of captured?
It has to do with how the capture battles are coded. The objective is to capture the enemy alive, so it interprets the death of the enemy as a loss. I should probably change it at some point, but it's lower priority right now than getting game content done.
Before you fixed a bug, Festus gave troops for capturing Hellion. What made you decide that Shadowling Republic gives gold instead of soldiers?
It seemed like a good way to introduce the Helenites as a means for procuring troops, if you hadn't caught on to them via the book piles from the crypts. (Also, name-dropping Festus reduces the cost of hiring mercenaries dramatically; it's actually a better reward than just getting a fixed number of troops, if you want to use the Helenites as a source of soldiers.)
I did notice that the price quadruples without Festus's help.
On a side note, it a bug that the Mechanic Base didn't show up on the map after reading the crypt books?
Can you make a map for Somnus like Ravinale?
Not a bug--just a thing I haven't gotten around to yet.
I can, but it's a low priority.
Say I was an aspiring young boy who wanted to become talented at flash, and he asked his idol Craig Stern how he got around to learning flash, what would you say to me?
Quote from: Deagonx on January 05, 2012, 04:24:46 PM
Say I was an aspiring young boy who wanted to become talented at flash, and he asked his idol Craig Stern how he got around to learning flash, what would you say to me?
Find some good tutorials to help you, and practice, practice, practice! Start by making very small games; they are much faster to make, and you'll learn a lot with every game you make, so it pays to make a lot of them relatively quickly at first. Don't make something big like an RPG until later.
(I am a huge hypocrite, of course, because I started off by making Telepath RPG: Chapter 1. In retrospect, however, that was probably a mistake. I would have learned to program much faster if I'd started off with more, smaller, easier projects first.)
Say that that aspiring young boy sorta had a friend online, who was also attempting to become talented at flash, but was so far in the dark, that he didn't know where to begin?
Tutorials; that's how I started. If you look at the bottom of this post (http://sinisterdesign.net/forum/index.php?topic=405.msg8840#msg8840), I link to several places where you can find beginner's tutorials.
*How did the Cult hide the books in the fourth cypt, if "no man has successfully mapped the thing"?
*Are all the cypts from the same civilization/time period?
Quote from: SmartyPants on January 07, 2012, 06:28:16 PM
*How did the Cult hide the books in the fourth cypt, if "no man has successfully mapped the thing"?
*Are all the cypts from the same civilization/time period?
1) You'll see. ;)
2) They are not all from the same group, necessarily, but (with the exception of Crypt 4) they spring from a shared culture of honoring and protecting the dead that was present in the region for hundreds of years.
What's a "favor" cut scene?
I used the phrase "flavor cut scene" to denote the cut scene equivalent of flavor text (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flavor_text). That is: a cut scene with nothing of importance to the story, just there to add character to the setting.
TSoG seems to have many themes relating to the threat a military opposes to democracy. What is your opinion on Obama signing a law that allows indefinite military detention without trial of American citizens (http://rt.com/usa/news/obama-detention-ndaa-aclu-303/)?
Quote from: SmartyPants on January 10, 2012, 08:46:59 PM
TSoG seems to have many themes relating to the threat a military opposes to democracy. What is your opinion on Obama signing a law that allows indefinite military detention without trial of American citizens (http://rt.com/usa/news/obama-detention-ndaa-aclu-303/)?
I think it's appalling. A small smattering of senators from both parties voted no in the Senate (http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=112&session=1&vote=00218), but otherwise the support for it was pretty much uniform. In the House (http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2011/roll932.xml), Democrats were split down the middle and the strong majority of Republicans voted for it. Regardless of party affiliation, I am extremely disappointed by everyone involved in approving that bill.
So I wasn't the only one that was thoroughly disgusted? That's a small relief. I'm curious. Do you think that there's any way that this could avoid being ruled as unconstitutional by the Supreme Court?
Yes; there are a million ways that a legal challenge to this could fail. The court could rule that a given set of plaintiffs has no standing; it could invoke the constitutional avoidance doctrine to duck the issue; or, worst of all, the court could simply decide that (for whatever reason) indefinite detention of American citizens without trial is justified under the circumstances. After all, they gave the thumbs-up to Japanese internment camps in Korematsu v. United States (http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=3&ved=0CD4QFjAC&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.law.cornell.edu%2Fsupct%2Fhtml%2Fhistorics%2FUSSC_CR_0323_0214_ZO.html&ei=Jl0OT9ycM5PhggeineTmAw&usg=AFQjCNHl29YVQv0I0BW1SGSYnwGalqCXdA) on the basis of military necessity, and without requiring even a smidgeon of evidence that the war effort really required it. Koresmatsu, perversely, has technically never been overruled. Given the way Roberts and Scalia's dissents read in Boumediene v. Bush (http://www.law.cornell.edu/supct/html/06-1195.ZS.html), I would not be surprised to see them defer to the executive branch over an argument that indefinite detention is a matter of military necessity. The real question is whether Justice Kennedy would go for it, since he's the moderate "swing vote" on the court. I tend to think he wouldn't, but he's not always the brightest light (see: Citizens United v. FEC (http://www.law.cornell.edu/supct/html/08-205.ZS.html)), so it's hard to say for sure.
tl;dr version:
the Supreme Court screws up sometimes. This could easily end up being one of those times.
Does Fishing for Thoughts: A Scanner's Guide to Telepathy do anything?
Depends on your stats. If you have extremely high Aptitude, no. Otherwise, it increases your Aptitude.
What's "tl;dr"?
Why won't Al'Salaam stop calling me "Sir"?
Now a real question:
Do you think it is acceptable to have the U.S. Department of Justice seek court orders against websites outside U.S. jurisdiction who are actively infringing on copyrights?
That's a pretty broad question. That's like asking, "Do you think people should have to respond to subpoenas?" The answer here is yes, so long as the target is a signatory to the Berne convention. A court order, like a subpoena, is just a means of exercising authority, and the Berne convention (as I understand it) makes countries beholden to each others' copyright laws for works originating within their borders. I haven't studied this particular issue in much depth, though, so I could be wrong.
The bigger problem with SOPA/PIPA* is, what's contained in the order--and has the subject of the order had a meaningful opportunity to get its case heard beforehand? There's also the problem of how foreign and domestic sites are distinguished in the legislation. You might want to give this a read (http://blog.reddit.com/2012/01/technical-examination-of-sopa-and.html).
*I assume that's the subject that's gotten you suddenly curious in this issue.
I personally don't like SOPA/PIPA because it gives too much power to the government. The powers are too broad and can easily be abused by the executive branch for political purposes. Internet piracy should be stopped, but SOPA/PIPA is not the way to do it.
I was just wondering if you were against any form of internet regulation or if you just against the current SOBA/PIPA bills.
The answer to both of those is no: I am neither categorically against all possible regulation of the internet, nor am I limiting my opposition to future proposed regulations solely to SOPA/PIPA. When other regulations are proposed in the future, I will evaluate them on their own merits.
What do you think is more important when designing a flash game: appealing to the larger group of less committed fans; or, appealing to the smaller group of more committed fans?
It depends on your priorities as a developer, and on your business model.
With Flash specifically, if you're releasing a browser game and getting ad money (or a sponsorship, which in turn relies on ad money), you want a large number of unique views. Those are what generate ad revenue. So in those cases, it's better to appeal to a huge number of people than to earn the adoration of a relatively small group of fans.
If, however, you're relying on in-game transactions, charging a significant up-front price for the game, or building an IP that you intend to use for the long haul, then it's really handy if your players are deeply committed.
There are other factors too, such as what genre your game is in and how much competition it has. You're unlikely to garner a fanatical fanbase with a Bejeweled clone, for example, so you're best off aiming for mass appeal.
As for me, well, I think it's pretty obvious that I'm most comfortable making interesting games for a limited audience. ;)
Will we ever learn the fate of Bubashka?
Anything is possible. There are a lot of things I want to have in the game that will either make it in or not depending solely on how long it takes me to finish coding the final boss battle and put together the final mission.
Why was Tastidian and Nelis's stats and attacks hidden from the Hero? Where the shadowling using advance counter-scanning or something?
They were simply too skilled at deflecting scans for the hero to penetrate their defenses. If your hero in TSoG has insufficient Aptitude, Cygnus will do the same thing to you.
A Couple Questions:
- Are you still going to update TSoG after you release it? I mean you still have plenty of ideas right...
- How can you talk it over with Cygnus in the end? Isn't the point of most RPG's to have an epic boss battle in the end...
Quote from: Zackirus on February 01, 2012, 10:00:41 PM- How can you talk it over with Cygnus in the end?
You'll just have to see. ;)
Quote from: Zackirus on February 01, 2012, 10:00:41 PMIsn't the point of most RPG's to have an epic boss battle in the end...
There will be an epic boss battle waiting for you if you want it; no one's forcing you to end the game through dialog. Role play it the way you want to (role-playing being the
actual point of RPGs).
If vegetable oil is made of vegetables, and olive oil is made from olives, what is baby oil made of?
Babies, clearly. ;)
Sugar or cream?
How do you eat an elephant?
I've started to notice some things have been added into the game. For example, their is now a scene where you can give money to a beggar and another where a young couple wants to get married and is talking to Griffin... what are these?
Quote from: Zackirus on February 11, 2012, 11:46:12 AMI've started to notice some things have been added into the game. For example, their is now a scene where you can give money to a beggar and another where a young couple wants to get married and is talking to Griffin... what are these?
Quote from: CraigStern on January 10, 2012, 06:43:51 PMI used the phrase "flavor cut scene" to denote the cut scene equivalent of flavor text (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flavor_text). That is: a cut scene with nothing of importance to the story, just there to add character to the setting.
One is a sidestory of a man trying to feed his drug addition through begging, while the other sidestory is about a couple worried about the Cult controlled Parliament passing a bill that would ban marriage between psys and non-psys (not too subtle statement on gay marriage). The cutsceen puts in context what Griffin and Fife were talking about after raiding the armory.
How many years did the Shadow War last?
I prefer to leave that particular factoid open for the time being, just in case I decide to revisit the period in a later game.
He already told us Smartypants; it's Rajav/Malis.
Is the big vibra engine from the Forest Workshop suppose to be for a train or something?
You don't really want me to reveal that, do you? ;)
Quote from: CraigStern on February 17, 2012, 03:20:43 PMYou don't really want me to reveal that, do you? ;)
I will take your word.
I think at one point you said you planned on having 15 orbs in TSoG. Do you plan on adding more or stick with the ones you have?
There are three more in reserve that I might add to future updates, if I get the urge.
Would one of them be the legendary void orb, that makes you completely untargetable by enemies, due to a mental bubble that disables parts of the brain, resulting in uncordination?
If 'pro' is the opposite of 'con', what is the opposite of 'progress'?
Quote from: bugfartboy on February 18, 2012, 05:41:21 PM
If 'pro' is the opposite of 'con', what is the opposite of 'progress'?
Buz-zing
Will you ever make a list of EVERYTHING that can be done?
Everything that can be done in one of my games, you mean? As far as I'm concerned, that is what the wiki is for.
What other orbs are you thinking of adding to TSoG?
Three possibilities are gold, alabaster and red.
Alabaster... like the town in Alabama?
Oh... like calcite. And gypsum. Makes sense in a Mesopotamian-style location.
The following are questions for the completion of TSOG:
1) Just wondering what was the point of gathering men for the final? It seems that the battles are all the same once I have enough men to convince Griffin to start the final assault.
2) Why was the Final battles very easy? In comparison to the other missions in TSOG (like for example I found the hellion mission harder) and the final mission of TRPG 2. The final mission in TRPG 2 felt much much harder to win. Also, lets just say I finished the final battles using just 1 unit.
3) Was there a point for Lake Alto being on the map? I just find it a bit pointless for it to be there if the only use for it is the treasure chest. Maybe you plan to add a sea mission later on if you have time?
Is there a fire gate equivalent for Cold, Light, and Shadow?
Yes: Dark Vortex, Cryo Cross and Light Bomb.
Then, is there a pyro hail equivalent for Cold, Light, and Shadow?
What are the requirements for getting the cut scene between Rahel and the guy from the Rubat clan? And does the cut scene trigger in new game+ ?
Which tiles between Duvalier and the area of effect of Light Bomb are considered blocking line of sight if obstructed?
Quote from: Xemadus Echina on February 19, 2012, 01:59:19 PM
What are the requirements for getting the cut scene between Rahel and the guy from the Rubat clan? And does the cut scene trigger in new game+ ?
You need to have talked to Rahel about the Rubat already before the cut scene will trigger. And yes, it should be possible to trigger it again in a New Game+.
Does the "Hellion Chest" and Malignus make an apperance in TSoG?
Nope. There are so many battles in TSoG (a number of which have plot consequences tied to how they're completed) that doing something like that would be impractical.
Quote from: CraigStern on February 20, 2012, 02:30:50 PM
Nope. There are so many battles in TSoG (a number of which have plot consequences tied to how they're completed) that doing something like that would be impractical.
Okay that makes sense, but what about a 'Hellion Chest' that when you start a New Game+ it gives you a lot of gold.
I'm actually working on adding something unique for New Game+, but it isn't a chest and it isn't Malignus.
Quote from: CraigStern on January 07, 2012, 06:54:21 PMQuote from: SmartyPants on January 07, 2012, 06:28:16 PMHow did the Cult hide the books in the fourth cypt, if "no man has successfully mapped the thing"?
You'll see. ;)
Did I miss something?
Ah, no. I actually changed my mind about what I was going to do in Crypt 4. :)
For our purposes here, let's just say that maybe the soldiers who dropped off the books didn't make it back out; or if they did, they destroyed whatever map they might have made to ensure that no one would be finding the books anytime soon.
Is the new thing for New Game+ Nightmare Difficulty? Or is there something even cooler?
Where do TRPG2 files save to?
It depends on the operating system and browser you use.
More info on the Transferring saved games (http://sinisterdesign.net/forum/index.php?topic=357.0). Oh, the wonders of searching (http://sinisterdesign.net/forum/index.php?action=search;params=YWR2YW5jZWR8J3wxfCJ8YnJkfCd8MjgsMSwyOSwzMiwxMywxNiwxNCwxNSwxNywxOCwxOSwyMCwyMSwyMiwyMywyNCw5LDM1LDI1LDI2LDI3LDEwLDExLDEyLDM0LDMwLDMxfCJ8c2hvd19jb21wbGV0ZXwnfHwifHN1YmplY3Rfb25seXwnfHwifHNvcnRfZGlyfCd8ZGVzY3wifHNvcnR8J3xyZWxldmFuY2V8InxzZWFyY2h8J3xzYXZlIGdhbWU=) the forums! :P
What happened to the other Acolyte :P
He was swallowed by a wild boar.
Are Cygnus's barriers an extension of Solid State Shield?
Yes.
Why are Spriggats at the Abolitionist Compound? Are the spriggats freed slaves or are they just noble volunteers?
Mostly volunteers. Anti-slavery sentiment has run strong among spriggats since the Shadow War.
What does one do to find the identity of the Nameless One?
Currently? Nothing. It simply is not ever revealed. I'm considering changing that in a future patch, however. We'll see. I may just reserve that for a sequel.
Quote from: CraigStern on February 24, 2012, 10:00:16 PMCurrently? Nothing. It simply is not ever revealed. I'm considering changing that in a future patch, however. We'll see. I may just reserve that for a sequel.
People playing the sequal would be less likely to have played TRPG2 than people who have played TSoG. So if the Nameless One is a TRPG2 character, then revealing his/her identity in the sequel will have less of an effect than revealing him/her in TSoG. (If you take another 4 years to make a sequel, then TRPG2 will already be about a decade old.)
Do spirits have legs? It is hard to tell since all character are either seen from above or a head shot.
Yes, they have legs. Not that they actually walk on them.
How do enemies see Luca and Rajav? Do the spirits choose to show themselves or do the enemies know their names?
Some enemies can see them, but for the most part, they show themselves in order to fight.
How many possible endings are there in TSoG?
[spoiler]Are spirits really dead people?[/spoiler]
I haven't done the math, but there are probably at least a dozen permutations on the main ending, plus the one where you side with Malekahin.
[spoiler]I'm not saying. :)[/spoiler]
Is there a reason that shields don't do friendly fire?
From a gameplay standpoint, it just seemed to me like it would be irritating to accidentally heal enemies.
That would be the really friendly fire! But strategically would make things harder...
Would that be hard to code in the Nightmare difficulty setting?
Quote from: Ertxiem on February 29, 2012, 03:31:13 PMThat would be the really friendly fire! But strategically would make things harder...
Friendly fire goes both ways. In thoery, enemy healers could shield you too.
It would be easy to make characters accidentally heal enemies; it would be difficult to rework enemy AI to compensate for it, however.
Are the tribes and the clans the same thing?
Are the Marid and Rubat the only clans that live in the Ashwan Desert?
Quote from: SmartyPants on February 29, 2012, 03:38:32 PM
Are the tribes and the clans the same thing?
Those terms are used interchangeably in TSoG.
Quote from: SmartyPants on February 29, 2012, 03:38:32 PM
Are the Marid and Rubat the only clans that live in the Ashwan Desert?
At the time of TSoG, they are the biggest, but smaller tribes exist.
Does the fact that Niven performs at Darkling's and Shadowboxers' establishment on Tuesdays and Thursdays imply that the same Norse gods exist in the Telepath universe (particularly Týr (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T%C3%BDr) and Thor (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thor), since these gods are those from whom Tuesday and Thursday derive their names, respectively)?
No more than the fact that the characters speak English implies the historical antecedents which led to the creation of the English language.
Which is to say, no.
At the moment, I'm working with the artist on the designs for each of the character classes. There isn't much to show at the moment, but rest assured that TT is still being worked on. :)
I actually decided that I would pull Phantom Armor from Telepath Tactics--it doesn't fill a useful gameplay niche, so I'm going to focus on the other classes instead. As for what it is...well, there's a decent chance that it will appear in a future, single player game using the Telepath Tactics engine, so we can discuss that if and when that happens. :)
It looks like you've got Cygnus's unique skills covered there.
I'm not going to officially announce Telepath Tactics until I have finished character graphics in-game. Once that happens, it will be promoted from Random Project status to Official Game.
Is the Assassin's Cult part of the Shadowling military or is it independent of the government like the Black Rose?
It's an independent organization.
How exactally does killing D'kah in Mission 5 benefit you in the final mission? Also: what happens if you never defeat D'kah in the first part, what happens to him then? Finally, why does the Hero kill Cygnus in the end, or better yet, have to choice to kill him?
Killing D'Kah in Mission 5 means you don't have to deal with him during the final mission. It's just an alternate path you can take.
Quote from: Zackirus on March 17, 2012, 12:44:51 AMFinally, why does the Hero kill Cygnus in the end, or better yet, have to choice to kill him?
Well, it's an RPG. A good RPG gives you choices. In this case, you have the choice to eke out revenge against the man responsible for turning your homeland into a dystopian nightmare. If I didn't give people that option, they'd probably get pretty mad at me.
Are Red Spriggats consistently the smallest spriggats, while Dark Spriggat are consistently the biggest, most powerful spriggats?
How did Cygnus know to send his acolytes to stop the resistance at Fawaz Gorge and Al'Dukkan Armory?
Can you explain what bug hutting is? Why are there spirits and golems in the Deeper Downs? Has the Deep Downs become like the TPA2's "The Cave (http://telepath.wikia.com/wiki/The_Cave)"?
1) No. See e.g. La'Man.
2) I am not going to answer this one, for reasons that should be fairly obvious.
3) Bug hunting is simply that: going hunting for shadow bugs in the tunnels of the Deeper Downs. In TSoG, as you point out, the Deeper Downs serves the same function The Cave does in TPA2: it's a location where you can get varied, randomized battles to fight. I was planning to make it a full visitable location early on in the game's development, but I eventually decided that it would be better to have fewer in-game locations with a higher density of interesting encounters in each.
1) Men are more naturally inclined to be stronger than women, yet individual women can be stronger than individual men. Similarly, I was wondering if different types of spriggats were more naturally inclined to be bigger and stronger than others. Basically, I trying to find if it is a game mechanic that makes Red Spriggats the weakest and Dark Spriggats the strongest. On a related note, does the shadowling military make blue shadowlings become healers?
2) That makes me feel kinda dumb, since it isn't fairly obvious to me.
3) Sorry for not being clear. I was wondering if the Deeper Downs has "defective automatons" and the supposed "spirits of the Mechanics they've killed" like "The Cave".
Hey, would you mind explaining how one makes programmer's graphics and their advantage over just drawing the graphics in flash?
SmartyPants, I think what Craig is trying to say is that the answer to your question isn't obvious, but the reason why he won't give that answer is.
Maybe it's not as obvious as I thought. I hate artist's statements, and I don't want to post one here, but if you're really curious, here is the reason I won't answer that particular question:
[spoiler]There are certain things about TSoG and the events that transpire during it that I have deliberately chosen to leave ambiguous. In particular, I've avoided providing a definitive answer to the question of whether Yawah exists. In my view, spelling out a clear yes-or-no answer to this question would cheapen the game by detracting from the ideas the player is meant to grapple with; in my view, whether Yawah really exists is actually subordinate to those other ideas.[/spoiler]
Quote from: TheWanderingShadow on March 25, 2012, 12:05:23 AM
Hey, would you mind explaining how one makes programmer's graphics and their advantage over just drawing the graphics in flash?
Programmer graphics is just an expression for bad placeholder art quickly thrown together by a programmer in order to test out code. You can very easily make programmer art by drawing in Flash.
As for the advantages of using placeholder art: well, quite simply, it gives you something to look at so you can make sure your engine actually works before you go to the trouble of making it pretty.
Quote from: CraigStern on March 25, 2012, 05:38:01 PM
Quote from: TheWanderingShadow on March 25, 2012, 12:05:23 AM
Hey, would you mind explaining how one makes programmer's graphics and their advantage over just drawing the graphics in flash?
Programmer graphics is just an expression for bad placeholder art quickly thrown together by a programmer in order to test out code. You can very easily make programmer art by drawing in Flash.
As for the advantages of using placeholder art: well, quite simply, it gives you something to look at so you can make sure your engine actually works before you go to the trouble of making it pretty.
But I've heard that you can draw vector graphics by using code in Flash. Is there an advantage to doing that?
Yes; it allows you to easily create boxes and circles of custom sizes (I do this in Telepath Tactics for the pop-up info boxes when you mouse over units and objects, since the boxes change size depending on circumstances). Doing this also reduces the size of your game, since it's not storing any vector images--everything is generated on the fly from code.
Sorry for intruding. :)
Vector graphics (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vector_graphics) have advantages when you want to zoom in some areas. Perhaps the disadvantage they have is that it's harder to create a picture (at least I feel like it's harder). Scalable Vector Graphics (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scalable_Vector_Graphics) is an open standard that allows creation by and interaction with scripts (ECMAScript, the specification of JavaScript and ActionScript 3).
If you want some eye candy, there are some amazing examples of vector art (http://www.noupe.com/inspiration/45-inspirational-examples-of-vector-art.html).
Quote from: CraigStern on March 25, 2012, 11:12:59 PM
Yes; it allows you to easily create boxes and circles of custom sizes (I do this in Telepath Tactics for the pop-up info boxes when you mouse over units and objects, since the boxes change size depending on circumstances). Doing this also reduces the size of your game, since it's not storing any vector images--everything is generated on the fly from code.
Quote from: Ertxiem on March 26, 2012, 09:35:49 AM
Sorry for intruding. :)
Vector graphics (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vector_graphics) have advantages when you want to zoom in some areas. Perhaps the disadvantage they have is that it's harder to create a picture (at least I feel like it's harder). Scalable Vector Graphics (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scalable_Vector_Graphics) is an open standard that allows creation by and interaction with scripts (ECMAScript, the specification of JavaScript and ActionScript 3).
If you want some eye candy, there are some amazing examples of vector art (http://www.noupe.com/inspiration/45-inspirational-examples-of-vector-art.html).
Duly noted. Thanks, both of you!
P.S. And dang, those are some awesome vector drawings.
Who designed the Sinister Design Tee-Shirts (http://www.printfection.com/sinisterdesign/Sinister-Design-Shirts/_s_447405)? I love 'em.
I did. Thanks!
If you could only recommend one indie game, what would it be? (and I don't mean TSoG or TPA2)
Depends: who am I recommending it , and what kind of games do they like?
Lets say an RPG with a well thought out story and at least some replay value.
Also, I was also curious what type of indie game you like vs. what type of game you think I would like.
A question about the 'Gift': is the 'Gift' latent in everyone (though varying in strength), or does it only appear in certain people?
That's been bugging me for a while.
Quote from: SmartyPants on April 04, 2012, 07:01:44 PM
Lets say an RPG with a well thought out story and at least some replay value.
The Spirit Engine 2 is very well-written, and (at least in my opinion) sports a fair bit of replay value due to the varying party compositions you can choose at the beginning of the game. You'll have to play it through at least three times to see all of the characters--more if you want to see how they interact in different combinations.
My favorite indie games tend to be RPGs and strategy games. I'm not sure which genres you like best, though I do remember you saying that you didn't care much for strategy without story.
Quote from: SteelFist on April 04, 2012, 09:18:40 PM
A question about the 'Gift': is the 'Gift' latent in everyone (though varying in strength), or does it only appear in certain people?
It appears only in certain people.
You code the text in the dialogue boxes using strings, right? Does that mean you have to type each line into the code individually? Doesn't that clutter things up?
Yes and yes. I'm planning on switching to an new system for future games, however, one that reads external XML files.
Wouldn't that be easier to be hacked? Or would you store the xml file inside a zip file with a password (both saving space and making it harder to take a look inside)?
I'm not concerned about people modding the game; in fact, I see that as a plus. I plan to make the game easy enough to modify that people can easily add on new content.
Is the class guide for Telepath Tactics a complete guide, or will you perhaps be taking new ideas and implementing them during development?
ALSO,
Shouldn't this thread (http://sinisterdesign.net/forum/index.php?topic=1110.0) be taken down for spam?
Quote from: Duskling on April 16, 2012, 06:46:12 PM
[...]
ALSO,
Shouldn't this thread (http://sinisterdesign.net/forum/index.php?topic=1110.0) be taken down for spam?
Done. I missed that one.
Quote from: Duskling on April 16, 2012, 06:46:12 PM
Is the class guide for Telepath Tactics a complete guide, or will you perhaps be taking new ideas and implementing them during development?
Those are all of the classes that will be in the game, but their attributes are still subject to change based on the results of playtesting. Feel free to make suggestions if you have a cool idea. :)
I was looking at the "The Telepath Tactics Bestiary", and I wondering if "Dark Spriggats" will now be called "Black Spriggats".
How difficult was it to implement the multiplayer function in TT (Based on multiple skill levels- Beginner Programmer, Intermediate/Experienced Programmer, and Veteran Programmer)?
Quote from: SmartyPants on April 17, 2012, 02:32:38 PM
I was looking at the "The Telepath Tactics Bestiary", and I wondering if "Dark Spriggats" will now be called "Black Spriggats".
Ah. You know, it's funny--I used to run D&D campaigns that had spriggats (I created them long before TRPG, way back in junior high), and I had different names for them back then. They all had pure color names. Sometimes I forget that I chose to call white spriggats "frost spriggats" and black spriggats "dark spriggats" in TRPG2.
Quote from: Duskling on April 17, 2012, 05:53:31 PM
How difficult was it to implement the multiplayer function in TT (Based on multiple skill levels- Beginner Programmer, Intermediate/Experienced Programmer, and Veteran Programmer)?
Multiplayer is extremely challenging, much moreso than normal programming. I'm not done yet, but I can already see that I'm going to have headaches.
Why are we using generic smileys all of the sudden?
What do you think of Skullgirls? Though now that I think about it, you probably aren't too big a fan of fighting games, are you?
Never played it. I do like fighting games, actually, but I haven't really gotten into one since Super Smash Brothers Brawl.
Quote from: Duskling on April 19, 2012, 08:46:09 PM
Why are we using generic smileys all of the sudden?
Oh--that must be because of the forum update I did yesterday. I'll see if I can fix that.
Okay--all fixed. ;)
Why do we not see many spriggats in Somnus? Do spriggats live in a poorer part of Somnus that Duvalier doesn't visit?
Is it possible to get past the blue shadowling who blocks the stairs in western Somnus?
Quote from: SmartyPants on April 20, 2012, 07:24:49 PM
Why do we not see many spriggats in Somnus? Do spriggats live in a poorer part of Somnus that Duvalier doesn't visit?
Essentially, yes.
Quote from: SmartyPants on April 20, 2012, 07:24:49 PM
Is it possible to get past the blue shadowling who blocks the stairs in western Somnus?
No. I was originally planning to do something with him, but ran out of time. I won't say what, though, as it's entirely possible that I might still add it in in a future patch to the game.
Quote from: Craig
Never played it. I do like fighting games, actually, but I haven't really gotten into one since Super Smash Brothers Brawl.
Did you enjoy playing Brawl Mode against computers (if so what level of difficulty, number of competitors, what style of gameplay [stock, timed, etc]) or against friends or others (same details as before less the computer questions)? Or did you enjoy playing the singleplayer campaign (Which I find to be an improvement from Melee)? What was your favorite character to play as in general? Do you expect another Super Smash Bros. game?
Have you played Super Smash Bros. Melee?
[spoiler=If so...]If so, did you like it, did you enjoy the Melee battles, the challenges, or what of a campaign mode it had? What was/is your favorite character? What kind of Melee battles, if any, did you enjoy playing (stock, timed, etc)?[/spoiler]
-Edited for more questions-
(It's a nearly obscene amount at this point. Sorry.)
While the subject of the new forum format is not too far away, I'm not sure whether my suspicions are correct, or that I just haven't looked hard enough, but the "Spoiler" button is gone (Not really a question, just something I thought I'd put out there).
Also, a question which I'm not sure was laid to rest or not: Is TT going to be free?
ALSO, I'm curious as to why we won't be getting an Energy Golem in TT?
Quote from: Duskling on April 21, 2012, 11:42:25 PMWhile the subject of the new forum format is not too far away, I'm not sure whether my suspicions are correct, or that I just haven't looked hard enough, but the "Spoiler" button is gone (Not really a question, just something I thought I'd put out there).
I upgraded the forum to a new version because spam bots were starting to get past the old filters. I'll see if there's a new version of the spoiler plug-in that's compatible.
Quote from: Duskling on April 21, 2012, 11:42:25 PMAlso, a question which I'm not sure was laid to rest or not: Is TT going to be free?
Nope (http://sinisterdesign.net/?p=1499#comment-499490426). However, I will probably release a limited version for free in browser form.
Quote from: Duskling on April 21, 2012, 11:42:25 PMALSO, I'm curious as to why we won't be getting an Energy Golem in TT?
It would change the game in ways I don't want.
Quote from: bugfartboy on April 20, 2012, 09:42:59 PMStuff about Super Smash Bros.
I've played both Brawl and Melee. My favorite Melee character was Link; he was nerfed beyond repair in Brawl, however. I don't know that I have a single go-to character in Brawl at the moment, but I'm awfully fond of Ike.
Mostly, I liked the one-off versus battles. Story mode didn't really do much for me in either game, but I suffered through them for the sake of unlocking characters.
Why did you remove the prison battle scenes and make training available before the ghost cellar, if I might ask?
Who provided the voice for Tastidian?
I did that myself. :)
Quote from: Zackirus on April 22, 2012, 02:40:17 PM
Why did you remove the prison battle scenes and make training available before the ghost cellar, if I might ask?
I'd been getting a lot of feedback to the effect of "the game is too restrictive and hand-holdy for too long," so I decided to shorten the intro sequence and provide the option to remove all in-game tutorials so the player can get right to the "explore freely and learn new attacks" part of the game faster.
As a kid in school, did humanities or sciences interest you more?
How long have you been with Indie City Games?
I first got involved with them in 2010; they put me on the board sometime in early September 2010, I believe.
Quote from: Duckling on April 24, 2012, 10:55:06 PM
As a kid in school, did humanities or sciences interest you more?
Humanities.
What's the framerate on the videos you put on your playthrough channel?
I am pretty sure they're 30 frames per second, 1280 x 1024. (I could have gone higher quality, but the upload times would have been obscene.)
Sheeesh. I only manage 10 fps, 720p, and my most recent upload took over six hours.
Will the game after TT will be the same like it i mean with 3d capabilities (Not viewing only the heads)?
The remakes of TRPG1 and 2 will be free, though, right? *hopeful face*
Quote from: aziz on May 05, 2012, 10:48:03 AM
Will the game after TT will be the same like it i mean with 3d capabilities (Not viewing only the heads)?
Yes; I'm going to reuse the TT engine for the games that come after it.
Quote from: Duskling on May 05, 2012, 01:44:07 PM
The remakes of TRPG1 and 2 will be free, though, right? *hopeful face*
I'm not even sure if I'm making them! At this point, it's impossible to say.
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/columns/experienced-points/9506-Mass-Effect-3-Ending-Controversy (http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/columns/experienced-points/9506-Mass-Effect-3-Ending-Controversy)
What are you're thoughts (as a game devoloper) on a company that is going to change their ending, or, at least explain it, after they have finished it.
Well, that depends. I haven't played the Mass Effect series yet, so I can't comment specifically on the changes they're making to Mass Effect 3's ending. In general, though, I'll just say that games are iterative, and most areas of a game's design are subject to improvement based on player critique. Obviously, changing a good ending to satisfy the complaints of people who don't understand it is bad; however, by the same token, it's good to change a bad ending when the player base rightly recognizes that it's incoherent and unsatisfying.
Does necromancy exist (or will it exist) in Cera Bella? Both subjugating spirits and reanimating dead tissue can count.
Necromancy implies magic, due to the "-mancy" suffix. Cera Bella does not have magic. Ergo, no.
With that said, however, jinn have been known to occasionally inhabit dead bodies (particularly their own) and move them using telekinesis.
Ah, yes, I didn't mean magic necromancy, per se, but something similar to it using the Gift. I do imagine it would be possible to animate a corpse or skeleton? It would probably be the same basic principle as manipulating any other object, just more complicated.
Will the music player that used to accompany the Sinister Design website be returning at some point?
Nope. If you want to listen to the TSoG soundtrack, however, you're free to stream it off Bandcamp (http://sinisterdesign.bandcamp.com/album/telepath-rpg-servants-of-god-soundtrack).
I was thinking more of the Nelis boss battle music rather than the TSoG music. I do imagine I can simply work my way to Nelis in TRPG2 if I like the music that much.
-Edit
Any chance the music would migrate to iTunes?
Quote from: bugfartboy on May 11, 2012, 03:54:13 PM
I was thinking more of the Nelis boss battle music rather than the TSoG music. I do imagine I can simply work my way to Nelis in TRPG2 if I like the music that much.
No need--start a Duel in TRPG2 and select Level Music 5. ;)
Oh really? I didn't know about that! :) Now I can enjoy it without the work! Thanks Craig!
Have you ever thought of making a Telepath RPG game set in the timeline where the main character from TRPG2 sided with the Shadowlings?
I've thought of it. :P
I'm not going to bother asking "Is it a possibility?" because I know the answers likely to be "I don't know yet." or "We'll see."
Which of the games you're Let's Playing right now do you enjoy playing the most?
Fire Emblem is the easiest to produce fun commentary for so far, but I'm enjoying playing all three of them. I don't think I have a favorite.
Have you ever considered packaging your games together? Like selling TSoG and TPA2 for a cheaper price than buying each game separately.
Yes; Gamersgate was supposedly going to do a promotion like that, but if they've done it, I haven't noticed it. I might do that myself at some point.
Have you considered translating your game to other languages?
And would it be easy (like just replacing a text file for another)?
Finally, how mad are you at me for making more than one question in one post? :P
Telepath Tactics would be quite easy to localize; and yes, I'm strongly considering it.
Do you use Flex or the Flash IDE when you're making games?
I use the Flash IDE--it's the only way to do complex vector animations. Now that I'm transitioning to raster art, though, I've been increasingly interested in the possibility of transitioning to Flash Builder (http://www.adobe.com/products/flash-builder.html). I do basically everything in code these days, so it wouldn't be that big of a deal. The only things that would be annoying are having no way to organize a library of assets outside of an .swc, and having to use Flex-specific calls to import assets.
Is there any substance that can block Psy-based communication?
Also, I noticed that Arman's attacks in TRPG:SoG can have different backstab and sidestab boni than other attacks. Is this done through making generic Attacks be a superclass with a static variable for backstab and sidestab damage (150% and 100% respectively), but then declaring separate values for some of Arman's attacks?
And then, if this is the case, would that mean that certain units couldn't have directional defensive modifiers, only offensive directional modifiers? (For example, if a particular breed of Lizardman were asymmetrical and had thin, papery hide on its right side, could one increase one's damage by attacking it on its right? Or even just one unit being particularly vulnerable to backstabs...)
I know that's a lot of questions, so take your time.
Will people be able to make their own campaigns using the complete game? (Many people would like to make their own campaigns (http://telepath.wikia.com/wiki/Fan_Fiction#Fan_Missions).)
Quote from: SmartyPants on July 09, 2012, 06:57:14 PM
Will people be able to make their own campaigns using the complete game? (Many people would like to make their own campaigns (http://telepath.wikia.com/wiki/Fan_Fiction#Fan_Missions).)
It's likely. The game is already really easy to add new maps for--the only real question is whether I'll add in a UI option in the game to select other campaigns. It's likely.
Quote from: Duckling on July 08, 2012, 10:57:08 PM
Is there any substance that can block Psy-based communication?
Possibly; if so, it has yet to be discovered. :)
Quote from: Duckling on July 08, 2012, 10:57:08 PMAlso, I noticed that Arman's attacks in TRPG:SoG can have different backstab and sidestab boni than other attacks. Is this done through making generic Attacks be a superclass with a static variable for backstab and sidestab damage (150% and 100% respectively), but then declaring separate values for some of Arman's attacks?
That would be a smart way of doing it; that wasn't the particular method I used, though.
Quote from: Duckling on July 08, 2012, 10:57:08 PMAnd then, if this is the case, would that mean that certain units couldn't have directional defensive modifiers, only offensive directional modifiers? (For example, if a particular breed of Lizardman were asymmetrical and had thin, papery hide on its right side, could one increase one's damage by attacking it on its right?)
Neither game engine supports unit-specific, direction-specific strengths and weaknesses.
Quote from: CraigStern on July 09, 2012, 10:46:09 PMQuote from: SmartyPants on July 09, 2012, 06:57:14 PMWill people be able to make their own campaigns using the complete game? (Many people would like to make their own campaigns (http://telepath.wikia.com/wiki/Fan_Fiction#Fan_Missions).)
It's likely. The game is already really easy to add new maps for--the only real question is whether I'll add in a UI option in the game to select other campaigns. It's likely.
What is an "UI option"?
A User Interface option -- a way of selecting other campaigns through the game screens.
Will Telepath Tactics have a linear story or will take another 4 years to do a complex RPG?
It will be linear, which means this is going to be much much much faster to make than TSoG was.
I don't know much about law, so I would like your opinion since you went law school. Is it a reasonable argument to say "due process" isn't "judicial process" (http://www.theatlanticwire.com/national/2012/03/holder-due-process-doesnt-necessarily-mean-courtroom/49509/)?
Under U.S. Supreme Court precedent, it's correct to say that you don't necessarily have to go to court to receive due process. However, something pretty closely analogous is usually required (see e.g. Boumediene v. Bush (http://www.law.cornell.edu/supct/html/06-1195.ZS.html/)).
Do you know whether there's a simple or elegant way of arranging the depth indices of Flash sprites and movieclips so their order of depth reflects their actual three-dimensional positions? I'm trying to make a 3d game, and it's kind of hard to work out a simple way to handle this operation in a way that it could be done hundreds of times in a fraction of a second.
Really. (http://forums.tigsource.com/index.php?topic=10812.msg332415#msg332415) ;)
What do you think would be the best way to implement tiles of pavement within a game taking place in an urban environment would be?
That is, I could generate random dark-grey noise patterns and use them as bitmaps inside of movie clips, or I could try and generate the random tiles dynamically, but I don't know if you can actually generate non-sprite images dynamically in Flash, so I would have to make the game keep track of hundreds of times the number of movie clips / sprites.
I'm thinking I'll do the former, but if you know of another good way of generating a random-appearing terrain without making Flash keep up with thousands of separate objects simultaneously, I'm all ears.
Sorry if my last question didn't make any sense... I'm just going to make the game in 2.5D, and not 3D, so that's out of the way.
I'm not entirely sure I understand your question. You can definitely generate BitmapData objects from code in AS3, though I imagine that it would probably be easier to create a single raster image, import it as BitmapData, and then use a combination of perlin noise (http://www.houseofthead.com/blog/flash-as3-perlin-noise-explained-and-demonstrated-part-1/) and setPixel() (http://www.flashforum.net/questions/47/how-to-draw-a-pixel-in-as3) to create unique variations.
I don't think I really fully understood my question either, but you managed to give me some very helpful advice. Thanks!
I'm glad I could help. :)
Will your Let's Play of Homeworld be returning to your channel anytime soon?
I'll do my best; I'm really, really busy though. Sadly, ever since I decided to start doing daily posts on IndieRPGs.com, I haven't had much time to do Let's Play videos. :S
That's okay. You just kinda left it hanging, and I was curious if you'd forgotten about it or decided to leave it alone.
About how fast would a normal battle in TSoG go? Such as would the Warden battle take minutes, seconds, hours (Although I doubt hours)?
Quote from: bugfartboy on August 17, 2012, 02:36:47 PM
About how fast would a normal battle in TSoG go? Such as would the Warden battle take minutes, seconds, hours (Although I doubt hours)?
Minutes. Off the top of my head, I'd guess that most battles last between 2 minutes (really quick ones) and 20 minutes (really long ones).
So I really love what voice acting I've heard in the Demo so far. Some of the humor isn't really effective as plain text. Any particular reason you decided not to give the Hero a voice? Was it to avoid limiting how the player could see the character?
Basically, yes; I want the player to be able to imagine him or herself in Duvalier's shoes. I feel that voicing his character would necessarily interrupt a little of the investment the player has to put into imagining that.
Had you wanted to give him a voice, what would he sound like to you?
He would have sounded like the best voice actor I could find willing to voice him within my time and budget constraints. :P
Quote from: CraigStern on August 17, 2012, 03:26:48 PM
He would have sounded like the best voice actor I could find willing to voice him within my time and budget constraints. :P
Touché
What would have been inside your time constraints?
That depends. My dad ended up voicing Set, for instance, because I went down to the wire without being able to find someone better. (As opposed to, say, Arman, whom he was basically born to voice.)
I actually ended up getting Matt Gall to voice the narration at the beginning; so really, he is the voice of Duvalier, but I made a decision to keep all of the player-selected lines unvoiced for the reasons I mentioned in my post above.
Do you have plans to make Telepath RPG games in a chronological fashion, or are you going to go back to old stories and retell portions of them from different viewpoints in new games?
I do not consider myself bound by any sort of strict chronology; events happen during whatever time period best suits the story I want to tell.
Oh, I see. That makes a lot of sense.
Do you think you'll ever run out of themes for your stories? I mean, they seem to be largely based around various forms of social injustice [racism, the injustice of theocracies] with other themes underneath [the consequences of warring, abuse of the legal system, suppression of knowledge due to religion], but I could be wrong on that.
I have quite a few story ideas saved up; I doubt I'll run out of them any time soon. :)
How do you maintain your work ethic?
Um, I dunno. Via the proper application of latent Obsessive Compulsive Disorder? :D
Quote from: CraigStern on August 23, 2012, 06:54:21 AM
Um, I dunno. Via the proper application of latent Obsessive Compulsive Disorder? :D
Are you sure it's not just the power of pure awesomeness that flows through your veins, releasing itself into your work?
If that were true, I'd donate blood more often; improve national productivity.
What made you stay away from generic fantasy settings and peoples? I mean, I don't recognize any of the races you have in the telepath universe except Human and Lizardman.
Was it that you specifically didn't want to do what everyone else had done, or more that the existing templates couldn't be used to convey exactly what you wanted out of them?
While reading your question, Duckling, I wondered why the use of Lizardmen? Craig: did you feel that the already existing races were unable to provide further diversity?
Well, I've seen some form of man-lizard hybrid in at least two other games, the more notable of the two being Argonians from the Elder Scrolls games [The name of the less notable case I don't remember].
Quote from: Duckling on August 23, 2012, 10:07:33 PM
What made you stay away from generic fantasy settings and peoples?
The better question is, "Why does
anyone use them?" What kind of a genre is Fantasy where everyone presents the same fantasy? There's nothing fantastical about reprising the same tired tropes over and over again. It's just laziness.
As for why I'm using lizardmen: I felt like it, basically. I had some ideas for interesting things I could do with them, so I decided to make them part of the game world. I can't think of any RPGs that have done anything all that interesting with lizardmen other than the Elder Scrolls games, and even then, the interesting stuff is basically just relegated to flavor text. They're not ubiquitous in the way that dwarves, elves, goblins and dragons are.
Quote from: CraigStern on August 24, 2012, 08:13:33 PM
I can't think of any RPGs that have done anything all that interesting with lizardmen other than the Elder Scrolls games, and even then, the interesting stuff is basically just relegated to flavor text. They're not ubiquitous in the way that dwarves, elves, goblins and dragons are.
My favorite type of race that is somewhat like that is: Slithzerikai from Avernum series. But yes other than Elder Scrolls, not many types of classes/races like that. I still think that lizard men that you made are very much like monks from d and d, but thats just a personal thought.
I haven't revealed much of their culture yet, but funnily enough, the lizardmen do have a sort of spiritual martial arts tradition loosely inspired by Varzesh-e-Bastani.
Why do mental skills always hit, even if the attacker is blinded?
I would guess that it is because the mental sensory aspect of Psy exists separately from the optic nerve, and so even when blinded, the accuracy of Psy-guided skills that lock onto minds doesn't diminish.
But you'll probably want to hear something from Craig as well.
Mental attacks are mind-to-mind: there is no way to physically Dodge them.
About the blinding bit, specifically: psy works independently of sight. (There are about a million examples of this I could cite from TSoG, but I'm sure you can think of them pretty easily yourself.)
Sorry if this has been asked before, but is it a coincidence that Malignus and Cygnus rhyme?
Yes.
How long did it take for you to make TRPG 2?
Nine months.
Quote from: CraigStern on October 03, 2012, 06:49:44 PMQuote from: SmartyPants on October 03, 2012, 11:48:01 AMWhy do mental skills always hit, even if the attacker is blinded?
About the blinding bit, specifically: psy works independently of sight. (There are about a million examples of this I could cite from TSoG, but I'm sure you can think of them pretty easily yourself.)
Are you saying that psy abilities is a type of sixth sense, and if one become blinded then one doesn't lose their sixth sense like how a blind person doesn't lose his/her hearing?
Are there any major updates for TT? I checked twitter (https://twitter.com/sinisterdesign), but the only thing I seem to find is your opinion on Romney.
In effect, yes. Mental attacks, specifically, target the mind (which is invisible in any event). As long as a telepath can sense the target's mind, they can target it.
About Twitter: I've been at Indiecade since Wednesday, and so haven't been tweeting as regularly as I usually do. Rest assured that I've been working on TT, however! I'll cover my progress once I get back home.
Will orbs be a droppable item on the Dundar Archipelago or are all the orbs still in Cera Bella?
Orbs do not appear in Telepath Tactics. (Which isn't to say that you couldn't easily mod them in.)
I was looking over the Match Options (http://sinisterdesign.net/wiki/index.php?title=Telepath_Tactics#Match_Options) for TT, and I was wondering if you plan on letting people toggle with Friendly Fire like in previous games.
Nope: in this game, friendly fire is always on. It adds strategy and discourages AOE spamming. ;)
Worth noting: part of the reason I left friendly fire off by default in the previous games is that the maps were relatively small, and the player had much less flexibility in terms of moving units around. Forcing friendly fire under those circumstances would have meant drastically increasing the games' difficulty.
In Telepath Tactics, however, the maps tend to be much larger, and it's way way easier to maneuver your units around. (Notably, you can move one unit a few steps, go move some other units, then come back and move the first unit some more.) So there's a lot of flexibility there. Friendly fire is something you can work around pretty effectively now, so it's staying in as a constant factor in battles.
A random thought just popped into my head, were shadowlings inspired by the Pokemon ghastly?
No: I'd never even seen "gastly" before until a friend pointed it out to me this past year.
Actually, I created the shadowlings to look like a villain I dreamed up a long, long time ago when I ran Dungeons and Dragons sessions with my childhood best friend. However, because I was new to Flash when I designed them, I simplified the shape of their heads to large black balls. The other elements of their appearance (the smoke, the eyes, the floating hands) all predate my exposure to Pokemon.
Iassume telepath tactics will be like TSoG in terms of payment? e.i. demo with the full game costing money?
Yup, pretty much: there will be a free demo, and the full game will probably be about $10.
Quote from: CraigSternI want this game to be full assed. Think about that for a second.
I looking forwarded to the
full assed game!
As well you should be! ;)
Has your name on Twitter always been "Plague Stern"?
Nope; I changed it for Halloween, and will be changing it back again afterward.
Quote from: Plague SternGarrett the Impaler. Feel free to take a wild guess what character class he is.
Clearly, he is a psy healer
If Set wasn't a pacifist, then could he kill someone by using Solid State Shield?
Quote from: SmartyPants on October 31, 2012, 03:39:41 PM
Quote from: Plague SternGarrett the Impaler. Feel free to take a wild guess what character class he is.
Clearly, he is a psy healer
If Set wasn't a pacifist, then could he kill someone by using Solid State Shield?
I see... cunning: creating a solid state shield inside an enemy. If the shape could be oblong or even straight like a stick, instead of spherical, it would explain why Garrett is named the Impaler.
Being less drastic, we could block an enemy with a few Solid State Shields around him and then push him over a cliff, assuming that we're stronger than our enemy. Or we could just suffocate someone by building a Solid State Shield around him.
Why is it that flash games always seem to use vector animation instead of frame by frame animation? Does it cause a lot of lag, or is it just too much effort?
Quote from: SmartyPants on October 31, 2012, 03:39:41 PMIf Set wasn't a pacifist, then could he kill someone by using Solid State Shield?
In an if-this-was-real-life sense, and not in a supported-by-the-game-engine sense: yes. If the target was asleep, unarmed, or otherwise unable to break the shield in time, and Set managed to make it airtight, he could suffocate someone with one.
Quote from: TheWanderingShadow on November 03, 2012, 01:00:35 AM
Why is it that flash games always seem to use vector animation instead of frame by frame animation? Does it cause a lot of lag, or is it just too much effort?
Frame by frame animation is way, way more time-consuming (and difficult) to create than vector tween animations. Tweening is a way to get a game's animations made quickly and cheaply.
What do you mean by "free targeting or constrained targeting" on your twitter post?
See attached.
Does that mean that constrained targeting only allows perpendicular attacks, while free targetting allows for diagonal attacks in addition to perpendicular attacks?
Yes. Constrained targeting is what all of the Telepath games have used so far; free targeting is a new feature.
That seems interesting. I noticed the example of constrained targeting you used was bow(man/woman). Would I be wrong in deducting that bow(men/women) don't know how to aim diagonally?
Nope. Constrained targeting is there for gameplay reasons: it makes it much easier to tell whether an attack will be blocked by a wall, or whether an attack will score a backstab bonus. Thus, I'm only using free targeting in multiplayer and the main campaign for attacks without backstab or line-of-sight requirements (e.g. Shadowport).
Speaking of line of sight, will we have a "fog of war" option in TT? and if so will it also appear in the campaign?
Both of these things are already in the game. ;)
Why did you change the Heat answer from "Wisdom lies in great passion" to "Wisdom lies in quick and decisive action"?
Both wordings get at the mental state that Heat affinity requires (strong emotions and impulsivity), but I wanted to try an alternate wording because of how few people were responding to "great passion." Great passion doesn't seem like a very good fit for wisdom no matter your philosophy--quick and decisive action fits the question much better.
What are you using to implement multiplayer in TT?
Player.iO.
Could you name some turn based strategy games displayed on isometric boards?
Disgaea, Final Fantasy Tactics, and Eternal Poison all come immediately to mind.
And there's The Osiris Conflict, that Ben Olding game. Actually, that's more like tactics.
Sorry if this has been asked before, but fridge logic has struck:
Why on earth did the founders of Ravinale build it in the middle of a desert?
It isn't in the middle of the desert: it's on the edge of it, on the coast.
What dimensions are the sprites in TT?
What are your opinions on computer controlled allies in RPGs?
Quote from: TheWanderingShadow on November 24, 2012, 08:53:16 AM
What dimensions are the sprites in TT?
Tiles are 64 x 64; destructible objects are 64 pixels wide and up to 96 pixels high (it's variable).
Characters are kept in sprite sheets, each frame of which is 96 pixels wide by 112 pixels high (though most of that space is for animations--the actual characters themselves are generally about 32 to 40 pixels wide and 64 pixels high at rest.)
Quote from: TheWanderingShadow on November 24, 2012, 08:53:16 AMWhat are your opinions on computer controlled allies in RPGs?
It depends on the type of RPG, and on how smart the computer-controlled allies are. In turn-based tactical RPGs, I often enjoy having a computer-controlled allied force in larger battles. (See e.g. (http://youtu.be/L-pHb8WUMkc?hd=1&t=10m5s))
QuoteDEVELOPER CHAT. All of the $75-tier rewards, plus chat with Telepath Tactics developer Craig Stern on Skype! Want feedback on a project idea? Want to ask him deeply uncomfortable personal questions? He's all yours for 1 hour!
How uncomfortably personal are the questions allowed to be? >:D
As uncomfortable as you like!
Have you thought of promoting Telepath Tactics on your newgrounds profile (http://malthedestroyer.newgrounds.com/)? It might be worth a try, since it is how I learned about Servants of God.
Yup! I keep meaning to do that: hopefully, I'll have some time to do it tomorrow.
I read the latest kickstarter update, and I was wondering if it "Dark Spriggats" or "Black Spriggats"?
Honestly? I can never remember. It's one of those. :P
Between wRPGs and jRPGs, which do you prefer?
It depends on what I'm in the mood for; in general, they provide very different types of experiences.
For larger maps,will there be an option to boost movement? (such as every 100 squares added boosts movement by 2)
You mean, have characters move further on larger maps? I suppose I could do that, but it just begs the question: why not design the map around characters' current movement range?
Out of curiosity, why is Duvalier the only one allowed to capture the space?
Because balance. (Imagine how easy those battles would become if Arman or Malis could do it!)
Is there any way to make the Telepath Tactics demo windowed? Because I'm not a very big fan of full-screen.
Duvalier likes to involuntarily read minds. Has anyone read his mind without his knowledge?
Synthion: yes, there's a windowed mode.
Quote from: Sythion on December 21, 2012, 05:42:38 AM
Is there any way to make the Telepath Tactics demo windowed? Because I'm not a very big fan of full-screen.
Control + F toggles fullscreen mode on and off.
Quote from: SmartyPants on January 06, 2013, 09:02:13 PM
Duvalier likes to involuntarily read minds. Has anyone read his mind without his knowledge?
Anya can do it during the course of the story, though I imagine the player typically figures that fact out pretty quickly.
Why is TPA2 the only game one can download from your site that has "Sinister Design" as the publisher? Every other download comes up as "Unknown Publisher".
Are you playing the Windows version? That's probably because I didn't use the AIR installer for the Windows version of TPA2.
At what point in a round of TT does the AI plan its move? Does it recalculate its strategy when you move one of your characters? Or does it do that when its turn begins?
Right now, it does it on a character-by-character basis over the course of its turn; there isn't an overarching turn-level strategy heuristic in place yet.
So are there plans to allow the AI to begin strategizing against the player? Strategies such as flanking?
I'm planning a couple of new additions to the AI, but I'm not sure how much farther I'll take it; the game can already hang a bit in certain situations when the AI is thinking, and I don't want to slow down the pace of the game too much. ;)
From the way I'm reading your posts regarding the TT Dialogue Editor, it seems to me that you're having a lot of fun creating the tool you wished you had when making TSoG.
I dunno if I'd call it "fun," exactly, but it's very satisfying to make such steady progress on a new system that I know is going to be really handy going forward. ;)
You wouldn't happen to remember where TRPG2 stores it's save files, would you?
That depends on where you're playing the game. I would just do a search for *.sol and include hidden files.
Where'd the ideas for telepath come from...and is there going to be another?
The first couple of games were sort of stream-of-consciousness, in that I just had some ideas and ran with them. Telepath RPG: Servants of God had some more specific sources of inspiration (http://sinisterdesign.net/meanwhile-in-real-life/). I am working on a new Telepath game (http://sinisterdesign.net/products/telepath-tactics/) right now. :)
I'm making a top-down perspective 3D shooter, and I've managed to make the world generate random buildings at a certain approximate density in any direction the player explores. However, once you explore a certain amount of the city, the game starts to have framerate issues. I'm thinking that this is because of the large number of buildings it's performing perspective 3D graphics calculations on, since I have five polygons to each one, and before long you might have a thousand large shapes on the screen that Flash is trying to render all at once, even though they're not onscreen. I could be wrong on that.
But I'm thinking that there are at least two ways to try to deal with this. The first is a quick fix that probably won't help in the very long term: I could set the .visible properties of all the buildings not nearby to false. That, I think, would help a bit. But I'm wondering if it wouldn't help more to actually write the positions and dimensions [and later, contents] of all the buildings outside of a certain range to strings, and just get rid of them [null them, I guess]. When going back to the spot, I'd just bring in the relevant strings and reconvert them back to buildings.
But even that, I'm worried, will be part of Flash's working memory, and will continue to expand as one explores the world and builds new machines and turrets and whatnot. So then my best long-term solution so far is to try and write the strings I just mentioned to .sols and just write all that to the user's drive memory. That way, almost none of the data pertaining to things outside of a certain range would add to Flash's memory consumption.
I'm saying all of this because I was wondering what you think, off hand, might be the best way of the ways I've mentioned, or if you knew of any better way. I mean, I've seen far more done with Flash [the game I'm working on is graphically very simple so far], so it's somewhat confusing to me that it should start chugging this early in development when there are almost no features; I'm wondering if I'm missing something obvious that any developer should know about doing more with less processing power.
If it would help to see the game itself, I can provide an attachment.
Duckling: what if you used to generate the buildings a function of the position instead of the random number generator? In this case it would be easy to reconstruct whatever you needed if the player goes back, so you could "throw away" what is far away.
I'm assuming that the position of buildings can occur for integers x and y. A nice function could be something like:
sin2(n x + p) * sin2(m y + q),
with very large real values of n and m and p, q in [0, 2π] chosen randomly in the beginning of the game.
Ah! I hadn't thought about using a sort of seed like that, rather than true random numbers, to make it easy to reconstruct the buildings. I can see where that would be quite helpful. I mean, it would have to be a bit more complicated than that, because the buildings are actually generated on peg-boards at regular intervals [the engine chooses random peg-board dimensions, and then fits a random rectangle around those pegs, which are always at the same spots in a grid pattern. I was trying to emulate blocks in a city, with straight roads in between clutches of buildings], but the idea could still work for basic building generation.
Although, that will only work if the buildings are completely permanent, whereas I'm hoping to eventually have dynamic building construction and destruction. Still, I'm sure I can find something that a random seed as opposed to total randomness would help with.
The picture below is of how building generation works -- it figures out which subset of the pegs the building will form a rectangle around, and then checks to see if the building it puts there will overlap with another building.
Oh! And lest I forget: thanks, Ert.
The most efficient way to keep track of structures in a 2D space, IMO, is probably to use a Vector (http://help.adobe.com/en_US/FlashPlatform/reference/actionscript/3/Vector.html), preferably one using a memory-light data type (i.e. not Strings). Assuming there is no need to keep track of decimals or negative values, Vector<uint> is probably your best bet for that. Alternatively, if you take Ert's suggestion and you only need to know whether a building has been destroyed or not, you could go with the even-more-efficient Vector<Boolean>.
I'd avoid relying too heavily on .sols for data storage at runtime, given that Flash defaults to an arbitrary low limit on how much .sol data it stores on a user's computer without them manually changing it.
Do shadowlings' eyes actually glow slightly, or are they just bright colours?
Depends on whether they are Tastidian or not. ;)
This isn't a question, but all the recent stuff you've added that you mentioned in the Developer's Log looks amazing. :3
Heh. Thanks! :D
Do you plan on making another "Let's play"?
Right now I'm working full-time, developing a game, running IndieRPGs.com, preparing for PAX East, preparing to launch a Kickstarter, and doing my best to spend enough time with my girlfriend that she doesn't dump me. ;)
So yes, I do definitely want to get back to those, but that will have to wait until I'm under less severe time constraints!
I don't remember if this was asked before. But will there be voice acting in Telepath Tactics?
It is supported by the engine, but based on the lack of enthusiasm for it in the Kickstarter stretch goal poll, I doubt that it would be worth the considerable effort of recording voice-overs and adding them into the game.
Is it possible for one item in TT to grant multiple attacks? Or just one?
In the build you have? No. In the updated build? Yes--you'll just stick a forward slash between each attack.
Okay. I tried that with attacks, because I saw it worked with the status effects on shadow attacks, and it didn't like it. It gave me a blank attack with no details or use.
A suggestion, just in case you haven't thought of it: When an item restores both restores PsP and boosts max PsP, it will restore the PsP to the current max first, then boost the max. The logic there seems a little off, in my honest opinion.
[spoiler]
And by the way, congrats Craig. You and your Alpha Demo were both addictive and distracting to me tonight. I like how easy the Attacks, Objects, and ItemClass files are to read, comprehend, and edit. :D
[/spoiler]
The enemy AI seems to have gotten smarter and more devious since I last updated (Not the latest version. That you say you've put up. The one before that.) It's beating me in just a few turns now, when before I could usually win, albeit at a large cost.
Quote from: bugfartboy on March 14, 2013, 11:49:44 PM
Okay. I tried that with attacks, because I saw it worked with the status effects on shadow attacks, and it didn't like it. It gave me a blank attack with no details or use.
Can you tell me what you typed? I tested it with a few different attacks before releasing the latest alpha demo yesterday; it should work.
Quote from: bugfartboy on March 14, 2013, 11:49:44 PM
A suggestion, just in case you haven't thought of it: When an item restores both restores PsP and boosts max PsP, it will restore the PsP to the current max first, then boost the max. The logic there seems a little off, in my honest opinion.
What about the behavior seems off to you?
Quote from: bugfartboy on March 14, 2013, 11:49:44 PM
[spoiler]
And by the way, congrats Craig. You and your Alpha Demo were both addictive and distracting to me tonight. I like how easy the Attacks, Objects, and ItemClass files are to read, comprehend, and edit. :D
[/spoiler]
The enemy AI seems to have gotten smarter and more devious since I last updated (Not the latest version. That you say you've put up. The one before that.) It's beating me in just a few turns now, when before I could usually win, albeit at a large cost.
Thanks! I'm glad to hear that this is moving in the right direction for you. :)
I erased the attack code already. I do remember that part of it went something like
grantsAtk="Glare/Soar"
I had checked every other portion of the line for errors and it was all okay. grantsAtk was the only part that wasn't working the way I wanted.
It seemed a little odd to me that the game wouldn't boost your max PsP before restoring PsP, so you could take full effect of the restoration. Same with health.
Ah--I figured out the issue, I think. The game actually boosts current and max PsP / health simultaneously, but the hit point bar animation wasn't taking account of the increased maximum, so it probably looked like it was not factoring it in. That's now fixed for the next update.
I'm still not sure why that grantsAtk code wouldn't work; it looks okay to me. Did you update your demo install yesterday?
No I wasn't. For some reason I thought I had said that I hadn't updated the demo install yet, but apparently not. I haven't tried with the 1.10 yet. Anyways, I found a bug in the latest update. To the found bug! (http://sinisterdesign.net/forum/index.php?topic=1229.msg45401#msg45401)
And now a question:
How does "Transfer" work in TT. I'm looking at the line for it, and I see nothing that would cause it to take PsP away from the user. Perhaps I'm just misunderstanding it.
~Edit~
I'm guessing that it's shield element is what allows it to boost PsP.
The Shield element is what makes it boost instead of taking away; the atkAffects="Energy" attribute is what makes it affect Energy instead of Health. And the variable attack cost is currently something hard-coded into the engine; I forgot about that one. I'll fix that now. :)
I've seen a couple of suggestions regarding the port of TT to Android/iOS. How hard do you estimate it would be?
It would be quite challenging. We're looking at--at a bare minimum--weeks of work. But I think it juuuuust might be worth it. ;)
What's the little golden oval thing under the Spearman's chestpiece? A buckle? I'm drawing some art, and I want to be able to get it right.
[I asked this question once already, and I think it might have disappeared maybe. Weird.]
Quote from: Duckling on March 17, 2013, 08:21:32 PM
What's the little golden oval thing under the Spearman's chestpiece? A buckle?
Yup! That's the buckle for his belt. You can see it in the title screen art (see attached).
How did you fix the variable PsP cost so that it wasn't hard coded in? Or rather, in what way is it moddable?
Basically, I recoded it so that if you set an attack's selfFocusFactor to a negative number, it multiplies it by the "damage" of the attack (as normal), but instead of draining that amount in extra Energy when the attack is launched, it adds it to the attack's up-front cost. So Transfer has a cost of 0 and a selfFocusFactor of -1, which results in the attack's cost being whatever amount of Energy the character is going to transfer over.
Is there a way to combine the effects of Drain and Mind Shield into one attack? A sort of retrograde effect? So that you can drain your target's energy at the cost of healing it. Possibly by putting a negative sign in front of the variable that an attack is supposed to affect. Something like
affects="Health/-Energy"
~Edit~
Just a little grammatical issue. Don't mind me!
Right now? No. But it's an interesting idea!
I'm sorry this only occurred to me know; Can I use my (Avatar) image here, and in other places as long as I don't claim credit and send them to here if asked?
Sure! :)
Thanks! (I absolutely love this picture)
This may make me seem like a whining five-year-old, but any idea when a modding guide will be released for maps? I understand what some of the numbers represent, but figuring out what combinations of letters and numbers put a certain tile where is beyond me.
This next bit is more of an extremely whiny rant. You can ignore it if you want.
[spoiler]
~~Start of Rant~~
I really like how easy the game is to mod, but I feel like you over-complicated it in a few ways. Now, I have no clue how many drops of sweat, blood, and tears you've put into this game. I assume it's a lot. How the game operates behind the scenes is beyond me.
I feel like you could have coded the game to spawn new units on the map without making a "Create" element, but rely solely on the "creates" variable in an attack. Or healing could have used the aforementioned "-Health" and/or "-Energy" under the "affects" variable in an attack. For logical reasons the "-" could drain Health or Energy and a lack of one would restore.
I mean no disrespect. I really have been having a blast playing around with it all. I've actually not touched the campaign but more than two or three times. Either way, it seems a little over-complicated.
~~End of Rant~~
[/spoiler]
Will there be any more story or character (http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1426761469/telepath-tactics/posts/358685) updates (http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1426761469/telepath-tactics/posts/359556) on the kickstarter?
Quote from: bugfartboy on March 30, 2013, 12:43:33 AMany idea when a modding guide will be released for maps?
Not sure. The map tiles are formatted in such a way as to make it easy to spot errors while also supporting custom tilesets; they're not designed to be hand-edited. For actually editing those things, I highly recommend using the map editor.
Quote from: SmartyPants on March 30, 2013, 12:54:07 PM
Will there be any more story or character (http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1426761469/telepath-tactics/posts/358685) updates (http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1426761469/telepath-tactics/posts/359556) on the kickstarter?
Possibly; I'd rather avoid tying myself down, though. My writing style is such that I like to write things, then edit, and edit, and edit...if I commit to certain things on KS, it limits my flexibility. And the ultimate goal with the narrative is to deliver the best, most compelling story I can, not to make commitments about it before I know how it's going to pan out.
What is the advantage of xml files over txt files?
From my end, there are a lot of really good "off the shelf" tools for parsing XML files; txt files don't have that same level of support.
From your end, pretty much anything that can edit txt files can edit XML files.
Your first answer was the one I was looking for. I have found that Notepad ++ has a definite advantage against a basic text editor, such as regular Notepad.
I don't feel like creating a Reddit account to ask you questions, when I can do it here.
Do you have any plans for after Telepath Tactics?
Yes; I want to make one of two possible games. I'm not sure which I'll go for just yet. We'll see!
Is the new scoring feature somthing that can be used in scripts? Example: recieve an amount of gold equal to .4 of your score?
I like that idea; I'll keep that in mind. ;)
Is it possible to create a character that visually takes up four spaces on a map in TT? Or will it require theoretical smoke and mirrors? Even more importantly, to me anyway, is it possible to create an attack that affects a 2x2 square? Or will this too require extra modding magic?
All characters are 1 space; you'll need smoke and mirrors to accomplish something that appears as something bigger.
Custom AOE configurations are not yet supported, and 2 x 2 isn't one of the built in ones. That's something I'd like to change, though.
What do you think is the benefit, in turn-based games, to have units trade attacks blow for blow(ala Fire Emblem, though I'm sure there are a bunch of other examples)?
Counterattacks, you mean? In games where each player can move is or her entire team at once (i.e. where individual character turns aren't divided between the players), counterattacks are a buffer against the first player to strike being able to totally overwhelm the other.
In one of the Kickstarter updates, you said that Jinns may inhabit dead bodies. Does that mean that Jinns can become psychic zombies?
Quote from: SmartyPants on April 30, 2013, 01:13:57 PM
In one of the Kickstarter updates, you said that Jinns may inhabit dead bodies. Does that mean that Jinns can become psychic zombies?
Effectively, yes--but I'm so bored to death of zombies that I'm hesitant to actually make use of this in a game. Maybe if I can think of something interesting to accomplish with it.
Zombies can still be fun as long as you avoid undead clichés like infectious diseases, flesh eating, and necromancy.
Are you ready for the influx of bug reports and complaints?
I guess I'd better be. :P
Does enemy AI play fair in fog-of-war maps?
No. Not yet, anyway.
Have you considered the possibility of simultaneous turns?
I mean: both players submit their moves and they're processed at the same time.
I understand that this would probably mean a totally new game engine.
On top of that, there are difficulties like: which unit should occupy a space if two want to go there; and when attacking, are you attacking the enemy unit or the space it was occupying the previous turn.
By the way, Craig, you forgot your evil laughter on your previous post! :)
Sorry, I'm pretty sure this must have been asked before but I couldn't find it via search, so here it goes:
Will we be able to include our own sprites and tilesets?
Quote from: Ertxiem on May 01, 2013, 08:16:04 AMHave you considered the possibility of simultaneous turns?
I mean: both players submit their moves and they're processed at the same time.
I've thought about it; it wouldn't work in a fantasy setting built primarily on melee attacks. It would end up like a missile defense game, in that you'd have to try to predict where enemy melee units are going to move, then intercept them with your own. Characters would spend turns just moving at and missing each other. It would be dull and frustrating, especially on a grid.
Quote from: mirromaru on May 01, 2013, 01:46:18 PMWill we be able to include our own sprites and tilesets?
Yes! Instructions for creating your own tileset are currently on page 31 of the manual; I haven't created instructions for custom character and object sprites yet, but those are supported as well.
Is there any way to have a player set variable, such as a name?
~Edit~
How does one set the starting "map" file for a User Campaign? Or is that currently hard coded into the game?
Quote from: bugfartboy on May 01, 2013, 08:12:08 PM
Is there any way to have a player set variable, such as a name?
Custom string variables (e.g. names) are not yet supported. You can set numerical variables using the SetVal action.
Quote from: bugfartboy on May 01, 2013, 08:12:08 PM
How does one set the starting "map" file for a User Campaign? Or is that currently hard coded into the game?
Just edit Introduction.xml to change the start of the campaign. (Every campaign starts by playing its own Introduction.xml automatically.)
Are you required to set nextbattle to another map? I know you can set it to "none".
I ask because I've been manually playing around with things in a new campaign, and the introduction isn't wanting to load. In other words, it gives me a solid black screen, and nothing else.
It's hard to say what the problem is without knowing your setup there. Did you just copy-paste the Kovit Introduction.xml into the Maps subdirectory of a new campaign folder? Did you make any changes?
Other than "campaign" and the content between the Narration tags, no.
<Level mapname="Introduction" maptype="Cut Scene" maxplayers="1" musictrack="TitleTheme" nextbattle="none" campaign="New Campaign">
<Narration>Once upon a time there was a magical spirit. This spirit liked making water turn to ice, just to melt it again!</Narration>
</Level>
I just tried that XML code out and it worked fine.
Are you sure you've got all the other XML files you need in your campaign's main directory? Maps won't load if the game fails to find Attacks.xml, CharClasses.xml, CharNames.xml, ItemClasses.xml, ObjClasses.xml, or PersistentDialog.xml sitting in the campaign folder. All of them have to be present.
That would probably be it. I have none of those in my campaign folder.
That would be the problem, then. :)
Do they need actual content? (Aside from the important tags at the beginning and end)
~Edit~
It might have also helped if I had Introduction.xml in the maps folder.
Not sure; I haven't ever experimented with leaving them blank. You could experiment, but it's probably safest to just copy-paste the Kovit ones and edit as needed.
For future reference: The game doesn't seem to mind when the files are nearly empty. I left the important tags in, and removed everything else. It worked regardless.
I know that Character leveling is disabled in Multiplayer, but is it possible in Singleplayer?
~Edit~
I'm seeing stats with numbers assigned to them inside the OnLevelUp tags. Is this the probability of that particular stat being picked? If so, would setting all of them to 0 essentially nullify the effects of leveling up?
Is it possible to use a negative range on attacks without disabling the game?
What specific impact does Aptitude have on Hero training cost? Percentage or otherwise.
(I realize I'm asking a good number of questions, and I apologize. I should slow down and eventually let up once I feel I understand enough.) :)
Yes, the numbers in OnLevelUp correlate to a stat's probability of selection. Setting them all to zero might glitch out the game; if it doesn't, though, it would just mean no stat gain on level up.
Don't set attack range to a negative; it will likely crash the game.
Aptitude is not a stat in Telepath Tactics, and there is no built-in character training. You can add those in via custom variables and dialog if you like.
I knew it wasn't in TT. I meant in previous games: TRPG2 and TSoG.
Ah.
I believe the formula differed a little bit between the games. In TSoG, the gold cost for training a given stat was always reduced by 10 times the character's Aptitude, with a minimum cost to train of 35 gold.
I'm trying to add custom characters to a map, but the editor isn't registering anything from CharClasses.xml in my Campaign folder. I'm sure I've done something wrong, but I'm not sure what. I modeled my lines after those in Kovit's CharClasses.xml. Any ideas as to what I may have done wrong?
Make sure it's drawing from the correct Class Pool.
I select the proper Class Pool, and every selection for adding a unit vanishes. It does return if I cancel adding a unit.
You have the str attribute twice in all of your OnLevelUp tags for some reason. Make sure you don't duplicate attributes like that--it messes with the parser! ;)
It works now. I'll keep in mind that repetition isn't friendly when it comes to writing. Thanks Craig!
How do I pull up the menu? I can't figure out how to save my game or how to exit my game without pulling up the task manager.
The game just autosaves right now. You can quit to the main menu by using Shift + Control + Q or by right-clicking and selecting quit from the right-click menu. (The right-click menu will be replaced by a proper menu at some point.)
Does the game require at least one unit to be on the map to load it?
Quote from: CraigStern on May 05, 2013, 07:01:33 PM
Yeah, I'm aware of that exploit. I'm planning to fix it sooner or later.
Awwww
Quote from: bugfartboy on May 05, 2013, 07:13:17 PM
Does the game require at least one unit to be on the map to load it?
Try it and see. ;)
I have been, and the map hasn't been loading. I'm not sure if it's the lack of units or something wrong with the dialogue.
Most likely, it's that the map needs units.
Is it possible to change a character's movement type with an action? For example, give a character flight for a battle. I'm looking through the modding section of the manual, and it seems you can change every stat except that.
Not currently, no.
If you had dialog set to occur on turn 0 set in PersistentDialog.xml, and then set dialog to occur on turn 0 in a specific battle, which would take precedence? Would PersistentDialog.xml happen first, then the battle specific dialog? Or would it be inverted? (I'm really hoping the battle specific Dialog would take precedence.)
On another note, is there currently any dialog trigger that can detect when a specific character ends their turn on a specified space?
Quote from: bugfartboy on May 09, 2013, 10:44:36 AM
If you had dialog set to occur on turn 0 set in PersistentDialog.xml
I cannot imagine why you would ever want to do that. That dialog would appear at the start of every single battle in the game!
Quote from: bugfartboy on May 09, 2013, 10:44:36 AM
On another note, is there currently any dialog trigger that can detect when a specific character ends their turn on a specified space?
Yes:
OnReachingSpace. I think I might've forgotten to post about it, and I'm pretty sure that that's because I haven't tested it to make sure it's 100% working yet, so gimme a couple of days on that one.
It's more of a "Make sure the player's team starts with full health by multiplying their drain by -100 at the start of every battle, then end the dialog" than actual dialog. I was curious if it would conflict with any actual dialog I inserted into the map itself.
I'm not sure. Why not give it a try? :)
They play fair, and it seems the map specific OnTurn/0/ comes into play before the PersistentDialog does. I may have spoken too soon... Hmm...
Will we be seeing a special sub-thread for user-generated content in the Telepath Tactics Thread?
[spoiler=P.S.]
P.S. I keep striking things above out, partially because it seems that sometimes I get the dialog correct, and they play fair until I change something without knowing and they stop liking each other.
[/spoiler]
Quote from: bugfartboy on May 09, 2013, 09:08:24 PM
Will we be seeing a special sub-thread for user-generated content in the Telepath Tactics Thread?
We couuuuuuld do that, but I'm currently investigating the possibility of getting a proper website to host it instead of having some ramshackle forum thing. I'll be posting when I know. ;)
Is it possible I could get an action that I could use to load a map, just to set a few variables, and redirect to another map instantly? It seems that the only way I can send the player to another map is by either
(A)Having them win the map without any opponents, which seems rather unprofessional
-or-
(B)Having them "reply" to a dialog box that just says "Just setting up some variables... Don't mind me!", which seems just as unprofessional
Sure; I'll make a new dialog action called JumpToScene.
Thanks! :) :3
I ask because I want to set a few different variables at the very beginning of the campaign, and can't find anywhere I can put them where they won't be reset anytime I reload a central map.
Okay; it's in. I decided to name it NewScene to keep things consistent with the terminology used in the replies.
Are the installers updated with all the changes you've made?
Side Note:
In the manual, under Types of Actions, you're counting [1,2,3,2,3,4,...]
One last little update: the Actions Window now has a Next Character button. Just a little oversight I wanted to correct.
I'll be updating the installers momentarily.
Is there currently any way to compare a variable with another variable? An "if" and "goto" statement in particular?
Nope, but I can totally add one. ;)
That would be incredible! ;)
Is there currently any way to play custom music in a battle?
For technical reasons that are boring and probably not worth discussing, you're limited to the tracks available in the game. I'll look into ways of getting around that in the future, but that is how it's going to be for some time going forward.
Well, technically, you can always stop the game's music and play something else on your preferred media player.
I noticed the trigger "OnCharAttacked" isn't in the "completed" manual... ;)
"Completed" isn't strictly correct; it just now covers all areas of modding. The manual can't be complete until the game is complete, because I'm continuing to refine things and add features.
But yeah, I must have forgotten that one. :P
I did eventually figure out all the parameters, based on Garret the Impaler's dialog triggers.
Is there any way to have onCharAttacked triggered on the same character multiple times in the same map? I.E. (http://sinisterdesign.net/forum/index.php?topic=919.msg45825#msg45825) Allowing The Talker to start the same conversation with The Dummy multiple times without me reloading the map anytime the conversation ends?
That's a thing that's on my List: making it so you can set dialog to get triggered more than once per battle.
Quote from: CraigStern on May 16, 2013, 10:04:39 PM
Telepath Tactics has a new dialog trigger in-game: OnTalk. This lets the player trigger conversations between characters voluntarily by moving characters adjacent to each other and selecting "Talk" from the Actions Bar. (Think support conversations from Fire Emblem.)
OnTalk has only two parameters: the names of two characters. (These are the characters that can initiate the conversation by being adjacent and hitting Talk.)
The installers have been updated.
You just have to keep rendering my shabby workarounds ineffective, don't you? I like it. :)
When is the next shipment of backer rewards expected to go out?
The deadline to submit to Indiecade is Friday, so that's my focus for right now. I'm hoping to get some more of the backer rewards out next week.
Sounds more than reasonable! Go propgate Telepath Tactics throughout the world!
What are the titles of all the music currently available in Telepath Tactics?
This will change, but right now, there are 4 tracks available:
TitleTheme
TacticiansDuel
DeviousSchemes
DeviousSchemes2
(Note that none of Ryan Richko's tracks are currently available in the game.)
Who drew the concept art for the previous games? (such as my avatar)
Lauren Linden (or, as she was known on the forums, "Lethal Laurie").
Is there a reason you didn't use armor values?
In a sense, he did. We have resistances, which can be granted by equipping different pieces of armor.
Quote from: Sythion on June 04, 2013, 01:43:23 AM
Is there a reason you didn't use armor values?
I didn't use arithmetic armor values because I don't like the mathematics that comes along with them. They produce these very stark situations where overleveled characters are untouchable (because they take 0 or 1 damage from enemies), and underleveled characters are 100% useless (because they can't damage enemies).
Using arithmetic armor values also renders certain types of enemy units obsolete after a few battles unless you level them up alongside the player. Think back to Shining Force: most enemies would show up for no more than 4 or 5 battles. They'd be threatening in their debut battle, weaken relative to your characters, and end up totally pathetic by the last fight they appeared in. Then they'd be retired, never to appear again.
By contrast, when you use percentage armor values, enemies remain useful through most of the game. A battle where you fight a ton of low-level enemies remains challenging, since they can actually still deal some damage to you. (I wasn't able to take full advantage of this benefit in earlier Telepath games due to the old 10-enemy unit cap, but that's no longer a limitation in Telepath Tactics.)
Do you know of a way to keep Telepath Tactics pinned to a Windows 7 Taskbar in such a way that it remains valid after updating the game?
Your shortcuts should always remain valid after an update, whether they're on the taskbar or elsewhere.
How do you use the "Edit Character" button in the Map Editor?
That one's not currently working.
In a tabletop RPG, do you think it is better to have all mechanics dictated by rules or have just the bare outlines of rules that give players more freedom of interpretation?
Depends on the kind of game. If it's focused on role-playing, loose rules are better. If it's more focused on tactics and strategy, you need consistent, clearly delineated rules. (If that makes sense.)
I like cyro blast can cyro cross can freeze water?
Also, I assume skill icons are planned, no?
Yes and yes. ;)
You wouldn't have happened to participate in Policy Debate (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Policy_Debate) in high school or college, would you?
Nope: however, while in college, I did minor in International Relations. I also wrote a political column all four years; I ended up as my university's senior political columnist. ;)
That sounds pretty interesting. I'm impressed!
I know that we can listen to the music from the fight against Nelis through the TRPG2 duel mode, but is there anywhere that I can download it as an mp3?
Not currently.
I feel like this was asked before, but who composed and played the music for TT and TRPG3?
I composed the music for Telepath RPG: Servants of God.
Nick Perrin adapted the Telepath Theme for the title music in Telepath Tactics; I did the default "Tacticians' Duel" battle theme, and Ryan Richko is doing the remainder of the Telepath Tactics soundtrack (though I'll probably make a couple of tracks I did myself available as bonus material for modders and such).
Will official sand/desert tiles be released to use in Telepath Tactics?
Not with the game's initial release, no; that wasn't popular enough to become a stretch goal. Possibly in a future expansion or somesuch.
Are actions processed before the dialog is displayed, or vice-versa?
Quote from: bugfartboy on July 09, 2013, 02:15:10 PM
Are actions processed before the dialog is displayed, or vice-versa?
In prior builds, they were processed afterwards; in the latest build, I've swapped it so they process beforehand.
When you make games, do you identify yourself as a programmer, artist, or designer?
I identify as a developer who does programming and design.
Do you know of any workaround to redirect where Telepath Tactics looks to load files from outside of the install directory?
I ask because I think it would be interesting to install the game to a flash drive, and have it run completely off of it without modifying files outside of said flash drive.
That's not currently supported, but I could probably add support for that.
Do you think the NSA should be collecting our email and phone records?
On a related note, do you think "Edward Snowden" would make a great name for a cryokineticists?
Quote from: SmartyPants on July 18, 2013, 04:40:36 PMDo you think the NSA should be collecting our email and phone records?
Not without a warrant, no.
Quote from: SmartyPants on July 18, 2013, 04:40:36 PMOn a related note, do you think "Edward Snowden" would make a great name for a cryokineticists?
The simple fact that it has "Snow" in it makes it a pretty good candidate, I think. :)
Well... You've made enemy AI this (http://sinisterdesign.net/forum/index.php?topic=1224.msg46098#msg46098) terrifying... How long do you predict we have before it allows for intelligent bridge construction?
Bridge construction routines for the AI are not currently on the list of things I have planned; these would be very, very difficult to code, and the time I spent on them would inevitably cut into the list of other features I have planned that will (in my opinion) have a greater impact on the game experience.
Do you ever plan of re-making any of your older games using TT's current engine?
The thought haaaaaas crossed my mind a few times. However, I have new games I want to make, and making those is a higher priority for me than remaking things I've already made.
But hey: with that said, Telepath Tactics features mod support. If you wanted to remake them yourself, there's nothing stopping you. :)
Is the AI clever enough to recognize and calculate the pros and cons of different tiles? Tiles that grant bonuses and penalties, I mean.
The AI accounts for tile bonuses and penalties when it checks the damage a character would do with various attacks.
Is it possible to allow an item to be equipped to multiple slots? Four, to be precise?
~Edit~
To clarify: Not four slots at the same time.
~Edit: Part 2~
Is it possible to add and remove lighting with dialog actions?
~Edit: Part 3~
Is there any particular reason you chose to make coordinate related dialog triggers/actions work in the order of "Y" then "X", rather than the traditional "X" then "Y"?
1. No.
2. Global lighting only.
3. To keep it consistent with the scheme I use while coding the game. (Y-then-X lends itself well to certain coding techniques, particularly the use of multi-dimensional arrays, so I use that exclusively in my code.)
What is your internet browser of choice?
Firefox; I really dislike Chrome's UI, which basically makes Firefox the only really viable remaining option.
[I'd probably use Firefox but for a bug that really impacts fullscreen Flash gaming, which is about half of what I use the internet for anyway, apart from YouTube. And if it's not a bug, it's a really bad feature.]
I'm working on making a videogame again, mostly as a learning exercise, but I've run into an issue I thought perhaps you'd have some knowledge about -- HUDs. I've made a HUD box that serves to give information on anything you roll over with the mouse, and gets redrawn dynamically into a different format/layout of text fields to suit the particular object you're looking at. But since the text fields themselves aren't class variables, I can't directly manipulate their contents from the parent object, which has all the relevant information.
I figure I could make the dynamic textfields just dispatch an event to the parent on their creation, allowing the parent to identify and access the text fields, and store them in an array for later use [i.e., updating their contents in real time]. But that seems possibly a bit sloppy -- I like to use event dispatch access workarounds as a last resort. Do you know of a better way to resolve this access problem? Should I just go and make them class variables and have some var clutter for the sake of not having to deal with that messy workaround? :/
EDIT: Hm, maybe I should meet myself halfway here and create a class variable array to put all the dynamically generated textFields in. I just don't want sloppy code.
I'm assuming that you want a HUD to present info for a small amount of types of stuff, something like: a) tiles, b) items, or c) units.
If you want the HUDs to be different (in info and in style) in each case, you have the possibility of having a set of HUDs (three, following my example above). When hoovering over the object (or clicking it) the required HUD would appear and the others would be hidden.
Well, I'll need a separate one for at least three different types of astronomical body, at least two for monsters and bosses, two or more for different kinds of structures, and one for the player -- a minimum of eight distinct layouts. Technically it would be more like three and five, since the first three show up in a different setting, but I'm not sure at all whether it would be more efficient to have the four other HUDs lying around as distinct unrendered children, or to have to redraw them entirely when they're demanded in order to keep it down to one object. After all, the similarities are greater than the differences.
Quote from: Duckling on July 26, 2013, 12:38:02 AMBut since the text fields themselves aren't class variables, I can't directly manipulate their contents from the parent object, which has all the relevant information.
Are you using AS3? TextField is absolutely a class; you can manipulate the contents of a TextField using its
text property. I usually have a public "update" function in my GUI classes with an array parameter containing all the text to reset my TextFields' text with. (You'll need to setTextFormat after every such update.)
Quote from: CraigStern on July 25, 2013, 02:15:32 PMFirefox; I really dislike Chrome's UI, which basically makes Firefox the only really viable remaining option.
I find it amusing that you didn't even find IE worth mentioning.
Yeah, I'm using AS3, and I get that it's a class. I mean that since in one of my potential solutions, all the TextField objects are generated dynamically, they wouldn't be public variables defined in the class space, and thus would not be directly accessible to a parent object without the help of a workaround.
Anyway, I figured out a way to deal with the whole thing -- I can just shove said TextFields into a public Array, so as to give them a more permanent set of handles.
[EDIT: oops. I guess "dynamically" wasn't quite the word I was looking for, but thanks a lot anyway. My problem was stemming from the way I was defining the fields inside a method of the HUD object -- scope made them a lot less accessible to the parent of the HUD object itself, or the fields' "grandparent", so to speak.]
Quote from: Duckling on July 26, 2013, 10:25:27 AMin one of my potential solutions, all the TextField objects are generated dynamically, they wouldn't be public variables defined in the class space, and thus would not be directly accessible to a parent object without the help of a workaround
public var newTextField:TextField = new TextField();Boom! Accessible to the parent. :)
(I do happen to think that a public array is a better solution, though.)
Although I doubt it, does setting an item's useableWith to "automatic" qualify in the game code as the item being "equipped" to some generic slot?
Nope; automatic just means the item is used immediately upon pickup.
Is it possible to run actual dialog through a script?
No.
Is there any particular reason that made you decide to have golems be made of bronze instead of other metals such as iron or steel?
It fit better with the steampunk technology I envisioned them running on.
Is there an action to remove an item from a character?
Nope; I'll add that now. ;)
Seeing as the modding community has started to manifest on the forums, will you be creating a "Modding" subthread?
Is the proper action to remove a character from a certain coordinate "RemoveFromCoords" or "RemoveCharFromCoords"? In the list it's the former, but in the usage example it's the latter.
Ooh, good catch. It's RemoveFromCoords. I'll fix that in the manual.
Is there a way to set up the character deployment system so that you aren't required to use all of your reserve troops? The problem I'm having is that the game automatically places troops into "From Player Roster" spaces, and I can't remove them.
~Edit~
Will the list of available soundtracks in TT be added to the manual?
Quote from: bugfartboy on August 12, 2013, 12:55:45 PM
Is there a way to set up the character deployment system so that you aren't required to use all of your reserve troops?
Nope. The only way you can do that right now is to give the player fewer spawn spots.
Quote from: bugfartboy on August 12, 2013, 12:55:45 PM
Will the list of available soundtracks in TT be added to the manual?
Eventually. It's still in flux, so I'm holding off on adding them for now.
What are your thoughts on adding "Speed" to the list of stats that can be affected by space bonus?
I'm thinking if speed is increased by being on a space, a chain of such spaces could be used as a highway of sorts. A way of allowing faster travel, without permanently affecting character stats.
~Edit~
Or perhaps areas such as muddy bogs that impede movement?
I thought you could already do that sort of temporary boost with something along the lines of "moves left".
Am I the only one that finds it creepy that people are only viewing the Dying Lizardmen in New Lizardmen for Modders (http://sinisterdesign.net/forum/index.php?topic=1272.0)?
That's...odd.
Is there any way to use custom values in dialog triggers? Something along the lines of
<Dialog branch="0">
OnTurn/0/The Game/Here! Have some repeating dialog!
<Action>SetVal/repeat,=,1</Action>
<Reply>.../EndConv/</Reply>
</Dialog>
<Dialog branch="0" r="-1">
OnTurn/-VAL:repeat-/The Game/Another turn has passed!!!
<Action>SetVal/repeat,+,1</Action>
<Reply>.../EndTurn/</Reply>
</Dialog>
Not yet!
What gives the golems artificial intelligence? Energy golems like Dorgon especially.
Will there be a way to access a level's filename from within dialog and use it as a variable?
Quote from: TheWanderingShadow on August 27, 2013, 11:02:18 PM
What gives the golems artificial intelligence? Energy golems like Dorgon especially.
Good question! For now, that will remain a mystery. ;)
Quote from: bugfartboy on August 27, 2013, 11:05:33 PM
Will there be a way to access a level's filename from within dialog and use it as a variable?
Maybe, if you can make a persuasive case for why that would be helpful to have as a feature.
[spoiler=My conclusion]
While it seemed like a good idea in my mind, actually thinking through it made me realize that using it for my hypothetical purpose would be extremely messy and inefficient. I retract my previous question.
[/spoiler]
[spoiler=Thought Genesis]
The thought for this came from several AS2 tutorials I've been reading that suggested attaching code for the stage directly to the stage, rather than individual instances.
[/spoiler]
[spoiler=Semi Persuasive Case]
My thought was that dialog would be concentrated in one location (ideally PersistentDialog.xml), that could be used based on a multitude of "IfStringGoTo" actions. In my mind it would work in a fashion akin to:
<Dialog branch="0" r="1">
OnTurn/0/The Game/Determining loaded map
<Action>IfStringGoTo/-CURRENTMAP-,=,Headquarters1,1</Action>
<Action>IfStringGoTo/-CURRENTMAP-,=,Dungeon1,5</Action>
<Reply>.../EndConv</Reply>
</Dialog>
While it seemed like a good idea in my mind, actually thinking through it made me realize that using it for my hypothetical purpose would be extremely messy and inefficient. I retract my previous question.
[/spoiler]
Heh, fair enough.
Traditionally, it seems the idea of a golem has been a very cultural one -- it's a being that really only showed up in Jewish folklore before it was later popularized...
is there anything culture-specific about the golems in the Telepath universe that would prevent another civilization from developing the technology independently? Yours seem a bit more steampunk than usual and less like the sort that would be animated with a scroll, so I'm guessing no?
I've just been having this idea rattling around in my head of a Far Eastern-type civilization making Steel Golems with dual katana, and I'm wondering if there's anything preventing that from happening, say, in an AU setting.
Is there a way to put custom mp3 files into "Data\Sounds" and call them with PlaySound?
Quote from: bugfartboy on September 11, 2013, 11:17:43 PM
Is there a way to put custom mp3 files into "Data\Sounds" and call them with PlaySound?
Yes. Just do exactly what you just wrote. :)
Quote from: algebra17 on August 28, 2013, 05:08:57 PM
Traditionally, it seems the idea of a golem has been a very cultural one -- it's a being that really only showed up in Jewish folklore before it was later popularized...
is there anything culture-specific about the golems in the Telepath universe that would prevent another civilization from developing the technology independently? Yours seem a bit more steampunk than usual and less like the sort that would be animated with a scroll, so I'm guessing no?
I've just been having this idea rattling around in my head of a Far Eastern-type civilization making Steel Golems with dual katana, and I'm wondering if there's anything preventing that from happening, say, in an AU setting.
Nope! It's pure tech; any civilization with the right technology can manufacture them.
So in theory, this could be used to load customized music into the game, albeit without automatic looping. Is there a way to disable music without having the player manually mute it?
I believe using the PlayMusic action with any parameter that is not an actual track name will silence the game's music; you might want to test that out, though.
It does disable the music... As well as the entire game. Causes the entire thing to freeze. Another one of those fatal errors that I have a habit of running into?
Ah; that's no good!
I just went in and changed a little code--when I next update the game, you should be able to use None as a PlayMusic parameter to safely stop all music currently playing.
How difficult would it be to allow modders and map makers to create their own element for attacks/replace the current ones?
That is not supported.
You can make an attack's element anything you like, but elemental resistances are set in stone--if you make an element something for which there is no resistance, it will work, but it will always deal 100% damage.
Will modders be able to create their own randomly generated dungeons? Or will we be limited to what comes with the game?
Each campaign will have a subfolder within its Maps folder called "Generator Chunks." You can edit the contents of that folder to create new rooms. I also plan to make it so you can customize the size of generated dungeons and the range of enemies that can spawn.
Will we be able to create different types of dungeons? Have different types of dungeons kept in different folders so that we can call which dungeon gets used?
That is not planned. Keep in mind, I have to keep the scope of this feature limited--the game is already going to take until next year to finish as it is. If I were to go crazy with customizability here, the game's release could easily end up slipping into 2015.
True. Don't want you spending another 4 years on a game!
Do you ever plan on re-making the original TRPG with the TT engine?
Quote from: CraigStern on May 05, 2012, 04:24:25 PM
Quote from: Duskling on May 05, 2012, 01:44:07 PM
The remakes of TRPG1 and 2 will be free, though, right? *hopeful face*
I'm not even sure if I'm making them! At this point, it's impossible to say.
I'm afraid that wasn't on Craig's plans 18 months ago... perhaps he will change his mind.
Or perhaps some of the TRPG fans make it (hint, hint). :)
Edit: grammar.
I have a ton of game ideas that I want to pursue, and limited time in which to pursue them. In all honesty, remaking games that I've already designed is not at the top of my priority list. It might happen someday; but for now, there's a reason why Telepath Tactics has mod support. ;)
Hi Sinister Design. There is a Steam deal with Defender's Quest today. Then I remembered I was entitled to receive this game and its music as a backer. Should I let the deal pass or may I receive something soon? I have been waiting for a long time.
Anyway, Telepath tactics is great! Thanks in advance.
Who makes the Telepath Tactics portraits (http://telepath.wikia.com/wiki/Category:In-game_portrait_from_Telepath_Tactics)?
That would be David Hammond (https://infinitedragonmachine.sqsp.com/home/) (@kollatt on Twitter). :)
How fluently can you speak lissit?
Any tips for learning it in-depth?
What, like, IRL? I mean, I don't speak it or anything--no one would understand what I was saying! I just use it for writing some of the lissit dialog in the game. ;)
If you want to learn to speak it regardless, I guess you could practice writing out grammatically correct sentences and then practice pronouncing them correctly. (It'd probably be easier if you did it collaboratively with other people, though, so you could actually start to converse at some point.)
Quote from: CraigStern on May 01, 2014, 01:17:15 PM
What, like, IRL? I mean, I don't speak it or anything--no one would understand what I was saying!
All the more reason to learn speaking it! The only person who'd know you're insulting someone's mother would be you!
Heh. Indeed. :D
How likely is it that Telepath Tactics will be released on May 23rd?
You mean, finished and released? Zero percent.
What is the probability of it being released on a May 23rd?
Low; the current plan is to release it sometime this winter.
Do Last Branch (http://sinisterdesign.net/forum/index.php?topic=1224.msg46904#msg46904) reply types chain together? Does it keep track of which specific path a dialog takes?
Yes. If a branch can be reached by different routes, LastBranch will always take account of the particular series of branches the player used to reach it.
So if I were to put a generic "Never mind" reply with a type of "LastBranch" in every branch of a set of dialogue, it would eventually lead me back to the dialogue's origin? Interesting...
Correct. :)
Regarding the new LevelUp tag: If the character subject to the tag has level up data attached will it silently gain increases in randomized stats as per normal level up?
Yes, that is exactly correct. It's a quick and dirty way to make enemies tougher (and also give them a bit more variety within a given type).
Something that's been bugging me for a while now: Does the action used to level up a character do the same?
GiveExp, you mean? Sort of. It'll level up characters and they'll gain stats accordingly if you give enough to tip a character over 100 experience, but it won't do so quietly--there will be pop-ups and such onscreen when it happens.
Is there a way to create an attack that does consistent damage regardless of the attacker's stats? I.E. if I wanted an attack that does 5 points of damage every time, it wouldn't be dependent on PsyP or PsyD or Str?
Yes; you could make the attack's damage zero, use the plus operator in ModDmgForTag, and then simply give every character and object type the tag.
I know the game is pretty far into development now, but what are your thoughts on a battlefield condition or tag that acts similarly to the SpawnParticlesAt action? In essence it would spawn a specified number of particles per second in a specified direction at a specified rate. I'm thinking for aesthetic effects such small wisps of smoke wafting up from a campfire or very minute amounts of water particles "splashing" in a moving river. Not a terrible important idea, but something that I think would be somewhat interesting if implemented.
As a side note: I'm liking how much modding capability you're adding in. It's been a while since I actually sat down and played with the anything in the game beyond the default campaigns. I have been reading the Developer Log, however, and am excited to see all the new toys you're making available! :D
Thanks! Making persistent particle effects isn't really on the agenda right now (particularly because it could affect the game's performance, and I don't want to have try to fix that afterwards). I'm just focusing on content for the campaign at this point, and on features that I need to create that content. (Making procedural level generation better counts, since that means fewer battles that have to be hand-designed.)
That's completely understandable. As I said, it was just a small little thought I'd had and figured I'd put out there. I'd much rather have a thoroughly fleshed out campaign over small little things such as this.
Is there any way of reading a character's facing direction in a script, in addition to modifying it to a particular direction?
I'm thinking of applications like: a flash of light happening from a particular direction, and all characters facing that way being blinded in a dialog script; being able to [with very clever application of the tools already available -- I wouldn't suggest allowing modification of backstab and sidestab bonuses by race, class, tag, etc., though this would solve the problem] negate backstab damage for a character on whom that vulnerability doesn't especially make sense; being able to incorporate an attack like the one SmartyPants discussed for Luca way back when, that spun the target character one-eighty; and possibly even have an underhanded character do something dishonest because the captain of the team isn't watching [or the positive inverse -- try harder (increase stats, possibly, or simply have the outcome of a cut scene go better) when being watched].
I understand the IfStatGoTo list is a little bloated as is, but I think this would be a nice addition [if there is not an existing option that I'm simply overlooking, a very existent possibility], and not trivial when compared to other things that made the list like Shadow Res, though depending on how the data is organized, could be a little harder to pull off.
I looked in the code, and there is actually no way to read any of the strings with IfStatGoTo! I'll need to see if I can fix that.
Although there is not any way to read a character's facing at present, I did just add in (http://sinisterdesign.net/forum/index.php?topic=1224.msg46992#msg46992) a new action to let characters look at specific spots on the battlefield.
Cool! I'm excited about the new functionality! [I know I almost always say that, but it's almost always true.]
Glad to hear it! :)
I noticed that in the manual OnCharSelect, OnMoveComplete, and OnAttackSelect say "if no parameters are specified, it will trigger the conversation as soon as the player (selects any character.)/(finishes moving any character to any space.)/(selects an attack.)" Are there actual parameters that can be used with these triggers? I'm particularly interested in OnAttackSelect.
Will it be possible in the future to change a unit's name with the setstat action?
It's possible now! Make sure you have the latest version of the game, and look up SetStat in the manual. ;)
ActionScript question. If I want a child object to have access to one or more of the parent's properties, and there's only going to be one instance of the parent object, I could simply make the required properties have the public and static attributes, I think [making them class variables instead of instance variables, if I understand the attributes correctly]. But that really doesn't feel like best practices.
The way I learned, that seems like better coding to me [since it doesn't give rise to weird access issues], is to create a separate property manipulation-request event class [like you call it "InformationEvent" or something, subclass it to Event, etc.] and set up a listener from the parent to the child, such that the setting/getting can be handled with requests [and presumably the source be verified], which would mean that no objects but the specified child would have access to the variables -- good for data security.
My question: do you know / have you run into a technique for this that is superior to either of these? And if not, what do you think about the "bulk vs. security vs. best practices" balancing act, and where on the balance does your code tend to lie?
I have yet to run into a situation where that matters in my own coding. Data security is not super high priority in single player RPGs. :)
Typically, I just pass the variable to the child class on instantiation; if it's something I'll need the parent class to update, then I just make it set a public variable in the child class and have the parent update it as needed.
What is the liklihood of the lighting character attribute being supported by the SetStat action?
Not super likely--I have a lot of stuff to do, and little time in which to do it. Was there a particular reason you wanted to be able to do that?
It's not a particularly important reason. I was just trying to think of ways I could use dialog actions to dynamically create 1-time-appearance characters without cluttering up CharClasses.xml. I was simply wondering if lighting would find its way into the SetStat action, as that would reduce the number of custom sprites I would need by a small degree in some cases. As I said, not particularly important.
Is the poetry in TSoG based in any particular culture's literary tradition, with regards to its construction? The obvious guess would be a Middle Eastern one, but I don't want to make assumptions.
Not intentionally--I just kinda wrote poetry that I felt fit with the setting without mimicking any particular tradition (although with that said, I am familiar with certain Middle Eastern poets such as Rumi (http://peacefulrivers.homestead.com/rumipoetry1.html), so I didn't work entirely blind).
Do energy golems have two arms, or do they have just the one that their energy cannon is attached to?
They have a second arm, but it's generally kept folded against their backs when not in use.
So that's what that is. I've always thought that they had a movable shield on their back. That makes Dorgon 5000's melee attack make much more sense.
Yup! :)
A bit of a follow up: which arm is the energy cannon typically on? A regular energy golem (http://vignette3.wikia.nocookie.net/telepath/images/3/39/Energy_Golem.png/revision/latest?cb=20090405205623) appears to have its cannon on the right, but in Dorgon's portrait (http://vignette1.wikia.nocookie.net/telepath/images/8/8e/Portrait_Dorgon.png/revision/latest?cb=20081029035338) it appears to be on the left? (I'm not at a point where I can replay TRPG2 to look at his battle sprite right now.)
Also, would the (very) crude sketch attached be how the spare arm would be tucked away?
Correct (http://telepath.wikia.com/wiki/Energy_Golem).
Quote from: bugfartboy on February 01, 2015, 06:47:18 PMAlso, would the (very) crude sketch attached be how the spare arm would be tucked away?
Not reaaaaally; the Energy Golem's spare arm is not articulated like that. It's hard to explain. You'd probably need to study Dorgon's walk animation to see what's really going on there.
I suppose I can play TRPG2 again. I've been wanting to anyway.
Is there going to be a limit as to how big custom AOE patterns can be in the future? Unless I've just not figured it out how to make it bigger quite yet, there's a size constraint, correct?
As of right now, the size limit is 5 X 5; I'll be removing that restriction in the next update, however. ;)
do you plan on making a new game+ option in telepath tactics like you have had in previous games?
Nah; going through a highly linear campaign with massively overpowered characters isn't quite as much fun as it sounds. (The fun of New Game+, I find, is in getting to explore without having to worry about survival quite as much.)
That said, I might consider updating it at some point to unlock a hard mode after you beat it. :)
Is there any way to use unicode characters in dialog and scripts? I'm trying to write a script that sets a specific variable to a blank space, and everything I've tried has failed. If I use simple blank space, the game reads it as having nothing in it, and I haven't been able to find any way to have the game read a unicode string as its respective character.
Is there any way to spawn a character based on its ID tag, either with the SpawnChar action or by default in a map's xml file, or use the ID tag to add a character to the roster?
Quote from: bugfartboy on February 20, 2015, 08:46:28 PM
Is there any way to use unicode characters in dialog and scripts? I'm trying to write a script that sets a specific variable to a blank space, and everything I've tried has failed. If I use simple blank space, the game reads it as having nothing in it, and I haven't been able to find any way to have the game read a unicode string as its respective character.
I don't believe there is at present. Is this as part of your character-naming project?
Quote from: bugfartboy on February 20, 2015, 08:46:28 PMIs there any way to spawn a character based on its ID tag, either with the SpawnChar action or by default in a map's xml file, or use the ID tag to add a character to the roster?
Not presently, no. You can spawn characters based upon their name or their class, but that's about it at present.
Quote
Is this as part of your character-naming project?
Yeah. I'm trying to think of instances where that capability could come in handy, but the keyboard idea is the only one I can think of.
-EDIT-
Definitely a silly question. I would think the game's custom font would be a pain to add Unicode support to.
Quote
Not presently, no. You can spawn characters based upon their name or their class, but that's about it at present.
Fair enough.
I guess I have a few experiments to do now regarding if the game will recognize a character even though it now has a different name.-EDIT-
Quoteor their class
Now I feel really silly. I don't know why I didn't think of this.
No worries. I've definitely considered adding support for spawning characters according to some sort of unique numerical ID on various occasions, but haven't had the need for it yet.
Was it intentional that when you spawn a unit by it's class name, it's name is set to it's class?
That's intentional for destructible objects; that should not be happening for characters, though.
We have the SpawnParticlesAt action, but what about a SpawnVFXAt or PlaySFX action? Not a request, just curious.
For sound effects, PlaySound is already an action. I've wanted to add a PlayVFX action to the game for some time, but it would be complicated to make it work due to the structure of the game's code. Currently, it's not supported.
I was asking about PlaySFX because while PlaySound is useful for playing a single sound, you can't string sounds together with specific timing with it.
That's a bummer about PlayVFX, although I understand the reasoning.
What is the range of values that can be stored in a single variable in TT?
Numerical variables store integers, so any integer value should work. (Is that what you were asking?)
Sorta. What are the maximum and minimum value that can be stored?
Minimum of -2,147,483,648 and maximum of 2,147,483,647. (See here (http://help.adobe.com/en_US/FlashPlatform/reference/actionscript/3/int.html).)
Are custom status effects still planned for the future?
-EDIT-
What is the likelihood of getting a modulo operation for SetVal/SetStat actions?
Right now I'm focusing on fixing a few final bugs and marketing stuff, but implementing custom status effects is definitely still a thing I would like to do. It might end up coming in a post-release patch, though.
That's understandable. With the release date right around the corner, I wasn't expecting anything more than that. But just so we're clear: modifying StatusEffects.xml is meant to have no effect on the game at present, correct?
Correct. At present, editing that file does nothing.
Will custom status effects be able to teach attacks for their duration?
Hm. I hadn't thought about it. Maybe?
I know you're having trouble making Steam installers for Mac OSX already, but are you planning on putting the Map Editor available for download through Steam as a free tool?
When are the backer/alpha funding Steam keys coming?
Today! I sent out close to 500 of them yesterday--I'll send the rest in just a wee bit. :)
There was talk of a possible hard mode after the beating the initial game. I'm already very much a fan of the project and will buy it as it stands, but I was wondering: (contingent upon this materializing) would it be a combination of numerical buffs and adding a few enemy abilities here and there, or would there be a little bit (since a little bit goes a long way; see NG+ in Defender's Quest) of extra lore content, or one or two extra microbranches in the story?
I'm sorry, the question is a little presumptuous.
I honestly don't know right now. Why not try modding in a Hard mode yourself? I bet you could do it! :)
Are there actually any differences between the Shadowheart_F_* and Shadowheart_M_* sprites?
Nope; but if a character has its sex set to "Either", the game will go looking for sprite variants with _M and _F appended to them automatically, so they have to exist regardless.
That's what I guessed, but I wasn't quite sure. I'm facepalming now, because I was going through each individual Shadowheart file to make my changes. Now I can double my productivity!
I've been thinking: since a shadowling's color changes with age, does that mean any orange team is fighting with extremely young shadowlings (http://sinisterdesign.net/forum/index.php?topic=304.0)? Are there any moral ramifications for employing/enslaving/drafting a shadowling that hasn't even matured to the point of shifting red? I know that yellow and orange are merely fan-speculated colors at this point, but I'm curious what the Developer has to say about the subject.
Shadowling age-color is something that I am conveniently ignoring in Telepath Tactics, as coloration is needed to denote the army to which characters belong instead. ;)
What are shadowlings actually made of? Do they have a crunchy exoskeleton keeping their mysterious innards safe from harm, or are they simply floating balls of sentient smoke and miasma? Are they kept aloft through telekinesis, or are other forces at work in their ability to float? Are their hands independent creatures that shadowlings have learned to telepathically control over the generations? I can't even imagine what the other possibilities would be.
These are the sorts of questions I prefer to leave unanswered until narrative convenience requires. ;)
Do you have an official position on Valve and Bethesda's implementation of paid mods on the Skyrim Steam Workshop?
I suppose it's their business if they want to offer that. Personally, though, I'm uncomfortable with the thought of paid mods coming to Telepath Tactics without me having the power to accept or reject them. (The Telepath Tactics EULA actually explicitly forbids people from selling their mods unless they talk to me beforehand!)
Quote
--you can now use ID tags with the RecruitChar and DismissChar actions--this makes it so you don't have to know the assigned name for a "random" character in advance prior to recruiting them.
Is the ability to spawn characters directly from CharClasses.xml onto a map via ID tag in the works, or is that still off in maybe-land?
The latter--but you can currently spawn characters by class name if their normal name is set to none or random, if that helps.
That definitely helps. My other question is this: would I be wrong in assuming that as long as Deployment Mode is set to false, the game will fill FromPlayerRoster locations based on both the order the locations were marked on the map and the order characters were added to the roster?
Nope; that is precisely how it works. ;)
Quote from: /u/Hytheter at http://www.reddit.com/r/Games/comments/32uj8t/telepath_tactics_release_trailer_inspired_by_fire/cqfe7on
Needs more animations for the sprites. A "hit" animation for units when hit by an attack would do wonders for the feel impact of the game, and a simple idle animation couldn't hurt. It looks dumb how they just stand there totally still, especially while being stabbed in the back or blown up or forcibly moved around etc.
Although I believe how the game is now works fairly well, how likely is it that functionality for further animation will be added into the game, e.g. "hit" and "rest" animations?
Unless the game suddenly makes a lot of money that would pay for them: zero.
I'm disappointed in myself for not catching this sooner, but is the continent of "Cera Bella" named such because it sounds like "Cerebellum"?
Mayyyyyyybe. ;)
A couple unrelated questions:
1. How did you start learning to develop AI processes?
2. What do you think of placing script names inside Atk tags to run them when that attack is executed, similar to items?
3. How do you handle storing custom variables? I've been puzzling this over for a while now, and haven't come up with an
answer that makes sense. Are you using a two-dimensional array to pair variable names and values together?
Quote from: bugfartboy on May 27, 2015, 07:24:09 PM1. How did you start learning to develop AI processes?
It was a natural outgrowth of the kinds of games I was making. When I started making TRPG Chapter 1, I knew less than nothing about programming, and so I took the shortcut of making enemy choices in battle 100% random. In Chapter 2, I suddenly had a spatial battlefield to consider, which meant figuring out decision trees to govern character movement and attacks based on the relative positions of various characters. (I did a terrible job of actually programming this at the time, but I at least had the general concept worked out by this point.)
TRPG:SoG and the Psy Arena games introduced backstabbing, and I really wanted a more sophisticated enemy AI for these, so I figured out a simple heuristic to make the AI choose targets more intelligently based upon whether the attack would backstab, whether the attack would kill anyone, whether it would hit multiple targets, and whether a healer was included in the attack.
By the time I got to Telepath Tactics, combat mechanics had become quite complex, but the basic structure of the heuristic from past games remained helpful, needing only a few tweaks (a simple penalty to each potential move's "score" based on energy cost relative to the damage it would do, watching out for friendly fire, being aware of the opportunity to drop enemies into environmental hazards, etc.)
The main AI snag in TT's AI was figuring out how to code pathfinding from scratch, which took me weeks of hard work with a pen and graph paper to work out. I ultimately gave away my pathfinding solution in the $125 tier for the game's Kickstarter. ;)
Quote from: bugfartboy on May 27, 2015, 07:24:09 PM2. What do you think of placing script names inside Atk tags to run them when that attack is executed, similar to items?
I've been thinking about implementing that for quite some time--and I'd have stuck this feature in long ago were it not for the fact that this will be somewhat laborious to implement. It's just a matter of priorities at this point; getting the game stable and running without slowdown remains top priority.
Quote from: bugfartboy on May 27, 2015, 07:24:09 PM3. How do you handle storing custom variables? I've been puzzling this over for a while now, and haven't come up with an
answer that makes sense. Are you using a two-dimensional array to pair variable names and values together?
You guess correctly. ;)
Quote from: CraigStern on May 29, 2015, 11:17:53 AM
You guess correctly. ;)
I guess it wouldn't be a literal two-dimensional array, seeing as one would hold strings and the other integers, but it's still an interesting idea. How many unique variables can be constructed with this setup? Do you assign the arrays a very large size to begin with and just run with it? Or do you reconstruct the array to fit any time a new custom variable is assigned?
There is no size limit to these arrays; I simply use the push() function in AS3 to add new variables as they're created. Consequently, there is theoretically no limit to how many variables you can create (though if you created thousands of them, I imagine it might start to impact game performance).
Quote from: Manual
typing R[x-y] in a script action will tell the game to randomly select a whole number
between x and y. Both x and y must be non-negative integers.
Is this an inclusive between or an exclusive between? Are x and y both a possibility?
When using R[x-y], both x and y are included in the range of possible numbers.
Are there plans for Tiles to be loaded from Campaign Date files?
I'd like for that to be supported eventually.
Is there any way to summon a character not explicitly defined in CharClasses.xml, such as ones on a roster instead, with a Create attack? I've got a few ideas that I could theoretically make work with some playing around, but would ultimately be made easier if this was the case.
How many of each card are there in the average Psy War (http://telepath.wikia.com/wiki/Psy_War) deck?
Characters that are on the battlefield, belong to Army 0, and are still alive at a battle's conclusion will be saved in the player's save game file--any changes to their stats should then carry over to when they next appear. Characters are loaded directly out of CharClasses.xml under all other circumstances.
I don't 100% remember, but I believe that there are 2 of each card type in a Psy War deck.
And after a card is played, it gets shuffled back into the deck correct?
Nope--it remains discarded until the deck runs out of cards, at which point the discard pile is reshuffled into a new deck.
Is there any in-universe explanation as to why the cards bear the likeness of people that wouldn't be known otherwise? I mean, surely not every deck has Guy, Anya, and Grotius.
If you like, you can explain that as the player mentally assigning familiar identities to unfamiliar designs on the cards. ;)
Will you make it possible for multiplayer maps that players can rearrange their troop positions? I don't want to have to write down and memorize which position is occupied by which slot.
Why the inconsistencies in music on the Original Soundtrack and the music in-game? E.g. Against All Odds is named ForHonor in-game, Getting to know You is named CheckingOutTheGoods in-game, there are 26 tracks available to be played in-game but only 24 in the soundtrack, etc.
Quote from: LightningLord2 on June 13, 2015, 08:31:59 AM
Will you make it possible for multiplayer maps that players can rearrange their troop positions? I don't want to have to write down and memorize which position is occupied by which slot.
That would be nice! I'm still focused on fixing stuff in single player, but I can put that on the Wish list for sometime in the future. :)
When you get the mean nasty bugs squashed and start focusing on added new mechanics (scripts in Atk tags being the one I want to focus on here) how difficult would it be to specifiy different scripts to run at different frames of the attack: at least one before and one after the attack lands, or on either side of attacking each individual targeted unit if possible. Also would it be possible for the game to generate an array of units that the attack is currently targeting/targeted?
The reason I ask involves adding tags to do moreor less damage with that specific attack only based on targeted stats such as class, percentage of health remaining, percentage of energy remaining, etc.
If that's not likely to occur, oh well. Being able to run even one script on an attack would be cool.
Quote from: bugfartboy on June 15, 2015, 10:17:53 AM
how difficult would it be to specifiy different scripts to run at different frames of the attack: at least one before and one after the attack lands, or on either side of attacking each individual targeted unit if possible
You mean, give scripts functionality similar to sound and visual effects tied to attacks? The answer is "probably very difficult." I imagine that attack scripts will end up more straightforward than that, but we'll see.
Quote from: bugfartboy on June 15, 2015, 10:17:53 AMThe reason I ask involves adding tags to do moreor less damage with that specific attack only based on targeted stats such as class
Suggestion: use the
ModDmgForClass,
ModDmgForMoveType,
ModDmgForRace, and
ModDmgForTag tags to modify attack damage.
Those affect all attacks that unit has, however. I was thinking more modifying the damage of a single attack based on those stats. I guess even being able to put tags such as those on attack lines themselves would do the trick.
We know of obfuscation as a method of completely hiding minds and thoughts, but how difficult would it be for the average Psy to create a fully functional secondary or false consciousness on top of their own?
Is it possible to overload script names? E.g. If a script in PersistentDialog has a name of "A Cool Script", and a different script within a map is also called "A Cool Script", would one be called over the other? Or would they both the processed in a specific order
Also: how hard would it be to implement a "GenerateLog" action, to help with troubleshooting long scripts?
On a similar thread as the obfuscation related question above: how difficult would it be for a psy to preform a constant act of telekinesis, such as emulating wind? I'd imagine not too hard, if draining, but I'm no Psy.
Quote from: bugfartboy on June 19, 2015, 01:47:51 PM
We know of obfuscation as a method of completely hiding minds and thoughts, but how difficult would it be for the average Psy to create a fully functional secondary or false consciousness on top of their own?
That depends. To intentionally create a fully functional secondary consciousness would be nearly impossible for all but the most talented of psys. To create a fragmentary false consciousness, however, would be much more attainable, if difficult. :)
Quote from: bugfartboy on June 22, 2015, 01:38:13 AM
On a similar thread as the obfuscation related question above: how difficult would it be for a psy to preform a constant act of telekinesis, such as emulating wind? I'd imagine not too hard, if draining, but I'm no Psy.
Quite doable, provided we're talking about a light breeze or a relatively small area--it would certainly be less difficult than telekinetically moving something the size of a human being.
Quote from: bugfartboy on June 22, 2015, 01:38:13 AM
Is it possible to overload script names? E.g. If a script in PersistentDialog has a name of "A Cool Script", and a different script within a map is also called "A Cool Script", would one be called over the other? Or would they both the processed in a specific order
Also: how hard would it be to implement a "GenerateLog" action, to help with troubleshooting long scripts?
A log action would not be hard to add; I'm not sure about overloading scripts, but you could probably figure it out yourself through experimentation. :)
Quick backstory to the question so I don't seem as creepy. You don't have to read it if you don't want to.
So I was looking at Who's Online (http://sinisterdesign.net/forum/index.php?action=who) and I saw a guest reading the Who is this? (http://sinisterdesign.net/forum/index.php?topic=612.0) thread. Not recognizing the title, I decided to read it and found a link to the now (relatively) old TSoG Flyer (http://www.sinisterdesign.net/Downloads/TSoGFlyer.pdf). Seeing it was filed under the "Downloads" folder of the sinister design website, I got curious as to what else was in there. SinisterDesign.net/Downloads (http://www.sinisterdesign.net/Downloads) 404'd on me, so I did some google-fu to see what google knew about that location on the website. This leads me to my question:
How long ago did you think up Epic, and how often do you get to play it?Sorry if it wasn't meant to be seen/discovered by the public.
Oh, I made Epic way back in high school--I played it with some of my friends back then, and that's about it. I haven't played that game in well over a decade!
Hi Craig
I just took a look at a comparison between AIR and Unity3D (http://blog.codestage.ru/2013/03/20/air-vs-unity3d/).
Have you considered again doing games in Unity?
In 2010 you said something about it. (http://sinisterdesign.net/forum/index.php?topic=765.msg28011#msg28011)
Hey! I've been considering switching over for a while; I still need to investigate its 2D capabilities and make sure it has the functionality I need.
Hey Craig! I was wandering around General Discussion and I found this:
Quote from: CraigStern on October 25, 2012, 09:28:19 PM
I think things will pick up once I run the Telepath Tactics Kickstarter--and if not then, then once I release a free browser demo of Telepath Tactics. (I'm considering releasing a unique in-browser campaign or two once the full game is done, just to promote the game and draw traffic to the site.)
Is this still something you're considering?
I haven't thought about that for some time--to be honest, I'm much too focused on fixing the game that people paid for to think about making and releasing something for free right now.
Is there any way you can think of that would allow a character to jump onto a tile that they wouldn't normally be able to walk on, such as a tile with passability="flying", without that character being of movetype="flying"? I've been puzzling over it and haven't come to any solutions.
Is it okay to make a speculation thread or two in ???, or would you prefer to keep that pristine and have any discussions take place in Gen.?
Also, I take it the pretty-recognizable coastline of northern Russia in picture 04 isn't intentional. ^^ I only took the time to match up landmarks because I'm scrabbling for any details I can glean from these pictures that can give me a clue about the setting, but either that one slipped through, or I have some more coastline matching to do, assuming these new pictures are in the same 'verse -- the design of the red-and-gold figure's mask suggests as such.
You're absolutely free to speculate in there--just don't expect me to tell you if you're right. ;)
Cool! I'd recommend pinning the ??? thread, since that's the centerpiece of the board. I get the feeling you weren't anticipating any other threads in there.
And of course not -- that would ruin all the fun. ;)
Are the image credits being withheld until more details about the project are released? I can imagine if there's a genuine desire for secrecy, you want to give people as few leads as you can.
Or is no credit necessary because you did them yourself? :O
Ha! I most certainly did not do them myself. I'll be supplying image credits later on once I am ready to divulge more details about the project. :)
Do you have a running list of the various social issues and, by extension, themes you'd like to tackle in your games that you draw from as you create settings and arcs?
Or does the -- I hesitate to call it an... agenda? -- find its way into your stories even more organically than that?
Each game has themes that I want to deal with; I don't have any kind of set agenda as such. :)
Are all instances of the TT game engine named "TTwm.swf", or does it vary between operating systems? If it does vary, what are the others named?
I ask because I'm trying to find a good way to automatically locate the Telepath Tactics installation directory and, while I could technically locate "Telepath Tactics Manual.pdf" and shift directories based on that, I'd rather find the root itself first.
The Windows and Mac builds are called TTwm. :)
That's strange, then. I'm looking in my (Steam) installation directory and see:
- Adobe AIR (Directory)
- AIR Icons (Directory)
- Data (Directory)
- Manual (Directory)
- META-INF (Directory)
- mimetype (File)
- Telepath Tactics.exe (File)
- TTwm.swf (File)
How difficult would it be to remove a Val, Str, or Arr from their respective tables?
Er, sorry--that was in reference to the swf, not the exe.
Quote from: bugfartboy on August 23, 2015, 02:28:35 PM
How difficult would it be to remove a Val, Str, or Arr from their respective tables?
You mean, how hard would it be for me to implement a new script action accomplishing each of these? Not very. It's a matter of whether that's necessary.
Hello,I bought telepath rpg:servants of god's cd-key for desura,I used it but I can't acces the full version.I tried everything but I can't play the full version nor getting that confirmation email which may be the reason of this failure (yesterday I made that account on desura).I know the cd-key is fine,Desura even shows me that i'm playing the full version.
Check your PMs. ;)
I assume you didn't explicitly intend to wreck the reference images in my analysis/speculation thread? I know you can't have planned on me using the site's own image URLs with the intent of avoiding pointless uploads onto the forum, but I could also imagine you being not displeased with the effect created.
Not to worry--you'll get to see those images again. I don't want them becoming permanent fixtures or finding their way around the 'net just yet, however. ;)
I know "How to create a campaign", yet I don't know "How to create a good campaign. Your series on "How to create a campaign" is very good at giving instructions on how to work the map editor, yet that is only part of creating a campaign that is worth playing. I have been experimenting with making a campaign, but I feel like my result is repetitive and full of cliché characters. Have you thought about doing a similar series on how to make a campaign interesting, challenging, and fun?
Huh! That's interesting. I hadn't really thought about that. I suppose I could do that! :)
It took a few days to pull together my thoughts, but here you go! http://sinisterdesign.net/tutorial-making-a-telepath-tactics-campaign-part-21/ (http://sinisterdesign.net/tutorial-making-a-telepath-tactics-campaign-part-21/)
Quote from: SmartyPants on October 01, 2015, 12:08:38 PMinteresting, challenging, and fun
I was pleasantly surprised that you quoted me for part 21. I was also impressed by how much useful tips you put in only one part of the how-to.
Thanks! I figured that if I was going to write up an article on making a good campaign, I might as well do a thorough job of covering the points I wanted to make. :)
Is there still any development regarding Telepath Tactics?
Barring someone finding a major bug that I can fix in a reasonable time span, development on Telepath Tactics is finished. I've improved the Flash engine about as much as I reasonably can, and it's not really economical for me to produce more content for it given the game's sales on launch.
How do you feel about games made with RPG Maker (http://store.steampowered.com/app/220700)? Many of the games are made by as few as one person (which is as indie as it gets), yet I can't find anything about these games on your review website, IndieRPGs.com (http://indierpgs.com/)?
With the current movement to purge Flash from the Internet in mind, have you considered trying to convert your free Flash games to HTML5 with Google's Swiffy (https://developers.google.com/swiffy/)? I'm not sure how feasible it would be, especially with the sheer number of moving parts in TRPG2, but it would be interesting to see.
Would we be able to get a list of what each section of the map loading line in TT logs means? I've been hitting a certain point where a map stops loading, and I'm not sure what the step actually does.
204 | gotLevel = true; gotPersistentDialog = true; gotAttacks = true; gotAOEPatterns = true; gotCharClasses = true; gotObjClasses = true; gotItemClasses = true; gotCharNames = true; gotTileData = 4 / 4; gotTileBMPData = false
It's not a question! I just bought this game and I just wanted to congratulate you : a very nice old school game, with very nice graphism, and modding posibilities that make the game definitely interesting. A game of such quality is very, very rare, thanks for that !
Quote from: SmartyPants on April 14, 2016, 03:09:02 PM
How do you feel about games made with RPG Maker (http://store.steampowered.com/app/220700)? Many of the games are made by as few as one person (which is as indie as it gets), yet I can't find anything about these games on your review website, IndieRPGs.com (http://indierpgs.com/)?
I've actually covered a ton of RPG Maker games on IndieRPGs! Here's the list of tagged articles: http://indierpgs.com/tag/rpg-maker/
As for how I feel about it generally: I think it's a good tool for making games, especially if you don't yet have the ability to roll your own engine. However, it's a little limited if you don't put in the effort to code your own systems, and it tends to enable a lot of cookie-cutter work.
Quote from: bugfartboy on April 19, 2016, 08:35:24 PM
With the current movement to purge Flash from the Internet in mind, have you considered trying to convert your free Flash games to HTML5 with Google's Swiffy (https://developers.google.com/swiffy/)? I'm not sure how feasible it would be, especially with the sheer number of moving parts in TRPG2, but it would be interesting to see.
Would we be able to get a list of what each section of the map loading line in TT logs means? I've been hitting a certain point where a map stops loading, and I'm not sure what the step actually does.
204 | gotLevel = true; gotPersistentDialog = true; gotAttacks = true; gotAOEPatterns = true; gotCharClasses = true; gotObjClasses = true; gotItemClasses = true; gotCharNames = true; gotTileData = 4 / 4; gotTileBMPData = false
I haven't really given that much thought, to be honest--I've mostly just been focused on building a new engine in Unity. If we reach a point where the old games aren't playable at all, I'll consider remaking them using the new tech.
As for the TT loading messages, those let me know which external data sources the game has successfully loaded thus far.
gotLevel = the particular level's XML file
gotPersistentDialog = PersistentDialog.xml
gotAttacks = Attacks.xml
etc.
If gotTileBMPData = false, that means the game wasn't able to find one or more of the
.png files for the level's tiles.
Quote from: Voronwe on April 28, 2016, 08:58:00 AM
It's not a question! I just bought this game and I just wanted to congratulate you : a very nice old school game, with very nice graphism, and modding posibilities that make the game definitely interesting. A game of such quality is very, very rare, thanks for that !
Thank you! I'm glad you like it. :)
(Also, sorry for the late replies--I'm supposed to get email notifications when people post here, but for some reason, it seems I haven't been receiving them lately! I'll need to fix that.)
Quote from: SmartyPants on April 14, 2016, 03:09:02 PMHow do you feel about games made with RPG Maker (http://store.steampowered.com/app/220700)?
Quote from: CraigStern on May 14, 2016, 10:16:00 AMI've actually covered a ton of RPG Maker games on IndieRPGs! Here's the list of tagged articles: http://indierpgs.com/tag/rpg-maker/
Oh no! I was hoping that IndieRPGs (http://indierpgs.com) would narrow down my search of RPG Maker games, yet you reviewed so many games that I don't know where to start. At least, you point out what games are roguelike, so I know to avoid them.
Quote from: CraigStern on May 14, 2016, 10:16:00 AMAs for how I feel about it generally: I think it's a good tool for making games, especially if you don't yet have the ability to roll your own engine. However, it's a little limited if you don't put in the effort to code your own systems, and it tends to enable a lot of cookie-cutter work.
I love RPG Maker games, but I quickly get bored of the chance-based combat system and wish that the combat was more like Fire Emblem. Based on Telepath Tactics' focus on modding, it almost seems like a basic game creation program for Fire Emblem-like games. Have you ever thought of selling a modified Telepath Tactics engine as a game creation software like RPG Maker?
Quote from: SmartyPants on May 17, 2016, 08:35:46 PMBased on Telepath Tactics' focus on modding, it almost seems like a basic game creation program for Fire Emblem-like games. Have you ever thought of selling a modified Telepath Tactics engine as a game creation software like RPG Maker?
It's actually extremely difficult to make sRPGs in RPG Maker! The engine is really mostly just suited for jRPGs.
I actually had quite a few folks last year encouraging me to consider releasing an sRPG-focused competitor to RPG Maker based upon Telepath Tactics. But right around that time, Shouzou Kaga--the actual, original creator of the Fire Emblem series--released SRPG Studio (http://www.siliconera.com/2015/07/03/how-srpg-studio-lets-you-create-your-very-own-fire-emblem/). And I'm not especially interested in competing with him.
How you made TT maps work is intriguing. The first left side of each tile entry in the "row" elements was straightforward, but the right side took me some time to understand.
Why not use a more standardized high-radix counting system for the two digits to the right of the decimal, such as Base 32 (1056 total values in two digits) or 64 (4160 total values in two digits), instead of the method you chose to use?
It never really occurred to me to do so. (For the record, I also invented the algorithm for calculating character movement areas in the game from scratch.)
Sometimes I just feel like reinventing the wheel, I guess. :)
I see. :) Out of curiosity, what are the actual ranges and values you went with? I notice things like !, @, and _ making an appearance but I'm not sure what the pattern is.
This:
private var alphabet:Array = [ "0" , "1" , "2" , "3" , "4" , "5" , "6" , "7" , "8" , "9" , "a" , "b" , "c" , "d" , "e" , "f" , "g" , "h" , "i" , "j" , "k" , "l" , "m" , "n" , "o" , "p" , "q" , "r" , "s" , "t" , "u" , "v" , "w" , "x" , "y" , "z" , "A" , "B" , "C" , "D" , "E" , "F" , "G" , "H" , "I" , "J" , "K" , "L" , "M" , "N" , "O" , "P" , "Q" , "R" , "S" , "T" , "U" , "V" , "W" , "X" , "Y" , "Z" , "!" , "@" , "#" , "$" , "%" , "^" , "_" , ":" , "&" , "*" , "(" , ")" , "|" , "+" , "-" , "=" , ">" , "<" ];
The second character's value is equal to its position in the array; the first character's value is its position in the array multiplied by the length of the array. Those two values are added together to get the integer number corresponding to the tile to be loaded.
Quote from: CraigStern on May 26, 2016, 06:39:50 PM
This:
private var alphabet:Array = [ "0" , "1" , "2" , "3" , "4" , "5" , "6" , "7" , "8" , "9" , "a" , "b" , "c" , "d" , "e" , "f" , "g" , "h" , "i" , "j" , "k" , "l" , "m" , "n" , "o" , "p" , "q" , "r" , "s" , "t" , "u" , "v" , "w" , "x" , "y" , "z" , "A" , "B" , "C" , "D" , "E" , "F" , "G" , "H" , "I" , "J" , "K" , "L" , "M" , "N" , "O" , "P" , "Q" , "R" , "S" , "T" , "U" , "V" , "W" , "X" , "Y" , "Z" , "!" , "@" , "#" , "$" , "%" , "^" , "_" , ":" , "&" , "*" , "(" , ")" , "|" , "+" , "-" , "=" , ">" , "<" ];
The second character's value is equal to its position in the array; the first character's value is its position in the array multiplied by the length of the array. Those two values are added together to get the integer number corresponding to the tile to be loaded.
Thank you! Out of curiosity, you mean 1st in counting order, rather than the array index, correct? I know AS3 is 0-indexed, so that's why I ask. I.e. the character's value is actually (index+1)?
Nope; it's the actual index value. This is why you see so many tiles with the value 01 (corresponding to tile0001 in a given tileset) and none with the value 00 (corresponding to precisely nothing).
Unless I'm misunderstanding the game logs, it looks like Telepath Tactics variables are stored side-by-side in arrays: one with a string holding it's name, and another with it's value. Is there any reason you went with this instead of, say, a Hash Table (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hash_table)? The sequential lookup is guaranteed to be O(n), while the hash table can operate up to O(1), or O(n) at the very worst.
No particular reason. I've never used hash tables. *shrug*
Will the new game engine you're working on be backwards-compatible with existing Telepath Tactics campaigns, maps, etc?
There is guaranteed to be at least some incompatibility, in that elevation won't be abstracted via tiles anymore. Beyond that, I can't say for sure just how many differences there will be yet, but I'm looking to keep things very similar overall.
Hey Craig! I've always been a huge fan of your games, but I actually have a non-game related question. I just started at law school, and as someone who's survived it I was wondering if you had any advice?
Hey, congratulations on starting law school! :D I have two pieces of advice for you.
First piece of advice: study a lot. Getting good grades will help you get summer internships at places you want to eventually work.
Second piece of advice: Get summer internships at places you want to eventually work, then do stellar work while you're there--that's far and away your best chance at getting a job right out of law school.
Good luck! ;)
Hey all! I'm doing a Reddit AMA (https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/5953ru/iama_veteran_indie_game_developer_ama/) today--drop on by with whatever questions you may have! I'll be answering them all at 1 PM Central Daylight Time today (https://www.timeanddate.com/time/zones/cdt). :)
Does the new engine utilize Adobe AIR?
If yes: "But whyyyyy?"
If no, what's the anticipated likelihood that the new engine will be Linux compatible?
Nope; the new engine is in Unity, which is most assuredly Linux compatible. :)
Will the new engine's dialog system be the same as Telepath Tactic's? If so, could we get a special character for commas? Like -c- or something, so that variables storing strings can contain commas without breaking? Because that'd be cool. :D
I'm still not 100% sure about that--I've been saving the scripting and dialogue stuff for later, once I've got character generation complete and battle mechanics more fully implemented. I'll keep it in mind, though!
Do you have thoughts on RPG mechanics that make units weaker as they lose health (e.g. injury, vulnerability, loss of morale), how scale (sheer number of units controlled by player, enemy) affects their usefulness/viability, and/or whether, in your experience, they're actually fun?
[Probably the best-known example I have off the top of my head is the Civilization games.]
Quote from: ArtDrake on December 28, 2016, 03:11:45 AM
Do you have thoughts on RPG mechanics that make units weaker as they lose health (e.g. injury, vulnerability, loss of morale), how scale (sheer number of units controlled by player, enemy) affects their usefulness/viability, and/or whether, in your experience, they're actually fun?
That's a suuuuuper broad question! I'll start with what I think you're getting at in the first part of it. I know of a few games that make units deal less damage as they lose health (King's Bounty, Heroes of Might and Magic, Advance Wars, and The Banner Saga all come to mind). Characters losing fighting power along with their health tends to produce a positive feedback loop wherein they become less able to fight back, thereby making their eradication more and more likely.
In games where characters are replaceable, like King's Bounty, HoMM, and Advance Wars (in Advance Wars, they're replaceable during the actual battle!), you're really dealing with
groups of soldiers in each unit, and the unit's "health" is effectively just the number of soldiers left in the squad. Your ability to maintain a flow of replacement troops is part of these games' loops; it's just part of the macro-level strategy, so I find the mechanic tolerable in these circumstances.
I really quite dislike it in The Banner Saga, though, as TBS is really just a tactics game: your units are all unique and more-or-less irreplaceable. Since you can't easily recruit replacements when you lose soldiers in The Banner Saga, the positive feedback loop that ensues from units weakening as they become more vulnerable has
extremely severe consequences without any macro-level upshot to offset it, and I tend not to find it terribly enjoyable.
Morale is an interesting one. I've generally encountered it in two forms: (1) in battle, as a way to take control away from the player right when they need it most (i.e. when they're losing); and (2) outside of battle, as a way to punish the player for failing to pay/feed their troops. The first use I find irritating, as it's another example of a positive feedback loop that hurts the gameplay experience. The second use I tend to see more in strategy games, and it can be implemented well in that context. One new use of morale I've seen is in HoMM7, where it's used as a sort of bonus to grant your units extra turns if you're doing well--it's overpowered in that implementation, but I like the general idea of morale as a bonus to how well your troops perform. It's positive feedback-y, sure, but it's positive feedback-y in the player's favor, which makes it fun. (In my experience, things which are patently unfair when granted to the computer--like critical hits--are enjoyable when granted exclusively to the player).
Scale...that's a really broad topic, and it's hard to make any sweeping statements about it. I've seen both large-scale and small-scale done well, and I've seen both done poorly. In general, I'll just say that the fewer units you have under your control, the greater a variety of tactical options you need to have with each of them to keep things interesting. You can get away with less-versatile units once you get up into the 7+ unit range, I think. In general, I think the usefulness and viability of a given unit has more to do with the game's underlying mechanics than it does with scale on its own.
Well, for how broad it was, you did a good job touching on the key points I was curious about.
To clarify a little, when I mentioned scale, "their" referred to the positive reinforcement mechanics, rather than the units -- but you answered that, too, with your comments about how the integration of those injury/weakening mechanics into the macro strategy renders them more tolerable.
[I had some similar thoughts on the matter -- the games I was thinking about at the time were those in the vein of X-COM: UFO Defense and Xenonauts, as opposed to the later XCOM games (Enemy Unknown and XCOM 2); tactical turn-based squad cover shooters. There's an option in XCOM:EU called "Red Fog" that implements injury mechanics where they're not in the base game, and I'm reflecting on how that pushes the balance in the direction of expendable grunts versus decked-out action movie heroes.]
So, I was listening to an inverted version of Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-g9xHUr-GQ), and about forty seconds in or so, I started getting some serious Servants of God vibes. I seem to recall you compose your own music, so I was vaguely wondering whether a) you see it, too, and b) you had any remarks about the music theory that went into your work that might bear on this.
Of course, it might ultimately be a bit superficial, in which case there's nothing really to comment on.
Huh! Funny. Was it the Ghost Waltz (https://sinisterdesign.bandcamp.com/track/ghost-waltz) that it reminded you of?
Yeah, that's definitely the bulk of it. I went through and listened to the rest of the soundtrack to check whether there was anything else lurking in my recollection, but nothing popped out at me. I kept getting crypt imagery, but I think that's because the piece sounds more somber and reflective, like some of the historical and Psy-related scenes in the game, as opposed to as excitingly otherworldly as the Ghost Waltz.
Have you considered providing SSL (and relatedly HTTPS) support for the Sinister Design website, perhaps using a certificate authority such as Let's Encrypt (https://letsencrypt.org/about/)?
The thought hadn't occurred to me, no. Why?
Just a thought that had occurred to me while I was logging into the forums over my university's wireless network. (Packet sniffers are incredibly cool, and mildly scary, tools, haha.)
How has been your experience with GoDaddy as the SinisterDesign.net Domain Name Registrar?
Any updates on True Messiah? As I mentioned before, the concept intrigues me greatly - please don't keep us in the dark, Craig! ;)
Quote from: bugfartboy on June 09, 2017, 01:36:03 PM
How has been your experience with GoDaddy as the SinisterDesign.net Domain Name Registrar?
Fine; I don't have any major complaints, really.
Quote from: Duskling on June 09, 2017, 01:49:13 PM
Any updates on True Messiah? As I mentioned before, the concept intrigues me greatly - please don't keep us in the dark, Craig! ;)
Nope; believe me, if I had news, I'd share it! As it is, I'm still waiting for Blackbox to make room in their line-up to handle warehousing, shipping, and fulfillment of the game. Until that happens (or I get tired of waiting and simply give it to a publisher), I'm afraid it's not going anywhere.
Will The Beginner's Guide to Programming RPGs ever be released on its own? Or will it be a well kept secret, shared only with the 17 souls who picked it during the last Telepath Tactics Kickstarter Campaign?
I don't presently have any plans to release it publicly.
Does the new engine support actual 3-D maps, or is it purely visual? That is, are there actually three dimensions a unit can potentially move in?
The maps in the new engine are actual, for-real 3D; it's not apparent in the most recent screenshots only because I've been keeping them flat for aesthetic reasons, as I have yet to commission proper 3D tiles.
Looking through the new engine's developer log, and seeing the inclusion of nicknames, dynamically generated character portraits, preferences, special skills, and now complex sounding nighttime scenes, I must ask: is the new engine a more deterministic (knowing your aversion to too much RNG in games) D&D-esque party simulator?
Not quite, no. There is something like party simulation involved, but...well, you'll see! :)
Just a small provocation: :)
Regarding the new game, you worte:
Quote from: CraigStern on October 10, 2017, 04:31:22 PM
[...]
-- came up with a calendar system (the game world features a 10-month calendar, with each month 36 days in length)
[...]
So, I deduct that in the game, the full Moon will occur each 36 days, instead of the usual 29.53 days (the synodic month, currently on Earth).
It's almost as if the game doesn't actually take place on earth! ;)
Quote from: CraigStern on September 29, 2017, 12:13:44 PM
Not quite, no. There is something like party simulation involved, but...well, you'll see! :)
Quote from: CraigStern on October 18, 2017, 04:03:48 PM
-- lines of generated dialogue can now have specific facial expressions that the speaker will adopt while saying them. (I've also added this as a new parameter for AddSpeakerPortrait, whose parameters are now: (1) facing, (2) facial expression, and (3) force portrait name. Accepted strings for facial expression parameter include: Angry, Blank, Concerned, Confused, Excited, Focused, Happy, Irritated, Kind, Mean, Nervous, Pained, Sad, Tired, and Wink)
-- characters who get along can now pair up to Clean or Practice together at night, with the probability of a character attempting to pair up with another character impacted by a character's introversion or extraversion. (Characters will only choose other characters they're at least a little bit friendly with for such a pair-up.)
-- made it so only one character can choose to perform the activity Clean each night, though they may find a partner to help based on the factors above. (Compulsive characters are now moved to the front of the activity-choosing queue so they have a chance to choose Clean before this limitation comes into play).
-- wrote a method that analyzes character portrait data to generate a number ("genes") that determines whom the character may potentially be attracted to among their preferred species/gender. (For humans, nose type is determinative; for lissit, snout type; for spriggats, horn type; for shadowlings, plume type.) Thus, even if two characters have the right species and genders compatible with one anothers' gender preferences, they might still not find one another attractive based on intangible genetic factors. Quasi-pheromones, if you will.
-- wrote a second method to check for romantic compatibility between characters based on the above-mentioned factors.
Now I see: it's a world simulator set in the Telepathaverse! Will it include cats drinking themselves to death (http://www.bay12games.com/dwarves/mantisbt/view.php?id=9195)?
Ha! Nothing so ambitious as Dwarf Fortress; I'm mainly interested in simulating character personalities and relationships with this. ;)
Is modding/scripting support for the new engine going to be as extensive as the currently released Telepath Tactics engine?
Quote from: bugfartboy on January 17, 2018, 08:25:48 PM
Is modding/scripting support for the new engine going to be as extensive as the currently released Telepath Tactics engine?
I'm aiming to keep scripting support at about the same level, with the addition of being able to customize AI behavior. The one thing I'm pretty sure I won't be able to support in the new version is custom graphics--Unity bakes all that stuff right into the executable, unfortunately, and it seems it doesn't support pulling graphical assets in from outside the way Flash did.
Would the ability to more directly manage inventory via scripting be a possibility? If you're storing a unit's inventory in memory in an array (or anything else that implements System.Collections.Generic.IList(T)), perhaps actions to get/set values using the inventory to manage, the item's index within that inventory, and the item property you want to access? (I'm making the very broad assumption that inventory in save files will continue to store the individual stats of every item in that inventory, such as below from the old engine.)
<Inv>Practice Sword,Weapon Hand,c:Swordsman::Fencer::Hero::Champion,,,Sword,16,25,0,0,0,0,0,0,-1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,20,0,10,,Sword Wooden,Flimsy practice sword. Strength -1.||Bandages,triggered,,,,,2,16,12,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,20,,Bandages,Restores 12 health.</Inv>
I'm not sure I understand what you're requesting. You want the ability to modify one or more properties of an individual item via scripting? Something like: ModifyEquipped/characterName,slotName,statName,modification ?
While I was thinking something a bit more general use, you got the gist of it. Something like GetItemStatTo/characterName,itemIndex,statName,targetVariable, which could set the specified variable to the requested stat, and SetItemStat/characterName,itemIndex,statName,operation,modifyingValue which could modify the specified stat in a manner similar to the actions used to set character stats. itemIndex, in these cases, would be the position of an item in a character's inventory, assuming the data structure you're using to store items on characters is numerically indexed (such as an array).
Gotcha. I guess my question is, what would you be using it for? (It would be rather difficult to develop a scripting framework for item stat modification based upon inventory List position that would actually be useful to modders, since any kind of item can be in any position--there would need to be a variety of Actions just relaying the various properties of items at any given inventory position just to let you discern which item to act upon!)
Quote from: CraigStern on January 19, 2018, 09:47:36 AM
Gotcha. I guess my question is, what would you be using it for?
That's a valid question. A simple system that comes to mind is a weapon repair service that could charge the player variable amount of Aura based on the item's
consumedAfter stat, or could perhaps enhance a stat on the weapon (maybe enabling whetstones to boost the weapon's
strPlus stat instead of directly modifying the character's stats).
Another, much more complex, system that comes to mind is one that would allow the player to collect herbs and mix concoctions for healing wounds, boosting abilities and resistances, or cure status effects, by modifying the stats on a single item. It'd effectively be custom potion brewing, themed a bit more in line with the Telepath universe, without requiring a unique item class for each potential combination of effects.
Quote from: CraigStern on January 19, 2018, 09:47:36 AM
(It would be rather difficult to develop a scripting framework for item stat modification based upon inventory List position that would actually be useful to modders, since any kind of item can be in any position--there would need to be a variety of Actions just relaying the various properties of items at any given inventory position just to let you discern which item to act upon!)
That's true. Another potential method of accessing an item (that comes to mind) could involve adding a read-only id to each and every item instance that could be used in lieu of
characterName,itemIndex to pick an item. Without knowing the intricacies of the engine, this could simplify the issue you mentioned, although it would bring with it a set of new complications. Passing that item id to the script would require a new action, and the calling script would, at least once, need to go through extra work to determine if that id corresponds to the item or item type it wants. I could also see determining which character/object is actually carrying the item (which could be necessary to actually get/set an item's stats), if an item with that id even exists within the current map or shared inventory, increasing time complexity in a very nasty way (since nested for loops, one for the units on the map and one for the items in each inventory, are an O(n
2) operation).
[spoiler]
Another alternative method would be adding in support for a vetted scripting language, such as Lua (https://www.assetstore.unity3d.com/en/#!/content/391), although I imagine that would require a total overhaul of both the game engine and already existing maps.
[/spoiler]
TL;DR: I can imagine a couple use cases for being able to more directly manipulate items, but I can definitely understand not wanting to implement it.
In the new system (but not the old one), every item instance actually does have its own unique numerical ID! So theoretically, I could implement a system in which the game lets you get the ID for an item in a character's inventory by various methods, and then have an Action that lets you modify the properties for an item by its ID--but I foresee issues with getting the game to pull the correct item when duplicates of a given item types reside in a character's inventory. Suppose you want to upgrade Character A's Bandages, but that character has three different Bandages sitting in their inventory. Which one is the game supposed to pull the ID for? Is it supposed to create an integer list of IDs, each of which the scripter than then inspect the properties of via further Actions in order to pull the correct item? All of this is possible, but you can quickly see what a pain this would turn into to implement. I'd probably have to make it hook into the dialogue UI somehow to present the player with a list of items, with a given stat for each shown in parentheses, so that they could make selections.
The nice thing about an action that just acts on equipped items is that each character can only have one thing equipped in each slot, the fact that an item is equipped already shows that that item is useful to the character, and the UI interaction for changing equipped items is already implemented. :)
I was wondering, have you considered making a Discord channel for the website?
Not really. Skype, Slack, Discord--the fact that they're in real-time makes it much harder for me to participate, given the constraints of having a day job. I'd never have time to actually pop in, let alone moderate it or stream!
EDIT: Upon watching your True Messiah tutorial videos, it seems that part of my original question was answered, since cards do not appear to be faction-specific (though please correct me if I am mistaken). However, the core of my question remains - are there any mistakes you might expect beginners to the game to commit, such as agreeing on an alternative turn order and playing that way, that may break the balance of the game? Are there any repercussions to playing out of the specified Red-Black-Violet-White order?
Also, when you say "78 miracle cards," do you mean 78 unique miracle cards, or 78 miracle cards total?
Finally, who made the art? It's beautiful!
Thank you! If you click on the FAQ link on the Kickstarter page, the artists are all listed there. :)
As far as beginner mistakes, I try to cover all of the most common ones in the videos and in the rulebook FAQ. The single most common one, I think, is not guarding temples and temple building sites, thereby allowing enemy forces to waltz right up and wreak havoc.
Right now, changing the turn order won't throw off the balance except in 4-player. Currently, every player begins with the same cards, and the starting spaces are all equidistant in 2- and 3-player. Thus, advantages and disadvantages in those modes will merely be swapped if you swap turn order. This will change if I ever introduce unique starting cards, but as you note, that's not currently a thing.
Oh, and 78 is the total number of miracle cards. There are 39 or 40 unique miracle card types in all (which still means you'll be doing a lot of reading the first couple of games, when you're still learning what they all are and what they do).
Will scripts work similarly to the previous engine, in that it's just a block of actions? Will the new script implementation support defining scoped parameters (making them more akin to functions), or will that need to be handled by the script's author?
Scripts work very similarly to how they worked in Telepath Tactics; individual actions have scoped parameters, but there's no ability to create variables local to a given script.
Playing through Telepath Tactics again, I realized there was music in the game that I didn't recognize. Was the music track "ThereWillBeBlood", found in the Caravan Battle Prelude (I think), not included in the Telepath Tactics Original Soundtrack?
That's possible!
Ryan Richko had control over the official soundtrack; I encouraged him to include everything in its fullest form, but I know he chose to edit or omit certain tracks in the interest of making the OST a more enjoyable listen, just as an album. ("Evil Presence," for example, is shortened on the OST relative to how it appears in the game.)
Quote from: CraigStern on July 09, 2018, 11:33:11 AM
he chose to edit or omit certain tracks in the interest of making the OST a more enjoyable listen
That's disappointing to hear, given the track is actually pretty neat, but entirely understandable. Thanks for the explanation!
Sure thing!
Will the new scripting system be able to add/remove/modify individual points of light, or are they hard-coded only?
Will the scripting system be able to change global weather?
Right now, it lacks those capabilities--I would like to add those in at some point, however!
That would be pretty cool, if you get to!
If memory serves, weren't you thinking of adding a flickering or animated type of light to TT? Is the possibility for such a thing in the cards for the new engine?
That's certainly possible! I have so many things I need to do, though, that I'm not sure it rates. I'll add it to the "would be nice at some point in the future" list. :)
Potentially silly question, but does
materials="Leather/Boiled Leather/Wood/Bronze" num="1-5" chance="20">Armored Plating,Light Plating,GEN:Main Gauche,
imply leather parrying daggers? Or is there some cool functionality giving each item, like, a list of allowable materials, so then the true list of materials an item can be made from is the intersection of its shop list and its inherent list? And if so, does something bad happen if the intersection is empty?
Quote from: ArtDrake on August 21, 2018, 10:15:14 AM
materials an item can be made from is the intersection of its shop list and its inherent list?
Yup! Different item types have a hard-coded list of materials they can be generated from, and shops can stock generated items produced using some subset of that hard-coded master list.
I wonder how you got the idea to add the possibility of the characters being sick. Any recent event, perhaps? :)
Quote from: CraigStern on December 10, 2018, 05:26:19 PM
[...]
-- wrote new event: Sick (a character comes down with an illness for 1-3 weeks).
[...]
Season greetings
Quote from: Ertxiem on December 13, 2018, 08:47:14 AM
I wonder how you got the idea to add the possibility of the characters being sick. Any recent event, perhaps? :)
Heh. Well, I
did get saddled with a cold for a few weeks after Thanksgiving, so maybe that put sickness in the forefront of my mind! However, I've been wanting to develop systems for emergent (and persisting) character states with consequences for their behavior in and out of battle for years now (see e.g. item 6 in this article (https://sinisterdesign.net/6-more-ways-to-improve-turn-based-rpg-combat-systems/)).
With the mood system now implemented in the new engine, it occurred to me that it could easily handle behavioral modifications from physical maladies as well--so adding in a Sick status effect to complement it was a natural next step. :)
I like that idea. While I was reading it, I wondered, have you considered to have characters in love? It may not affect their stats, but it could have some consequences like the pair wishing to be together.
Regarding you being sick, I wonder where I got that idea (http://sinisterdesign.net/forum/index.php?topic=1769.msg51961#msg51961).
Quote from: Ertxiem on December 13, 2018, 05:05:43 PM
I like that idea. While I was reading it, I wondered, have you considered to have characters in love?
Yyyyyyup. ;)
Quote from: CraigStern on December 14, 2018, 04:27:51 PM
[...]
-- new special character: -DAYOFTHEWEEK-. Returns an integer value between 0 and 6 representing whatever day of the week it currently is in-game.
[...]
I was wondering out of curiosity: how easy would it be to have custom durations for "months" and "weeks"?
For instance, would it be possible to have a month with 6 weeks with 5 days each?
Cheers
Ert
I am planning to support custom calendars with customizable number (and names) of months, numbers of weeks in a month, and number of days in a week. However, I am not planning to support variations between months in terms of number of days, nor am I currently planning to support months with durations not evenly divisible by the days in a week. Those latter features would be annoying to implement, and for little discernable benefit.
Was wondering, is the soundtrack in TSoG inspired by George Wintson? Some of the music is very similiar.
Nope. (I'm not actually sure who that is!)
(Sorry for late reply) He's a pianist, this particular piece heavily reminded me of your work. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMTCCq8Y4TE
Oooh, nice. I like it! (Also, I can see why you'd think there's a relation--this has a somewhat similar sound to the Ghost Waltz.)
Quote from: CraigStern on January 29, 2019, 02:17:49 PM
-- new special character, the double-semicolon (;;)! When this character is detected in text, the game swaps in a comma. This allows you to use commas in your script action parameters without totally screwing things up! (The game uses actual commas to delimit script action parameters--using the double-semicolon in script action parameters allows you to sidestep this effect.)
I have my guesses, but I'm curious how you're handling parameters internally, and what the processing order is. At what point in the process of reading/handling the XML node do you do your string substitution? Is it just once, or do you cycle through until nothing else can be replaced?
Is the new engine unicode-friendly? That is, if I type a '•' (U+2022) or a '≸' (U+2279) into one of the files, will it render correctly in-game? If yes, what's the likelihood of getting support for inserting the actual code for a character, such as "•" "•" "•" for a bullet point, and handing it off to be converted+replaced with the appropriate character?
Oooh, this is a complex question to answer! Text processing for most* special characters happens long after the XML parsing process is through; it happens right before the text is displayed or used, so that script actions in the same scene, conversation, or even the same dialogue branch can alter the values that certain special characters stand in for.
The order of special character swapping, as it now stands, is basically: (1) -NL-, (2) values reflecting the general game state that cannot affect, but which can be used to set or check custom variables (-SCENE-, -DAYSPASSED-, -AURA-, etc.), (3) number-getters (LASTINLIST[] and RANGE[]), (4) ID[], (5) custom variables (-VAL:-, then -STR:-, then LIST{}), (6) PICK{}, (7) BRANCH[], (8) all the triggering unit properties (-ARMY-, -Y-, -X-, -NAME-, -CLASS-, heshe/himer/hiser, etc.), (9) all the "CHAR2" secondary unit properties (for dialogue that triggers relative to a second character), and finally (10) basic character substitutions (**, --, and ;;).
Based on my testing, that order tends to work quite well. (Having the double-hyphen last is particularly important in order to avoid problems processing multiple special characters in a row, like -NL--NL-.) There's no cycling at the moment; it just does a single pass-through. I have yet to encounter a situation that requires more than one pass-through to work, though I'm sure one must exist. I'll make the necessary changes if I ever run into it.
...oh, and about Unicode: getting Unicode characters to work in Unity at all is kind of a process, unfortunately, so probably not. However, your question has inspired me to add support for a couple more ASCII characters I can foresee people wanting to use, so hopefully that'll do. :)
* procedurally generated dialogue in the engine has its own, largely distinct set of special characters, swapped at the time the dialogue is generated. This occurs much earlier on than swapping for special characters elsewhere in the engine, as proc gen special characters refer to values internal to the character being generated rather than current game state or custom variable values. I mostly haven't discussed proc gen special characters, so if you see me talking about special characters, 99% chance is that it's the normal kind.
Thanks for the write-up! It's a bit more complicated than I expected, but I can't claim to have written anything as involved or complicated as a game engine.
Quote from: CraigStern on January 30, 2019, 09:07:36 AM
...oh, and about Unicode: getting Unicode characters to work in Unity at all is kind of a process, unfortunately, so probably not. However, your question has inspired me to add support for a couple more ASCII characters I can foresee people wanting to use, so hopefully that'll do. :)
That's a bit of a bummer, but understandable. I'm glad we got a couple of new characters out of it!
Quote from: CraigStern on February 07, 2019, 02:58:35 PM
-- a fun new feature I threw into the game: skills can now have scripts attached to them via the runsScripts attribute, just like items!
When used, a skill with runsScripts on it will run each script once for each target that the skill hits. (For purposes of special characters in skill-initiated scripts, the game will treat the attacker as the triggering character, and each individual unit hit by the attack as though it is the secondary character.)
This is more of a statement than a question, but this feature makes me inordinately happy. I'm having flashbacks of desperately logging what abilities the player has selected by using the OnAttackSelect trigger, just trying to activate specific scripts based on the character and ability the player had selected, to no absolutely no avail. I don't even remember what I was trying to accomplish (was it really years ago already?), just that I couldn't feasibly make it work.
How does the future look for custom status effects, possibly using scripts for custom behavior?
Custom status effects are something I started working on at one point, but that kinda fell by the wayside due to the sheer number of other, more essential things that have to get done.
Adding skill scripts was kind of a diversion; for the most part, what I'm trying to do now is polish what's in the game as much as possible (and on the modding end, make the existing tools as user-friendly as possible) in the interests of getting a vertical slice together. Adding in a zillion features with insufficient polish was a pitfall I fell into with Telepath Tactics, and I'm trying not to repeat the error!
This is a bit of a broad question, but -- do you have a "guiding principle" or "personal rule" for deciding which aspects of your engine should be baked in / hard-coded, versus more modular in anticipation of modding?
An example would be status effects; it's not obvious to me whether the "right" thing to do would be to simply have a fixed number of status effects that appear in the game, and make sure that there're enough of them that their ability to model effects that modders might desire isn't too limited... or to lay down the framework for making more of them. You mentioned recently that objects are immune to mental statuses. It seems like one approach would be to explicitly list the statuses they're immune to, while another would be to give statuses "tags" like "MENTAL" or "SENSORY" or "ELEMENTAL", make objects immune to anything with the "MENTAL" tag, and let modders make their own statuses and tag them appropriately.
[This isn't, like, a suggestion or anything -- I'm just trying to give a decent example of the kind of difference in approach I'm getting at.]
In some sense it feels like a question of "where do you draw the line, when it comes to modularity?". The answer I've gone with so far in my own little projects is "when it becomes a headache", for lack of a more coherent principle, but that feels a bit... primitive.
My approach is pretty holistic; I basically just weigh three factors: (1) how essential is the feature to the task of being able to create a lot of different stories and scenarios in a campaign; (2) how much demand is there for it; and (3) how much of a pain in the ass will it be for me to implement? Even when I do decide to make something moddable, though, I usually start off with the feature hard-coded anyway just to make it quicker and easier for me to implement the mechanics which revolve around it.
Before I ask a rather specific question about the AI logic in your new engine: is there a thread or a Q&A out there somewhere where you talk about your AI in depth that I should look for first, rather than ask you things here for fear you might've covered them elsewhere? Or are questions on that topic fair game?
I don't believe I've covered the AI anywhere in depth yet, so ask away!
So, what I was wondering was: does the AI across a team act in coordination, or are each unit's decisions made individually/independently, albeit perhaps with their role within the team in mind?
It occurs to me that if, for instance, each individual unit that has yet to move considers its options in parallel, and then the unit with the best option of all of them is picked as the next to move, and executes that action (and then everyone else recalculates), that's a sort of coordination where the "best man for the job" gets used, even if the algorithm used to weigh each individual unit's options has only that unit really in mind (though that might not be what your algorithm does!). Just, considering all possible action orders within an army seems O(n!) complex with n the army size (and thus presumably infeasible, in general!), so my assumption would be that there's a greedy algorithm at work in making the turn order choice, instead.
Also, a question in a very different direction: does your AI code, when evaluating the merit of the different courses of action, make explicit use of parallelization to speed up the decisionmaking (on machines that allow for it)? I don't know how good the support for parallelization/multithreading is in the language / environment you're working in; most of my personal experiences with it have been low-level and hardware-specific, which is obviously no good for a game that's shipping to a wide variety of machines.
At present, the AI considers the moves available for any given unit in isolation, only considering its teammates if a given unit is badly injured and there's a healer on the team they can make a beeline for. There are two basic modes it uses: the "classic" Telepath Tactics mode, where turn order is simply randomized and each unit calculates its move only after the previous unit has gone, and the newer parallel mode which operates pretty much exactly as you describe here:
Quote from: ArtDrake on March 27, 2019, 10:22:46 PMeach individual unit that has yet to move considers its options in parallel, and then the unit with the best option of all of them is picked as the next to move, and executes that action (and then everyone else recalculates)... [and] the algorithm used to weigh each individual unit's options has only that unit really in mind
For obvious reasons, "classic" mode is preferred when the AI is in command of a large army whose members are not set to passive mode.
As for your second question: I'm not really familiar with Unity's support for parallelization/multithreading, so if the engine doesn't do it automatically, then at this moment in time, it simply doesn't happen at all. Instead, I mask much of the time needed to calculate the AI team's moves by calculating them asynchronously while the "Enemy Turn!" notification remains onscreen. (Although moves need to be recalculated after each character goes, some of the initial calculations--for instance, scoring each unit on the field in terms of its target value--only need to happen once, so the subsequent recalculations are faster.)
I want to be careful with questions like this, because it's easy to come across as demanding something or creating an expectation when it really is just a question, but--
I was wondering, what kinds of control schemes do you plan on supporting with the new engine? Mouse only, keyboard only, hybrid mouse/keyboard? [I'd ask about custom keybinds, too, but that strikes me as the sort of thing it's a bit simpler to throw in once you have keyboard controls, whereas the ones I asked about are things that I would imagine UI gets built around.]
As of right now, the controls are very similar to Telepath Tactics, in that there is a mouse-driven interface with keyboard hotkeys that can be used in their place for most (though not all) things. (I have not yet implemented click-and-drag camera panning in combat, however, and instead currently have a "leave the mouse at the edge of the screen for a second to pan" solution.)
The biggest thing I want to add to the controls that I simply haven't had time to implement yet is gamepad support. Custom keybinds are possible, but a much lower priority for me at the moment.
I did a search through the forum, and couldn't find anywhere you'd discussed this prior:
Are there any locations in Chicago you would recommend to visitors? Any spots that aren't advertised or known as well as you wish they were?
There are so many! Honestly, Chicago has so much really cool stuff that my answer would necessarily depend on the visitor, what sort of things they like, and the time of year they're coming (there's a lot of really cool outdoor stuff that is basically mandatory in the summer, but would be decidedly less fun in the winter).
As a sort of generic stand-in answer that works for any season, I guess I'll recommend The Chicago Cultural Center (https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/dca/supp_info/chicago_culturalcenter.html), which has some truly stunning architecture and neat exhibits (and is completely free to visitors!)
The Chicago Cultural Center was an interesting visit, especially the digital flowers exhibit they had set up. Thanks for the recommendation! It's a shame the offices of Sinister Design don't offer public tours, though.
Quote from: CraigStern on October 31, 2019, 10:02:27 AM
-- two new operators are supported when altering integer values: f and c. These impose a floor and ceiling, respectively, on the named value.
For instance:
SetVal/MoralePenalty,f:2
This will