Developer's Log

[CraigStern]

--fixed a bug in the map editor where characters weren't getting removed from the map if their row or column was deleted

[CraigStern]

--added a new feature to the game's dialog editor: you can now move dialog branches around! Specifically, the dialog map now displays little arrow buttons that you can use to move dialog branches up or down within their given conversations. This lets you change the order of dialog on the fly; very handy, and something I've been wanting in the dialog editor for quite some time.

--new reply type: NextBranch. It's less flexible than NewBranch, in that it only ever goes to the next branch of the dialog tree in strict numerical order, but it also makes things wayyyyyyy easier when editing the dialog in cut scenes and other linear conversations, since you won't have to go and update all of the branch parameters every single time you add or remove a branch from the middle of the conversation.

--the mouse-over character window now shows enemy level number and class type in single player (seeing as it's now relevant to know with the additions of the last couple of days)


I've updated the map editor and game installers online.

[CraigStern]

--fixed a bug where pressure triggers would remain after the object they were tied to is destroyed.

--created a reference XML with all of the game's current 83 script actions and short descriptions of their parameters. I'll be using this to provide some assistance with scripting in the dialog editor.

[CraigStern]

--I've created the game's first legendary weapon: Aravel. Aravel is an extremely durable and well-crafted rapier. As a rapier, Aravel gives the user access to piercing as well as slashing attacks. In addition, the weapon is so light and well-balanced that it gives the user extra energy and dodge, plus an extra counterattack. You can use Aravel to perform a series of quick thrusts over the course of a turn, each costing only a little energy. Aravel is currently wielded by Fera, a fearsome swordsman who serves as Igor Bloodbeard's second in command.

--I've programmed the dialog editor with code hints! When you type in a new action, it checks what you've typed against a list of all supported actions. If it finds a match, the editor then fills in the parameters box with a code hint setting out the action's parameters. For instance: if you type IfStatRun into the action field, it'll automatically detect it as an action and stick this in the parameters field right next to it:

Character Name, Stat Name, Mode of Comparison ( = / g / l / etc), Amount, Script Name

This should make scripting in the dialog editor wayyyyy easier. I'm going to test it this evening, and hopefully update the map editor sometime tonight.

[CraigStern]

--I've now tested the code hints and they're working! Here's a video showing code hints and dialog swapping in action: http://youtu.be/Rm2c0IY9ydY

--Tyvon has gotten me the Throwing Axe animation for the bandits; I've now added throwing axes to the game!


I've updated the map editor installers and regular game installers online.

[CraigStern]

--new script action: MoveDialogBox. This repositions the dialog box vertically onscreen. It takes one parameter--the number of pixels to move the dialog box.

--used MoveDialogBox to get the dialog window out of the way of the blue swordsman in the standalone tutorial and in the public demo training level when telling the player to click her.

--added documentation of ShowActionsWindow and MoveDialogBox to the manual.

[CraigStern]

--Hardened status effect now increases all physical resistances by 50%, and lasts 3-5 turns

--Hardened now cancels any preexisting Softened status, and Softened cancels any preexisting Hardened status

--new special character for dialog: -PLAYERTURN-. This references the army number of the player whose turn it currently is.

--laid some of the design groundwork for making status effects moddable (which would allow you to change the parameters of existing status effects and create your own)

[CraigStern]

--fixed a bug where the game would sometimes cut off the Victory screen and strand you in battle if you won using  turn-ending attack from the last remaining character on your team

--fixed the bug where the mouse cursor would not show up during narrative cut scenes

--fixed the bug where characters you recruited would remain in your roster upon reloading after defeat in battle

--fixed the bug where LastBranch doesn't work if you follow it with a forward slash and don't specify a numerical parameter afterward

--fixed a bug where you could advance dialog by clicking even if the common inventory was open during a conversation

--fixed a bug where character names weren't displaying upon mousing over them in the common inventory

--fixed a bug where the computer would continue to take its turn rather than pausing during a character's death monologue

--T is now the hotkey for "Talk"; toggle timer is now Shift + T

--fixed a really significant map editor bug that was causing it to fail when loading maps


Map editor installer has been updated online.

[CraigStern]

--created new battle: the fight with Gunther Lathe

--added nextscene field to save map in map editor

--began work on making tags, triggers, and character / object inventory editable in the map editor

[CraigStern]

--new script action: RemoveTagFromCharAt. Allows you to remove "passive" tags from generic enemies on the battlefield at specific coordinates.

--fixed a bug that was causing armies to be passed over in single player if they had reinforcements due and no characters left on the field

--programmed a thief into the Gunther Lathe battle that appears mid-battle and loots a treasure chest sitting on the battlefield, then runs away!

[CraigStern]

--We now have a Whirlwind attack animation for the bandit class!

--The AI now accounts for an attack's chance to hit when deciding whom to attack, and with which skill. (This represented one of the few remaining hold-outs from when the game was 100% deterministic without exceptions.)

--Items can now modify a character's accuracy stat. (I've added the accPlus attribute right before counterPlus in ItemClasses.xml; you can copy-paste accPlus="0" there to update your own item classes in any custom campaign you're working on.)

--created new variations on the Bow item graphic.

--created new item: Long Bow. It's a bow that only support the Arched Shot attack, but it deals a bit more damage and boosts the attacker's base accuracy with Arched Shot from 60% to 85%.

[CraigStern]

--bug fix: for AOE attacks that trigger multiple counterattacks simultaneously, the game now once again goes through all of the counterattacks before ending the exchange. (This also means that explosion chains are now a thing again.)

--bug fix: you can now once again target empty spaces of water with Cold attacks to freeze them, even if no other targets are present.

--bug fix: TowardTargets and OnTargets VFX will now act on all spaces targeted by the attack, even if no characters or objects occupy those spaces.

[CraigStern]

--David Hammond is working on sprite variations for some of the game's characters (see below).

--I've created a new cut scene introducing Igor Bloodbeard and Tarion.

[CraigStern]

--equipped items can now add tags to characters, and those same tags will be removed when the item is unequipped

[CraigStern]

--fixed a bug that was preventing the remove tag function from working in situations where it needed to match specific tag parameters