Developer's Log

[CraigStern]

--I've now written the optional campground chats with Zimmer Thrawn, Meridian, and Rebecca Flare, and added them into the game.

[CraigStern]

--new tag: Promoted. The Promoted tag takes one parameter: the character's levels gained prior to getting promoted. The game takes this value and uses it to affect experience scaling going forward, both for its own experience gained from attacking enemies, and for the experience other characters get from attacking it.

For example: let's say that Charles Brisbane the Cavalier reaches level 20 and promotes, becoming a level 1 Mantis Knight. Without a Promoted tag, he'll suddenly start getting loads of experience for attacking and killing level 5 (or 10, or 15) characters, even though they're technically much less experienced than he is. So we need to add the tag Promoted,19 so that he's treated as the level 20 character he effectively is.

Another example: let's say that the player has to fight Igor Bloodbeard, a level 5 Marauder. The Marauder is the promoted version of the Bandit, so Igor is effectively level 24. If we don't give Igor the Promoted tag, and the player slays Igor using a level 10 character, that character will get very, very little experience for the task, since the game will treat him as slaying an enemy half his level!

[CraigStern]

--fixed a few bugs that were preventing procedural level generation from working properly after the support I added for custom random level types. After a bit of testing, I got the game to generate a random forest level. :)

The parameters that generated the battle shown below:

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nextbattle="GENERATE_RANDOM_LEVEL[Forest/Camp 1/Dungeon/1/21/16-22/2-6/Bloodbeard's,Bandit:Bloodbeard's,Bowman/Global Lighting,Daylight:Protect Char,0,Emma Strider]"

[CraigStern]

--fixed bug where the actions menu does not reappear after you click to close the detailed character info screen

I've updated the game's installers online. Early access backers, update away! ;)

[CraigStern]

-fixed a bug that was causing battle primers to remain the character's inventory after use, thus permitting unrestricted leveling

-fixed a bug that was causing characters' turns to end after leveling up even when the attack that leveled them up would not have ordinarily ended the character's turn

[CraigStern]

--new feature: the main campaign now supports "casual mode," in which characters that die simply come back in the next battle with -1 max health instead of remaining dead.

--whenever a character is selected, the actions window now displays the name of the currently selected character whose available actions it contains.

--fixed a bug where changes to character stats wouldn't stick if the character wasn't still on the battlefield at the end of a battle.

[CraigStern]

--fixed a bug where static cut scenes would not load (or therefore, run) scripts.

--made some balance changes so that the Caravan Battle is a bit easier.

The installers have been updated online! :D

[CraigStern]

--cut scenes now load scripts and dialog from PersistentDialog.xml

--additional tutorial tip added to caravan battle urging players to left- and right-click on boss characters to formulate a strategy

[CraigStern]

--updated the manual with documentation on the portrait attribute, as well as updated documentation on sex and spritetype

--fixed deployment bug: character levels and classes would not follow the character when swapping positions

--fixed deployment bug: character level and class would not load properly if the character had not been used in a previous battle

The installers have been updated online.

[CraigStern]

--new script actions: IfTagGoTo and IfTagRun. These go to a dialog branch or run a script if a named character has a particular tag.

There are four parameters to the IfTagGoTo / IfTagRun actions: Character Name with spaces, Tag Name, Tag Parameters (if any), and Branch (IfTagGoTo) / Script Name (IfTagRun). The tag name can be anything the game supports, or even custom tags you've created yourself.

--added documentation to the manual on creating your own Procedural Level Generator Room Sets.

--added smoke particle effects when characters are wounded and removed in Casual Mode.

--the OnStat trigger now accepts -ANY- as a character name parameter, which makes it so that any character reaching the prescribed stat value will trigger the dialog.

Also, just for fun, here's a pic of the Actions Window telling us who's currently selected. :)

[CraigStern]

--created the basic script framework for character class promotions! :)

To assist with that, I further extended some of the game's scripting support:

--added Race and Sex support to SetStat and IfStatGoTo / IfStatRun, plus Portrait support to IfStatGoTo / IfStatRun.

--added string stat support to the special dialog character -STAT:- (i.e. you can now invoke a character's Name, Class, Sprite, Direction, Race, Sex, and MoveType as part of dialog text and in script code).

[CraigStern]

--wrote up backgrounds for a couple of new recruitable characters :)

--new ModDmg tag: ModDmgForAttack modifies the damage a character does when using a particular named attack. Takes three parameters: operator type, amount, and attack name. For example:

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ModDmgForAttack,+:1:Mind Blast will increase the character's damage by 1 whenever he/she attacks with Mind Blast.

--two new attack mod tags that deal with things other than damage: ModCostForAttack and ModRngForAttack.

ModCostForAttack tells the game to modify the energy cost to use the named attack for the tagged character. Takes three parameters: operator type, amount, and attack name.

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ModCostForAttack,%:75:Cryo Blast will decrease the cost to use Cryo Blast to 75% of its normal amount for the tagged character.

ModRngForAttack tells the game to modify the maximum range for the tagged character when using the named attack. Takes three parameters: operator type, amount, and attack name.

--corrected an inconsistency in the code: ModDmg tags are now universally applied before elemental resistance in attack damage calculations

--updated the computer AI to account for range and cost modifying tags (including the previously implemented RangeBonus tag)

[CraigStern]

--updated the manual with documentation on the RangeBonus tag

--all preliminary names and stat bonuses for promoted classes are now in the game! The current state of things (subject to change later):

Hero >
Champion – A strong, durable fighter that becomes even more resilient and capable, able to inspire allies to great feats. Can use Swords, Main Gauches and Rapiers. Gains +6 Health, +6 Energy, +2 Strength. Learns Inspire.

Assassin >
Whisper – Difficult to hit, incredibly mobile assassins. Can use Daggers and Throwing Knives. Gains +2 Energy, +1 Strength, +25% Dodge, and Stealth (tag: TargetValue,0.3).

Swordsman >
Fencer – Fast, good at going toe-to-toe with powerful physical enemies. Can use Swords, Main Gauches and Rapiers. Gains +2 Health, +2 Energy, +10% Dodge, +1 Counterattack, +20% Accuracy.  Learns Feint, Disarm.

Bandit >
Marauder – Strong damage dealer with expanded access to armor and shields. Can use Axes, Halberds, small shields and Leather Armor or Chain Mail. Gains +4 Strength and +5 Health.

Spearman >
Pikeman – Specializes in drawing (and weathering) enemy attacks. Can wear heavy armor and use large shields, Spears, Halberds. Gains +7 Health, +20% Slash Resistance, +10% Pierce Resistance, and Prominence (tag: TargetValue,1.5).

Cavalier >
Mantis Knight – Tougher, with expanded options for close-range combat on the front lines. Can wear heavy armor and use large shields, Lances, Halberds. Gains +4 Health, +2 Strength, +5% Slash Resistance, +5% Pierce Resistance, and +1 Counterattack. Learns Charge.

Lizardman >
Drake – Stronger, faster, greater endurance, with access to basic armor. Can use Maces and Flails, small shields and Leather Armor. Gains +2 Health, +4 Energy, +2 Strength and +5% Dodge.

Bowman >
Bowmaster – Faster, more accurate; better at long-range harrassment, both with Bow and Arched Shot. Can use Bows and Longbows. Gains +20% Accuracy and +2 Speed.

Crossbowman >
Arbalist – Trained to modify and shoot different types of crossbow bolts. Can use Crossbows. Gains +3 Health, +2 Strength, Range Bonus of 1. Learns Poison Bolt and Piercing Shot.

Engineer >
Machinist – A more efficient builder with Golem-specific support skills and access to Leather Armor. Learns Engine Boost, Build Wood Barricade 2, Build Wood Bridge 2. Gains +1 Health, +8 Energy.

Psy Healer >
Caduceus – The caduceus is a master of shields. Learns Static Shield, Solid State Shield. Gains +2 Psy Defense and +6 Energy, +1 Mind Shield range.

Mentalist >
Puppetmaster – a powerful manipulator. Learns Kinetic Gale, Kinetic Wave, Levitate. Gains +2 Psy Power, +5 Energy, +1 Mind Control range, 50% cost for Kinetic Gust and Kinetic Pull.

Pyrokineticist >
Pyrokurios – A master of pyrokinesis.  Learns Fire Gate. Gains +1 Health, +4 Energy, +3 Psy Power, +1 Pyro Blast range and 50% Pyro Blast cost.

Cryokineticist >
Cryokurios – A master of pyrokinesis.  Learns Frost Armor and Cryo Cross. Gains +1 Health, +4 Energy, +3 Psy Power, +1 Cryo Blast range and 50% Cryo Blast cost.

Skiakineticist >
Skiakurios – A master of manipulating negative emotion. Learns Fury and Dark Vortex. Gains +1 Health, +4 Energy, +3 Psy Power, +1 Shadow Blast range and 50% Shadow Blast cost.

Photokineticist >
Photokurios – A master of photokinesis. Learns Light Bomb. Gains +1 Health, +4 Energy, +3 Psy Power, +1 Light Blast range and 50% Light Blast cost.

Shadowling >
Shadowheart – A devious fighter, able to teleport around the battlefield and prey on the mental weaknesses of its enemies. Learns Terror, Decoy. Gains +3 Health and +5 Energy. +1 Shadowport range and -1 Shadowport cost.

Spriggat >
Greater Spriggat – A mature spriggat in full command of its abilities is a deadly foe indeed. Gains +3 Health, +4 Energy, +1 Strength, +1 Psy Power and +1 Speed. -1 cost for its basic breath attack.

Spirit >
Specter – A spirit that has gained greater control over itself, and thereby possesses greater psy manipulation powers. Gains +16 Energy. Learns Transfer 2, Drain, Stimulate.

Stone Golem >
Megalith – A Stone Golem with combat experience is a terrifying opponent indeed. Learns Smash, Engine Boost. Gains +3 Health, +3 Strength, +20% Slash Resistance, +20% Pierce Resistance.

Bronze Golem >
Titan – Gains +12 Health, +2 Strength. Learns Spin Saw 2, Engine Boost.

[CraigStern]

--new afterAttack type supported: UseOnce. This is like Unlimited, except that the particular attack you've used cannot be used again. (Other attacks can be used, however.)

--Sprint is now a UseOnce attack, meaning that you can attack after using it! You just can't keep using Sprint over and over again in the same turn, as you could if it were Unlimited.

[CraigStern]

--powerful new mental attack created for promoted shadowlings: Terror. It reduces the target's mental resistance by 1.5 times the attacker's psy power. In addition, Terror has a chance to do any or all of the following: Stun, Slow, Weaken, and Blind, as well as strip the target of up to 2 counterattacks.

In short, the Telepath series finally has in-game attack that properly represents the shadowling ability to get inside of one's head. You can see the button icon I designed for it below. :)