Developer's Log

[CraigStern]

--I've coded new functionality into Telepath Tactics! When the game runs, it automatically compares its version number to the latest version number online, then opens your browser with a download of the latest version's installer if the version numbers don't match.

This should make it much, much easier to keep the game updated; no having to constantly check for my announcements about installer updates to know when a new one is online, and no having to go digging around for the download URL when you find out there's a new version.

[CraigStern]

--animated the promoted variation of the Bowman Bow animation.

[CraigStern]

--animated the promoted variation of the Cavalry Lance animation!

--began working on battle 4 for the month, Hills of Coria 2. I do believe this will mark the first battle in the game where you have to face enemy cavalry.

[CraigStern]

--fixed an annoying map editor bug in which it would not correctly display a character's facing direction in the edit character window.

--created a new destructible object: the snare trap! I couple it with a pressure trigger that causes whatever character wanders into it to become stunned. The code looks like this:

Code: [Select]

<Unit trigger="Pressure,Snare Trap">0,99,Snare,11,26,None,None</Unit>

<Script>Snare Trap
<Action>AddStatusAt/-Y-,-X-,Stunned,AutoAdd</Action>
<Action>RemoveTriggerObj/-Y-,-X-</Action>
<Action>SpawnFloatingText/Snare Trap!,-FNAME-,0xFFFF00</Action>
</Script>
--fixed a bug that allowed characters to keep moving after rendered Stunned or Frozen by a script if the script was triggered mid-movement by an object trigger.

The map editor and game installers are updated online.

[CraigStern]

--scrapped the first draft of Hills of Coria 2 entirely, replaced it with a way better map in which you fight on a long, crumbling bridge over the water. Not gonna lie--I'm pretty excited about this one.

--as the screenshot below shows, I made some variant stone bridge objects so that you can make bridges with chunks missing that still look good.

--cropped all of the promoted unit rest sprites to the new, correct size

[CraigStern]

--the ranged damage falloff penalty now caps out at 75%; it is no longer possible to have attacks with a range so long that they heal the target.

--increased the number of characters allowed in the actions bar within the dialog editor.

[CraigStern]

--further optimized the game's rain particles to reduce slowdown during rainy battles.

--added new death monologues so all of the game's characters now have one (though many have only placeholder dialog for the moment).

--character death monologues no longer appear in casual mode.

--the game now displays an attack's ModDmgForAttack value as (+X) next to its Base Damage when you mouse over it in the Actions Menu.

[CraigStern]

Game installer updated! I'd suggest updating, as it will auto-detect future updates from now on.

[CraigStern]

--fixed a bug where the game would freeze when the thief speaks in the battle with Gunther.

--added a thief to the first Hills of Coria battle.

--finished the remaining death monologues for current playable characters.

[CraigStern]

--we've completed the first cut scene background!

--fixed some really annoying issues with getting the cut scene background to display in the right spot, and to remain there when switching between fullscreen and windowed modes

[CraigStern]

--added the outdoor cut scene background to all cut scenes taking place out-of-doors

--created new scene between Emma and Sabrina occurring immediately after the final escape from the bandit fortress

--new script action: LightPortrait. This lets you apply a global lighting filter to a character portrait in dialog. Two parameters: Portrait Name and Global Lighting Preset. If you leave the second parameter blank (or use "Custom" for it), you can use optional third, fourth, and fifth parameters: Red, Green, and Blue values for custom lighting. This all works just the same as the Global Lighting condition.

[CraigStern]

--new script action: LightBackground. This lets you apply a global lighting filter to the background in a static cut scene. One parameter: Global Lighting Preset. If you leave this parameter blank (or use "Custom" for it), you can use optional second, third, and fourth parameters: Red, Green, and Blue values for custom lighting. This all works just the same as the Global Lighting condition.

LightBackground does nothing if used outside the context of a static cut scene with a -PIC:- present.

--updated manual, map editor list of script actions

[CraigStern]

--fixed the Victory screen not using the correct font

--adjusted the time you have until Gulch begins attacking with the whole army in the Rescuing Meridian battle

[CraigStern]

--fixed bug where giving another character an item in exploration mode would glitch out the game.

--fixed a bug whereby the Defending the Camp Battle was rendered unwinnable.

--increased the maximum range of Split Shot and Split Shot 2 to 4 for the main campaign.

--the game now automatically closes itself when you decide to update it.

--added two short optional conversations in the final battle escaping the bandit fortress: one between Teresa Dayo and Lord Dakarai, and one between Phoebe Wittler and Lord Dakarai.


Game installers updated online!

[CraigStern]

--coded a new class that generates a log of what the game engine is doing as you play. If there's an error, it puts the last 1000 lines of the log into a txt file, then saves it at Documents >  My Games > Telepath Tactics > Logs with the version number, the date, and the time.

This is going to make it much, much easier for me to diagnose and fix problems when players encounter bugs while playing!

Annnnnnd after a few hours of reworking the thing and fixing issues with it, it's working! Woohoo!