The Maunstraut 2009 Project

[dmpdesign]

That looks very good.

Have you toyed with that stain glass object at all? I can retexture it etc...

The two areas next to the cross in the middle with the ramparts sections facing each other to make an arch is where the object would go. I would be curious to see if it looks cool in there.

[Holy_Diver]

It's fun seeing just how creative you can be with such simple tools

Stainglass probably wouldn't work into this part of the chapel, but there are some "windows" along the side that could incorporate them, as well as a view from the outside the castle map of an upper floor. I will add them eventually, but I've never seen windows that start at the ground, so I'll have to figure out some way around that (like I've said before)

The tall towers on the side are really an optical illusion. It's easy not to notice the trick, but it's noticeable as well. It would be nice to have some taller versions of the basic square column piece. It's not really possible to work in windows, because there are staircases inside both towers that would be too difficult to add windows to.

I'm really not crazy about the Christian iconography being a fantasy universe and all, and generally the environment is very pagan otherwise. But you get that classic medieval bent of the old religion being superseded by the new. The cross does work well, though I'm not completely sold on this sort of florescent light version :P


edited: I suppose some stainglass in the arches over the door might work, as long as you got the middle one too. But you really can't get a good vantage of them from the map. They're designed to look up at.

[Holy_Diver]

I devised a very interesting design decision earlier today. I realized that HP and MP are doomed to be proportional based on whatever level up table you have. There is no builtin way to augment player max HP/MP basically. I really did not feel comfortable with this, because I think these values should reflect the players decision to favor weapons or magic...

So what I ended up doing is I just decided to fix max HP and MP at 100. As in 100% (I even changed the status menu to read 100% instead of 100/100)

I also decided earlier this week to limit the number of levels to 32. At that point the idea was to put a hard cap on HP/MP, but now there is a no progression at all

I even went further and decided no strength or magic bonus on level up (editing the level tables was actually very easy)

So now it's difficult to say what function the levels will actually have in this version of DoM. Though I'm sure they will have something. I'm thinking about reserving some counters for every level and tracking the players progress. Though how that would influence gameplay I have not decided.

Anyway, so what remains is the only way to grow your stats is the strength/magic up messages you get now and then that are independent of levels. I actually have no idea what factors lend to that happening, though I've done some playtesting to see if it would be feasible. I can track how often this happens between level to level and augment player stats accordingly. I would very much like to determine how SoM decides to grant the player that bonus boost :roll:

This play style actually feels a lot more involved and fun than traditional KF (for me at least) ...I've always favored action rpgs that favor action over the rpg elements.

One interesting side effect, is strength does not effect defense, and I doubt magic effects magic defense or anything. So the player actually takes the same damage from beginning to end. This forces the player to rely on best armor sets for the mission, and suggests playing a more stealth game until you think you have the right stats for the job. I've made sure that you can generally gauge the power of monsters visibly, and if you play it safe, escape from a monster that turned out to be more than you could handle.

Instead of defense, the player gets perks like hp regen, and the ability to move around a lot easier in heavy armor. Also killing becomes much easier with strength/magic, though it never feels as easy as Froms' games

Even at the top class you don't feel god like. But you do feel capable. Basically you still gotta keep up with your game, because you can die even from early enemies if they mob you and get in some lucky hits. Well that's if you're not wearing heavy armor... if you are, you're probably snug as a bug

Even if you're under the weight limit, a lot of things can knock your strength down which can put you in trouble. And the best thing about having a fixed 100hp, is I can do things like make you limp if you are down to 30hp or something (like throwing you a fast burst of slow/paralyze status)

I've also tied the MP stat to stamina. Most likely there will be no way to recover MP other than resting at a bed or in the field. Also your MP constantly drains, as if you're getting hungry. Some food might give you a boost in the field, but you will only get some from the game chefs at fixed intervals. Maybe the Witch Water item will be capable of restoring some "MP", but it can have a lot of bad side effects, and generally not be good for you at all (it's a random effect type item)

Another odd side effect, is you have enough MP to cast any spell in the game obviously. But if you blow your magic real quick you're basically shot until you go to sleep. And since the game is a race against time, that is something to avoid if possible. I'm unsure if I will develop a system to try to give players back some MP based on their magic stat. I will be forcing the player to have sufficient stats before being able to learn a spell or unlock sword magic. I'm also going to limit the spells considerably I think, and just have them level up for higher range/damage versions. There are a couple ways you could do that, with or without hacking the SoM.

I have new names for everything to be sure it doesn't feel like KF or anything else for that matter. I made my own guage graphic. I also realized the compass in the game doesn't work like a real compass at all

I don't think players will need a compass for this game, but I'm thinking about crafting a Diadem of Maunstraut (the crown) graphic to stick in there for the fun of it.

I did some other fun events tonight while the power was out. I setup the prayer system (just for the free prayer) and implemented the replacement for Tom's Icon of Life. The feather is now called Pluma Valkyrja, and lets you enable dash for about enough time to clear a map... which is useful when it's disabled, which can happen for a lot of reasons in the game.

Presently you actually move very fast in dash mode, and non-dash mode. It feels like a realistic pace, though not at all KF speeds (though many of the games seem a lot faster than I remember them -- I guess maybe it's the turn speed that always seemed slow) ...Any did this so the player can actually play in slow mode realistically. I'm seriously considering putting checkpoint events at various bottleneck portions of maps so I can track the speed the player is going and hit their MP/stamina stat harder if they're making a lot of ground. I'd like to be able to make them stop dashing for a while if they've been up to it for too long, but that would require some fancy hacking (and might be too complicated for this version)


By god, a long post I know, but felt like a little blogging would say more than some screenshots in this case.

[dmpdesign]

Very good stuff it sounds like. I like the fact (like Trismegistus) you are doing a lot of unintended funtions with SOM. It is cool to see people really manipulate the engine.

i am anxious to see what all youve done so far...i got pretty far in DoM, didnt beat it (sorry tom, i will someday) and i would like to see how different your version feels.

[Holy_Diver]

Man, I don't envy anyone having to come up with their own level up numbers

I knew there was a reason I've always hated the exp/levels paradigm :P

Here are the numbers for M09

Code:

1       0     0    0 -0     (-0)     = 0      (0)
2    1000  1000 1000 -10    (-10)    = 990    (990)
3    2300  1300  300 -20    (-30)    = 2270   (1280)
4    4300  2000  700 -40    (-70)    = 4290   (2020)
5    7500  3200 1200 -80    (-150)   = 7350   (3060)
6   11500  5000 1800 -160   (-310)   = 11250  (3900)
7   18000  7500 2500 -320   (-630)   = 17370  (6120)
8   27800 10800 3300 -640   (-1270)  = 26590  (9220)
9   41800 15000 4200 -1280  (-2550)  = 39310  (12720)
10  61000 20200 5200 -2560  (-5110)  = 55950  (16640)
11  86500 26500 6300 -5120  (-10230) = 76330  (20380)
12 119500 34000 7500 -10240 (-20470) = 99090  (22760)
13 161300 42800 8800 challenge       = 140830 (41740)

14 173500  13200  1400 -0      (-0)     = 173500 - 20470 = 153030 (13140)
15 189600  16100  2900 -100    (-100)   = 189500 - 20470 = 169030 (16000)
16 209200  19600  3500 -200    (-300)   = 208900 - 20470 = 188430 (19400)
17 234000  24800  5200 -400    (-700)   = 233300 - 20470 = 212830 (24400)
18 265800  31800  7000 -800    (-1500)  = 264300 - 20470 = 243830 (31000)
19 306500  40700  8900 -1600   (-3100)  = 303400 - 20470 = 282930 (39100)
20 357100  50600  9900 -3200   (-6300)  = 350800 - 20470 = 330330 (47400)
21 419700  62600 12000 -6400   (-12700) = 407000 - 20470 = 386530 (56200)
22 496500  76800 14200 -12800  (-25500) = 471000 - 20470 = 450530 (64000)
23 589800  93300 16500 challenge        = 564300 - 20470 = 543830 (93300)

24 619500 29700   2400 -0      (-0)     = 619500  - 45970 = 573530 (29700)
25 654100 34600   4900 -1000   (-1000)  = 653100  - 45970 = 607130 (40100)
26 696200 42100   7500 -2000   (-3000)  = 693200  - 45970 = 647230 (48300)
27 748500 52300  10200 -4000   (-7000)  = 741500  - 45970 = 695530 (49100)
28 813800 65300  13000 -8000   (-15000) = 798800  - 45970 = 752830 (44600)
29 895000 81200  15900 -16000  (-31000) = 864000  - 45970 = 818030 (43000)
30 995100 100100 18900 challenge        = 964100  - 45970 = 918130 (100100)

31 1026900 31800 3100 -0     (-0)     = 1026900 - 76970 = 949930 (31800)
32 1065000 38100 6300 -10000 (-10000) = 1055000 - 76970 = 978030 (28100)
33 1112700 47700 9600 bonus           = 1102700 - 51239 = 999999 (21969)

Not as "code" (in case you can't read it/ don't wanna copy/paste)

1 0 0 0 -0 (-0) = 0 (0)
2 1000 1000 1000 -10 (-10) = 990 (990)
3 2300 1300 300 -20 (-30) = 2270 (1280)
4 4300 2000 700 -40 (-70) = 4290 (2020)
5 7500 3200 1200 -80 (-150) = 7350 (3060)
6 11500 5000 1800 -160 (-310) = 11250 (3900)
7 18000 7500 2500 -320 (-630) = 17370 (6120)
8 27800 10800 3300 -640 (-1270) = 26590 (9220)
9 41800 15000 4200 -1280 (-2550) = 39310 (12720)
10 61000 20200 5200 -2560 (-5110) = 55950 (16640)
11 86500 26500 6300 -5120 (-10230) = 76330 (20380)
12 119500 34000 7500 -10240 (-20470) = 99090 (22760)
13 161300 42800 8800 challenge = 140830 (41740)

14 173500 13200 1400 -0 (-0) = 173500 - 20470 = 153030 (13140)
15 189600 16100 2900 -100 (-100) = 189500 - 20470 = 169030 (16000)
16 209200 19600 3500 -200 (-300) = 208900 - 20470 = 188430 (19400)
17 234000 24800 5200 -400 (-700) = 233300 - 20470 = 212830 (24400)
18 265800 31800 7000 -800 (-1500) = 264300 - 20470 = 243830 (31000)
19 306500 40700 8900 -1600 (-3100) = 303400 - 20470 = 282930 (39100)
20 357100 50600 9900 -3200 (-6300) = 350800 - 20470 = 330330 (47400)
21 419700 62600 12000 -6400 (-12700) = 407000 - 20470 = 386530 (56200)
22 496500 76800 14200 -12800 (-25500) = 471000 - 20470 = 450530 (64000)
23 589800 93300 16500 challenge = 564300 - 20470 = 543830 (93300)

24 619500 29700 2400 -0 (-0) = 619500 - 45970 = 573530 (29700)
25 654100 34600 4900 -1000 (-1000) = 653100 - 45970 = 607130 (40100)
26 696200 42100 7500 -2000 (-3000) = 693200 - 45970 = 647230 (48300)
27 748500 52300 10200 -4000 (-7000) = 741500 - 45970 = 695530 (49100)
28 813800 65300 13000 -8000 (-15000) = 798800 - 45970 = 752830 (44600)
29 895000 81200 15900 -16000 (-31000) = 864000 - 45970 = 818030 (43000)
30 995100 100100 18900 challenge = 964100 - 45970 = 918130 (100100)

31 1026900 31800 3100 -0 (-0) = 1026900 - 76970 = 949930 (31800)
32 1065000 38100 6300 -10000 (-10000) = 1055000 - 76970 = 978030 (28100)
33 1112700 47700 9600 bonus = 1102700 - 51239 = 999999 (21969)

There are 33 levels (called "degrees" in the game -- because I need a six letter word mostly)

The last number in parenthesis are the exp between each level, and the number before is the required exp. The rest is just the basis of the calculations (derivatives mostly)

There are 3 hell levels at 13, 23, and 30. The first two are significant to numerology cults, and the last I don't know if is, but I think the last 3 degrees of (the 33 "public" degrees of) freemasonry are important or something (and if I didn't add a hell level at 30 the numbers wouldn't have fit into 999999) ...comparatively the last three levels are basically bonuses for getting thru 30.

All and all I was lucky to fit everything in. It's hard to come up with functions that don't soon grow way outside the exp limit but do grow logically from level to level. Truthfully I didn't even want to get close to 999999 for the last level, but that was just how it turned out. In the game instead of exp you have a "Kill Score" ...so it's more like a point system than exp. The levels then are just kinda shorthand for your kill score, though probably I will give the player a str/mag bonus proportional to their performance during that level when they do so (well if it seems necessary)

[Holy_Diver]

I think I've decided to limit recovery items to two items to keep things simple. There might be some other rare items that recover from some status ailments like poison, but I'm uncertain. If so they might be limited to use only while praying to the Earth guardians (during which you can eat stones but pretty much normal items don't work)

Anyway, there is no healing magic. So other than regen, your main source of healing is to pray to St. Soneillon (the defacto Light guardian)

Your prayer levels up over time to become more reliable/powerful, but it isn't an instant heal (like everything else in the game -- edited: that is nothing is instant)

You can also get a slight heal from an item called Verdant Fern, but it's primary purpose is to slow bleeding. Though technically it's not called bleeding anymore, it's just a more ambiguous WOUNDED status. Which I can use for other stuff besides bloodletting. Bleeding takes over the poison function of SoM and will be much more severe (via some hacking)

The new bad status states are:

IMPAIRED (paralyzed)
OVERWT. (slow)
CURSED (dark)
POISON (cursed)
WOUNDED (poison)

In parenthesis the actual SoM function.

The wording is much more ambiguous, and they're basically used in many different ways. There are also good statuses planned, but the only way to see them will be to use a pseudo item named ASSESS WEIGHT/CONDITION that tells you about your situation and let's you drop items (forever) to reduce your weight.

There are 3 such pseudo items planned:

ASSESS WEIGHT/CONDITION
STOP AND REST/GET UP AND GO
RECITE PRAYER/INCANTATION

Resting lets you recover your MP (now called Condition) which is used for more than just magic. Basically the way magic works, is instead of draining from some energy like MP, it drains from the players day to day energy. Which is actually a setup I'm surprised is not more common in games (techincally I've never seen it in a game)

Resting is the only way to improve your condition other than food and drink within limits. Some of the new changes to the status screen so far are:

Degree (level)
Status (class)

Lifeforce (HP)
Condition (MP)
Battle Power (Strength)
Arcane Magic (Magic)

Coin Purse (Gold)
Kill Score (Experience)

Danger ‎  MONSTERS ONLY (Status Normal)

Off the top of my head.

[Holy_Diver]

^Oh yeah, I think the Healing Tree Fruit (now Tree of Life Fruit) is still in, but it won't be a teleporter. It will sort of replace Tom's Icon of Life's function. It won't recover MP though, and will probably only undo poison/wounded status. Also there won't be very many in the game. They will basically fall off the tree from time to time to be picked up. But I'm thinking they will also rot if you don't eat them so you can't save them up.

There is also a Tree of Death Fruit you will discover fairly early in the game. It is linked to the new way of teleporting to the Tree of Life, which is not nearly as easy as before, and can not be done from the 5 Lairs.

[Holy_Diver]

Here are a series of screenshots from a new lair setup experiment.





I just wanted to see if it would work or not. Conclusion, it works well enough.

I'm not this far into the maps, so I'll leave it be for now. It will look better eventually with proper lighting and props...

But basically how it works is you start in the castle map in the quarters of one of the four Arch Demons, then you talk to it and stand in a magic circle... then you map teleport to the lair map in the middle of the circle in the first screenshot and find yourself in the company of the demon's entourage. From here the door you came in from is probably impassible (you're on another plane now) but you can walk out thru a magical doorway into the lair proper (as seen in the other two screens)

PS: This is the flame lair.

[dmpdesign]

Its looking good, keep it coming.

[Holy_Diver]

Any progress with the dragon windows? An official chapel screenshot would be a nice addition.