Sounds like a good plan. The Chapter 2 content, you will then add back in after the build is published? In other words, not scrapping completely, but just separating for now so you can release Chapter 1. I'm looking forward to trying this one out.
Pescua [title work in progress!]
Re: Pescua [title work in progress!]
Re: Pescua [title work in progress!]
Sounds like a great plan, Pongo! It'll give us a chance to try out the first chapter and make a few playthroughs. Looking forward to it.
Re: Pescua [title work in progress!]
Thanks! Yes, that's right Dorateen - I'm not binning Chp2 content, but I'm being more ruthless at gating it off from this build. There will still be plenty of content to explore in Chp1.
Re: Pescua [title work in progress!]
How is your project coming along? I look forward to playing another IceBlink module, and it's a great chance to learn from other builders. This one sounds like exactly what I enjoy in an RPG. No pressure!
Re: Pescua [title work in progress!]
I've gone totally off-track in the last couple of months - I had an unexpected work deadline that kind of took over my life for a while. Its now done though 
, so I can turn my attention back to my more enjoyable hobbies!
I think I'm into that final 10% of development that can take 90% of the delivery time. The mod is full of content, but there are still lots of bits that just aren't quite right. I'm going to run through it again with a few parties and continue fixing it for a while. There is also some content I want to go back and change as well to make it more interesting and fun and to improve the overall flow.
It really is getting there, and I'll post a more interesting update in a few weeks! But I'll avoid giving an estimate for completion because I'm continually wrong with those...
, so I can turn my attention back to my more enjoyable hobbies!I think I'm into that final 10% of development that can take 90% of the delivery time. The mod is full of content, but there are still lots of bits that just aren't quite right. I'm going to run through it again with a few parties and continue fixing it for a while. There is also some content I want to go back and change as well to make it more interesting and fun and to improve the overall flow.
It really is getting there, and I'll post a more interesting update in a few weeks! But I'll avoid giving an estimate for completion because I'm continually wrong with those...
Re: Pescua [title work in progress!]
Yeah, estimating completion time is pointless for me too since I'm always way off, haha. Sounds like you have made some good progress and that is great. The last 10% taking 90% of the time sounds about right to me
Re: Pescua [title work in progress!]
Made lots of progress over the last few weeks. I'm basically playing the module repeatedly to pick up broken convos (more than I expected), broken global integers (far fewer than I expected), and issues of flow (level development, items, story etc - all of which need work).
I've revamped level progression and made it much slower, and rebalanced the combat so its a bit easier. I think the pace works much better now. The current content would take 5hrs to get through I think (although its hard to predict), and would leave the player at around level 3 which feels about right. I've removed some enemies that were too hard, and I'll add them into later missions where the player will be higher level.
Story pace is a challenge. I've made it simpler (again!), which helps. I've also made the quests a bit less specific. They were basically "go there and kill that" type things, which on reflection didn't encourage exploration - which was a shame given there is "off path" stuff to find. So now they're more in the "go somewhere around there and work out what's going on" style. It hasn't actually taken too much input to change the style - the actual content broadly stayed the same, just now reveals itself more slowly. I feel it makes a big difference though. I've also gone back over convos to add in more race/class/trait stuff.
I'm trying to avoid adding too much completely new content at this point, but there are few areas that sagged and needed it. This is the opening combat in a three-level tomb I've just completed:
Its a bit of a maze, and there are some fun encounters and puzzles. I've gone a bit "Pools of Radiancey" with monster numbers in this fight - skeletons are fairly weak enemies and the party are well equipped/second level, so they would have no problem with a smaller group, but they could still be overwhelmed by sheer numbers. Its a war of attrition!
Finally, I've been playing with ways to introduce a "bandage" skill or spell that stabilises a bleeding character. Haven't quite worked out the best way of doing this yet, but will get there!
I've revamped level progression and made it much slower, and rebalanced the combat so its a bit easier. I think the pace works much better now. The current content would take 5hrs to get through I think (although its hard to predict), and would leave the player at around level 3 which feels about right. I've removed some enemies that were too hard, and I'll add them into later missions where the player will be higher level.
Story pace is a challenge. I've made it simpler (again!), which helps. I've also made the quests a bit less specific. They were basically "go there and kill that" type things, which on reflection didn't encourage exploration - which was a shame given there is "off path" stuff to find. So now they're more in the "go somewhere around there and work out what's going on" style. It hasn't actually taken too much input to change the style - the actual content broadly stayed the same, just now reveals itself more slowly. I feel it makes a big difference though. I've also gone back over convos to add in more race/class/trait stuff.
I'm trying to avoid adding too much completely new content at this point, but there are few areas that sagged and needed it. This is the opening combat in a three-level tomb I've just completed:
- skels.png (332.06 KiB) Viewed 92238 times
Finally, I've been playing with ways to introduce a "bandage" skill or spell that stabilises a bleeding character. Haven't quite worked out the best way of doing this yet, but will get there!
Re: Pescua [title work in progress!]
Looks great! That tileset works so perfect for a skeleton infested tomb.
I also like the idea of slowly revealing information to the player, letting them "work out what's going on", as you put it. This will be a lot of fun.
I also like the idea of slowly revealing information to the player, letting them "work out what's going on", as you put it. This will be a lot of fun.
Re: Pescua [title work in progress!]
Looks Anna sounds great! I have a bandage system that is built in to IBbasic that can be used or not by builders. It is a trait that needs to acquired. It basically sets the hp to zero. I had to make a number of changes to the code to make things work so IB would also need code changes, I don’t think a trait with the existing v203 would work correctly.
Re: Pescua [title work in progress!]
Thanks both! OK no worries about bandage, it was just an idea because I was getting annoyed with my characters bleeding out when I ran out of healing potions. 
Its not a big issue though, can work around it.
Had an amusing panic this morning. My ancient laptop appeared to have died on me, which it has been threatening to do for a long time, and I had a horrible, sinking realisation that I hadn't gotten round to backing up my Iceblink files in months. Fortunately I've now got it running again (turned out the power brick had become unplugged lol so nothing actually wrong with the laptop this time...) and I've now rectified that on cloud and memory stick. Phew!
Its not a big issue though, can work around it.Had an amusing panic this morning. My ancient laptop appeared to have died on me, which it has been threatening to do for a long time, and I had a horrible, sinking realisation that I hadn't gotten round to backing up my Iceblink files in months. Fortunately I've now got it running again (turned out the power brick had become unplugged lol so nothing actually wrong with the laptop this time...) and I've now rectified that on cloud and memory stick. Phew!
Re: Pescua [title work in progress!]
Something to think about would be to use GitHub desktop for your projects. It works great for having a free online backup and tracks all changes made to your module's folder so you can easily revert to older versions of a file if needed (Zach uses it for his IB module). I've always used GitHub for the IceBlink code, but Unity does not have a built-in GitHub system like Visual Studio has. So most Unity coders use GitHub Desktop for their Unity projects.
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zach_holbrook
- Posts: 94
- Joined: Thu Jan 16, 2020 5:00 am
Re: Pescua [title work in progress!]
Yes, GitHub has saved my life several times -- or my sanity anyway!
Re: Pescua [title work in progress!]
My "to-do" list is rapidly decreasing - I'm definitely in the final stages.
I've started using Craiyon, the AI art thing, for some of the module art. Its actually pretty good! Here are some that have made it into the mod:
They don't all turn out great though. Its particularly awful with people:
...is that a dwarf or a gerbil? But overall its speeded up the process for finding art quite a lot. For inanimate objects like books, or environments like rooms, its generally pretty useful - I'd recommend it if you're struggling to find a particular resource.
I've started using Craiyon, the AI art thing, for some of the module art. Its actually pretty good! Here are some that have made it into the mod:
- craiyon_124229_scary_demon.png (504.05 KiB) Viewed 91653 times
- craiyon_085114_spooky_old_room_with_a_big_window.png (649.82 KiB) Viewed 91653 times
- craiyon_083522_family_crest_black_dragon.png (840.37 KiB) Viewed 91653 times
They don't all turn out great though. Its particularly awful with people:
- craiyon_085228_female_wizard.png (679.08 KiB) Viewed 91653 times
- craiyon_090012_dwarf_fighter_with_an_axe.png (525.03 KiB) Viewed 91653 times
...is that a dwarf or a gerbil? But overall its speeded up the process for finding art quite a lot. For inanimate objects like books, or environments like rooms, its generally pretty useful - I'd recommend it if you're struggling to find a particular resource.
Re: Pescua [title work in progress!]
Great work, I like the room, very atmospheric and the dragon crest, too. I read about Craiyon last week in a post on the Codex. It's a nifty tool. Definitely can be a time saver, and should generate some memorable art.
Still looking forward to playing your module!
Still looking forward to playing your module!
Re: Pescua [title work in progress!]
That is an interesting idea for a tool. I see how that could help with module building for those that are not doing all of their own custom artwork (like Zach).
Great to hear that the list is slowly getting smaller. That is a good sign because my lists are usually getting bigger, haha.
Great to hear that the list is slowly getting smaller. That is a good sign because my lists are usually getting bigger, haha.
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zach_holbrook
- Posts: 94
- Joined: Thu Jan 16, 2020 5:00 am
Re: Pescua [title work in progress!]
AI is capable of doing some really interesting things. I can see artists and modders and taking AI images and tweaking/putting their own spin on them as a really efficient way of making art. Spooky old room is really cool!
Re: Pescua [title work in progress!]
I've been working on the map of Skaule for a while using Inkarnate. I want to use it in the mod's intro to help set a sense of place. The bit of the mod I'm working on is essentially the whole south-west section - its a pretty large area of about 45 interlocking 20x20 maps (not including specific dungeons etc). I've tried to be generally consistent with map sizes to help mapping, but the towns are a bit larger than that (eg Culcheth is 40x40 and has a separate graveyard map) so its not 100% consistent.
The background is that Skaule is an isolated island that forms a proxy battle for two larger powers elsewhere - the Ustryan Empire in the west, and Skalavic in the east. This occupation is relatively new, and the island is full of ruins that speak of a longer, now lost, civilisation. Bastion is the imperial fort that marks the current divide of the two territories on the island. When the PCs arrive, both sides are living by an uneasy truce that might collapse at any time. The PCs travel to the island as mercenaries to take paid work from the Empire in and around Castle Grimtol - but, ultimately, they owe no allegiance to anyone.
The north of the island was once also occupied but was laid waste in a mysterious event now long forgotten. Only a desolate red wasteland remains. However, some who have braved the bleak wastes tell tales of ruined cities, lost in the red sands, that are still inhabited by deadly creatures. And tucked away in the north-east of the island is a large settlement of orcs in an ancient mountain home - they have their own concerns and internal battles and largely keep to themselves, although some will go ranging to trade or to raid...
(I've just noticed the typo in Gloomwood, ha! Will fix it. I expect I'll keep adding to the map as it develops in any case).
The background is that Skaule is an isolated island that forms a proxy battle for two larger powers elsewhere - the Ustryan Empire in the west, and Skalavic in the east. This occupation is relatively new, and the island is full of ruins that speak of a longer, now lost, civilisation. Bastion is the imperial fort that marks the current divide of the two territories on the island. When the PCs arrive, both sides are living by an uneasy truce that might collapse at any time. The PCs travel to the island as mercenaries to take paid work from the Empire in and around Castle Grimtol - but, ultimately, they owe no allegiance to anyone.
The north of the island was once also occupied but was laid waste in a mysterious event now long forgotten. Only a desolate red wasteland remains. However, some who have braved the bleak wastes tell tales of ruined cities, lost in the red sands, that are still inhabited by deadly creatures. And tucked away in the north-east of the island is a large settlement of orcs in an ancient mountain home - they have their own concerns and internal battles and largely keep to themselves, although some will go ranging to trade or to raid...
(I've just noticed the typo in Gloomwood, ha! Will fix it. I expect I'll keep adding to the map as it develops in any case).
- The Island of Skaule (1).jpg (1.86 MiB) Viewed 91527 times
Re: Pescua [title work in progress!]
Outstanding! I love seeing fantasy maps, and the background lore that goes with it. Nice sepia tone for the colors, I think. The island and its history appear quite inviting... for trouble.
The section of the game world sounds huge. Should be excellent for exploration.
The section of the game world sounds huge. Should be excellent for exploration.
Re: Pescua [title work in progress!]
This looks and sounds amazing! I love the map and all the lore you have developed so far. I think Glooomwoood would be fine 
or Gloomwood, either way is good .
or Gloomwood, either way is good .Re: Pescua [title work in progress!]
Thanks both! Yeah I did consider doubling down on Glooomwood and making it a thing - will probably revert to a normal spelling though!
Re: Pescua [title work in progress!]
I haven't updated in ages, but I've still been happily tooling away in the background over the last couple of months.
I'm basically on the final path for critical content now, and then I'll put it out there. There will be a few bugs no doubt, and I won't have fixed all the playable classes as well as I would have liked (I'll include an indication of which ones are most "complete"), but I think its at the stage where its ready to go. I'm basically aiming for April, although it could slip into May.
And then, finally, I'm going to sit down and sink some relaxing hours into a long promised playthrough of Hearkenwold before I go anywhere near chapter two!
I'm basically on the final path for critical content now, and then I'll put it out there. There will be a few bugs no doubt, and I won't have fixed all the playable classes as well as I would have liked (I'll include an indication of which ones are most "complete"), but I think its at the stage where its ready to go. I'm basically aiming for April, although it could slip into May.
And then, finally, I'm going to sit down and sink some relaxing hours into a long promised playthrough of Hearkenwold before I go anywhere near chapter two!
Re: Pescua [title work in progress!]
Sounds good. I have been looking forward to seeing an update about Pescua. Will definitely check out the module when you have it ready.