Chronic Logic

1/6/2010

- The Abbey is in
- Lots of bug fixes

We're thinking of releasing the game client's source code. The server code and rules engine would remain closed. This would allow community development of the game's interface, art and sound.

Is anyone interested in this?

Thanks,
Gabe

We're in deep code refactoring to get it ready for translation into to different languages. When that's all done, more units, bug fixes and interface upgrades will be on the way.

It's the 2nd movement of Beethoven's 7th symphony.

This would only apply to single player and co-op. The present content is completely balanced around constructed and random, yet people mostly play co-op. The current co-op content is sparse and was designed as an after-thought. I want to make co-op the game it could be, and keep random/constructed intact.

To do that, new gameplay elements will be added to the AO. Some ideas so far have been:

Special AO only units.

"Terrain" style features, like pregenerated walls and special AO-only structures that start in play.

Boss fights.

Random powerups that drop on the square of defeated enemies.

I like broad, versatile synergy between units.

I avoid narrow, specialized combos. Sometimes they emerge, but they're not intended and I try my best to mitigate their potency.

Let's not get too abstract with balance debates. If there's a problem with a specific unit or combinations of units, we can identify them and design real solutions.

I've been thinking about the why the Tower has been too good, and it comes down to this:

The area of coverage is too big, multiplied by it triggering twice per turn.

It needs a deep revision.  Any ideas?

As part of the content expansion for single-player and coop, we're considering powerups randomly left behind after killing units.

In Magic the Gathering, they call the lesser cards "skill testers." But, I completely disagree with it and think it's just a way to justify bad balance.

Not that I think I could do any better. Imagine Zatikon without being able to ever do balance updates.

Yes, the unit re-enters play as if its newly deployed.

The Dracolich puzzle exposes a deeper problem though: mutually exclusive triggers. The alternation solution is the only thing I can think of to solve it.

Damage/healing application could be a phase of empty-stack resolution, before the check for death phase.

One Tower is no problem to deal with. 3-4 Towers is usually a game ender if they don't have Siege or a Shield Bearer, and at 300-400 cost is a pretty thrifty way to shut down the enemy army.

All the old unit generating units are up for review soon. Their mechanics are going to more closely resemble how the Doppelganger twins work.

The Tactician used to have an ability to grant +5 commands once per game. We're considering giving him a +4 version of that.

Giving the General +1 power is also an option.

I've got a fix in my development version. Armistice is going to prevent you from capturing the enemy castle for that turn, and the turn after.