KickStarter Knights of the Chalice 2 Thread - Augury of Chaos

[Desiderius]

People who think that initiative is all-important in KotC2 need to play more Dungeon of Nahollaback.

 

[Desiderius]

Death is an efficient way to remove conditions.

 

[Jermu]

people who don't think that initiative is all-important should test that theory in ironman mode

f9 can save even trash builds/classes

 

[ERYFKRAD]

Death is an efficient way to remove conditions.

Doesn't work on the game over condition.

 

[Desiderius]

Death is an efficient way to remove conditions.

Doesn't work on the game over condition.

Then play a Pal.

 

[Serus]

people who don't think that initiative is all-important should test that theory in ironman mode

f9 can save even trash builds/classes

We talked about it here before. Believe it or not but there have been a few people who achieved some success doing IM although IIRC not beating the whole game. There are methods to manage initiative. For once, if you really concentrate on boosting initiative on one character (dex, familiar, items, etc.), you can end with a magic user that will go before enemy magicians in most fights - and one magic user is usually all you need to nuke the enemy and disable/kill the fastest or most dangerous ones. Desiderius here claims that investing in defense - which most people neglect - also give good results allowing to survive many situation where the enemy has the initiative. As most people, I never tried that so i can't really tell.
Personally I think, again as most people, that initiative is too important and adds too much overly important randomness. However not as much as some people tend to exaggerate. For once it really becomes a big issue only once spells that can kill half or disable most of your party start to fly around on regular basis. Early game, situation where lack of initiative dooms you too lose is very rare. It also can be managed, to a point, as per above.

 

[ERYFKRAD]

Death is an efficient way to remove conditions.

Doesn't work on the game over condition.

Then play a Pal.

Nope, he doesn't have a protection from Game Over. I checked.

 

[Desiderius]

Death is an efficient way to remove conditions.

Doesn't work on the game over condition.

Then play a Pal.

Nope, he doesn't have a protection from Game Over. I checked.

He?

it really becomes a big issue only once spells that can kill half or disable most of your party start to fly around

That happens two or three times per fight in Nahollaback.

Press on!

A of C kind of fries my brain 2/3rds of the way through or so because I'm really into the using the consumables aspect but there's also the "how many fights do I have to prepare for here?" meta aspect that I guess if I wasn't playing blind would be less of a deal but I'm too old to power through.

 

[Desiderius]

it really becomes a big issue only once spells that can kill half or disable most of your party start to fly around

That happens two or three times per fight in Nahollaback.

Press on!

 

[Serus]

it really becomes a big issue only once spells that can kill half or disable most of your party start to fly around

That happens two or three times per fight in Nahollaback.

Press on!

If you say so. I played it only for a few hours, plan to play more.

 

[Desiderius]

Foes exhaust their resources knocking you out then you rez the team and come back.

Appealing gameplay if you can stomach it. I've had several fights like that in KotC where I was down to one character and he scratched the team back into it. Exhausting if you don't know how many more fights are ahead until next rest.

Pal isn't unbeatable but creates an area a relative safety to turtle at beginning of the fight, and can create the opportunity for different tactics altogether inside that umbrella.

The game I got the furthest I had a Champion that I dropped for the Pal companion. I designed four original characters that were strong early to be replaced by companions as they were discovered. Enjoy seeing what the designer had in mind and sometimes they throw in some added incentive to play them. Takes a little while for Pal to really get up to speed.

 

[Serus]

Foes exhaust their resources knocking you out then you rez the team and come back.

Appealing gameplay if you can stomach it. I've had several fights like that in KotC where I was down to one character and he scratched the team back into it. Exhausting if you don't know how many more fights are ahead until next rest.

Pal isn't unbeatable but creates an area a relative safety to turtle at beginning of the fight, and can create the opportunity for different tactics altogether inside that umbrella.

The game I got the furthest I had a Champion that I dropped for the Pal companion. I designed four original characters that were strong early to be replaced by companions as they were discovered. Enjoy seeing what the designer had in mind and sometimes they throw in some added incentive to play them. Takes a little while for Pal to really get up to speed.

I think about using a paladin in the party next time (if) i play - because of your advertisement nonetheless.

 

[Darth Roxor]

Dorateen I started playing Hurkaworld the other day, and I wanted to say I like it quite a bit. I've just escaped slavery, cleared out Kelton Manor and destroyed the lich, and I'm liking it much more than Augury of Chaos so far, that's for sure. It has that cool low level adventure vibe to it that is very compelling, and after Augury it's a welcome relief that not every fight feels like dragging your face across sandpaper.

The only thing I raged at was the big evil snek in the lich's tower, with the petrification breath. This is the sort of special ability that I always hate in my RPGs for being bullshit, and this was no exception

 

[Dorateen]

Dorateen I started playing Hurkaworld the other day, and I wanted to say I like it quite a bit.

Thank you, that is high praise indeed! One thing that is probably apparent, the open-ended design allows the player to come back to an area and try later if an encounter doesn't go that well. I think there are some items that protect against the gaze attack, which helps fighting those monster types.

 

[Jaesun]

the open-ended design allows the player to come back to an area and try later if an encounter doesn't go that well. I think there are some items that protect against the gaze attack, which helps fighting those monster types.

That is always great game design that I like. Getting your ass kicked? Maybe come back later when you are perhaps a bit better prepared....

 

[Darth Roxor]

Hearkenwold does a great job at highlighting how solid of an engine/game KotC2 is. It's really too bad that Augury was what it was.

 

[std::namespace]

a day in the life of kotc2 dev

 

[Modron]

a day in the life of kotc2 dev

That demo needed an autopause upon task finished option.

 

[Desiderius]

Hearkenwold does a great job at highlighting how solid of an engine/game KotC2 is. It's really too bad that Augury was what it was.

The cold splash of water to the face

 

[Serus]

Hearkenwold does a great job at highlighting how solid of an engine/game KotC2 is. It's really too bad that Augury was what it was.

The cold splash of water to the face

This water is a bit too cold if you ask me. Nothing wrong with Augury. No, wait, there are tons of things wrong with Augury but overall it's still decent. Saying "too bad Augury was what it was" is a little too harsh. Especially that we do have both and with some luck we will get more of Augury but better and - if we have a TON of luck - perhaps even some Haerkenwolds(-likes).

 

[Infinitron]

https://www.kickstarter.com/project...-revolutionise-old-school-crpgs/posts/4038772

Update #80: New Sprites Coming Up For KotC 2 + New Adventure Maps!​

Hello, Brave Knights! I trust this update finds you well. In February, I focused on new animated sprites and created a few new background images for adventure maps.

For the new sprites, I had to learn how to use the Unity Editor and create a few Unity scripts that I'm using to automate some of the steps required to make isometric sprites out of 3D models. The scripts launch the Unity Recorder, start the model's animation and rotate the model in the eight directions.

That produces a set of 64 images (eight animation frames in each of the eight directions) which are then regrouped into a single image using an Image Magick command-line instruction.

The model's shadow is recorded separately by switching the model to 'render shadows only' and adding a white-coloured plane under the model. Afterwards, the result can be converted into a transparent image using the layer-mask feature of Photoshop. Then the image of the transparent shadow can be combined with the creature's image.

In the last few days, I looked into how to change the weapons held by models that have hands, like the Centaurs. For example, I'm planning to have the male and female Centaur sprites wield two swords, as in the GIF animation below.

There are Youtube tutorials about adding a Flaming effect to swords in Unity. I haven't looked into that yet, but it could be very cool for some monsters, like the Marilith. The Flaming or Frost effect would be recorded together with the creature.

If there are eight frames for the 'idle' animation, perhaps that is enough for the 2D effect to still look nice, even though originally it's based on a 3D particle system in Unity.

Anyway, I'm planning to upload KotC 2 version 1.68 once I've finished working on the new sprites for the Hydra, female Centaur and male Centaur. That shouldn't take too long.

The new maps I worked on this month are a night-time mysterious forest with an evil-looking tower, a foreboding temple interior, and a small desert oasis.

Next Steps for Knights of the Chalice 2​

The next development steps are the following:

• Continue work on the encounters, monsters & scenario of the upcoming KotC 2 module.
• Work on the conversion of 3D models into isometric sprites, and on modular sprites for Dwarves. Also look into story images and a possible upgrade of spell icons.
• Work on voice effects for Critical Hits & monsters, and voice-over using text-to-speech AI.
• Implement new features such as new monster abilities, subraces, feats, familiars, items.
• Fix any remaining issues mentioned on Steam, GOG, heroicfantasygames.com, or by email.

If you have any feedback, suggestions or bug reports, please feel free to let me know here, in the Forums, or by email at enquiries@heroicfantasygames.com. I appreciate it!

Thank You For Your Loyal Support, Fearless Knights of the Realm!! Rejoice

 

[Darth Roxor]

nice sprites bro

still gonna use muh tokens

 

[Serus]

nice sprites bro

still gonna use muh tokens

The problem is, tokens look weird for me when combined with "isometric" environment. I was using them most of Augury because most of the module was 2d/top down but this one will be entirely isometric as I understand.
To each his own.

 

[CryptRat]

I still have no idea if he would be entwined in such a mess regarding presentation if he simply delivered the game with better looking tokens to begin with.

 

[Serus]

I still have no idea if he would be entwined in such a mess regarding presentation if he simply delivered the game with better looking tokens to begin with.

Or with animated dancing roots.