Post by 1StepCloser in Rise of the Soulmancer comments

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Awesome feedback docnutnut!

Firstly, it would be nice if the countdown timer on the expeditions had minutes for when it goes under an hour. Right now I can't decide if I should go to bed rather than wait for somewhere between 1 and 60 minutes.

So this was already in, but I did double check, and there might have been an issue which would have shown the incorrect amount of time remaining, this should be fixed in the next update:

Secondly, the question mark is supposed to give help on anything you don't understand. But all it does is bring up a menu of four items that I do understand. I would like to see the tutorial of the Auras building as I forgot what it said about it the first time, but there doesn't seem to be any way to do this.

Good point, I've added descriptions to each of the categorical aura icons as a reminder:

Is this sufficient?

And while I'm here, is there a cheat sheet for the trivia? I was thinking of making one myself rather than trying to remember every single character.

Trivia is setup such that only character's you've unlocked are in the match character description trivia challenge. The idea is that over time you get accustomed to these character's that have descriptions. I do have a cheat sheet but it's not codified by the visuals of the character nor the character name you see when you hover over the characters, so it wouldn't be helpful in this case. However, there's no drawback to getting the trivia wrong, so I wouldn't sweat it.

PS. the next update does include riddles into the trivia challenge, which is less memorization, although I'm unsure if it's too easy.

And I remember another thing I wanted to ask. Is the final name for this game 'TBD' or is the name still TBD?

I get asked this quite a bit, I haven't decided on a name yet. My main hold back now is that "Soul" doesn't quite roll off the tongue (in my opinion).

docnutnut347 days ago(+1)

Very nice layout to your reply, I feel wholly inadequate just replying with the same text from beginning to end.

I remembered something about having multiple souls of an element in your party, so I recently had all four being fire elements but it didn't seem to do anything which was why I asked. Does it have to be three, or three or more?

I get about 80% of the trivia right, I just want it to be 100%, but I guess I should remember rather than cheat. I shall study harder.

1StepCloser347 days ago(+1)

Very nice layout to your reply, I feel wholly inadequate just replying with the same text from beginning to end.

No worries, all that really matters is that we understand each other.

I remembered something about having multiple souls of an element in your party, so I recently had all four being fire elements but it didn't seem to do anything which was why I asked. Does it have to be three, or three or more?

This is a good point, and I decided to be more specific with the description to reduce confusion:

3 or 4 should work to activate the aura, here is an example:

3 Fire

4 Fire

I had assumed that the name was undecided and I was trying to think of a name. I came up with Soulmancer Elite, which would allow for other games in the future should you decide to make sequels, spinoffs or whatever within the Soulmancer universe: Soulmancer Puzzle, Merge, Incremental Clicker, Fap VN, Soulmancer The Movie 1-8 (starring Dwayne Johnson, Charlize Theron and God) etc.

I see, thank you for the recommendations!

Not sure if spin-offs will be in the future, as I don't want to look too far ahead, but that's something to keep in mind.

Ideally, I just want to keep updating this project, but the future is unknown, time will tell.

docnutnut347 days ago (1 edit) (+1)

OK. Maybe I just haven't actually unlocked the Aura's part properly. I have the building, maybe I need to rescue a worker to activate it.

One error that happened once before and just happened again. I open the game and instead of going to the main menu, it takes me to an empty screen with a 'Leave this area' arrow that can't be activated. Closing the window and restarting fixes it.

docnutnut344 days ago(+1)

Something I've been looking for which I don't think exists, and maybe it's intentional is the ability to access the level-up, pet, accessory etc. pages of any character at any time.

I thought that there would be a way to do this from the soulmancer recruitment section, but you can only view the characters you have and their skills, not actually alter anything. It seems that I can only level or alter a character in my party.

I am also wondering if there are any earth pets. I have about 25 pets but zero earth element ones.

The game continues to astound. I have just unlocked the expansion part. A game-within-the-game and a whole new dimension in more ways than one.

I was looking at some of the comments made in the Jam section and while I agree that it is a bit overwhelming to begin due to lack of explanation, in a way this is not true. We are instructed to hover the mouse over everything we don't understand, but there is so much that a new player doesn't understand that it takes too much time to do this. I didn't do this and I am only really doing it now, as I am getting to grips with all the separate mechanics and understanding what each buff does, how it is activated, what it affects and how it can alter the battle or my other characters has become vital to progressing further.

I think that many of these jam people are expecting to understand the entire game in way too short a space of time as they probably play a multitude of games. You play a racing game and after a track or two, you know what's what. The same goes for a sports game and pretty much every kind of game. It is rare to play a game that is so eclectic. The amount of variety is on a par with one of the good Final Fantasy or GTA games. You don't have the story, but that is the way it is these days. Beginning, middle and end has all but died in computer gaming and been replaced with a constant and never-ending middle.

Then again, I wouldn't be surprised if there is a plan for a proper story mode in here with an actual ending. Obviously the option to carry on until the end of time goes without saying, but as with books and movies, it's always nice to be able to have a sense of completion in a game.

I have written way more than I intended. I have taught so many classes today that my brain is still in teacher-mode.

Time to return to gamer-mode...

1StepCloser344 days ago(+1)

Hey docnutnut!

I enjoyed reading this.

maybe it's intentional is the ability to access the level-up, pet, accessory etc. pages of any character at any time.

I've tried to prevent overloading info/having too many options available at one time.

However, I can see how this would be useful if you've placed a specific equipment/companion etc. on one of these characters and want to remove it. I'll need to consider if I can show the pertinent parts (equipment, orbs, combo, companions) all on the same page (in summary form) when you click that character.

However, with ~800 playable characters, the odds of remembering where you put equipment, orbs, etc. would be quite low over time. So not sure how useful this would be in the long term.

I am also wondering if there are any earth pets. I have about 25 pets but zero earth element ones.

Currently, there are 3 collectable earth pets. There are 18 total pets, so I can see how you might end up without any thus far.

The game continues to astound. I have just unlocked the expansion part. A game-within-the-game and a whole new dimension in more ways than one.

One of the main priorities at the moment is to continue expanding gameplay variety, this is somewhat challenging at times, but definitely a fundamental goal.

I was looking at some of the comments made in the Jam section and while I agree that it is a bit overwhelming to begin due to lack of explanation, in a way this is not true.

Yes, one primary difficulty is providing gameplay depth in a drop-wise fashion over-time. Figuring out the right pacing has been a balancing act.

It is rare to play a game that is so eclectic. The amount of variety is on a par with one of the good Final Fantasy or GTA games.

I appreciate this. If you ever have any ideas for gameplay modes/mechanics, please let me know.

You don't have the story, but that is the way it is these days. Beginning, middle and end has all but died in computer gaming and been replaced with a constant and never-ending middle.

Spot-on observation in my opinion. Admittedly, I'm not a fan of endings, so my goal is to continue pushing the replay-ability aspect of the project so that the game will feel different over-time.

Then again, I wouldn't be surprised if there is a plan for a proper story mode in here with an actual ending.

I've been wanting to set-up a procedurally generated story system, but this is no easy task (assuming coherence is a goal), but something I've been working on.

Obviously the option to carry on until the end of time goes without saying, but as with books and movies, it's always nice to be able to have a sense of completion in a game.

Well said.

I have written way more than I intended. I have taught so many classes today that my brain is still in teacher-mode.

No worries, I enjoyed it!

docnutnut344 days ago(+1)

Something that would be a welcome addition is moving around the expansion map by just pushing the cursor to the edge. I just laid a stonecutter's hut somewhere completely pointless because I had to click on the ground to move the screen. Though movement would need to be quite slow. In too many games, the map moves far too rapidly when the cursor hits the edge of the screen.

I have just realised that I could have scrolled out rather than moved the screen. The things we do when we're half asleep...

And this brings up another point. It would be nice if I could destroy a building that I have placed and get the materials back or at least a portion of them.

1StepCloser344 days ago(+1)

Thank you for the feedback!

Added to list:

-Scroll by having cursor at edge
-Destroy and refund partial resources for buildings

docnutnut344 days ago(+1)

Do we ever earn new hammers with which to build structures in expansion? Or is the only way to get them to restart the area?

I earning many resources each hour and I am offered most others as optional rewards for missions in the main game, but I have never been offered nor earned a new hammer.

And if I do start a new area, will I keep my current totals of each of these resources or will everything be returned to its default amount?

I have been playing expansion for less than 24 hours, I think, so I am hoping that hammers are earned each day.

1StepCloser344 days ago(+1)

Do we ever earn new hammers with which to build structures in expansion? Or is the only way to get them to restart the area?

Expansion is currently end-game-ish content. While you can on rare occasions, gain hammers through different Outerworld options, the main way to get them is by winning in the Path of Chaos, upon victory you have a high chance of encountering hammers.

If you haven't seen this yet, it means you haven't traversed far enough into the Outerworld yet.

And if I do start a new area, will I keep my current totals of each of these resources or will everything be returned to its default amount?

Should reset to the default amount, else you could keep re-rolling until you get a more favorable map (my thought process anyway).

I have been playing expansion for less than 24 hours, I think, so I am hoping that hammers are earned each day.

It's one of the more long-term methods of progression in the game, so it will take some time to see progression there.

docnutnut344 days ago(+1)

I didn't know what the path of chaos was until I started my game again and realised that the line of locations in front of me had a name!

docnutnut344 days ago(+1)

Also, I'm a little confused by what is the current/most recent version number of the game.

The game itself says that it is 0.84.6

The windows exe file says 0.76.0

The itch download page says version 170

A recent reply of yours on the forum says 0.84.7

I am a little cnoufesd.

1StepCloser344 days ago(+1)

Understandable.

The tricky part here is whether are not you have auto-updates enabled. If you don't, you potentially won't be playing the most up-to-date version of the game.

In order to get auto-updates you'd need to first install the official Itch.io app: Just search for "itch.io app" on your search engine

I don't make a devlog for every incremental update, I tend to wait until a significant amount of changes have taken place before releasing a devlog.

The most up-to-date version is 0.0.0.84.7

docnutnut344 days ago(+1)

From what you have said and from the game page on itch it seems like I have all of the current buildings or at least most of them.

Having died on my first journey down the Path of Chaos I find myself wanting another way to get hammers.

So I have an idea for you that fits with the genre:

Alchemy.

All items would need to be ranked and then given a percentage chance of successfully changing one type of item into another.

Changing wood into stone or creds into XP would have a high percentage, but turning wood into a small Soul Room would have a very low percentage and 1 cred into a hammer would also be very low.

As far as upgrades for the building go,

Percentage chance could be increased.

Time to completion could be reduced.

Options of what can be transformed could be added.

You get the idea, I'm sure.

1StepCloser343 days ago(+1)

Having died on my first journey down the Path of Chaos I find myself wanting another way to get hammers.

So the current issue is that there should be more ways to get hammers and Alchemy is one proposed way to do this.

This could work, but considering the priority to add more options in the Outerworld, I might make this an Outerworld specific venture similar to the Merchant rather than a Sanctum building.

I'll consider this, thanks!

docnutnut343 days ago(+1)

Maybe I'm just being impatient!

I'll try again. I'll get a whole bunch of characters to the high teens or 20s in level and then there won't be an issue, but more hammers would be nice. I just like the expansion zone is all. I want to explore the caves, uncover the whole map, have a gold income.

I'll keep plugging away ;)

docnutnut343 days ago (3 edits) (+1)

0.84.7 seems to be full of errors.

I have just hit the Path of Chaos for the second time and the message saying, 'You've Entered the Path of Chaos' has appeared with no way to close it.

EDIT: The location before The Path was a Trivia square. I think this is interfering with the Path message. Maybe the Path message should come after the trivia question, not before. My only other option is the merchant, which has the same problem. So my second visit to the path will end before it starts as I need to quit entirely and plan my route next time to have a fight before arriving at the Path.

EDIT2: Outerworld is totally broken for me. I can't enter the path due to the message being unclosable due to the issue above and I can't restart Outerworld as it can only be done from a fight scenario. Game-ending glitch right here!

Trivia doesn't always give rewards now and the questions relating to the characters' mottos are too easy as the answer appears if you hover over the character with your mouse.

There is this mirror asking me riddles now. The character related questions are easy as above. As for the other riddles, it tells me I'm wrong when I choose the correct answer. I tried to select the wrong answer, but this was also wrong, so it's not completely broken!

And in fights now, Soulmancer at the back of the party resembles a very burnt potato rather than a little magical dude.

I'm guessing that somebody complained that getting Soul Fragments is too easy. Tell them an overly sarcastic "Thank you" from me!

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