Updated Fixes List!

[CHUK22]

Sorry, haven't had much time to forum, too busy working on the game...

here's an updated fixes/changes list though!


Changes Based on Feedback

-Reduced initial monster difficulty
-Slow rampup of monster random spawn numbers
-Safe Zone (no random spawns generated) near campsite (near Simon)
-Safe Zone near guard NPC
-Hit tables adjusted to increase rate of connection with monsters
-Sewer battle placement adjusted
-Major scene battle difficulty reduced
-Disarm Bar minimum speed set (to keep it from getting super-slow with high skill)
-Player sidestep/backstep/dodge speed increase. Further increase with athletics skill.
-Monster knockback against player greatly reduced!
-Optional visible targeting indicator added! (color of indicator also denotes monster health)

Other Changes Implemented Post-Demo

-Camping Implemented! Players can camp out at campsite to rest, refilling magic spells, healing, and passing time of day.

-Final Revive key Implemented. A player who revives w/no ressurect spells loses ADV, suffers penalty, revives stunned. (player can stay down till monsters wander away to prevent repeated death)

-Final starting classes implemented! Players get only starting class equipment/spells. Skill costs are adjusted based on class.

Fighter - Starts with small shield, footman's helm, short sword - Receives discounts to armor skills, receives high discountes to weapon skills.

Thief - Starts with small shield, dagger, throwing knives. - Receives discounts to athletics and thieving skills.

Mage - Starts with short staff, 2 Shrieking Stars, 2 Freezing Touch spells - Receives discounts to Arcane Magic, Identify, and Magic Weapon skills.

Adept - Starts with shield, small mace, healing crystal, crystal of pacify. - Recieves discounts to Celestial Magic and Armor skills.

-Evasive Maneuvers gained with increase in athletics.

-"Advance Strikes" with weapons require level 5 skill in the weapon type.

-Skill Prerequisites implemented (medium weapons requires equivalent light weapon skill, etc.)

-Compass Implemented

Bug Fixes

Options Page Fully Functional!
-Screen resolutions work correctly
-Gamma fixed
-Game difficulty slider settings and monster generation settings functional and balanced.

-Alt/Tab fix
-Windows key fix
-Dual monitor fix
-"Get hit over mountains" bug fixed
-"muffled sound" bug fixed
-Internet Connectivity issues fixed
-"Flashing Sky/Stars" bug on ATI 9200 fixed

[Tenka]

-Player sidestep/backstep/dodge speed increase. Further increase with athletics skill.


AWESOME! .. Great Work Chuk!... Keep it up.

Any word on details as to how Multiplayer saving will work and how it will work vs Singleplayer?

[Mythor]

-Camping Implemented! Players can camp out at campsite to rest, refilling magic spells, healing, and passing time of day.
This is something quite a few people have been wondering about. Will the "camping" only be at specific, predetermined locations? Will any of those locations be within dungeons? Or can we camp wherever we like in the wilderness? Dungeons?

Thanks heaps for popping in with some news though. Looks like things are coming together nicely! :)

[zunno]

This is most welcome! Are you still on track for the April 20th release? My gut feeling says the game mgiht be delayed a bit :)

[NecroViolator]

-"Get hit over mountains" bug fixed
Nooooooooooooooo....
Hmmm, well OK......Grr.... he he he ;)

[Boog7]

Excellent!...thx Chuk
I'll second what someone already mentioned in a previous thread, your attention and reactions to our feedback is exemplory. IMO this goes a long way to making a game successful. Some of the bigger game houses could learn from your example.
Sincerely B

[Tenka]

-"Get hit over mountains" bug fixed
Nooooooooooooooo....
Hmmm, well OK......Grr.... he he he ;)

Hahahaha... :D

You knew it had to end eventually.. :P

[bcrume]

Bug Fixes ...

-Alt/Tab fix
-Windows key fix
-Dual monitor fix
-"Get hit over mountains" bug fixed
-"muffled sound" bug fixed
-Internet Connectivity issues fixed
-"Flashing Sky/Stars" bug on ATI 9200 fixed

Just wanted to check that either the 'sticky keys' bug was fixed or that a pick-up-all was implimented?? Those goblins drop enough loot to crash my game 3 times over!

[Runeblade]

This is good news. :D

Speaking of bugs.... what about the getting out of water bug? It's sometimes very hard to get out of water and all you do is leap. Also theres the monsters getting stuck on stuff bug... wonder if thats fixed yet.

[LordAlex1207]

Excellent changes all, Chuk. Thanks for the update.

Now I just have to decide whether to play a fighter with points in thief skills, or a thief with an emphasis on fighting... decisions, decisions ...

[zunno]

CHUK22: I didn't see you mention a "Collect All" key for loot. Or have I missed this somewhere? It's very important that loot acquisition be fixed somehow. Pressing the shift key a few dozen times to acquire loot that is immediately discarded (weapons, shields and the like) is annoying.

[Cathail]

Thanks for taking the time to post an update Chuk, looking forward to seeing it all come together.

[araczynski]

thanks for the update!

curious if the release-date-miss bug is being worked on? ;)

would also like a collect all, but can live without it quite frankly, gives me a chance to rest for a second or two and maybe regen some health/mana/etc.

[Zothen]

@CHUK:

Regarding the skill prequisites, does that mean that you need e.g. a Dagger Skill of 5 to raise Medium Weapons to 5 as well? I don't hope so, cause why should a fighter care about daggers to know how to handle a long or even great sword?

In my opinion, those skills shouldnt depend on eachother. Maybe a "synergy bonus" like in Diablo 2, just a thought. I would prefer to focus on a weapon category and stick with it.

[chamr]

-"Flashing Sky/Stars" bug on ATI 9200 fixed

SWEET!! And all this time I was thinking that I had gone unheard on the support forum! :p

Heck, with all these changes I'd be excited to play a new demo let alone the full game!

*reduces cycle time for checking forums from every half hour to every 10 minutes*

[Narserke]

Now, are these skills related to using like magic staffs, or does it include swords and other melee weapons and ranged weapons like bows?

[Tauschitz1]

CHUK22,

Is there any news on the implementation of robes and other wizardly clothing?

Alex

[Zothen]

Is the updated demo already available for download? if so, where? I checked the demo download sites but they dont seem to have been updated since march.

[houdimoudi]

Is the updated demo already available for download? if so, where? I checked the demo download sites but they dont seem to have been updated since march.

this fixes aren't for the demo, they're for the final release.
i hope they don't release another demo before the final, because that will probably prevent them from releasing the final on the 20th april.

by HoudiMoudi

[Mythor]

It should be fairly obvious by this point that they're not going to make the release date on the 20th of April. The only way for them to do that at this point is for them to submit the code in it's current state and rush through the print run, which will mean it'll be buggy.
It needed to go 'gold' already for them to have had a chance.

Regardless, they'll want the revised demo out around the time of release or shortly thereafter or it will slip from people's minds. Quite a few people aren't going to buy the game due to the problems with the existing "demo".

I think people need to resign themselves to it not making it on time, sadly. :(

[Zothen]

@Houdimoudi: Makes sense to me.

Regarding the release date, I still hope for a wonder, although it will be difficult to get my hands on the game, cause release date for germany is 7th or 8th May. :(

[Zothen]

This is good news. :D

Speaking of bugs.... what about the getting out of water bug? It's sometimes very hard to get out of water and all you do is leap. Also theres the monsters getting stuck on stuff bug... wonder if thats fixed yet.

Yeah, summoned monsters get stucked on corners easily too. Goblins or other mobs in doorways etc.

Another flaw is: Seeing random encounters spawn. I dont think this is supposed to happen, isnt it? I think they should spawn outside the range of vision and then start to approach the player.

[houdimoudi]

It should be fairly obvious by this point that they're not going to make the release date on the 20th of April. :(

but if it is obvious, why don't they make it official and announce the delay.
did that happen before? a release date moved,
so close to the offical release date?

[ksponge]

I dunno, but it seems very very unlikely that it will release on the 20th when it hasn't even been announced as having gone gold. No way they will be able to pump out that many cds in what, 7 days plus shipping? Unless the game goes gold like right NOW, it would seem to me to be almost impossible to accomplish this. But who knows, I don't stamp cds from gold so.

[araczynski]

well, seeing how they didn't bother to state anythign about the previous release miss, until a few months later... i'm not holding my breath to hear an update in terms of a release one way or the other, i either play this or guild wars for a while, or one of the other dozen plus games sitting on my desk that i haven't even started... (dang real life)

[ZTrooper]

What's the 411, Chuk? What can you tell us on the state of a new demo and/or the new release date? (Yeah, I know, I was one of the people saying to not release till you were ready. I stick by that. However, being a curious sort, estimates, or even a "yeah, we're still working on the stuff" message would appease the thirst for information.

[houdimoudi]

maybe it has gone gold and they don't say it because they are going to release it as a birthday surprise for me :D

p.s. it's sad that my birthday is in november

[NTJedi]

This is good news. :D

Speaking of bugs.... what about the getting out of water bug? It's sometimes very hard to get out of water and all you do is leap. Also theres the monsters getting stuck on stuff bug... wonder if thats fixed yet.

Not very hard at all to get out of water.... just do this:

Place the back of your character against the platform or ledge you want to stand on. Then use the 'S' to simulate moving back..... now backflip..... TADA !
Realistically doing that move would be impossible... but it works 100% in the game.

[houdimoudi]

now backflip..... TADA !


i somehow feel that this solution doesn't satisfy me..........

[Narserke]

i got out of water by pushing forward and jump, and that intiated the climbing..and they have posted as much on the HP offical site, as i pointed out in another forum.

[Mythor]

Assuming it's not just a case of them not having told us it's in duplication, they might be holding off on the release date slipping announcement in the hope they can get it ready before the 20th so then they can say, "Sorry, the release date has slipped, but only by a week."
So people will be sad it's slipped, but happy that it's only an extra week? :)

[Narserke]

if it does slip by only a week, i'm going to have a tough choice..guild wars or dungeonlords..which to play first:) the trails of a gamer

[ksponge]

Do like me Narserke. I have both on preorder to play simultaneously so I don't stagnate in one mind set. I'm looking forward to both also, apparently. And also my father is buying both also for some multiplayer constant grouping goodness. I'm not young though. Like father like son I guess heh, I'm 30 and my father is 59. Hereditary I guess.

[CHUK22]

Climbing (especially out of the water) has been fixed! (yay)

...also, seems like when I was snooping on what one of the programmers was doing, I saw a guy fighting RIGHT HANDED... just so you know.

can't speak about the release date... info is out of my arena...

-CHUK

[Tenka]

Climbing (especially out of the water) has been fixed! (yay)

...also, seems like when I was snooping on what one of the programmers was doing, I saw a guy fighting RIGHT HANDED... just so you know.

can't speak about the release date... info is out of my arena...

-CHUK

*doing the happy dance* :D

Thanks for the update!

[Aks K]

@CHUK

Will there be a cap for the reduction in cost of skills due to intelligence and use of the skill?

example: due to continious use of light weapons at skill lvl 1 the second lvl gets reduced in cost from 1500 to 750, but further use doesnt decrease the cost.

Thanx chuk, it looks like the game is going to be great!

Aks K

[Boog7]

Hi Chuk, Looks like you guys have have done a great job on the single player aspects of the game. I was wondering if you could tell us a little about the multiplayer side.

For example will there be player trading? How are you handling friendly fire? With a toggle or will it be default and players can challenge each other to duels if the wish? Will there be any MP only quests?

Oh yeah and one more question about the loot system. Will it be random drops throughout the game or will loot scale up with the difficulty of opening chests and entering higher lvl areas.

B

When I die I want to go like my Grampa, peaceful in his sleep. Not screaming like his passengers...

[txa1265]

Will there be a cap for the reduction in cost of skills due to intelligence and use of the skill?

example: due to continious use of light weapons at skill lvl 1 the second lvl gets reduced in cost from 1500 to 750, but further use doesnt decrease the cost.

My understanding is that the skill system is *not* usage based. In other words, you could be a mage who takes 5 levels of light weapons 'just in case' and never uses them, and have the same effect as someone who takes 5 levels and uses then for every battle.

It is not like Morrowind, where I went around casting spells and jumping and running like an idiot just to level up the skills ...

Mike

[mkreku]

Do like me Narserke. I have both on preorder to play simultaneously so I don't stagnate in one mind set. I'm looking forward to both also, apparently. And also my father is buying both also for some multiplayer constant grouping goodness. I'm not young though. Like father like son I guess heh, I'm 30 and my father is 59. Hereditary I guess.
D4mn, that's cool! My mom plays adventure games (Syberia and stuff) but my father can barely turn on the computer by himself. Plus, he always keep sending me these virus infected emails..

That's actually the only thing I don't like about Dungeon Lords co-op: I have noone to play with.

[Aks K]

My understanding is that the skill system is *not* usage based. In other words, you could be a mage who takes 5 levels of light weapons 'just in case' and never uses them, and have the same effect as someone who takes 5 levels and uses then for every battle.

It is not like Morrowind, where I went around casting spells and jumping and running like an idiot just to level up the skills ...

Mike
Sounds funny running around and jumping :) - never played Morrowind though, but it know something about the game.

But this was not what I ment. Any character can aquire any lvl of a certain skill and be just as succesfull (with the same attributes) as any other character with same skill lvl (and attributes). - You dont get lvlups in skills by using them.
I think CHUK said that the speciallity ie. Fighter, Thief, Mage, ... only reduces cost of skills not their effect. So if this I true the you are right in your first paragraph.

When I played the demo I got a reduced cost for next lvl of a particular skill.
Example: If I killed a moster with light weapons and I had 1 pt in that skill. The cost for lvl 2 of the light weapon skill would be reduced from 1500 to ca. 1495.
Also unlocking chests had that effect in the demo.

The reduction is some function of the intelligence for succesful usage of the skill in question. I was simply asking about the structure of this function. Whether the reduction went to 0 for a fixed % of the unreduced cost.

Aks K

[Vampire_X]

Climbing (especially out of the water) has been fixed! (yay)

...also, seems like when I was snooping on what one of the programmers was doing, I saw a guy fighting RIGHT HANDED... just so you know.

can't speak about the release date... info is out of my arena...

-CHUK

better not be teasing us chuk lol :p j/k

[Vampire_X]

forgot to say would be nice if you could get some new screenshots for us chuk showing off the right handed combat thats if your sure there gonna add it and wont get in trouble or anything i really wanna see it with my own eyes :D

[Mythor]

They're probably still checking that nothing gets broken by doing it. But here's hoping it's all fine so they can move on to other bits. ;)

[Narserke]

forgot to say would be nice if you could get some new screenshots for us chuk showing off the right handed combat thats if your sure there gonna add it and wont get in trouble or anything i really wanna see it with my own eyes :D


don't need screenshots..all it is is instead of your character holding his weapon in the left hand, he will now be holding it in the right hand..unless you played a dual wielder, in which case nothing will look much different.. ;)

[Vampire_X]

yes i know but i want too see screens every screen shot is lef handed :rolleyes:

[Vampire_X]

I forgot to ask not sure if this has been fixed or chuk has talked a bit more about it im sure hes still reading this thread every day but just to busy to post so hopefully he will see this.

In the demo (wich we all know is no where near dugeon lords full potential and was work in progress so dont worrie)

The game would pause alot this happens in probably ALMOST every game that has a auto save feature your computer will make the little loading noise for a second them save and your game will pause for a second or two wich is annoying but isnt really really bad.

But something worse is it just randomly pauses threw out the game people say theres always pause when monsters are respawned not sure if thats what is also causing it but it some to do it when ever like ill be running exploring the forest and it will pause for a 2 second i was walking near the town at the city gate near the guard it pauses , so every where.

Also when im fighting monsters it will pause i think theres a performence problem maybe you need to optimze the engine and make it run better or etc just wondering if this happend to you when the devs play and test it? cause not sure if any devs are aware of this or if chuk has said anything.

Also you mentioned something about safe zones that is a VERY good idea you said near the guard near the fireplace messenger (that was simon right?) and i forget where else. How do you know a place is a safe zone will it say? like show a icon in the screen or something or etc? or maybe when your in a safe zone you guys could add a nice relaxing little music so we know where in a safe zone? kinda like resident evil when your in a save room theres a nice calm music playing cause your always safe in there.

and in any town or village or city or what ever that has people around non hostile people can monsters still spawn in there or come in and fight? cause in one of the screenshots an old one i saw a troll in a human town i think and they were fighting it.

Also in any town or city etc is there any quests or ways to speak to ppl where they can get hostile to you and they try to fight them and you can kill them? and if so does the WHOLE city go after you? for once i'd like to see a game when some one threatens to kill you or fight you or even if you talk snotty to them and they draw there blade and attack you for once i'd like to be able to kill them and no one else interfere (unless it was the persons body guards or friend etc) then the other ppl would be like wow you took down *insert name here* you know? hate when every one attacks you.

So thats what i wanna know so and you have extra time now its delayed to the middle of may so the right handedness should be all done and in the game let us know chuk if it is and please take some screenshots of it :)

[icecoldnirvana]

i have an issue that i am sure is going to be fixed, but i have not heard ANYONE mention it... when i was two weapon fighting, i wanted to use a medium sword in my right and left, but even after i upgraded the skill two 4 for my off handed medium weapon skill, i could still only use a light weapon. i just thought that it was very strange and even more strange that no one has brought it up... thanks.

[Vampire_X]

i only used dual handed weapons for a bit i had a axe and a dagger but it always shown just the characters hand like in a ball and no dagger.

didnt really play around with it but i had both equiped in the equip screen so i dont know.

[araczynski]

i have an issue that i am sure is going to be fixed, but i have not heard ANYONE mention it... when i was two weapon fighting, i wanted to use a medium sword in my right and left, but even after i upgraded the skill two 4 for my off handed medium weapon skill, i could still only use a light weapon. i just thought that it was very strange and even more strange that no one has brought it up... thanks.

this was brought up and answered in the forums, but before the 'wipe', basically dual wielding wasn't completely implemented in the demo, so wasn't working the same as in the 'full' code.

[Runeblade]

Climbing (especially out of the water) has been fixed! (yay)

...also, seems like when I was snooping on what one of the programmers was doing, I saw a guy fighting RIGHT HANDED... just so you know.

can't speak about the release date... info is out of my arena...

-CHUK

YAY@Water fix :D

[ByblosHex]

That getting out of the water CRAP has to be the MOST irritating thing in any game EVER!!!! ARRRRRG!

[vesselle]

That getting out of the water CRAP has to be the MOST irritating thing in any game EVER!!!! ARRRRRG!

*slinks away, embarrassed*

gee, i never had problems with it.

[phalzyr]

I didn't notice that when I played demo. That is a really neat feature costing less ADV points if you actually used the skill :)

[txa1265]

gee, i never had problems with it.
I found it to be finicky, making me line up 'just so', but I never died because of it ... it was just one of those things I hoped they would fix ;)

[Narserke]

I also had no problems with water, once I figured it out. I was actually upset cause I thought once you feel in the water, there was no way out, and as such at the bridge part I trying to kill the stupid goblins and make them all die on the ledge, but like idiots they just ran into the water..so eventually I said what the **** and went in after them and I finally figured out how to get out. So I only had problems out of my ignorance. Swiming was a bit cumbersome though. It would be nice if we had a air bar so we know how much air we have.

[Aks K]

I didn't notice that when I played demo. That is a really neat feature costing less ADV points if you actually used the skill :)
I guess you refer to what I said. Nice you noticed it :). Actually I wrote intelligence instead of intellect, which was a missprint. In the demo it only works for light weapons, archery, inspect, pick locks and disarm traps, but I think that will change to all skills in the final version. I think one can save quite a few advpoints this way.

I will try to do some testing of the effect of intellect on the reduction in cost of next lvl skills in the demo when I have the time.

When you say used. I think you mean succesfully used. One has to make the kill or open a chest to get the reduction. If for example you use a bow and have the archery skill without killing anything using the bow - you dont get a reduction.

Aks K

[phalzyr]

I guess you refer to what I said.

Aks K

Yep :D I didn't word my post that well did I.... Yes the feature of reduction in cost, for leveling up a skill, is an awesome idea. It should really help make one want to focus on one style.

I didn't really play the demo looking for minor details like that, just wanted a feeling of the game and loved the demo. (not sure why so many complain about it....) I wasn't expecting to get a full in depth look into the game jsut the basics to pass a bit of time while waiting... and waiting.... is it out yet? :D Though the more polishing the better, it has been a very long time since a good RPG has held my attention (this game will probably do that) so a month or two more is nothing.

[Aks K]

Yes the feature of reduction in cost, for leveling up a skill, is an awesome idea. It should really help make one want to focus on one style.
Yes I think so too, phalzyr. I am intrigued by this feature and looking forward to how it will work in the final version of the game.


Though the more polishing the better, it has been a very long time since a good RPG has held my attention (this game will probably do that) so a month or two more is nothing.
With you on that one! Since I quit diablo2 and sacred, I guess, that I have become more demanding in the rpg genre (some might argue that it is more hack'n'slash than rpg and they are probably right). Havent even cared to take a closer look at gothic. It might be good, but it couldnt hold my attention.

Aks K