Knights of the Chalice 2 News

Hello everyone! Here's Version 1.90 of Knights of the Chalice 2.

It should make the game run faster during combat. It also fixes a number of bugs and issues, and helps with module creation.

• Added code optimisations to make the game run faster particularly when starting combat on a large map, when a character falls down over several squares, when terrain spells have been used, or when mousing over inaccessible squares. I had to look into this because of the huge "Crossroad Castle" map featured in the upcoming module The Dark Arena.
  
• Fixed a bug concerning the enemy AI for line and cone spells and special abilities. Also fixed a bug with the AI processing of the spell Boulder Strike.
  
• Mousing over the headline of the Floor Items/Container Items box in the Inventory Screen will display the name of the container in the tooltip. This may be useful if the text doesn't fit within the box. Also fixed a tooltip display issue with the Party Items box (that one isn't affected by pushing the space bar).
  
• Fixed a tooltip display issue when mousing over an item located on an obstacle square.
  
• Fixed an issue with large creatures sometimes taking falling damage during their normal movement in combat when they shouldn't.
  
• Fixed an issue with large creatures incorrectly threatening (or being threatened by) other creatures on a different altitude, due to one of the squares covered by the large creature.
  
• Fixed a source of crashes when a scene script adds a new combat participant who also has a scene script. Only the initial combat participants can have a scene script or defeat script; any extra scene scripts brought by additional combat participants will be ignored.
  
• For playtesting, fixed a bug with the "Shift + WIN" shortcut which occurred when used after a creature has been swallowed whole.
  
• Improved the "Event Move" script command to allow moving a character to a position stored in variables. For example, you can put in the command's character field "{My Character}/{Target Position X},{Target Position Y}". You can use this to have one of the party members move to a certain position, wait for a little while, and then move back to his original position.
  
• Fixed display issues when a script has several "Event Move" instructions in a row. Previously, the display would scroll back to the party leader after each "Event Move" instruction.
  
• The script command to hide or show an activable zone now has an extra option to do so without updating sound and particle effects (which also resets current sound effects). For this purpose, you can select the command's new option "Hidden status without effects update".
  
• Images associated with activable zones will now be displayed according to map colours. This means that custom map colours, set in the "Edit Map Data" screen of the Module Editor, will also apply to these images.
  

Please don't hesitate to email me at [email protected] if you find any bugs and annoyances, so that I can fix the game quickly.

I'll post a new Kickstarter Update in the next few days at: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1848628223/knights-of-the-chalice-2-revolutionise-old-school-crpgs/posts

Thank You So Much, Legendary Adventurers! May Your Dice Always Roll Critical! ^_^

Hello everyone! Here's Version 1.89 of Knights of the Chalice 2.

It brings some improvements to the game and Module Editor, and fixes a bunch of bugs I noticed while playtesting the upcoming adventure module The Dark Arena.

• Pushing Space while the Inventory Screen is displayed will now collect all of the items shown in the box for Floor Items or external Container Items (just as if left-clicking on the headline of the Floor Items box). Added a note about this in the Help Entry for keyboard shortcuts out of combat.
  
• Improved the enemy AI for Slide/Pull/Bull Rush actions on maps with elevation.
  
• Fixed bugs concerning the Throw Creature action, Gust of Wind spells, and Knockback Arrows in maps with elevation when receiving these effects should result in your character sliding down to the lowest-altitude square.
  
• Fixed a problem with the position of prone Giant Frog sprites.
  
• Fixed an issue with pathfinding not giving you the best path for a five-foot step action when there are dangerous squares.
  
• Your characters will now be able to attack or grapple with allied characters that have received the Berserk condition.
  
• In the Party Creation interface, added a new check box allowing you to display only the pre-generated characters.
  
• Mousing over the character's class in the Party Creation screen will now display the Psychic Warrior Focus.
  
• If you summon a creature as part of your triggered Ready Versus Spell action, and your summoned creature damages the interrupted caster, that caster will now have to pass a concentration check for the damage received from the summon.
  
• Fixed an out-of-combat bug where your character could take falling damage when clicking on an adjacent activable zone or stairway.
  
• Improved the Script Editor's new "Auto Fill Skilled Answer" function so that it will recognise and work with domain power skills written in the format "[Strength Domain]" (and not just "[Domain Power Strength]").
  
• In the Module Editor, the last Creature Template you've created will now appear at the bottom of the list of Creature Races in the Creation Wizard, and will be selected automatically when you open the Creation Wizard. Previously, it wasn't very easy to select the last template.
  
• In the Module Editor, added a new button labelled "Reset All Settings" in the Creation Wizard - useful when you want to do several monster creations with different classes and specialisations.
  
• The script command "Add Dialog Answer" can now be set so that right clicking on a line opens an associated Help Entry, or an associated Character Sheet. (It could already be set so that right clicking would open an associated item or weapon information box). To do so, first please make sure that the "required party skill" is "Nothing". Then place a help link in the field "variable value" (e.g. @PSYCHIC_WARRIOR@, @FIRE_SPHERE@, @FAMILIAR@ for a normal Help Entry, or @Chromatic Orb@ for a spell). For a Character Sheet, place a character name in the "companion" field. For an item/weapon information box, place an item/weapon name in the "item" field.
  
• Corrected a few typos or missing words in the Help Entries about Green Wizard feats, Arcane Transmutation, and Charisma uses.
  
• Gave a Psychic Warrior Focus to the pre-generated character Elizann.
  
• Added a few extra pre-generated characters (Stagranne, Sojandira, Baldrick, Tsveta).
  
• Fixed an issue with the "Tactics Do not move" script command being off by one round of combat.
  
• Fixed a bug with the Second Chance spell used in the module The Dark Arena.
  
• Fixed an issue where the next encounter would be triggered too soon after a battle, due to the position of one of the party members at the end of combat. This will now be avoided in virtually all possible situations.
  
• Fixed a bug with the incorrect update on loading of the square type of a square, when that type was edited through a script (e.g. removing a Fire Damage Square).
  
• Fixed a bug with the script command "Scripted Event Move Character" when this event takes place during combat.
  
• Fixed several bugs with Bard Songs activated through the Quickbar.
  
• Fixed a bug when using the Attack mouse cursor on a group that has a dialogue script.
  
• Becoming Helpless (e.g. due to the Sleeping condition) will no longer prevent Strength or Dexterity ability damage to the character.
  
• Fixed a headline display issue with non-energy Ground Death Throes.
  
• In the script editor, improved the command search functions to take into account the abbreviated command names (e.g. typing "module property" will now find the right command).
  

Please don't hesitate to email me at [email protected] if you find any bugs and annoyances, so that I can fix the game quickly.

Sincerest Thanks, Brave Warriors and Wise Mages of the Realm! Rejoice!! ^_^

Hi everyone! Version 1.88 of Knights of the Chalice 2 is here.

It's a small update bringing some new sprites into the game, as well as a Script Editor bug fix.

• Added new large-size sprites for the Snakemen and Giant Beetles. There are three new sprites for the Snakemen, including two holding magic swords. There are also three new sprites for the Giant Beetles, which can also work for Rust Monsters or large creatures with a swallow-whole ability.
  
• Updated the sprites of Snakemen and Giant Beetles in the module Augury of Chaos. Also gave the feat 'Heavy Shield Proficiency' to some Snakemen that were using a shield without the proficiency.
  
• Script Editor: in the file Data/Commands.mla, which contains the list of scripted commands, added some explanatory notes for the commands used to get information from a comma-separated list, and also for the command "Tactics cast spell". These notes are displayed when you mouse over a command in the Script Editor.
  
• Fixed bugs in the script commands used to manipulate comma-separated lists. These commands were introduced in KotC 2 version 1.87.
  

Please don't hesitate to email me at [email protected] if you find any bugs and annoyances, so that I can fix the game quickly.

I'll post a new Kickstarter Update in the next few days at: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1848628223/knights-of-the-chalice-2-revolutionise-old-school-crpgs/posts

Thank You So Much, Valiant Defenders of the Realm! Best Regards :-)

Hello everyone! Here's version 1.87 of Knights of the Chalice 2.

It's a small update intended to facilitate module development. In particular, creating dialogue trees with skilled dialogue options should be easier and faster thanks to a new button, and playtesting these options should also be easier. Moreover, the Creature Wizard should be a lot more stable now.

• Added a new sound effect in the Sounds folder: "Magic earthquake.wav".
  
• Added a new button in the Module Editor that appears when adding a script instruction "Add Dialog Answer". You can now click on a new button labelled "Autofill Skilled Answer" after entering some text, such as "[Archery] My aim is better than yours, fool!". The editor will then automatically set the fields accordingly. The text will be changed to "[Archery] [{Archery Character}] My aim is better than yours, fool!", the colour will be set to Dark Green, the selectable type will be set to "selectable if the party has the skill", the required skill will be set to the appropriate skill ("Archery"), and the field for the variable that will save the skilled character name will also be set ("Archery Character"). Please do check that the editor correctly filled the fields after clicking on the button, because it won't work if the skill isn't recognised.
  
• Added a new "[Class] All Character Skills" feat for module testing. It can be added to a character through the Creature Editor within the Module Editor. This character will then unlock all dialogue options with a skill requirement.
  
• Added some new script command options, including one to put in a variable the comma-separated list of non-petrified/non-dead/non-away active characters, one to put in a variable the n-th element of a comma-separated string, one to put in a variable the number of elements contained in a comma-separated list, and a few additional ones related to comma-separated string manipulation. Thank you Raspelzahn for the heads-up!
  
• Completed the script command "Set square type" with some options that were missing.
  
• Fixed a bug when using the Creature Wizard after deleting a creature template (the deleted line wasn't removed from the drop-down list of templates).
  
• Fixed a source of crashes in the Creature Wizard when creating a monster from a template that was created in the same session from a monster present on the map. That bug took me a while to fix.
  
• Fixed a source of crashes when mousing over a location in the World Map. Thank you so much Raspelzahn for highlighting this! (Currently, the only difference between the "City Map" and "World Map" types is that travel time is taken into account on the world map, but not on the city map.)
  
• Fixed a bug in the Token/Sprite Selection Screen with creatures that have "None" as their Gender.
  
• Corrected small errors in three summoning spells of the Druid.
  

Please don't hesitate to email me at [email protected] if you find any bugs and annoyances, so that I can fix the game quickly.

I'll post a new Kickstarter Update in the next few days at: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1848628223/knights-of-the-chalice-2-revolutionise-old-school-crpgs/posts

Sincerest Thanks, Brave Warriors and Wise Mages of the Realm! Onwards to Victory :-)

Hello everyone! Version 1.86 of Knights of the Chalice 2 has landed.

There's an upgrade of the Psychic Warrior class and a bunch of bug fixes and small improvements. A Big Thank You to Tanner and Atlesen for your helpful suggestions and feedback!

• Added the Psychic Warrior's "Principal Focus" which must be selected at level 1 out of the following possible focuses: Focus of the Juggernaut, Focus of Primal Force, Focus of Resilience, Focus of Psychokinesis, Focus of Telepathy, Focus of the Life Flow, and Focus of Prowess. Also updated the help system with new entries, and in the Module Editor, the Creature Wizard with a Focus selection box. Please read below if you have an ongoing game with a Psychic Warrior and you'd like to select a Focus.
  
• Added three feats for the Psychic Warrior: Ascendant Psychometabolism, Sublime Psychometabolism, and Improved Stomp. Updated the help system.
  
• Expanded the Set Property script command to allow setting the dynamic sprite data, as well as adding feats or removing feats to or from a character using a script.
  
• Fixed a bug with dangerous maps (sweltering, freezing or underwater ones). In these maps, after combat, your character could be stuck (immobile) if your party leader was knocked unconscious during the battle. Thank you so much Tanner for pointing me towards this issue!
  
• When regrouping the party after it was divided into two groups, the pre-split party formation will be restored automatically. Previously, the party leader would get changed and you'd have to restore the leader and formation manually in the Party Composition and Formation Screen. Thank you, Atlesen!!
  
• Out of combat, if the party leader is a flying creature and there are non-flying characters in the party, for pathfinding purposes the party leader will be processed as a non-flying creature in order to avoid leading the rest of the team into dangerous squares.
  
• Corrected a wording issue in the help entry for the War Domain of the Cleric and Bishop.
  
• In the Prologue of Augury of Chaos, clarified Garret's dialogue when the player can type in someone's name.
  
• In the Prologue of Augury of Chaos, Giant Spider Queen Shiwang will now drop two items selected at random out of her inventory when you defeat her in combat. Module Creators can now use the Creature Intelligence setting "Number of random item drops" in the Intelligence tab of Creature Properties in the Creature Editor to set a number of items to be dropped. These items will be selected at random out of all of the creature's no-drop items (items marked as loot will always be dropped).
  
• The attack tooltip for Life Stealing weapons will now display the corrected range of possible values for life stealing damage (the tooltip wasn't taking into account the Bracers of Impact or the Barbed weapon enchantment).
  
• Fixed a typo in the description of the artifact wand '+1 Succor'.
  
• Fixed a display problem with the Party Members box in the Inventory Screen.
  
• Fixed a bug with the selected Power Point Expense when selecting a different Psionic Power in the Character Sheet for characters with psionic powers.
  
• Fixed a bug with the special selection (e.g. the energy type) when selecting a different Psionic Power in the Character Sheet for characters with psionic powers.
  
• Fixed a sprite display problem with Gargoyles when they're Prone.
  
• In the macOS version, fixed a bug in the single-page Character-Creation Screen when checking that the starting feats of the character have been selected.
  

Please don't hesitate to email me at [email protected] if you find any bugs and annoyances, so that I can fix the game quickly.

Thank You, Valiant Defenders! May Your Dice Always Roll Critical! ^_^

P.S. Here's how you can give your Psychic Warrior a Focus in your ongoing game:

1) From the main menu, open the Module Editor (selecting any module), then push "V" to open the Creature Editor.
2) Click on the button labelled "Load creature file".
3) Navigate to the game's Saves folder using the 'Parent Directory' button (Windows version: click two times on Parent Directory then double click on "Saves"; macOS version: you have to navigate to User/Library/Application Support/KotC 2/Saves).
4) Each saved game is a numbered folder. Double click on the folder of the saved game containing your Psychic Warrior.
5) Double click on SaveChar.cml to open the character file of your saved game.
6) You now have your party members listed in the Creature Editor. Double click on your Psychic Warrior.
7) Now click on the "Feats" tab of the Creature Properties screen.
8) In the "Feat name" dropdown box, find your Focus of interest, for example: "[Class] Psychic Warrior Focus of Resilience".
9) Click on the button labelled "Add" to add the Focus to your character (any pre-existing Focus of the character will be removed automatically).
10) Then click on Okay to close the Creature Properties / Feats and Special Abilities interface.
11) Now click on the button labelled Save creature file.
12) Navigate again to the Saves folder using the 'Parent Directory' button.
13) Select the folder of your saved game containing the Psychic Warrior.
14) Double click on SaveChar.cml in order to overwrite the file with your modified file. Confirm the overwrite.
15) Now you can push Escape to close the Creature Editor. Then push Escape to close the Module Editor.
16) Finally you can load your saved game. It should have your updated character.