Beta Patch 0.11.9 - Moar Judgements

[p]Hi,[/p][p]although it hasn't yet been four weeks since the last update I decided to release this update early due to today's update of the 0.11 beta.[/p][p]The update contains some important new features and so I want to give you a little heads up![/p][p][/p][h2]Meta-Combat Extension[/h2][p]My previous update extended the 0.11 Beta test with Myth era and several ascension tree upgrades. But a few gaps were left. The main missing bit was more Judgements to fight in between the ascensions.[/p][p]To do that however, the current trivial Judgement combat system needed a significant upgrade.[/p][p]The core part of this new update are more Judgements with increased power and new Meta-Powers. There are also some changes to the judgement combat mechanism.[/p][p][/p][p]A 'high-level' Judgement in Myth Era. You can see new Meta-Powers added here including the 'Shadow of Perfection' ability on the left (an Anti-Judgement version of Bolster ability)[/p][p][/p][h2]Judgement progression[/h2][p]Added judgements will have more health as well as new types of attacks. Because Judgements cannot kill you (there is no population to lose) these attacks will instead of 'dealing damage' prevent you from winning by disabling your Meta-Powers eventually until the combat times-out.[/p][p]With future updates (and with higher judgement level) they will also gain attacks that affect your civilization runs in short term (something like enforced negative perk). [/p][p]As mentioned in my previous update, in future judgements will also have a 'generic' spawn system. Meaning there won't just be static Judgement 'locks' in between ascensions but there will also be respawned judgements appearing between runs (so that you always have something to fight).[/p][p]So there's still a lot of space for improvement...[/p][p][/p][h2]New Meta-Powers & Combat mechanics[/h2][p]A new defensive meta-power was added - called Mute of Disbelief - purchased for Red lotuses. This ability works like Fortress unit against Judgement - creates a chance to block a single attack.[/p][p]Additionally I have enabled Horn of Resolve use against Judgements. (And renamed to Sound of Resolve for that meta-physical touch)[/p][p]Sound of Resolve now causes a 5s Stun to the Judgement. As a consequence Hymn to the Dead no longer deals Stun.[/p][p]Along this change I also introduced a few mechanism changes:[/p]

[p]All meta-powers now have a cooldown.[/p]
[p]There is no longer a cap on meta powers you can own.[/p]
[p]Purchasing price of meta power is increasing with meta-powers owned above 3 (a fourth power costs 2 lotuses, fifth costs 3 etc.) so this creates a 'soft cap' on most of them.[/p]
[p]To add more customization new 'Art' Meta-Powers have also been added (currently only two, but this number will grow). These 'Art' meta-powers are not unlocked by default but instead are gained from new Artist heroes.[/p][p][/p]

[h2]Artists[/h2][p]Two Unique Artists are now added to the game - they can only be dropped from selected Judgement fights - and each one will add a new Meta-power to your arsenal if activated:[/p][h3]
Shadow of Perfection[/h3][p]First art Meta-Power (granted by Michelangelo) - Shadow of Perfection works like the in-game Bolster skill. Adds flat damage to the next ability you use.[/p][p][/p][h3] Full Circle[/h3][p]Second art Meta-Power (granted by Shakespeare) - Full Circle will fully restore all your cool-downs.[/p][p][/p][p]In addition to these, Artists also have passive traits which boost your Meta-powers damage and block chance. They don't have any abilities affecting the civilization economy or any other 'in-game' mechanism. This will definitely change in the future but for now Artists only affect your Judgement combat capabilities (since this update is mostly about Judgements).[/p][p][/p][p]Work-in-progress layout for new Artists. Instead of Equipping Artists in hero inventory, Artists use similar 'activation toggle' mechanism as Workshops but only accessible on Ascension screen only.[/p][p][/p][p]Although they are Heroes, Artists do not use hero inventory slots to become active, instead they use a new mechanism:[/p]

[p]Artists cannot be equipped in Hero screen - instead use the 'toggle' on Ascension screen which effectively makes the hero 'equipped' for the next ascension run (including ascension judgement fights after that ascension).[/p]
[p]You have a limit on how many Artists can be toggled on at each time (same as workshops are limited by Workers)[/p]
[p]This limit is shown on the Ascension screen as 'Enlightenment points' (using similar hand icon as Workers for workshops to indicate the mechanism similarity)[/p]
[p]This limit will be expandable (for now it is fixed at 1 since we only have 2 heroes)[/p]
[p]Each Art meta-power has a limited number of charges (for some this will grow with Artist Level).[/p]
[p]Unlike workshop charges, art charges are not recharged over time. Instead they fully recharge at next Ascension.[/p]
[p]Artist ability is upgradable by level-up merge recipe (same as leveling any other hero except a bit more expensive)[/p]
[p]Artists cannot be Infused with Idols (yet)[/p]
[p]You will not be able to change the artists activation toggles during run. Once you start the civilization run, you are stuck with the setup. Note that this currently has few consequences - this is going to be more relevant as more types of traits are added to Artists.[/p]
[p]There are no 'generic' non-unique artists yet - only the two Uniques. With the introduction of generic judgements I would like to include non-unique Artists and a randomized drop system.[/p]

[p]Note: As usual with me introducing new features this Artists system version is only the first step. Most of the above points are planned to change and expand. I intend to mix the in-game and meta-game effects significantly but decided not to do this as part of 0.11. What I needed now was a bare minimum version enabling some level of Judgement combat extensibility. [/p][p][/p][p]Artist are still normal heroes in your inventory. You can level them up normally but most of their current abilities only affect the 'meta-game' on ascension screen.[/p][p][/p][h2]When can I test these changes?[/h2][p]Judgement combat update have been added as a 0.11.9 Minor Update directly to Beta 0.11 today. [/p][p]Early next week I expect to do one more patch (I have a pretty long list of small bugs that players have found) and if all goes well release 0.11 to public next week.[/p][p][/p][h2]What comes next[/h2][p]In my last brief monday update I have listed a number of features I plan to add. Some of them are coming in this next minor update, the rest I have postponed. [/p][p]During the rest of July my priority will be supporting 0.11 and - if there is any spare time - creating Demo version of the game. I would like to do some tiny UI update and some overall polishing as well so the Demo has a more 'final look'. [/p][p]I want to be done with the demo as soon as possible for 0.11 game version and then move on to all remaining features from August:[/p]

[p]Tech-Tree & Rare technologies update together with Nemesis extension and Nemesis Challenge scenarios.[/p]
[p]Corruption system update together with Theater changes and Predicament/Disaster mechanism update.[/p]
[p]Diplomacy/Warfare update with Dilemma cards update and Unique Crises extensions.[/p]
[p]Autonomy & Gold abilities including trade, strategic resources and automation.[/p]

[p]I am grouping these into chunks like this because the problems in each category have some shared solution or strategy and need to be done together. [/p][p]I consider these four areas to be the major 'debt' items where current systems are out of date with the rest of the game or were left deliberately unfinished until a more opportune moment.[/p][p]When these four areas are done I will move to finalization bits like:[/p]

[p]Extending Tier 4 ascension tree to all basic six Eras (we have 4 missing: Medieval, Renaissance, Industrial and Modern)[/p]
[p]Tier 4 Future era (there is a huge amount of work to be done also retrospectively for its Tier 2 variant)[/p]
[p]Balancing and Hard difficulty[/p]
[p]'Final boss' scenario[/p]
[p]Any other content extension (Heroes, Crises, etc.)[/p]
[p]Technical problems (optimization, compatibility etc.)[/p]

[p]If possible I would like to make the next big update (0.12) by the end of Q3 (late September).[/p][p][/p][p]That's all for today. [/p][p][/p][p]Cheers,[/p][p][/p][p]Ondrej[/p][p] [/p][p][/p]