That Did Not Work. At All.
tldr; Canceling the 6.0 development test build effective immediately.
I got about two hours into testing the new concept only to realize how monumental of a task it would be to implement an enemy generator 3.0 which would be required to make the game not print out 0 damage during first time battles in new zones which would be incredibly jarring to players and overall ruin the flow of the game. There are other reasons, but let's just sum it up as an idea that simply did not work out.
To clarify, it's not always possible for me to conduct a full test before deploying updates. Core changes like this require a new save file and progress without the use of DLC items. Current play time while skipping all the dialogue and testing every available quest in game from start to finish is roughly 10 hours assuming it's flawless and no additional changes need to be made. I often only test the newly added portion so long as it moves forward in the games timeline or exists in a separate space, like the veil or the next parts of orc war questline.
By the time this post is visible, only the previous default branch will be live and the game should automatically update back to it for anyone who was opted into the 6.0 test.
Let's quickly go over what this means moving forward:
- No unmitigated damage attack abilities
- No non-elemental 0 damage attacks. There will always be a minimum damage dealt for non-elemental attacks, otherwise noted in skill tooltips as "Normal Attack", not to be confused with Physical which is factored in as its own element.
- The next public game version will be 5.X or 5.1.X. Major first number changes are reserved for game altering additions or changes, like a new main story questline or a core mechanic change.
- All of the skills adjusted for the 6.0 test are going to be looked at again and potentially updated.
- Goal for next version update is next weekend.
Thanks for reading, and I'm sorry it didn't work out. I was hopeful for the unmitigated concept.
//hardytier
PS: The following update is effective immediately.
5.1.8 [Build #126, Release Date: February 19, 2022] Bugs to look for: Report them as a comment to the most recent patch notes.
- Any skill used causes the game to immediately crash. [Due to a misprint of the damage formula, must address immediately.]
Skill Changes:
- Smoke Bomb: (a.atk * 3)
- Suppressor Bomb: (a.atk * 3)
- Thermite Grenade: ((a.atk * 4) + (a.mat))
- Frost Bomb: (a.atk * 3). Critical: Yes. Diminish Agility replaces variable Slow states.
- Sludge Bomb: (a.atk * 3). Critical: Yes.
- Cyclone: (a.atk * 2). Critical: Yes.
- Cleave: (a.atk * 4)
- Swing: (a.atk * 3)
- Rockbreaker: (a.atk * 4). NA: 0%.
- Insatiable Ravager: (a.atk * 5)
- Smoke Blast: (a.atk * 5)
- Suppression Blast: (a.atk * 5)
- Thermite Blast: (a.atk * 5) + (a.mat)
- Frost Blast: (a.atk * 5). Greatly Diminish Agility replaces variable Slow states.
- Sludge Blast: (a.atk * 5). Diminish Defense for 3 turns.
- Trample: Critical: No.
- #68 Cutter: NA: 10%
- Scarlet Cutter: TP Gain: 0.
- Warpblade: (a.atk * 5)
- Mastery of Winter: Diminish Agility replaces Slow.
- Blade Shot: Bleed (50%). TP Cost: 25.
- Absorb: (a.mat * 3)
- Hell's Embrace: Magical.
- Lightning Rage now seals all Skills and Magic, but allows "LR Specials" to be used. LR based skills (Double-Strike, Triple-Strike, Spark Shock, Spark+) have been re-labeled as "LR Special". [This prevents other learned skills like Airblade from being used.]
- Lightning Rage now adds a 20% chance to Stun on hit and a passive 5% MP Regen and 10% TP Regen while active.
- Triple-Strike: NA: 100%.
- Sparkshield now grants immunity to Electric attacks.
- Sticky Slap: NA: 25%.
- Reave: ((a.atk * 4) + (a.luk)). NA: 20%.
- Cleave+: ((a.atk * 4) - (b.def * 2)).
- Swift Kick: (a.atk * 3) + (a.luk / 6)
- Wicked Strike: NA: 200%.
- #220 Cutter (Ruby's): NA: 50%.
- Arcane Ray: Diminish Agility replaces Slow.
- Arcane Explosion: (v[201] * 4) + (a.mat * 2)
- Lucky Strike: ((a.atk) + (a.luk * 10)) - (b.luk * 2)
- Poisonstrike: (a.atk * 3) + (a.mat)
- Toxinstrike: (a.atk * 3) + (a.mat * 2)
- Venomstrike: (a.atk * 3) + (a.mat * 3)
- Snakelashing: (a.atk * 4) + (a.mat * 4). CD-2.
- Physical Ice Attacks: Diminish Agility replaces Slow.
- Avalanche: (a.atk * 3)
- Avalanche II: (a.atk * 4)
- Avalanche III: (a.atk * 5)
- Tier 3 physical wind skills named: Galestrike.
- Tier 2 physical ghost skills named: Wraithstrike.
- Tier 3 physical ghost skills named: Specterstrike.
- Tier 3 physical soul skills named: Essencesplit.
- Tier 3 magical soul skills named: Essence Burst
- Tier 4 Fire, Water, and Ice skills now have ascending damage per level. (Ex: Eruption II is stronger than Eruption I in addition to having a higher burn chance and cost to use.)
- Removed Zoom effect from: Slice, Cut, Slash, Poison Cut, Chop, Poison Chop.
Fixes:
- Shadowstep and Lightningwalk will no longer do 0 damage the first time they are used for players who newly pick up either skill. Players who already have both skills or do not claim the other before using one will still run into a first use 0 damage output.
Known Issues:
- [Current save files only] - Shadowstep and Lightningwalk will do 0 damage the first time they are used. First usage activates the variable which is multiplied into the damage formula. On first use, the variable is 0.
- This version of the game does not say '5.1.8' on the info screen. Instead, you can confirm the version by equipping the Frost Core and checking the tooltip of Froststrike. If it says Diminish Agility instead of Slow, then you are on the newest available version.
I got about two hours into testing the new concept only to realize how monumental of a task it would be to implement an enemy generator 3.0 which would be required to make the game not print out 0 damage during first time battles in new zones which would be incredibly jarring to players and overall ruin the flow of the game. There are other reasons, but let's just sum it up as an idea that simply did not work out.
To clarify, it's not always possible for me to conduct a full test before deploying updates. Core changes like this require a new save file and progress without the use of DLC items. Current play time while skipping all the dialogue and testing every available quest in game from start to finish is roughly 10 hours assuming it's flawless and no additional changes need to be made. I often only test the newly added portion so long as it moves forward in the games timeline or exists in a separate space, like the veil or the next parts of orc war questline.
By the time this post is visible, only the previous default branch will be live and the game should automatically update back to it for anyone who was opted into the 6.0 test.
Let's quickly go over what this means moving forward:
- No unmitigated damage attack abilities
- No non-elemental 0 damage attacks. There will always be a minimum damage dealt for non-elemental attacks, otherwise noted in skill tooltips as "Normal Attack", not to be confused with Physical which is factored in as its own element.
- The next public game version will be 5.X or 5.1.X. Major first number changes are reserved for game altering additions or changes, like a new main story questline or a core mechanic change.
- All of the skills adjusted for the 6.0 test are going to be looked at again and potentially updated.
- Goal for next version update is next weekend.
Thanks for reading, and I'm sorry it didn't work out. I was hopeful for the unmitigated concept.
//hardytier
PS: The following update is effective immediately.
5.1.8 [Build #126, Release Date: February 19, 2022] Bugs to look for: Report them as a comment to the most recent patch notes.
- Any skill used causes the game to immediately crash. [Due to a misprint of the damage formula, must address immediately.]
Skill Changes:
- Smoke Bomb: (a.atk * 3)
- Suppressor Bomb: (a.atk * 3)
- Thermite Grenade: ((a.atk * 4) + (a.mat))
- Frost Bomb: (a.atk * 3). Critical: Yes. Diminish Agility replaces variable Slow states.
- Sludge Bomb: (a.atk * 3). Critical: Yes.
- Cyclone: (a.atk * 2). Critical: Yes.
- Cleave: (a.atk * 4)
- Swing: (a.atk * 3)
- Rockbreaker: (a.atk * 4). NA: 0%.
- Insatiable Ravager: (a.atk * 5)
- Smoke Blast: (a.atk * 5)
- Suppression Blast: (a.atk * 5)
- Thermite Blast: (a.atk * 5) + (a.mat)
- Frost Blast: (a.atk * 5). Greatly Diminish Agility replaces variable Slow states.
- Sludge Blast: (a.atk * 5). Diminish Defense for 3 turns.
- Trample: Critical: No.
- #68 Cutter: NA: 10%
- Scarlet Cutter: TP Gain: 0.
- Warpblade: (a.atk * 5)
- Mastery of Winter: Diminish Agility replaces Slow.
- Blade Shot: Bleed (50%). TP Cost: 25.
- Absorb: (a.mat * 3)
- Hell's Embrace: Magical.
- Lightning Rage now seals all Skills and Magic, but allows "LR Specials" to be used. LR based skills (Double-Strike, Triple-Strike, Spark Shock, Spark+) have been re-labeled as "LR Special". [This prevents other learned skills like Airblade from being used.]
- Lightning Rage now adds a 20% chance to Stun on hit and a passive 5% MP Regen and 10% TP Regen while active.
- Triple-Strike: NA: 100%.
- Sparkshield now grants immunity to Electric attacks.
- Sticky Slap: NA: 25%.
- Reave: ((a.atk * 4) + (a.luk)). NA: 20%.
- Cleave+: ((a.atk * 4) - (b.def * 2)).
- Swift Kick: (a.atk * 3) + (a.luk / 6)
- Wicked Strike: NA: 200%.
- #220 Cutter (Ruby's): NA: 50%.
- Arcane Ray: Diminish Agility replaces Slow.
- Arcane Explosion: (v[201] * 4) + (a.mat * 2)
- Lucky Strike: ((a.atk) + (a.luk * 10)) - (b.luk * 2)
- Poisonstrike: (a.atk * 3) + (a.mat)
- Toxinstrike: (a.atk * 3) + (a.mat * 2)
- Venomstrike: (a.atk * 3) + (a.mat * 3)
- Snakelashing: (a.atk * 4) + (a.mat * 4). CD-2.
- Physical Ice Attacks: Diminish Agility replaces Slow.
- Avalanche: (a.atk * 3)
- Avalanche II: (a.atk * 4)
- Avalanche III: (a.atk * 5)
- Tier 3 physical wind skills named: Galestrike.
- Tier 2 physical ghost skills named: Wraithstrike.
- Tier 3 physical ghost skills named: Specterstrike.
- Tier 3 physical soul skills named: Essencesplit.
- Tier 3 magical soul skills named: Essence Burst
- Tier 4 Fire, Water, and Ice skills now have ascending damage per level. (Ex: Eruption II is stronger than Eruption I in addition to having a higher burn chance and cost to use.)
- Removed Zoom effect from: Slice, Cut, Slash, Poison Cut, Chop, Poison Chop.
Fixes:
- Shadowstep and Lightningwalk will no longer do 0 damage the first time they are used for players who newly pick up either skill. Players who already have both skills or do not claim the other before using one will still run into a first use 0 damage output.
Known Issues:
- [Current save files only] - Shadowstep and Lightningwalk will do 0 damage the first time they are used. First usage activates the variable which is multiplied into the damage formula. On first use, the variable is 0.
- This version of the game does not say '5.1.8' on the info screen. Instead, you can confirm the version by equipping the Frost Core and checking the tooltip of Froststrike. If it says Diminish Agility instead of Slow, then you are on the newest available version.