AVWW Beta 0.934 "Dastardly Lasers" Released!

[x4000]

Original: http://arcengames.blogspot.com/2012/04/avww-beta-0934-dastardly-lasers.html

This one is the second of what hopefully will only be three releases today.  It contains a number of fixes, including a key fix to the "lasers" that were causing unhandled exceptions when you were in stealth mode.  There's also a few other minor balance and sound effect things in there, too.

More to come soon.  Enjoy!

This is a standard update that you can download through the in-game updater itself, if you already have 0.500 or later. When you launch the game, you'll see the notice of the update having been found if you're connected to the Internet at the time.  If you don't have 0.500 or later, you can download that here.

[Hyfrydle]

Why is a line linking to enemies all the time when in game? Is this to do with the stealth mechanic? I'm not wearing a cloak of shadows enchant yet I still have this line and it's confusing in battle with multiple enemiese when using TAB targetting.

[x4000]

Why is a line linking to enemies all the time when in game? Is this to do with the stealth mechanic? I'm not wearing a cloak of shadows enchant yet I still have this line and it's confusing in battle with multiple enemiese when using TAB targetting.

One of your enchants must have a minor stealth setting on it.

[Hyfrydle]

Wouild that be detectability? I have one that says -12%.

[x4000]

That's the one!

[Hyfrydle]

Maybe this stealth option should be something that can be toggled on and off. I can see how it's fantastic for stealth missions but outside in daylight it's a little confusing. I could remove the enchant but the other bonuses are really important for my character.

[x4000]

Funny you should mention that, I just put this in inspired by your other comments:

* The "laser lines" for the detectability decreasing enchants no longer show until the detectability reduction is at least 25%.  Otherwise the lines are just showing way too frequently when they are a minor feature of other enchants that you're using.  Which can be both annoying and possibly a little unbalancing.

[Hyfrydle]

Yay thanks for that. I'm getting really excited for the release on Monday and taking part in the beta from the start has been fantastic. Watching the game change before my eyes has been a real eye opener and I wish more game development included input from the actual players.

Thanks again for listening and creating such an awesome game and I'm sure on Monday we will be joined by lot's of new fans eager to explore Environ.

[keith.lamothe]

Thanks for the kind words

and I'm sure on Monday we will be joined by lot's of new fans eager to explore Environ.

I sure hope so, those Carp are hungry!

[x4000]

Indeed, thanks for the kind words -- and all the reports, support, and even LPs!  Above and beyond.

Tomorrow is really the day we have to hit for our "final" build ideally -- if there's something we have to change after early tomorrow morning, that's going to be really annoying.  But I'm really excited to see what happens on the official go-live date on Monday, particularly with press and Steam.  At least several day 0 and day 1 reviews are in the works, I'm told.

[Terraziel]

This is going to seem very strange, but the stealth lines sort of make me feel like i'm cheating.

They draw on top of darkness and lava, meaning nothing can sneak up on me anymore.
They draw from enemies off screen, meaning I can be aware of enemies that I shouldn't even really know exist.
Once you have been detected they stop being stealth lines and become targeting aids.

[keith.lamothe]

Maybe I should rename "cloak of shadows" to "eyes in the back of your head"

[x4000]

Perhaps we should just have those on in the stealth missions.  I know what you mean on that.  On the other hand, with the recent change to them being activated only at 25% capacity, it's not like every tiny little enchant has that now.

[Penumbra]

What if you instead had a very long range, non-damaging "tag" skill. It would require the player to notice and tag an enemy first, from a long ways away.

Then, instead of just knowing where everyone is, it would be up to the player to "keep track" of what's around. After that, all's fair. Monster can still sneak up unaware.

[x4000]

That sounds like a great mantis suggestion.  Though, for something like the stealth mission I think it's important that it work more or less like it does now; otherwise enemies just can't be avoided because they can see you from offscreen when you cannot see them.