AVWW Post-Release 1.047-1.048 "Actually, Back To More Polish For A Few Days"

[x4000]

Original: http://arcengames.blogspot.com/2012/06/avww-post-release-1047-actually-back-to.html

This one adds yet more polish tweaks, and also adds a new way to give orders to NPCs during rescue missions -- something folks have wanted for quite some time!

We've decided to wait a bit longer on the official 1.1, after giving it a lot of thought.  We're pretty much there polish-wise so far as we know, but there hasn't been as much testing-time on these builds as we'd like.  Therefore we're going to take our time a bit, make sure this release is as squeaky clean as we think, and build in a few last "safe" features up through Monday or so.

Assuming nothing goes awry in the meantime, we're planning on an official 1.1 release on Tuesday.

More to come soon.  Enjoy!

UPDATE: 1.048 fixes a fairly rare null reference exception that could happen on multiplayer clients in some circumstances.

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.

[NyQuil]

I'm seeing an invisible enchant.

I got it last build and it was in the first available slot, after the new build, it is one slot over.  I think I got it from the random enchant containers, but I can't be entirely sure.

[NyQuil]

During a new tower mission since the last update, I ran into a door that I couldn't get to without a platform or etc.

See attached.

[Coppermantis]

Probably was above some crates. That happens a lot, especially in boss rooms. Doors can spawn on crates, which get destroyed, leaving a hovering door.

[NyQuil]

If my above issues were about crates, they weren't crates I created.  I'm fairly certain but not entirely sure that I killed everything before any crates could be destroyed.

Edit: If there were crates or platforms, I didn't see them as I went through the area.

[Misery]

If my above issues were about crates, they weren't crates I created.  I'm fairly certain but not entirely sure that I killed everything before any crates could be destroyed.

Edit: If there were crates or platforms, I didn't see them as I went through the area.

I've seen that room; there's a pretty large amount of crates in that one normally, and it's clear on your minimap that there arent ANY in there whatsoever.  Sounds like a glitch.

[Jerebaldo1]

I'm glad you're waiting a bit TBH; you're sort of shoring up the strength of your methods so that future problems are less likely to occur.


Less important in the grand scheme of things but disproportionately important for me is the balance of the new spells and the higher level older spells that Misery mentioned in earlier posts. Love that you did a balance pass on Fireball and Creeping Death. My gut tells me that the flamethrower and light lance are a bit overpowered (20% by feel so far comparing to the whip spells)  and I haven't tried the steam spell yet so that may be overpowered by the same amount. Also haven't gotten far enough to try the late game high mana spells

[TechSY730]

Given the fair number of last-minute but moderate-deal issues that have been reported over the last few days, this push-back of the release date was probably a smart choice.

That said, the game is looking really good now.

I would also like to echo the request for a spell balance pass (if not for 1.1, then in the early in the next beta cycle). However, I would also like to add that the current spell balance isn't that far off. Sure there are some near OP and probably UP spells, but not to a game breaking degree, and not to a degree that would hamper fun.

[TechSY730]

During a new tower mission since the last update, I ran into a door that I couldn't get to without a platform or etc.

See attached.

It may have been because of newish logic to try to find a spawning spot for bosses.

    Improved the boss seeding logic yet again so that if it can't seed a boss at first, it will remove all the crates. If it still can't seed them, it will remove all the background ladders. This dramatically increases the chance that a boss can seed in any boss room, although ideally in most cases this would never even come up.

If that is the case, then it is intended behavior, even if it does result in semi-glitchy looking situations.

[Nethris]

Are the "Fix Anachronism" missions supposed to be able to spawn with no "native" monsters?  I've seen that happen twice today after patching.  As in, I explore the map killing things in such a mission, never get the message for killing a native creature, every creature killed decrements the counter, and I explore the rest of the map after winning and don't find any more creatures.

[Misery]

Are the "Fix Anachronism" missions supposed to be able to spawn with no "native" monsters?  I've seen that happen twice today after patching.  As in, I explore the map killing things in such a mission, never get the message for killing a native creature, every creature killed decrements the counter, and I explore the rest of the map after winning and don't find any more creatures.

Aye, this keeps happening for me as well.

ONLY happens in the cave version of this mission though, but it happens pretty much every time;  I'll get 1 or 2 natives at most.


Also, one thing related to Battlegrounds I wanted to point out;  the defense "towers", those can quite often be hidden behind background objects..... did one in a swamp just now, couldnt see ANY of them right away..... that might be something to fix when there's a chance.   Certainly not a big deal, but I thought I'd mention it before I forget.

Also..... those new monster spawners are FREAKY.


EDIT:  On the note of cave missions.... is it just me, or are the boss delve missions like, WAY too easy?   Particularly for the disproportionate reward they give you.... since you always get a huge blob of ores in addition to the actual mission rewards.   These are like super easy though..... I keep thinking they should have way more enemies spawning, to keep it tougher, since the reward is so high.

EDIT 2:  Also, noticed one other thing:  Miasma bats are the ONLY enemy that spawns in buildings in The Deep;  dunno if this is intentional or not, thought I'd mention it.   So very many bats.

[tigersfan]

During a new tower mission since the last update, I ran into a door that I couldn't get to without a platform or etc.

See attached.

That's one of my boss rooms, it is indeed supposed to have crates there... I'm guessing you don't have a save with this room in it anymore, do you?

[x4000]

The crates and door thing is working as intended when the bosses could not spawn with them in there, yeah.

For the spell balance pass, we always keep an eye on that -- so I'm never sure what you mean by "a spell balance pass." If there are specific spells people want to discuss I'm all ears.

[Tarmandan]

EDIT:  On the note of cave missions.... is it just me, or are the boss delve missions like, WAY too easy?   Particularly for the disproportionate reward they give you.... since you always get a huge blob of ores in addition to the actual mission rewards.   These are like super easy though..... I keep thinking they should have way more enemies spawning, to keep it tougher, since the reward is so high.

Yeah, I have to agree. Maybe put a boss gang in the last room? And something else related to boss delve: maybe the last room could in the dungeon map to former gem vein like normal gem veins do?

And a completly different request: The new boss spawning logic seeds a special boss if everything else fails, it should be super rare and maybe make a special music track for the fight? So that the players know that they are facing a special opponent not only because he is super strong?

[Misery]

Are the "Fix Anachronism" missions supposed to be able to spawn with no "native" monsters?  I've seen that happen twice today after patching.  As in, I explore the map killing things in such a mission, never get the message for killing a native creature, every creature killed decrements the counter, and I explore the rest of the map after winning and don't find any more creatures.

Aye, this keeps happening for me as well.

ONLY happens in the cave version of this mission though, but it happens pretty much every time;  I'll get 1 or 2 natives at most.


Also, one thing related to Battlegrounds I wanted to point out;  the defense "towers", those can quite often be hidden behind background objects..... did one in a swamp just now, couldnt see ANY of them right away..... that might be something to fix when there's a chance.   Certainly not a big deal, but I thought I'd mention it before I forget.

Also..... those new monster spawners are FREAKY.


EDIT:  On the note of cave missions.... is it just me, or are the boss delve missions like, WAY too easy?   Particularly for the disproportionate reward they give you.... since you always get a huge blob of ores in addition to the actual mission rewards.   These are like super easy though..... I keep thinking they should have way more enemies spawning, to keep it tougher, since the reward is so high.

EDIT 2:  Also, noticed one other thing:  Miasma bats are the ONLY enemy that spawns in buildings in The Deep;  dunno if this is intentional or not, thought I'd mention it.   So very many bats.

Third time:  And the game has produced an impossible situation, in a lieutenant tower.   Quick screenshot here: 



There really seems to be absolutely no way past here. None of my spells will go through that gap (THEIRS however will), and *I* cant go through it because the robots just stand on it;  I've tried luring them off to the left and running back over there, but that doesnt work either (they end up mostly staying on the right regardless of my movements.    So, I cant HIT the robot unless I'm ON TOP OF the robot, and..... you can guess what happens there, pretty much instant death and no actual damage to the robot.   probably gonna have to drop the difficulty to the very lowest, but even then I'm not actually sure it'll work since spells are refusing to collide with them.   (Yup, changing difficulty let me get through there, jumped into them and fired ice burst)