Wind Carrier; Alpha 30.6.18

Hello all!

This week we've got a fair number of changes and additions. I had a nice, second-hand conversation with someone who has been helping/testing with us and made a host of changes that they had noticed, most of which I too had noticed, but was too lazy/swamped to get around to fixing.

One of the more major changes is updating cards, especially tier 1 cards, to be more useful in comparison to melee. Tier 2 and 3 cards, of course, already out class a single melee attack by virtue of their scope or single target damage, but I had noticed, and our associate noted, that Tier 1 cards almost felt useless. With that in mind a few changes were made to cards that are generally accessible in the beginning for most classes (Fennoc Fire, Wall of Ice) to make them more useful and a real alternative to melee combat.

I will continue to roll out changes for Tier 1 cards until all of them have about the same power/cost ratio.

Oh! I have also a fair amount of concept art from my time on vacation; most of which has to deal with Miirä'där and their associated buildings/cards/dreams.

Anywho, changelog!


Changelog

-Days are now 50% faster

-The quest log buttons now work on hovered as all the other buttons in the game do (or should)

-Increased the size of all material node particle effects and relocated them to a more visible position

-Finally remembered that I hadn't properly implemented collision during building placing and got around to that

Player Updates:

-Attacks with weapons now deal more randomized damage

-Health and Mana per level are now functions of Race, Gender, Path, and In Game choices

-Implemented a rudimentary targetting system
-T: activate/deactivate
-Keeps the camera focused on the target
-Currently still in testing phase, will decide on whether it is a permanent addition after testing

-Added Ritual of the Dancing Shrines skill
-Unlocks the ritual of the same name
-Allows the player the fast travel to shrines that they have visited before, not including shrines placed by the player

Item Updates:

-Added WaterCloth drop
-Dropped from various Miirä'där
-Used in various Miirä'där crafting

Card Updates:

-Updated Shimmering Bubble
-Duration up from 5 secs to 10 secs
-Now spawns a weak, stationary metal mist when popped
-Mist deals 3 damage a second

-Fennoc Fire
-Increased damage per tick from 4 to 20
-Now smolders out after 1 second, leaving a small burning patch which does 5 damage per tick for 2 seconds
Note: Gave the same treatment to the Vulpine Ritualist's Fennoc Fire

-Wall of Ice
-Doubled range of effect

-Bastion of Ice
-Tripled range of effect

-Crack
-The last strike now knocks enemies up briefly

-Healing Bomb
-Increased heal from 50 to 100
-Increased launch speed by 50%
-Added a decal

-Healing Motes
-Healing now scales based on the number of enemies in the AoE effect
-Fixed a bug where it was technically unattainable
        -Updated the spell effect from a skeletal mesh to a particle

-Added the Vampiric Motes card
-Spawns three swarms of motes
-Latch onto nearest enemies and deal damage which is transferred, in part, to the player
-If an enemy dies, they regain part of their lifespan and latch onto another
-Evolves from Healing Bomb


Bug Fixes:

-Fixed a bug where channeling would not remove a card from your inventory which you only had one of
-Fixed a bug where Ritual of the Circling Skies was causing the player to get stuck
-Fixed a bug where beehives would continue to cause damage even after destroyed

Kährä; formerly Sisilisko

The new card art (credits my wife) along with the filigree (also credits to the wife) which now surrounds all cards in deck and hand widgets. 

An example of the filigree in the deck widget. From what I understand, she is thinking about redesigning my crappy deck widget as well. :p

And that's all I've got for now. Another week where I feel like Wind Carrier is in a much better condition afterwords. Not a lot more to say, just happy that this is still happening. 

Anywho, until next time

-Lucas Cady

Project Director

Wind Carrier; Alpha Demo 0.1.0

Hello all!


A new build has been uploaded and can, as always, be found from here or from the link above.

I also decided that I'm going to stop just needlessly naming the updates between builds. I'll probably just do something like, "Wind Carrier, Alpha 6.9.18" or something. But, that way the demo build and the development build sync up in terms of naming, which makes it a bit less confusing for me.

This week, in addition to the changelog, I work quite a bit on getting the world map to the size that it should be. The entire west coast of Goldrath has been blocked out, along with all the territory inland up to Granforn. Most of this is unimplemented, of course, but the actual map has been started. I realized a new way to deal with map building and seams at the same time. I've just made a single, huge map which I will cut up once it is finished and then slowly implement maps as I finish them.

I have also been playing with the "new" procedural foliage tool in UE4. With it I can actually make forests that look like forests, which is great. :p

Next week, there will not be a blog update, as my wife and I are heading to her family's cottage for the week. I'll likely still work during the week, mostly on concepts and maybe a bit in Blender. I've been needing some time to work on concept art for a while.

Anywho, enough of blogging on my blog. :p
To the changelog!


Changelog, 0.1.0

-Purchasing from shops and crafting from crafters now increases influence


Player Updates:

-Added Scarification II - V skills


Card Updates:

-Added Miirä'där WaterCarver follower card

-Added Splash spell card
-Tier 1
-Water

-Added Undertow spell card
-Tier 2
-Water
-Upgrades from Splash

-Added Torrent spell card
-Tier 3
-Water
-Upgrades from Undertow

Enemy Updates:

-Added Miirä'där WaterCarver enemy
-Tough spell caster
-Capturable
-Uses water magic


Bug Fixes:

-Fixed a bug where material nodes weren't showing the proper icon
-Fixed a bug with influence gain from enemies that caused it to work erratically

Miirä'där

An amphibious sjjena, the Miirä'där lived in awe of the power of the oceans. Their power in the Leonen age was quite small. Their home was in a small, partially underwater village, Kaarnar Viir, on the north western coast. Their monastic class were powerful spell casters, some dedicated to the power of the waters they worshiped and some dedicated to the powers of the sun, which kept them warm and mobile, even in the coldest of winter months. 

Miirä'där WaterCarver

The monastic WaterCarver dedicated themselves to the powers of the ocean. Living in a small cloister, just outside of the main compound of Kaarnar Viir, the WaterCarver practiced their craft along with the SunDancer caste. 

Odds are, I will work on a design for the SunDancer for next week, along with a proper design/layout of Kaarnar Viir. I also need to design some clothing for them, as they don't really need to be running around naked. :p

Anywho, until next time

-Lucas Cady

Project Director

Wind Carrier; Alpha 0.1.1

Hello all!

A little late in the day, but that is something that happens with me occasionally, so it shouldn't a too huge a surprise at this point.

This week was mostly focused around A Stormy Night and all that was necessary for implementing it; this includes the building, the level itself, the Carving Doll enemy, and the overworld map which houses it.

Along with that I've made a change to the dodge mechanic, requiring more thought behind its use, instead of just being able to spam it until you are out of danger. I've also added 6 skills, the max being a level 30 skill, which upgrade dodge charges.

Anywho, onto the changelog.



Changelog, 0.1.1

-Worked on Dreams logic and stability
-As far as I am aware, they are working 100% as intended now

-Updated Completed Dream saving to be more stable

-Added a fair amount of map to the north of Kerankohora


Player Updates:

-The player now has a limited number of dodges they can perform
-Starts at 2 dodges
-Base recharge is 1/ 6 seconds

-Dodges now have a 1 second cooldown

-Added Nimble I - III skills
-Each adds to the max number of dodge charges

-Added Recuperation I - III skills
-Each decreases the time each charge takes to recharge

-Health and Mana gained on level is now also tied to player level along with current maxes

-Lowered exp requirements substantially


Enemy Updates:

-Added the Carving Doll 
-Early game night enemy
-Contains a sigil in its chest which informs the player of its abilities
-Currently only "mana" sigil is implemented
-Allows the carving doll to absorb mana from the player and causes a massive explosion based on the amount absorbed


Dream Updates:

-Added A Stormy Night
-Static type, found north of Kerankohora
-First true platforming dream

Building Updates:

-Added Niir'nite Vaare
-Lit. "Sleepy Wood"
-Legendary
-Unique reward from A Stormy Night
-Spawns a pair of Carving Doll guards
-Contains an AoE effect that deals high amounts of spirit damage over time

Bug Fixes:

-fixed a bug where the Haljuhurtta wasn't properly dropping materials

A pair of inert Carving Dolls

An active Carving Doll

A wooden doll housing the mana of something or another. Each has a sigil carved into its chest to indicate which type of entity is sealed within. Some dolls are benevolent, some violent, and others still are completely inanimate; the mana within insufficient to animate the being at all

Niir'nite Vaare

The Sleepy Wood

Once home to a pair of Leonen lovers, Niir'nite Vaare fell into disrepair after a stormy night in which both of the pair were cast into the sea. Carving dolls which house the pair seem to protect the remnants of the building though. 

It occurs to me that this week was supposed to be a build week. I have not even begun to prepare for that, however, and a such will be pushing the build back until next week.
I could have sworn that the most recent build was only, like, two weeks ago. Times flies and all that.

Anywho, until next week,

-Lucas Cady

Project Director

Wind Carrier; Alpha 0.1

Hello all!

This week there weren't a bunch of concrete things add. I mostly spent my time working on getting proper platforming implemented for use in dreams. Along with that I started (almost completed) a new dream, A Stormy Night. All that remains is the unique reward and to actually add the dream teleporter to the world. The unique reward this time around will be a legendary building, something of Leonen make. The building also comes with the addition of the "guard" type of NPC which will wander or stand still and attack enemies which come into range.
I spent a bit of time researching around on what kind of architecture I wanted the Leonen to use in their more important cities and Granforn proper. I've finally settled on something, so we should be seeing an increase in Leonen buildings in the near future.
On that note, I've been also working on getting the male Leonen ready for re-implementation.

Oh! And I decided to finally change the development phase from pre-alpha to alpha. The decision comes on the heels of finishing the platforming stuff along with deciding that if I want to add mounts, I can do it at a later date, seeing as the code wouldn't be that much different from a few different bits that are here and there already.

Anywho, onto the changelog!

Changelog, 0.1

-Changed the way that the AoE decals work to look better with the post processing effect

-Resource nodes now spawn at random sizes, which effects the amount of resources the player can take from them


Player Updates:

-Resource rates now apply to resources collected by the player and those dropped by enemies. This also effects mana crystals.
-From enemies, the bonus is 25% normal
-From nodes, the bonus is 66% normal
Note: Reasoning; I wanted the bonus to apply more to actions the player takes, as opposed to those randomly given to them. The decision to add these bonuses to all sources of resources/crystals comes from personally feeling like wearing/placing items that give bonuses to gathering was overshadowed by combat orientation. Hopefully, this will change that.


Bug Fixes:

-fixed a half dozen stop points in enemy AI

-fixed a bug where the mana crystals gained and shown didn't match up

-fixed a bug where the level multiplier for mana crystal gain wasn't being properly added


Looking through my screenshot folder, it seems that I didn't take any this week. So here's a picture of an unfinished-unimplemented building that will be added at a later date, once all of its features are finished.

Until next time,

-Lucas Cady

Project Director

Wind Carrier; Pre-Alpha 1.99

Hello all!

Not a whole lot that's overly visual got done this week. This biggest part was spent on bug fixes and optimizing things, especially the AI.

Anywho, to the changelog!


Changelog, 1.97

-Replaced some missing animations

-Fixed a bunch of holes in the enemy AI's logic, causing them to be much more consistent


Item Updates:

-Re-added the Harvester's Pouch
-Increases produce rate by 50%
-Rarely gifted by Farmers

-Added Woodsmans Ax
-Throwing Ax
-Slow, Strong
-Rarely gifted by Woodsmen

Card Updates:

-Vulpine Ritualist
-Increased base health from 80 to 100

-Added Ritualist Cabal card
-Spawns a buffed Vulpine Ritualist which, in turn, spawns two more normal Ritualists
-Costs 35 mana less than casting three Vulpine Ritualist cards (at 100% MCM)


Building Updates:

-Farms now spawn farmers, which give only produce as gifts along with having a small chance to drop the Harvester's Pouch accessory

-Added Lumber Camp building
-Increases lumber rate
-Spawns a woodsman which gifts lumber with the possibility of the Woodsmans Ax throwing ax
-Spawns a lumber tree that the player can cut once per day

-Pear Tree
-Updated mesh
-Can now be picked, cut down, then the stump destroyed
-Will regrow from stump -> tree -> fruit, one step per day
-Destroyed if stump is cut
-Cutting the stump gives a large chance for hardwood

Bug Fixes:

-fixed a bug where the capture card could capture more than one thing at a time

-fixed a bug where followers that were following the player had jittery movement

-fixed a bug where Vulpine Ritualist followers were not properly using their Fennec Fire spell

-fixed a bug where the card aoe actor would snap to 0.0.0 if there was no hit found from the line trace

-fixed a bug where follower spawning was inaccurate because of a lost, forgotten bit of code

-fixed a host of bugs with the Throwing Ax

The Harvester's Pouch

Not a whole lot of combat value, but invaluable when growing produce.

And a quick shot from Blender of the Woodsman's Ax, which it seems I forgot to take a picture of in UE4.

And that's all for this week,

Until next time,

-Lucas Cady

Project Director

Wind Carrier; Pre-Alpha 1.98

Hello all!

This week's mostly bug fixes along with a few new things for players to play around with.

So, let's get to it.


Changelog, 1.97

-All random merchants now always sell capture cards

-Finally adjusted the sun to rotate properly

-Found and deleted another lost directional light

-Added a "Shrines" tutorial

-Readded Channeling
-Now channeled cards grant the player Consielle Tears based on their tier
-1 for 1
-3 for 2
-5 for 3

-Added more sounds

-Particles now spawn at the location of a hit

-Added a generated song to the overworld (courtesy of https://pernyblom.github.io/abundant-music/index.html)


Player Updates:

-During character creation, the camera now snaps to the face for eye choices

-Adjusted the merchant starting deck to include 2 capture cards

-The card projectile now flies properly

-Added card toss animation

-Attacking with your weapon sheathed now unsheathes it

-Markings are now 100% interchangeable

-Added a few more patterns

-Made the entire affair more readable and usable by giving each pattern their own icon


Item Updates:

-Added the Ilhkor'sei Kilt clothing item
         -Craftable under both Vulpine and Saurian crafting


Card Updates:

-Added the Capture card
-Creates an area on the ground which holds the first enemy that touches it for 2.5 seconds
-Deals a small amount of damage
-If it kills the enemy or the player is lucky, it will capture the enemy in itself, removing itself from the player's deck and dropping a copy of the enemy in card form


Enemy Updates:

-Added more Cherished One spawns

-Added more WitheredLeaf spawns


Quests Added:

-Fixed a bug where Put to Death was inaccessible


Building Updates:

-Added the Crafter's Table
-Houses a crafter
-On that note: removed the crafter that just existed in the starting hill


Bug Fixes:

-fixed a bug where the new upgrade widget wasn't dumping itself properly before adding more to it

-fixed a bug where A Ritualist's Respite wasn't streaming in properly

-fixed a bug where the final teleporter for A Ritualist's Respite wasn't pointing at anything, thus sent the player back to 0.0.0

-fixed a bug where upgrading to the second tier of player homes didn't properly increase the player's stats

-fixed a bug where eye color wasn't being displayed properly

-fixed a bug where there was no water in either level of the well

-removed some map tears

-grounded some floating trees

-fixed a bug where if a wandering ally spawned for the first time while the game was being loaded, it would add the tutorial to the screen, but wouldn't allow the player to dismiss it

-fixed a bug where the tutorial quests were completable without actually building anything

-fixed a bug where if the daily resource gain widget spawned while the player was in a quest menu, it would cause the player to be unable to continue interacting with the quest widget

-fixed a bug where the "Remove from deck" button was unclickable

-fixed a bug where recycled npc would spawn as the wrong race

-fixed a bug where the Vulpine builder wasn't spawning properly in Kerankohora

All four iterations of the Ilhkor'sei Kilt

I'd had this dang thing designed for half a year or more, just waiting. I also have the Ilhor'sei weapon set sitting somewhere waiting as well. I should probably find that and get on it...

Anywho, that's all I have for this week, 

Until next time,

-Lucas Cady

Project Director

Wind Carrier; Pre-Alpha 1.97, Demo 1.2.2

Hello all!

Today is a build day, and as per usual the newest build can be found: here.

We've got a fair amount of stuff this week, so let's dive right in.

Changelog, 1.97

-Added a particle system for the crystallize finisher

-Added civ management tutorial

-Re-enabled anti-aliasing which had been disabled for some reason

-Added a particle effect to bot spawning

-Adjusted the can-build star above buildings to be readable

-Added a small particle effect for when the can-build star appears and disappears

-Added the Sundered status effect

-Removed channelling from the shrine menu as it has been taken over by a similar function in the inventory menu

-Updated card upgrading to work off from a system of arrays as opposed to a set number of upgrades
    -Note: basically allows me to set how many cards that a card can upgrade into from zero to        practically infinity

-Updated the card upgrading widget to display all the relevant information to the player

-Replaced the "Materials" tab in the menu with "Civ Info" tab, which displays all relevant civ statistics along with the contents of the removed materials tab

-Fixed Kerankohora's location

-I can finally say, with confidence, that the follower AI is up to snuff

Player Updates:

-Updated the deck screen to include all of the relevant information about each card in it
-Also finally updated the slots to work on hovered as opposed to on click u.u

-Adjusted the Clergy path's starting deck to include 2 Daze cards


Card Updates:

-Added art for Wall of Ice

-Added art for Refreshing Cloud

-Added art for Fennoc Breath

-Added art for Daze

-Added Hummingbird WitheredLeaf summon card
-Upgrades from Hummingbird Sprite
-Heals as before plus causing an AoE debuff and minor spirit damage

-Rockdancer's Descent now spawns a Saurian to use its drop attack
-Changed damage scaling from 2x player damage to 2.5x player damage
-If the player has a spear equipped, the damage is 4x player damage instead

-Fennec Gout now spawns a Vulpine fire-breather
-Updated the particle system
-Increased mana cost from 110 to 180 as it no longer costs health to cast
-Now spawns 3-5 Hummingbird firesprites, up from 3

-Re-implemented the Daze card
-Has a chance based off from the target's remaining health percent to stun them
-Slowly homes toward a target
-Does a small amount of spirit damage on failure to stun

Enemy Updates:

-Stun now lasts from 6 to 10 seconds, up from 3.5 to 10
-Now restores 15%-35% of health on recovery, down from 15%-50%

-Crystallize now gives no positive influence in any case

-Adjusted the meshes for the Hummingbird race

-Added Hummingbird WitheredLeaf enemy
-Heals enemies in range
-Causes a stacking sunder on targets along with small amounts of damage
-Has a short range teleport


Bug Fixes:

-fixed a bug where if the player finished an enemy as they became unstunned, the enemy would continue to attack until it was removed by garbage collection

-fixed a bug where hummingbird sprites weren't spawning properly as permanent followers

-fixed a bug where enemies continued to take continuous damage (eg. poison, burning) after death


And that's all of that. I'm glad I was able to fit as much as I did in this week, especially since you all can go and try it!

The new Civ Info menu. 

Out play-tester actually suggested this to me, along with a civ point tool tip in the inventory menu. I had thought about doing both of them in the past, but I always forgot. But, now one can check their civilization's status, for a Wind Carrier on the go. :p

The new upgrader widget. 

I already fixed a bug which I hadn't noticed before uploading the new build. The scroll box that houses the upgrade choices wasn't dumping itself properly, so it filled forever.

And then here we have some card art; nothing spectacular, as it's from me, but something is better than nothing, as far as I'm concerned. 

From top to bottom:

Fennec Breath

Daze

Wall of Ice

Refreshing Downpour

And that's all I have for this week. I am officially back to being excited about working on Wind Carrier and I feel like it shows in the quality and the the quantity of my work. 

Anywho, until next time,

-Lucas Cady

Project Director