Hartacon Tactics
Version 7.21 available for everyone.
Wishlist and keep an eye on incoming discounts!
Version 7.21 available in 'current' beta branch. Testers welcome.
This update brings substantial improvements to mouse controls for a faster and better gameplay experience.
Below you see a sample of the improvements to the UI, with on-screen buttons to rotate and zoom the map, as well as new units and turns 'cards' which are now themed with the alliance graphics.
Improvements to the controls have been a pain point in reviews for this game for a long time, so I would love to hear your feedback and to understand from you if this is the right direction.
Also if you have other suggestions on features you would like to see in the game, big or small, let me know. Currently I am considering adding consumables, extending the roster of campaigns to 16 units (with max 8 selectable for battles), wanderer units to save that join you.
If you played the game for a while (I think when you reach a city in the campaign you have seen a bit of everything) and can take the time to share your thoughts in a review, that's great too.
And if you reviewed the game in the past and feel like checking the improvements, that's super.
Here is the full list of updates:
- Fixed a bug in the commands bar.
- Re-worked the UI for mouse and keyboard, with mouse hover and more on-screen buttons.
- Added "back" button to used controller buttons and updated controller images.
- Introduced a campaign battle preparation screen for units selection and last-minute adjustments.
- Added a "remove all equipment" option.
- Fixed a bug that made mouse interfere with controller when not active.
- Added sorting of units by cost.
- Fixed missing sound on "Soul Reaper" skill.
- Mouse clicks on tiles in battle view mode doesn't automatically make the map "jump".
- Added message for ambush.
- Point and click and drag on the campaign world map.
- Maps colours adjusted to make unit stand out more.
- Updated battle scene UI graphics.
WARNING: by opting in you will keep your saved data, but the format will be upgraded to version 7.21, which is not compatible with v7.20. Therefore going back to v7.20 will reset your data. Please get in touch if you have any questions.
Hartacon Tactics price down.
Patch notes
Hard and medium difficulty campaign complete achievements unlock achievements for lower difficulties (retroactive).
Patch notes
v7.20 update - Map editor improvements.
this is a small update bringing you an improved GUI for the Map Editor if you are using mouse and keyboard.
Say goodbye to the somewhat awkward on-screen arrows you had to click on to move around the map. Now you can do everything by pointing and clicking directly on tiles, selecting the appropriate tool for painting, deleting, and changing the elevation.
Also, map scrolling now works in the Map Editor as well.
Some of you might be used to games where the mouse right button is used to go back in menus, and now that is possible too. The mouse right-button click is mapped to back/cancel throughout the game.
Here's the full list of changes:
- New effects for Water and Wind skills.
- Mouse right-click in command help bar does not trigger main command.
- Mouse right-click mapped to back/cancel throughout the game.
- Six commands shown in command help bar.
- Use mouse left-click to paint, delete, raise and lower tiles in map editor.
- Use mouse scroll wheel to rotate current tile in map editor.
- Fixed a bug which affected deleting online maps.
- Fixed a message visibility glitch in the map editor.
As usual I hope you enjoy this update and if you can spare a minute spread the word about the game, like the page on fb
www.facebook.com/HartaconTactics
and follow on Twitter
twitter.com/HartaconTactics
Ciao,
Charlie
v7.19 update - Map scrolling, extended unit walk range and new damage preview.
I hope you're all doing well. This is a somewhat more substantial update than other recent ones.
Version 7.19 introduces a new element to the gameplay, which is that of extended movement range for units. I am sure you have seen this in other games of the tactical genre, it allows unit to walk a few extra steps at the cost of not being able to perform an action for the turn. It's useful in situations where you want to quickly close the distance from the enemy, run away or block certain positions with your unit.
The other major change in this version is a redesign of the damage preview. It now shows damage and hit chance more clearly and it also shows HP and MP bars with a visual preview of the change.
I spent quite some time to improve controls and the overall player experience. If you play the game with mouse you will be happy to hear you can now move the map by holding the right button. Also the arrows to select the facing direction have been removed. You do that by clicking on the map, same with rotational skills.
If you play with the gamepad, the analog controls are a little better, but I still recommend playing with the directional keys.
Here's the full list of changes:
- Map scrolling with mouse added.
- Extended walk range added.
- Smooth hawkman jump.
- Confirm and info window added before campaign battles.
- Defensive stance direction selection with mouse on map.
- Improved analog controls on map.
- Improved campaign close and save logic.
- Added portraits to turn bars.
- Fixed equipment damage icons in skills info window.
- Damage preview re-designed.
- Improved mouse selection of facing and directional skills.
I hope you enjoy this update and if you can spare a minute spread the word about the game, like the page on fb
www.facebook.com/HartaconTactics
and follow on Twitter
twitter.com/HartaconTactics
Ciao,
Charlie
v7.18 update and call for comments
I hope you're all doing alright in these crazy times.
Version 7.18 brings a few small changes to the interface of the campaign aiming at improving the flow of the gameplay.
When the worldmap is not active it is now seen with a sepia shading, and when the party moves between locations with or without battles, the map remains active, so you are not taken back to the campaign menu.
There are a few more messages for the player describing the outcome of campaign battles.
I also changed the default keyboard mapping of the B button to the Escape key, which is a more typical setup if you play with mouse and keyboard.
Finally the game has received a lot of criticism about the controls. Hartacon is a game born on the XBOX 360, so it was originally designed to be played with just the controller. This Steam version can be played with keyboard and mouse (separately or together) but the coexistence of three independent ways of playing the game comes with some compromises.
If you played the game and find the controls less than ideal, please voice your opinion on the subject as I am very open to suggestions on how to improve this aspect of the game.
- Do you play with controller, keyboard or mouse?
- What phase of the game do you find most affected by clunky controls, navigation in the menus or battle?
- What specific changes do you think would have the biggest impact?
Good feedback is the first step to improvement, so bring it on, doods! (any Disgaea fan out there?)
I hope you enjoy this update and if you can spare a minute spread the word about the game, like the page on fb
www.facebook.com/HartaconTactics
and follow on Twitter
twitter.com/HartaconTactics
Ciao,
Charlie
v7.17 - Small update
I hope everyone reading is healthy and safe.
Following an interesting review, although a negative one, including some good ideas about re-organising the menus, I did just that.
I introduced an Extra menu, which now groups Map Editor, Achievements and Credits, making the Main menu less busy. The Extra menu features an artwork fom Douglas Draco.
Parties management has been moved within the three game modes: Campaign, Multiplayer and Quick Battle.
I introduced a feature that should have been there from the start, which is making the mouse pointer disappear and stop interfering with keyboard and controller when the mouse is not used. You don't need to open the settings menu and disable it altogether now.
Finally I added some on-screen mouse controls during action in battles to rotate and zoom the camera as well as open the settings menu.
I hope you enjoy this update and if you can spare a minute spread the word about the game, like the page on fb
www.facebook.com/HartaconTactics
and follow on Twitter
twitter.com/HartaconTactics
Ciao,
Charlie
Abusive Reviews
It would be ideal if people who barely touched the game didn't have the arrogance to write a review, but I guess that is asking too much.
There are reviews complaining there is no story. There are no cars too, and no football teams, because they are not what the game is about and there is no promise of a story anywhere in the description or presentation of the game.
The game doesn't compare to Tactics Ogre? It doesn't sound fair to compare an indie game created by a single developer with a masterpiece of the genre created by a team of professionals 100 times bigger, not to mention the price tag is ten times smaller.
Thanks for reading and please help by flagging reviews that cross the line between legitimate criticism and attempts to ridicule game creators and their hard work.