Hi, everyone. Welcome to another week's developer's diary.
It's almost summer and the weather is getting hot in the north half of the earth. Thus, it's common for people to find somewhere with a lot of water to enjoy themselves. Thus, I have expanded the map of the Egypt area a bit towards the east, reaching a large water body.
However, swimming in unfamiliar water can be evidentially dangerous. For example, we learned a Russian tourist somehow invaded the living space of a shark and consequently got eaten. It looks just like this. I don't know many details on this matter. But, I think the tourist shall stop screaming, calm down a bit and start to work on negotiation with the shark so that a peace deal may be achieved. Alright, I am just such a terrible person. :)
Well, technically, that part of the map is still far away from the sea. It's the bank of the Nile. Thus, a shark is uncommon. Nevertheless, there are other predators in this area. Here come the crocodiles. They are categorized as wild animals. All rules apply to other wild animals apply to them. Thus, you can turn them into your pets, blow them up with booby traps, take them down by surprise, or do other interesting things you want to them.
Even though we've not reached the sea yet, we already can find some seawater. You can use seawater in alchemy and cooking. It's a good source to make some salt. Before we reach the sea, you can at least find a certain captain in the Oasis Teahouse selling seawater. It's cheaper to make salt from seawater by boiling them with a device that can heat it than purchase salt directly from vendors. Of course, you can now also use a glass bottle to collect water from any water body. When we reach the sea, if you want to collect water by yourself, feel free to do so.
In order to reach the sea, we also need allies who are good at counter-offense. Thus, Harold Yin is now a playable story teammate. The Kung-fu master has a special attribution known as "Counter Master" which can increase the chance of counterattack. It also allows him to trigger a counterattack even if he has been hit. During the main story mission, even if you chose to play as a lone wolf, he will join you to break the defense of the enemies outside the Black Pyramid should you have an empty slot in your group. For now, he is just a temporary teammate. But, I intend to make him a permanent one later. Thus, a lot of preparation has been done. Meanwhile, as I was working on a new teammate, some issues of Trump got fixed along the way. Once again, I respect different views about him, feel free to change his portraits to your liking and that change shall now reflect in dialogs. Additionally, I know people are using/abusing him to do some questionable things. :)
To those who wish to achieve their goals in a much darker manner, shade corruption mechanics also got some changes. Yet, what dark power you can harvest is yet to be revealed. Before we awake such unspeakable and malicious power further, you can try to use a liquified version of shade to corrupt yourself or your teammates to prepare for what is to come. However, your story teammates will all reject that. Even just asking them can damage your relationship with them. But, feel free to test it on your customized teammates. They are yours to play with.
But, where is the sea? We are heading there. More details will come next week.
Today's changelog: ############Content################ [Story Teammate]Added Harold's data as a new playable story teammate. [Harold]If you recruit Harold as your teammate and change his portrait, such change will now reflect in dialogs. [Harold]Added character initialization data for Harold. (He has a set of random gears that come with him.) [Harold]Added weapon proficiency data for Harold. [Perk]New Perk: Counter Master. (Previously, Director Ishida has this perk as well. But, it was not localized.) [Harold]Added "Counter Master" perk on Harold. [Harold]Added his dialog on refusing to use liquified shade. [Harold]Harold will automatically leave your group when you go back to the Safehouse. [Lost in the Sand]If you are on the lone wolf path to break through the defense of Aten Cultists outside the Black Pyramid and have a free slot in your group, Harold will now join you as a temporary teammate. [Lost in the Sand]You will now be informed that he will join you in this fight if you have an empty slot in your group before you decide to attack. [Trump]When removing Trump from the group, his equipment will no longer be automatically unequipped. [Wiki]Expanded the page about Harold on the wiki to include information about he becomes a teammate. ############System################# Added functions to dynamically change auto-tiles during the gameplay. If dynamic data try to save a skill/weapon/item/equipment in the space of default skill/weapon/item/equipment, an error message will now display. (But it will not stop you from playing the game.) The game system will now automatically detect dynamic data incorrectly stored in a default space and not load them from a corrupted save file.
Latest news from Ukraine: https://controlc.com/65f93daa
Update, Version 20230615
English ############Content################ [Lost in the Sand]Added a "point of no return" warning before entering The High Priest's Lab. (The lab is still under construction.) [Trump]If you recruit Trump as your teammate and change his portrait, such change will now reflect in dialogs. [Trump]Non-playable NPC Trump now uses another set of portraits. 简体中文 ############Content################ 【迷失于沙粒中】在进入大祭司的实验室前加入了一个【无法回头】的警告。（实验室还在施工。） 【川普】当你招募川普作为队友并改变他的头像后，这个变动现在会体现在一般对话当中。 【川普】无法使用的川普角色现在会使用另外一套头像。
Latest news from Ukraine/乌克兰小剧场 https://controlc.com/9b840877
Update, Version 20230614
English ############Content################ [Shade Corruption]Shade Corruption now reduces a character's max sanity value. (A character loses 1 max sanity for every 2 points of shade corruption unless the character is considered a shade creature.) [Sanity]Added a sanity check when calculating the max sanity. The max sanity cannot go below 1. [Wiki]Added a page about Shade Corruption: https://neolithia.fandom.com/wiki/Shade_Corruption [Lost in the Sand]The High Priest's Lab is now under construction. [The High Priest's Lab]Added new battle background to this location. [Item]New item: Liquified Shade (Add shade corruption on a character. Your story teammates will refuse to use this item. But, there will be other ways to corrupt them.) [Item]If you use an "Empty Glass Bottle" to collect water in The High Priest's Lab, you can get "Liquified Shade." [Fishing]Added fishing data for The High Priest's Lab. (It's not a good idea to fish here.) 简体中文 ############Content################ 【暗影侵蚀】暗影侵蚀效果现在会降低一个角色的最大San值。（每2点暗影侵蚀会降低一个角色的San值上限1点，除非该角色被认为是一个暗影生物。） 【San值】最大San值不会低于1. 【维基】加入了一个关于暗影侵蚀的页面：https://neolithia.fandom.com/wiki/Shade_Corruption 【迷失于沙粒中】大祭司的实验室开始施工。 【大祭司的实验室】加入了新的战斗背景画面。 【物品】新物品：液化暗影（会增加一个角色的暗影侵蚀度。你的故事队友均会拒绝使用这件物品。你需要用其它手段来侵蚀他们。） 【物品】在大祭司的实验室里使用【空玻璃瓶】来收集水会获得【液化暗影】 【钓鱼】在大祭司的实验室中加入了钓鱼数据。（在这里钓鱼并不是个好主意。）
Latest news from Ukraine/乌克兰小剧场 https://controlc.com/8b91a1b2
Update, Version 20230613
English ############Content################ [Item]If you use "Empty Glass Bottles" in front of a water body, you can now have the option to collect water. (It's likely only useful if you are in an area without other water sources. ) [Item]What kind of water you can get is depending on the water body. For example, in the Sanctuary Cave, the water is clean. However, in most other areas, you can only dirty water instead. [Item]Added a new type of water: Seawater. (It can also be used in alchemy and cooking.) [Cooking]You can now make salt from seawater by using a cooking device that can heat. [Oasis Teahouse]Captain Hook now sells Seawater at a high price. 简体中文 ############Content################ 【物品】现在当你面对一片水体的时候使用【空玻璃瓶】可以出现新的收集水的选项。（一般来说这个功能只在严重缺水的地方有较大用处。） 【物品】能够获取的水的种类取决于水体本身的性质。举例：庇护洞穴中的水是干净的。而在大部分情况下，你获得的都是脏水。 【物品】加入了新的水的种类：海水。（可以用于炼金和料理。） 【料理】你现在可以在一个可以加热的料理设备上用海水制作盐。 【绿洲茶馆】虎克船长现在会用很高的价格贩卖海水。
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Update, Version 20230612
English ############Content################ [Pet]New Enemy/Pet: Crocodile [Bank of the Nile]Added crocodiles in this area. [Takedown]Added takedown data for crocodiles 简体中文 ############Content################ 【宠物】新敌人/宠物：鳄鱼 【尼罗河畔】在这个区域加入了鳄鱼。 【推倒】加入了鳄鱼的推倒数据。
Latest news from Ukraine/乌克兰小剧场 https://controlc.com/8087c914
Update, Version 20230611
English ############Content################ [Bank of the Nile]New encounter: The Tourist and The Shark. 简体中文 ############Content################ 【尼罗河畔】新的遭遇：游客和鲨鱼。
Latest news from Ukraine/乌克兰小剧场 https://controlc.com/b7eeb182
The Decisive Moment is Now!
2 Weeks ago: 两周前 https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1519140/view/3713826395551575235 Taliban went to fight Iran. 塔利班进攻了伊朗
1 Week ago: 一周前 https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1519140/view/3696938531586937313 We were told to stay quiet. 我们被告知要保持安静
A few days ago: 几天前 https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1519140/view/3674421166711506657
Now: 现在
I'm not sure if any higher power is looking over me and turning reality into vaguely something I wrote in my developer's diary. But, if there is. Here is my prayer, please let Ukraine win! 我不知道是否有什么来自更高维度的力量在看着我的开发日志并且让现实变成我所写下的模糊的字句中的样子。但是，如果有的话，请让乌克兰胜利！
Update, Version 20230610
English ############Content################ [Egypt]Expanded the map to the east. Added new area: Bank of the Nile [Butterfly]Added the butterfly support to the Bank of the Nile. [Fishing]Added fishing data to the Bank of the Nile. (It's relatively easier to get larger fish here.) [Skill]New Skill: Burial Ritual of Peace. (Bury all corpses in your inventory to gain karma and devotion.) [Faith]The tenet "Guide the Departed Souls" now grants the skill "Burial Ritual of Peace." ############Debug################# [Oasis Teahouse]Fixed a dialog bug. Random adventurers shall now mention the grand library is on the east instead of the west side of the city. 简体中文 ############Content################ 【埃及】向东扩展地图。新增区域：尼罗河畔 【蝴蝶】在尼罗河畔加入了蝴蝶之翼的支持。 【钓鱼】在尼罗河畔加入了钓鱼数据。（相对而言这里可能更容易钓到大鱼。） 【技能】新技能：安葬仪式。（埋葬你物品栏里所有的尸体，获得道德值和虔诚） 【信仰】信条【亡魂向导】现在提供技能【安葬仪式】 ############Debug################# 【绿洲茶馆】修复了一个对话错误，随机出现的冒险者现在会正确地表示大图书馆在城市的东部而不是西部。
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DD# 124 Prepare for the Next Decisive Moment.
Hi, everyone. Welcome to another week's developer's diary.
First, congrats to all the Chinese students who just survived Gaokao. (The infamous university entrance exam of China.) No matter what pains it brought in the last 3 years of studies, no matter what results may come, it's all over now. A long time ago, I was there just like. Unfortunately, here is the bad news, all your efforts may mean nothing! A good university does not guarantee the success of your study. A good GPA does not guarantee a good job. A good job does not guarantee you can always enjoy it. Even if you can always enjoy the job, it does not ensure you can have enough time with your family and habits. Such is life, unfair but true.
Thus, during this week's story updates, you will be contacted by the shade you met in Queensmouth. Depending on your previous choices, the dialogs can be very different. Yet, one thing is certain, it will taunt you about all your efforts in Queensmouth means nothing. It will even use the appearance of the person who sacrificed their life at the end of the stories of Queensmouth to make its point.
But, will you stop trying?
Yes, a lot of things we spend our efforts in our life may end up fruitless. Yes, we cannot expect everything in our life can always have the result we want. Yes, bad things happen, the COVID-19, the war, and the bad economy. There are moments in my life when I prepared everything with my best efforts yet still fail. There are moments in my life when I researched something for days and nights with no progression. There are moments in my life when I witness someone I care about die with nothing more I can do. Nevertheless, here I am, still updating this ancient game. I am answering that question in my way. But, you can definitely answer it differently both in the game and in your life. After all, we are all masters of our own life, we shall all make our own decisions.
This part of the story is fully voiced. The shade maintains an abnormal inhuman voice while I hope the sweet voice of that girl can shed some light in the darkness even if that's just one line. Don't give up, no matter what you are after.
Your actions certainly can make more impact on this week's story, too. You can choose to defeat the Royal Guard Captain in the Black Pyramid by force or show him the truth and convince him to stand down peacefully. Maybe, it will also have long-term effects later.
With all the above story content done, we are now even closer to the final confrontation of our Egypt chapter. It's going to be another decisive moment in the main story. But, I am currently not able to tell when something with such great impact will be finished and released. It may be next week. It may be the week after next week. But, it's inevitably coming.
Meanwhile, this week, we also have another new faith tenet added to our game. It's a common practice in many different religions to respect and bring peace to the dead (and undead to an extent). Thus, you can apply it to all your customized beliefs. It's a much brighter alternative to all our existing necromancer options in the game. Maybe from a pragmatism point of view, with the ability to raise the fallen to fight endlessly in an upcoming battle with potentially a lot of casualties is tempting. But, the destiny of man is not measured by material computations. When great causes are on the move in the world, stirring all people's souls, drawing them from their firesides, casting aside comfort, wealth, and the pursuit of happiness in response to impulses at once awe-striking and irresistible, we learn that we are spirits, not animals. But, ultimately, the choice is yours. To make it more flexible, both options are not exclusive. You can first summon an army of undead pets to fight for you, then return them to their peace later. There is no restriction on your customized belief regarding this matter.
That's for this week's updates. The real world may also reach a decisive moment next week. There is still uncertainty. But, the uncertainty itself is beautiful. Glory to heroes.
Today's changelog: ############Content################ [Oasis Teahouse]Added 8 random lines of dialog for random adventurers in the Teahouse. They may now sometimes mention rumors about the Library and Dr. Kyofu. [Lost in the Sand]The shade that contacts you in the Black Pyramid now uses the appearance of the person who sacrificed themselves at the end of the stories of Queensmouth. [Inside the Black Pyramid]Added a set of alchemy devices in the room behind the Royal Guard Captain.
Latest news from Ukraine: https://controlc.com/5c84685a
Update, Version 20230608
English ############Content################ [Guide the Departed Souls] If you have this faith tenet in your customized belief, you can now grant peace to your undead pets to gain devotion. [Guide the Departed Souls] Added a new option in the menu so that you can grant peace to your undead pets from there. [Guide the Departed Souls] If you already dropped an undead pet to the map, by releasing the bind, this tenet effect can also take place automatically. [Guide the Departed Souls] If you have the "Tsethar" tenet in your customized faith, you can gain double amount of the devotion when releasing the bind of your undead pet. 简体中文 ############Content################ 【亡魂向导】如果你的自定义信仰有这个信条，你现在可以通过让你的不死宠物安息来获得虔诚。 【亡魂向导】加入了新的菜单选项，你可以在菜单中与你的不死宠物交互时让它们安息。 【亡魂向导】对于一个已经被你丢到地图上的不死宠物，在你解除和它们的主从关系时，这个信条的效果会自动触发。 【亡魂向导】如果你同时还有【放生】信条，那么在和地图上的被丢出的不死宠物解除主从关系的时候，你会获得两倍的虔诚。
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