Event setup in Map Editor now allows conditional execution of an event based on whether a particular flag has been set or not. A new event action sets event flags, and events can be triggered when a particular flag is set.
Removed scoring mechanism. At end of game metrics on the game will be shown, but no grade is given. New banner graphics on campaign map displayed instead of grades.
Bug Fixes
The edge of screen is no longer considered adjacent to water for purposes of building Harbors
Hover detection area for level up tooltips corrected to match display
Can no longer save maps and replays without a file name
Balance
Weekly update notes
Gameplay
Experience system updated to award experience for attacking as well as casting beneficial spells on allies (only when there is an effect though, no xp for healing an undamaged unit for example)
Skirmish and Campaign scenarios updated to work with underlying change to using unit roles to refer to units.
Unit role now appears as an icon to the top left of the unit picture on the unit purchase screen and detail popups, along with a hover over tooltip explaining the role. Some role names changed now that roles are fully exposed rather than just internal.
Balance
Empire
Knight cost increased from 50 to 55
War Engine no longer has Siege, and cost decreased from 55 to 50
Seraph, all existing traits removed, now has Chain Strike and Parry, as well as Remorse on level up. Range decreased from 4 to 2, HP increased from 10 to 14, Attack increased from 3 to 4, cost increased from 65 to 75
Undead
Skeleton HP reduced from 6 to 5, loses Resist and gains Shattered (previously known as Death Wail)
Banshee loses weakness and gains Attack Aura, levelup trait changed from Siege to Drain Life, attack reduced from 4 to 2, cost increased from 25 to 35
Deathknight loses Attack Aura and Overrun, gains Vengence and Relentless, attack increased from 3 to 6, HP increased from 10 to 12, Cost decreased from 55 to 50
Necromancer gains Piercing, on levelup gains Ranged Counter instead of Drain Life
Wraith gains Cleave, HP increased from 10 to 12, cost increased from 65 to 70. Reaper trait grants +1 instead of +2 per kill
Fae
Sprite loses Haste and gains Weakness
Ranger attack reduced from 2 to 1, Cost reduced from 25 to 20
Druid gains Barkskin instead of Regen
Unicorn loses Vengence and First Strike, gains Vicious and Purge, HP increased from 10 to 14, Cost decreased from 60 to 55
Glade Rider Evasion moved to level up trait replacing Aim, attack increased from 1 to 2
Treant loses Sunder and Guard, gains Siege and Steady shot, Range reduced from 5 to 4
Gryphon replaces Siege with First Strike, gains Vampiric on level up instead of Frenzy, loses hp on level up instead of gaining, attack increased from 4 to 6
Graphics
New mountain graphics
A large update, especially under the hood. There are still numerous graphical glitches with mountain tiles, but it was taking so long to uncover them all that I would have needed to push this weeks build if I continued to work on them. I am very much wondering about the over all idea in general of combining the mountain tiles into larger mountains. Please provide feedback on whether you like this look or prefer less tile merging (assuming glitched tiles are corrected of course).
There was also a huge update to unit stats. And I did not get to everything I had targeted. Expect more next week, but please provide feedback on these current changes, do you like the direction of the changes?
No Update this week
I currently have two items in progress which are both only half finished and would wreck havok if released in their current states, so pushing off this week until next where hopefully both will be completed.
The first is an internal switch to using a combination of Faction and Unit Role to refer to a particular unit instead of a unique id. This will fix several issues in which units set in the editor appear as a different unit when the game is played. While the code switch is completed, I need to go back over every campaign scenario and ensure all units are correct and using this new reference method.
The second is a switch over to new mountain graphics, which will combine adjacent mountain spaces together into a cohesive range. The algorithm which decides what graphic to display for each space is still not handling every combination, and while I already have 50 unique mountain spaces, it is likely I still need about 20 more to cover every edge case.
Though not holding up a deploy, there have been a host of unit tweaks being worked through for balance reasons, and to cover some new issues which have been identified in playtesting.
Thank you again for your continued support, and keep the feedback coming!
Mid week update
There was a bug identified which could cause a game breaking crash that I wanted to get out right away. Update also includes a few additional items I have been working on.
Bug Fixes
Fixed a threading related bug which could cause the AI to think indefinitely as well as cause other issues which were not readily apparent.
Water no longer shows through under gates
Negative terrain effects no properly shown in terrain detail window
New Features
New decorative options for plains, wasteland, sandy, swamp, and abyss terrain tiles now available in map editor to help break up large patches of like terrain
Updated wasteland tile transitions to be more visually interesting
Weekly update notes
New Features
Can add Champion and Hero level units to game in Map Editor
Additional terrain types added: Swamp, Sandy, Abyss, and Reef
Rough terrain renamed to Wasteland with new graphics
Two new graphical styles for forests now available
Bug Fixes
Minimap generated when uploaded custom map to Steam Workshop no longer has graphical glitches
Currently selected terrain item in map editor now properly displays
Skirmish screen no longer bugs out if player has never created a custom map
Music should now properly change when playing a game with leaders from the same faction
Music should properly start when starting a new game after playing a game with the same leader as the new
Misc
Camps are now Banners with much nicer graphics (still some references to Camps in scenarios which need to be cleaned up)
Skirmish screen now uses same minimap generator as Map Editor, supporting new terrain types and no longer tears when in motion
Roads placed in map editor now properly connect to bridges and continue off map edges
Roads no longer appear over settlements
When multiple trackable victory conditions exist on a map, each is now displayed on its own line
Minimal scroll width and height around maps increased to allow player status toolbar and editor tools to no longer cover map for some screen resolutions and map sizes
CONTROL unit role now referred to as ELITE inside of map editor event setup. This is in preparation for the next update and currently has no effect other than the name change.
Was finally able to address some outstanding issues now that in game map editor is mostly completed. Next week will address some of the outstanding gameplay and balance issues that have been building up.
Thank you again for your support and feedback!
Weekly update notes
New Features
Custom Map sharing now implemented through Steam Workshop. Maps can now be submitted through the Game Editor. You can browse and subscribe to maps created by other users within the Workshop page for Shattered Throne, which can be accessed through the Skirmish screen. If a subscribed map is not appearing, exit and reopen the skirmish screen.
Though it may seem a small thing, this was a major amount of work getting setup, and unfortunately a few small bugs made their way into this last build which will be corrected next week.
There are some issues with the small map image that is created for custom maps, with some strange artifacts appearing in the image.
When editing a custom map, some of the terrain tiles do not properly show up under the current tile display, though they still add the correct terrain when added to the map. This was an unfortunate side effect of preparing some new terrain types which will be part of the next update.
When loading a saved map in the editor, some unit types can get mixed up depending on the scenario settings.
Weekly update notes
Features
Editor Event support added. This allows the map author to setup various triggers which can spawn units, show conversations, or add and remove markings on the map
Custom maps can now be accessed through the Skirmish screen
I was really hoping to get map sharing support in this week, but setting it up has proven to require more work than expected. This is my current focus to get up and working for next week.
No Update this week
Though I have made good progress this week on adding events into the map editor, I have not made enough progress to have a finished system in place to make an update this week with any value.
In addition, the event system actually has more features than the one I have been using thus far, and could introduce issues with existing campaign scenarios if not properly tested. Because of this extra risk, I also feel it could be damaging to release what I currently have.
The event editing system is one of the more difficult single pieces planned for early access, and I hope this is the only time I have to push a weekly update like this.
Next week should see this feature completed, hopefully in addition to map sharing with other players.
Weekly update notes
Map Editor
Map Scrolling fixed
Added Faction and Leader selection when choose to play game within editor
Added Resize map functionality
Added undo functionality (up to last 5 map changes made)
Enforce settlements only on Plains/Roads by changing underlying space to plains if is not compatible with Settlement placement
Added save map overwrite check with chance to prevent an existing save from being overwritten
Last used filename for current map now saved and auto populated when choose to save again (and ignores overwrite check for this name)
New Features
New game option to show or hide grid overlay (default value is hidden)
Bug Fixes
MAC - When choosing faction for new online game, factions are no longer stacked
Balance Changes
Skeleton movement reduced from 6 to 5
War Engine attack increased from 1 to 2
Glade Rider movement increased from 10 to 12
Additional Update to fix last update
There were a number of unintended side effects that I missed with yesterday's build. Thank you to those that brought these to my attention.
Today's small update addresses problems encountered with the last build:
Can once again select your faction and leader when creating a new online game
Faction and Leader choice no longer become locked once selected on Skirmish and Online game scenes
Removed defense bonus from Crypts as indicated in yesterday's patch notes (but was not actually done in game)
