Hey lolshtar,
Thanks for checking the game out. I'll take some time to respond to your points.
-game lagging if l try to walk between 2 soldiers fighting
There is a known issue with pathfinding when using the mouse to travel through restricted areas. I'm looking into fixing this. (Update: This is fixed)
-should not show extract at the start of the game if its not usable or at least dont put it as the first button
I disagree. Based on our last conversation, I know that we have very different opinions when it comes to design philosophies. But I'll explain why I want to keep things as is.
Extract is there to teach the player what happens when it's used. For example, when used on humans, a battle log message appears saying you can only extract from monsters. By allowing the player to use this, they not only gain a better understanding of the mechanics of the skill, but also get a feel for the damage it can do compared to the other skills. The key here is to allow the player to experiment with the commands without the threat of dying due to mistakes.
Also, the extract button is not really the "first" command when the battle command menu is opened. If you're reading from left to right, it will seem that way. But the cursor will always default to "Attack" when the command menu opens, which is the middle command. You're using the mouse the entire time, so you may not understand that using the directional keys actually puts the "Extract" command at the end of the list.
-way too easy at start, abilities are not even needed so there was no point of teaching the player to do flame which l already did before l even got told to*one fight with 4 soldier in the same row would fix that
Fair point. I'll add another soldier to that Troop.
I disagree with the "no point of teaching the player to do flame" part though. Again, the opening scene is meant for the player to explore skills and bring attention to specific battle mechanics. Not everyone is going to play the game the same way as you. So I have to account for a variety of play styles.
-target with mouse is often not precise l click on a target but it goes to another one instead * also 23:51 unable to click on the slime at all unless l go precisely somewhere with the mouse
Very odd. I'll look into that. (Update: This is fixed)
-l was stunning enemies to get surprise attack but most of the time it wasnt even working
Technically it will work 2/3 of the time. If the enemies are stunned, you still have to initiate the battle from behind. I noticed a couple of times in Trista Pass that you went through the trouble of stunning enemies only to run into them from the front. You won't surprise them that way. This is explained in the first scene when you attack the Olund soldier from behind at the fort.
-need to see exactly what each state do by mouse hovering, theres a mz plugin ive seen in multiple games that exactly do that
I disagree. It's a great QoL feature, but the caveat is that this makes it much easier on the player for states that are exclusive to bosses. The problem with giving the player a definition of the states is that it communicates the strategy instead of letting the player figure it out. I'd prefer not to do that.
-the guys at the tavern looked like they were in santa outfits with reindeer horns
Respectfully, this kind of feedback is pointless. I'd prefer something a bit more constructive like some of your other points.
First, Reindeers have antlers, not horns. Second, google "Viking Helmets". It's a style of helmet typically found in medieval fantasy RPGs, like the "Helm of Yngol" from Skyrim. Third, those two characters are based on the design of some of the RM2K characters. The purpose of using them was to pay homage to the software that got me into game development. So I won't be removing them. Maybe it's the red and white color scheme that you don't like? I suppose I could change the white trim to another color to make it look less like a santa outfit. Let me know what you think.
-not sure what those target one enemy for low damage abilities that cost 2 ep are supposed to do, you also have blind skill that cost the same and do the same damage so why would l ever want to use this trash?
Taking the extra cost to blind an enemy so you take less damage in the following turns is a pretty standard strategy. If you think these skills are useless, then please be constructive in your delivery and offer a solution to make this better. (Update: I adjusted the cost of some of these skills)
-15% thorn ability is not enough for what it cost, also no clue how long it lasts doesnt even seem to have a state
Good catch. That's a bug. I'll make the adjustments.
-battles are overall too easy but as soon as l was testing useless skills l started to lose so l guess you cant roll your face on the keyboard either
Going forward, it might be better if you say how you would make these skills more useful.
-l shouldnt be supposed to buy an item to win a side quest fight
The only side quest fight is the fight with the Purists, so I'll assume you're talking about that.
What you did was fight a battle that was a little tougher than normal. You lost. Then you went looking for an item that you knew would give you an advantage. You then used that advantage to make the battle much easier and win. This doesn't at all mean that you were supposed to buy that item, or that the item was the only way to win the battle. This was a strategy that you chose to use, and it was effective. To me, that's rewarding the player for thinking of a good strategy. If you don't find this rewarding, that's fine. But this is exactly what I'm going for, and other people appreciate this.
-mouse not usable in novagon
The original plugin wasn't designed to be used with a mouse. I'll be looking to add that functionality in the future. (Update: This is fixed)
-not enough different novagon cards is making the ai do the same thing over and over
Good point. I'll be expanding the card selection anyway.
Overall, I can appreciate the feedback even if it's not as constructive and objective as most. What I will say is this.
You took your time, and made solid decisions on which skills to use. You experimented with equipment. You used the correct AoE spells based on the positioning of the enemies. You explored the maps and got the extra items. You made sure you were well stocked with enough items. Based on what I saw, the game was much easier for you largely because you played the game wonderfully.
Haven isn't meant to be difficult at all. If you're looking to be challenged the whole way through, that's no what I set out to do. The battles are simply meant to make the player think about the most efficient ways to kill your enemies, and reward them for doing so. And you did just that.
If you don't like this style of game, that's totally fair. I can't expect everyone to like this game. But contrary to what you might think, your playthrough actually gave me reassurance in my game design choices. So you definitely helped. Thank you.
/ Also. your game is really, REALLY good but I was only able to find a demo of the game. Will there be a full release to the game any time soon? I'm interested in placing this game on the nerd mansion store but only the full version
