Big changes in next game

[Shadow]

I mentioned this a little the other day with a tweet, but I thought it was important enough to get its own post.

During playtesting, I have found that the mutation between characters is really cool, but happening after death was really inconvenient. Adding something inconvenient right when someone might be frustrated isn't a good plan. It also gets in the way of pacing. It introduced a thoughtful, planning process right in the middle of a lot of action. So I've changed how this works.

Now you can mutate between characters whenever you want (limited by mutation points). With this change, the player has much more control over the process, it simplifies a bunch of things especially multiplayer, it will scare off less players because semi-permadeath sounds scary, it works better with pacing, and it even makes it easier to explain the game.

The mutation between characters and permadeath have always been tied together. Changing the mutation to whenever the player wants does make permadeath unnecessary, so that is going away also. I think these changes will make the game much better, but it is a little strange that my working name for the game is hardcore and that's the part I'm removing. This is one of the nice things about being an indie. I can explore a design and change anything I need to to make it the best game possible.

BTW, for those that do like hardcore, there is still a hardcore option similar to our previous games.

Comments as always are welcome and encouraged!

[Castruccio]

I guess this complicates your naming quandary, since Din's Legacy doesn't really apply anymore.

[Shadow]

Originally Posted by Castruccio

I guess this complicates your naming quandary, since Din's Legacy doesn't really apply anymore.

I have considered that. I'm still leaning towards using Din's Legacy.

While it's no longer a legacy type of game like Rogue Legacy, it still does fit from a story standpoint since you are trying to prove to the world that the Mutated are a "good" race.

[Sharpoint]

Maybe the mutating upon death (or some version of it) could be an option somewhere?

[Bluddy]

How does the skill tree work in this iteration? (Actually I have no idea how it was in the previous one either)

[Shadow]

Originally Posted by Bluddy

How does the skill tree work in this iteration? (Actually I have no idea how it was in the previous one either)

The layout is still similar to DC/Zombasite, however, there are a lot of differences:

• Skill starting costs are lower (so the trees are a bit flatter)
• You can get new skills when you mutate
• Skills themselves can mutate
• It is much cheaper to remove skill levels
• You can get free skill levels when you mutate
• When you mutate with another character or specialty you can gain new skills or lose skills you aren't using

[Shadow]

BTW, the skills can't be gated in this game because there is not guarantee you have any specific skill.