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TIGSource ForumsCommunityDevLogsGrimoire: Manastorm - Indie multiplayer wizard FPS (Steam Early Access)
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Author Topic: Grimoire: Manastorm - Indie multiplayer wizard FPS (Steam Early Access)  (Read 12632 times)
michelmohr
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« Reply #80 on: March 03, 2016, 04:21:48 AM »

I thought you'd like to know:
I clicked one of the steam links which sent me to the greenlight page which gives a popup it's been greenlit and if I'd like to go to the store page, but that just sends me to steam home.
And the first video on steam is on private, which is a shame.
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Brent
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« Reply #81 on: March 19, 2016, 06:59:28 AM »

DevBlog #40: Character models, tooltips, and the Arcane patch.

In today’s DevBlog I will be going over changes to our character models, introducing spell tooltips, and giving an update on the status of the Arcane patch (F2P and 48 new spells progression system). If you are looking for more details about the upcoming F2P transition please check out the last two DevBlogs 38 and 39.

First up is an exciting update to the look of each character model. A player's team is currently indicated by a colored glow around their character. This has always been a temporary placeholder measure so that we could start using the new models. Soon they will be changed to more of a Team Fortress 2 style where each team’s color (Red and Blue) is much more obvious in the character’s clothing.


The new progression system will be introducing a ingame currency called Arcane points which will allow players to purchase the 48 new class spells (8 per class). In order to help players make an informed decision on which spells they will unlock we will be adding tooltips to each spell. As you can see below these will be in the traditional style and will include the spell name, description, range, and type.


In addition to the above changes we have also been making great progress on the backend systems needed to make the F2P transition work. I don’t want to give an exact date yet but unless we run into some huge unexpected problems you should see the patch go live within a month. Once that happens everyone who purchased the game will be automatically given the Ultimate pack which includes all six classes. Old players and new will then be able to begin earning Arcane points which can be used to unlock the new spells and/or classes. All players will have access to all servers and game modes and the only paid content that won’t be unlockable with Arcane points will be purely cosmetic. We are designing the system in a way that avoids Pay-To-Win so while paid players may be able to look cooler they will never have an in-game advantage over free players.

Thank you so much for being patient with us while we work on this large patch. I know that it has been a long time coming but we need to take our time with it and not rush things so that everyone has the best possible experience. Next week I will be releasing some more detailed information about the 48 new spells. As always please let me know what you think in the comments or through email!

-Brent
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Brent
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« Reply #82 on: April 26, 2016, 05:02:26 PM »

DevBlog #41: Weeklong 50% off sale and F2P update news!

This week begins the last sale before the Arcane update which will convert the game to F2P and add 48 new class spells. Early access players will then be automatically given the Ultimate pack once the F2P patch is live. This Ultimate pack will include instant access to all current and future classes, a permanent exp boost, and other small rewards.

Starting next week we will begin showing off some of the new class spells and going into our thoughts behind the spell design. One of the most exciting things about this new update is the ability to not only decide what utility and movement spells you want to use but also to customize the actual class spells. We can’t wait to see what you all come up with!

The transition to a F2P model was not taken lightly but we are confident that it will bring new life to the community and fix our #1 problem: player population. In addition to the change in business models we are also adding a large spell progression system that will allow players to customize each class by mixing and matching 48 new spells (8 per class). The F2P model will be based around the game’s classes with one available at the start for Free players. The other five classes can then be earned using in game currency called “Arcane points”, purchased through Steam as individual DLCs, or purchased through Steam as a bundle. In addition to this we will also be adding new maps, 48 new class spells, additional mana spells, sound effects, spell effects, stats systems, music, options menu, and server browser. For more details please see the last three DevBlogs 38, 39, and 40.

We have been working on this update for months and can’t wait to finally release it to the community. There will also be a pre-F2P patch that will allow Early Access users to play with the 48 new spells so please consider taking advantage of this sale! You will get an early look at the new spells as well as a head start with designing new spell combinations and learning the new mechanics.

For the latest Grimoire news and a chance to win free copies of the game follow us on Twitter @Omniconnection and on Facebook!
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Brent
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« Reply #83 on: July 04, 2016, 04:19:39 PM »

DevBlog #42 - F2P update delayed
Greetings all! First off I want to apologize for the lack of DevBlogs and game updates. The past month or so has been rough and I really wanted to wait until I had some good news to report along with the bad. That was a mistake and I won’t let it happen again.

Let’s start with the bad news. We have run into some issues with development of the F2P system and will be pushing back the release date for a month (possibly longer). I have always believed that it is important to never push out a game before it is ready. One of the benefits of being an indie studio is that we are in a position where I can make this decision without the bureaucratic pressure that often comes from publishers and large companies.

Now for the good news. This delay means that we will have time to add more content to the game before the big release. This will mainly be more maps but I am also looking into adding a single-player wave survival mode in which players can test out all of the spells in a fun and challenging mini-game. The delay also means that we will have one more 50% off Early Access sale before release.

The next big patch will introduce the new spells, new character textures, and the newly updated map - Market. This patch will come before the F2P transition and we are hoping that the community will help us test the new spells. We will specifically be looking for bug reports but information on balance and general design is always welcome.

On a personal note I want to assure everyone that I am doing everything possible to get this game finished. I really hate pushing back release dates and I completely understand that you all must be getting frustrated with the lack of updates. Thank you all for being patient with us. I’m looking forward to seeing what everyone thinks about the new spells and maps.
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Brent
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« Reply #84 on: July 04, 2016, 04:23:57 PM »

DevBlog #43 - A new look for Conquest - Market!

We haven’t had a map update in awhile so I thought I would take some time to share the latest progress. The next map to be added is called Market and some of you may have played earlier versions of it throughout Early Access. It isn’t finished yet but these screenshots should give you a good idea of what it will look like!

With the help of a talented freelancer - Kieran Dubrey and under the direction of our lead artist - Justin Dickerman-Stewart we are using a mix of brand new models and recycled old models to bring a fresh look to Grimoire! By using a fancy snow material that Justin created we can now add realistic looking snow effects to all of our models.

With the addition of a blizzard-like particle effect and some new gameplay elements we are also introducing a dangerous new addition to the already perilous center area of the map. Every few minutes a blinding and powerful blizzard will sweep through the central area causing the ground to be slippery and strong winds to blow players around. Quickly use movement spells and manasteps to escape - or brave the icy winds and try to take advantage of the confusion to capture that highly critical middle point!

In addition to the visuals and blizzard map mechanic we have also made significant changes to the layout of the map. Various unnecessary flanking paths have been removed in order to better streamline and focus combat in central areas. There are still quite a few places where you will be able to teleport over buildings for a quick advantage but there is now no way to simply run from the middle to the final points. We have also added high ground in many places to help with a defender's advantage and provide multiple tactical choices around each control point.

We hope that the community will help with feedback, bugs and balancing the new changes. This map will be included in the upcoming 48 new spell patch along with some of the other changes we have been working on. That patch will come before the big F2P change so that we can get feedback and bug reports on the new spells. Please let us know what you think of the new map in the comments!
-Brent
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Brent
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« Reply #85 on: July 16, 2016, 09:52:26 AM »

DevBlog #44 - New single player game mode and a Discord server!

Greetings all! Today I want to talk about the new game mode: Safeguard but before that I’m happy to announce we now have a Grimoire: Manastorm Discord server! “Discord is an all-in-one voice and text chat for gamers that’s free, secure, and works on both your desktop and phone.” It’s a great program that makes chatting and arranging game sessions a breeze so please feel to join us!

What is Safeguard?
Safeguard is a basic and barebones wave survival mode with an objective to defend. The main goal behind releasing this mini-game is to give players a chance to test out new spells, classes, and general gameplay in a fun and challenging offline setting. This isn’t a huge epic campaign with lots of voice acting and cinematics and while we would love to develop a more traditional style single player campaign this is all we can currently afford. Depending on the response from the community we may spend more time adding on to it in the future but the initial release will be limited to these features.

Features:
Single player only
Three maps each with a different difficulty setting: Easy, Medium, and Hard
Access to all classes and spells (regardless of whether you have them unlocked in multiplayer)
2 Ranged Skeleton AI (Fire and Lightning)
2 Basic Skeleton Melee AI (Pawn with low hp and “uber” with 100 hp)
1 Suicide Skeleton Melee AI (Leeeerooyyyy!!)
1 "Boss" Golem AI (Huge Ice golem with a few special attacks)
Simple "Defend" objective and time limit (Protect the door and survive for 10 minutes).

Story:
A powerful enemy mage is attacking the city and summoning the dead. You have teleported in to defend the people as they escape through ancient catacombs located inside a tavern basement. Your main objective is to defend the door for 10 minutes while they evacuate.


So essentially you will spawn in and fight wave after wave of basic AI which will provide a challenge and the chance to test out spells, classes, and tactics. Some enemies (the big skeleton warriors) will have the exact same health as enemy players in multiplayer so you can test out combos.

We are currently fixing a few final bugs with this and about 40 new spells. After that is done there will be a big pre-F2P update which will include the new spells, Safeguard, a new conquest map, tooltips, in-game combat log text, bug fixes, updated environment art, and a few small things.

Follow us on Twitter and Facebook  or join us on Discord  for the latest news and as always a big thanks for your patience and support!

-Brent
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« Reply #86 on: December 03, 2016, 08:21:43 AM »

DevBlog #47 - General F2P update and a new map preview!

Hello everyone! This DevBlog will be focused on a general update and will also include a preview of our newest map, FFA Futhark. As I have mentioned previously the latest version of the game can be found on the beta version which can be downloaded by following these steps. If you have any questions or comments please feel free to join us in our official Discord server. This is the best place to get updates and find other people to play with.


The Free-To-Play update is coming along well but there have obviously been some delays since the last DevBlog. Saishy, our lead programmer, recently wrote a response to our most commonly received question.


Why the (F2P) delay?
“A person was hired to make the system that would put it all together, the menu to select the new spells, the server check to see if you owned things, the store system to buy new things, and so on...

Unfortunately the person due to unforeseen circumstances left without finishing the job, leaving us with a game that work worse than before, making us unable to push a broken game to release.

Now not only we had to wait until the occupied members had time to start working on the system after their previous set work, but we also have to undo all the problems that the unfinished system has set and start from zero again. A terrible job might I say.

Sorry everyone for the wait, but believe me when I say it's worse on our hearts :'c”


We aren’t looking for sympathy but she is absolutely right when saying that this is really tough on us. However please know that we are working incredibly hard on fixing things (especially Saishy) and are 100% committed to getting it done. As I mentioned in previous posts the first update major game update will come before the actual F2P switch and will include most of the 48 new spells. The only thing holding this back right now is a bug which affects a lot of the new spells. As soon as that bug is squashed we will launch a huge update that will include everything you can find in the latest beta build along with a bunch of new stuff including our newest map - FFA Futhark.

Now on to the newest map. Some of you may recognize the layout from the early block out  which has been on the beta version for a couple months now. After playtesting (Thanks all) I have used one of our environment packs to add in final art and it is now ready for release and final playtesting.

This map will introduce a unique play area with three height levels where strategic use of movement spells will be extremely important. The multiple levels and a maze like ground level come together for what should be very intense and challenging gameplay.

I have high hopes for this map and can’t wait to see what you all think of it!

As always I want to thank our awesome community for the continued support and patience. I know that it is frustrating to have to wait so long for these updates so a big thank you to everyone for not breaking out the torches and pitchforks!


-Brent


Follow us on Twitter and Facebook or join us on Discord for the latest news and updates!
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Brent
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« Reply #87 on: December 21, 2016, 03:34:49 PM »

Customizable class update with 48 new spells, new maps, and a new game mode!


We have exciting news this week, after 8 months of development followed by a furious last few weeks of bug fixing, we are now finally launching a huge update. This is a major step towards launching the Free-to-Play transition and represents much of the content you will see in that update.

For the next few weeks your help will be crucial for helping us balance and bug test the customizable class system with it’s 48 new spells, new maps, and a new game mode. If you have been watching and waiting, now is the time to jump in and play!



There are many great changes and bug fixes between the old build 0.9.7.3 and this new one 0.9.8.9 so instead of going through every single detail I am just going to highlight the main features. If anyone would like to see detailed Patch Notes they can always be found on our Discord channel.

Major Features:
- Customizable class system with 48 new spells - Mix and match each class’s 4 spell slots with 8 new spells to fit your personal playstyle.
- Safeguard - a single player wave survival game mode with 3 difficulty levels.
- 4 new maps - Conquest Market, FFA Temple, FFA Market, and FFA Futhark.
- Updated environment art and refined layouts for all maps.
- Tooltips with detailed descriptions for all class spells.
- Updated character models and textures.



The bi-weekly playtests will continue Wednesdays at 9 PM EST and Saturdays at 3 PM EST but don’t worry if you can’t make it! By joining our Discord server you can easily find people to play with, as well as discuss the latest updates and class builds.



We are incredibly happy to be finally releasing this to the public and can’t wait to hear your feedback so please let us know what you think! I’d like to give a huge Thank You to all the people who have helped us over the past months and also to the whole community for being patient with the development pace. With your help we can make Grimoire great!
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