Changes

This update was more about adding features for the future than it was about accomplishing any specific goal. As a result it also had an above average testing period to iron out all the new bugs.

• Status Effects on the map. Just what it says! Allows for a lot more long-term consequences.
• Passive Abilities on the map.
• Death timer instead of instant respawn.
• 4 new classes and several new traps to take advantage of these systems. (With a theme towards allowing more movement manipulation)

 Test Results

I think the new classes are probably the most interesting classes we’ve had to date. They all theoretically change up how people play a fair amount. Taking place on the map instead of battles just makes them feel way more significant. I may need to start moving their abilities into other combat classes to make class choices more interesting. That said, the movement boosting/hindering abilities haven’t actually gotten that much in the way of use yet, largely because the only times where you might know you want them (such as a stat boost node) are often not visible until it’s too late. They will likely become more important in the upcoming Update 4 which makes movement more important. The new status effects haven’t had that major of an effect yet either.

This update was a bit of a bummer to work on since it didn’t do much to fix our core problems. Sew proposed changing the map to have only a few points of interest that are sandwiched between nodes consisting of traps and battles. It fixes some current issues with the maps being so overpopulated that no one really wants to sort through the mess to figure out what they want to do. It also gives a bit more of a journey feel to getting around the map, and more importance to general positioning. I worry about it backfiring in some fashion but it’s a simple change that might turn everything around. And that gives me a lot of hope.