Caverns of Xaskazien II Ver. 0.64.94 release

[Virtua Sinner]

It's my birthday!  And I'm celebrating with the upload of an improved version of Caverns of Xaskazien II

As always, you can find it at this dropbox link: 
https://www.dropbox.com/s/kcewpbky2f3e3b4/Caverns%20of%20Xaskazien%202%20Ver.%200.64.94.zip?dl=0

Game details, a few screenshots, and details of this specific update below.


Game Features:
- A rich, graphical game, with loads of animation and dynamic, coloured per pixel lighting.
- An exclusive orchestral soundtrack created for the game by professional film scorer, Dave Coleman.
- A full sound environment with close to 1000 unique sound effects, volume keyed to the source’s distance from your character.
- An intuitive keyboard and mouse interface.
- An easy to understand UI that ensures all information any player could want on any topic is only a mouse hover away.
- 300 visually distinct monsters, each with a dozen+ variants (including named boss types), and robust AI that differs by monster intelligence level.  Summoning and Charm methods allow you to raise your own monstrous army to fight for you, too.
- Merchants and NPCs to deal with, as well, each of which can run afoul of the monsters, just like you.
- More than a hundred unique booby traps for the unwary, most of which may be set by players to ensnare monsters, too.
- 125 base weapons and 75 base armour pieces, each with thousands of possible enchantment combinations and legendary variants.
- Hundreds of unique magic items, mundane items, potions, scrolls, staves, wands, rods, food items, etc.
- Nearly a hundred unique spells.
- Play as either sex in any combination of 38 Classes and 13 Races, and customize your character as you see fit through the upgrading of both Attributes and Skills.
- Procedurally generated dungeons utilizing multiple methods of generation to create caves, structured areas, labyrinths and even forests, supplemented by occasional pre-generated dungeons called Legendary Lands.
- Hundreds of unique environmental features to interact with and use to your tactical advantage (or detriment).
- Both random and scheduled special Events to mix up gameplay.
- A comprehensive user's manual in the docs folder.
- All for the low, low price of free

A few screenshots from my most recent playthrough:










Upgrades to Ver. 0.64.94 since last release (Ver. 0.64.04):

Major Improvements:
- Monsters with Distance Strike ability now use that ability in combat vs. other monsters.
- Enabled monster spellcasters to cast Sparks, Frost Breath, Frost Blast, Freeze, Sleep, Hold Person, Confusion, Flame Strike, Cure Poison, Recuperate, Restoration, Magic Purge and Air Shield in combat both with the player and other monsters.
- New Magic Items: Incense of Meditation, Bone Flute.
- New Mundane Items: Woolen Scarf, Murkerian Pipeweed.
- New Events: Purge, Dishonour, White Spirit Eve, Freedom Day.
- New Spells: Magic Purge, Air Shield.

Minor Improvements:
- Now note both with sound effect and scrolling text when a monster resists the effects of a spell cast at it by another monster.
- Added a few new titles for spell casting monster variants and phased out “pyromancer” for now, since none of the monsters currently specialize exclusively in fire magic.
- Made Flask of Burning Oil only useable in an unoccupied space, because it was overpowered for a Mundane Item.
- Slightly changed how Weapon Smithing and Armour Smithing skills work, by increasing the likelihood of success but eliminating the possibility of creating a magical weapon/armour.
- Added many new merchant greetings, to keep things fresh.
- Added to the Events sidebar an annotation indicating when the next holiday is happening, and what that holiday is.  Querying this annotation gives information on what will happen when the Event occurs.

Bug Fixes:
- Fixed multiple errors where when monsters cast spells during combat with other monsters, the spells were giving lower damage/healing outputs than they should (because they were using very outdated damage ranges).
- Fixed multiple errors with Frost Breath, Frost Blast and Freeze spells that could sometimes mess up their lighting effects.
- Fixed multiple errors with Freeze spell that caused it to output the wrong graphic and play the wrong sound effect.
- Fixed error telling you your “Restorative Potion” had no effect if your Text Prompt settings were set to Basic and you cast a Restoration spell while you had no diseases.
- Fixed missing line of text from query of Smoke Climber’s Salve.
- Fixed error mislabeling Smoke Climber’s Salve as Rope of Climbing when you queried it.
- Fixed error not lowering Smoke Climber’s Salve’s remaining uses each time you used it.
- Fixed error preventing Philosopher’s Stone from reactivating upon entering a new map.
- Fixed errors preventing Crypt Keepers from locking Mysterious Cupboards, Weapon Racks, Large Chests and Golden Safes.
- Fixed erroneous info in query of Crypt Keeper which claimed they would lock any fixture within 1 square, when they in fact lock fixtures in the square they occupy.
- Fixed error preventing Crypt Keepers from deliberately seeking out lockable fixtures in their LOS.
- Fixed errors preventing the player from scrolling through their inventory in anything except base inventory mode (e.g. when trying to repair or enchant items).
- Fixed errors allowing Wichtleins and Clutter Ghouls to continue creating Rubble in their square, even after death.
- Fixed error still playing sound of gas breath if a Lindworm attempts to create Poison Gas but can’t because it’s in the same square as the player.
- Fixed error allowing Summoned and Charmed Lindworms to create Poison Gas in the same square as the player.
- Fixed errors drastically messing up the resale price of spell books for Flame Strike, Creature Copy, Water of Life, Flesh Knit, Total Reconstruction or Detect Secret Doors spells.  (6.5 million gold pieces for my Detect Secret Doors spell book that ordinarily fetches 12 gold pieces?  Sure.  By the way, where did you get your MBA?)
- Fixed error occasionally using slightly larger font (interspersed with the correct size) on Merchant screens.
- Fixed error no longer listing many Serpents’ chance to poison you when queried.
- Fixed text overwrite error in query of Serpent hero variants.
- Fixed error not slowly fading effect graphic for Map Erasure Trap when its sprung, but rather just displaying it solidly throughout its display duration.
- Fixed typo in query of Frozen Cascade.
- Fixed multiple errors where the appropriate coloured backlighting wasn’t showing up in the graphical depiction of certain Rings and Amulets.

Once again, apologies, but previous save files likely won't work with the new version.  Best to finish previous games before downloading the latest.  It will also overwrite your current Highscores list (highscores.svg), preferences (preferences.cox) and contents of Yorick's Dimension Hopping Trunk (yt.svg), all in the data/saves folder, though you can back these up yourself and copy them back over the new files without a problem, if you wish.

Happy hunting!

[getter77]

Happy Birthday! 

[Zireael]

Happy birthday!

[Virtua Sinner]

Thanks, guys!

[Avagart]

Many happy returns!

edit: Still didn't check your roguelike, my PC is broken and I'm waiting for IT service...

[Zireael]

I'm enjoying CoA very much, Virtua Sinner! I only wish there was a help screen explaining how to operate the game (I'm not 100% sure if it's all mouse-driven).

Also, does Paralyze ever wear off?

[jim]

Okay WTF. Why come I am so stupid. Can someone please explain how to play this game to me? Can mouse use be avoided entirely? I feel like I'm having to check three screens to determine the outcome of a combat round. Obviously the amount of content is amazing and the TLC is evident, but I am confused and frustrated when I try to play.

EDIT

<-- Dumb. Okay, just never played a roguelike with WASD controls. Now everything feels more intuitive.

[Zireael]

<-- Dumb. Okay, just never played a roguelike with WASD controls. Now everything feels more intuitive.

WASD? *facepalm* This explains my questions...

Any tips on a good "first game" race/class combo?

[jim]

Haha, glad I was not the only one!

I'm just starting to get my sea legs. Dex seems to be incredibly important. Low Dex = never hit. The amount of damage you deal at the beginning is heavily predicated on your starting weapon. I've tried Dog Man a couple times. You?

The game seems intentionally chaotic; I once started on a map that froze me to death after a few rounds, long before I could find the exit. Another time, I was instakilled by a monster (Severed Hands, I believe) because they just have a straight % chance to kill you when they hit - again, this was on the first level. So I think part of the bafflement and insanity is intentional and even charming. It's a crazy dungeon full of traps and unfair deaths.

[Virtua Sinner]

Sorry - didn't realize people were responding here.

I've actually spent the last few days reworking some stuff to make it clearer for new players, while still allowing veterans to play similarly to how it is out of the box now.  A little new content, a ton of bug fixes, and a whole of lot clarity (and prettying up). 

For the time being, for those having trouble, head into the Options menu and set Text Prompts to Basic.  It explains a lot more for players, then.  The newest version should be up in the next 72 hours (I was planning on having it up tonight, but I just got contacted by my agent and have to spend the evening prepping for an audition, now).

[Virtua Sinner]

I also hope to make some video tutorials in the upcoming weeks.

[Virtua Sinner]

To answer the other questions re movement and key commands:  Yes, the entire game can be played with mouse (with the exception of entering your character name during creation). 

Left click on any square and your character will move there by the most direct route, provided it doesn't take him anywhere dangerous or through unexplored territory - in either of those conditions, you'll hear the "no" sound, and get a message telling you you can't.  It doesn't take into account monsters (other than Immobile monsters) when deciding if a path is safe, though, so be aware of that.  Clicking your own square will pass your turn.

You can also move either with the WASD keys, or the 8/6/4/2 keys on the numpad.  Space, enter or 5 will pass your turn.

You can scroll the map around with the directional arrows, or center the map on any square you want by right clicking that square.  Pressing "c" will center the screen on your character again.

There are a bunch of keyboard shortcuts for accessing the different Tabs (inventory, spells, etc.) but it's easier just to click the corresponding button.

In inventory, left click any useable/equippable item to use or equip it (or unequip it).  Right click any item to drop it.

When you're being prompted for a response, you need to either press "y" or click Yes to say yes.  To say no you can click "No", press n, spacebar, enter...  I forget what else.  When prompted for "OK" you can press o, spacebar or enter...  I think the "esc" key works, too.

Quit and save by pressing "q" or "esc."  Or do it with mouse in the Options tab.

For starting characters, I think any combo can work, but they all play differently.  Some are combat intensive (Dog Men have high Dex, as do Halflings, which means they hit easily in combat - but then again, Warriors and Paladins (and probably some other fighter classes) start with the Combat skill trained up, letting them hit easily, too.  A Dog Man Warrior would probably hit REALLY easily, to start).  A lot of spellcasters will have offensive spells to start (Brownie, Dryad or Elven Mages would have a lot of spell points to cast them, too), and can take care of monsters that way.  Remember that you don't have to kill everything on every level, and fleeing is sometimes the right option - your character is faster than most monsters.  Also remember that you get all your Spell Points back as soon as you go to a new map, so that can be a way to quickly heal or cure poison if you have the right spells.

To cast a spell, just left click it in the appropriate tab (if you have enough Spell Points).  To gain a Skill, left click it in the appropriate tab (if you have enough Skill points).  To raise an Attribute, left click the symbol that appears beside it (if you have enough Attribute points).

If you're confused about anything, point your cursor at it - everything is explained in full on the right side of the screen.  Even before combat, pointing at monsters will not only detail everything you want to know about them (all their stats, their special abilities, and how those abilities work) but it also shows you the full range of outcomes for any combat, so you can make an informed decision about attacking.  All this monster info pops up in the bottom right of the screen.

To better explain those combat odds:  If it says (at the bottom, in red writing), "Your odds: 56% for 1 to 3 (+16% 1 to 5)", as an example, it means you have a 56% chance of hitting, and will do 1 to 3 damage if you do hit.  You also have a 16% chance of doing bonus damage (because of your strength, usually), and if that happens, you'll cause an extra 1 to 5 damage.

Its odds of hitting and hurting you are explained below that.  So for example, "Its odds: 10% for 1 to 2" means it has a 10% chance of hitting you, and will do 1 to 2 damage if it does.

If you're using a missile weapon, or have some other means of striking from a distance (like while under the effects of Mirror Image spell, for example), you might see something like this: "Its odds: (67% chance of): 23% for 1 to 7", as an example.  That would mean it only has a 67% chance of being allowed to attack each round at all.  If it DOES get to attack, it then has a 23% chance to hit for 1 to 7 damage.  This works the same for you, too, if the monster has "Distance Strike" ability.

Remember, neither you nor any monster can ever have less than a 10% chance to hit.

OH - and re Paralyzation - yes, it wears off   I ran out of screen real estate, so the icons showing status effects are very small, but they always pop up on the stone border that surrounds the view screen.  Whenever a new status icon appears, there's a blue light that shines around it for a few seconds, to draw your attention, but if you miss it, scan the bottom of that border for positive effects, and the left hand side of the border (at the left edge of the screen) for negative effects (like Paralyzation).  Point your cursor at the icon and it will tell you what the icon means, what the effects are and how many more turns you'll have to endure or enjoy it. 

Finally, there is a complete PDF instruction manual in the docs folder.  I know, reading rules is a bummer, but it really will explain everything.  I'd actually love some feedback on just how clear (or unclear) it is, too, if anyone's interested in giving it a look.

Glad you're enjoying it!  New (better) version soon!