Here's the latest from Caverns of Xaskazien II, a graphics rich roguelike for Windows, with 21 years development behind it. More bug fixes, more UI improvements, and more content!
If you're new to the game, you can download the whole thing here:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/ql0kar9zg0ysn0b/Caverns%20of%20Xaskazien%202%20Ver.%2068.65.zip?dl=0If you've got at least Ver. 0.66.12 installed, the following small file will patch everything up for you - just unzip it in your main game directory, answer "yes to all" when prompted, and feel free to delete the zip afterwards:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/b7uo05yg7i6o8p9/COX%20Update%200.66.12%20to%200.68.65.zip?dl=0The next update is going to be massive, so there may be a several week delay getting it out. But it'll be quite literally game changing, so stay-tuned
If you want more information about the game, some screenshots, or the full update log, read on!
Screenshots:Yorick's Dimension Hopping Trunk in an unusually large, torch lit room
An interesting cave our adventurer has mapped
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
Updates to Ver. 0.68.65 since last update (Ver. 0.67.91)Major Improvements:New Skills: Cold Resistance, Electrical Resistance, Acid Resistance, Physical Resistance.
New Spell: Corpse Form (which monsters can cast, too).
New Mundane Item: Mandolin.
New Event: Avalanche.
New Armour Enchantments: Buttressed/Adamantium/Diamond.
Minor Improvements:- Standardized still more Intermediate and Basic text prompts.
- With Text Prompts set to Intermediate or Basic, the game now tells you when your Xegexian Handaxe has earned you a Skill Point.
- Removed “%” after the textual output of your Base Attack 1, Base Attack 2 and Defense ratings at the top of the Inventory screen, since none of them actually represent percentages and it was confusing.
- Further clarified a few text outputs explaining why you couldn’t equip a given Amulet, Ring, Weapon, Breastplate, Helmet or Shield.
- Removed forced delay when you detect a Secret Door or Buried Object (because it was annoying), but compensated by making the text prompt appear even if your Text Prompts are set to Expert.
- Made Large Chests, Sunken Treasure, Vaults and Golden Safes provide you one lump sum of the massive amount of Treasure you find, rather than partitioning it into several findings of smaller sums. This was done to prevent Scavenging skill and similar abilities from being overpowered in these situations, and because it was, frankly, silly.
- Removed old shortening of certain armour suffixes in the inventory list - doesn’t seem to be needed.
- With Text Prompts set to Basic, the Combat Results will now notify you if damage caused by a monster has instead healed you.
- Made Combat Results and other select circumstances not append the type of hero a monster is to its name (because it could get absurdly long and wordy).
- With Text Prompts set to Basic, certain enchanted weapon effects which previously received no Situation Panel output now get one.
- Added clarification in text output of Fountains and queries of both Fountains and Pools that Acid plays a factor in certain outcomes.
- Made Lord Albony’s and Rallaish’s punishments deal Electrical damage, to make Electrical resistance slightly more useful.
- Made Feathers of a Fallen Angel deal Electrical damage, to make Electrical resistance slightly more useful.
- Resistances for both monsters and player now round damage to the nearest whole number, instead of just dropping the remainder. This should make resistances slightly less effective for both, but more accurate, opening up a lot more gameplay possibilities in the future.
- Physical Resistance no longer protects monsters from falling damage (though Golems are still immune).
- Percentage based Experience adjustments (for Warriors, or while using a Weapon of the Kin, as examples) now round off to the nearest whole number, instead of dropping fractions.
- The game now reminds you with sound effect and, when Text Prompts are set to Intermediate or Basic, with Situation Panel output, that you’ve been awakened if a monster attacks you while you’re sleeping.
- During map generation, when creating long bridges, it now builds in either a north/south direction or east/west direction according to which would be shorter. It only randomly chooses between the two if they would both be of equal length.
Bug Fixes:- Fixed major error crashing the game on some Windows 10 systems.
- Fixed rare but serious error that could, on a Trap Door, place a Booby Trap of a type that would replace your current square with something else, effectively removing the Stairs from the level you’re on and possibly preventing further progress.
- Fixed error preventing monsters from becoming poisoned if they fell in a Snake Pit.
- Fixed error not re-rendering lighting after you try to enter Stalagmites and fail.
- Fixed errors not re-rendering lighting after you leap over a pit of any kind.
- Fixed rare error that could allow more than 26 dropped Objects to accumulate in a square if Objects are scattered into the square (by a Poltergeist or Gale Force Wind, for instance).
- Fixed error capping your textually outputted Base Attack values at 100 (though the actual value was unaffected).
- Fixed errors not depleting Enchanted Arrows or Armour Piercing Arrows when you use them.
- Fixed typos in query of Mirror of Dark Duplication.
- Fixed errors during queries of monsters occasionally not taking into account the type of damage the monster deals when outputting the range of damage it will cause if it hits you.
- Fixed gibberish during text output of Undertows.
- Fixed error not outputting the sentence telling you the monster had cast Sparks if a monster cast it at you but you resisted it.
- Fixed error not outputting any textual information if a monster successfully casts Sleep on you.
- POSSIBLY fixed error occasionally causing Events to trigger without showing the Event screen.
- Fixed error displaying wrong graphic when you cast Air Shield.
- Fixed error occasionally displaying graphics with a line through them in the Situation Panel when they shouldn’t have a line through them.
- Fixed (or at least helped mitigate) text overwrite errors in particularly long text outputs of Base Attack 1 and Base Attack 2 at the top of the Inventory Tab.
- Fixed error displaying image for Geography Skill rather than Cartography Skill when you try to improve Cartography Skill but fail.
- Fixed error not outputting anything in the Situation Panel when, with Text Prompts set to Basic, you drank from a Poison Broth Cauldron, but it had no effect as you were already Poisoned.
- Fixed error not taking into account Acid Resistance when you drink from an Acidic Broth Cauldron.
- Fixed error not taking into account Acid Resistance when you drink from an Acidic Fountain.
- Fixed error not taking into account Acid Resistance when trying to avoid having items melt in an Acidic Pool.
- Fixed error using outdated form of Acid Resistance when you drink an Acidic Potion.
- Fixed several errors where Periapt of Elemental Resistance wasn’t always being taken into account to resist Electricity.
- Fixed error scrolling wrong amount of damage when Elshaneth punishes you.
- Fixed error that could mess up monster Cold Resistances when reorganizing monsters.
- Fixed typo in query of Dishonour event.
- Fixed multiple errors allowing the Shrines of lesser gods and goddesses to continue lighting surrounding squares, even after those Shrines have been used and have therefore ceased to glow.
- Fixed errors causing Sleep, Hold Person and Confusion spells cast by a monster onto the player to last 1 turn longer than they should.
- Fixed text overwrite error caused by recently implemented flavour text output when examining a Coat of Arms.
- Fixed text spacing errors in the message telling you your Breastplate, Armour or Shield had broken.
- Fixed typo in “Flimflammer” high score title.
- Fixed error messing up query of Elmwood and Oakwood Breastplates/Shields/Helmets.
- Fixed errors not properly labeling Tamaran Coffee or Vorduvian Tea when they are destroyed.
- Fixed multiple errors where the full names of certain Trap Kits and the degree of preparation on meat were not being textually outputted when those objects were either dropped or destroyed.
Thanks to any and all who are giving the game a look, to those who have given advice, and to those who have made much needed suggestions to improve the game! I'd love to hear more feedback or bug reports if you have any!
Jeff
