Author Topic: LambdaRogue feedback thread  (Read 19719 times)

Psiweapon

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LambdaRogue feedback thread
« on: June 16, 2012, 02:24:29 AM »
Ok, so I finally downloaded it and I'm trying it. It's new for me.

I don't know where the feedback was supposed to go so feel free to move this.


So far, the intro is really dramatic and with very polished aesthetics. The music really adds to the immersion (reminds me of the Arcanum OST).

I've created Aelita, an archer, daughter of a thief, and following... Hermes, I just can't resist. I'm not sure if the bonuses will come in handy or not.

In fact, the stately music rocks (so to speak). I'm not very keen on the idea of using photos for illustrative slideshows, but it's well done and I do like the photos themselves. It goes well with the UI style too.

The fact that Sister Shara is esp. interested in something called the Sanguine Cuirass of Ares bothers me - shorthands like that one break suspension of disbelief (It makes the text feel less like someone talking to you)


Ok, I got killed trying to tear the monster hive down.

Other complaints so far:
-What are skill points for? Are they allocated in some screen? Do skills train automatically? Does this appear anywhere in the (?) menu?

-What the hell is a dry potion? What does that even mean?

-Having the game tell me: "Cannot unequip fairy dagger. Remove two-handed bow first" is frustrating. It'd be much easier if instead it prompted me: Remove two-handed bow? (y/n)

The detail of sitting down to regain PP is pretty nice, that HP doesn't regen on it's own, not so much - at least you start with a nice number of aspirins.
The invisible hand is a lie, the fiendish dogma of the market cultists. Lest the apostasy grows strong, their blood god will devour each and everyone, pious and infidel alike.

kraflab

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Re: LambdaRogue feedback thread
« Reply #1 on: June 16, 2012, 11:15:19 AM »
I tried this game out briefly.  I was surprised to find the tiles so bland in comparison to the beautiful opening, but that's just a matter of taste.  I found the initial gameplay like the graphics, and died unexpectedly without warning while hacking at a hive, which, coupled with the fact that the application shut down instead of taking me to the title screen, led me to not play a second life.

Psiweapon

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Re: LambdaRogue feedback thread
« Reply #2 on: June 16, 2012, 01:27:10 PM »
Second playthrough.

This time I tried to make a more straightforward character, and created a soldier. Apparently the RNG blessed me with suck because I cannot sing chants due to some sort of curse.

Now I found how to allocate skillpoints, and that's by going back to a trader at the temple. Feels weird, but makes some sense.

And going back there to allocate them, I found another something:

The character forgets the layout of the temple each time s/he gets out of there. It's a town where the protagonist has spent quite a lot of time - it just doesn't make sense that the map is blacked out every time you go down into the dungeon.

Ok I see this is because floors are re-generated every time. But the temple stays the same right? Why black it out?


Also, the "there's a trader here" would be a LOT more helpful if it used some word less generic than "trader" - "There's a bartender here", "there's an armorsmith here", etc.
The invisible hand is a lie, the fiendish dogma of the market cultists. Lest the apostasy grows strong, their blood god will devour each and everyone, pious and infidel alike.

mariodonick

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Re: LambdaRogue feedback thread
« Reply #3 on: June 19, 2012, 09:45:10 AM »
Thanks for the feedback -- I had already openend a thread for LambdaRogue, but we can also use this one.

Please always state which version of the game you played, on which OS, and in which mode -- Story mode or Coffeebreak mode; Character from Scratch or Quickstart Preset. As the game changes according these settings, I need to know this to better interpret your comments.

I have read your suggestions and the issues you had, many thanks so far!

Quote
I'm not very keen on the idea of using photos for illustrative slideshows, but it's well done and I do like the photos themselves. It goes well with the UI style too.

Using photos is more or less a compromise. In the very long term, I want to replace all photos by pixel art in a similar style to the character portraits used in the status area, but that is both expensive and time consuming, and thus low priority.

Quote
The fact that Sister Shara is esp. interested in something called the Sanguine Cuirass of Ares bothers me - shorthands like that one break suspension of disbelief (It makes the text feel less like someone talking to you)

Hm, okay. I suppose you're right. I'll try to re-write this part.



Quote
Ok, I got killed trying to tear the monster hive down.

and

Quote
died unexpectedly without warning while hacking at a hive, which, coupled with the fact that the application shut down instead of taking me to the title screen, led me to not play a second life.

Without warning? I think you should watch your HP from time to time, to see how many health you have still left.

Monsters gathering near monster hives are the feature of the monster hive, and of course these monsters try to kill you. So it's a good idea to both care about the monsters, watch your health, and slowly hacking that hive. After a while, one gets used to it and at least that first hive in DLV 2 won't be a danger.


Quote
What are skill points for? Are they allocated in some screen? Do skills train automatically? Does this appear anywhere in the (?) menu?

and

Quote
Now I found how to allocate skillpoints, and that's by going back to a trader at the temple. Feels weird, but makes some sense.

Glad you found out what to do. You are right, the "skills" section of in-game help does not state where to train the skills. Will be fixed.

However, the context-sensitive help (the last page in the help menu) should tell you that you should go to the academy to spend skill points, if you have any.

Finally, you can also spend skill points by going to a bookshelf (stand next to it) and press "S" (the search key).


Quote
What the hell is a dry potion? What does that even mean?

In German, I want to say something like "Trocknungstrank", i.e. a potion you can use when it's getting wet -- to keep you dry. When you drink this potion, you resist water attacks.

The effects of items are also shown when you press the info key in inventory.

In general, whenever you find me using English language in a strange or uncommon way (and you are native speaker or English expert by yourself), please tell me.


Quote
Having the game tell me: "Cannot unequip fairy dagger. Remove two-handed bow first" is frustrating. It'd be much easier if instead it prompted me: Remove two-handed bow? (y/n)

I think you're right. One more of the old interface relicts ...


Quote
The detail of sitting down to regain PP is pretty nice, that HP doesn't regen on it's own, not so much - at least you start with a nice number of aspirins.

I am both strictly against autoregen of HP and PP. The stools are only available in levels 1 and 2, for making life a little bit easier for starting enchanters. There might be also some very rare items that autoregen. HP/PP. But in general I dislike that these things regenerate on its own.


Quote
I was surprised to find the tiles so bland in comparison to the beautiful opening, but that's just a matter of taste.

What do you mean by "bland"? Boring? Not-colorful? Un-interesting? Did you also try to use the old tileset and the (soon to be old) big tileset?


Quote
I found the initial gameplay like the graphics

You mean bland? So you mean "boring", I suppose. Sorry. What exactly did bore you? Or what would you expect from a less-boring gameplay?


Quote
coupled with the fact that the application shut down instead of taking me to the title screen

If you played a recent version, and you did NOT came back to title screen after the game over screen, you have found a bug. Please tell me version, OS, graphics mode, etc.


Quote
Apparently the RNG blessed me with suck because I cannot sing chants due to some sort of curse.

You created a soldier, that can't sing chants?? Cool. I thought this was only implemented for enchanters. Anyway, you can spend skills to chant skill if you want to overcome that curse. Once it's over 0, you can chant again. Remember that you also buy skill points by preparation classes in the academy.


Quote
Ok I see this is because floors are re-generated every time. But the temple stays the same right? Why black it out?

This should not happen anymore since, I think, 1.6.3. Which OS and version?


Quote
he "there's a trader here" would be a LOT more helpful if it used some word less generic than "trader" - "There's a bartender here", "there's an armorsmith here",

Agreed.
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-- LR: The Book of Stars graphical roguelike RPG

Psiweapon

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Re: LambdaRogue feedback thread
« Reply #4 on: June 19, 2012, 09:21:52 PM »
Hey! Thanks for going through my feedback :)

All my reports are from 1.6.1 on windows XP. Will get to install the 1.6.4 patch as soon as my current character is killed, I promise.

Also, I play on history mode and designing the character from scratch. History mode is one of the big appeals of the game, and I just like character sheets ;)

Quote
Using photos is more or less a compromise. In the very long term, I want to replace all photos by pixel art in a similar style to the character portraits used in the status area, but that is both expensive and time consuming, and thus low priority.

Well, I don't like that approach in general but I do like the effect you manage to pull off in this particular case - goes well with the stately, serious tone of the game.

Quote
In German, I want to say something like "Trocknungstrank", i.e. a potion you can use when it's getting wet -- to keep you dry. When you drink this potion, you resist water attacks.

The effects of items are also shown when you press the info key in inventory.

In general, whenever you find me using English language in a strange or uncommon way (and you are native speaker or English expert by yourself), please tell me.

I did find out later what the potion does.

I'm not an english native speaker, nor an expert (at least in an academical sense, I do know a few things) and my knowledge of german is minimal, but I'm guessing the german name has some sort of active participle or something to that effect. -ung sounds pretty active, -trank stands for "beverage" (it's a past or passive participle of trinken?) and apparently "trocknen" means "to dry".

Back on track. Dry potion sounds oxymoronic in english, a potion is wet by definition.  I think drying potion would be the most exact translation, but it doesn't work because it's ambiguous and reads more naturally as a sentence: some potion that is in the process of drying out, evaporating.

My suggestion is that you go with either potion of drying or potion of dryness. Dryness potion could work too, if you don't want to use an "X of Y" formula

The gist of this is getting across the nuance that the property is not attributed to the item but rather an effect of its consumption.

It didn't take long for me to adapt to the non-regenerating points, after all, it's a feature of the game system, and items to restore hit points have so far been plentiful.

Oh, I also liked the fact that there are character portraits!
The invisible hand is a lie, the fiendish dogma of the market cultists. Lest the apostasy grows strong, their blood god will devour each and everyone, pious and infidel alike.

mariodonick

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Re: LambdaRogue feedback thread
« Reply #5 on: June 20, 2012, 08:34:41 AM »
Thanks for the additional comments, esp. regarding the name if the dry potion. Indeed, the reason why I use this oxymoron is that I find this funny :) But if it does not sound funny to others, but instead wrong or strange, I will choose one of your suggestions.

Also, yes, please update to 1.6.4, because SOO many bugs have been fixed since the old 1.6.1 and si many new things added.
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Re: LambdaRogue feedback thread
« Reply #6 on: June 20, 2012, 04:32:11 PM »
  Potion of Water Resistance or Water Resistance Potion? Water Repellent Potion. Potion of Repel Water. Potion of Water Shedding.

  An animal's coat that is water resistant is often said to "Shed Water".

  So, a non-native English speaker maybe seeks a little editing advice? Step into my office. :-)

  The written word is one of my strengths. I'd be more than happy to look over things. I've done a bit of this with Prime already.

Ancient

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Re: LambdaRogue feedback thread
« Reply #7 on: June 20, 2012, 04:54:04 PM »
The written word is one of my strengths. I'd be more than happy to look over things. I've done a bit of this with Prime already.

Confirmed. Quality of out text improved greatly!

I know Getter poured over LambdaRogue quests already but inviting another pair of eyes wouldn't hurt.
Michał Bieliński, reviewer for Temple of the Roguelike

kraflab

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Re: LambdaRogue feedback thread
« Reply #8 on: June 27, 2012, 10:59:07 PM »
Also, yes, please update to 1.6.4, because SOO many bugs have been fixed since the old 1.6.1 and si many new things added.

Is there any particular reason you don't have the 1.6.4 patch included by default in the release version?  Every time you release a new version you should set the default download to include everything a new player needs, whilst also including the patch separately for those that are just updating.  At least that seems like the sensible way to make sure new players always play the most recent/stable version to me :P

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Re: LambdaRogue feedback thread
« Reply #9 on: June 28, 2012, 12:06:58 AM »
The written word is one of my strengths. I'd be more than happy to look over things. I've done a bit of this with Prime already.

Confirmed. Quality of out text improved greatly!

I know Getter poured over LambdaRogue quests already but inviting another pair of eyes wouldn't hurt.

Yep, more eyes are always welcome.   :)
Brian Emre Jeffears
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mariodonick

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Re: LambdaRogue feedback thread
« Reply #10 on: July 01, 2012, 04:19:49 PM »
Is there any particular reason you don't have the 1.6.4 patch included by default in the release version?

If I uploaded complete archives I have on Google Code, plus the patches, for each new update, I would quickly fill the available space and had to delete older versions.

For the last 3 updates, this would have been 130 MB * 3 (Windows / Linux / Source) * 3 (v1.6.2 to 1.6.4) = 1 GB of 4 GB reached.

Currently, it is not an issue, but continued updates would make it a problem sometime in the not-so-distant future. I either had to delete older versions, or to change from Google Code to somewhere else.


Besides this, you are right, of course.
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kraflab

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Re: LambdaRogue feedback thread
« Reply #11 on: July 01, 2012, 09:31:15 PM »
Is there any particular reason you don't have the 1.6.4 patch included by default in the release version?

If I uploaded complete archives I have on Google Code, plus the patches, for each new update, I would quickly fill the available space and had to delete older versions.

For the last 3 updates, this would have been 130 MB * 3 (Windows / Linux / Source) * 3 (v1.6.2 to 1.6.4) = 1 GB of 4 GB reached.

Currently, it is not an issue, but continued updates would make it a problem sometime in the not-so-distant future. I either had to delete older versions, or to change from Google Code to somewhere else.


Besides this, you are right, of course.

Can you not host the files simply on your website?  I get 51.2gb of space with nixihost, just as an example.

mariodonick

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Re: LambdaRogue feedback thread
« Reply #12 on: August 30, 2012, 08:08:28 AM »
Can you not host the files simply on your website?  I get 51.2gb of space with nixihost, just as an example.

lol, no. ;) It's both a space and traffic problem. Even with only 4 or 5 downloads a day, it would produce way too much traffic, which I can't pay for.
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kraflab

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Re: LambdaRogue feedback thread
« Reply #13 on: August 30, 2012, 11:02:31 AM »
There are plenty of cheap to free options out there.  Another example is IndieDB (a subset of Desura) where you can host files and create a game page.  This both allows you to store a bunch of updates and would likely increase your visibility.