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Offline lixiss

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Re: Early Alpha Testing ~ Go!
« Reply #180 on: 21 June 2021, 19:50:13 »
@Bumbleguppy there is not a clearly bug report, more thoughts and concerns, still there is just mine thoughts or opinions.

First mine biggest concern what every mastery which i'm look into have some cool additions, but storm has nothing. Storm receive yet another lightning spell with no cooldown (and long animation) [mechanics of spell is nice, however, but strom already have lot of spells]. But look: Spirit has lot of pets and charge-based attack which works with any weapon. Earth has new staff-only attack, but still. Storm now receive nothing. Lightning Dash now is untouched and it has own usage (excellent movement skill, and excellent archery/staff skill if you have nothing better), but it is clearly bad to trying build around this skill. In initial LoCA version there is was special Lightning Dash version with multi-target hit, and it was cool (and as i'm remember - it was require a lot of energy, but it was good). Surely initial version had Storm completely imbalanced, but mostly by pets + storm shield (cyclone armor) combo. :)

Again, nowadays - wisp nice but 33% dodge? Wisp in my taste should have highest dodging rate across all pets in game, at the end it has very small health pool, and actually when it needed - it died in one hit (and to kill regular mobs surely no pets required). I'm did not say what it should have 99%, nor 60%. But 40-50% should be enough to not break balance and still be better than others. :) You may currently see what dodging progresses for Feral Wolves, Shield Maiden has something (and be tanky), Nature pets may be very dodgy...

Another thing, what i'm completely dislike Ice Golem in comparison to Ice/Frost Wisp or Ice/Frost Sprites. Last two infinitely better than this Ice Golem. There is main reason why i'm doesn't want to use it. Second reason - playing with melee Paladin - i'm need in low-management pets which will not disturb me and take mine battlefield free. [e.g. ranged pets preferable]

-- Balancing

I'm spent some time to complete A1/Normal with Paladin and 3 one-point pets. I'm farm best equipment like Ranger's Bow (+3 to specific skills???)... and bit bored. I'm was lucky to find Brimstone and Frostmoon just from random skellies and it was great blind boost which trivialize many things. Spider in Crisaeous Falls was hard, i'm attempted many times, and reverts, farm missing Bat Fang piece, crafted Wraithguard and win relatively easily. :) [Still enjoyed, since i'm cleared dungeon, only boss remains, and task was complete dungeon without game reload, so adapt as can] Passive damage (e.g. reflection, retaliation very strong in this mod: much stronger than vanilla, not by numbers, just way more profitable and starts to feel what it is almost requirement to success).

I'm restarted same character again. No pets allowed, except standalone (i.e. wisp). Pure elemental-based Paladin. :) I'm know what this is stupid idea, but generally, why not to try? Also no farming, except bosses, unless their Chest disappear (so bye-bye Ranger's Bow).

I'm starts with both: Defense and Storm. Storm as start works better, thanks for buff, which gives huge damage boost, which required. Then defense (utilizing double-hit mechanics and focusing into axe/club is also nice addition and did not hurt).

First bad thing which I'm meet: In Mycenean Ruins i'm meet "red" Ossiphus L19 from random grave in dungeon [I'm was L9]. I'm even can't scratch it, and retired. Also he spawn a lot of minions... Then life was not easy, and skelly in Tegea's Graveyard was hard, but much easier, and doable. I'm believe this guy is not doable on PC level 9 with any mastery. Should it be cutted of by difficulty equation?

Now at road to tegea Megara i'm was expect hard fights, but surprisingly magic of health potions and mine (mostly Recovery/Rejuvenation) equipment, i'm complete everything, without really big troubles. Doable.

Now after Tegea Megara at PC L13, i'm meet Ossiphus L19 again (from yellow chest :)) ), and... ouch. Thanks, what I'm already buy Accursed Necklace, so I'm drain his energy so he no more spawn skeletons, but still do special hard attacks on me... I'm enchant my axe with Prometheus Flame just in mid of fight (mine Axe is mediocre, even while I'm have Stone Hammer in back) :) But now I'm can survive, and face tank it for good amount of time. I'm tried to summon wisp, but it lives about 5 seconds absolutely useless. :) Any way, again lot of potions and this hero down. Got Accursed Helm with +2 to all skills - is this expected?

BTW: I'm did not use Woodman's Axe. This weapon absolutely outperform normal weapons. I'm believe it should be massively tuned down. Picking up this weapon given for free at level 4 as quest reward practically allow you to not swap weapons next 10 levels at all. There is really bad choice. Finding new weapons from ground at whole Laconia is important part of game education (or character development first few PC hours).

This weapon is too powerful. Compare to Stone Hammer which even more powerful, but obtaining Stone Hammer way more trickier to obtain (Medicines waylaid quest) and it have real stat requirements, and it did not given for free. But at low levels both with nearly equal. No?

PS: I'm noticed "Lightning Rod", "Ice Pickle" (or how properly named) and "Crude Butcher's Knife" or so... nice weapons. Do they will progress eventually?

PPS: Sometimes I'm feel what number of enemy summons are not limited... Not sure, but regardless, want to know how you balance masteries with 3 pets vs 8 pets. :)

PPPS: I'm want to see Brimstone, Storm Eye, Frostmoon in on my PC at least nearly early, but RNG did not loves me. :)
« Last Edit: 21 June 2021, 20:09:58 by lixiss »

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Offline Bumbleguppy

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Re: Early Alpha Testing ~ Go!
« Reply #181 on: 21 June 2021, 20:41:01 »
I buffed Wisp dodge to 50, that should help with their survivability.

What if Ice Golem had 3 summon limit? Wouldn't have to change very much, just tweak their stats a bit and maybe scale them a little smaller.

You've also inspired me to update the OP to make sure players that don't know understand that I don't care if a player has a bad time if they aren't running a pure petmancer build. I thought that was assumed, but I spelled it out in big letters in the OP just in case newer players don't know me or my work.
« Last Edit: 21 June 2021, 20:42:53 by Bumbleguppy »

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Online sauruz

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Re: Early Alpha Testing ~ Go!
« Reply #182 on: 21 June 2021, 21:00:58 »
Hey yeah! I mean, if I removed the stun...would I get angry mobs with torches assaulting my home? Doubtful lol

What if you give a fear effect to centaur flag ? the horn can still cause stun but the flag can cause litle chaos to your pets, making you fell alone for a period of seconds.

Also i notice the Athens Lich dont have a long vision aggresion radius, not sure if this is the correct term, as what i mean is i could attack him and he was still walking/passive in long distance
Check my upcoming TQ project - Titanomachy - "https://titanquestfans.net/index.php?topic=910.0"

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Offline Bumbleguppy

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Re: Early Alpha Testing ~ Go!
« Reply #183 on: 21 June 2021, 22:50:28 »
Good plan, I created a skill modifier that adds fear to the banner aura, but only in epic and legendary. Restored Centaur to vanilla version.

I had his controller set to alastor to prevent him from fleeing into a corner which all the base game caster controllers do, so I created a new controller and blended some aspects of alastor (his flee stats) and the controller_herocaster from xpack and some from the other miniboss controllers. First caster controller I made so we'll see how it goes.

Also, 3 Ice golems were too crowded, so I retrieved the Frost Wisps and am having fun playing with 3 Frost Wisps, 1 Storm Wisp and throwing down 3 Rune Golems right in front of mobs/bosses.

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Offline lixiss

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Re: Early Alpha Testing ~ Go!
« Reply #184 on: 21 June 2021, 23:00:05 »
I buffed Wisp dodge to 50, that should help with their survivability.

What if Ice Golem had 3 summon limit? Wouldn't have to change very much, just tweak their stats a bit and maybe scale them a little smaller.

You've also inspired me to update the OP to make sure players that don't know understand that I don't care if a player has a bad time if they aren't running a pure petmancer build. I thought that was assumed, but I spelled it out in big letters in the OP just in case newer players don't know me or my work.

50 is sounds good. :) May be it is not bad idea to start with smaller dodge which increases with level, and ends at ~50%.

Ice Golem miss "native" dodging, but on another side, his AOE on-hit skill is directly depends to get hits, so there is understandable why it has no dodging. In past times It was surprisingly to see dodging Ice/Frost Wisp which can't trigger own skill, because it dodge attacks (thanks again for old cyclone armor + equipment). Still because I'm doesn't like visual of Golem (it is too big, it is looks mostly like white ghost rather than Ice Golem) - just allowing 3 golems is not an answer for me. Again, there is just mine opinions, rather than criticism. [I may critique but in exchange should propose something instead. This is not this case.] Probably Ice Golem need remain as-is make it tanky as Core Dweller and make it look natural, might be reskinning Core Dweller? I'm not sure. Just thoughts. If thinking in direction to increasing number of summons - then I'm prefer small summons in size. Again, there is just mine preference. [And generally mine position here is simple: both Ice/Frost Wisp/Sprite - was perfect. But i'm understood how opinionated this choice, and can't argue for this.]

Regardless to understanding and warnings to not being petmancer, I'm would try to continue journey as not pet-focused character. :) I'm generally know what to expect... I'm always free to add few pets later. Also game fountain with powerful items which boosts not only pets, but PC also. I'm generally like this. I'm like also how many regular monsters and their skills reworked, and "new" look of regular gorgons also I'm very like. Also like how they lavishly drop own MI items (which doesn't make to complete right set easily, because... need to get at least one affix to fit). Also noticed what eye-burning effects of health reduction was replaced - looks much better. So actually tons of things are very nice, thanks for that. :)

Generally probably we need table with every mastery combo and max number of pets. E.g. yep, right now we still have some high-pet masteries, like Nature or Spirit, and low-pet masteries, like Defense, Storm (Defense practically has 1 pet, Unyielding Phalanx is also temporary pet(s) and again has own use, but it doesn't feel like real pet for me, same like Dream Image is not a pet for me... just temporary summons, I mean in tqae, not tried it here). Pet number looks like becomes important like with spider in Crisaeos Falls where screen becomes full of spider after... let's say 1 minute of battle. In such cases "free" damage about I'm say before especially well scaled, and they (spider summons) really lost focus, damage spreaded well, and this solves lot of things.

Even if we commit something to Storm - what with attacks? Generally, petmancer want to be ranged, and currently Dream/Spirit/Earth has way more better choices available for from early leveling stages. Storm offer nothing. I'm NEVER play with staves. I'm tried few times, and found what I'm dislike staves and that's end. I'm can love things. I'm can hate things. I'm hate stave animations, and this makes stop me use them at all. All my chars are "melee" hybrids with Bow or true melee, and usually even bad old bow as backup helps a lot if you can't facetank something. What's why I'm like universal special attacks. [Game already miss items to support INT-based melee fighters, so I'm always look for enable more possibilities, rather than lock-in mastery to staff or so]

PS: There is also question about "Cleave" skill. Generally I'm see what Heavy Weapon Mastery are weaker than shields WPS - they miss flat damage bonus (and offers only percentage bonus which is nice later, but early flat bonus is must-have). Also "Cleave" specifically... has too much-much louder sound. I'm probably should make it bit less loud, I guess 0.5x times. Also his animation has strange delay, and I'm not sure what using this skill will not result in DPS loss like this happens in all this kind games (even in modern GD some WPS makes overall character performance worse than it should, but there is no actual ). But early Cleave works fine, because any additional chance of second hit is awesome. :)

PPS: Another thing with Heavy Weapon Mastery is requirements reduction for all weapons. This sounds good on paper, but this reduction applies ONLY when you have Axe/Club weapon in hands. This renders this part of skill unusable, if you switch to alternative weapons from other categories (Bow, Staff, whatever). This only suck gameplay in the end: you think what it can wear item, but after switch you becomes without weapon at all. There is good-old known "feature" of game: never pick requirement reduction on shield or weapon otherwise you can't switch weapons (if you switch actively, and i'm switch actively always, and this is very profitable in both TQ/GD), otherwise once switched you becomes naked (if you need reduction for armor), or... or in the dead end you should meet requirements by other way (from any other items, or with stats). This makes me to think, what there is better to have separate passive skill like Armor Handling, rather than having like it done (it done good, i'm understand intention, but game did not work in this way... sadly). Using tricks like "equip" level 1 axe, and then equip level 50 axe having reduction already applied surely works with current skill... but there is old trick, and most likely bug rather than feature.

PPPS: Sorry for wall of text... I'm better keep quiet for a while to get some new thoughts about.

PPPPS:
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Also, 3 Ice golems were too crowded, so I retrieved the Frost Wisps and am having fun playing with 3 Frost Wisps, 1 Storm Wisp and throwing down 3 Rune Golems right in front of mobs/bosses.
Would like to try. :) Storm very special mastery in my taste, it feels truly magic... and so having even "duplicate" pet by nature, is lessen evil than other choices (summoning Frost Sprite who is daemon is not so well themed as wisps).

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Offline Bumbleguppy

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Re: Early Alpha Testing ~ Go!
« Reply #185 on: 21 June 2021, 23:23:25 »
I am playing Thunderer and I have found some good +skill items that required strength and I thought, okay a little strength at level up. Then I found a blue shield, then later another, then a blue axe and then a rare helmet with +1 to all skills.

So now I am a strength character lol, but my summons are very strong. Funny to have a Storm character with Stoneewall and Frostbite.

I am playing my Legendary Summoner with a rare sword/shield combo too. Just for skills/bonuses to pets.

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Re: Early Alpha Testing ~ Go!
« Reply #186 on: 22 June 2021, 06:28:43 »
New possible bugs/features (some of these I had encountered before I downloaded the latest version so apologies if they've been fixed)

The Butter Finger Centaur quest gives only 3k xp

One Essence of Anubis' Wrath gave no completion bonus

The Han Xin Terra Cotta hero in Jade Palace is tagged as a beastman

You can unspec all points from Brimstone before unspecing from Stone Skin

You can walk in the river between the Pellana Valley and the Spartan Road

One mystery shrine and one shrine of elements I found between Sparta and Tegea on Epic gave no buffs

EDIT: Don't know how I haven't noticed this earlier but putting points into intelligence doesn't increase energy regen, wtf?
« Last Edit: 22 June 2021, 20:17:04 by TimeWaster »

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Offline Accolon

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Re: Early Alpha Testing ~ Go!
« Reply #187 on: 22 June 2021, 06:44:24 »
So now I am a strength character lol, but my summons are very strong. Funny to have a Storm character with Stoneewall and Frostbite.

I am playing my Legendary Summoner with a rare sword/shield combo too. Just for skills/bonuses to pets.
Me decided for myself that this diablo's legacy with insane equipment requirements caused only irritation and therefore should die. The NwN-developers eventually refused the level requirement. I killed these requirements this way: inject into all skill mastery the effect of reducing to the level and requirement of objects, from 5% to 25% (itm equip) and 15% (itm level) from the 1st to 40th mastery level. So summary of both mastery at 40-th level grants 50% (for itm equip) and 30% (for itm level). And me was quite pleased with that. :))
Quote
There it is...in the orient journal quest I remembered that the monster in the woods quest, the quest giver in the great wall town's dialog and illumination disappear when you complete the quest, so I opened the quest file and there IS a command "Clear X's Dialog" that does it all.
If this works, then may be you can correct the same "hide"-ing of Feiyan (tagNPCName048).

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Offline Medea Fleecestealer

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Re: Early Alpha Testing ~ Go!
« Reply #188 on: 22 June 2021, 16:08:37 »
Just to say I went through all the Athens battlegrounds/ruins and didn't crash at all - publicbeta version. 

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Offline TimeWaster

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Re: Early Alpha Testing ~ Go!
« Reply #189 on: 25 June 2021, 12:15:30 »
The Order of Prometheus had a blank quest reward (epic) (I assume it's the same bug as with the other quest)

Zombie Bone has an empty "Grants Skill:" completion bonus

No golden beetle in the Tomb of Thuyu on Epic. Also, what happened to that lightning boss that used to be in the Tomb of Thutmes?

One bone pile on Epic Orient I think spawned a mantis or something with just a code tag. Not sure what it was exactly, died too fast. Haven't seen it again.

Deathblossom has +2 to invalid skill profile. Breastplate of Otus and Greaves of the Nemean Lion have +4 to invalid skill profile.

Had a weird bug with the Noisy Diversion quest in Hades. I think because I killed that monster for the quest that spawns a majestic on death before accepting the quest, the chest was locked and stayed locked even after talking to the npc. Also the chests after killing the Undead Typhoon were locked as well. Restarting the game fixed fixed the typhoon chests but the quest chest was gone.

EDIT: Aphotic Maw has +2 to invalid skill profile x2
« Last Edit: 25 June 2021, 23:41:45 by TimeWaster »

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Online sauruz

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Re: Early Alpha Testing ~ Go!
« Reply #190 on: 25 June 2021, 12:21:55 »
The Order of Prometheus had a blank quest reward (epic) (I assume it's the same bug as with the other quest)


Its a bug that appear in vanilla as well, its something related to a amulet or a ring paths as reward , forget what the quest gives.

Month ago i had same situation in vanila in a quest in Egypt belive during the main quest in Memphis.


Had a weird bug with the Noisy Diversion quest in Hades. I think because I killed that monster for the quest that spawns a majestic on death before accepting the quest, the chest was locked and stayed locked even after talking to the npc. Also the chests after killing the Undead Typhoon were locked as well. Restarting the game fixed fixed the typhoon chests but the quest chest was gone.

I think its better you give more information about if you have any timmed summons or convert one, maybe one of then were blocking the chest to open

Edited: I bellieve the Melione commander from the Noisy diversion chest is just one time event.
« Last Edit: 25 June 2021, 12:32:36 by sauruz »
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Re: Early Alpha Testing ~ Go!
« Reply #191 on: 25 June 2021, 18:07:23 »
Fixed Zombie Bone skill path.
Mini bosses in Valley of the Kings only have like a 40% spawn rate.
Fixed Deathblossom skill file path.

EDIT:
Fixed epic element shrine skill link.

Since I can't know which of the many mystery shrines is broke, it will take me a long time to track it down.

Mana regen equation is lifted from Soulvizier and is half int and half mana pool.
« Last Edit: 25 June 2021, 18:25:46 by Bumbleguppy »

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Offline TimeWaster

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Re: Early Alpha Testing ~ Go!
« Reply #192 on: 26 June 2021, 00:38:00 »
I think its better you give more information about if you have any timmed summons or convert one, maybe one of then were blocking the chest to open

Edited: I bellieve the Melione commander from the Noisy diversion chest is just one time event.

I might have had Lich King summoned.

Mana regen equation is lifted from Soulvizier and is half int and half mana pool.

This issue is really weird for me. On my legendary character, with no gear on, 796 energy and 736 int, I have 2.0 energy regen. With a ring on, which has +180 energy, it still stays at 2.0. That character is somehow bricked. I went to my normal character, which I made before this one, and tried increasing only the energy pool or only int. Total energy works and increases the regen but int doesn't. I made a new character went rune weapon and dumped all points into int, still no increase.

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Offline Bumbleguppy

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Re: Early Alpha Testing ~ Go!
« Reply #193 on: 26 June 2021, 00:45:51 »
I will restore vanilla. I am tired.

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Re: Early Alpha Testing ~ Go!
« Reply #194 on: 26 June 2021, 02:01:09 »
Skills/default/defaultskills.dbr DOESN'T work in my mod. If it works at all, it doesn't work for me.

I restored flex, allpetattack and taunt to each mastery skill tree.

I'm really tired of this kind of thing.

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