Soulvizier AERA - General discussion

[oldirtybingo]

I recently picked up on TQ again after quite a few years.
I used to play SV so so much, so finding that a port is being done is absolutely thrilling, especially with the TQ IT with SV having a hard time cooperating with the different vault softwares.
I maybe in the wrong thread here - but any news on the progress, and what is missing, in relations to when this will be released?

[Jaylo]

Any word on this mod as i've had enough of Nordic and TQAE and uninstalled it while reinstalling TQIT and being able to play Soulvizier and Lilith again is far better than anything TQAE has to offer.

[soa]

It's been a long time since the last update. I'm still working on the mod - mostly on my own with WIP from nargil66 (new elite monsters essentially).
Here's a recap on the development progress. I'll separate into the "first release" state, which will be incomplete, and the work that is planned after the release.

Skills and masteries
1st release : ready. Masteries have been updated with Atlantis skills (see the dedicated topic for a preview https://titanquestfans.net/index.php?topic=980.0) and are ready.
After release : some balance probably. For Runes, I'm not satisfied with the Runic Warrior and Menhir Wall, will probably update them.

Items excluding souls
1st release : ready. Includes existing Soulvizier items, and some rebalancing.
After release :
- a lot of balancing is still needed, but this is more of a long term job.
- add new MI for A5/Atlantis (elite monsters) + a bit of new unique stuff maybe
- add new forged items (+ formulas) for A5/Atlantis
- update existing forged items (acts 1-4). They  may lack a bit of power right now.
- rebalance Atlantis items (haven't looked at them in depth right now, at first glance they seem very rushed)

Souls
1st release : ready with 78 new souls for the existing heroes and bosses of act 5.
After release : add souls for existing heroes and bosses of Atlantis, and new heroes and bosses of A5/Atlantis.
A list of souls is ready for approx. 60 new A5 heroes.

Relics & charms
1st release : ready
After release : create new relics, and elite charms for elite monsters (A5/Atlantis)

Affixes
1st release : ready. New affixes are integrated.
After release : only balance

Creatures
1st release : in progress. I'll only release existing creatures of Soulvizier 0.98i. Working right now on merging them within the AE game.
After release : add elite monsters and heroes for A5/Atlantis.
So far a concept list is ready (hero's name / race / main traits and skills) for approx. 60 new heroes for A5. I will progressively create them and add them to the game with every update (like, 4-5 new heroes at a time).
For elite monsters, a concept list is ready too (see dedicated topic https://titanquestfans.net/index.php?topic=1031.0) and some monsters are being worked on. It will be integrated progressively into the mod with each update (like, a new elite with each update).

Bug fixes or general balance
1st release : ready with the following below.
Obviously, there will always be some work to do in this area.

- Countless corrections of bugs (introduced by the official game, Underlord or Soulvizier mods) in affix tables, loot tables, item and affix files
- Throwing weapons now share their affix tables with bows instead of axes
- Bows and Throwing Weapons no longer get affixes or properties that give Offensive Ability or reduce Defensive Ability
- Staves no longer get affixes or properties that give Strength

Most changes from TQ:AE edition are kept and integrated into act 5, like :
- Changes to XP progression (faster beginning ; the rest of the progression is on par with TQ:AE Ragnarök)
- Health Regen depends on your maximum amount of Health (+0,5% maximum Health as Health Regen bonus)
- Energy Regen depends on your maximum amount of Energy (+0,5% maximum Energy as Energy Regen bonus), it no longer depends on Intelligence
- Magical (yellow) and Rare (green) rings give a flat Health or Energy regen
- Some items give increased Weapon mastery (increased damage and attack speed when you use these weapons)
- Potion cost and cooldown greatly increased

Quality of Life or other things
1st release : in progress, needs work on lootables and merchants.
For QoL or other features, nothing has been done, but in this matter all I plan to do is to borrow some stuff from existing mods. It will be added after first release.

Missing for 1st release
- Finish work on lootables
- Finish work on merchants
- Finish work on creatures

Conclusion
The first release will be a private beta, for around 5-10 people. I'd rather have some testing before going full public.
Hoping to get this done by the end of the year (no promises).

[WNG]

It's very nice to see you are still working on it. It's a very ambitious first release too, keep up the good work

[botebote77]

I'm willing for a beta test.. i played UL and SV around 2011-12

edit: or later.. i just saw v0.96 was dated 2014.. iirc i played 0.96c.. might have even played 0.98i.. if there was a version like that

[Medea Fleecestealer]

Yes, there was/is for TQIT.

https://titanquestfans.net/index.php?board=250.0

[soa]

Update :
- Loottables and merchants are dealt with (except for forge and artifacts formulas that I will add to merchants).
- Most creatures are done at least for act 1, so I went for a little test on my own with a new char with Storm + Spirit (now called Duskbringer).

The beginning is made fast and easy, because it can be boring when you grind through hordes of monsters with very few skills and slow speed.
After that it's getting more difficult and xp slows down to reach the normal game progression. The feeling of speed and difficulty may depend on your class and build, so I will need feedback on this.

So I'm confident that before the end of the year, I will be able to release the mod.
If you want to participate to the beta, write me a private message and when the time comes I will give you a link.

[soa]

Here are some directions for the beta. Obviously, you’re free to do as you want (except the points in red below), but these are here as a disclaimer.

What you have to do
/!\ /!\ /!\ Both TQ:AE Ragnarök and TQ:AE Atlantis are required to play the mod.   /!\ /!\ /!\
Ragnarök: because it would be too much work to maintain two versions of the mod, one with and one without this DLC, and Atlantis at least because of the new skills in the masteries.

The game language has to be English.
If you want to translate the mod in other languages, I’m open to it but I’d rather spend time of the mod itself rather than translations.

What you should do
-   Play untwinked.
Twinking should be harder now because of new requirements + the game as it is now can’t be balanced with players twinking and not twinking: my aim in the long term is to make it balanced for untwinked toons.
-   Play from the beginning in Helos.
You can try an accomplished character, in this case you should twink it only to get a good start, not filling your entire stash, and after that play self-found. But there is not a lot of new content in A5 right now.
-   Note your level progression.
Like: level X at Megara normal, level Y at Memphis Epic… and your playstyle, if you clear all the map or half of it. It will help me know if the XP curve is right.
-   Report bugs.
Take screens or videos if it’s difficult to explain.
-   Make suggestions, report what seems right and what seems wrong.

What you shouldn’t do
-   Play Atlantis.
There is no new Soulvizier content in Atlantis right now + I haven’t started to fix its bugs and tons of inconsistencies. Atlantis items haven’t been modified and are probably a mess.

What you should expect
-   More difficulty
-   More monsters
-   More loot (not that much for now but I’ll work on this)
-   More options to build: no useless skills, more useful items
-   Bigger requirements for items.
Like, you can’t wear the best armor in the game when you are in Epic Egypt or Orient. Even if you managed to get it somehow. I know this can make hybrid’s lives more difficult, this Is going to be addressed in the next versions. If you disagree with this, after testing the mod you can make a feedback comment.
-   Having to reset your character during the beta.
I'm not saying that this will happen, but it's an eventuality. I'll try to make every new version compatible with existing saves.

What you shouldn’t expect
-   A 100% complete mod.
Some things are still missing, including stuff from the pre-Anniversary Soulvizier mod.
-   Perfect balance, smooth gameplay for every build.
Balance is a long-term task, it requires time and feedback. I can't guarantee that your favorite build, even one you had in the original Soulvizier, will work wonders here, or work at all.
-   0 death.
I mean, if you don’t twink a lot.
-   0 bug or inconsistency.
The official game has bugs, I can’t fix them all. I fixed a lot of them, but I’m adding a mod on top of that so I may introduce new ones.
-   Get every request or suggestion done.
If you ask for a manga hair cut for every monster, or anything that seems nonsensical to me, obviously I won’t do it.

[icefreeze]

So how to i join the mod beta?
I've never play this mod before (i just played with xmod almost ).

[nargil66]

I've never play this mod before (i just played with xmod almost ).

A big miss. It's probably the greatest mod created for IT...

[icefreeze]

I've never play this mod before (i just played with xmod almost ).

A big miss. It's probably the greatest mod created for IT...

I just using clone save to making build now, so try new mod is more interesting than previous playtime.

[soa]

So how to i join the mod beta?
I've never play this mod before (i just played with xmod almost ).

So I'm confident that before the end of the year, I will be able to release the mod.
If you want to participate to the beta, write me a private message and when the time comes I will give you a link.

[botebote77]

I've never play this mod before (i just played with xmod almost ).

A big miss. It's probably the greatest mod created for IT...

indeed.. the skills too are so much better than vanilla

-   Bigger requirements for items.
Like, you can’t wear the best armor in the game when you are in Epic Egypt or Orient. Even if you managed to get it somehow. I know this can make hybrid’s lives more difficult, this Is going to be addressed in the next versions.

this got me worried a little.. i always play caster and i always wear shields.. after all these years, no one can force me to play staff anymore.. i can't quite understand the reasoning behind this

[soa]

this got me worried a little.. i always play caster and i always wear shields.. after all these years, no one can force me to play staff anymore.. i can't quite understand the reasoning behind this

The reasoning is :
- requirements for items are ridiculously low in general, especially in levels.
- you shouldn't be able to wear the best items before the end of the game, otherwise half of the stuff is useless and you have no item progression after you reach mid-epic/legendary. Item progression is a corner stone in any hack and slash game.
- for casters/hybrids, Soulvizier adds wands (1h staff in main hand) and orbs (I think they are mainly created through forge formulas) that can replace weapons or act as a smaller shield. You can also wear a "real" shield instead of a staff, I don't see any problem with that. It may require a bit more strength though, or you'll have to equip a shield with a lower level. Nonetheless, Earth in SV gives a lot of -X% requirements ; Herakles Might in SV now reduces requirements for weapons and shields.
- I created a new "hybrid" armor class with strength and intelligence requirements. Some items now use it like Valkyrie, Dvergr Mage, some new SV stuff and a few uniques. It will be expanded in future versions. I may add hybrid shields too for that matter.
- My goal is not to go against anyone's favorite gameplay, but inevitably some builds may have a harder time in SV. I can't predict the outcome for every build type. This requires time and feedback and that's where you come in.

[botebote77]

i don't know if you can call it hybrid.. i simply prefer calling it caster with shield.. it's way easier than a true hybrid because i don't need OA, attack speed, or %physical damage (except for some).. i simply get the things i need for a caster, i get access to hale items, and i get all the goodies from shields like lots of resists

i know about wand and orb but it doesn't eliminate the squishy nature of casters.. getting str really does wonders for DA.. weird eh? but it's the feeling one can get from getting str for casters.. personally i find the biggest reason for that is visor of the shadowlord.. i don't know but i find it really goes well with either ploutons armor or tunic of the magi.. but iirc i saw some using soldiers unyielding will

You can also wear a "real" shield instead of a staff, I don't see any problem with that.

you don't play casters with str? i understand though

and i also get str for storm casters

but ok I'm not bashing it till I've tried it
i still have the option of not raising dex very high, just enough to equip maybe neiths will.. i lose access to SB cuffs though

edit: but really.. i don't get why you should raise the requirements when we will play it untwinked anyway.. the only OP items are ragnarok items and we'll only likely get that on act 5 legendary anyway