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Sunday, September 16, 2012

Version 1.1.2.0 Released

Yet another quick release to repair some bugs and add support for CTRL-click behavior (for those mac users with single-button mice).  Here's what's new:

NEW FEATURES:
  • [1769] - Added support for CTRL-Click anywhere there is a right-click (for Mac-users with single button mice)
BUGS/ISSUES:
  • [1817] - Fixed a bug related to using Absorb Essence from an Enchanted Artifact
  • [1816] - Changed the pieces of the Sword of Legend (expansion) to have Medium weight to match the assembled version.
  • [1767] - Fixed a bug that could leave a save game unusable if adding an Elf character, and clicking cancel on Light/Great Elf option.
  • [1753] - Fixed a bug that was allowing non-moving prowling monsters to block characters.
  • [1761] - Fixed an error in code that may have been causing some networking issues.
  • [1752] - Imp/Demon spell attacks will properly prolong combat now (even if they do no harm)

Sunday, September 09, 2012

Version 1.1.1.0 Released

Just a quick update to fix a few things from the last release, and to pick off a couple of issues on the bug tracker.  I also included the latest quests, so if you haven't been updating them from the website, you can get updated anyway.

Here's what's new:

QUEST UPDATE:
  • New Color Magic requirement added
  • Quest deck is now "shuffled" three times before drawing cards
NEW FEATURES:
  • Enabled multi-board for expansion. NOT THOROUGHLY TESTED!!!
  • [1720] - Can edit fame/not/gold in the GM tool now
BUGS/ISSUES:
  • [1804] - Fixed a bug with the RelationshipChange reward in the quest builder.
  • [1749] - Roll of 4 on Toadstool Circle will correctly allow enchanting clearings in other tiles.
  • [1403] - Toadstool Circle Extra Phase is working again.
  • [1768] - Fixed an issue with Exorcise that was failing to target curses when no Imp/Demon was in the clearing.
  • [1813] - Fixed an issue with the Ghosts that was causing them to remain dead indefinitely (since last release)
  • [1719] - Character kill scoring is sorted in order so that characters killing characters that killed things get credit for notoriety and gold earned that round.
  • [1801] - Fixed target spelling on Broomstick and Guide Spider or Octopus spell cards.
  • [1807] - Removed misleading information on Read Runes button that suggested sites (Statue, Altar, Shrine) could have awakened spells on them (they cannot).
  • [1808] - Fixed the behavior of conditional fame with the guild items (like Pirate's Map)
  • [1755] - Followers can energize permanent spells by playing a color chit.
  • [1802] - Fixed an issue with conditional fame when playing with multiple boards.
  • [1747] - Fixed problem trying to trade with Warlock when you can't learn the spells.
  • [1803] - Fixed a bug that crashed combat when the Lich is killed with Magic (like Fiery Blast)

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Version 1.1.0.0 Released

At long last, an update to the core RealmSpeak game is here.  As I've been promising for the last year, and really in the last several months, a version of RealmSpeak with Steve Schacher's "Questing the Realm" variant implemented.  Questing the Realm is itself a variant of the original Book of Quests published by Jay Richardson et. al.

What is Questing the Realm?  Let me quote from the Users Guide:
Elements of the Book of Quests have been isolated into a set of Quest Cards that can be played during a game of Magic Realm to dynamically generate goals for players in a way that replaces the standard victory conditions.
Quest Cards depict daily life, travels, dealing with natives, fighting monsters, completing missions, and earning fame and fortune. Quest cards will combine to allow the player to tell a unique story for each play of Magic Realm.
Essentially, you play the game not with a single quest, but smaller quest pieces (though some can be quite complex) that earn victory points.  Rather than scoring by collecting GTs, Gold, Notoriety, etc, you score by completing quests.  As it turns out, this is really quite a fun twist to the base game.

With this update, you'll get 100 quest types in a deck of over 300 cards to draw from.  Each player get's a number of cards equal to their level plus one (so a typical non-development character gets 5), and uses these to guide them through the realm, and earn points.  The users guide contains information about how this variant is setup, and played in RealmSpeak, so I suggest you read that first.  For your first game, I suggest choosing the Questing the Realm variant on the options page, along with Sudden Death set to 15 VPs.

Of course, this version of RealmSpeak also supports the Book of Quests variant.  There are two BoQ quests provided that will let you try that variant, if you like.  If you want more quests, you may want to invest some time looking at the new quest builder.  You were introduced to this new tool in version 1.0.24.0, but it's undergone a lot of changes.  Lots of bugs were fixed, lots of features were added, and most importantly, all the requirements and rewards are working.  Oh, and there's a full featured quest tester in there too.

Before you dive into making any quests, I recommend first playing the game.  Then when you have become familiar with a few of the quests, open them up in the quest builder, and see how they were implemented.  I'm going to avoid going into a lengthy discussion on the tool itself, until I know people are interested.  If there is enough feedback, I may even put together some (gasp) documentation for it.

One more thing - this release would NOT have been possible if it weren't for all the hard work Steve Schacher put into developing, testing, and chasing bugs for me.  He put up with all kinds of random issues along the way, and helped me get the code into shape for this release.  Of course, there's the 100 quests he designed, which I can tell you was no easy feat.  Thanks Steve!!!!

Ok, that's a lot to digest.  Here's what's new:

QUEST UPDATE:
  • Preempt quest step works
  • New quest step logic to allow ANY required step as opposed to EVERY required step
  • Adjustments to quest view to make it fit the screen better
  • "Questing the Realm" (Quest Cards) logic is implemented
    • A deck of quest cards is shuffled at the start of the game
    • Each character draws a number of cards equal to their starting level plus one
    • Quests must be activated
    • ALL PLAY Quest cards allow the first player to achieve the requirements to earn VPs.
    • Discard and redraw unstarted quests at any dwelling or Lost City/Castle chit
  • Changed the in-game quest panel to be a bit easier to look at (no more quest diagram - that will only be for the editor)
  • Finished SearchResult requirement
  • Finished MissionCampaign requirement for testing when a mission/campaign is picked up, abandoned, or dropped off
  • Added quest debugging option
  • Lots of new rewards and requirements
NEW FEATURES:
  • "Show Card" button on character frame shows the whole spy window now
  • Full Featured "Quest Tester" so you can try out your quests without having to play the game.
  • New "OnFail" quest step behavior, so you can implement actions when requirements are NOT met.
  • Better Quest Deck viewer
  • Fixed a problem with companion editor in character builder
BUGS/ISSUES:
  • Fixed a bug that was causing the generated map to be the same every time when quests were active
  • Fixed the behavior of quest points
  • Fixed a bug that wasn't removing the effect of a mission/campaign when the chit was abandoned.
  • Fixed many issues around how Minor Characters worked
  • [1793] - Endless Option should be endless now.
  • [1781] - Fixed some issues with sound errors.

Saturday, June 16, 2012

74 Quests and Counting

Just a note to let you know that we have something like 74 mini-quests working within RealmSpeak.  These are all quests that Steve (primary quest developer) assembled for me last year, but it's taken me this long to get through them all, and make sure they are working.  I'll be throwing them back over the fence to him shortly, so he can make sure I didn't undo anything important, and then a release will be forthcoming.

Monday, May 28, 2012

Quest Tester

Wow, it's been a long time - more than a year since my last post!  I've been fairly busy the last year, working to develop a couple of Android apps (Grocery Ninja and Motherhood the Game).  Of course, that took a lot of time (a lot more than I would have guessed), and pulled me away from developing RealmSpeak.

Ok, so some random anonymous poster asked recently if I was still updating RealmSpeak.  The truth is, I was really thinking about being "done" with RealmSpeak forever.  However, there is a bunch of really cool questing stuff that I've been developing with Steve S, that would just be a shame to never release!

I decided that at the very least, I would get that code wrapped up and released in the very near future.  One of the newest features is the creation of a tool that will allow you to easily test your quests outside of RealmSpeak.  The main reason I'm writing the "Quest Tester", is because with all the quests Steve S has written, its gotten a bit hard to make sure they are all working!  The new tool will make our lives a bit easier, and should streamline the quest debugging I still need to do.

Timeframe?  I'm thinking that you'll see a new release by the end of June, assuming nothing major pulls me away from my weekend coding!

Hope you are enjoying a good Memorial Day weekend!