Q&A - Ask a question, Get an answer

Rune_74 · Post by **Rune_74** » September 23rd, 2007, 4:21 pm

Is it too late to add a window to allow the user to select where to save it?

YouTube · September 23rd, 2007, 11:22 pm

Yeah, it really is too late. We'd have to create a directory selector (we use a custom GUI so that the game is visually identical on all the platforms) and that would take too much time right now.

Next game it shouldn't be a problem.

Saxon1974 · Post by **Saxon1974** » September 28th, 2007, 8:17 pm

How is the beta testing going so far?

Any interesting tidbits you can share for those of us curious people?

YouTube · September 29th, 2007, 10:23 am

Testing is still going great! We are very happy with how the game is shaping up!

We will have an announcement on Monday, October 1.

josephwatson · Post by **josephwatson** » September 29th, 2007, 1:12 pm

Hi guys,

Just feel like finally posting. I've been watching the development of this game for a while (rpgwatch really makes an effort to advertise you). Really excited that the release seems to be getting close!

Joseph

Dragonlady · Post by **Dragonlady** » September 29th, 2007, 1:20 pm

BasiliskWrangler wrote:Testing is still going great! We are very happy with how the game is shaping up!

We will have an announcement on Monday, October 1.

woot!

Saxon1974 · Post by **Saxon1974** » September 29th, 2007, 3:14 pm

BasiliskWrangler wrote:Testing is still going great! We are very happy with how the game is shaping up!

We will have an announcement on Monday, October 1.

Wow, Im excited!

Grue · Post by **Grue** » October 2nd, 2007, 3:23 pm

Hello! Another new guy here. Learned of this game yesterday from RPG Watch and I've been reading this thread (and it's a long one!) to get more info on the game and so far everything looks very, very promising. However, the comment below made me a bit nervous and I would like a clarification about the "micromanaging" and "outsmarting" that Mr BW writes about (quoted below).

BasiliskWrangler wrote: I am a fan of micromanaging my character's skills and attributes to get the most out of him. When I play an RPG, I like to think that I've made a character that "outsmarts" the system and is better than the designers had anticipated. Eschalon hopefully embodies and encourages this type of play style.

So, does this mean that I have to basically min-max my character to the hilt in order to finish the game? Do I have to embrace "powerleveling" to have at least a half-decent character? I hope not. You see, I don't mind complex and involved character creation or experience/improvement systems, but I do not like systems where you have to squeeze every ounce of "oompf" out of your Experience Points (or what have you) to have a playable character. In other words, where you basically have to put your points in just the right skills, perks and whatnot to get along in the game (e.g. if you have a mage, put 6 points in Magery and 4 points in Pipe-Smoking, otherwise your character is unplayable). To me, that equals as the game requiring you to follow a certain predetermined advancement scheme. Micromanaging sort of echoes of serious min-maxing and powerleveling to my ears. Have gotten it all wrong?

P.S. I hope I explained this OK and you got what I meant. English is not my first language, so I sometimes have problems in getting the idea across clearly.

YouTube · Post by **BasiliskWrangler** » October 2nd, 2007, 3:54 pm

Greetings Grue.

What I meant was that I enjoy a RPG where I have the potential to make a character that is more powerful than the designers had anticipated. I love to enter a dungeon that was designed to be difficult, but because I built my character so well I can walk through with the dungeon ease. It makes me feel like I beat the designers at their own game.

Eschalon definitely has that potential in it. Of course specialists are going to have a easier time than characters who try to be well balanced in all the skills and attributes. The key is finding the right combination of skills that match your play style. I've seen some pretty wacky combinations of character skills that have done very well, and I've seen some combinations that were limited.

There is definitely no "ideal" mage or ranger or thief that is required to win the game...it is whatever combination of skills that allows you to play your best that will win the game.

Grue · Post by **Grue** » October 3rd, 2007, 1:45 pm

BasiliskWrangler wrote: The key is finding the right combination of skills that match your play style.

Great to hear, that sounds good. I suspected as much, just wanted to be sure. Thanks for the info.

By the way, out of interest, could you interpret the icons in the upper right corner of the game screen. Looking the screenie with the icons in two rows, I'd guess they are (from left to right) Light/Extinguish Torch (and the number of torches you have), Inventory, Character (stats, skills, etc.), something I can't guess, Quest Journal, and going to the lower row, either Cast Magic or Spell Book, either Change Weapons or Combat Mode on/off, Heal, Camp, Save/Quit.

How did I do? That sheet of paper icon puzzles me. It doesn't look like a map, so it can't be World Map. To be honest, it looks like a PnP RPG's character sheet, but there already is a character icon up there. Hmm, maybe that man icon is your "paper doll", showing your equipped gear, and that sheet of paper icon actually is your character sheet/info. I dunno.

YouTube · Post by **BasiliskWrangler** » October 3rd, 2007, 3:50 pm

Yeah, those icons are sorta out-of-date, but still you were close...

The final GUI looks like this:

Top row...
Ignite/extinguish Torch with torch count, Inventory, Equip (Paperdoll), Character Stats, Quest Journal
Second row...
Magick Journal, Swap Primary/Secondary weapon, Level Up (when flashing), Camp, Options Menu (Save/Load/etc)

Grue · Post by **Grue** » October 4th, 2007, 11:02 am

Wa-hey, I got it almost right!

The new icons look good, except the pentagram. It reminds me too much of really bad 80's metal bands... Oh well, can't please anyone, eh?

YouTube · Post by **BasiliskWrangler** » October 4th, 2007, 11:19 am

Well, the previous "flare" icon was confusing, and we could have gone with an Egyptian derived "Eye of Horus" like other RPGs have used, but that didn't feel right either.

The pentagram is symbolically linked to pagan magic and witchcraft practices in the ancient world, so it seems most suitable to represent magic in Eschalon.

Baelthazar · Post by **Baelthazar** » October 4th, 2007, 12:25 pm

Although, to be fair, that particular pentagram has its point down, in the "goat-head" style made famous by Anton Levay's Satanist Church and then adopted by tons of metal bands.

Not a huge deal in my book... but it does make me think Devil!

PS. Might I say though, the interface looks clean and easy to understand.

Bael (then again, I am named after an Old Testament demon/god)

PaSquall · Post by **PaSquall** » October 4th, 2007, 4:04 pm

Is the game in english only or are there plans to localize it in the future ? (Not a problem...)