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Development Notes and Updates

Started by Tom, April 17, 2016, 07:47:59 PM

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Tom

As we are nearing the start of beta testing, with new server and client code, no new games are being opened at this time. If you are not in any of the current games, you will have to wait for a few days for beta testing to begin.


Tom

Planning to shut down the alpha tests and launch beta tomorrow. I don't know if I will be able to update the running games or not. We might start with a clean slate.

Tom

Beta testing has begun - the new client build is available for download here:

http://schwarzwald.lemuria.org/h/download


And there is even a beta launch trailer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=om8JoYLWgRQ

Tom

The first beta game is running. There is also an updated client out with a lot of bugfixes and small improvements, go to the dowload page to get it:

http://schwarzwald.lemuria.org/h/download


This client build is also much smaller (more than 100 MB) than the one before, due to first optimisations that I've made. It might also show better performance on some computers. And it has a couple cool new features.

Tom

Some of what is coming in Beta 5:

Well
    The well is a common project, it is in the center of the village and shared by all families. It provides water for the peasants and to water the fields. All peasants are assumed to get their own water from the well themselves, so this part is not simulated in the game. However, to water fields, a lot of water is required constantly. For this reason, the well needs to be manned every day by at least one peasant. It doesn't matter who.

    If the well is not manned, all fields will suffer from drought. But since there is natural rain and wetness in the ground, lack of water by itself will not destroy a field. The damage depends on how well (pun not intended) the field is. If it has the full value of 6, there is a 50% chance it will lose one. If its value is 5, there is a 25% chance of a loss, and if the value is 4, a 10% chance. Fields that are already damaged beyond that, whether by animals or lack of water, will suffer no further ill effect.

    As you can see, it is vital that someone mans the well every day. How to manage this is up to the players in the game to resolve. To allow time for communication, the well has no effect on the first day.


Watchtower
    The watchtower is also a common project, like the well, with similar rules. Its purpose is to look out for signs of creatures in the forest during the day, and to check where good gathering locations are.

    If the tower is not manned, peasants going into the forest to gather have to be on the lookout by themselves and can spend less time gathering with no directions to good spots. As a result, there is a 33% chance for every gathering action to return with one resource less. Yes, this means those gathering stone could return empty-handed.

    Clearly, same as the well, it is vital that someone mans the watchtower. How to manage this is again up to the players to organize. Like the well, the watchtower has no effect on the first day.

Tom


Tom

Beta 5 is out, download it on the website as usual:

http://schwarzwald.lemuria.org/h/download


A lot of changes. Better graphics, pathfinding for villagers, bugfixes, working wells and towers, a LOT of new things.

Andrew

I'm surprised you don't have a patch system for this yet. Seems like it'd save you some bandwidth if the game was only replacing some files, not all of them.
Like my programming? Become my patron!

Tom

Yes, but patch systems aren't so trivial either, and can be the source of additional problems.

Tom

Beta 8 has been released, including the long awaited diary viewer, a new graveyard in the center of the village that fills up as the body count rises, and a lot of bugfixes and small improvements.

Tom

Beta Build 11 has been released. It is a huge update with many changes and improvements.

Get it from the download page - http://blackforest.lemuria.org/h/download

Here is the list of changes:

* PvP Actions added
* Market place is becoming available (not complete, yet).
* ID/Key reminder button works now
* You can now repair other peoples buildings and fences.
* Pressing Enter in chat now sends the message
* Winter ground texture fixed
* Diary entry texts fixed
* Announcements texts fixed
* Dragon shadow fixed
* Pathfinding problems fixed (peasants will no longer be stuck)
* Plant field description fixed
* Fixed a bug where homeless families would find non-existing homes on empty plots (actually, they found houses in other villages...)
* Fixed a bug where resources where collected into destroyed buildings

Tom

The new beta version is live. Here is a list of changes:


  • AI: now clear ruins from their land
  • Steam: first steam integration (achievements) is under way
  • Tower manning fixed
  • Games now start automatically when full
  • Turns now run every hour instead of every 2 hours, so the "< 1 hour" display is actually correct
  • New wall type: Reinforced Wall
  • The amount and type of resource gained from clearing land now depends on the building that used to be there
  • Diary Reader now contains the village chat as well
  • Cinematic View added
  • Market place is getting operational, slowly
  • New wall type: Reinforced Wall
  • better damage display (in % as well as absolute numbers)
  • many small bugfixes and visual improvements