New patch??

[Juzza]

Hi, I was just wondering, is there like a date for the new official patch?

[Edi]

No. There is work being done, like what Kristoffer has done for the new nations and some of the new graphics, tomb wyrms being fixed and other stuff that has been quietly greenified in the shortlist, but there is still a lot to do, much of it things that only JK can do since he is the one who codes the game. And those things ain't happening before he comes back from India.

The next patch will also see most in-game typos fixed, leaving only very occasional things in there. The next patch can probably be expected in late August or early September, but that is nothing more than an educated guess. Kristoffer can probably a give a better estimate if he is inclined to do so.

[Kristoffer O]

Primarily JK must return from India. That is late July. Then there will probably be some fixings of his. And there are two other semi-external projects (Edis great typo fixing and another project) to include, but those are supposed to be more or less finished when JK returns, so my estimate is early/mid August.

The patch will be rather content heavy. Less fixes to game mechanics, since JK's been away for a while. There will also be a number of lesser bugfixes and balance chages. Edi's shortlist is greenified to give some clues. And sporadically I have written fixes and stuff in the progress page (although I'm not very good at keeping it up to date.).

Currently I'm visiting my folks, so I'm not working on dom3, but otherwise I've been rather productive this summer. I imagine I will be less so when JK returns, and there are more stuff you can do, like playing games http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

I have some new ideas that I will work on, but I imagine these will wait for the next patch. My current MP game, ther first in ages, has put me in a position where I'm confronted with imbalancies, weaknesses (thematical or mechanical) and other stuff I want to change.

I'm playing MA Mictlan and I got new ideas for them, but it would not sit well with me to make changes to them in this patch, since it would give me advantages in that game.

Anyway, I think a nation will generally benefit from me playing it. So if there are other nations percieved as unfun, weak, or graphically unpleasant let me know for my next MP signup.

[Edi]

Early or mid-August already?! http://koti.welho.com/ehalttun/Images/Smilies/icon_eek.gif http://koti.welho.com/ehalttun/Images/Smilies/icon_eek.gif

I really need to get cracking on the typos...

[Kristoffer O]

Early is probably a bit optimistic, but mid I hope.

[Edi]

I'll do my best. The nation descriptions are going to take comparatively more time than the units and items since I need to check some content issues, but thankfully it's a short file, so I should get it done fairly quickly.

The unit thing is mostly a find & replace job and then looking over the new ones. Further fixing will also be fairly easy from now on since it'll just be a matter of locating single typos and fixing them.

I'm going to Italy on August 10th and coming back on the 17th, with the weekend of 18th/19th fully booked, so I need to get things done before that. If I can't quite manage to finish it, I'll do what I can and leave the rest for the patch after the next one.

[Kristoffer O]

Sounds good

[Jazzepi]

The lack of itemized battlefield reporting kills me in the face sometimes.

Jazzepi

[johan osterman]

Jazzepi said:
The lack of itemized battlefield reporting kills me in the face sometimes.

Jazzepi


I think that will continue to be killing you in the face for the forseeable future.

[jutetrea]

Don't have playing in a an MP game slow you down on MA Mictlan (they could definitely use some help in the fun category), just request that game not update to the new patch. Actually wasn't bad for last patch, just make a copy of the old .exe and shortcut the new game to it.

Otherwise, sounds great!

[tromper]

Assuming 'kills me in the face' isn't copywrited, I'm going to have to try that out at the next party I attend.

I'd recommend playing LA Abysia, Kristoffer. I'm relatively new, but in one MP game I played it was pretty much agreed that they sucked donkey organ. Even quantum_mechanic more or less concurs. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

[TwoBits]

Boy, what's the point of being a developer if you can't alter a patch in order to take advantage of it in a game your playing? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

[MaxWilson]

Thanks Edi!

-Max

[Reverend Zombie]

Kristoffer O said:
Anyway, I think a nation will generally benefit from me playing it. So if there are other nations percieved as unfun, weak, or graphically unpleasant let me know for my next MP signup.



MA T'ien Ch'i.
MA Agartha.

[Edi]

We have some hope of T'ien Ch'i getting a facelift, if not now, perhaps in a later patch, since their unit graphics have come up as topic of discussion in the beta forum, but I have no idea of the status of that project. Kristoffer may know more.

[Meglobob]

Reverend Zombie said:

Kristoffer O said:
Anyway, I think a nation will generally benefit from me playing it. So if there are other nations percieved as unfun, weak, or graphically unpleasant let me know for my next MP signup.



MA T'ien Ch'i.
MA Agartha.



MA Agartha, 2nded, it lacks diversity, I personally love golem cult but its too much of a one trick pony. I think some 'free' design points by giving it heat scale would help and the low attack values a killer but thematic so I don't really know what to about that. Takes far too long to get going in MP to be viable/competetive.

EA Marverni, weak early game, gets knocked out in MP very quickly.

MA Ulm, weak early game, even weaker mid game and no chance at all in the end game.

Other than those, considering how many nations are in the game, its amazing how well balanced the nations are vs each another.

[Morkilus]

So is Lugh a new nation or a set of guys under the fomorians? I can only find stuff on the 'net refering to it as a Tuathan/Fomorian sun-god.

[Meglobob]

Morkilus said:
So is Lugh a new nation or a set of guys under the fomorians? I can only find stuff on the 'net refering to it as a Tuathan/Fomorian sun-god.



The Lugh I know of is the national hero for Tir Na N'Og. Is this who you mean? He is very, very useful with lots of nice abilities/magic paths.

[lch]

Edi said:
I really need to get cracking on the typos...


When you have the typos "fixed", would you open the patch up for peer review before it is applied? Then some other people have a chance to find things which you may have overlooked.

[Tyrant]

I'd nominate EA Ulm and second LA Aby for nations in need of work.

[Edi]

lch said:

Edi said:
I really need to get cracking on the typos...


When you have the typos "fixed", would you open the patch up for peer review before it is applied? Then some other people have a chance to find things which you may have overlooked.


The only part of the code I've seen are the description files and you need to ask Kristoffer that. You can take my word for it that I did spend over a month going over a string dump and fixing everything I found and Kristoffer gave me the actual source files to work with because most of the work was already done. I've caught a couple of very minor stylistic things from the nation descriptions which I'm redoing and a couple of other changes I went over with Kristoffer, but other than that it's going to be a straight find and replace.

I cannot give you the source files, but I can give you the strings extracted from the dump and accompanied by the fixed versions so you can look them over yourself. I'll be doublechecking everything as I fix it, so you will have a very hard time finding anything. If you do, let me know, but there are thousands of typo fixes there, from misspellings to grammar to punctuation, so much more than what was reported in the in-game typo thread. Enjoy yourself.

I will warn you that not QUITE everything will be fixed by what I do, since not all of the strings (such as event descriptions, including global enchantment texts or name lists) are in the description files and those will be left up to KO and JK.

Fixed strings attached.

[Gandalf Parker]

lch said:

Edi said:
I really need to get cracking on the typos...


When you have the typos "fixed", would you open the patch up for peer review before it is applied? Then some other people have a chance to find things which you may have overlooked.


You mean just the typo fix list?
The patch gets a peer review by the beta group prior to release

[Ironhawk]

Kristoffer O said:
Anyway, I think a nation will generally benefit from me playing it. So if there are other nations percieved as unfun, weak, or graphically unpleasant let me know for my next MP signup.



Hey KO, I know other people have mentioned Abysia - but I just wanted to point out a pet peeve I have with them. Abysia is "immune to death scale" in terms of suppply, right? But the fact is that Aby cannot ever take Death scale because all its mages will die off... basically immediately. Any chance you can do something about that?

[Sombre]

I it's too late to do anything about that - the manual and that ability gives new players the idea that Abysia should pick death scales, when in fact it's suicide for them. Can't do much about that,.. other than maybe make death not alter Abysia's income either.

[Ironhawk]

No disrespect, but who are you do say that? Clearly Aby has special code that protects it from the supply checks. All that needs to be done is to place a similar check into the death component of the old age affliction code. This does not seem so back-breaking of a request.

[thejeff]

Or simpler yet, decide that Abyssia's non-human mages have longer lives than humans. Enough to compensate for their fire magic at least. Or drop their starting ages.

That's even moddable.

[MaxWilson]

You could houserule Abysia's units to have higher maxages. Maybe it's one of the quirks of being magma creatures.

-Max

Edit: Whoops, Jeff beat me to it.

[Ironhawk]

That would be easy, yeah. But I dont know if its thematically in line with what the devs had in mind for Abys mages. After all, "the light that burns twice as bright burns half as long". They just need to not be effected by Death, like they are supposed to be

[Kristoffer O]

Why should everyone live longer than humans? I like shortlived Abysians http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif They are supposed to burn out! I'm more inclined to make them cheaper and even more short lived.

Edit: Or since we like them expensive, just make them more short lived http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

[lch]

Edi said:
I cannot give you the source files, but I can give you the strings extracted from the dump and accompanied by the fixed versions so you can look them over yourself.


That's exactly what I wanted. Having the original *.txt file and a patch (you know the *nix command "patch"?) would have been better maybe, but this is still very good. Please commit your final version when you have compiled it again.

[lch]

Edi, after a quick look it seems you really did extensive fixing. A few things that caught my eye:

- You sometimes use lower case for units, like "The asp turtle" at the very beginning, or "iron ancestor" for "Iron Ancestor" while at the same time you use "Tomb Oracles" and "Seal Guards" at the next occasion. How come?

- I think that it should be "appetite" instead of "appetites" in most cases, but then again I'm not a native English speaker. (see, I even have to capitalize that word... http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif)

[Edi]

Normal English capitalization rules. Everything is lower case unless the monster name is
Rank (e.g. Centurion, Legatus Legionis, Lord Guardian)
member of a military or other order (e.g. Wind Rider, Seal Guard, Guardian (of Ulm) as opposed to e.g. heavy infantry or infantry of Ulm)
unique monster (e.g. Eater of Gods, King of Banefires)
commander is not capitalized because that is too much of a generic descriptive rather than rank
As I said, everything will get reviewed when I work with the description files, but I did pay a lot of attention to this issue.

Spell descriptions (not in that text file) will have the names of all monsters they summon capitalized for clarity.

The selection of appetite/appetites depends on the context, but both of those are normal English. I'd elaborate, but I have early morning shift tomorrow and I need to hit the sack.

[MaxWilson]

Wow, I'm impressed. My eyes are bleeding from all that text. I didn't spot any issues with the corrected text, though. Nice work!

-Max

[Beorne]

Among all the bug everyone tries to push on the face of KO I'd like to highlight the (already highlighted) red bugs, in particular the fort issues (that should be very easy to correct) and the Dominion (spread, scales) issues, that can ruin a game. I kno these are JK things.
It's not fair that a game named Dominion has some big Dominion bugs.

[Sombre]

Ironhawk said:
No disrespect, but who are you do say that? Clearly Aby has special code that protects it from the supply checks. All that needs to be done is to place a similar check into the death component of the old age affliction code. This does not seem so back-breaking of a request.



Just going by what the devs have said. They like Abysians that die off from old age quickly.

K O just said as much in this thread.

Since the manual already says "They do not farm or hunt for a living, so their income and supplies are not affected by the growth/death scale of a province." I can only assume that new players are taking death scale with them, not realising it's suicidal. I know I did.

From what I understand their income isn't immune currently, despite what the manual states, so I think the first change would be to make that the case. Maybe that way people might actually be tempted to try and take advantage of Abysian death scales.

[Ironhawk]

I know that, but this isnt a design choice, its a bug. You can't offer a bonus like "abysia is immune to death scales" and then turn around and make it technically impossible for Aby to actually take Death scales. Its a design flaw that needs correction.

Either they should take away the Abysians "bonus" or fix it.

[MaxWilson]

In GURPS terms, it's a quirk. (A feature which follows logically from Abysian history/physiology but has no real game impact.) Thinking that a quirk is a real advantage is a mistake, which the manual unfortunately makes. Fortunately the manual also has a disclaimer about all the strategies it suggests. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

-Max

[WraithLord]

Well I'm not so sure about EA Marverni being very weak in early game, I recall discussing this in another thread so I won't elaborate here again. They could use some "love" from the devs for more thematic depth IMHO.

As for Abysia I don't think its a bug. The "immunity" goes for standing armies in terms of provisions (don't starve) and not for economy or population immunity to death scale.

[Jazzepi]

I was thinking you could do something interesting with Boots of Youth. I know, at least, one of the ages of Abysia has good access to blood.

Jazzepi

[Ironhawk]

I agree Jazzepi. Aby does have a natural synergy for Boots of Youth. However, it still doesnt fix the fundamental brokenness of the Abysian "death scale immunity".

[Micah]

Booting every single mage is a tad expensive, which is a problem since every single mage is old. (That being said I've booted all of my MA warlocks in the game I'm playing at the moment...over 200 blood slaves to do so. It's fairly mandatory to do so because you don't have any other access to blood hunters besides at the cap) Plus the boots require construction 6 to build, so the first year or two of the game you don't even have the option to do so. They also don't work against Burden of Time, which already has a devastating effect on Abysia.

It's also a flat out bug that death scales directly affect Abysia's income, it's specifically stated that it does not in the documentation.

Also, can LA Abysia get fixed up a tad in general? They're fairly horrible looking, especially in comparison to LA Marignon (which might be a tad overpowered, but they put Abysia to shame across the board.)

[RamsHead]

The way I understand it, it is not a bug. Although it is not explained very well, the "bonus" is that Abysia is not affected by the initial effects of a growth/death scale. In other words, Abysia will not suffer -6% in their income from a 3 death scale, but the population in that province will still die. The fewer people in a province, the less money you will get. It is only the initial income and supply effects that Abysia is immune to, not the longterm consequences. Since, as Abysia, it is likely you will go with a growth scale, this "bonus" is really a penalty.

[vfb]

It's not a penalty, it's just that the other negatives of the death scale outweigh the free points you'd get by choosing death. Edit, this is wrong, sorry! Growth scales supposed to be affected too. It's a penalty.

In SP you can go Death-3, so the AI hordes starve even faster than they do usually. It puts more time pressure on the game too, and it's nice and thematic for a race that's doomed to die. EA can stick with Apprentices and Anointeds until they get boots, and MA can use Demonbreds. LA doesn't get the death scales bonus.

[Micah]

Except it IS affected by the 2% per scale tip...

[vfb]

Thanks! So that's what happened to all my money. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

You are right, income is affected normally by the death/growth scales, for all ages of Abysia.

Supplies are not affected at all by having death/growth scales.

And RamsHead, I was also wrong about the penalty in my post above this one. I mistakenly thought that it was just the death scales that had no effect. Since you don't get the benefit from growth scales (though as Micah says the income affect is buggy so you do get the +2/4/6% income) either, it is a penalty.

[Xietor]

I will chip in to say MA Ulm is a terrible MP race. The reasons why are detailed in many earlier threads, so I need not repeat them here.

[MaxWilson]

And it's also a minor bonus, when you're invading an empire with a Death-3 dominion, to not suffer from supply penalties. That doesn't mean you'd want a Death-3 on your *own* dominion.

Edit: yeah, Ulmish troops should definitely have their MR raised at the very least. Combined with their drain dominion, they should be quite magic-resistant, as opposed to requiring drain dominion to make them merely average.

-Max

[Kristoffer O]

The whole point of Ulm is that they are suceptible and afraid of magic. They might get other bonuses, but low MR stays.

[Gandalf Parker]

Thematic? Too bad. I would have liked for Ulm to be the rock-paper-scissors "answer" to magic nations.

[MaxWilson]

Okay, then. I guess I thought they had a different theme, but "susceptible to and afraid of magic" works too. Hmmm.

-Max

[Xietor]

Allowing a Lord Guardian to enter the Forges Of Ulm and train an elite warrior, at a rate of 1 per turn would help. He could have decent mr gear, so he would not be 1 smited, and perhaps wield a 2hed sword of sharpness.

Given the slow rate of fire of arbalests, allowing smiths to start with the ability to cast earth meld would help a bit also.

Since Ulm is a thematic race of forgers, perhaps taking their capital should be really painful. Of course if your capital is being sieged, your income is lost and you are likely just delaying the inevitable.

Many good players take astral races, and MA Ulm has few answers to many of the potent spells that "magic resistance negates."

[Kristoffer O]

> Okay, then. I guess I thought they had a different theme, but "susceptible to and afraid of magic" works too. Hmmm.

Why else ban magic and kill magic users?

Fear is a strong incentive to do stupid stuff http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

[MaxWilson]

Large numbers of cheap (but effective) troops are a form of answer to many of the MR-negates spells. Soul Slay hurts relatively less if it only kills a 10-gp warrior.

-Max

[jaif]

I would love to see MA ulm get a bonus to dominion spread. Make people struggle to keep the commoner's fear of magic out of their territories.

-Jeff

[Xietor]

An off the wall idea-

Let ulm's PD at level 1 have a bonus of a mechanical man commander and 5 mechanical men. Or allow the construction of crushers or mechanical men in their capital.

Crushers are size 6 and highly effective at stopping size 6 tramplers from charging into your mages.

I am not sure being a smith means being an expert at building
mechanical beings, but it may be thematic.

[lch]

I love Ulm for their weaknesses. Don't take the fun out of the game. They already have a production bonus in all their forts. Their LA variant has the inquisitors (bonus on dominion spread), and astral mages (including prevention for bad events) that have been mentioned.

[Xietor]

We are discussing MA Ulm only. None of my statements, at least, cover the other 2 ages of Ulm.

[Tyrant]

There's a couple of things that have always bugged me about ULm. One is that they get arbalasts in their PD. This sounds good on paper, but on the battlefield it means that their own PD is one of the few things that their super heavy armor troops fear and you have to be carefull not mix field armies and PD for fear of friendly fire casualties. Meanwhile the low fire rate makes them kinda so-so as general purpose PD.Another is that the black plate guys have so much encumbrance that the benefit of the armor is easily countered by tiring them out. Given the low numbers they usually come in, this is easy to do. I think adding some sort of low cost hard hitting troop to their roster would help them out. Would berserkers with two handed weapons be thematic?

[lch]

Xietor said:
We are discussing MA Ulm only.


I know, I do aswell. You may skip the last sentence where I was commenting about the thematic flavors of Ulm if you want. Suggesting magic-driven PD for a magic-impaired and -fearing nation is probably never going to make it into the game, IMHO.

[Xietor]

Magic impaired, but not when it comes to construction and forging.

[PrinzMegaherz]

Ulm should have a dominion effekt that weakens magical creatures.

[Meglobob]

Xietor said:
Magic impaired, but not when it comes to construction and forging.



Another off the wall idea. Nations have national only spells, yes. So how about Ulm having national only magic items?

You never know it could start a trend and result in even more diversity, uniqueness with nations.

[Endoperez]

There already are items that would be unique to certain nations, if that was possible. Black Laurels, Jade Mask... Anyone can make them, but only few can ever use them.

[HoneyBadger]

I'd really like to see Kristoffer play EA R'lyeh in a multi-player game. It's at once one of my thematically favorite nations, and one I consider to be the weakest.

[Kristoffer O]

Aha, not heard that one in a while, but I tend to agree.

[HoneyBadger]

I'm-very, very slowly-working on a mod nation for MA Aboleths that incorporates an Islamic theme. After all the Polypal Mothers are wiped out, the Aboleths turn to a Pretender that not only promises to bring them back from the dead, but actually has the power to do so, in return for the Aboleths' slavish devotion and willingness to be experimented on by the weird "god".

The Aboleths, in turn, have a massive slave force of their own, who-due to the greatly reduced Aboleth numbers-have become much more independent and more powerful, politically-along the lines of the Mamluks.

The middle age Aboleths have no starting priests, but they can summon Polypal Mothers across time, as well as a powerful sacred undead unit. They can recruit several different kinds of tough slave troops, including: slave trolls, kraken chariots, and a stealthy breed of icthy.

Finally, the Aboleths themselves are being bred and twisted for specialized purposes, a fact they loathe, but have no choice about, as the alternative is imminent extinction.

The really pitiful thing about the whole ordeal is that-by the late age-the Aboleths eventually discover that the so-called "god" wasn't really moving the mothers across space and time, he/she had just captured a handful of living mothers, shielded them with powerful magicks, and then used them to blackmail the Aboleths, while experimenting on them as well, at his/her leisure.

So, by late age, the Aboleths have access to 4 or 5 different types of Mother, only one of which breeds "true". The slaves-who aren't really slaves anymore, by this time-up and leave when they find out how easily their "all-knowing, all-powerful" masters were duped, and the Aboleths are left by their lonesome, a nation of mainly freakish, twisted mutations. Fortunately for the Aboleths-who are understandably extremely pissed-off by this point-their freakish brothers and sisters are friendly, and, for the most part, intensely combat-ready.

[Chris_Byler]

PrinzMegaherz said:
Ulm should have a dominion effekt that weakens magical creatures.



Or better yet, all drain dominions should do so, like coldbloods in cold - maybe even like fire elementals in cold. That would give some real teeth to the magic/drain scale, which right now seems to just be "pay as much as you want for the amount of research you want".

(Coldblooded magical creatures like nagas and lamias should then be especially careful of cold+drain...)


As far as Abysia, I think old guys should get a cost break (and especially old Abysians, because the nation is expected to take death). Lower cost means lower maintenance, so by the time they drop dead you can afford to replace them. With that and making Abysia immune to the -2% income/level from death as well as the supplies, they could actually be played with the heavy death they were meant to have (and in previous versions almost always did have).

I like the thematic idea - and it does very appropriately make your dominion hell on earth for invaders - but it just isn't practical with such expensive mages. Short-lived men should be cheaper than the unnaturally long-lived magic beings other nations have - if you want the nation to be played with a "life is cheap" attitude, then their lives need to actually *be* cheap. Instead Abysians are still paying extra for the physical toughness they used to have (but don't anymore, because they're old in Dom3) and the heat aura whose main effect is to set their blood slaves on fire.

The cost break should be larger for old sacred guys, because they have higher up-front cost that is theoretically compensated for by their half upkeep... but if they drop dead of old age inside 2 years, you don't get much benefit from the reduced upkeep.

Adjusting the age system so there is more debilitation and less immediate death might be nice too, but it would probably be more work.

[Gandalf Parker]

I like that idea. It makes sense. Have magic drain dominion affect summons as well as battle-spells.

I would like to see Ulm get a boost against magic but they tend to have to worry more about summons than spells and I couldnt think of a way to give them a boost there thematically. The only thing I could come up with is maybe that their beliefs might give them a better chance at disbelief (pluses against phantasms and illusions). Of course that might help make them a rock-paper-scissors answer to Vanheim.

[quantum_mechani]

Chris_Byler said:
Or better yet, all drain dominions should do so, like coldbloods in cold - maybe even like fire elementals in cold. That would give some real teeth to the magic/drain scale, which right now seems to just be "pay as much as you want for the amount of research you want".


This has been suggested before and didn't get much traction, but it's one of my favorite ideas for the drain scale.

[Borya]

Late August. Are we close to seeing the next patch now?

[Gandalf Parker]

Not sure yet. But they work on fun things so lets notmake it unfun http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif That wouldnt speed things up

[Borya]

Tell us more! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

[Johan K]

There is a perfectly good reason for the patch to be delayed a little while longer. We recently had two computer meltdowns and that sure was a setback for the patch. It means we can only create mac patches now because that computer hasn't died yet.

[NTJedi]

Johan K said:
There is a perfectly good reason for the patch to be delayed a little while longer. We recently had two computer meltdowns and that sure was a setback for the patch. It means we can only create mac patches now because that computer hasn't died yet.



Was this hardware failure or software failure?
What happens when trying to boot these computers which had these "meltdowns"?

[Edi]

EDIT: Nevermind...

[WraithLord]

Though I'm as anxious as can be to get this new patch I'm very much for leaving the devs in peace. The more time they have the more magic they'll pour into the patch, so I'm content waiting. Who know, maybe they'll even throw in the 'e' key confirmation as well http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

[Johan K]

That was hardware failures. Totally kaputt.

[Juzza]

soooooo... um, I take it what Kristofer said earlier in this thread was just a guess, I mean, it's late august now and no new patch http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/frown.gif um, so is there a date for the patch now, or is it almost ready or totally unprepared?

[Gandalf Parker]

I think Kristoffer posted that prior to the crash. I would take the crash as new information as far as guessing on a patch release.

[Kristoffer O]

Gandalf is right. The patch is more or less ready, but we need to fix our comps first. This has turned out a bit more complicated than I would have liked. Since school has started in full now, I have problems getting away to do other business during daytime.

[Juzza]

ah k, sry, I missed that, about the crash, okay! thats cool! thanks for clearing that up!

[NTJedi]

Johan K said:
That was hardware failures. Totally kaputt.



Bummer, if it was software failure I probably could have saved them based on my career background. Hopefully the harddrives survived.

Since you are probably building two new systems to replace the old systems I recommend a dual-boot or triple-boot configuration.

[Gandalf Parker]

If I remember right, at last info he does dual boot (ubuntu and winXP)

[Johan K]

NTJedi said:
Bummer, if it was software failure I probably could have saved them based on my career background. Hopefully the harddrives survived.




I hope so too or the patch making will be much more work than I would like.

[Armadi]

Was just reading through the Dom 3 progress page and all of the exciting additions in store for us when the patch comes online.

To the developers: Good luck getting those computers fixed. And thanks for your hard work and efforts making and improving this fantastic game.

[Borya]

The progress page?
Can you share the link, please? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

[Armadi]

http://ulm.illwinter.com/dom3/dom3progress.html

[Borya]

Thank you!

[WraithLord]

Yes indeed. I would also like to wish the devs good luck on getting their computers fixed. I know first hand what a bummer this can be.

And thank you for continuing to support the game!

[Meglobob]

This new patch looks great. Thanks for all your hard work.

[Methel]

Do you live near strõmstad? Im willing to rent out my services as a semi-skilled hw builder for the onetime fee of 1 dominion patch http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

[llamabeast]

What's an hw builder?

[Gandalf Parker]

Hardware Tech

[WraithLord]

Johan K said:

NTJedi said:
Bummer, if it was software failure I probably could have saved them based on my career background. Hopefully the harddrives survived.




I hope so too or the patch making will be much more work than I would like.



So, was it a software failure at the end?
I hope you were able to get your machines online and most of all I hope you wouldn't have to redo any of your previous work.

[Kristoffer O]

Nothing is lost, code-wise. Only the computer used to compile with. There is a mac beta version, but I think you would be disappointed if the patch only was released for mac http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif Therefore we wait.

[Saint_Dude]

Kristoffer O said:
There is a mac beta version, but I think you would be disappointed if the patch only was released for mac http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif



As a mac user, I wouldn't be disappointed in the slightest. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

[WraithLord]

Yoohoo http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif
Three cheers for IW. /threads/images/Graemlins/icon33.gif /threads/images/Graemlins/icon33.gif /threads/images/Graemlins/icon33.gif

[coobe]

Can anyone tell when the patch will be released ? I know you cant say a certain date, but something like 1 week or 2 months would clear things for me http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Im really looking forward to this patch, like always

[Gandalf Parker]

There was a total hardware crash.
So first Johan has to go thru the 5 stages of loss. Then get a new machine. Then rebuild the tools he used. Then take the Mac patch (the one that survived) and make windows/linux versions from it.
Something like that.

[coobe]

hm.... too bad. im looking forward to the new nation. Any spoilers ?

[Frostmourne27]

coobe said:
hm.... too bad. im looking forward to the new nation. Any spoilers ?



Try the progress log at http://ulm.illwinter.com/dom3/dom3progress.html (http://http://ulm.illwinter.com/dom3/dom3progress.html )

[Kamamura]

Darn! I can't wait any longer! I think I will bite my finger off!

[SalsaDoom]

Man, I am looking forward to the patch. From the progress notes, it looks like I might be getting Pythium Serpent Cult back -- my personal favorite (which should be no surprise for those who 'get' my nick http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Anyway, looks like a lot of nice changes. Looking forward to it http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

EDIT: OOoh, and please be late era Serpent Cult. It blasphemies to suggest it doesn't make it to LE. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

[Sombre]

OH MY GOD KAMAMURA JUST BIT HIS FINGER OFF! :O

[Tichy]

It took a week?

[Juzza]

maybe in your mortal mind

[Kamamura]

Well, I don't want to sound impatient... BUT!... I am running out of fingers here!

I have read some anouncements that realistic estimate for the next patch is half August, early September at the latest... and the September is almost over and still nada, nothing, zilch, nichiewo!

I need that patch so that the cycle of my incarnations can be successfully completed!

[Juzza]

They did have a complete system crash, or something along those lines. And I know we keep asking!!!! and it's probably getting annoying by now, but can you give us a date?

[Kristoffer O]

I just got a message from JK that the computer store is finished with our comps, so things are happening again. Not sure when we can fetch them.

I have fixed some issues reported by the mac betas during the wait.

Hopefully a windows patch will soon be ready for some quick beta testing and then it's a go.

[llamabeast]

Hooray!! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/smile.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/smile.gif *dances*

[dmentd]

Your guys support for this game is very good. You also seem reachable which is rare. That is why, if you ever did want to do an expansion pack to enhance some programming and actual features of this program, I for one would pay for it. Thank you.

[llamabeast]

Oh man, we'd all pay for it! But I think happily so far we are getting expansion-grade additions for free, which is incredible.

[Kristoffer O]

http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/heart.gif

[Zylithan]

Yeah, I am new to the dom series, but I have to say, I'm really impressed with the forum presence and updates, etc. I think that's part of why the overall community is so friendly. Looking forward to the patch bigtime.

[NTJedi]

Kristoffer is officially my favorite game developer... and I've chatted via IMs, emailed via yahoo and communicated via forums with many game developers.

[Kristoffer O]

Hmm, I have to be harder, sterner and more insensitive I think. Someone might believe that I'm a nice guy who wants to improve the game http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

[Juzza]

ah ha! I court you out! you've been holding out the patch on purpose!! fork it over!

[Kristoffer O]

Na na na na na na naa! (sung with an annoying childish melody) http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

[Wikd Thots]

OK I am bored. Where are the new nations?
I already played that free Elysium game from the Dom3 devs.
Now I am going to have to go get that new game of Scrapnels just to fill time. Waiting for this free patch is going to cost me money.

[Kristoffer O]

There are a couple of free mods in the mod forum that I can recommend http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

[Juzza]

yes, Kristoffer O recommends the pirate nation..... by... anonymous... ~shifty eyes~

[Kamamura]

My finger-nails are all bitten,
my heart is aching...
... where is it?

[Juzza]

It's coming, it's coming, just keep saying that to yourself, over and over until it's here.

*sits in corner rocking back and fourth*

[Arralen]

It IS coming.
More I'm not allowed to say.

[Humakty]

I saw him, just behind the hill, in a big flying saucer !
Okay, huma, just how many fingers do you see ?

[Juzza]

more importantly how many fingers does Kamaura have, since he's lost his nails

[Burnsaber]

Juzza said:
It's coming, it's coming, just keep saying that to yourself, over and over until it's here.

*sits in corner rocking back and fourth*



Try eating your toenails. It's a bit more challenging and will keep you occupied for a while longer. I hope that you don't have stinky feet!

[noname]

This site: http://ulm.illwinter.com/dom3/dom3progress.html

Seems to indicate that the patch is done and will be posted shortly? Am I wrong?

[Tiavals]

Apparently it is being beta-tested at the moment, so I guess it'll be released in a week or two.

[coobe]

maybe today ? would make sense... give us the drugs for the weekend !!!

[coobe]

what i look most forward to besides new nations&units:

* New screen resolution 1920*1200 supported
* 'Z' cannot be used to steal from mercs. (whatever this means)
* Theurgs new sprites.
* Maenad new sprite.

[Kamamura]

Autumn leaves and wind,
how shall I play Doms Three Ten
with all fingers gone?

[Edi]

coobe said:
* 'Z' cannot be used to steal from mercs. (whatever this means)


If mercenaries have blood slaves, you can't steal them by mouse-overing the merc and pressing Z (pool bloodslaves from indicated commander only).