0005452: Reduce number of spell acqisition mechanics - Arcen Idea Tracker (Bugs and Features)

ID	Project	Category		Date Submitted	Last Update

0005452	Valley 1	Gameplay Idea		Jan 25, 2012 2:19 am	Jan 26, 2012 6:51 am

Reporter	GrimerX	Assigned To	Chris_McElligottPark
Status	feedback	Resolution	reopened
Product Version	0.562

Summary	0005452: Reduce number of spell acqisition mechanics
Description	Right now there are 3 (that I'm aware of) 1) Find a spell in a container 2) Learn them 3) Craft and learn them 1 is okay -- 2/3 are more complicated than necessary. Is there any reason to not learn a spell you can learn? Suggest unifying 2/3: 1) When using a spellgem, acquire all spells that can be learned automatically. Maybe just the highest tier if clutter is a problem, but by then you've figured out the game. 2) After crafting, also learn the spell (This may already be the case, haven't played deep into the game since the strategic map went away)
Tags	No tags attached.

Internal Weight	Feature Suggestion

Chris_McElligottPark Jan 25, 2012 9:53 am administrator ~0018084	The first one only ever applies in the tutorial -- it's for training only. The second one is how you get higher-tier spells. "Learning" a spell is unlocking it for future use on that continent. You'll notice that I changed the terminology from "crafting," but that's what it used to be. When you learn a spell, it automatically gets added to your inventory. The third one is not a thing at all, I'm not sure what you're referring to. There is a "equip spell you already know" function that allows you to put a spell into your inventory if you know it and you don't already have it equipped. Examples are if you get the tier 1 of the spell for free, or if someone else unlocked it on that continent in multiplayer and now you need to equip it also. ----------- "1) When using a spellgem, acquire all spells that can be learned automatically. Maybe just the highest tier if clutter is a problem, but by then you've figured out the game." You'll never be able to use a spellgem that you don't already have equipped, and to equip it you have to have learned it (unless you are on a second or third continent, after which you're quite familiar with the game already). More to the point, learning a spell is NOT free. You have to get the crafting materials to learn it, and those same crafting materials could also be used to learn other spells. Choosing which is a big part of the strategy of the game, as -- like in AI War -- you won't have nearly enough time to learn all of them before your conflict with the overlord boils over on that continent. "2) After crafting, also learn the spell (This may already be the case, haven't played deep into the game since the strategic map went away)" After learning, it does also equip the spell, yes.

GrimerX Jan 25, 2012 1:58 pm reporter ~0018110	I did a horrible job explaining this -- will come back with some pictures + markup of what I mean. I screwed up the terminology which doesn't help spellgem --> spellgem crafting workbench gem --> spellgem For context, I'm trying to reduce the number of decision/discovery points in the intro mission. After the intro mission you can assume the mechanics are known to the player (though should still be frictionless as reasonably possible). During the intro mission they'll need more guidance. I have some experience watching people who haven't used [my] product use it for the first time. It's always a humbling (and frustrating for you as the developer) experience, watching people struggle with basic tasks in your product. And our audience are highly technical, college educated people (devs/IT Professionals) It's also humbling to see how quickly people pull the ripcord on your product because they hit a stumbling block -- there's a lot of competition for people's time. I really want to make sure they make it through to the point where they need to buy the game, and then make the decision to purchase it. If you can find somebody who has never played AVVW, and watch them play it (resist the urge to say anything), you can learn a lot. More later...

Chris_McElligottPark Jan 25, 2012 2:02 pm administrator ~0018111	I will say that Erik had the pleasure of watching literally hundreds of players do the intro mission at Minecon -- there weren't a lot of stumbling blocks observed, thankfully, except with kids. The reason we have the spellcrafting workbench at the end of the intro mission is to make sure they know it exists, since it's so central. Before that we're spoon-feeding them specific mechanics out of coffers and stashes. I don't really think there's any way to further simplify that without radically altering the game in a way that I don't think would be positive. We need to have loot, and we need to have the workbenches, for a whole host of reasons. And the intro mission has to introduce both gradually. Personally I don't see another way to really do it, honestly.

GrimerX Jan 25, 2012 10:00 pm reporter ~0018135	Glad to hear 'real world' tests went well, that beats any random opinion I have. :-) I've attached a few pictures which I hope better describes what I'm trying to say. As always, your call.

GrimerX Jan 26, 2012 6:51 am reporter ~0018138	Reopening so it shows on the triage list. Feel free to close again if you still prefer the way it is after looking at my pics.

Date Modified	Username	Field	Change
Jan 25, 2012 2:19 am	GrimerX	New Issue
Jan 25, 2012 8:40 am	tigersfan	Internal Weight	=> Feature Suggestion
Jan 25, 2012 8:40 am	tigersfan	Status	new => considering
Jan 25, 2012 9:47 am	Chris_McElligottPark	Description Updated
Jan 25, 2012 9:53 am	Chris_McElligottPark	Note Added: 0018084
Jan 25, 2012 9:53 am	Chris_McElligottPark	Status	considering => closed
Jan 25, 2012 9:53 am	Chris_McElligottPark	Assigned To	=> Chris_McElligottPark
Jan 25, 2012 9:53 am	Chris_McElligottPark	Resolution	open => no change required
Jan 25, 2012 1:58 pm	GrimerX	Note Added: 0018110
Jan 25, 2012 2:02 pm	Chris_McElligottPark	Note Added: 0018111
Jan 25, 2012 10:00 pm	GrimerX	Note Added: 0018135
Jan 25, 2012 10:01 pm	GrimerX	File Added: Workbench Menu 1.png
Jan 25, 2012 10:01 pm	GrimerX	File Added: workbench menut 2.png
Jan 25, 2012 10:02 pm	GrimerX	File Added: workbench menu 3.png
Jan 25, 2012 10:02 pm	GrimerX	Relationship added	related to 0005451
Jan 26, 2012 6:51 am	GrimerX	Note Added: 0018138
Jan 26, 2012 6:51 am	GrimerX	Status	closed => feedback
Jan 26, 2012 6:51 am	GrimerX	Resolution	no change required => reopened
Apr 14, 2014 9:30 am	Chris_McElligottPark	Category	Suggestion - Gameplay => Gameplay Idea