~ Suggestions & Improvement ~

[Legate of Mineta]

Mikka;

 

That's been suggested by other Academagians as well, and to a certain degree we think you are right. On the other hand, such a screen would only be of value in the interim between Year 1 and Year 2. I *think* we will probably do a summation in Year 2, but we may not implement one for Year 1.

 

We'll see.

[Schwarzbart]

I hope Year 2 will get one at the end because of the long waiting time betwean the release each year and probably bether engine of the next years I think ther should be some kind of nice ending of each year.

[Legate of Mineta]

Schwarzbart;

 

Yeah, as I wrote, I think we probably will do one- it's a highly requested feature.

[Leoshi]

Legate;

 

About the Grim Occurrence adventure. A part of the text said that the students kick the PC hard and also once in the face until he/she sobs in the foetal position. I understand that there is violence like this but how about toning it down a bit if possible?

 

And also the fact that the PC has such a powerful item disturbs me. May be the team can expand the adventure so that you would lose it and understand why. They are just kids after all.

 

It is not that I don't like the adventure, you get revenge after all, but it feels like it's too dark too soon.

 

Thanks in advance.

[Legate of Mineta]

Leoshi;

 

It's a very valid point- we also discussed that internally. It does seem fairly dark, especially at this age- we'll see about a review, thanks!

[Schwarzbart]

I think Battlemace Adventure 06a could use some kind of small price (a other Battlemace figure, a small money reward, a BattleMace pokal ect.) as reward for wining the tournament.

Its not that the reward is to slack for the adventure chain but I kind of expect that ther would be some material reward given to the winner of a tournament.

Edit: Maybe even ask for a small entry fee for the tournament to justify the reward.

[Legate of Mineta]

Schwarzbart;

 

Hmm! Great idea. I'll send that along- maybe we'll catch it in DLC 11, but more probably 12.

[Schwarzbart]

I just got a great idea for this.

If the player would have wone a second set the player could challenge other students to a game.

This could simmulated with a Misc Item (BattleMace Set) that give a new Action "Play BattleMace" what will improves Relationship and player & Npc get Random War SS

(bether would be Random of Strategy, Logisitcs, Tactics and Flawless Timing)

[Legate of Mineta]

Schwarzbart;

 

That's awesome.

 

I think we'll definitely put that one in.

[Schwarzbart]

Isn't the cost of the Amazing Recall Spell with 1 permanent SS to high for a short time boost of Study by 3?

I think 1 or 2 Stress would be enough for this especial because player usual have maxed theyr study by midterm.

[Legate of Mineta]

Schwarzbart;

 

Sure, I'll send it along- it may be that the Content Team agrees. Thanks!

[Sabin Stargem]

Here is an quick suggestion that I cooked up.

 

 

SYMBOLISM!?!%

 

One thing that I think would help make the scheduling interface more informative would be symbols that represent some general traits about the ability, to quickly inform the player so that they don't have to read the descriptive fluff for these specifics. The symbols are next to the activity that shows what time slots it can be done in. When a player attempts to place it into their schedule and it isn't in the proper timeslot, the symbols for what time is correct would flash briefly. Having an option to toggle on and off activities that are shown for a time slot to remove non-compatible items would also be good.

 

 

Time Symbols

Rising Sun = Morning

Full Sun = Afternoon

Cresent Moon = Evening

Full Moon = Night

 

 

Cooldown & Preperation symbols

Active Hourglass + Number = remaining number of turns until an ability is ready to be used again.

Inactive Hourglass - Number = number of turns that would be required for the next instance of this activity to be available if it was to be activated.

Pentagram + Number = The number of turns required to "ready" an activity for usage. Particularly applicable to spells or other events that require preparation.

 

When the bottom part of the hourglass is full, it indicates how many days an ability would be out of commission when used. Upon being used, the hourglass is turned over and would have an animation that shows the sand falling, which indicates that there is now a countdown. Should an activity be prepared, the pentagram would have no number and will be a vibrant red with a glow. It is otherwise dim, or when being prepared, would have a number and be more red.

 

 

Restricted Activity symbols

Zorro with green border = Reprimand

Zorro with yellow border = Detention

Zorro with red border = Severe punishment

Cracked Mask = Expulsion/Death

 

Activities that are restricted by the faculty would have a "zorro" mask by them, showing that the player can be reprimanded if caught. When an activity is restricted during a specific time slot, the mask and time symbol would be boxed together, like so:

 

Nick Orso Orsi's breakfast [Yellow Mask + Rising Sun].

[Schwarzbart]

Is it posible to reduce Training Multiplicator in the Background?

If yes then how about such things:

Background

Mathematic Genius

Reduce training Multipl. for Properties of Arithmetic and Theory of Arithmetic

gives 2 ramdom Artihmetic SS

 

Somthing similiar for Danger Sense would be great also but right now I lacking a idea for this.

[CremePudding]

Nick a pumpkin pie from Sixt [Cracked Mask + Crescent Moon]

 

Attempt to Master Marlein Knoht [Green Mask]

 

 

Student Adventure Leopold Rassent 8 - perhaps if you are, erm, in good standing with the Light / Dark Fairies, you can call in some favors to have them talk to Leopold? Just a thought.

 

Student Adventure Prudence Cossins 07 - You might want to edit this:

There are even a few teachers in attendance

because if there's a few teachers still here and only Kate Badcrumble has left, it doesn't make sense that the teachers won't stop these rimbal players stirring up troubles. Perhaps it might be better if the only teacher present is Badcrumble herself?

Student Adventure Oriabel Sidot 06 - Regardless of zombies being Incantation puppets or Gate product, it seems Negation should be an option.

Student Adventure Oriabel Sidot 07 - Isn't Necromancy just Gates about ghosts? If so, seems a bit weird that the Imperial Palace has someone running around with Gates working for them...

[Legate of Mineta]

Odd. I posted a reply to this, but I guess it did not take!

 

Sabin: Great suggestion, and one other Academagians have made. I do not think we will be able to do something like this in Year 1, but for Year 2 we have some ideas that I believe you will like.

 

Schwarzbart: Yes, it is possible- I'll send that one to the Content Team.

 

CremePudding: Excellent thoughts, I will send them along!

[Mikka]

I just want to put in a voice in as liking the darkness of that one eeeeeevil book, as well as the scary item. The violence could use a cut, perhaps, but I think keeping the darkness is okay as long as with each step, the character is given a chance to back out (if with some bad consequences, the further and further they get in to it). I think getting involved in something that horrific should be a valid route for the character to take: the choice and option is good.

 

 

I think with a year and a half till Year 2, the status/congrats/yay you beat the game screen would be of pretty good use. Kinda. Just being argumentative there.

 

 

Also, if we get a Battlemace set, allow us to play with it against our familiars, like we can with the boardgame we can get by being friendly with Honors and kicking butt against P and J? Pleaseeee? We need more boost self and familiar stuff in game: anything that offers it is awesome.

[Legate of Mineta]

Mikka;

 

Yeah, I think it's just the violence we are toning down on that one.

 

I don't think you are being argumentative at all: it's a good idea. I'm just not sure we'll have the time for it in Year 1- well, to do it correctly.

 

I've appended your suggestion on Battlemace, thanks!

[Exfides]

Also, if we get a Battlemace set, allow us to play with it against our familiars, like we can with the boardgame we can get by being friendly with Honors and kicking butt against P and J? Pleaseeee? We need more boost self and familiar stuff in game: anything that offers it is awesome.

 

Preface: I am not an Intellectual Property or any other type of Lawyer, instead I'm an Electrical Engineer who happens to have an amateur interest and has done some personal research into these issues.

 

That's an interesting idea Mikka, but I would caution that how such a thing is implemented could be a tricky thing. As you probably know Battlemace was inspired by a real life tabletop fantasy tabletop strategy game, named Warhammer. Presently because of the vague descriptions, the fact that this is a story based game, and arguable parody status of the usage; Black Chicken is safe from any IP lawsuits. However, once you start implementing a Battlemace mini-game this could change, at least if they make it look and play TOO much like Warhammer it opens Black Chicken up to potentially being sued. I don't think the Devs are interested in implementing something detailed and complex enough to actually be an IP violation, but for a small company like Black Chicken the costs of an ultimately validated defense a much larger and wealthier company would be considerable and possibly ruinous. Also the grounds for filing a civil lawsuit is rather low compared to Criminal Law and initially up to the lawyers of Mythic Entertainment (the owners of Warhammer). Civil Law kind of sucks like that sometimes...

[Legate of Mineta]

Exfides;

 

Hey, an EE! Much respect.

 

I'm not sure that Schwarzbart/Mikka was asking for a mini-game, I took it to mean that they wanted an Item, in game, which had an Ability that could be used to 'play' other Students or your Familiar. We certainly couldn't implement a mini-game in Year 1.

 

Additionally, leaving aside the IP issues, implementing a fun to play but complex war game would be something well beyond Year 2, for sure.

 

Still- thanks for the caution. It's good to be careful about infringement.

[Exfides]

Exfides;

Still- thanks for the caution. It's good to be careful about infringement.

 

Quite, I'd much rather avoid the issue so Black Chicken's money can instead be spent on compensation for the great staff and the development of the next four games!

[Legate of Mineta]

Exfides;

 

Hey, hear! Hear!

[Schwarzbart]

Writing for such a smal side thing a extra mini game? No way!

Beside that I dont like how many games break with the usual game mechanics for mini games.

(I.e 1-2 month ago I quit a browser game because they thought it was fun to add more and more Action Mini games to a Turnbased game)

[MadHatt]

Would it be possible to stop having such a random Exotic Familiar? I spent two full days (it was a weekend) trying to get a specific familiar. Still didn't get it, but I was haunted by the fish and turtle. Maybe the game was trying to tell me something.

 

Possibly an adventure in which you discover your familiar and you can pick a path (for the fish or turtle, visit a pet shop, for the shade a dark forest, for the doll, the whole bullying thing (I loved that one), for the faux dragon a mountain and so on) or make some way base it more on skills or personality? Because I started an evil character once (picking both Family Heritage, Voices and so on) and I still got the fish. And while being an Evil Overlord with an ...evil fish rolling around in a bowl was interesting but ultimately not that scary. It actually makes Pamela a much better choice than most.

 

Another topic would be the skills...Lie, Deceit, Bluff and Acting couldn't fit under a single skill called Bluff? And Awareness, Observation and Perception under a single one and so forth. I'm sure this was mentioned before but there are a lot of skills that aren't used. And most could fit in one another. I'm sure there's nothing you could do in this game but for the future years, maybe?

[Mikka]

I keep thinking a way for the familiars would to be switch the truly 'exotic-exotic' ones (the ones people are after most) to two and listed. So Familiar: Strange Doll, Familiar: Faux Dragon, Familiar: Sprite, Familiar: Shade, and Familiar: Carnivorous Plant would all be choosable, but with the two points to keep them rare and strange.

 

Then Familiar: Exotic Animal could simply be the Fish and Muffler (those are the two then haunt me! XD- I don't think I've ever seen the Turtle) and Monkey and Turtle and Rabbit and so on. With only making five more of them 'choosable', I don't think it would make the listing too long...

 

Hm. Just a thought.

 

 

 

And yeah, for the Battlemace thing, I just meant a useable item. Though I imagine if they wanted to make a mini-game involving it, it would be awesome and not all that much like Warhammer in all, in truth it's more fun for me if it's not detailed, so each roleplay (poor Renate, she's been so ignored ;_; XD) I can come up with even weirder battlemace sets simply to amuse myself.

 

We really need a parady of Magic: the Gathering (and other TCG's)... I keep wanting to write one, but I wonder if making sets upon sets of cards would be feasible in the Victorian-sorta-setting. Maybe if it's something new that's just started in Mineta...

[Schwarzbart]

How about Cards that have real magical power and where imported from a other magic using culture?

(most of the Animal/Beast Summonings would be considerd Illegal gate magic ^^)