sierralee
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February 2 Update
🕑 Added 2025-02-02 18:00:07 +0000 UTCOkay, first the substantive post, then miscellaneous TLS info including an announcement!
I want to highlight something I've put a ton of effort into: overhauling the attack animations for TLS. This is a piece of the game that has often gotten lost in development - bosses will have attacks with unique formulas and effects, but they just use the default attack animation.
Well, not anymore. I've been chipping away at this ever since the previous update, slowly reviewing every single attack and animation in the game, replacing everything that is using a generic. To try to convey the magnitude of the work...
Base VX Ace comes with 110 animations. The majority of development of the game only brought this up to about 150. I really tried my best to make the final battle and optional dungeon special, bringing the total up to 225 animations. But now, after a lot of tedious work, I have increased it all the way to 356!
On top of that I added 12 new skills that aren't actually mechanically different, they just stand in for the base attack: soldiers use a sword slash, monsters use claws or bites, etc. I did not keep track of how many enemies got their attack animations changed, but it was a lot. >_<
These don't change the balance in any way, they just change up the animations. Though along the way, I noticed a couple errors that will have a mechanical effect. There's seriously a boss whose attacks haven't worked properly since near the very beginning of the game!
It isn't an exaggeration to say I've made thousands of changes to the database. The effect of the above numbers is magnified as well: I made one "orc sword" animation, but it gets used by dozens of orc enemies throughout the entire game.
That applies to the orc allies and party members, by the way. In the past they all used the default animation, because that was the "enemy attack" animation, but that's no longer the case. So Orcent and company now get special animations, either unique or animation types that are normally used only by enemy battlers. I don't know if anyone would ever notice this, but I care!
Of all the things I've put effort into, I think this is one of the more dubious, honestly. New people coming to the game are unlikely to notice, or if they do, they'll assume these are all default RPG Maker animations. Most of the hardcore players of TLS will have animations off no matter how much effort I put them. So while I'm not sure I can justify these changes as good for promotion or "for the fans"... I don't know, I hope the game is better for it.
I considered not mentioning this and seeing if anyone ever noticed, but I decided that was a pointless test. I actually do want people to pay attention, because all this new work probably requires more polishing.
So if you play with animations on... do any of them look wonky or need tweaking? Are there any big attacks that I missed or could use more dramatic animations? I'm mostly concerned that some of the new animations need unified tags (so they don't repeat with each party member) or that I chose long animations for attacks that are frequently used. Thankfully, now that I've made all these changes to the database, future tweaks will automatically propagate across all instances.
Been working on this for a long time, but it's finally done. Barring changes or additions, but hopefully by then I will have recovered enough to open the animations tab again.
Intro: I neglected to mention it amid everything else, but one other thing that got completed recently was more improvements to the intro! Huge thanks to Decarabia for helping me with a set of world maps that will make the initial text about the Incubus Emperor's invasion more than a wall of text. Just another tweak trying to improve initial presentation. ^-^
DStP: I got a fully functional build from the programmer! This is a huge step in terms of balancing the entire game, so it gives me something to do when I'm waiting or don't have writing energy. This will hopefully keep moving forward.
TLS 0.78.0 Release Date: Valve approved the trading cards and other stuff with only one round of rejections! We can't have a Qum trading card, but otherwise they weren't too restrictive. Now that I finally have approval, there's nothing stopping me from doing a release this coming Friday.
Comments
Triforcealt255
I usually have animations on when fighting bosses blind, as it can be quite hard to see which attack does what otherwise. Also, RIP Qum trading cards
Alistair
While it is true I usually have animations off, hearing that there are all new animations makes me want to turn on the animations for my full replay of the game when the next update drops.
Dubsington
Some maps in the early intro is a solid idea. On my first PT I admit I had *no* idea I was in for a Serious Gaming Experience and paid about as much attention to the intro loredump as.... well, as much as a porn game usually merits. Having something visual would make it much easier to remember, which then gives me a mental peg to hang information on as we progress and that *will* improve the experience for many first-timers. You're 100% right that the most serious TLS players have animations turned off, or at least will after they've been playing it for a while. That doesn't really figure into the cost:benefit ratio though, since "people who are already invested in TLS" are not the demographic you're looking to expand in. I think it's a good call because it's a bit of spackle that covers what is otherwise a notable hole in the polished shell of the game's UI. Intentionally or not, over the years you've made your antipathy to use of RPGM UI defaults (and lazy game development in general) quite clear, so I can only assume this also removed an annoying midge that has been buzzing around you since forever, and that alone makes it worthwhile. Having a dev love their own game is a pearl beyond price in this genre.
Waffles
As someone who plays with animations on all the time (except for the timed segments like the succubus hunt) updates to the visuals are always appreciated. So thanks 👍
Jeffrey Lebowski
In all my playthrough's of the game, I only turn off animations during the Succubus Hunt, so I am looking forward to this!
Sierra Lee
Then I will appreciate your notes if you have any after playing! I did my best to make everything appropriate and trim frames, but with so much work things could easily have slipped through.
Sierra Lee
Well, I don't know if I've overcome that completely, but I used non-RTP animations for all the base attacks, so hopefully those will feel much more diverse.
Lamsey
I only turn animations off for timed sections like the Succubus Hunt, so I'm happy to see these changes. I find it easier to keep track of what's happening, attack effectiveness, etc, and having more unique and appropriate animations will help with that.
guillaume nguyen
Lol, you could have left him broken, with the in-game reason that it's a divine punishment for his actions XDXDXD
Arramos
I think that going through the effort of updating enemy attack animations was a good move. The single animation used by the vast majority of enemies can make combat feel very same-y, and anything that can help separate a game from the "all RPGM combat is the same" stereotype is worth pursuing.
JD
I never turn off animations, and I haven't actually touched the game in some time, so I know I will appreciate the little improvements like new animations when I start a new game.
Sierra Lee
The Knight you battle before recruiting Orcent! He has special abilities that he wasn't capable of using.
Sierra Lee
Really hard to say when to do your full replay, because I'll keep adding more stuff until the 1.0.0 release! All the core additions/revisions should be added by then, but I'm trying to make each release stable meanwhile for those who don't want to wait.
WaxerRed
I always keep animations on, so I’m excited to see all these new changes! Out of curiosity, which early game boss wasn’t working correctly?
DankPotatoes
Cool! I'm probably nearly as "hardcore" of a player as it gets for this game, and I have actually never turned off the animations. So I won't just notice, It will greatly impact my battles! Honestly, I can't wait for 0.78 or 1.00. I have been holding off on a full replay since the Final Battle update, and there is so much cool stuff that I've never gotten a thorough experience of, spread through the entire game now.
AchtungNight
I play with animations off mostly but when I’ve had them on I have been impressed. Someone make a Qum trading card mod stat! Such an important character deserves one, never mind her issues. Maybe she can at least be in a group shot for the Harem’s mass card- with other people covering her body of course. Peeking over Hilstarra’s shoulder or something?
guillaume nguyen
Or like me, those who are both masters of the wiki and users of animations due to their OCD XDXDXD
guillaume nguyen
No worries, Annikath is already clutching, no need for a burnout.
Sierra Lee
Good question, but I don't know. Given how booked Annikath is in the short term, adding art there will have to wait.
Decarabia
Let's gooooo! Think about it this way: for every hardcore optimized fan that will always have the animations off, there are tons of nonvocal casuals who will always have the animations on, and will surely appreciate it!!
Lord Forte
For whatever it's worth, I think this is one place that there isn't much assumption of using default assets when you don't/a good way to combat that assumption. TLS did use mostly base animations, and they're one of the most commonly seen visual elements of the game, after all. So, I personally see it as a most worthwhile endeavor. I could be wrong here, of course, don't have hard data, but it's somewhere I've focused a decent amount of attention in Noblesse and I haven't had too many people thinking I'm using generic assets (some degree is unavoidable, of course, but. it has been fairly peripheral).
guillaume nguyen
Since the intro have now maps to escape the 'wall of text', will the outro have something too ? Like (God forbid) Antarion posing ? With a different drawing style from the Chosen maybe ?
