Gameplay
Tests, tests, and then some more tests
We kicked May off with some heavy testing after adding the lobby screen and progress bar in April. Since the game is multiplayer, every backend change has to be scrutinized and tested under adverse network conditions like slow connection, heavy packet losses, and so on. The good news is that so far everything is solid. And what was not solid was fixed!
Incoming Damage
We finally added one of the most important QoL elements in combat, namely the incoming damage counter. It might seem like a no-brainer but until now something more important to add has always taken priority. Now we see how much damage heroes will get this turn, how much of it will be blocked and if the damage will be lethal. All this immensely helps with teamwork and coordination.
Card Upgrades
Another large feature we added in May is the card upgrade system. In Hellcard cards have rarities and upgrading them increases rarity. Every card has up to three other higher rarity cards it can be upgraded to. This system increases mobility within the deck since when taking a card you are not bound to it or its upgraded version ‘till death do you part. Instead, as the game unfolds, you can upgrade it into one that fits your bill.
Stun mechanic
After adding the Mark mechanic in April, the time has come for Stun. This is another new mechanic that was not present in the public prototype. Cards featuring this mechanic enable you to change the monster’s intent to “stunned”. That intent means that the monster won’t take any action this turn and in the next turn will return to the last intent. Be careful though - dealing damage to stunned monsters wakes them up!
All classes have cards with stun mechanics, but the Rogue excels in it. Obviously.
Monster Features
We consistently add to the list of implemented monster features. In May we added two.
The first one is triggered when the monster is killed and puts a card in the player’s hand. For example, killing a Goatman gives a healing card so sometimes it makes sense to leave Goatmen for later.
The second one adds Influence to the player. We talked in detail about the Influences system in the February update but to put it simply they are effects over time, basically. For example, killing Looney Ghost curses the player until the end of the turn decreasing damage dealt by 1.
Design
We have started working on the intro (of course there will be an intro!). Not to get into too much detail (this time) but the intro will focus on how drastically and quickly can our heroes' circumstances change when timeless evil forces decide to play with their paper world.
Battle GUI Changes
We have also been working on making the interface more readable both during combat and outside of it. As you can see below it became more packed with info and yet more clean at the same time.
Outfits
Last, but far from least, we are adding new outfits when time allows. Here is a sneak peek of the Archeress outfit for Rogue.
As always,
Stay safe in the paper dungeons!
Filip