Sunday, October 6, 2019

Feature improvement release 1.133 now live!

Hey guys,

I've just released the newest TLS version.  The focus of this release is improving the randomized equipment feature, now that we know a bit more about its abilities and limitations.  I had to hack the game to make it more flexible than it was, but I think it was worth it!  Equipment should start giving the player more compelling choices even in the early game, while still progressing to better gear in the late game.

Also included are a couple hacks that are looking forward to the next big TLS feature: randomized dungeon layouts.  That will only come out once v1.140 is ready, and we are still about a month away from that, in my current estimate.  However, some groundwork is already being laid for code I'll need to make that work.

One final teaser before I just list the change log: once I finish randomized dungeon layouts, I intend to make an "Ancient Cave" style game mode where the player traverses through a long chain of random dungeons until they defeat a final boss!  The Lunarian Shuffle has always had a problem that it takes too long to complete in a single sitting, but a game mode like this could make a shorter, more streamer or racer friendly experience.

Enjoy!

[EDIT: This post originally indicated the Windows version only was released; since then the Android build has been added as well!]


Change log:
  • Implemented various improvements and bugfixes to the randomized equipment generation routine. In general, early game equipment should be more interesting, while still leaving room for mid and late game gear to be better as well.
  • Relatedly, added a patch, active when randomized equipment is on, that allows equipment more flexibility in what sorts of stat bonuses and penalties they give.
    • This does, unfortunately, require expanding the ROM.
  • Turning on debug / spoiler output will no longer disable specifying or identifying the RNG’s seed. Instead, turning on that output will change the results of randomization, such that someone can’t pretend to be playing blind when they did gain access to that information.
  • When Hard Mode is off, the randomizer will now check whether it thinks you have access to the Life spell for Valvalis and the end game, as well as whether it thinks you have a way to heal your characters in between battles for Rubicante and the end game, and will add Life and Cure2 potions to shops as necessary if not.
  • Added a patch by Aexoden that fixes the glitch that prevented characters from learning spells from different schools of magic in the same level up. This gives FuSoYa especially a little more flexibility in which levels his spells can be learned.
  • Added a patch to mitigate the 64-floor glitch. Now, if you go more than 64 floors deep, the game will forget the oldest non-overworld destination in the “return stack” but otherwise proceed normally.
    • TL;DR: Warp does what it’s supposed to, unless you cast it 63 times, then it leaves the dungeon, no matter what.