Question ... so we can basically make cool visual effects for spells, but how about managing their in-game mechanic effects? How do we edit what the spells do as well as what they look like?

I agree it would be ok for the spells to cost essence if ...

(i) FLARE
the area of view was permanent. E.g. you would always be able to see the area revealed.

(ii) SUBLIME HARVEST
the food bonus was permanent.

... would that not make more sense?

A few Questions:

1. Can we upload our own images into the spell editor? Jpg/Png formats should be idea, PNG24 I highly recommended because it's sizable and has lots of flexibility.

2. Can we upload our own sound files into the spell editor? 

3. Can we incorperate 3D objects in the spell editor? Such as a model of Death, or a pair of Wings we can spread and have flap for a short duration?

4. Can spells effect structures? Such as create 3D objects on the field? Such as rocks, trees, mountains, towers, buildings, ect.

5. Can spells generate creatures? Summon large, magical beasts of your own creation.

6. Can we use spells to duplicate creatures, and perhaps allow for a time limit?

Example:

• Doppleganger's Essense  
• Use: Caster can transform into target creature or person. Caster's faction will match target's while transformed.
• Duration: Effect will last for 4 turns. 

 

 

Oooooooh, pretty.......

In any event, I want as many editors as possible, and I think that essence cost for permanent spells is a great idea.

I very much agree with this point. The essence-mana mechanics could be the most important distinguishing feature for Elemental, and it just seems wrong to be able to throw essence away on something as momentary as a pile of rations or a one-time scan of a territory. Mana is what a channeler can channel; essence is part of what a channeler *is*. Or so I hope.

p.s. I wanna see the beta in 3 weeks, but I don't want to see too much crunch time help spawn a round of summer colds in dev-land. Make sure y'all get enough rest after that Demigod kerfuffle.

Going back to basic beta0 stuff, is it still the intention to only have the cloth map in beta0 to play on?

Yes, and Flare would be a perminent thing (unless someone uses magic to snuff it out)...Sublime harvest certainly could just cost Life and Earth Mana (which is fairly rare). These values can be tweaked, but from a gameplay mechanic, Essence lets us give the player cool options without allowing too much cheese.

Correct, we want the game to be as playable as possible at this view and will encourage people to play 'Cloth Map Only' even in the later betas.

Yay, the first clear sign that we'll have some countermagic!

Less of a "yay." So far I have a strong impression that you intend to make essence a very limited resource, which is an idea I like very much. I just hope that any 'anti-cheese' uses of essence will maintain the general feeling that mana is a staple commodity while essence is very precious. To continue with the food-related slang, I hope not to see essence-using spells that are too 'gamy.' Until your OP today, I had imagined only very big spells using essence, e.g. major item creation and world-wrecking. The snack-for-a-piece-of-my-soul thing was a startling bump.

Quibbles aside, the 'flare' spell (name is off for a permanent spell, IMO) is yet another teaser for those of us who really, really want a detailed dev journal on the essence mechanics, and in particular the business of imbuing essence in territory. Is the 'flare' spell an indicator that channelers have no connection to land after they restore it, or is it a way to spend a much smaller share of essence to gain knowledge (and perhaps make a basic investment that you'd need to complete if you conquered the territory in question)?

 

Man, I cannot wait for this game. I just wish I had the money to preorder it so I could do the beta. And to the Demigod team, you guys deserve whatever break you guys get.

Keep the updates coming...  I'm ready for Beta 0!

Beta...  thank goodness I'm very busy with work until June.  Keep me distracted! 

Sweet... finally updates are going to flood on in again... Can't wait to beta test!

I wouldn't worry too much about the essence costs right now, guys. It's pretty early, all of this can change in testing.

oh knows!   its been up for hours and I'm late.    

 

I'm excited.   About how many spells can we expect in the beta?

Awesome update! If those tools are not too hard to use I think the sooner you get them into fans hands the better! I mean Spore had what? 5 million creatures created by fans before release?

Or maybe that is what you are trying to avoid?

It seems like creating a spell effect is going to be a lot more involved than making a creature in Spore, though. Maybe when you are ready you could have a fan contest and include the top x# in the released game - that would be cool. Not that I want to put your artists out of work, just in another post you were saying their hands would fall off if they made a lot of new resources for dungeons.....so let the fans take this "burden" off their shoulders!

Very, very exciting news this update. BTW, if you are having a "countdown" don't there need to be numbers associated? and of course you would want to start with the top number on decriment, otherwise it would be a "count UP"   

Looking very nice.

Will it be possible to incorporate some randomness into spells? e.g. Could a pyrostorm-like spell sometimes drop 10 fireballs, sometimes 9, sometimes drop them all at once, sometimes in clusters, etc? Or will it always be the same effect for the same spell?

And beta "for June"? I'm going to assume you don't mean June 1st.