Sil-Q 1.5 beta, second release

[Quirk]

Release is at https://github.com/sil-quirk/sil-q/r.../v1.5.0-beta1b. The changes for this release are focused entirely on the new tileset. Thanks go out again to MicroChasm for the work on the tileset and Infinitum for providing valuable testing feedback.

Windows binaries are at https://github.com/sil-quirk/sil-q/r....5.0-beta2.zip.

Please download it and try it out.

[Wiwaxia]

Coming back to Sil after a bit of a break and happy to see there's new Sil-Q updates!

I'm trying my Elbereth-Delvings-Thresholds build again, and I've found a bugged interaction between _imprisonment and Song of Thresholds.
Using _imprisonment on a door warded with thresholds sometimes (not always) turns it into a grey "1" that is passable, cannot be closed like a door, and cannot be inspected/targeted with [l]ook.

Screenshots (I'm not sure how to add an html screenshot directly to a post, so I uploaded them with more detailed descriptions to the gallery):
screenshot 1
follow-up after using _imprisonment a couple more times

Also, I think I mentioned this a while back, but it would be nice to have the ascii colors of warded doors more intuitively show their strength. Maybe something like purple < blue < light blue; brighter = stronger makes visual sense (and matches the tiles), and bright blue is already associated with good things like slays and mithril. It might be a bit confusing for purple to go from strongest to weakest, and you lose the ability to have different colors for illuminated vs. non-illuminated warded doors, but I think it's worth it for visual clarity overall.



edit. Didn't get a screenshot of it, but did just confirm _imprisonment changing the color/strength of a warded door from green to blue, after a couple uses doing nothing

[Quirk]

Ah that's a very useful bug report, thanks. Will look into that.

[Wiwaxia]

I also noticed that _freedom disarms your own wards (haven't tested with song of freedom yet). Is this intentional/desired behavior? I could see an argument either way from both gameplay and flavor perspectives, but I thought I'd ask.

edit: song of freedom does not appear to disarm your own wards.

[Quirk]

I have a fix on the Linux build pushed now. I had a brief look at the ASCII colours, but the darker blue seems to me not strong enough to stand out well with the player close to it.

If you'd like to try different variations to see if you agree and come to your own conclusions, the file lib/edit/terrain.txt is fairly easy to edit - lines 75 to 86 contain the description of warded doors. The lines starting G: describe the graphics used in the form:
G:+:<colour>
where g and G are dark and light green, b and B dark and light blue, v violet and w white. Lines 22 to 26 give the rest of the colour options. Green is currently used as the traditional colour of Sil wards but I'm open to exploring the options.

I think it's best if the song and the staff are consistent - I'm changing the staff's behaviour to match the song in this regard.

[backwardsEric]

Inconsistent notes in the tutorial

In 1.5 beta, the tutorial note outside the forge says "Find the forge through this door and create a Ring of Frost." The first note in the next room towards the end of the tutorial says "The amulet you made grants an Ability called Keen Senses, linked to the Perception skill."

[Quirk]

In 1.5 beta, the tutorial note outside the forge says "Find the forge through this door and create a Ring of Frost." The first note in the next room towards the end of the tutorial says "The amulet you made grants an Ability called Keen Senses, linked to the Perception skill."

Good catch. Will correct.

[Svalbardcaretaker]

Some feedback on Trunk vs Stable:

Smithing:


- Smithing rework is well done. While I really liked the puzzle smith bootstrapping was, it was also too good. The artifact option of +smithing skill could maybe have stayed at higher price.

- Really like new glove+cloak enchant options.

- Really like new Mithril enchant options, even though they offer very very niche enchants.

- Ring of Secrets: I really like this one, though its probably a bit too good in giving the full Alchemy skill. You can forge one on 100ft forge and carry it the entire game. Its also pretty bad from UI standpoint, to ID you have swap it in+out. Still, makes me go for 10smith+jewelsmith more often than before.

- Opinion for both Trunk+Stable: Defender enchant is too cheap. +1EV costs more in other slots and weapon EV is unique in that you can double it with Parry.

- Opinion for both Trunk+Stable: Marchwarden enchant on bows is too cheap. Its very easy to get and for a mostly melee user none of the other options come even close in utility. My melee chars carry their 100ft forge Marchwarden bows to the ascent!

- Opinion for both Trunk+Stable: Smith ID abilities are an utter mess. Jewelsmith IDs only jewellry. Enchantments IDs jewellry AND enchants AND artifacts. Artifice... IDs nothing, not even artifacts. I'd love for this to be mildy consistent.

Other:

Inner Light with +2 to intensity seems very strong. With the rework light level just isn't a problem anymore as long as you have any lantern.

[Quirk]

Some feedback on Trunk vs Stable:

Smithing:


- Smithing rework is well done. While I really liked the puzzle smith bootstrapping was, it was also too good. The artifact option of +smithing skill could maybe have stayed at higher price.

- Really like new glove+cloak enchant options.

- Really like new Mithril enchant options, even though they offer very very niche enchants.

- Ring of Secrets: I really like this one, though its probably a bit too good in giving the full Alchemy skill. You can forge one on 100ft forge and carry it the entire game. Its also pretty bad from UI standpoint, to ID you have swap it in+out. Still, makes me go for 10smith+jewelsmith more often than before.

Great to hear you're enjoying the new smithing!

- Opinion for both Trunk+Stable: Defender enchant is too cheap. +1EV costs more in other slots and weapon EV is unique in that you can double it with Parry.

Primary weapons get advantaged a little bit because weaponsmith suffers in terms of slots. Armoursmith gets helm, boots, gloves, shield and armour; Jeweller gets two rings, amulet and light; Weaponsmith gets only weapon, bow and arrows. I did at one point consider moving shield to weaponsmithing but this suggestion seemed to be generally disliked.

- Opinion for both Trunk+Stable: Marchwarden enchant on bows is too cheap. Its very easy to get and for a mostly melee user none of the other options come even close in utility. My melee chars carry their 100ft forge Marchwarden bows to the ascent!

However, it's absolutely possible for bows to be a bit unbalanced, and it's a fine line I have to walk with them in terms of making them useful but not overpowered. I'll have a look at this.

- Opinion for both Trunk+Stable: Smith ID abilities are an utter mess. Jewelsmith IDs only jewellry. Enchantments IDs jewellry AND enchants AND artifacts. Artifice... IDs nothing, not even artifacts. I'd love for this to be mildy consistent.

This began with enchantment being the general identification skill for enchanted equipment, and then someone argued that it made no sense for jewellers not to be able to identify the things they were able to make. Artifice generally comes from one of the two paths. If you have a suggestion on how to regularise this, I'd be happy to listen.

Other:

Inner Light with +2 to intensity seems very strong. With the rework light level just isn't a problem anymore as long as you have any lantern.

This is good to hear, I've had some concerns that the rework might leave characters with too few resources against late-game darkening foes.

[Svalbardcaretaker]

Hey Quirk, thanks for your reply.

First a minor bug report: monsters with "exchange place" can displace themselves onto a warding glyph if the player is on said glyph. I remember this also being in Stable version.

The "weaponsmith is limited in slots" thing is a good reason to have it be a bit better than armoursmithing.

For the ID thing, I'd probably switch the ID abilities around. Artifice gives access to all, ench+jewellry just do theirs. Ench is good enough as it is, no need to also make it a very strong ID skill. Or at least give Artifice artifact ID. I have tried a couple chars that went Quick learner->artifice and not getting any ID ability from it sucks.

[DavidMedley]

My information may be out of date...

Enchantment doesn't have another ability as a prereq. But I don't think you can make anything with just the Enchantment ability. Being able to take Enchantment just for the ID seems like an interesting choice to me, though one I don't think I've ever taken.

ID realms can overlap, if Artifice is getting short shrift.

[tg122]

Cursed ring of cowardice doesn't seem to have any negative effects. It says it caused panic in combat but doesn't appear to be doing anything. Playing an Edain (Hador). Is this a bug or am I just missing something? BTW, just recently tried Sil-q for the first time and absolutely loving it!

[Svalbardcaretaker]

Fear is a Will based check. If you have enough Will, you just always pass the check, just like with potions/herbs that have detrimental effects.

[tg122]

Ok that makes sense. Thanks!

[Wiwaxia]

Minor edge-case suggestion, if and when Sil-Q gets another update. Currently, characters cannot detect or close open doors in the dark, nor does Delvings reveal open doors.

Granted, this is only ever relevant if a Thresholds build completely runs out of light, but such a build has a shot at surviving completely running out of light if they can close doors, so it would be nice to be able to (ask me how I know!).