Just played the last update, i have nothing but praises for you man, please keep cooking 
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Hi @Blak3r
Fight the power, mate! Tear down those tyrants!
Massive thanks for playing my game and for letting me know what you thought. I am so happy that you liked it. Comments like this really do spur me on and gift me the confidence to continue!
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Hey i played and have to askā¦will there be a cheat mode or menu, cause this game is amazing, and i want to obsolutly dominate people in this world
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Hi @Devdii,
Massive thanks for playing and letting me know what you think.
Okay- bear with me a bit. I am a firm believer of trying to cater to the preferred experiences of those who are likely to play my game- not to compromise the world and story, but to facilitate enjoyment.
I did not want to add cheats to this game as I use a combination of race, classes, skills and stats to pass choices- meaning that in most instances, all/most types of MC can succeed.
Races give you certain skills, although you can learn others. A few times, race alone influences outcomes- for example, to become a dwarven āsupremacistā in Brakka- you must be a dwarf (and have decided to grow a beard). Sometimes, goblins, no matter how charming, will rub certain folks up the wrong way due to the weight of history and their appearance.
Most often, class, skills and stats carve your path through the game. The main exception to this are magic-users- sometimes being of a magic class, therefore having dedicated your life to magic, means class alone will pass some checks.
EXAMPLE: A combat check might be passed if your MC is a Ruffknuckle (warrior) or has joined the Ash Marines (crawler class warrior) or has the Thug skill or Toughness over 50. Although in some instances, if fighting a fast foe, Toughness alone might not win the day.
Likewise, if our Ruffknuckle has the Tinkerer skill, they are likely to pass mechanical checks.
So, I have tried to give many ways for a player to play the game. The hardest section is probably the vehicle bounty hunts in New Yeirshee, but here I have given every player the option to be a gunner rather than a driver so they can see their way through.
But, many have asked for cheats. If I did this, it would only affect stats and not skills or class, as this might cause many bugs.
Okay- I am considering it. How about a non-binding poll!!! The results are advisory, but something I can consider.
Would you be in favour of having an optional cheat mode (affecting stat values only)?
- Yes, Iād like some optional cheats.
- No, I am too powerful for cheats!!!
0
voters
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I think the cheat menu should be balanced to not accidentaly break this game
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I donāt know because on one hand cheats are really nice and I could definitely see the use for them on the other hand youāve so far have done a really good job in making it not need them since you only need one stat (for the most part)ā¦ā¦.on the other other hand it would be nice to see some options so you know when the problem is stats or a skill
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Thanks for the comment mate. While a single character cannot cover all options, with the class/skill/stats system, you can have a character that covers more than one base. For example, a dwarven character might be able to cover combat and mechanical situations. A halfling can cover ācharmā and magic options, with the right build.
Eventually, I will add checkpoint saves to make it more convenient for a player to jump back and reload many points in the game. Perhaps, at some point, I could add more options for training new skills.
I am an avid cheater in the games I buy, I want to see it all and do it all or at least have a chance to see it all. Many games need multiple replays to see everything as some choices cordon off others- like here. I always headcanon it by just thinking- well my MC is simply that good. But I must always ensure that a non-cheat playthrough is the most rewarding.
Yes- if I ever did it, it would only affect the main numeric stats. It would not add skills. It would not alter hidden relationship values.
If I did it, I would introduce it after character creation, after you have picked your class at the start. It could be a dream sequence, a visit by the Crone of Fates (like in the orc game)- since she is bored and looking for a new ātoy of destiny.ā Or something. It would come with a warning and a recommendation that an initial playthrough should be without cheats.
To those who read these, what are the pros and cons of adding cheats, in your opinion?
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If I can pass every check because of cheats Iād probably not replay the game as much.
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Yes, good call, this is definitely an issue. Although, the routes through the game are often class dependent and choice dependent, rather than skill-check dependent, meaning two MCs with equal stats, through making different choices, could have a very different experience. This might help mitigate this problem a bitā¦
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Basically here is my line of thought, i play through the game fair and square, which i usually do with every game, i finish the game and think to myselfā¦āmanā¦what if i was litterally the god emperor of man kind himself?ā and so at that point, when a cheat mode of some kind is avaliable i usually make a overpowered character, i mean, thats my thing, i like doing that, now overall even if there is no cheat mode, this game is dope as hell, butā¦it would also be cool to be a filthy cheater 
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Haha! Well, cheating would be appropriate for our MC, being a streetwise thief/thug. Starting, they would be somewhere on the Chaotic Good-to-Neutral spectrum, happy to cheat to help their mates and gang, or just themselves, though not evil by any means. Although some paths do become more murkyā¦
Cheats do add a greater degree of freedom, and this is one of the reasons I like to use them in some games. They will be optional, but by including them, I am provoking players to use them.
Maybe when I get around to adding achievements (and if I add cheats), Iāll make one or a few achievements for a non-cheat playthrough if the player reaches the end.
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Yeah thats usually the way to go, thats what most games do so players are somewhat incentivized to play normally
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Like Basalisk, Snake Mage, Dark Magic, and Cold Pact Paths?
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You have deep Zthullan insight!!!
Yes, some of those you mentioned definitely get murky, some are more shades of grey. The Evagrey twins offer a murky path too. It is a cynical age indeed. I doubt any faction sees themselves as evil, merely pragmatic or they go out of their way to find justifications for evil deeds- except perhaps for the Scorned Elves whoāve wilfully subverted the values of their forest kin.
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Hey thank you for the new update. I only got the chance the to play the update now and i love it Iām glad I donāt need to restart from the start because my playthrough is already rebel.
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Hi Zen, thanks for continuing your journey, fearless rebel!
I am pleased with how the the three major Fort Ard revolution paths panned out, but the true test is what the players think! I hope they are different enough to warrant extra playthrough for when the game is eventually released. Also, for those who like the lore, playing different paths helps create a whole picture of the unfolding events- as I try not to lore dump excessively and introduce things only when needed. Iām chuffed you are enjoying it!
Some future updates will almost certainly, sadly, break old saves- this is one of the perils of WIPs, but I will provide advanced ātestingā starts to try and mitigate this.
Glory to the Revolution!
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First time seeing so many words for a WIP are you some kind of robot
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My last game was a large one too, the bestest greenest game ever, An Unexpectedly Green Journey, 1.5+ million words.
Although there are other games of similar length on Hosted Games, Lords of Infinity is 1.6 million. Fallen Hero Retribution is 1.45 million. Fields of Asphodel, the classic western masterpiece Tin Star and The Golden Rose clock in at well over 1 million.
I would hope, when the time comes, that my robot upgrades would give me the processing power to triple this at least!
To be honest, though, the word count matters little if no one enjoys the game. I donāt intend to write a long game, it just ends up that way. Originally, I planned for Green to be less than 500k. A Shriek of Ash and Fire was supposed to be one book, perhaps going over 1 million words. Now, it will be 2 books, and the first will end up being far longer than 1 million.
Iāve written about this before. I think more character-focused and introspective, rather than action and event-focused, IFs take more out of you per word. I once wrote an 80,000-word novel, which took me ages and was much more draining. By now, I have developed some disciplined habits, which sometimes falter, and I write with a (as I call it) fast-paced fighting fantasy style that allows me to go the distance much more easily.
Also, although my games do not attract the massive attention of some on here, I get consistent feedback and support from players, which does encourage me.
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I cannot believe it, you just released a million+ work, and you have another one close to a million again in under a year, is your keyboard still alive???, but seriously amazing work im looking forward to purchase this one as well
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Welcome to the Road Fleet, mate. I remember you from the green horde!!!
Some of my keyboard buttons are, actually, getting very faded!!! I dare not peek under the keys.
In truth, my pace has slowed a bit since An Unexpectedly Green Journey. However, I think I have learned, over the last 2 years or so, to compartmentalise my expectations. For a period, with Green, I forced myself to write 4-5k a day. This was not sustainable and caused a mental block and made me resent writing. Then I threw out wordcount expectations entirely. Now, I aim for half a scene, a full scene, maybe two scenes a day depending on their length and complexity. If I write at least 1k in a day, and then for whatever reason canāt do anymore, I never beat myself up. 1k is enough.
This attitude really helped through the last third of Green and this book. As I donāt feel pressure, I can relax and the wordcount remains high through enthusiasm and enjoyment- though of course this waivers with tiredness and sometimes life gets in the way.
One day I may try a project with a less epic scope, but I have a whole Krog Pile arc in mind to nip my need for epic stories in the bud. These āepicā stories just seem to run out of control regrading wordcounts, though it is not my intention. At the very least, a large wordcount draws people to the project which, as someone still relatively new to IF, is a big boon. Of course, loads of words does not equal a good game but I have been happy with the feedback from the Krog Pile Massive 
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