Ironheart - Discussion Thread

I don’t think it takes to long, cause the chapters aren’t super lengthy. How many chapters is the whole thing gonna be?

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Following the outline, it should be 10, but I’m already thinking I might need to break the final one in two so the resolution isn’t too rushed.

The pacing is definitely a bit slow if we’re a third of the way through a mecha game and haven’t gotten into our own archon yet.

We need to be able to pilot in combat by the end of the free trial (and preferably have the cliffhanger question in such a battle) - so in Chapter 4 at the very latest, we need to make our $1,000,000 answer on which side we’re on, start meeting the Muslim ROs, and get behind the pedals of our own archon/malak. (The fief, IMO, can wait a chapter or 2 if Ch. 4 is too crowded.) This is particularly true because you’re likely to have to start splitting chapters soon.

As an aside, your writing is awesome and the game is compelling. Can’t wait for the next chapters.

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If you feel it helps the pacing go for it. Split some chapters up if it becomes to rushed. Also is the chapter you just released not the full one, it’s only part of it?

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@Ramidel That was exactly my inclination and my worry too. I think I can bring forward some of the Muslim ROs without crowding things too much and I should also be able find an excuse for an early archon fight (in fact, a training exercise would be useful anyway). I’m going to stew on it for a bit and then try a rejig. Thanks again!

@No_This_Is_Patrick No, that is the full Chapter 3. In fact, in the original outline chapters 2 & 3 were all one chapter but I split them because the feast scene took longer than planned (a lot of background info to be conveyed there and I didn’t want to just dump it on the reader).

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Pardon my confusion but I was under the impression that Chapter 4 was available now but I just got to the end of the current demo which was at the end of Chapter 3.

If it wasn’t released yet then my apologies.

As for the pacing, I felt like it was okay so far from what I’ve read. The character interactions were also very interesting to read but perhaps add a Muslim character somewhere so we’ll experience both Christianity and Muslim in the demo.

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So when can we officially begin dating Ygraine? Also Viviennes daughter, lol sorry Viv.

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Don’t worry - any confusion is my fault entirely! I’ve started with a prologue, so the teaser includes this and Chapters 1, 2 and 3. I’ve been referring to them as four chapters just to muddy the waters…

I’ll definitely bring a couple of the Muslim characters forwards into Chapter 2. I can see a clear way to do that now and wonder why I didn’t think of it before!

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Both of them in the next chapter, Ygraine at the start and Sana a little later. With Sana, things progress slower because you’ll need to earn her trust.

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I think I may have a suggestion.

Seeing how this is set during the Crusade and there is a option to give our loyalty to the Christians or the Muslims or strike out on our own looking for the crew, I was thinking during the escaping from the fire scene, you could add in a option to follow the Christians or the Muslims or try finding a route yourself?

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How would becoming a knight work next chapter? I’m guessing once we begin dating Ygraine early next chapter she’s gonna ask us about becoming a knight and they’ll be a test? Also will Sana be weirded out if we dated her mother or had a crush on her?

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That has merit, but it would also lead to split chapters much earlier (meaning more wordcount and brain effort). May not be worth it.

EDIT: In retrospect, I’d like there to be more interaction with both Guillame and his people and a few representatives of the Caliphate within the framework of the existing chapter, allowing you to see a little more of both sides before you make your choice. Right now, if you decide to spy for the Caliphate, you’re picking your side effectively blind.

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@MichaelCrank @Ramidel I think the issue of picking a side before you really know both is a crucial one. Chapter 1 is actually fairly light on wordcount compared to many later ones and I think there’s still ample room to flesh it out with more encounters along the lines you’ve both suggested. I’ll make it a priority.

@No_This_Is_Patrick I don’t want to say too much just yet about how you become a knight/emir because it’s kind of a big plot point… Sana is a very intense sort of person and not easily weirded out by anything!

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Ok I’m just gonna say that I really am looking forward to play this game.
One question though… for the names and their implications in the story. If I choose an Arabic name, shouldn’t revealing say “Lieutenant Ahmad” lead crusaders to assume ties to the Caliphate and not Franks?

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Hmmm, good point. It will impossible to change their reactions according to the name used since the player can also input their own name. I think the best solution will be simply to remove the name from the sentence and have you say “I’m a crew member of the research ship Clemens” or similar. Then they’ll just always assume you’re with the Franks since you speak French.

Thanks!

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You changed the stats? ;(

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I think just the way they display so now they’re numeric rather than text only. My eventual plan is to put in an option for the player to choose how they’d like them displayed. Did you prefer the way it was before?

Yea :stuck_out_tongue: but it’s your choice.

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I think that we are used to a numeric value since the vast majority of games use that format. Also, “very athletic” is subjective so I think that to appeal to the larger audience, making stats display numerically is safer, but if you do not mind the extra work (it seems like you already have done it however), adding the option for descriptors instead would be cool. Ooo! Or add them under the numbers. Example: Mechanic: 50% “Very good mechanic” or however.

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Oh Tonzo! I will kiss your heavily garlic scented lips! Lol

I love your writing a lot, it is superb and the characterization and dialogues are just perfect! I’m hyped for its release just with these starting chapters!

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