Another chapter has been added to the demo! There have also been a lot of other changes:
- The first chapter was too long. I split the first part off into its own prologue
- Chapter 3 was added, along with the final romantic interest
- Many awkward phrases and paragraphs were cut (feel free to report any more you see!)
- Chances to increase relationship with NPCs were added to earlier chapters
- Other word choice, typo, and technical fixes
Okay, that’s all I can think of for now. As always, I welcome any feedback you have.
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Hi everyone, here’s another update.
I just finished writing Chapter 9. I thought Chapter 8 was complex, but this one has five major branches depending on your previous choices, and romance opportunities for four different characters. There are a lot of variables to keep track of, but now the story is approaching the penultimate chapter (not including the epilogue). Soon, the player will have to decide once and for all what side they’re on and face the consequences.
In Chapter 9, Rio reveals a big secret, and the inquisitor makes her move against the matriarch. There’s war coming, and the player needs to decide how to prepare - they can try to find out more about slipflame and stumble upon ancient lore in the process, try to convince the inquisitor to abandon her plans, find more leverage against the mages, or try to help the people of Jubai.
Next, I’ll be working to get you all up to date. That means I’ll also be going over the demo and releasing another version, so if you have any feedback now is the time to tell me.
14 Likes
I’ve updated the demo. Here’s what changed:
- Fixed some typos and spelling errors
- Fixed some awkward phrasing
- Added a bonus chapter!
Chapter 4 isn’t as polished as the other ones, so feel free to give feedback. Okay, now I’m going to get back to work on Chapter 10!
5 Likes
Hi! I have an update! I just finished writing the 10th chapter, which means the final battle is here!
In Chapter 10, you have to make crucial decisions leading up to the final battle. The people began rioting in the night, and now the mages are preparing for battle to crush the rebellion. The hunters will of course take advantage of the situation to try to overthrow Archmage Nylund, but the rift between Matriarch Leto’s faction and Inquisitor Delgado is growing. You need to decide who to talk to in the precious little time before the real fighting starts. Which side will you join? Will you convince a dear friend to join you? Or try to steal one last kiss before you head to the front lines?
This chapter was almost 25,000 words. I keep trying to tell myself the next chapter will be less complex, but we’re at the end now and the final battle will be a great way to tie in all these threads. It’s probably obvious that I won’t be able to release before the end of the year, but the time has not been wasted. I have been working on this every day to give a satisfying amount of choices and meaningful consequences. Okay, next step is to test the game with the new chapter in it. Hopefully I’ll have more for you soon!
6 Likes
What on earth is the answer to the riddle during the test? No combination I try seems right?
I can’t remember the answers off the top of my head but I remember there were hints about the types of slipflame in the puzzle text.
Yeah, I kept thinking I had it, and kept failing. I’ll give it another try later, the problem is probably me.
I tested the code again just in case, and it’s working as intended. But it is a bit tricky.
1 Like
Aw. You didn’t have to do that, but thanks.
Hi! New demo update. I needed to balance the stats for the final battle, so that means more choices in the beginning chapters.
Changes:
- Added opportunities to adjust some stats, especially relationships
- Fixed phrasing to improve flow in some areas
- Small typos and other changes
- Nobody gave feedback on Chapter 4, so I took it out to save for the beta test
6 Likes
Is it okay to use Inspect Element on this? I don’t want to accidently mess up the game somehow. I’m asking cause this is in beta even if it’s a stupid question.
You will not mess anything up for me by using Inspect Element.
Okay. Just being careful. I kinda just wanted a little edge in stats. But I do want to ask. How many stats can we focus on for the Flames and Natural abilities? For example, for natural abilities, can I have a good amount of physical power and agility to pass skill checks? Or would that only work for Flames somehow?
@Whitelocke I noticed that it seems possible to get ranking paths like Inquisitor, Leader or others. What are all the ranking paths you can get and what are the differences between them like Inquisitor and Matriarchs?
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All stats, whether slipflame or physical abilities, are useful and there should be fairly even chances of gaining each stat. Rank is another stat that tracks your rank through the choices you makes. It can be used in situations where a high rank might solve a problem.
3 Likes
Hi everyone, I thought I’d give you all an update since the game is starting to get closer to finished. I’m about halfway through the climactic final battle chapter. If you’re wondering what is taking so long, it’s two things: First, I think it’s important to call attention to the game industry layoffs. I was writing for a studio full time until recently when thousands of developers lost their jobs all at once. This has taken a heavy toll on the artform which I think will have aftershocks for years to come. It’s a good time to evaluate ourselves and the reason we make art (and for who). (Edit: What this means for Magehunter is I’ve had to spend more time on finding work and less writing.)
The other reason is that this chapter has five different paths, including the most hidden path which I consider to be the “ideal” ending. It’s the path that fits my personality most, and I’ve been having a great time thinking of mechanics to give it the adventure vibe I want. I can’t say too much else about that one without spoilers. The other four paths are of course the default path where you do your best to be a great mage hunter, and then the other “good” path where you try to liberate the kingdom for the people. The other two are…let’s say alternative philosophies. The challenge here is to create fully developed world views for each branch with representative antagonists and advocates among your own mage hunting squad. There are some who think Inquisitor Delgado should take over the hunters and the kingdom, and others who think the status quo of mage rule is just fine. All of these characters need space to make their case (if you choose to talk to them about it), and you as the player need opportunities to react.
In Battlemage, I went with a relatively more linear approach. Choices affected the facts of the story, but the overall path led to a similar conclusion with two major endings. With Magehunter, I wanted to take on a more challenging structure to allow the player to choose their message. To borrow Warren Spector’s philosophy, games shouldn’t make statements, they should ask questions. At least, games with choices. I think the structure I’m using is called a “gauntlet.” There is a main path, but the story branches off before rejoining at certain points. Only that description is a little vague, because it doesn’t describe how large the branches off the main path are. Let’s just say that in Magehunter, there are several chapters where you can essentially play four or five different missions. Sometimes these are meant to develop a certain main character, other times to develop a possible philosophy the player can align with by the end. Sometimes they are just things I thought would be fun.
All of this variability makes the ending chapters especially complicated, because all stats, characters, and past choices must be accounted for.
Anyway, I thought I’d start getting more into the details of what’s happening as we get closer to this game finally being realized. I can’t promise it will be perfect, but it will be better than the last, and the next game I make will be even better. I hope you enjoy, and I hope all of us can keep making art that we love.
13 Likes
Hi! I have another update. Any day now, I will be on parental leave. I will be working less, but this project will actually become my main priority (after my new child, of course!). I am still working on the climax of the final battle, and carefully adding in more conditions to respond to player choices.
I want to do this right. To be honest, I try not to read reviews on public platforms, but I do see them from time to time when working on my portfolio. (I prefer to take feedback here, where you all are more aligned with my purpose.) That being said, I do agree with some of the negative Steam reviews on Battlemage. The ending felt a little rushed, and I wasn’t satisfied with the relationships. I’m trying to concentrate on those areas with Magehunter.
That’s about it. I just wanted to tell you all I’ll be on parental leave soon, and that I’m still working on the details of the ending to make it more responsive to the player. If you have any questions or would like to know more about something, let me know. I would be happy to share anything I can!
8 Likes
Congratulations on the upcoming parental leave - that’s incredibly exciting!
I always learn a huge amount from one project to the next (and each time go on to do new and varied things that make me look back and facepalm later). It’s humbling but I’m looking forward to seeing the greater focus on how the ending plays out and the relationships in Magehunter. I anticipate it being great!
1 Like
Thank you for your words of support! It’s always so valuable to learn from others’ experiences.
