A big playtest of the opening level turned into a big round of work. Here is what came out of it.
New enemies
- Snow Harpies circle, swoop, breathe frost and sing you to sleep, then try to carry you off. Hit one hard enough and it drops out of the sky.
- Hobgoblins are their own enemy now, tougher and better armoured, instead of oversized goblins.
- The Chimera is built the way the original builds it: a lion, a goat head and a snake tail, each with its own health. The goat casts, the snake bites and spits poison, and the tail can be cut off.
The Strider, and a fuller party
The second vocation is in: daggers with their own combos and a bow with an over the shoulder aim, arrows that drop over distance, and the first set of skills. Two more pawns join the party during the opening, and Quince fights at range with her bow.
Pawns that feel alive
Pawns now talk out loud, wander and stretch when you stand still for a while, come over and slap you on the back when you run out of stamina, drink a curative when they are hurt and light their lanterns at night. They also stopped sprinting themselves into exhaustion while following you.
A command wheel
Holding a key opens a radial wheel and slows time down while you choose: Attack, Go There, Help, Come, Wait Here, plus Stealth and Talk toggles.
Menus
A Skills screen lets you change vocation and set three primary and three secondary weapon skills. The minimap now shows the real map of the area, and you can switch between party members on the Status, Equipment and Items screens.
Next is another long playtest of the whole opening with all of this in.
