Slowly wrapping it all up again…

Hi everyone!

Another development cycle is complete and I am now approaching the point where “Daily Chthonicle: Editor’s Edition” spins off from the integral release.

I will write about that and the steam release some more in the future. In the meantime, there are some new features that I added to the game, but are not entirely complete yet, so I released them in a separate package.

This package also offers something new, it is a special, “skirmish” release. The skirmish mode allows the player to concentrate on a quicker, shorter, more encounter-oriented game. For example, in skirmish mode, you start with some cash in your pocket (currently $25000) and in order to complete the game, you only have to print one special edition (but you may play till the end as well if you so decide).

To make things generally more unpleasant but interesting, the skirmish mode however also comes bundled up with an appropriate scenario of terror and apocalypse. In this instance, I am testing the concept out with mr Cthulhu himself :)

As things stand, this version is incomplete, but the ancient divinty is there, can be (hypothetically and well at least on easier levels, already confirmed) banished, and comes equipped with a bunch of negative global effects for the player (1 on easy, 2 on medium, 3 on hard) that make it even harder (and more… realistic, I suppose?).

But!

Those negative effects may now be negated to work for you instead! Depending on the type of effect, a side quest will appear in one of the districts. For example, the occultist society might aid you in a ritual against Cthulhu when magic is involved, or in downtown your dealer will drop the insanely high prices (due to Cthulhu’s terror) if you investigate a kidnapping or strange nightmares in his neighborhood (as it happens those would be downtown or docks). If you succeed, the effect will become its negative and aid your reporters instead (spells previously drained by two points will now gain two points, etc).

To solve a quest, a series of tasks have to be performed at the location of the quest. Some quests only involve one tasks, some two or more. Each task has to be completed in one go, ie the reporter returning to office will restart the task. When all tasks are complete the quest is considered complete and the occultists will perform the ritual or the dealer will drop the prices.

I think this makes things a lot more interesting and fun to play. There is an alternative sometimes in the form of a special event on some location (green text on black card, similar to funerals, parties etc). Solving that event will simply cancel out all negative effects, but offer no positive effects in their place. However defeating Cthulhu without those positive effects might turn out even more challenging!

Anyway… before concluding this post, a few more words considering the skirmish release itself. I originally made it so that I could easier test combat and quests, but then I figured out it was a sort of fun in itself, even if it goes somewhat against the spirit of the game ^.^ So I decided to release it as a showcase for the quests and campaign mode, and I will also be using it as a starting point for Editor’s Edition. With the addition of quests, I also cleared out my “non-essential but crucial features” list of gameplay elements, and will now be focusing almost solely on the framework (save game etc), polish, interface, ergonomy and additional content.

Cheers!

Oh, and for anyone who hasn’t noticed yet, Daily Chthonicle is now trying to be greenlit on Steam so… yeah! XD