That cleared up a few of the questions I posted on Steam and I think covered the basic rules pretty well. Any further questions will probably be related to the wording on class abilities.

@Game-Knight

2 ай бұрын

I’m glad that cleared things up. 👍

This looks really good. I can't wait to see how this pans out with art but i can tell you ill be backing when it goes up. great work. LETS GO

@Game-Knight

2 ай бұрын

Thank you so much! Let’s go, dude!

Hey! I’m sorry if I’m not up to date because I haven’t seen later play tests, but I have an idea for how poison works. What if instead of poison essentially being a separate health track, it instead reduces your maximum stamina? This way it’s like your body is getting weaker thematically, and even the low values of poison are impactful because you’re losing the ability to exert yourself and deal that extra damage. UX wise you can just use the green token on the stamina track and it pushes down from the top, making sure the blue stamina token never goes past it. You can then either add an antidote to remove poison, or build in some poison reduction in the potion card (on top of whatever health you gain from it). You may already have a different poison mechanic by now, but I think this would be a great update! Thanks for the videos, I’ve really enjoyed them so far

@Game-Knight

6 күн бұрын

That is a brilliant idea! I’m going to playtest with this and see how it impacts the game. The one thing I haven’t been fond of so far is the poison mechanic, but your idea would be a fantastic way to make it work. Thank you so much for the feedback and don’t be surprised if your idea ends up in the game! 🎲🗡🛡

Now that I've done several runs, these are the main problems that I'm seeing so far: 1. Class doesn't seem to be relevant. I'm usually getting to the second floor by the time I unlock the first ability, and --because of the next thing on the list-- Stamina is too precious of a resource for me to ever get to use most of the abilities. The only one I've really gotten to take advantage of is the Warrior's Fury. I've yet to access the third ability level for any class. 2. Because of the additive modifiers to enemies and the fact that damage rolls are weighted to the lowest result, I often find myself in situations where the enemies have enough toughness to completely negate any damage I can do unless I spend Stamina. This plus not getting many opportunities to regain Stamina lead to me running low rather quickly. I've had this happen several times to the point that I was completely out of Stamina and couldn't deal any damage even if I rolled a six. I noticed this issue being more pronounced when playing as the gnome, with it taking slightly longer to become apparent with the other races. 3. Currently the determining factor for the outcome of a run feels heavily skewed toward chance over choice, which doesn't feel great. The only time I've reached a boss so far was my very first game when I got lucky and found a unique weapon on the first floor. I know you don't want the game to be too easy, but right now all of my losses feel like they're just down to unlucky rolls. A couple ideas that might alleviate some of the above issues: 1. Allow players the option to spend a Step without moving to Rest and regain one Stamina. Maybe allow one Stamina per Step spent, but you can only Rest once per floor so you have to commit. This would make Oil more valuable (so far I really haven't had to worry about it) as well as give the player a chance to think, "maybe I should have rested," when they die with low Stamina. 2. As someone else suggested before, make the starting weapons part of the classes. This would make the Class choice feel more relevant from the start. Probably use the Common Loot weapons as starting weapons, and then maybe replace those Common Loot spots with resources like Oil, Food, and Gold. Overall I think there's some really solid concepts in the game as it is. It just needs some fine tuning and maybe some balancing, and there's still lots of design space to play around with. It's really impressive that you've managed to make such a small game feel so big.

@Game-Knight

2 ай бұрын

1. I agree to an extent. I think the class skills need some readjusting/changing. In my testing, the classes feel different but some skills are rarely used or not viable in their current state. That will most definitely change. Skills requiring stamina in order to be used may get tweaked or, more likely, affected by a change I’m going to implement. I’m going to buff each race by 1 strength. This will help with conserving stamina that would normally be spent to inflict extra damage, thus inhibiting or discouraging the player from using their skills that cost stamina. 2. I also ran into this problem a few times; a goblin on level 2 getting +2 toughness and being impossible to hit. The strength buff I’m implementing to all races helps a lot on this front. I’ve also changed one of the resolution cards from 1 toughness down to 0. There are now 5 resolution cards that give +1 toughness, down from 6. This may change again, but it seems much better so far. 3. The strength buff will allow for more player choice when it comes to deciding when to use stamina dependent skills. Choosing whether or not to push your luck; whether or not to spend stamina for additional damage; which path you take on a level; which shop items to purchase; are ways the player has a choice that will impact the game. The dice rolls and drawing cards are going to be inherently luck based, as you know of course, like in any other game. But I hear you and I want the game to feel like your decisions matter. I think the things mentioned do add that feeling to the game, but I will adjust things to make player decisions more impactful, as much as I’m able to. I echo your sentiment that the game is too hard currently. The buff to strength, decrease in toughness boosting resolution cards, and some other changes I’ll mention in an upcoming video will serve to make the game less difficult and actually possible to win. This goal of this beta is to iron out those numbers and balance things, so I’m not surprised I didn’t nail it right out of the gate. I really like the idea of allowing the player to rest. I will likely implement this. I fully intend to add starting weapons to the class cards. I will most likely rework some of the commons. I appreciate the feedback and constructive criticism! It’s exactly what I’m wanting. The game will keep getting better as the days go by! 🎲🗡🛡

Thanks for the clarifications Been wanting to play again, that is a good sign that it is a fun game! At 5:31, can you get the food before fighting the zombie? If you spawn the boss, does it get the extra cards (depending on dungeon level) for more stats?

@Game-Knight

2 ай бұрын

You resolve things in the order listed on the card. In the scenario you’re referencing, you have to fight the zombie first and then you get the food to replenish a spent stamina. Glad you’re enjoying it! As of now, the bosses do not get modifiers to their stats. This might change, or it may stay the same.

Awesome seeing you play through the rules, realized I was doing the resolution card order wrong; I was doing the events before doing the encounter! Definitely nice on the food gaining events to be able to burn some stamina for extra damage and get the food afterwards. And those darned steam vents wouldn't have hurt so bad (potentially), either. On the topic of the steam vents, I don't know of any other maluses/debuffs/misc. negatives other than the steam, and burn too, that aren't tracked on the player pegboard, but what do you think about having 3 of the mini d6s being a second color (red would be nice) to potentially use to differentiate? Granted, not a lot of effects like that to keep track of, but more options are nice right? Unless sourcing a second color of mini d6s would be cost-prohibitive for production, if you're wanting to go that route. More rules questions, yay! (Un)fortunately, the wife asked for help with groceries dinner in the middle of writing this comment, so my thoughts aren't quite where they're supposed to be, but: for equipped armor and taking damage, have you specified an order toughness absorbs damage? E.G., I'm a Lizardfolk with 1 innate toughness and I have a buckler. Goblin smacks me for 1 damage; is it a legal play to just late my innate soak it and save the buckler losing durability? IIRC in this video you say something about armor must soak damage instead of letting it go through, but it seemed more in context of HP damage. It works as a blanket rule well enough, but since I am using toughness to soak damage (just from a different source) and either I or someone else asked about multiple armor pieces and how it soaked different levels of damage, so distinct enough for my stupid/sleepy brain to ask for clarification. -The- Another question was, and I assume the answer is no since it wasn't brought up and I don't think I saw you do it either: No dual wielding rules correct? So, if you have your starter club and loot a dagger, you're choosing one to wield? If you consider splitting the race and class cards like one of the people said, I wouldn't say no to a class that gets dual wielding as a class ability. ;) Question for fighting the boss: When spawning the boss, do they get the boosts equal to dungeon floor like normal enemies? I skimmed through the Beta announcement video and couldn't find it, though I did so very fast and loose as I'm about to go to bed. I certainly hope not for my poor lizard's sake! Excited to see how I'll get crushed right before being able to get my last soul crystal.

@Game-Knight

2 ай бұрын

Great idea! I could include a red (burn), green (poison), and (insert color here for weakness) small d6 for those statuses. If your character has an innate 1 toughness, and take 1 damage, your innate toughness will soak the damage and your armor will not lose durability. If the damage you take is greater than your innate armor, you must choose armor pieces to soak the damage. You get to choose which piece will soak the damage. Here’s a scenario: You are a character with 1 innate toughness, equipped with a tunic [1 toughness] and a buckler [2 toughness]. -If you take 1 damage, your innate toughness is used and your armor loses no durability. -If you take 2 damage, your innate toughness soaks 1 damage, and you can choose to soak the other 1 damage on your tunic or your buckler and reduce its durability by 1. Obviously the tunic is the better choice here. -If you take 3 damage, your innate toughness soaks 1 damage, and you can choose to put the remaining 2 damage on your buckler and reduce its durability by 1, or 1 damage on your buckler and 1 on your tunic…which obviously isn’t a good idea. -If you take 4 damage, your innate toughness soaks 1 damage, your tunic soaks 1 damage, and your buckler soaks 2 damage. Both the tunic and buckler lose 1 durability. -if you take 5+ damage, your innate toughness soaks 1 damage, your tunic soaks 1 damage, your buckler soaks 2 damage, and the remainder is dealt to your hit points. Both the tunic and buckler lose 1 durability. Currently, there’s no dual wielding allowed. I need to update the loot cards to show how many hands are required to use each weapon, and which body part the armor pieces go on. I’m definitely planning to add unique starting gear to each race/class. Class skills are all subject to change and I might add a dual wield ability. I’m not sure how it would work exactly. Would the character get two attacks, combine damage, etc? These are things I’d need to contemplate. The bosses don’t get modifiers like normal enemies do. I may change this, but for now, you fight the bosses with their base stats…which are really high. I’ve been playing a lot and I can say for certain…the game is too difficult at the moment. I was actively tweaking things today. I’ve made a few necessary changes and I’m still tweaking things. I’m going to release an updated version soon and I’ll likely make a video explaining the changes and decision making process. Keep it coming, dude! Your feedback and questions are fantastic! 🎲🗡🛡

Awesome gameplay design. Very impressive. But it needs balancing. We need to die by attrition instead of unlucky draws and/or spike damage. Also I find the shop expensive and unrewarding. I hope you'll manage to iron it all out. I'm excited for this project.

@Game-Knight

Ай бұрын

Can you elaborate on the part about needing to die from attrition? Take iron helm or tin helm as an example. You typically die to unlucky enemy draws or rolls. It is cards and dice after all. The shop has new items in it. I suggest you playtest more. You likely have too small of a sample size and simply didn’t find enough gold. I’ve had plenty gold a lot of times. And I want you to need to make decisions about what to spend it on rather than go to the shop and be able to buy everything you want. I appreciate feedback though!

@Michael.Virtus

Ай бұрын

@@Game-Knight I don't like to "die to unlucky enemy draws or rolls" in Tin Helm and other games. I was hoping your game will be an evolution upon them. But if your idea is to emulate them completely (including their flaws) then it is your decision. Nothing I can do about it. I just gave my opinion. I will still play your game, as I still play Tin Helm, despite believing it can be much better and even more enjoyable. Unlucky draw of an enemy that can end your run in the very first encounter is a design that leaves much to be desired.

@Game-Knight

Ай бұрын

I’m in no way trying to exactly emulate Iron Helm or tin Helm. I only used those as examples. Dying to an unlucky roll isn’t a flaw, it’s an inherent property of rolling dice; it’s random. You do have to understand though, it’s dice and cards. Luck is inherently built into it. If you find a way around that, please let me know. Any card and dice game you play is going to have this “flaw”. It isn’t a video game or live sport where player skill is more impactful than luck. I’m with you, I’d love to be able to get around that, but again, drawing cards and rolling dice are luck based. Your decisions in the game will still impact the overall outcome, despite what you roll. You have the choice to push your luck, when to use abilities, when to spend stamina, etc. Making a game that uses cards and dice, and doesn’t have an element of luck that sometimes leads to losses, is basically impossible. Maybe chess is more the game for you? I appreciate your support and enthusiasm. If you have direct suggestions on game mechanics that you think would remedy the luck element, I’m all ears.

@Michael.Virtus

Ай бұрын

The answer is: Luck Mitigation. Otherwise the roll of a dice or the draw of a card becomes a flip of a coin if we win or lose. Push your luck is not the same. As we saw in this playthrough you pushed your luck to avoid a Spider + Ooze and drew a Demon that ended your run in the very first level of the dungeon. What can remedy that is what Jason is using in Tin Helm. A way to avoid fights. Like the Wedge for example. And other methods. Otherwise the Demon or the Ghost can end a run in the very beginning more often than players would endure. Maybe it's just me. I don't enjoy losing suddenly by a strictly luck based factor outside of my control. I am truly flabbergasted by the very prominent masochistic fetish among so many board-gamers where they love games to be relentlessly punishing and with a negative win ratio otherwise they accuse them of being too easy and boring. I am NOT saying that I see anything like that in yourself here. Just an overall observation on the board-game community I have for awhile. For me the enjoyment is not coming from the challenge and the hard earned win (after countless failures), but from the consistent winning and mostly the gameplay itself - the experience throughout each run enjoying the game mechanics. Losing from a random bad roll/draw is not my type of fun experience. I think it's better to die eventually by slowly grinding into the dungeon losing resources (health, energy. etc.), not suddenly and unexpectedly by a unlucky roll/draw. That's what I meant with attrition in my initial comment. More consistency. Less chance.

@Game-Knight

Ай бұрын

Thank you for going into detail about your opinions. I totally understand where you’re coming from and I’ll contemplate how to remedy the points you brought up. The one I agree with the most is about losing instantly to a Demon by sheer luck. I’ll figure out a way to potentially avoid combats. I can think of a couple things off the top of my head - Stamina can be spent to avoid combats, which gives the players more decisions about whether or not it’s worth using a limited resource; an item could be used/discarded to avoid a combat; Items or gold can be given as a bribe to avoid combat, etc. As far as your sentiments on people being masochistic when it comes to difficulty in games, I think it’s just a matter of preference. I tend to be more toward that side of it. I much prefer games that are very difficult and feel rewarding to win because it’s a challenge. If a game is too easy, it bores me very quickly and wins feel cheap. I like a balance of both difficulty and the ability to mitigate that difficulty by learning the game and getting better the more you play. I think that will be doable in Crypt Crawler. If you want to learn the map layouts on one side of a card and then memorize the outcomes on the other side of the card, the player can do that if they want to. It wouldn’t stop you from running into a bad card when pushing your luck, but that is literally why it’s called pushing your luck. It’s a random element. I want the game to have a mix of both and it does. But again, I agree that dying on level one to a demon sucks. I want it to be a very rare occurrence, and it is. You just happened to see it in this video. As mentioned in my previous comment, it's better to make judgments about balance based on a larger sample size than a single playthrough. Having said that, I’ll add a way around it so that there will be times that you can make a decision to avoid it. I can’t please everyone. At the end of the day, I have to enjoy what I’m creating and enjoy playing it. No matter what I do with the game, someone will want this or that to be different and no one will ever agree on every aspect of it. All I can do is take the feedback and decide if I want to implement it. Thank you for your interest and input, dude. It’s much appreciated and I know you just want the game to be as good as it can be. Thank you 🙏

link for the mod?

@Game-Knight

2 ай бұрын

Tabletop Simulator link: steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3219576704

@darcksage1

2 ай бұрын

@@Game-Knight I mean the link is nice, but still can't find it on the workshop so can't play it. Probably because the account is set to private and so is the workshop items.

@Game-Knight

2 ай бұрын

@@darcksage1 I provided the direct link to the workshop file. It’s definitely there. Everyone else who has played has used that exact same link I shared with you. The game is not set to private. It’s set to unlisted so only people with the link, which I shared with you, can play the game. If there’s anything I can do to help you get it sorted, let me know.