Post by hynreck on Oct 5, 2015 16:11:23 GMT
I've edited the original post to leave out most unrelated stuff... You'll be able to tell by how abrupt things start out, but it's better that way, I believe.
Here goes:
...Speaking of which, I've handed Mikaël the edited text for book 4, Overlord! This one's really neat for the challenges of the city, but the original also has a number of continuity errors. You'll see below that I repurposed sections to correct those. Also, there's one content change . . .
If you haven't played the books, you might not want to read this next section
We on the team have been talking about Kwon's Flail (including the original authors). Book 1 lets you learn this special kick: you basically choose between a "punch route" (bypass Mortavalon, get the Gauntlet of Striking) and a "kick route" (go through Mortavalon, then go learn Kwon's Flail) where your choice determines what +1 Modifier you earn. But Kwon's Flail is valuable beyond just a +1 Kick Modifier, and can't be learned anywhere else, so the "kick route" is measurably the best. And as with any game, once "the best route" is known, many players feel there's no longer a point to the other routes and the choice isn't as fun anymore.
So we've added a scene to book 4 where you may also learn Kwon's Flail. If you choose Parsifal, the High Grandmaster of the Temple to Kwon, to be in Star Chamber, then he teaches you. The martial arts tradition of this local temple is known not to be strong, though, so you only learn the principle of the kick and don't get a +1 Kick Modifier.
Obviously, there are important scenes for Kwon's Flail in books 1 through 3, so many players won't change how they play just because of our addition. Still, we believe it improves the routes.
Follow this: if you choose the +1 Punch Modifier in book 1, you get shuttled to Fiendil to pick up the Enchanted Shuriken. Our edits to book 3 allow you to use the Enchanted Shuriken interchangeably with book 3's Silver Shuriken. In fact, if you have both of them, you can kill the Werewolf with no risk of being bitten. You only face the Werewolf if Golspiel betrays you. If Golspiel betrays you, you can imprison him in book 4 to solve the city's financial woes. With no threat of going bankrupt, you are more free to choose whatever members you want in Star Chamber. Like Parsifal.
Ta daaa!
(and here we move forward to the main course)
CHANGELOG
General gameplay
As with other books, tidied various combat mechanics, clarified shuriken use, nudged Endurance restoration, glossed over needless record-keeping about gold, and so on.
Added the Blood of Nil to the opening material. The original books 2 and 3 stated that you had already used the Blood of Nil, while books 4 and later quietly spoke as though you had it replaced somehow. Now we explain that you acquire more from the strange loot and otherworldly personal effects left behind by the Usurper.
Style
As with other books, standardized the capitalization, spelling, and phrasing.
Flowchart errors and crashes
135. Added the option to go to 115 if you have the Lord High Steward or Foxglove, just like all similar sections of Golspiel's trial (85 or 105).
324. Corrected to send you to 338 instead of 354. (You may no longer bypass the fight by a combination of a throw and a punch. Usually, the ability to bypass a fight comes with some narrative explanation, but this lacks any explanation and can be presumed to be an error.)
Text problems from taking an unexpected route
55, 343. Emphasized that neither Star Chamber nor the Halls of Justice do anything while the Demagogue does his work, as otherwise it would conflict with all the events happening "tomorrow."
115, 155, 165. The Lord High Steward's involvement is now couched in terms of whether he's still alive, as, well, he might not be.
187. The Temple to Nemesis is now described as seeking any excuse to retaliate, as otherwise it's unclear why they'd rebel in 197 in response to pressure on the Temple to Time.
277, 287, 367, 377. The consequences of abolishing the Order of the Yellow Lotus are explained in more detail (though with no actual effects on gameplay), as they could have been Keepers of the Watch.
363. Golspiel's trial is no longer specified as being scheduled for today, as weeks may have passed due to the Demagogue's work.
Conflicts and logic errors
42. Changed the Potion of Healing to give 10 Endurance, like all other Potions of Healing, instead of 5 Endurance, which wouldn't be terribly helpful.
47. You no longer thank Foxglove for her help, as thanking her is reserved for scenes where you act on her advice.
75, 145, 303. Eliminated all references to killing Force-Lady Gwyneth, since it can't happen. (The only merit would be in preventing the player from teasing out the results of other choices. However, killing her is never explicitly offered to the player. Further, in some cases it is possible to couch the text in terms of "the shieldmaidens" instead of her by name, so avoiding the question is easy.)
104, 116. Swapped the Priest of Nemesis's Defence between the punch and kick sections. (The original made it easier to use a kick, the harder maneuver, without explanation.)
273. The Lord-High Steward no longer supports the Order of the Yellow Lotus. (In the original, agreeing with his proposal and going to section 333 would lead to the surprising revelation that you recruited the Temple to Nemesis. Now you know in advance.)
289, 299. Edited these references to "rush matting," as that only exists underfoot in the Temple to Kwon, and here you're fighting in the Palace.
309. Removed the description of Mandrake's ruined features suddenly becoming recognizable, as no other section describes his disguise as magical, and this is a particularly unlikely place for him to be recognized by face anyway.
311. Removed the option to go to 361, where you imprison Golspiel, and collapsed that content into 371, where you order Golspiel to stand trial, as all later sections treat these two exactly the same. (This simplification is also of benefit in section repurposing, below.)
379. Edited this reference to "your bodyguards," as that only applies in the Palace, and here you're fighting in the Temple to Kwon.
405. Eliminated the option to go to 7, as that comes from Golspiel being banished and you can only get here by cooperating with him.
413. The Lord-High Steward no longer blames the Usurper for killing the last Overlord. (Even the common folk of the city know the real killer, as shown in book 3, section 263.) Also, the Lord-High Steward no longer supports Antocidas and the mercenaries. (In the original, agreeing with his proposal and going to section 45 would lead to the surprising revelation that you recruited the Temple to Nemesis. Now you know in advance.)
Section repurposing
1. Edited to include all the text that used to be in 11, freeing up space for the "Foxglove" correction, and now linking to 41.
11. Replaced section. Conclusion to the assassination scene where you kill the enemy and then react more naturally to Foxglove's warning, now linking to 162. (The original had you "send her a message of thanks" whether she helped you or not. Now you only read this if she did.)
33. Edited to include all the text that used to be in 288, freeing up space for the "Golspiel" correction, and now linking to 9.
99. Edited to send you to 341 instead of 109 (the latter sections are essentially identical in the original), freeing up space for the "Solstice" correction.
103. Edited to send you to 361 instead of 113 for the "Solstice" correction.
109. Replaced section. Proceeding to Parsifal after accepting Solstice into Star Chamber without going through his "rigmarole," now linking to 143 and 153. (The original had you wait expectantly for the rigmarole to continue whether you had suffered it or not. Now you experience no such thing if there's no reason.)
119. Edited to include all the text that used to be in 399, freeing up space for the "Foxglove" correction, and now linking to 409 and 315.
177. Replaced section. Golspiel's presentation for players who have a neutral relationship, now linking to 288 and 351. (The original covered only "we struck a bargain" and "betrayal.")
213. Edited to include all the text that used to be in 223, freeing up space for the new "Kwon's Flail" scene, and now linking to 233.
223. Replaced section. A check of whether the player already knows Kwon's Flail, now linking to 363. (The original only allowed one way to get Kwon's Flail in all the books, reducing player choice.)
251. Added the option to go to 177 for the "Golspiel" correction.
288. Replaced section. Golspiel is denied by players who have either a neutral or negative relationship, now linking to 331. (The original used "I trust you will remember our agreement" text even when it didn't belong.)
311. Removed the option to go to 361 (as stated above, all later sections treat 361 exactly the same as 371), freeing up space for the "Solstice" correction.
325. Added the option to go to 223 for the new "Kwon's Flail" scene.
339. Added the option to go to 11 for the "Foxglove" correction.
353. Edited to include all the text that used to be in 363, freeing up space for the new "Kwon's Flail" scene, and now linking to 65 and 75.
361. Replaced section. Accepting Solstice into Star Chamber without going through his "rigmarole," now linking to 13 and 109. (The original had you wait expectantly for the rigmarole to continue whether you had suffered it or not. Now you experience no such thing if there's no reason.)
363. Replaced section. New scene where Parsifal teaches Kwon's Flail, now linking to 335 and 345. (The original only allowed one way to get Kwon's Flail in all the books, reducing player choice.)
369. Added the option to go to 399 for the "Foxglove" correction.
381. Edited to send you to 288 instead of 321 for the "Golspiel" correction.
399. Replaced section. Conclusion to the assassination scene where you have already killed the enemy and now you react more naturally to Foxglove's warning, now linking to 162. (The original had you "send her a message of thanks" whether she helped you or not. Now you only read this if she did.)
415. Edited to include all the text that used to be in 177, freeing up space for the "Golspiel" correction, and now linking to 207 and 217.
Other
Edited all references to a "ninjato" to be a "sword" or "curved sword." (Historically, "the sword a ninja uses" would be whatever was effective for the task at hand, likely a wakizashi or katana.)
27. Edited reference to "better man," as implying the gender of the main character is to be avoided.
47. You now move faster than "sight," not faster than "light." (Some kinds of hyperbolic language fit better than others.)
64, 184. Clarified the rules of the Ninja Sentinel fight, what with the guaranteed damage in one section and the ability to reduce his damage statistic in another.
385. Defined what a "talent" is, clarified that you must pay for the Order of the Yellow Lotus whether they constitute the Watch or not, and included the Temple to Nemesis and the Usurper's Watch for thoroughness even though they cost nothing.
396. Clarified that none of your Modifiers apply when attacking with a spear.
