Who Hunts Monsters [MV]

[BrewedWar]

hey all .-. i'm alive and well! got a shiny upgraded computer, a bit more money in the bank, and a slightly more focused attitude.

so one of the biggest obstacles i run into every chapter is updating the classes for the new level cap. coming up with new skills, balancing old skills, trying to keep everything feeling fresh and exciting, with new skills being ones you can be enthusiastic about, while not completely invalidating the older skills.

i'm sure we've all played an rpg where, as you level, your original skills eventually become irrelevant, or only usable in trash scenarios. i understand there's no way i can maintain that all skills will be 100% as viable at all stages in that game as they are when they're first learned, i still want there to be a strategic niche to each ability. my last balance patch, with the Mytha hardcore quest, was an attempt to smooth out some stronger skills, and buff up some lesser used ones.

moving forward, as i've said all along, WHM will have 5 chapters. So far the level progression has been 2 levels per chapter. The only issue I have with this is it leaves me with an odd numbered level for chapter 5 to end on...and it feels...cramped. I'm not sure how to explain it. So what i'm thinking of doing is pretty enormous for chapter 3.

i'd like to leave the level cap at 7 for chapter 3.

and, in order to promote diversity and player choice, i would like to introduce "Sub-Classes."

now, i'm sure everyone who has played a video game before can comprehend the idea of sub-classes. Effectively, they would be an extension of your main class (Jack, Wizard, Warrior, and Rogue) that gives it a new, unique flavor. i would also like to have at least 2 sub-classes per main class, three in an ideal world.

the issue this brings up is: what would sub-classes bring to the table in terms of unique skills and the difficulty of ensuring that the sub-classes are properly balanced.

i've said before that your main class is not intended to be a player's choice. my design decisions then, and still now, is that you will have a main class that a quest is balanced around. The Wizard for the Kitsune, the Rogue for the Ogre, the Warrior for Jinko, the Oni Twins for the Jack, etc.

now, with chapter 2, i introduced a lot of power in just 2 levels. from what i understand, the warrior may even be standing out as too strong overall.

This brings me to sub-classes. While the main classes are not intended to be a choice but rather a strategic checkbox (think Paradigms in Final Fantasy 13, there are times where you HAVE to switch to a certain Paradigm to survive, to build stagger, to burst, to tank, etc.), I would like to introduce sub-classes as something you the player can use to customize your experience.

while the crux of your damage will come from your Main Class, your Sub Class will provide strategic and flavorful alterations and opportunities to play around in the world and have an experience that might deviate from others.

Sub Classes will not be retroactively added (maybe in a New Game Plus, but not initially) and are only available after diving into Chapter 3.

Some ideas I've thrown around, in regards to sub-classes are things like...

Arcanist or Elementalist for the Wizard

The Arcanist focuses on buffing and debuffing. Building up the user to unleash a powerful attack, while keeping enemies weaker to avoid backlash while building up. Say, Angela starts a fight with a spell that causes her foes to be stunned instantly, allowing her to still move this turn. She can then Channel Power to increase her next spell cast significantly. Or, she could use the stunned turn to place a Break on a foe, drastically lowering the damage of their next Spell cast or Physical attack.

The Elementalist focuses on entering "Elemental States" in which Angela will take on an increasingly intense form based on the elemental spell she has chosen to focus on. So, say you just start the fight and use "Fireball". Angela will then gain Stage 1 Firestarter. This powers up her Fireball, but weakens her other spells. She can continue casting Fireball to enter Stage 2 and finally Stage 3 Firestarter forms. It will require either a neutral spell use, or multiple uses of another element to return to normal and enter a different state.

These are extremely rough ideas, and I'm sure some of you are already saying "Well X is clearly better than Y, everyone will take that." That may be true...assuming that Chapter 3 follows the "One Enemy and One Weakness Per Fight" pattern of the previous chapters.

That...is not likely to be the case. With the customization and power that Sub Classes bring, I am likely going to increase the number of Monster Girls added with this chapter, and multi-target fights are not necessarily out of the picture.

And keep in mind, these ideas are only off the top of my head.

with that said, i'd like to open it to the floor.

Do you like the idea of sub-classes? If so, do you have any thoughts or possible ideas you'd like to see? try to think outside the box, i want chapter 3 to be really special...it's a real turning point to the story. the happy-go-lucky tongue in cheek attitude of the prologue and chapter 1 really starts to meld into the darker, more serious tone that chapters 4 and 5 will have here.

 

[practice_the_ch]

Interesting idea. Definitely adds a little flavor to the grind. Excited to see what you come up with.

 

[slacker2114]

For the fighter class, a berserker sub-class has a lot of potential. Another fighter sub could be a paladin, depending on where you're going with the story.

I admit, it's been awhile since I played the game so I don't recall if you had a rogue class. If you did, some subs to consider could be ranger, assassin or even pirate if you do some sort of water adventure.

 

[BrewedWar]

These are just some ideas i've jotted down while at work. idk just thought i'd share .-.

Jack
-

The Jack is a Physical/Magical damaging character who focuses heavily on Offense, with very little in terms of Defense.

Chapter 3 Passive Skills

= Lady Luck (0/10) - Your Luck is increased by X (Based on Level of this Skill). Your Critical Chance is increased by (Based on level of this Skill).

= Mystic Force (0/10) - Your Physical skills gain (based on level of this skill) percent of your M.Attack as damage. Your Magical skills gain (based on level of this skill) percent of your Attack as damage.

= Second Wind (0/10) - Your Healing Breath's heal amount is increased by (Based on level of this Skill).


Sub Classes
-

The Jack can choose in Chapter 3 if they would like to specialize in either Physical Damage or Magical Damage.


= Spellsword
The Spellsword focuses primarily on Magical Damage. They specialize in Mystic Elemental damage, and are a force to be reckoned with after building up Momentum or becoming Refreshed.


= Adventurer
The Adventurer is a rough and tumble Physical Damage dealer. They specialize in striking foes when they're affected by Expose Weakness and can transform abilities like Double Strike with high Momentum.

 

[stork]

Pretty late to the party, but I finally got around to catching up on the new content from chapter 2.

Loved the variety when it comes to finding optional solutions to puzzles. Had a bit of frustration dodging the guards, but I really like the idea of adventure game logic that takes a step away from resorting to combat and random encounters. Had a few tech issues here and there, with the stealth knock-outs and the scared-of-the-dark guard freezing up on my run, but they may have been ironed out since the last update.

The rogue is officially my go-to class when given the option. The Ogre absolutely annihilated me otherwise.

Speaking of the ogre, I really enjoy the scenes involving captain Morrigan. I like her back-and-forths with Angela, and having her join up for moments like the Ogre’s soul prison scene was a fun way to mix up the dynamic and play around with their chemistry.

Lastly was Mytha. I liked uncovering the backstory and her scenes with Angela, but my only regret is that there isn’t more of it. There are good interactions with Angela, and the soul prison scene is really cute, but I think it’s a shame that with all the build-up of her backstory that she’s just a one-quest character. Thought it might have been nice if we could re-visit the idea of her learning to open up to others now that she doesn't have to be alone anymore instead of just sealing her away. But I do understand that there are only so many character one can expand on. Either way, it was a nice subplot.

Might be some other hidden details that I missed, but I'm still keeping up with the QTE Boss fight girl.

Great work so far, looking forward to what else you come up with.

Do you like the idea of sub-classes? If so, do you have any thoughts or possible ideas you'd like to see? try to think outside the box, i want chapter 3 to be really special...it's a real turning point to the story. the happy-go-lucky tongue in cheek attitude of the prologue and chapter 1 really starts to meld into the darker, more serious tone that chapters 4 and 5 will have here.

I don't mind the idea of it, and it’d probably be simpler than adding an entirely new class, but I think it sounds difficult to make each class diverge while still accounting for making them equally viable.

Would they be interchangeable, like the classes are now? Or would choosing one sub-class over another permanently lock us out of using the other one? If so, I'd appreciate a list of what sort of skills you'd unlock from each of them before making a set selection.

 

[BrewedWar]

Pretty late to the party, but I finally got around to catching up on the new content from chapter 2.

Loved the variety when it comes to finding optional solutions to puzzles. Had a bit of frustration dodging the guards, but I really like the idea of adventure game logic that takes a step away from resorting to combat and random encounters. Had a few tech issues here and there, with the stealth knock-outs and the scared-of-the-dark guard freezing up on my run, but they may have been ironed out since the last update.

The rogue is officially my go-to class when given the option. The Ogre absolutely annihilated me otherwise.

Speaking of the ogre, I really enjoy the scenes involving captain Morrigan. I like her back-and-forths with Angela, and having her join up for moments like the Ogre’s soul prison scene was a fun way to mix up the dynamic and play around with their chemistry.

Lastly was Mytha. I liked uncovering the backstory and her scenes with Angela, but my only regret is that there isn’t more of it. There are good interactions with Angela, and the soul prison scene is really cute, but I think it’s a shame that with all the build-up of her backstory that she’s just a one-quest character. Thought it might have been nice if we could re-visit the idea of her learning to open up to others now that she doesn't have to be alone anymore instead of just sealing her away. But I do understand that there are only so many character one can expand on. Either way, it was a nice subplot.

Might be some other hidden details that I missed, but I'm still keeping up with the QTE Boss fight girl.

Great work so far, looking forward to what else you come up with.


I don't mind the idea of it, and it’d probably be simpler than adding an entirely new class, but I think it sounds difficult to make each class diverge while still accounting for making them equally viable.

Would they be interchangeable, like the classes are now? Or would choosing one sub-class over another permanently lock us out of using the other one? If so, I'd appreciate a list of what sort of skills you'd unlock from each of them before making a set selection.

Thanks so much for the feedback! >_< I promise despite the silence i'm still working on this. Chapter 3 is just going to be...pretty different. Kinda like 2 was from 1, Chapter 3 is building up around a kidnapping and solving a mystery o-o.

Mytha, and Titania for that matter, are not going to be one-off characters. If you keep up with the Hardcore questlines as you progress through the game, they will return, evolve, and interact as much as I'm able...the hard part will be that I need to get special sprites made for characters like Mytha and some of the future hardcore monsters.

Ultimately, if you complete Chapters 1-4 hardcore quests, it will build up to Chapter 5, wherein the Hardcore Monsters that Angela has befriended (which will be a common theme for them) have to join forces to help Angela face the greatest challenge of her entire life o-o

The subclass idea is honestly something I'm probably going to scrap. I've started working on having, instead, passive skills for each class that can be upgraded throughout the rest of the game (from Level 0 to Level 10) that give increased specialization to the classes.

Such examples, I think I posted, are, for the Jack for instance, having your Physical and Magical damage scale with each other, increasing the Healing amount of Healing Wind, and increasing your Luck/Crit Chance.

Still a ways off, and I've taken a small break to work on NaNoWriMo, but Chapter 3 IS coming and hopefully will be as good as I feel Chapter 2 was, bugs and all, ^_^

 

[stork]

Thanks so much for the feedback! >_< I promise despite the silence i'm still working on this. Chapter 3 is just going to be...pretty different. Kinda like 2 was from 1, Chapter 3 is building up around a kidnapping and solving a mystery o-o.

Mytha, and Titania for that matter, are not going to be one-off characters. If you keep up with the Hardcore questlines as you progress through the game, they will return, evolve, and interact as much as I'm able...the hard part will be that I need to get special sprites made for characters like Mytha and some of the future hardcore monsters.

Ultimately, if you complete Chapters 1-4 hardcore quests, it will build up to Chapter 5, wherein the Hardcore Monsters that Angela has befriended (which will be a common theme for them) have to join forces to help Angela face the greatest challenge of her entire life o-o

The subclass idea is honestly something I'm probably going to scrap. I've started working on having, instead, passive skills for each class that can be upgraded throughout the rest of the game (from Level 0 to Level 10) that give increased specialization to the classes.

Such examples, I think I posted, are, for the Jack for instance, having your Physical and Magical damage scale with each other, increasing the Healing amount of Healing Wind, and increasing your Luck/Crit Chance.

Still a ways off, and I've taken a small break to work on NaNoWriMo, but Chapter 3 IS coming and hopefully will be as good as I feel Chapter 2 was, bugs and all, ^_^

Rescue mission, to mystery solving. I like how the different chapters play around with different genres.

Oh, that’s fun. Suppose I spoke too soon. I like the idea of standalone character quests culminating in a bigger storyline in the long run. Will be fun to see what group interaction that team-up leads to. I could offer some Naga/Fairy sprites as a template if you’re short, but most of mine are still in the Ace style.

Passive skills sound fine. Seems like a good way to keep the level up system changing without needing a major overhaul.

Hey take your time. Looking forward to hearing more.

 

[LurkLurkLurk]

I'm personally more interested in explicit scene writing than the game mechanics.

If the passives/talents/whatever don't impact players' choices in battle, you can write them off, unless you specifically need to extend gameplay by introducing something to grind for.

 

[shadowscurse1]

I'm personally more interested in explicit scene writing than the game mechanics.

If the passives/talents/whatever don't impact players' choices in battle, you can write them off, unless you specifically need to extend gameplay by introducing something to grind for.

Seconded xD I think a few passives or a couple talents wouldn't hurt, but it's definitely all about the glorious writing :stickout I'm sure the next chapter will be amazing! I'm still holding out for a foot attack on our mighty heroine by the lamia, one of my favorite scenarios! :lol

 

[Featherfall]

Just discovered this, and I must say I enjoyed it immensely. Slightly disappointed that, during the sneaking/rescue arc, you didn't have a chance to torment the poor victims a little bit more, but I suppose you ARE a noble hero. *grumbles*

Will that be the last time we meet those particular characters, or will they be reoccurring vict...err, friends?

 

[bitter_arron]

I'm not sure if there's a problem with the game or just with me, but I'm unable to use my save file. It just keeps saying 'unable to read length' or something.

 

[tickle12345]

I've sadly had to halt my time on it cos of one thing...Jinko i don't wanna sound like a whiney loser but damn its hard i literally tried everything from oil flasks to just staright up tryin to level up enough to be tougher 🙁 i'm permanently stuck on this one character and i'm dying to see the rest if the game does anyone have a save file just after that fight?

 

[BrewedWar]

I've sadly had to halt my time on it cos of one thing...Jinko i don't wanna sound like a whiney loser but damn its hard i literally tried everything from oil flasks to just staright up tryin to level up enough to be tougher 🙁 i'm permanently stuck on this one character and i'm dying to see the rest if the game does anyone have a save file just after that fight?

Are you using the warrior or the wizard? Jinko is balanced around fighing her with a level 5 Warrior.

 

[tickle12345]

I'm a level 6 warrior

 

[BrewedWar]

I'm a level 6 warrior

Jinko is really hard, I won't lie. I balanced her to be the equivalent to a "Hardcore - Lite" boss, that you happen to run into early on.

A key element to surviving the fight, and for playing the Warrior in general, is knowing how and when to bounce between Defender and Berserker states. If you get targeted by "Piercing Gaze" she's going to use Queen's Claw on you to both make you bleed and deal some serious damage.

Ideally, you want to open up that turn by going into Defender, and probably using Mighty Guard. Keep in mind that the Warrior deals increased damage the lower her health gets, capping at 50% for Cleave, 75% for Charge, and having no limit for Whirlwind.

If you fall below half health, be ready to shift into Berserker and use Cleave for a ton of damage.

Also, remember that Iron Will will remove nearly every status ailment, and restore 25% of your HP. Never let your Bleeding get to Level 3, as Jinko will begin to use "Relentless Pursuit" which hits twice for some crazy damage.

Additionally, keep in mind that Miller Lite is with you!

Healing Wave is a decent heal, but if you protect someone with Mystic Rune (which halves all damage) first, it will deal double healing.

Gale Blast can keep Jinko slowed down, while Flame Strike deals MASSIVE damage since Jinko, like all Beasts, is weak to Fire.

Use your Healing Salves to try to keep Miller Lite and yourself healed up and cut back on the turns you're bleeding, since Jinko, again like all Beasts, will enter a Frenzied state if you are Bleeding.

Also, keep in mind that when she hits 50% of her health, Jinko is going to use an ability called "Rupture"

What Rupture does is:

1) It will deal 20% of your maximum HP in damage
2) It will inflict a "Level 4 Bleed" state called "Rupture" that deals 25% of your HP each turn for 2 turns before evolving into Bleeding Level 3.
3) It will hit both Angel and Miller Lite.

Rupture is a very powerful attack that gives you a massive panic window. Immediately shift to Defender and focus on healing. Once Ruptured becomes "Bleeding Level 3" quickly use Healing Salves or Iron Will to remove that state.

Keep in mind "Ruptured" cannot be removed by Iron Will or Healing Salve. These two turns are pivotal for defeating her, as she will only use Ruptured one time.

Since you are level 6, you also have access to "Determination"

What Determination can do is help you prepare for Ruptured. As Jinko gets close to half health, be sure to use Determination and get that buff going.

Determination costs nothing to use (now) and will regenerate 60% of your Maximum HP over 5 turns. This totals out to 12% of your HP every turn, which cuts Ruptured nearly in half. You can also use Determination to keep that sweet spot near 50% HP to get maximum damage out of Cleave.

Hopefully this will help. Jinko is a very tough encounter very early in the game, and is meant to really push you to learn the ins and outs of both the Warrior Class, having a teammate, and managing status ailments.

 

[BrewedWar]

Some notes regarding Chapter 3

I'm not going to post everything here that i've posted on deviantart, but i did want to post some information so you know i'm still alive .-.

sigh...i know a lot of you don't care about things so much from a gameplay perspective, but admittedly that's my favorite part of working on this. for me, the tickling is a fun bonus but the real sense of accomplishment comes from making a game.

on that note, i'd like to tease some of the gameplay mechanics that will be coming in Chapter 3:

Titles

With the Chapter 3 update, i will be adding a new, customization system called "Titles." These will be available from the VERY BEGINNING of the game. You can freely equip titles at any point in time, from the moment you get your first one, and immediately reap their benefits. This can be done quite easily through the new Titles menu from your menu.

While some Titles won't be exceptionally powerful, they can still provide small buffs that can add up in the long run, or ease some of the earlier difficulty.

I will NOT be re-balancing the Prologue - Chapter 2 with the inclusion of Titles. If they make the game easier, that is fantastic. I intend to continue adding Titles up until the game completes, and am even open to suggestions that I can use to go back and add titles to earlier parts of the game.

I won't tell you how to unlock them, but I'd like to go ahead and show you the titles that will be available with the Chapter 3 update, including the titles unlocked over the course of Chapter 3 itself.

Prologue

Breadwinner (+15% Healing from Items)

Rock Lover(+1 Defense, +1 Magic Defense)

Lady Luck (+5 Luck, +5% Crit Chance)

Chapter 1

Hunter Partner (+1 Attack, Immunity to Bleeding)

Seeker and Finder (Double Item Drops)

Foxy Lady (+2 Magic Attack, -10% MP Cost Rate)

Chapter 2

Rescue Hero (+3 Agility, Halved Encounter Rate)

Swordsman Trainee (+10% Chance for Extra Strike, +15 Attack Speed)

Lady at Arms (+2 All Stats)

Chapter 3

Masochist (-5 Defense, -5 Magic Defense, Grants the Ability to Surrender)

Rival (Grants +3 Attack and + 3 Speed, Allows use of the Jump Skill for the Jack)

Holy Crusader (+15 HP, +2% HP Regen, +25% Mystic Elemental Defense)

Savior (Grants Access to Paladin Laws with All Classes)

Now some of you may see the "Masochist" title and think "wtf." Well for one, people have been asking for a "Surrender" option since...the game released. Additionally, and here's another big announcement, I would like to include a "New Game +" option upon the completion of this game. Now I don't intend to allow everything to carry over, but I know for sure that Titles will carry over.

The Masochist title can be used for an extra challenge in completing the game the next time through! Or, if you are particularly...well...masochistic, you can use the Masochist title to make the remainder of the game more difficult.

For those confused about the benefits of the Savior title, this will unlock the "Faith" skill type and allow Angela to use "Law of Hope, Law of Valor, and Law of Justice" without Morrigan being in the party.


Passive Skills

In addition to titles, I will be adding Passive Skills to all classes, available from the moment the game starts. This will allow you to further customize your character to your liking. Passives will upgrade through an additional resource called "Victory Points." These are obtained by defeating bosses, completing quests, and finding secrets. As a result, you will have to carefully plan how you wish to upgrade your Passive skills.

An example of a passive skill is "Second Wind" for the Jack. This will increase the healing of your "Healing Wind" skill for every point you place into this passive.

Additionally, for the sake of teasing, I'll be including some of the monster girls who will be featured in this chapter as attachments. let me know what you think!

 

[stork]

In addition to titles, I will be adding Passive Skills to all classes, available from the moment the game starts. This will allow you to further customize your character to your liking. Passives will upgrade through an additional resource called "Victory Points." These are obtained by defeating bosses, completing quests, and finding secrets. As a result, you will have to carefully plan how you wish to upgrade your Passive skills.

Interesting, but if Victory Points are only earned through special circumstances will that put us at a disadvantage if we don't restart and start upgrading passive skills from the beginning of the game?

 

[BrewedWar]

Interesting, but if Victory Points are only earned through special circumstances will that put us at a disadvantage if we don't restart and start upgrading passive skills from the beginning of the game?

yeeeeeah while working on the actual system, i found out that what i had in mind wasn't going to work. So now, Passive Skills are upgraded using the "Credit" from the Dress Card. As a result, you can't start upgrading passives until you finish the quest with Bacardi to get the Dress Card, but after you get it, every fight you encounter will contribute towards getting your passives upgraded.

 

[tickle12345]

Brewedwar Jinko is just too darn hard i seriously can't progress any further at all i just can't win no matter how many strategies so is it possible for an update to make her easier at all :/ sorry to sound whiney but yeah i can't stress enough...

 

[BrewedWar]

:\ I don't know what to say, I already feel like Jinko isn't really that hard if you just play around her mechanics and manage your bleedout. Yes there is a minor degree of chance to her attacks, but she's a pretty heavily scripted fight. Just defend if someone is targeted by Piercing Gaze, and be sure to heal the bleeding after Queen's Claws.

Especially with the passive skills and title system that is coming in the next chapter, I feel like Jinko is only going to get easier. You just have to use some of Miller Lite's defensive skills, utilize the Defender stance along with Mighty Guard and Iron Will, and she's really honestly not hard to beat at level 4, since levels don't give you stats, just skills (and Charge is mostly a filler skill that hasn't had a chance to really shine yet)

to be certain, i just fought her twice myself at level 5 with just the Shiny Circlet equipped as a "hidden" item, and I beat her both times without much fuss. Yes the Rupture window is brutal but if you just clam up and defend through it, it's survivable.

 

[TickleUniversus]

Brewedwar Jinko is just too darn hard i seriously can't progress any further at all i just can't win no matter how many strategies so is it possible for an update to make her easier at all :/ sorry to sound whiney but yeah i can't stress enough...

Use mage, thats what I did, by using Miller Lite's Damage nerfing skill on himself, and having Angie using mage shell, you get good protection. At that point use angies fire skill to beat on Jinko. Miller Lite can heal or use his flame slash, to assist. However I also strongly reccomend getting oil flasks

 

[tickle12345]

I have still had no luck...does anyone have a save file from after the fight????

 

[LadyInternet]

Just wanted to say I played this a while back, and really enjoyed it. The writing in it was really good, and I enjoyed a lot of the tickle scenes from the monster encounters.

I made it most of the way through chapter 2 before getting stuck, so I'll probably need to start over once chapter 3 comes out, but I'm looking forward to it whenever you get around to it. Angie is a cool character with a lot of personality, and it'll be fun to see what trouble she gets up to next.

 

[BrewedWar]

hi all! sorry for a lack of updates, i'm still getting all my p's and q's together, but if you're interested on a more up to the moment update schedule you can check out my DA account .-.

on that note, i've almost finished the updates to the four classes that will be coming with Chapter 3 and once that's complete, i'll be sure to share that info with y'all on the theater ^_^ there's a lot of cool stuff coming for the classes, and with Chapter 3 the game should see a level of customization that was lacking before.

thanks for all the kind words and thanks so much for your patience >_< i'm sorry it's taking so long for an update to come out.

 

[BrewedWar]

small update 🙂 just a screenshot of the new Passive Skills menu.

With these skills + the new skills for each class, this chapter will be adding 28 new skills!

Will they be balanced? PROBABLY NOT 😀