Okay! Not only should all the major bugs from the previous version be fixed (including the nasty, nasty crasher) but this version comes as an installer and I'd like you guys to put that through its paces as well. It uses NSIS, which is free, robust and used all over the place so it shouldn't be a big deal. Just make sure that when you install it, it works, and when you uninstall it, it goes away.
Dance Party holds over to the Title Screen if it's already active (but just during the battle for Last Front/Emerald), which makes the fight hilarious. Once properly in Emerald, though, people remember to be afraid (they aren't dancing needlessly with the Slorn invasion present).
You can Smite and shoot (with the attack command) doors and traps. Of course, they only do anything to Attackable Switches (no mana is used and your turn isn't wasted).
The mother dragon will occasionally ask you to find her whelp while you're fighting her. After you win, she'll tell you how happy she is that Inaria is saved even if you killed her baby.
The Readme says that stats can't be boosted above 18, but they can (at least visibly). 12 INT + 6 from Sol's Sword + x from any trinket/armor is the easiest way.
With Smite at a high level and with multiple targets available, the spell can bounce between enemies until they're all dead (or it misses or runs out of bounces). Intended or not, I think this is a good thing, as weapons would otherwise completely eclipse Smite.
In Inaria Special, the Inaria Castle healer is gone.
The Firebird's ranged attack doesn't have an animation.
There are a few images with white areas that should be transparent. Noticeable are 0041, 0059, 0060, 0064, and 0099. The scorpion and EDIT: slorn cleric are debateable.
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As far as I can tell, all gameplay bugs have been cleaned up. I vote "release."
Looking at control panel though, seems like the uninstall options should be named "Inaria" and not "NSIS Inaria". Initially I thought there was no way to uninstall!
You could also add icon and publisher info if feeling ambitious :)
I mean, I literally can't beat *anything*, not even the poisonous frog in the forest trial, let alone in the cave to Ruby. Am I missing something, or is the game genuinely pitched at being v. hard?
the only "bug" I encountered so far, was the one, with the baby dragon still following you after the rescue-service. what was the actual release date? If nothing bothers you really, then release it.
"I mean, I literally can't beat *anything*, not even the poisonous frog in the forest trial, let alone in the cave to Ruby. Am I missing something, or is the game genuinely pitched at being v. hard?"
The Collapsing Cave is south of your starting position. It's the easiest map by far. When you go to a place, it'll say: Entering The Collapsing Cave... Map Level: 1
If you are at a lower level than the map, it's best to stay out (Not that you can't go. You can make it to the next-to-last dungeon at level 1).
The game is harder at the beginning than at the end, and The Mountain Trial is probably the hardest map. If you want to grind, The Maze of Death is the easiest place. You can Smite/shoot enemies across the lava (leaving them defenseless), and there's a path you can take to get to four treasure chests without fighting anything.
Starting up, buy Cloth Armor, a Dagger, and six health potions. Health potions are much more effective early on to cure poison and get some healing without losing a turn. You get plenty of money, so use your potions whenever you're poisoned or at any risk of dying.
When you gain your first level, it's not a bad idea to put all three points into a single stat to pick up that stat's first ability. Will is my favorite; it gives the Poison skill, which grants +2 damage. Also, your mana will rise significantly, potions will be more effective, and Smite's power and accuracy will rise.
I don't know how many more times I can say "the starter dungeon is south of Emerald". It's currently in the splash screen (mentioned BY NAME) and two different NPCs in Emerald tell you about it. I'm also putting it on the game's sale screen on the website, for crying out loud.
Dude, TALK TO PEOPLE. Buy some stuff. Take the dungeons in order. If the dungeon level is 6 and you're level suck then VACATE THE PREMISES and find an easier dungeon. Don't be afraid to run away to the healer.
And the worst part is? I'll have people just like him complaining on these very forums about the very same "problem". Maybe I should have put the Collapsing Cave between Emerald and the Last Front...ah, well, too late now.
If you do that, you risk dumbing down this game, so...don't!!! If you have to modify your game for every different type of person, it would be an endless job...
On the subject of the "problem", since I've complained about it too - it was never very evident that there WERE other dungeons since there were none visible along the original 'obvious' path and none of the other characters talked about it at the time. It's been a long time since Ultima I (why doesn't Inaria have spaceflight?!?! :)), we're all generally used to somewhat funneled gameplay experiences, etc.
As someone who has made/does make (apparently) unbelievably difficult games I struggle with this myself - but generally when people tell you there's something hard about the game, it's a genuine issue. It's also something you never, ever want to hear after pretty much finishing the game, so I understand that frustration as well.
That said - you get a blurb for this on a site like rpgcodex and those guys are going to snap it up :)
Woah looks like I struck a nerve! Sorry about that.
I guess I've been used to the approach I took in previous betas, i.e. take advantage of the bug in the cube to just load up on infinite potions, etc. then riding out, but even then it was touuuugh.
Perhaps make the dungeon level seem clearer, or disallow entering dungeons at too low a level? That way it'll be obvious that you need to go get your level up before going in and getting your ass handed to you. Walking in to a dungeon and having a poison frog kill you immediately is not good for the ego and makes you think 'this game is just too frustrating for now, grr', whereas a friendly message saying 'dungeon level x, you're a wimp, go away and harden up' would at least give you some understanding. Maybe you could even override it somehow if you really wanted to...