Heroes of the Monkey Tavern - baby's first Grimrock

[IndieCed]

Yes it is, in a few hours

 

[Whisper]

Please unlock, waiting to play it!!

 

[IndieCed]

Hahaha, I am sorry I planned it and I need to respect that, but thank you for your enthusiasm

 

[bloodlover]

So how is the combat? RT or TB? Because I detest the combat in Grimrock but in the clip you just stand still and fight the monsters.

 

[IndieCed]

Combats are real time.
While in Grimrock you will take advantage to move while a fight, what I did not like too, in HotMT you will suffer damage.
It is considered like a flee.
So normaly you do it once or twice, and then you don t move anymore while a combat ;-)

 

[Naraya]

That's a first - if I understand it correctly, it's like an Attack of Opportunity in a blobber. Interesting

 

[MilesBeyond]

Shows obvious signs of needing polish ~which is a tell for also needing polish in other areas.

Big Witcher fan, are you?

 

[TOUGH GUY]

Everything was alright at the monkey tavern. But it did not last for long.

Exposition, rising action, and the expectation of a climax. The very building blocks of great storytelling. I like it!

 

[Glop_dweller]

Shows obvious signs of needing polish ~which is a tell for also needing polish in other areas.

Big Witcher fan, are you?

Yes; bit only the first one.

*I did get the joke, but I thought it was unpolished.

 

[Whisper]

What statistics do Exactly? How much is +1 STR? How much is +1 Dex?

What increase spell damage?

How specials work? (Insane hit, for example)

What means +1 Sword or +1 Dagger skill during level up?

 

[Infinitron]

Oh yeah, this is released now: http://store.steampowered.com/app/492500/

 

[Whisper]

I am playing but Manual is not clear about lot of things.

 

[Bumvelcrow]

Oh yeah, this is released now: http://store.steampowered.com/app/492500/

Hmmm... Two positive reviews from people who got the game for free, and one scathing review from somebody who played it for 0.6 hours. I think I'll hang on for the time being, even at this low price. If the game is (as one reviewer says) only 5 hours long then that's not a lot of content.

 

[V_K]

There's one more German review from a guy who bought the game and played about ~6 hours (i.e. presumably the whole game). It's also quite damning, but longer. The key points:
- To few puzzle mechanics. There are no teleporters, pits, pressure plates or inventory-based puzzles. Only hidden switches, keys and hazards (fireballs and pikes).
- Automatic level-ups and not enough difference between classes.
- Spells are inventory items you need to equip, so it's nearly impossible to change spells in combat, limiting the tactics. Only 12 spells two.
- No enchanted or special weapons.
- No food or torches means you can rest spam to your heart's desire.
- No back row, meaning your casters are always open to attacks.

 

[IndieCed]

Hi guys,

What statistics do Exactly? How much is +1 STR? How much is +1 Dex?

What increase spell damage?

How specials work? (Insane hit, for example)

What means +1 Sword or +1 Dagger skill during level up?

I am not sure it is given in other games but here are the gears of the game :

To increase spell damage => Gain a level

About insane hit in manual it is written : Insane hit (1/7 X 2)
Sorry if it is not clear, it means you have 1 chance on 7 to have a hit with double damage.

+1 STR adds 5% to damage
+1 DEXT add 3% chance to hit, knowing that 10 in dexterity represent 65% chance to hit

I am playing but Manual is not clear about lot of things.

You can write me a mail at cedric@heroesofthemonkeytavern.com or let a message in the steam forum, I will always answer and I ll update the manual on the way.

Hmmm... Two positive reviews from people who got the game for free, and one scathing review from somebody who played it for 0.6 hours. I think I'll hang on for the time being, even at this low price. If the game is (as one reviewer says) only 5 hours long then that's not a lot of content.

The first review comes from a member of the team which makes the game Dungeon Kingdom, so it is not very fair.
Posting it right after the release...

My game was on torrent the day before the release, so I must be used to this kind of things now ;-)

The second one, the german guy, is totally true and understandable, it s just too bad that he did not read my post about the game on the forum or watch one of the videos that are also on the forum.
I made this game for people to have fun, not to be disappointed.
So in any doubt read this thread, you have a lot of information and a let's play of the first level :
http://steamcommunity.com/app/492500/discussions/0/350542145709195330/

There's one more German review from a guy who bought the game and played about ~6 hours (i.e. presumably the whole game). It's also quite damning, but longer. The key points:
- To few puzzle mechanics. There are no teleporters, pits, pressure plates or inventory-based puzzles. Only hidden switches, keys and hazards (fireballs and pikes).
- Automatic level-ups and not enough difference between classes.
- Spells are inventory items you need to equip, so it's nearly impossible to change spells in combat, limiting the tactics. Only 12 spells two.
- No enchanted or special weapons.
- No food or torches means you can rest spam to your heart's desire.
- No back row, meaning your casters are always open to attacks.

I can only agree, too bad he did not read the "What is" pined in the forum, I dont want players to have this feeling.

Mmm maybe.... about the classes, there are differences, you ll see them in the manual.

Personnaly I can change spell very easily, it is a little bit harder only with a gamepad, but here with a mouse :
you open your inventory
you right click on your equipped spell
you right click on the spell you want
you click anywhere outside the inventory to close it.

I don t know other games that do quicker... Except LoG 2 with their multi equipments, but my game is not LoG2.
Furthermore you can have a spell in each hand.

Back row is automatic, it is written on the tips.
Why would you put your wizard back of the team and the warriors in front?
I just did it for you...

But I understand the frustration when you want to do it yourself, it is just that in my point of view it should be automatic, I explain all that on the "What is".

It is only my point of view, I don t say it is how games must be done, but it is how my game is made.

He played almost 6 hours... I should be proud of that ;-)

Have a good day guys, almost the week-end, that's a good news

 

[Whisper]

About spell, they seem low damage, hit less than usual weapon. Despite needing mana to cast. Unless i miss something?


What increase Bow damage? Str? Dex?

 

[V_K]

you open your inventory
you right click on your equipped spell
you right click on the spell you want
you click anywhere outside the inventory to close it.

Which means that you have to:
- move your mouse to the bottom of the screen (open inventory and unequip current spell)
- move your mouse to the middle of the screen (equip a new spell)
- move you mouse to either edge of the screen (close inventory)
- move your mouse back to the bottom of the screen (get back to attacking)
This takes time. And all the while you're being under attack, can't move away and (if I understand correctly) can't use other characters' attacks. Even with all the rune combinations spellcasting in Grimrock or Dungeon Master works much faster, because all the buttons are grouped in a small area, and does not stop you from attacking with other characters in the process.

 

[IndieCed]

About spell, they seem low damage, hit less than usual weapon. Despite needing mana to cast. Unless i miss something?


What increase Bow damage? Str? Dex?

Spells look low damage but they hit 100% of the time, poison spell is making the most damage but you know its disavantage ;-)

Strength matters for bow damage.

Which means that you have to:
- move your mouse to the bottom of the screen (open inventory and unequip current spell)
- move your mouse to the middle of the screen (equip a new spell)
- move you mouse to either edge of the screen (close inventory)
- move your mouse back to the bottom of the screen (get back to attacking)
This takes time. And all the while you're being under attack, can't move away and (if I understand correctly) can't use other characters' attacks. Even with all the rune combinations spellcasting in Grimrock or Dungeon Master works much faster, because all the buttons are grouped in a small area, and does not stop you from attacking with other characters in the process.

If you need three spells or more during a fight I agree.

But if you need one or two spells so it is just one click.

Take care guys.

 

[Whisper]

I actually finished this on Hard. Tried with mage in party, but out of mana fast and low damage.

So i went with tank, healer and 2 melee DD both dual-wield (Barbarian, rogue). You have more than enough time to click all attacks. If you dont have dual-wielders, than you will wait decent amount of time looking at attack button cooldown.

Invest in Dexterity, i had around 20-25 dex for DPS so they didnt miss. Also keep mana and health pots for boss fights or rare fights where you have to fight 2 enemies at once. Around 15-17 mana pots in total game so you know, so dont use on solo non-boss enemies.

 

[DemonKing]

This is actually pretty good - I think my 8 year old will enjoy it as he's getting a little bored with the Traveller's Tales Lego games. The puzzles are pretty basic but much as I love Grimrock some of their puzzles were a bit obtuse. The graphics are passable and the music has a nice sense of impending doom. The combat is ok but decent - not too different from Grimrock but you don't have to do the dodge-dance.

It would be nice if the skills were described a bit better and I also dropped an object on the floor but couldn't pick it up again because the character portraits obscured it!

So far well worth the US$8 I paid.

 

[Glop_dweller]

you open your inventory
you right click on your equipped spell
you right click on the spell you want
you click anywhere outside the inventory to close it.

Which means that you have to:
- move your mouse to the bottom of the screen (open inventory and unequip current spell)
- move your mouse to the middle of the screen (equip a new spell)
- move you mouse to either edge of the screen (close inventory)
- move your mouse back to the bottom of the screen (get back to attacking)
This takes time. And all the while you're being under attack, can't move away and (if I understand correctly) can't use other characters' attacks. Even with all the rune combinations spellcasting in Grimrock or Dungeon Master works much faster, because all the buttons are grouped in a small area, and does not stop you from attacking with other characters in the process.

That actually doesn't sound unrealistic (based on reading it). I had a [Grimrock] conversation recently about this very issue of taking time... and the condemnation of modded hotkeying to avoid the multiple steps it takes to find a healing potion tucked in their backpack while under attack. This SHOULD take time; and how can they mount an attack (or decent defense) while rummaging through their packed equipment? To me these seem like mutually exclusive actions.

Although I will say that having spells as equipped items ~when not wands or talismans... is a bit of a personal peeve for me. I thought it looked ridiculous in Skyrim.

 

[V_K]

I had a [Grimrock] conversation recently about this very issue of taking time... and the condemnation of modded hotkeying to avoid the multiple steps it takes to find a healing potion tucked in their backpack while under attack.

Well, I won't be arguing that opening one's inventory while in combat should be easy. Actually, I'm all for Blackguards approach where you can only access items you've equipped in your belt.
I'm only commenting on the argument that having spells as items makes it impractical to change spells in combat, and thus limits combat tactics in this game.

 

[Glop_dweller]

I had a [Grimrock] conversation recently about this very issue of taking time... and the condemnation of modded hotkeying to avoid the multiple steps it takes to find a healing potion tucked in their backpack while under attack.

Well, I won't be arguing that opening one's inventory while in combat should be easy. Actually, I'm all for Blackguards approach where you can only access items you've equipped in your belt.
I'm only commenting on the argument that having spells as items makes it impractical to change spells in combat, and thus limits combat tactics in this game.

Grimrock (and others) could take a lesson from 'Eye of the Beholder', and actually include belts for a few quick items. Witcher 2 had the same problem ~but not so in Witcher [1].

 

[t]

Hey, so this game was quietly released? How is it? Did anyone go through? Why are there no news, no reviews, no nothing?

 

[Nyast]

'cause it's a pretty simple & short game. Something you eat for breakfast, but not as a meal. Check on Steam if you want to see reviews, I even wrote one