Avadon 3 - Suggestions Wanted

Jeff Vogel tweeted this:

We are starting to trickle out info about Avadon 3. If you have feedback/suggestions, this is your window -> forum-link #indiedev

I have been silently working on Avadon 3: The Warborn for a few months now. I'm old and slow, so the work is not brisk. Still, I am optimistic about a mid-2016 release of the final game in the trilogy.

I think Avadon 2: The Corruption was a worthy game in many ways. However, in some ways, it was underbaked. Some flaws in the engine should have been addressed, but weren't. I am making major improvements for the final game in the trilogy.

I'm still working things out, so I am posting this to let people know how things are going and to welcome random feedback.

Here are some of the current changes/ares of debate:

* Sounds and Spell Effects

Will all get a massive overhaul.

* Quick Use and Ability Preset Buttons

I am strongly considering changing to 3 Quick Use buttons and 5 Ability Preset buttons. Feedback welcome.

* Difficulty

My games have long dealt with difficulty by making foes have more health and do more damage. I want to handle this in a smarter way.

I am strongly considering having area of effect spells do friendly fire damage on Hard and Torment level. I want combat positioning in my games to make a difference, and this will be a key part of that. I will also make the more nasty foe abilities (like charm and fear) be more common on higher difficulties.

Feedback welcome.

* Skill Tree

Will be completely redone. There will be three separate trees instead of three inter-connected trees, and skill prerequisites will be massively cut back. This will allow a lot more freedom in character builds and less spending skill points on things you don't want.

I am also massively tweaking abilities for all classes and adding new abilities. If a particular ability has proved to be utterly useless or way overpowered, I'd like to know.

* Tinkermage Balance

I don't usually care too much about balancing character classes against each other. This isn't a PVP game. If shamans are tougher than shadowwalkers, or whatever, that isn't a big deal.

However, it is a problem when one class is so much tougher than the others that it makes it impossible to balance the game. In this spirit, tinkermages will be getting a mild nerfing.

* Right-Clicking

I will be implementing better right-click functionality and making it work on Macs too.

I won't be posting much in this thread, because that's how I am, but I will be sure to read everything in it as long as it is stickied.

- Jeff Vogel

BTW: Jeff has left iOS - background story.