VN Others Finding Color in the Ashes [Alpha v1.52] [MooncatcherStudios]

4.80 star(s) 28 Votes

SoulsSurvivor

Member
Oct 27, 2018
210
694
The early game is supposed to be a little rough (but again, I'll keep balancing it). Once you get a couple upgrades and get rolling though, it gets much, much easier. Thanks for the feedback!
Well you definitely accomplished that, perhaps too well. I definitely enjoy the gameplay overall but 80 in game days of not making progress because guests only ask for alcohol and I only get them every 4 to 7 days does not leave a pleasant taste. However if that is the game you want to make then I don't want you to listen to me. I am after all not paying and may simply not be the audience you seek.
 

Soulcatch

Member
Game Developer
Sep 28, 2023
129
248
Well you definitely accomplished that, perhaps too well. I definitely enjoy the gameplay overall but 80 in game days of not making progress because guests only ask for alcohol and I only get them every 4 to 7 days does not leave a pleasant taste. However if that is the game you want to make then I don't want you to listen to me. I am after all not paying and may simply not be the audience you seek.
Normally it doesn't take 80 days to get rolling, but it's normal for the first ~4 weeks to be a bit rough. If you are having troubles because understanding the systems isn't easy, then it's a tutorial issue (and the game definitely needs better tutorials, they are on the road map) and not your fault. If you are having trouble because the RNG is destroying you, then RNG needs to be balanced a bit - and again, that's not your fault haha. I don't want the game to be miserable to play, so I absolutely appreciate when people take the time to leave me a note of where they are finding trouble.

And I don't care whether you are paying or not, you still took the time to leave me your thoughts! Thanks. In the current builds there is an alternate start option that lets you begin the game partway through the Summer. If you load that up and look at the state of things, that alternate start is meant to be slightly behind where a playthrough should be at that point.
 
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vidyaa

Member
Mar 6, 2018
128
155
Very cool game, went in without knowing anything and I think I've seen everything so far. I'm now pretty much at the end of fall with the Dryad in the greenhouse.

In my first combat, I had no idea what I was doing and for a couple of rounds I didnt realise that you had to click on the dice to add them to your attacks/blocks. Somehow still won though once I saw that. It would be cool if you could cancel a die you've added, because sometimes I forget the critical hits are a thing and just click the 6 like a donkey. A bit later I had some dice that turned green and I had no idea why, then I got some red ones when I was hit by the status that halves the rolls. So now I know the green ones must be some sort of positive effect.

I get that it may be a design choice to limit the dryad's appearances, but I found myself really wishing there was a "search for the dryad" option for a higher chance at finding her or a pity system that guarantees an event if you go dry for too long. Early on I picked some options that didn't progress her storyline as well, so it may have taken me longer to get her.

Some of Scout's unlocks seem a bit pricey, 10 monster venom and 10 soul essence will take quite a bit of farming unless I'm missing an easier way (I could be, I'm just stumbling in blind)

The army interactions are great, the trade-off between keeping your inn snowballing or farming army reputation is a fun system.

It would be good to have a reminder that stuff in your greenhouse is done growing or your research is complete.
 

Soulcatch

Member
Game Developer
Sep 28, 2023
129
248
Very cool game, went in without knowing anything and I think I've seen everything so far. I'm now pretty much at the end of fall with the Dryad in the greenhouse.

In my first combat, I had no idea what I was doing and for a couple of rounds I didnt realise that you had to click on the dice to add them to your attacks/blocks. Somehow still won though once I saw that. It would be cool if you could cancel a die you've added, because sometimes I forget the critical hits are a thing and just click the 6 like a donkey. A bit later I had some dice that turned green and I had no idea why, then I got some red ones when I was hit by the status that halves the rolls. So now I know the green ones must be some sort of positive effect.

I get that it may be a design choice to limit the dryad's appearances, but I found myself really wishing there was a "search for the dryad" option for a higher chance at finding her or a pity system that guarantees an event if you go dry for too long. Early on I picked some options that didn't progress her storyline as well, so it may have taken me longer to get her.

Some of Scout's unlocks seem a bit pricey, 10 monster venom and 10 soul essence will take quite a bit of farming unless I'm missing an easier way (I could be, I'm just stumbling in blind)

The army interactions are great, the trade-off between keeping your inn snowballing or farming army reputation is a fun system.

It would be good to have a reminder that stuff in your greenhouse is done growing or your research is complete.
Tutorials are absolutely coming, especially for combat. green dice are free dice added by abilities and not related to your ability scores. Red die are indeed halved from bleeding.

Dryad is slow to get because she's supposed to be the third companion you acquire. The 1.7 update just went live on Patreon and is very focused around the dryad (she has scenes + a bunch of new dialog + new art) but the exact pacing of when she shows up is a matter of balance. I did make her show up more in recent patches, but I'll keep an eye on it.

Scouts unlock prices are a little less ridiculous in the newest patches with increased monster drops and more ways to get the monster drops. This is common feedback, so you are far from alone in thinking so!

Greenhouse will be getting a bit of a glow up in the next update, and I agree, a reminder is important. It was misfiring before so I turned it off until I have time to look at it.

Thanks for all the feedback, I really appreciate it!
 
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Soulcatch

Member
Game Developer
Sep 28, 2023
129
248
actually both tower and greenhouse is confusing for me, keg stuff is easy but i dont know what to do with tower and greenhouse
Greenhouse grows food + ingredients for brewing. You pick a plot, choose what kind of stuff you wanna grow there (plants / honey / climbers) plant a seed or flowers, and just wait until it finishes. Then you click to collect and start again.

Tower is more complicated because it does 3 things. It lets you enchant weapons + armor, perform experiments (pay 100 gold and wait a week or so) to gain a bonus to one of your spells, and it unlocks research. You can perform research at night at your study desk as long as you meet 3 critera: 1) youve unlocked the study desk 2)youve unlocked the tower and 3) you own an item you want to research. Research just unlocks lore + exp for the most part, but its needed to finish the dryads quest as well.
 
4.80 star(s) 28 Votes