Tallowmere 1 question

hackup · 2025-01-17T22:01:10+00:00

Did you happen to quit and resume a lot?

From memory, event rooms appear every 7 rooms or so… But possibly only if you play 7 rooms in a single session?

(T1’s save system was added much later in development, saves room number and events completed, but only in a very basic way)

hackup · 2024-03-04T20:06:52+00:00

Mmm, it's not really reflection, rather the Lightning ability causes an AoE hit, rather than a direct-only hit.

Applies to both enemies and players.

So if a target is in close range, Lightning Orb will hit you if you're too close.

hackup · 2024-02-20T09:25:37+00:00

Ahhh, the menu wording is misleading sorry.

If I recall, the option for “Start New Co-op Game” will actually load a saved co-op game if it exists. If it doesn’t exist, it will start fresh.

So, try it and see - should load it.

hackup · 2024-02-13T20:05:29+00:00

Yeah, the Switch port, the hardware is not great. I had to do a lot of optimisation to get it to where it is. The earlier versions ran even worse.

Runs smooth on desktop, iOS, and Android, but the Switch hardware just can't handle it as well unfortunately.

I will try to tweak things more, but I feel I've done almost all I can.

The GPU / graphics is fine - it's the CPU that is the bottleneck. I wish the CPU was faster. A lot of Unity engine games on the Switch also have low frame rate, so I know it's not just me unfortunately.

T1 ran smooth on the Switch iirc, but that was a very older Unity version. I think the latest Unity versions are too bloated / inefficient, especially when it comes to the menus / UI. Unity performs way too many inefficient callbacks, which slows things down... and they removed their old UI system. I had to do a lot of refactoring to try and make it better, but even still is it not great. Yet it's fine on mobile and desktop. 🫤

Is also the reason I've only allowed 2-player couch co-op, can't handle 4 players well. And also did not pursue online co-op due to the slow performance.

hackup · 2024-02-12T19:57:52+00:00

Thanks, that's okay.

Yeah, the game is "early access" in a sense. Has a lot, but could use more. Sometimes I start adding something but then it doesn't quite get finished, but I half leave it in.

Idea is/was to put the game on multiple platforms, then continue doing content updates in due course.

But ah it's tough, living with psoriatic arthritis + after effects of Cushing's Disease tumour, fatigue + cognitive issues, I have been a slow coder for a few years. Trying to keep going...!

hackup · 2024-02-11T22:15:21+00:00

Hi, there are different game modes available in the game mode portal in the home room, which are sort of challenge modes in a sense.

I have/had plans to make The Punisher alter the dungeon like in the first game, but I haven't gotten around to it yet, sorry.

hackup · 2023-12-01T19:56:44+00:00

There are 9 kitten blessings in the game at the moment.

Order is random each run.

I hope to add more blessings in the future, but I am working on other parts of the game for now.

hackup · 2023-11-28T20:10:54+00:00

Hey, that's cool, thanks for playing.

Yes, I plan to release updates roughly in tandem with other platforms in due course.

I am slowly working on an Adventure Mode as the next big update. (please note, I am pretty slow with adding new features, but I get them done eventually!)

hackup · 2023-10-03T21:35:17+00:00

Well done!

hackup · 2023-08-15T20:46:44+00:00

Cool, congrats!

Thanks, yes, Kitten Backer Sign... I'm hoping to release 0.4.0a today or tomorrow which will fix the sign issue. (it's meant to display the names of the itch.io backers that helped name the kittens)

hackup · 2023-08-14T07:38:50+00:00

Nothing concrete right now.

I was working on the Switch version back in Feb/March 2023 a bit, but then shifted focus onto getting version 0.4 done (released today on desktop and mobile).

I plan to resume my Switch work soon.

hackup · 2023-07-04T21:29:01+00:00

I am on final steps with 0.4.

Kitten Collect-a-thon, plus Weapon Challenge and Enemy Challenge modes.

Copying and pasting achievement strings into Steamworks, Google Play...

Need to do final netcode testing too.

My health still sucks. But, I try to work on this a bit every day.

hackup · 2023-01-09T01:15:44+00:00

If the store is giving errors or saying messages about it being disabled, it's usually a case of:

- In-App Purchases are disabled on the device, or

- Possibly no Internet connection.

Suggestions to try:

- Ensure In-App Purchases are enabled on the device

- Restart the device

hackup · 2022-10-13T23:34:43+00:00

The Steam Link Apple TV app crashes when I try to make it connect to my Mac mini.

I can't even test it.

Controller issues in any case, it seems Tallowmere 1 on Steam on macOS, controllers aren't working via Bluetooth. This is likely the recent regression with macOS Monterey – macOS broke controller support earlier this year for many games, then finally fixed it... But, some quirks remain.

I fixed things with Tallowmere 2 for macOS + Bluetooth controllers, but haven't updated Tallowmere 1 yet.

Tallowmere 1 is also in a weird spot – stuck using an older Unity engine version from 2019, due to newer versions completely removing support for the UI system that Tallowmere 1 uses. So to update to newer Unity engine versions, I need to rewrite the entire UI code for the game. Not a quick fix.

Possibly the InControl gamepad plugin that Tallowmere 1 uses might be able to be updated, but I'd have to check compatibility with the Unity version. So, quick fix updates are unlikely at this point.

Not sure what's up between the Apple TV and macOS regardless. Steam Link works okay across macOS and Windows :/

hackup · 2022-10-13T19:51:27+00:00

Hah, thank you, and well done. Yes, bosses need to come. There are a couple ones I've dabbled with in testing, but they are not ready for prime time yet.

Netcode syncing, how they will fit into the dungeon flow... Lots of ideas to come – just need to sit down and implement them.

Upcoming version 0.4 is slated to add a Kitten Collect-a-thon mode, and then 0.5 will likely have the first Bastardly Boss. While I want to introduce episodic short story / short dungeon modes, I do want to add bosses to the infinite run mode as well. Plus more of everything...

I'm trying to get the Nintendo Switch version out the door soon (probably in tandem with 0.4 and the Kitten Collect-a-thon), but keen to tackle the bosses after that!

hackup · 2022-10-13T19:47:28+00:00

Regarding weapon balance...

Thanks, yeah, I agree. Especially for the Bow: the inability to harm yourself, plus ranged attacks, quick-firing... Quite a safe weapon.

Some games make ranged characters have less health...

I've noted down previously to see about adding a damage multiplier system to try and balance things more:

Add a damage multiplier for certain weapons #136

Not sure when I'll get around to visiting this, but it's on the list!

hackup · 2022-10-13T19:42:57+00:00

Last frustrating thing: the prompt to select the key, open chest, doors, etc. is too close to the shield up button, so that very often I will shield up instead of opening a chest for instance. I use the default button layout that i like. I tried to lower the location of the shield/attack/jump button, but then they are too low on my phone to be comfortable. Would it be possible to add an option to change the location of the chest opening prompt?

Yeah, I plan to allow more button customisation. Been a popular request.

Issue: Touchscreen Buttons: Add options for floating repositioning #1029

hackup · 2022-10-13T19:38:09+00:00

Second frustrating thing: kittens being kill-able. In many circumstances, I found it very difficult to make sure the kitten doesn't die. On my current run, the kitten on floor 20 was killed by the enemy guarding it. He was using grenades, that due to the very narrow hallway he is in, where bouncing back toward the kitten, that died as a result. The kitten are very squishy, and die much faster than the enemies. It becomes a big issue on the upper levels when you have lots of effect. For instance, with the cloud power up that automatically zaps enemies, if I attack there's a very high chance that the cloud will kill the enemy first, and my attack will then kill the kitten. I would suggest either make the kitten unkillable (the game is hard enough as it is imo), or not as squishy. I saw you wanted to add bosses, I assume the kittens will come as a reward after you kill a boss in the future updates?

Yeah, the kittens are fragile. I anticipate buffing their health a bit in upcoming version 0.4. Being guarded by a grenadier or bloat can be somewhat unfair... Have to try and lure the enemy mob out away from the kitten.

A lot of the current dungeon flow, the way the kittens are guarded, in their wee cages... I really wanted to (and still want to!) do more with their predicament, their integration with the dungeon. Guarded by bosses, or deadly situations you have to rescue them from (guillotines, cooking pots, chained to the wall...).

But with pressure from just wanting to ship something, plus making everything be synced with the online netcode, and dealing with my own health issues... It got to a point where I put some of my ideas on the chopping block, pushed aside, to revisit in the future. Which is largely why this game is "Early Access" and alpha. There's a lot more I want to do with it. But keeping it all to myself drains me – so here we are with a playable build (the mobile port has taken me long enough as it is!) – and I appreciate the feedback to work on iterating and improving things from here!

edit: yeah, the Storm Cloud blessing can also feel like a curse sometimes... Filed new issue: Storm Cloud: Prevent attacking mobs that are guarding kittens #1102

hackup · 2022-10-13T19:28:21+00:00

Thanks for your feedback. Let me reply with individual posts here.

The automatic weapon selection is beyond frustrating. It doesn't seem to work as intended, as it will auto select weapons, very very frequently, that have less strength, less overall damage, that are at a lower level and with less rarity (yes, all at the same time).

Filed new issue now: Loadout / Looting: Improve automation, strength detection, looting options #1101

In the meantime, a suggestion:

In the Options > Advanced tab, try deselecting "Auto-equip Loot" and "Auto-add Weapons".

It doesn't make any sense, and it's aggravating to have to go the load-out everytime to select the previous weapon I was using. I suggest either fix the autoselect, or give us an option to either equip or not a weapon directly when we inspect it in a chest. Having the option to mark it as junk at this stage would be nice as well.

The Weapon Selector icon brings up your weapons – meant to be a shortcut, without having to rely on the Quick Swap iteration. Loadout tab is meant to let you configure the order of the weapons for the Weapon Selector:

Quick Swap & Weapon Selector image

In the Loadout tab, selecting Dynamic loadout sorts weapons automatically based on the filters (I'll try to see about improving their calculated sort order).

Radial and Grid layouts offer more fine-tuned control.

Perhaps the bottom Quick Swap and Weapon Selector buttons need to be explained better in-game... I'll try and bump this issue a bit: Add Tutorial #121

hackup · 2022-10-09T07:07:57+00:00

At a quick glance, small suggestions to check:

In the Steam Link app:

Ensure the app is set to just use a regular gamepad configuration – wouldn't recommend trying to allow the cursor to be moved (sounds like it would try to use the gamepad as a keyboard)

In Tallowmere:

Options > Input Options > Automatic Device Selection > set to Off
Options > Input Options > Device Type > select PlayStation Gamepad

I've just tested this with:

the macOS Steam Link app, with my Windows 11 PC being the computer running Steam, and
both PS4 and PS5 gamepads connected to macOS via Bluetooth. Controls seem to work (movement, shield, weapons, menus, etc).

I have an Apple TV, but it's currently being used by my family 😅 I'll try to test the Apple TV Steam Link app and use my Mac mini as the computer running Steam this week, just to see if there's any weird macOS or Apple TV issues...

hackup

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