Post by Eric on Sept 27, 2014 1:58:45 GMT -6
I just need to make another report on Stonehearth because I just have been enjoying all the different features the game even being as how limited it is since the game is still in very early Alpha. I thought here I would just discuss some general information on the game that might not have been covered in the previous reports and thought I should mention.
When you start a new game you can choose the location you would like to be at, since the game will randomly generate the terrain for you, you can choose to be in a forested area with access to many resources and animals or in a hilly area or an area that does not have much vegetation. Once you start the game you can name your village or have the game name your village. The game has some great names already such as Berryvale or Flowerhaven. My current village is called Flowercoin.
It is interesting that this is the third report I am writing about this game since I usually don't write this much about anything unless I really like it or I see lots of potential in something. Stonehearth has the potential to be great and do very well if everything comes together and they manage to include everything they have planned for it. To be honest I usually don't like these types of games because of the amount of management of systems, characters and other things that you have to keep track of. This game due to its very awesome graphics, music and gameplay have been enjoyable and not frustrating so I keep continuing to play to see what I else I can find.
So lets continue in discussing my village of Flowercoin. Once you select on area to start in you will place a banner on that spot and your group of about six villagers will settle there. There are some items that they bring with them, a saw and and a knife. These items allow you to promote your various villagers to diffent jobs such as the saw will promote your villager to a carpenter and the knife wil promote your village to a trapper. Resources are a very important part of the game as without them you can't build your grand civilization or support your citizens. You need to collect wood from trees, berries for food, you can have your trapper trap animals for food or pelts or do farming which allows you to grow crops for people. I believe that often your villagers will need food to survive or they will eventually die from hunger. Other areas that I did not mention is when you read about a caravan that arrives in your area and is willing to trade items with your for ones that you have. Sometimes they will give you a challenge to create certain items within a certain time and you will get other items in return if you agree.
My favorite part is when the outside world sees that you are doing well other villagers will hear about your town and decide to join. Right now that is the only way you can get additional villagers by waiting to see if they join you as you grow and prosper. At one time I got a carpenter, at another I got a farmer that came to my village. So it is a surprise when you see new villages come and join your group. The developers have mentioned that one way you may be able to add a villager is when you upgrade your town as part of the RPG elements of the game. I wonder if when you upgrade your town how massive the upgrades will be, such as types of materials used and items available. It will be awesome to see a game that starts off with small houses and then you can upgrade your towns with massive castles, fountains and other items that show you going from small beginnnings to a major city.
You can just sit and think about it all, that the developers have mentioned all they plan to add to the game, such as elemental creatures that will come and attack your town, a class called the Magmasmith which will unleash fire upon enemies, or huge castle like beasts that will attack your town, or where they plan to add scenarios to things that you must do and quests that must be done. Right now there is no water in the terrain so I am looking forward to when there will be rivers and lakes included to enhance the scenery as the terrain right now does need to need to be majorly spruced up a bit to add more variety but this is still a very early Alpha.
I wonder if it will be possible to fish when there are lakes and rivers. I wonder if waterfalls will be possible in the game as well. I hope quests will involve exploring the map for treasure or items that can help you. As of right now the most exploration you do is to find resources or trap animals as there is no other reason to go and explore beyond your starting area. In the future seasons are planned to be added such as snow in Winter, rains in spring or thunderstorms in the summer. I hope they do extensive things with seasons, such as colors of trees changing in the fall or spring and specific challenges or continues caused by the specific season you are in.
The trapper is an interesting profession that was recently added to the game. Once you have your trapper you select an area you want to trap animals in and the trapper will set traps in that area and trap animals that come by. The animals you trap can be used as a pets or as resources for leather or as food. Right now the weaver is also a great profession as you can make cloth and leather which you can then turn into some nice upgraded clothes that will speed up your villagers or provide armor for your footman.
I am not building any houses right now as that part of the game has major bugs as my villagers will buld up to a certain point and then stop, leaving areas unfinished. So for right now I will concentrate on just creating tables and chairs where my villagers can eat at or beds where they can sleep on. You can also create lanterns that you can set up all around your village either on houses or on the ground to light the area at night.
Combat is still basic and involves the enemy which are Goblins rading your village. Right now one may come and steal resources or a huge raiding party may attack your town and you must be ready with your footman and sounding the alarm when you see this threat or all of your citizens will be killed. When you click on the defend button, all your villagers and not just the footman will become alert and attack any threats to the village. So this is basically the main components of this current Alpha as there is much that still needs to be added to the game as further Alphas are released and the game continues further in development. Hopefully by either reading these reports, visiting the Stonehearth website at www.stonehearth.net and watching the many Stonehearth videos you have the impression that I really love this game and definitely want to continue seeing where it is going in the future!
When you start a new game you can choose the location you would like to be at, since the game will randomly generate the terrain for you, you can choose to be in a forested area with access to many resources and animals or in a hilly area or an area that does not have much vegetation. Once you start the game you can name your village or have the game name your village. The game has some great names already such as Berryvale or Flowerhaven. My current village is called Flowercoin.
It is interesting that this is the third report I am writing about this game since I usually don't write this much about anything unless I really like it or I see lots of potential in something. Stonehearth has the potential to be great and do very well if everything comes together and they manage to include everything they have planned for it. To be honest I usually don't like these types of games because of the amount of management of systems, characters and other things that you have to keep track of. This game due to its very awesome graphics, music and gameplay have been enjoyable and not frustrating so I keep continuing to play to see what I else I can find.
So lets continue in discussing my village of Flowercoin. Once you select on area to start in you will place a banner on that spot and your group of about six villagers will settle there. There are some items that they bring with them, a saw and and a knife. These items allow you to promote your various villagers to diffent jobs such as the saw will promote your villager to a carpenter and the knife wil promote your village to a trapper. Resources are a very important part of the game as without them you can't build your grand civilization or support your citizens. You need to collect wood from trees, berries for food, you can have your trapper trap animals for food or pelts or do farming which allows you to grow crops for people. I believe that often your villagers will need food to survive or they will eventually die from hunger. Other areas that I did not mention is when you read about a caravan that arrives in your area and is willing to trade items with your for ones that you have. Sometimes they will give you a challenge to create certain items within a certain time and you will get other items in return if you agree.
My favorite part is when the outside world sees that you are doing well other villagers will hear about your town and decide to join. Right now that is the only way you can get additional villagers by waiting to see if they join you as you grow and prosper. At one time I got a carpenter, at another I got a farmer that came to my village. So it is a surprise when you see new villages come and join your group. The developers have mentioned that one way you may be able to add a villager is when you upgrade your town as part of the RPG elements of the game. I wonder if when you upgrade your town how massive the upgrades will be, such as types of materials used and items available. It will be awesome to see a game that starts off with small houses and then you can upgrade your towns with massive castles, fountains and other items that show you going from small beginnnings to a major city.
You can just sit and think about it all, that the developers have mentioned all they plan to add to the game, such as elemental creatures that will come and attack your town, a class called the Magmasmith which will unleash fire upon enemies, or huge castle like beasts that will attack your town, or where they plan to add scenarios to things that you must do and quests that must be done. Right now there is no water in the terrain so I am looking forward to when there will be rivers and lakes included to enhance the scenery as the terrain right now does need to need to be majorly spruced up a bit to add more variety but this is still a very early Alpha.
I wonder if it will be possible to fish when there are lakes and rivers. I wonder if waterfalls will be possible in the game as well. I hope quests will involve exploring the map for treasure or items that can help you. As of right now the most exploration you do is to find resources or trap animals as there is no other reason to go and explore beyond your starting area. In the future seasons are planned to be added such as snow in Winter, rains in spring or thunderstorms in the summer. I hope they do extensive things with seasons, such as colors of trees changing in the fall or spring and specific challenges or continues caused by the specific season you are in.
The trapper is an interesting profession that was recently added to the game. Once you have your trapper you select an area you want to trap animals in and the trapper will set traps in that area and trap animals that come by. The animals you trap can be used as a pets or as resources for leather or as food. Right now the weaver is also a great profession as you can make cloth and leather which you can then turn into some nice upgraded clothes that will speed up your villagers or provide armor for your footman.
I am not building any houses right now as that part of the game has major bugs as my villagers will buld up to a certain point and then stop, leaving areas unfinished. So for right now I will concentrate on just creating tables and chairs where my villagers can eat at or beds where they can sleep on. You can also create lanterns that you can set up all around your village either on houses or on the ground to light the area at night.
Combat is still basic and involves the enemy which are Goblins rading your village. Right now one may come and steal resources or a huge raiding party may attack your town and you must be ready with your footman and sounding the alarm when you see this threat or all of your citizens will be killed. When you click on the defend button, all your villagers and not just the footman will become alert and attack any threats to the village. So this is basically the main components of this current Alpha as there is much that still needs to be added to the game as further Alphas are released and the game continues further in development. Hopefully by either reading these reports, visiting the Stonehearth website at www.stonehearth.net and watching the many Stonehearth videos you have the impression that I really love this game and definitely want to continue seeing where it is going in the future!