Graphical Improvements in Retro 2020-07-06 17:00

Hello, everyone!

For those who don't know me, I'm [DUSK]. Since the release of DOFUS Retro, I've worked on anything remotely related to the game's graphic design. Nice to meet you all!

As you discovered when version 1.32 went live, we worked on the appearance of several elements.

The basic idea was to make the game clearer and more vibrant. Thus, Darkli Moon Totems became apparent; certain close-combat attacks were added, and we created distinct sprites for the 3 main categories of soul stones.

To refresh your memory, here's a snapshot of what I'm talking about:

(In order: Soul Stone, Archmonster Soul Stone, and Dungeon Keeper Soul Stone)

 

The vast majority of you have been happy about this change that is equal parts useful and enjoyable, and so we've decided to continue moving in that direction.

There are many items in DOFUS Retro with the same appearance, which can make trading ambiguous, potentially even risky if you're not paying attention. There should always be clarity when verifying a sale of Elm Wood, or of pets at the Bow Kennel.

To that end, I'm proud and excited to offer you a preview of what will appear in the next major update for the game!

Scrolls

Have you ever been disappointed to realize, while perusing your favorite marketplace, that most of the available scrolls are simply carbon copies? Thankfully, this will soon be a thing of the past, because the majority of these scrolls will be changed one by one.

For example, here's a look at what I can do when given a can of paint to use on the Bow Kennel scrolls:

(The scroll on the left is the reference used for over 20 pets; are you perceptive enough to guess which ones these new scrolls represent?)

 
In the same vein, have you been mistaken while looking through all your characteristic scrolls and ended up clicking around cluelessly? Now this shouldn't be an issue, as each power level is represented:

Here's a small selection of certain experience scrolls that should be familiar to you:

(The scroll on the left is the reference currently used for all these scrolls.)

 

Mount Certificates

Here's a topic that is especially important to me. Going through all those certificates can be a drag when you're looking for a specific mount. While this change isn't a real alternative to a more robust search system, it still has the advantage, as with soul stones, of making each certificate clearer.

Enough talk – here's a peek for you:

(The certificate on the left is the reference currently used for over 50 species. It's easy to mix them up!)

 

Smithmagic Runes:

According to reports from our master smithmagi, it's not always easy to distinguish between the primary runes. Given the nature of these items, it's important to find a solution that is elegant, smart, and above all, relevant. So this is not a final result I'm providing, but rather a few early versions that I encourage you to give suggestions or feedback on.

For those less familiar with this profession, switching base runes in the trade window can be frustrating because the only thing that currently differentiates them is the number of fragments around them.

Although it's equally tricky to anticipate what they'll look like in a player's inventory based on the image, once a direction is settled on, you can play around with hue and other parameters to enhance this distinction.

(This image features four sketches: one with hues of the rune color in bright tones (1); another rune that's darker in order to symbolize the concentration of energy due to the power highlighting the color of the rune (2); one with hues of the rune color in dark tones (3); and finally one where the colors of the rune spill over into the fragments (4).)

Certain Consumables and Resources

• Naive-Cra: "I'll buy your elm wood!"
  *Naive-Cra launches a trade*
• Iop-Scammer: "OK, click accept"

And thus, Naive-Cra gets duped by spending a fortune on a pack of bewitched wood. Iop-Scammer is already sipping a glass of Cra tears while reclining by the pool.

If this has ever happened to you, you'll be relieved to know that two new exclusive designs for elm wood and ancestral wood have been created, allowing you to easily tell if a charlatan is after your kamas.

(In order: Bewitched Wood, Ancestral Wood, Elm Wood, and Sack of Elm Wood)

I also want to show you some of the new profession delevelling potions, which I'm sure you'll agree are better suited to their function…

(On the left: the reference currently used for all potions of this type)

As with characteristics scrolls, we reworked smithmagic potions to try to make it easier to distinguish between the 3 power levels of this category. So we have this:

We'll also be working on spell scrolls… but I'm being told that it won't be ready in time for this devblog, so you'll have to wait on that.

So, this may be a lot to process, but the team and I are very excited to get your reactions. This is time-consuming work, but I'm convinced that it will delight Retro fans!

Presenting a Concept for Discussion: A Mount Skin System

As you know, when Retro came out, we promised not to change the content of the game, and we assure you that our stance has remained the same. As you've seen in this devblog, we're still looking for ways to take the old and make it new in order to improve the game and make it more vibrant.

Like you, I grew up with DOFUS, and certain enduring myths always give me the chills and make me smile. So I always feel a deep sense of wonder when I'm tracking the progress of this particular version.

Did there used to be a chest containing 1 million kamas in the cave with the tiles "D-O-F-U-S"?

Did you know that an in-game collectible card game was considered?

Even more nuts, when mounts were being designed, several creatures played this role before the Dragoturkey! During a recent archaeological expedition, I discovered that the Treechnid, the Gobball, and last but not least, the Tabi (a mythical creature if ever there was one), were all, at one time or another, in the running to be your trusty steed.

What if, in some parallel universe, we're all riding around on these creatures? Is it wrong to limit an entire gameplay mechanic to a single appearance?

From that absurd notion, I began this restoration work. First to be able to submit it to the team, and then to the community to ultimately agree on a way to introduce it without interfering with gameplay too much.

So we considered a ceremonial type system for mounts (not unlike harnesses), to be designed exclusively for Retro. This wouldn't affect your mount's stats; it would only change its appearance.

It would actually assume the traits of certain iconic creatures in the game, thereby letting your imagination run wild during character creation, as with pets. For an example worth a thousand words, here's a rough version of what you could expect:

We really believe in the final product, and we'd love to offer this system to you, provided that you're as eager as we are to get around the World of Twelve in a whole new way. We invite you to share your expectations, your opinions, your fears, your excitement, and anything else that comes to mind!

[DUSK]