I'm curious as to why some of the changes that were made to the UI were made. I like the damage effects, especially the one for projectile damage. I don't understand though why the start game button on the fight intro screen was changed to "onward" just to put a "start game" button on the next screen. What was wrong with just hitting start and starting the game? Also on the target confirmation screen it already shows how much damage you're going to do along with any modifiers to that damage. Why add another screen that does the same thing, just adding the modifiers one at a time before showing the damage effect? Couldn't that all be done on one screen? Either by showing the damage effect on the first screen or confirming your selection on the second? The extra button and extra screen just seem a bit reduntant to me. The extra button and extra screen just seem a bit reduntant to me.
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They added the start button on the next screen so people could look at their cards before the villain starts playing cards. Before you'd go straight in and the villain would immediately play a card before you had a chance to check your own stuff out.
I guess that makes sense, but then my question is why? I can't counter what the villain plays with anything in my hand. I don't really need to see what I've got until it is my turn.
edit: fixed typo
Here's the commentary.
Short version: A lot of requests for that feature.
Short version, you might have to make choices like "who takes this damage?" and then you need to see "Well, does Ra have a staff? Does Fanatic have Absolution?"
At which point you use the meanwhile button to go look at what's in play.
I don't mind having the Start button. Kinda like it, actually. But it's not like you can't look at all the cards whenever you want to.
Hi. My name's Andy. Feel free to call me Andy, since, ya know, that's my name. (he/him/his)
If I am not for myself, who will be for me? If not now, when? If I am for myself alone, what am I? -- Hillel
Maybe it will work as a "I'm Ready" button once multiplayer is implemented.
There was nothing wrong with it, but this was a feature that was requested by several users and it makes sense. When you sit down to play a game of SotM, you choose your heroes and villain and environment and put the decks out. Then (in my experience) the first thing everyone does is look at their hand. It lets you start thinking about what you've got, before the villain starts ruining everything. If you don't like to do that, it's exactly one more tap. Not the end of the world.
The target selection screen shows a preview of what's going to happen, and it's often incomplete because it depends on a decision you have to make. The card on the left is the card causing the damage to happen, and the card on the right is the target you choose.
The damage animation screen shows you what actually happened. The card on the left is the card dealing the damage, and the card on the right is the card that actually is dealt damage. Furthermore, often times damage is done without you selecting a target, and the damage animation screen shows you what happened.
We plan to integrate the two screens more closely (when possible) later on, but they are necessarily distinct.
Lead Bit Flipper, Handelabra Games
Developer of Sentinels, Bottom of the 9th, and Spirit Island
Please don't take anything above as criticism. It's not. I absolutely love what Handelabra has done with the game and I will continue to gladly give you my money for any future updates. SotM is my favorite game to play, and I play the app much more than I play the card game. I am genuinely curious about the design and decision making processes that led to these particular changes. And no, whether I like to do it or not, one more tap is not the end of the world.
The extra damage animation screen on the other hand does slow the game down quite a bit. Whether the card on the left is causing or dealing the damage, the end is the same. The preview screen shows how much damage I'll do if I select this target. Once I select that target if the damage is different on the animation screen there is a problem somewhere. The preview screen could show you the damage animation after the target has been selected. Having a second screen recalculate the same numbers would seem to be an unnecessary use of resources as well as extend the length of the game. I don't see how having the two screens are either necessary or distinct. If they were necessarily distinct, where was the additional screen before the update/Rook City?
I do however believe a screen showing the damage and modifiers is preferable to a text box when you're not actively choosing a target. Such as when there is only one target to choose from.
Unless you push that big red button that says, "Do Not Touch".
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-Robert E. Howard, "The Tower of the Elephant"
The new damage window doesn't change much time wise. Personally I feel it's actually quicker then the prior damage calculation text box it would show and at the least more interesting.
Crush your enemies, drive them before you, and laminate their women! - Guise, Prime Wardens #31
Criticism is good! You asked questions and I answered them =)
There are options to turn off or speed up the damage animation screen, if you want it to feel faster.
The damage animation screen takes no more time than the text box, however.
I explained why they are distinct. The information was in the previous version in a text box, and now it's presented in a much nicer way.
Lead Bit Flipper, Handelabra Games
Developer of Sentinels, Bottom of the 9th, and Spirit Island