This is the longest I've gone between updates, but it's not for lack of activity; I have been working hard on some experimental changes to the game's combat system, and I think I'm finally ready for your feedback. Combat flows a bit differently now. There are three slots on each side of the battle: a melee slot, a ranged slot, and a support slot. The slot that a character is placed in determines the ability they will use (some characters only have a melee or ranged ability, and some fit into multiple slots), and they will only use that slot's ability during that battle--no more order shuffling. The current target will cycle between slots instead of always hitting the character in front. Here are some of the anticipated advantages:

• Players will have more direct influence over the outcome of a battle; the order shuffling previously obfuscated a lot of tactical decisions
• 3v3 with ability restrictions will help keep character counts more manageable
• Characters will generally be using their best stuff, rather than cycling through weaker or absent abilities to get to their "good" turn--this means fewer wasted rounds
• Color-coded slots and icons should better convey the slot-to-ability connection, and be easier to explain when I get around to updating the tutorial

Changelog

• Option to use a single icon to represent each of the game's resources (Bone, Leaf, Bolt, Steak, Helm, Staff, Column, Moneybag)
• Physical damage (replaced melee and ranged, which now describe ability slots)
• Arcane damage (replaces shadow damage--some of these attacks have been turned into fear attacks, as well)

• Lots of core combat rule changes
• Battles are 3v3
• Passives folded into support abilities
• Relevant combat slots are highlighted while dragging a character
• Character recovery speeds have changed to Average, Quick, and Rapid (no more Slow)
• Characters draw fatigue after being targeted; they also heal at this time (if they are not dead)
• Healing no longer reduces poison
• Reduced hero counts
• Heroes no longer "fight fair," requiring them to engage in equal or lesser numbers
• Changed several resource and combat icons, mostly to avoid similar graphics for different things
• Lots of character ability revisions
• Some hero class names have changed, to avoid using the same class twice
• Floor movement and access rule have been moved to the floor's nameplate
• Floors can no longer be moved during a battle
• Floor movement cost has been reduced to 2 scrap per move
• Mystic Kunai banner adds arcane damage to ranged slot
• Quicksilver Quaff boosts ranged slot damage (regardless of type)
• Adamantiserum boosts physical damage (regardless of slot)
• Character legacy rules have changed; players now keep 1 minion per fortified floor in the dungeon--selection is by level then strength (a level 10 T-rex is worth more than a level 10 kobold, but a level 10 koboldwill be selected over a level 9 T-rex)
• Legacied character portraits are now marked with orange backgrounds
• Floor buttons now use the character button scrolling
• Floor and character buttons will no longer overlap the message log
• Floors no longer grant resource cap bonuses (these could be re-introduced later, with another mechanic I'm working on)
• A few improvements to rendering performance

• Scrolling over the surface above the character buttons would scroll the buttons, even though the cursor wasn't over them
• Legacy character rules weren't always obeyed; sometimes, legacy minions would die during destruction--sometimes, non-legacy minions would survive
• Unbuyable character buttons are now hidden during Tomb destruction
• Character portraits could report armor values incorrectly
• Dead minions awaiting respawn would still render on the minimap
• Some UI particles were freezing with the pause button
• Item appearance per session wasn't loaded when restoring a game
• The top floor of the dungeon wasn't properly clipping tall characters (most noticeable with extra short floors, like the Hallway or Hut)
• Gift-bearing heroes weren't always retreating
• Icon tooltips on floors were displaying where the floor tooltip goes
• Character render order wasn't maintained on elevators
• The game could assign duplicate checkpoint names
• Codex tooltips could break
• T-Wrecker idle particles emitted incorrectly when facing left

The Hook:

The Rundown:

• A unique blend of tower-defense strategy, simulation, RPG, and puzzling!
  
• Slick, simple, and frenetic matching mechanics, where reflexes and planning are both rewarded!
  
• Lovingly pixeled characters, settings, and items!
  
• Single-sitting sessions with long-term unlocks, gradually taking your game from newbie-friendly to deep and cerebral!
  
• Tons of diverse floors, items, minions, heroes, and more, to discover and exploit--And more to come!
  
• Tactically emergent gameplay, spawning new strategies and builds as your game evolves!
  
• Frequent updates and direct responses to player feedback!

The Future:

• OS: Ubuntu 12.04 or LaterMemory: 1 GB RAMGraphics: Pixel Shader 2.0Storage: 200 MB available spaceAdditional Notes: Java 1.6
• Memory: 1 GB RAM
• Graphics: Pixel Shader 2.0
• Storage: 200 MB available spaceAdditional Notes: Java 1.6

• OS: Ubuntu 12.04 or LaterMemory: 1 GB RAMGraphics: Pixel Shader 2.0Storage: 200 MB available spaceAdditional Notes: Java 1.6
• Memory: 1 GB RAM
• Graphics: Pixel Shader 2.0
• Storage: 200 MB available spaceAdditional Notes: Java 1.6