Dirge is a class based wad based on Hexen. Players are divided into four classes.
Classes:
The classes now favor specific roles instead of general types of play. The four roles are Brute, Cannon, Support, and Striker. Monsters will also follow these classes in structure, for the most part. Brutes are heavy melee damage types with lots of health and a weakness to magic. Centaurs are an example of Brutes. Cannons are heavy magic throwers with a weakness to physical damage. Mages are usually Cannons. Support monsters are equally good with melee and magic and can heal monsters in rare cases. Imps are an example of Support monsters. Strikers are fast heavy damage dealing monsters with at least one form of long range magic; they are usually pretty frail.
More details on specific class roles are listed in the Class descriptions below.
Magic:
Magic is divided into four primary elements: Fire, Air, Earth, and Water. There is one subtype of each primary: Fire (Steam), Air (Lightning), Earth (Acid), and Water (Ice). Any enemy that is resistant or immune to the primary is vulnerable to the subtype and vice versa. Enemies that are weak against one are also weak against the other. There are also two divine types of magic, each with a subtype: Holy (Light) and Necro (Dark). Holy and Necro are opposed to each other. Unlike the four primary magics, mosters resistant/immune to one type of divine magic are also resistant/immune to the subtype. Holy and Necro have a chance of instantly killing some enemies.
All subtypes count as the type for weaknesses. A monster that takes 2x damage from fire also takes 2x damage from steam.
Physical damage:
Physical damage is also divided into four categories: Stun, Impact, Piercing, and Explosive. Brutes are weak to stun and resistant to impact. Cannons are weak to impact and resistant to explosive. Strikers are weak to piercing and resistant to stun. Support monsters are weak to explosive and resistant to piercing.
Flying monsters are weak to piercing and explosive. This does not include monsters that go into flight after they spawn.
I'm considering adding backstab as another type of damage.
Weapons:
The original primary weapons for the Fighter, Mage, and Cleric are still there. They have had new effects added to them and will have more effects later. The weapons will charge and gain more charge levels as you go up the chain (cleric staff will have 1, flame has 2, Wraithverge has 3) that will cost more ammo (obviously) as you go up in charge. The rogues weapons are all going to be custom. A new addition as well is that primary weapons only require one type of mana. The altfires will use the characters MP. The altfires will also charge in the same manner. MP will regenerate based upon the weapon. Weaker weapons charge faster and recharge faster and the class (Mage recharges the fastest and charges the slowest) will have differing charactersitics as well.
Secondary weapons are more effective in the hands of some classes then they are in others. The classes have a relative skill that comes with the class. Secondary weapons do not use mana in most cases, but they can use MP sometimes. Secondary weapons use different types of ammo: Bolts, Grenades, and Crystals to name a few. Secondary weapons also do not charge in most cases. They are substantially weaker on average than the third tier weapons. (arc, flame, hammer) Their main purpose is to add extra capability and can help you better suit your preferred style of play. My planned secondary weapons so far: Crossbow, elemental wands, elemental melee weapons, and staffs of varying effects. (I have one that summons Imps.) Each of the classes will also start with a secondary weapon.
Subweapons are something you already know, I've just renamed them. They are single use weapons like the flechettes from hexen and will use different effects based upon class. Subweapons focus on a single damage type, so they can be useful in a pinch. I'm also planning some scroll subweapons that add buffs or attack based on class.
Items:
The Hexen armor system has been scrapped. There are now individual armors that can be bought, found, etc. Armor pickups will look for the type of armor to repair. Health pickups will look at the class to determine how much health to give. Every class will also start with an infinitely reusable item with a cooldown timer on it.
I've also introduced a second wind. Characters can spend it and regain one third of their health. Only the cleric and certain pickups can refill it.
I will eventually replace these parts with custom graphics.
Class Descriptions
The monsters depicted in these screenshots will not be in the first release.
Spoiler: Fighter: Brute
Spoiler: Mage: Cannon
Spoiler: Cleric: Support
Spoiler: Rogue: StrikerFirst release priorities:
- Get all of the four base classes working.
Introduce a total of 10 secondary weapons
Replace enemy spawners
Create 5 bosses
Screenshots: http://s1263.photobucket.com/albums/ii6 ... e11/Dirge/
Videos: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL ... e=view_all
Any comments or criticism is appreciated. I'm not asking for assistance until I finish the base four classes.
But, thanks all the same.
