[Timbo]

Are you going to throw in the "9 item" mod or something similar? That would be very handy.

Possibly, but not in the way that you're thinking. I'm actually considering a "3 Item" mod. Players have too many resources on hand at all times.

I'm considering nerfing Chocochomp down to 200 HP, Honey Brew down to 300 HP, and Magic Walnut down to 25 MP.

The goal is to make the Primm's buff spells useful enough to actually use and make the game just difficult enough to make players want to. If I succeed, then players will need to actually use their healing items to heal.

[lexluthermiester]

Possibly, but not in the way that you're thinking. I'm actually considering a "3 Item" mod. Players have too many resources on hand at all times.

I'm considering nerfing Chocochomp down to 200 HP, Honey Brew down to 300 HP, and Magic Walnut down to 25 MP.

That doesn't sound so good.

The goal is to make the Primm's buff spells useful enough to actually use and make the game just difficult enough to make players want to. If I succeed, then players will need to actually use their healing items to heal.

This could easily lead to a lot of potentially tedious/needless back-forth running around to buy items, going in and out of combat area's and whatnot.

[Timbo]

That doesn't sound so good.
This could easily lead to a lot of potentially tedious/needless back-forth running around to buy items, going in and out of combat area's and whatnot.

That's just simply not how the game is set up. You have an opportunity to make purchases before each major combat area.

If you want to play an easier, unbalanced, version of this hack, it's already done. It's called Secret of Mana: Relocalized. You can download it here. It's everything you love about the original Secret of Mana with FuSoYa's expanded version of Ted Woolsey's original script, further relocalization, uncensored game elements, and some quality of life mods.

[lexluthermiester]

You have an opportunity to make purchases before each major combat area.

While this is of course true, the limitation of three per item means that players will likely have to exit and re-enter combat areas like it was originally just more frequently with one less per item.

If you want to play an easier, unbalanced, version of this hack, it's already done.

No offense intended of course. Just offering insight on that lone aspect of your proposed changes. Otherwise everything else seems really cool!

It's called Secret of Mana: Relocalized. You can download it here. It's everything you love about the original Secret of Mana with FuSoYa's expanded version of Ted Woolsey's original script, further relocalization, uncensored game elements, and some quality of life mods.

Seen that already and have begun a play-through. 

[Timbo]

While this is of course true, the limitation of three per item means that players will likely have to exit and re-enter combat areas like it was originally just more frequently with one less per item. No offense intended of course. Just offering insight on that lone aspect of your proposed changes. Otherwise everything else seems really cool!Seen that already and have begun a play-through. 

It won't help though. Areas have a soft level cap. At a certain point you won't be able to gain enough xp from monsters to level further without hours of grinding. Meaning that it won't matter how many trips you make back and forth because the difficulty will be locked in place and you'll be stuck with the same number of items and spells to deal with it.

I'm honestly not sure about the item limit yet. I'm hoping that I don't have to change it from 4 to 3. It's a nuclear option that a I'd prefer not to choose.

[Shade Aurion]

Just make it an optional patch. I mean you could have a 3 item and a 5 item patch for hard and easy difficulty on WoB.
I like all your ideas and they sound great to me but I am also cautious about tediousness. I echo Lex's concerns but also want to have faith in your work so i'll remain cautiously optimistic. Especially since your previous hacks are brilliant so I have a lot of faith in you man 

[Timbo]

Okay, so my most important agenda here is making the game more fun to play. Don't worry. I've made lots of changes that streamline gameplay. I'm not going to make monster fights tedious so long as you're willing to spend a little magic on the way to the boss.

[Shade Aurion]

I know man. I'm not trying to dump on your vision at all and i'm sure Lex isn't either. More than that though, i'm sure a lot of this will be better explained from actually playing WoB when it releases than on paper because this is after all, a complete rebalance of the game including the equipment rebalance from your other hack, Relocalised, etc. It's easy for people (including myself) to zone in on a few things and have little worries but at the same time forget that this is a total overhaul of the game. Admittedly when I see 3 items I think "fuck, but a few times I needed more than 4 items" forgetting that i'm making that judgment based on the less balanced stock standard version of the game. Concerns while legitimate aren't supposed to be a take away at all. I just keep having to remind myself not to judge your changes based on the original game but the massive list of changes you've made overall and vision you have for this project. The best thing to do in this situation is to make suggestions in case you haven't considered something (which you likely have), remember that you're the only one who knows how this affects the game because your project isn't released yet and trust your judgment, and the latter is easy to do with your track record.

[Timbo]

That's why I try to address every suggestion. I want to encourage discussion.

[hmsong]

Hi, I heard from Queue that you have the Stardust Herb patch for Secret of Mana.  If possible, could you release a stand-alone patch on Romhacking.net? (with Relocalized compatibility)  I much prefer that over Faerie Coconut.  That would be awesome.  Thank you.
September 12, 2019, 10:04:23 am - (Auto Merged - Double Posts are not allowed before 7 days.)

Manaburn: This is a new spell exclusively created to fix the game's final sequence and give Popoi something more to do than cast half of Mana Magic on Randi. I've mentioned this before but Secret of Mana is a three player game and it should be played as such. Previously, Popoi players basically sit the endgame sequence out. This spell brings Popoi to the forefront in a big heroic way.

Popoi isn't useless in the final fight.  Popoi will spend all his time using Dispel against the Mana Beast.  Sure, it doesn't do any damage, but it will stop Mana Beast from casting Lucent Beam (since it'll be too busy re-casting Wall).

[boff]

Hi Timbo

How is progress so far?
I look forward to this hack. For me it will be the definitive version of the game without changing the gameplay as much. (like remove the stamina bar)

Big hug!