First off, I'm really enjoying your game. I love the tactical aspect combined with the rpg elements. One thing that took me forever to figure out was how to sell/convert items to money. I finally figured it out by reading a post in this massive thread, so my first question is - do you have a forum where we can create topics, ask questions, and most importantly, search for things? The biggest feedback I have is the IAP. I realize you guys need to make money, but there's a good and a bad way to do IAP. I find the way you've implemented it off-putting. My initial reaction was incredibly negative when I still didn't know how to sell/convert items. It's gotten a little better since figuring that out, but it still casts a negative light on the game for me. If you want to know the best way to do freemium/IAP look at DDO. They're the only ones who do it really well, and they got over $100 of my money and they are making good money overall from what I hear. You have to offer things that people really want and once bought, the consumer now owns a bigger, more full featured game. You also have to make sure the user can have a blast without making a purchase. Purchases should be more content, more classes, etc. Anyway,if you haven't looked seriously at DDO, I'd highly recommend it to see their purchase mechanics. Whenever I see a game I've already paid for asking for money in order to buy items, i usually put it down, but your game is so good, I think I'll finish it.
hey kepler! glad you like the game. I'm sorry you didn't see the transmutation interface earlier, we thought it was pretty obvious. the IAP's in Companions are very much optional, you really didn't need them. DDO: I played the game a few years back, but never really got into it, so I can't say anything about their use of IAP's. as to a forum: yes, that's a thing we lack. we will try to make on in the very near future. thanks for your comment.
Just bought this on the strength of their new release. I must say, this developer is really impressing me. I don't know how this one slipped by me.
I agree, and is THE one game id love to see working on an iphone. If not, i'll get it the fist thing i do, once i invest in an Ipad.
The new game Time of Heroes is out now. I just got it, but I love the sound track! http://forums.toucharcade.com/showthread.php?p=2099656
Need help I hate to ask, but I'm stuck on the second level. I cannot seem to find the key to open the gate in southern part of the room. I think I've killed and explored as much as I can on the level, but the key eludes me. Any advice on how to unlock the gate would be appreciated. DOH just figured it out. Never mind
Hellhounds? Ok, I'm back. How in the world do you beat the hellhounds? I tapped through the suggested strategy too fast. Is there a log to read previous conversations?
Sorry I wasn't more specific. The level seems to have many assassins. Then there is a long verticle hallway with two patrolling hellhounds. If I attack one of the two, a pack attacks. There's a loop below the hellhounds with two level and gates above and two levels below. There was some talk of trapping the hell hounds in a corridor, but I dont see how that is possible. You help is appreciated. A log of the conversations would be great. Heck, even if it's on a web page and not in the game.
ok, now I know where you are located! you could try several methods: 1. try to sneak with your characters (one at a time) to the levers in the south, open a door and gather your heroes out of reach of the hellhounds (use speed potions!). best disable auto-shooting for your ranged units if you try this. once all 4 characters are secure, build a few dwarven traps and stuff and attack one of the hellhounds and kill him. now, with only one door open, you can kill the whole hellhound pack easily, each hellhound one by one. 2. build many towers and traps, position your troops and kill one of the hellhounds. let them come and destroy them. hellhounds are fast, but their HP are low, so try using area-spells with your mage. generally spoken: try to create situations, where you can finish the enemies of one by one (lure them into small corridors for instance). if that's not possible, use potions and all means available to strengthen your characters. also, take your time building defencive positions with the dwarf. they will give you an edge against your foes. hope that helps! if you need more advice/help, please ask!
Having a good time with the game. I would never have known about it if it wasn't for one of those sales. Now I would have paid full price happily. thoughts... tough to get into. Sure you learned this by now. at first I said, whoah people are tiny. not doing what I said. I got used to it. i'm in software myself... and the first lesson was... never give a bad first impression . anyhow, since I've gotten used the only annoying part so far was sending the minotaur back and forth with the wall pieces while laying traps with dwarf. I did get to the lava mole and forgot the instructions. thought i'd search here... I remember the wall. but going to rebuild the bridge and hope things work out. and I will buy your next game because of this. my son doesn't like it, because not 'cute' enough. characters too small. he's 9. loves legendary wars and monster wars and battleloot. just saying if you want to hit that demographic. cute monsters and bigger. one question I guess I have. I hear there is an expansion. did it ever come out? late to the game... hope it did and that I have more time ahead of me.
hey, glad you like our debut game. we'd love to finish Companions (and we will), but right now, we need to work on games which help us stabilizing our company financially (we sold 9 games of Companions yesterday and it was a good day, so you see, it's just not worth it money wise). we plan on doing an endless crawler on basis of Companions, but that will have to wait, too. have a look at our other games: Time of Heroes is a strategy game (second campaign is nearly finished) with 3D graphics and Nosferatu - Run from the Sun, our endless runner (your son should like this game, cute as it is!-> it's free, so check it out)
Oh I hear you. I'm in the camp of, happy to pay for games. these are less than the latte I bought today... I drink that in 15 minutes... I say move on from companions. Get a v2 out. Bigger and cuter people. And you'd have a winner. my son thought the minotaur was cute. bought time of heroes yesterday, will post in forum initial thoughts. Son doesn't like endless runners . he loves companion type games. He'd play it on easier if the people were bigger and he could see the cuteness. finished companions. final battle was nice. my minotaur bully... could barely be scratched. just had to take care of elf and wizard.
yes, that's what I think when I buy games, too. If I drink a coffee somewhere in the city it costs more than a game I can play for many hours/days/weeks. strange world... give us time and manpower (=money) and it's done in no time np, when I was a kid my brother always played jump&run stuff and I was into all kinds of strategy games (at an age where most didn't want to play that stuff, hehe) yes, it was great fun designing the final battle. the bull minotaur, when well equipped, is nearly indestructible, especially with all the potions and stuff you surely found on your way! happy that you had fun with our game!
I've always been a big supporter of this game on other forums. Even when i play newer releases like Avadon:The Black Fortress or Avernum, I recall how awesome COMPANIONS HD is. It's pretty much one of the only hardcore strategy RPGs on the system other than the aforementioned above and, perhaps, The Bard's Tale. Is Smuttleworks making an updated sequel? Will you make any other games like this? IT would be a real shame if you guys go all casual, or make a 'cute' version of this series. Have you considered doing a Kickstarter? I'd personally like to see more games like this with an improved engine...
