King Arthur: Knight's Tale

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Balancing Balance

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Igles007

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About this mod

King Arthur: Knight's Tale Jamais Vu is not an ordinary a full game overhaul mod.
This modification from the Jamais Vu series of mods gives you a completely different game to play.

Permissions and credits
Changelogs
So what is this modification from the Jamais Vu series of mods?

At the beginning of the description, the problems of the original game and the reasons that prompted the author to spend four months of his time creating this mod will be indicated.
For attentive people, this will help to understand the author's attitude to this or that element of gameplay and why he remade it that way. 
If you do not like to read a detailed description or you are an impatient person, you can go to the part with the key features of the modification that are located below.


To begin with, this mod is the second mod in a series of modifications "under the brand" Jamais Vu.
The first mod is a key project for the Balancing Balance team.
The key project was created based on one of the author's two most beloved games of all time.
This game is called Evil Island Curse of the lost soul.
This is a 2001 year game that even now can be played superbly, surpassing many modern products created with one goal - to make money.
Therefore, if you missed this legend, I strongly recommend to playing it.


Link to mod on Nexus:

https://www.nexusmods.com/evilislandscurseofthelostsoul/mods/1/?tab=description&BH=0

And now let's talk about King Arthur: Knight's Tale.

This game made a very twofold impression on me.

On the one hand, I really liked the combat system by the first mission of the game.
On the other hand, by the third mission, I saw that the game has a huge contrast between the combat system, game mechanics by one side and the setting of the game, the story line and balance in the game by another.
The hard work of those who created the basics of the game was admired.
Whereas the work of those who were responsible for the rest was disappointing.


That's why I started playing this game twice.

The first time, in the spring, I left the game.
The second time, in September, I sat down to work on my mod, which was supposed to fix key flaws.
The situation was complicated by the fact that I have no experience at all in writing program code and I had to spend a lot of time trying to fix the original skills and add new ones. Make them work more or less as I need.
Create a new balance in the game from scratch and make all the gears rotate in the right rhythm.
Because one of my key tasks was to correct the errors of the original balance, when some classes are not needed at all, and other classes can win battles in one or two turns.


Moreover, I wanted to make the game work the way it was conceived by part of the development team who created the technical foundations of the game.
The game that could confidently ascend to the podium of the best games of 2022, as a game with the best implementation of the turn-based tactical RPG concept. Perhaps not even just for 2022.


And now let's discuss the specifics.

This modification does not change the story line of the game, the maps, or the setting of the game.
I couldn't change the story line of the game or the setting in any way. And I couldn't change the maps - there are no tools.
But the balance in the game was recreated from foundation.

The original game used almost no positioning mechanics in combat.
The player had defenders class characters with shields and enemies had similar characters with shields, which it was important to place shields forward to the enemy.
It was also important not to place your heroes with their backs to the enemy. This, in fact, ended the mechanics of positioning characters in battle.

1. In Jamais vu, the block system has been revised.




"The block" is not a just blocking with just a shield.
"The block" is an indicator of damage that is cut off in front of hero by armor and shields. If the character has a shield.

Therefore, many heroes and enemies who have at least some armor set on them have different "block" values other than zero.
This allowed me to add depth to the original positioning mechanics in battles.

Proper positioning of your heroes now is extremely important at maximum difficulty!


Often it will determine the defeat or victory for the group.


Due to the fact that the block is one of the fundamental parameters for gameplay, its change means the need to rebalance a many numbers of other parameters dependent on it. For example, the damage value of player characters, mobs.
And changing the damage parameter also means rebalancing the armor parameters. Which means the need to change parameters such as Vitality and HP.
Therefore, in Jamais Vu, the author had to figure out for himself (there are no guides) how the parameters for generating armor and weapons work.
Therefore, in this modification, the principles of operation of all the mentioned mechanics have been completely changed.

And at the same time, the very principle of generation and differences between different kinds of sigils and runes has been reworked.

2. Let's start with weapons.

Now each type of rune for weapons is fundamentally different from other types of runes.
There are 6 different types of runes.

Runes like "sword", "axe", "hammer", "staff", "bow", "crossbow".






Each type has its own special buffs.

Which suggests its more profitable use for different tactics in battle.
For successful use against certain types of enemies.
Each type of rune has from two to three types of mandatory buffs inherent in this type of rune.


3. A different system is used for the armors.

Firstly, each type of armor has cardinal differences in buffs among themselves and they are intended only for a certain type of armor.
There are three types of armor - light, medium, heavy.







Secondly, within the same type of armor sigils are also very different from each other.
Thirdly, all armor starting from the average gives a minus to the character's action points. The heavier the armor, the greater the minus.
Fourth, a third subtype of heavy armor was added. The heaviest. In the sigils of armor, all buffs were created in advance by the author's hands. Except for the runes of the mage tower.

A lot of work has been done to correct the balance of the original game among the buffs from the equipment.
At the moment, there should be no items that break the game balance, reducing all fights to one or two turns.


The author has a suspicion that part of the developers studio, who were responsible for the balancing the game,
strongly doubted their ability to balance the Heroes properly.

And let's be honest, this task was not easy.

Imagine, they was in need to recreate real legendary heroes, that was lived many years ago, which lives was write in many books.
Knights of the round table, whose lives have forever remained as legends for ordinary people of Britannia.
To make each of them both desirable because of its power and unique in behavior, as well as balanced relative to other legends...

Even on paper it doesn't sound easy, don't you agree? 


Unfortunately for the author of Jamais Vu, these people did not even try to solve this problem.

Therefore, the characters in the original game are almost identical to each other within the same class.
They usually differ by one or two skills. Occasionally for three or four.
The developers followed the simplest path. Way to equalize the legendary knights of the round table.
Not so much by status and position, but by combat style and skills.


Therefore, in his modification, the author set himself an ambitious task - to make each legend unique and desirable for players.

Rejoice!

4. No more "useless" shooters in the game!



Each character now has its own priority role in combat, determined by the character's class.
At the same time, inside the class, characters can be intended for a completely different kind of combat than
another hero of the same class.
There may be "tanks" that deal more damage than other "tanks" or even "damagers", but at the same time
able to withstand enemies on themselves.

Even if it is much worse than the other "tank".




Speaking about the differences of the characters, it is impossible not to recall the traits system of the game.

In fact, this is an extremely small significant element in the original game.
Because they practically have no effect on the fights themselves.
With a few exceptions, this is only necessary in order to distribute the characters into different roles in Camelot.

5. Dot's damage has become an important part of the game.

Now you can use builds, the main damage of which will be inflicted through dot's.



New types of poisons have been added, as well as old ones have been remade.
There are dot's that can stack.
There are those that will allow you to control enemies.


6. In Jamais vu, traits are an important part of the game balance.

Now they have a very tangible impact on the fights.
Therefore, players should carefully study the traits of heroes.



We've reached the important part.

7. The relationship between the main character and his heroes.

In the original game, the developers decided to strangely motivate the players to replay the game lasting over 50 hours.
Mordred cannot invite all possible heroes to a round table at once.
This is logical, because they may have radically different views on life and morality.
It's really terribly inconvenient, but logical.

It is unlikely that most players will want to replay the game for another 50+ hours for the sake of new
and almost identical heroes to the previous characters.

At the same time, the developers made it terribly stupid to attract all possible heroes for the chosen morality and religion of Mordred.
In order to get the opportunity to study a new hero and understand whether you like him or not,
the player needs to kick a battle brother or sister in the ass, expelling him or her from the squad.

And this is in order to study a new hero. After all, we do not immediately see most of the skills available to the new hero.

To my deepest regret, I have not found a way to correct this crime over the very concept of combat brotherhood.
This is built into the game function, which is not editable without special tools.
Therefore, I cannot do such an elementary and obvious thing as moving characters from the round table to the roster, where they can wait for their return.

This is available only to developers.

8. But I was able to change the most basic error of this concept.

I allowed the players to see his entire build right away, even from the first level of the hero.
All his skills and their descriptions.

Immediately planing who you want to see at the round table and who you don't.

9. Leveling system has also been changed.

Now you don't need to invest points in random skills of the current tier.
You can immediately study the skills you like and available for the current level of the hero.

The skills of the first tier are worth one point, it does not matter if it is a new skill or an improvement of an already learned skill.
The skills of the second tier are worth two points, no matter whether it is an active or passive skill.
With the exception of the cost of improvement for the studied skills, everything is also one point.
Finally, the skills of the third tier are worth 3 points. Except for improvements. Everything is also one point.

This approach allows you to improve the character very flexibly and immediately plan the build.
And according to the final cost, it turns out to be approximately identical to the original system.




10. In addition, the loyalty system from the original game has been redesigned.

This was another bad gameplay decision, according to the author of the modification.
It was for the preservation of the heroes for the future passage.

A solution that deprives players of the opportunity to perceive the game as a representative of the RPG genre.

Some of the heroes will definitely become useless due to differences in religion and morality.

At the same time, all fans of the RPG genre remember that in Mass Effect it was not a problem to be a moralist and have guys in the team who prefer problems with fists and a rifle rather than words and a smile.

11. In Jamais Vu, "Loyalty" is renamed to "Relations".

Relationships can be bad or good.




If the relationship between the main character and another hero is good, the hero will receive one set of bonuses.
If they are bad, then the hero will receive a different set of bonuses.
Bonuses are completely different in nature.
Something is better suited for one hero and his role in your tactics, something for another.

12. In addition, the bonuses on the morality and religion board have been changed, as well as the number of bonuses recieved.

Previously, Mordred received one point on the scale for most events.

Now he gets two.

This makes it possible in this "RPG" genre game, finally, to play a role at least a little, and not to please your fellow party members and run for bonuses from the decisions made without the opportunity to deviate at least a little.

Well, we will finish the detailed description of Jamais Vu with two things.

13. The first is that now every kind of monster is completely unique

.
Fighting against the undead and fighting against humans are fundamentally different from each other.
You may need to change active members of your party to successfully complete the mission against different types of enemies.



Therefore, now for successful playing on the highest difficulty, the author of the modification has adding proper to another system of the original game.
Preparation of battle party to fight for different types of expected enemies.

The game has become many times more difficult than the original on the highest difficulties.
Which means it's much more interesting.
No one will now can to pass the game with the words: "yes, I have never even drunk potions to restore HP!"

14. And the last one thing - Mordred is no longer an ordinary and boring character.

Now he is a real unique and strong hero. Perhaps the strongest. Inspiring fear and respect to hearts of mans and monsters.
Such a character as he was shown to us in the videos. Such as the developer most likely intended it to be.





Key features of the mod:


  • A completely new balance built from scratch.
  • Completely redesigned equipment built into the new balance. There are no more imbalanced items anymore.
  • The characteristics of heroes and enemies are rebalanced.
  • A completely new role for such a parameter as "block".
  • Character builds can be seen immediately, without leveling.
  • There are no imbalanced or gimp classes.
  • The shooters are very strong and appropriate in a group, as are the tanks.
  • All types of mobs have their own features of fighting with them.
  • The player will have to select the composition of the groups for the expected opponent, otherwise the fights will become too heavy.
  • The game difficulty  has been increased many times.
  • Redesigned loyalty system. Now you can take partners who are not suitable for religion or morality of Mordred in a group without problems.
  • A redesigned system of morality and religion. Bonuses are now different.
  • Hero builds have become completely different. Unique. Each is unique in its own way. You will want to play with every hero.
  • There is a clearly defined role for each class. Therefore, there are no useless ones.

Playing with the Jamais Vu mod feels like a completely new game with an old story line and graphics.



Installation.

The modification is intended for King Arthur Knight Tale version 1.3. On other versions of the game, the modification will not work or will work with bugs.

To install, it is enough to unzip the contents of the archive into the folder with the game, while preserving the folder structure and overwrite the contents.

Due to the fact that the modification contains a large number of files, if necessary, remove the mod, I recommend reinstalling the game using the installation in steam.



The King Arthur Knight's Tale Jamais Vu initially is support two languages - English and Russian.
If you want to make localization into other languages - contact me, I will tell you how to do it the easiest way.




So, if you like my hard work, then don't rush to donate to me.

I have an alternative, more useful for you, dear player, a way to support me and get something pleasant for yourself.

I think this game is like an uncut gem.

If you look at the popularity of the game on steamdb, you will easily notice that since May the game has dramatically lost active players.
Therefore, this game is clearly not a valuable asset for the authors.
So soon any new content will stop appearing for her and the game will disappear!

As it has already happened with Multiplayer of the game.

What can save the game in the opinion of the author of the modification?

The creation of it's "remake". Reworking the game's setting.
For example, I won't be a unique person if I say that the game just begs to be similar to the Dark Souls setting.
And there are many more things that would be very well suited for the game, but which I myself, being a moder, simply cannot do.

So I'm offering you this.

If you love this game - support the author of the modification in the special way.

Contact the developer studio in a letter or via the official steam forum!

Write them that you bought the game. That you love it.

Tell that you want the game to continue to evolve.
But not in the way it is in the original game.

But in the way that the author of the modification Jamais Vu offers.
If there are at least a hundred such requests, the developer will probably think about proper future for this game.

This means that I will have a chance to work with the game developer studio to make this game much more better.
Neocore Games will see that there is an opportunity to earn money with the current project without serious costs of creating a new project from scratch.
So I will have a chance to convince the studio to make a full remake of the game with a different plot and setting, but in the same genre.
And players will be able to get a new game in the shortest possible time, which will be much more interesting than the original.
This is a win-win-win situation for each side!

To contact with Neocore Games, the developer studio of the game, you can use this mail address or steam forum link:

[email protected]


https://steamcommunity.com/app/1157390/discussions/0/