Talisman: The Nether Realm - OUT NOW!

By Michelle-Louise Janion,

"The Nether Realm" expansion pack has been added. "The Nether Realm" adds a new deck of extremely challenging Nether cards, and three new alternative endings.

New Features:
- Alternative Ending selection - you can now select which endings will be used in a game. When creating a game, if you switch on the Hidden or Revealed Ending house rules, a new button will appear above the rules called Alternate Endings. Press this to view every ending that can be used and toggle them on (green) or off (red) to add or remove them from the possible endings for that game. You can only choose endings that match the type you've switched on in the house rules, for example the Warlock Quests ending cannot be included in the game if you have Hidden Endings switched on because it is a Revealed Ending.

- Windows taskbar icon alerts you when it's your turn - a much requested feature from those who like to play Talisman at work (like we do).

- Visibility of online games in progress has returned.

General Fixes:
- Online invites work on MacOSX.
- Various fixes to online stability and game setup.
- Cutpurse now discards correctly.
- Enrich spell wasn't discarding if it was used and then a Warlock Quest (deliver gold) completed.
- Fixed knowing what the last discarded spell was if a game is quit and resumed.
- Toads escaping from Jail were sometimes so excited to be free that they rolled the die for movement.
- Correct Warlock Quest card shown if you are attempting to replace a quest gained from rolling.
- The Weakness spell would become unavailable after the first attack roll.
- Fixed a card disappearing if Stasis spell was cast on it twice.
- Tweaks made to the auto-zoom feature, so it happens less often.
- Loyal Companion card was being left on its space if taking a pet meant completing a quest.
- Fixed having to ditch another object if you used the Treasure Chest when at your carry limit.
- Fixed when spells are discarded if the Elementalist changes his Craft so that he has too many.
- Fixed being able to use the Panhandler if you're sharing a Jail cell with another character and you fail to escape.
- Fixed having to choose a roll result if you rolled doubles with the Orb of Destiny.
- Invisibility Potion wasn't always working correctly.
- Disabled the 'attract mode' that appears when the game loads, as it was causing nasty bugs later on.
- Removed some full stops.
- Armour was being used before a fight, if Metamorph had been cast to change the opponent.
- Bounty Hunter could still change standoffs to victories even if something had fought in his place.
- Fixed the Amazon losing extra lives if she redoes a battle against an Assassin.
- Spells weren't being discarded correctly if you completed a Warlock Quest after buying from the Sorcerer's Square.
- The wrong number of Objects were being taken when the Thieves' Guild ending was in play.
- Text fixes, including Wanted Poster names.
- Fixed an issue with the Gambler using the Luckstone.
- Fixed being stuck in a situation where you only had Objects you couldn't ditch, but you were over your carry limit.
- Fixed an issue where the Reflection spell wouldn't work against a spell cast by the Grumpy Wizard.
- Blizzard was staying in effect for too long if a character was killed during the two rounds and Bloodbath mode was on.

AI Fixes:
- Spiteful Imp usage improved.
- AI characters are less likely to visit the Enchantress when they have more to lose.
- Tweaked the AI's recognition of Warlock Quest difficulty.
- Improved usage of the Invoke Favour spell.
- AI characters will take Wanted Posters from the Wanted List encounter.
- AI better recognises that Ekor and Shiver Nymph will run away when encountered.
- Fixed the AI using the Mercenary Follower when fighting an enemy which copies their stats.
- AI sometimes gave the Tavern Maid their best Objects when poured a drink.
- AI sometimes gave up its best Follower to the Leper.
- AI Toad looks turns ahead when deciding where to move to.
- AI is more likely to bribe the Bandit if the fight is too tough.
- Minstrels weren't always choosing not to fight Dragons when the fight was too tough.
- AI recognises that a 10 result at the Temple is useless if there are no Talismans in the Talisman deck.
- Improved usage of the Shatter spell.
- The AI is less likely to put Trinkets into containers, unless it's worried about someone taking them.
- AI sometimes used a Summon spell and then used a Potion to raise its own stats.
- AI sometimes used a Potion of Strength before psychic combat.
- AI is more likely to not use weapons against Crawling Slime.
- Improved Fireball spell usage.
- AI won't buy alignment based Wanted Posters if there are no characters of that alignment in the game.

Many thanks to the beta testers who helped us with this expansion, it's much appreciated.

Windows Mac OS X DLC Game Patch

Written by Michelle-Louise Janion

I tend to favour the puzzle, RPG, action-adventure and strategy genres. My particular favourites over the years have been Final Fantasy IX, Metal Gear Solid, Civilisation V and The Last of Us. I'm also a sucker for a series: Darksiders, Assassin's Creed, Tomb Raider etc.

I am a bit of a lone gamer as I tend to steer clear of PvP, and only play multiplayer with close friends.