Good day, boys and girls!
We are happy to present you the playtest of Fallen 0.2.
Frankly, this release ate up all the brainpower, so.. ugh. here is the LINK!
PS
No more playtests! Next versions will be coming more often and will be more gameplay oriented. ^_^
Procedurally generated roguelike rpg set in the underground world waking up after a major catastrophe.
Dec 26, 2014
Dec 25, 2014
One day before the playtest of 0.2
Phew.
Few months have passed since last playtest.
We have fixed all issues during it and more impotant, the game engine was refactored (again, I know, I know).
But! Now it got widgets, you know about them, if you read this blog.
What does it mean? It would be last mostly "technical" version. All future releases would be more gameplay oriented and will be more often!
Few months have passed since last playtest.
We have fixed all issues during it and more impotant, the game engine was refactored (again, I know, I know).
But! Now it got widgets, you know about them, if you read this blog.
What does it mean? It would be last mostly "technical" version. All future releases would be more gameplay oriented and will be more often!
Dec 22, 2014
Creature concepts
They are waiting for you.
PS
playtest 0.2 is to be released at 25-26 of December 2014.
PS
playtest 0.2 is to be released at 25-26 of December 2014.
Map generator. Done.
and "softer" variant:
Well. It was surprisingly easy to add generator to game. You can see small map on screenshot above.
Post-generator is set to "raw" mode, so you can see "rooms" as they placed on map, but it can be hidden and look like pure cave.
PS
Playtest 0.2 is to be released at 25-26 of December 2014.
Dec 19, 2014
Just one screenshot
Just one screenshot from current version.
Game engine was heavily reworked and it so easy to edit and add features now!
The approximate date of release is 28-29 of December.
So I could get some feedback and work on it during holidays.
Click on screenshot to enlarge it.
Game engine was heavily reworked and it so easy to edit and add features now!
The approximate date of release is 28-29 of December.
So I could get some feedback and work on it during holidays.
Click on screenshot to enlarge it.
Dec 17, 2014
Map generator lib
Of course, we don't need the map of that size. I don't think we need a map of 100 rooms, but it is good, when algorithm can do its job regardless of size.
But, the most important part, algorithm distributes room types over the map.
I say about enter, exit, boss room, pre-boss room, treasure room, puzzle room etc.
We wouldn't add this lib ti "new year" version. It isn't finished yet, but I am preparing lib interface while Jesus05 polishing generators lib.
Dec 9, 2014
The evolution of gameplay.
“Renowned tradition of gamedev – write design document after few years of development and couple concept switches”.
^_^. As I wrote before, «fun projects» should be treated as «serious» ones or they can turn from «fun» to «funny».
Let’s take a look at the concept of «Fallen».
At first we had something like this:
Our hero, here he is.
Dec 8, 2014
Give up, bugzzz!
Is there any gamedev mistake we didn't do? ^_^
Oh, come on.
As I tweeted before, a fellow roguelike developer asked me: "Where is your roguelike, damn you?!".
It is embarrassingly right. There were about 10 different Fallens at least and now..
Heh, You have heard it for 100000000 times from me, right? This is the flaw of such side project, you always want to improve it, instead of making something final. ^_^
Okay. Okay. I can write a lot about technical details, but you want to know about the game itself, right?
At the first days of January Fallen is to be released.
Oh, come on.
As I tweeted before, a fellow roguelike developer asked me: "Where is your roguelike, damn you?!".
It is embarrassingly right. There were about 10 different Fallens at least and now..
Heh, You have heard it for 100000000 times from me, right? This is the flaw of such side project, you always want to improve it, instead of making something final. ^_^
Okay. Okay. I can write a lot about technical details, but you want to know about the game itself, right?
At the first days of January Fallen is to be released.
Sep 1, 2014
How to fail a roguelike development (Guide from the Evil Wizard) #2
Hail to you!
It is me again, your best friend, the Evil Wizard!
I have second, very important advice for you:
never use any tools, algorithms or libraries!
There are a lot of them all over the Internet. Beware, the only purpose of their existence is to rob you! Steal your creativity progress.
Don't listen to weaklings, who say that using engines will save your time and will let you to start the gameplay itself.
Oh no, see through their intentions. They want to take a year of fun from you!
The only way to make roguelike is to write your own engine from scratch!
Because roguelike development is valuable itself and the final result isn't really important.
Your humble servant, the Evil Wizard.
It is me again, your best friend, the Evil Wizard!
I have second, very important advice for you:
never use any tools, algorithms or libraries!
There are a lot of them all over the Internet. Beware, the only purpose of their existence is to rob you! Steal your creativity progress.
Don't listen to weaklings, who say that using engines will save your time and will let you to start the gameplay itself.
Oh no, see through their intentions. They want to take a year of fun from you!
The only way to make roguelike is to write your own engine from scratch!
Because roguelike development is valuable itself and the final result isn't really important.
Your humble servant, the Evil Wizard.
System Architect
Do you remember, I have wrote about the 'waves of understanding'?
The milestones of development.
Okay, additional role to this list: System Architect.
I played with realtime, showed Fallen at DevMeat meting in Saint-Petersburg and found that it needs few engine updated.
I wrote about it beforehand.
The result is simple, this upgrade to game engine will give us useful tools, remove overburden complexity and so on, so on.
I don't think it is very interesting for you to read.
The more important part, all this upgrades could be done long before!
They are oblivious and, as every oblivious things, need a lot of experience to implement.
I read that system architect is the leveled up programmer.
I have to agree. Vast experience with Fall From Heaven the Roguelike and Fallen gave understanding that flexible project architecture are top important milestone for success.
Wish to learn it earlier, but it is cool that I got it a least now.
^_^
So, I work on widget mechanism and wrap over the old legacy code.
What's next?
The milestones of development.
Okay, additional role to this list: System Architect.
I played with realtime, showed Fallen at DevMeat meting in Saint-Petersburg and found that it needs few engine updated.
I wrote about it beforehand.
The result is simple, this upgrade to game engine will give us useful tools, remove overburden complexity and so on, so on.
I don't think it is very interesting for you to read.
The more important part, all this upgrades could be done long before!
They are oblivious and, as every oblivious things, need a lot of experience to implement.
I read that system architect is the leveled up programmer.
I have to agree. Vast experience with Fall From Heaven the Roguelike and Fallen gave understanding that flexible project architecture are top important milestone for success.
Wish to learn it earlier, but it is cool that I got it a least now.
^_^
So, I work on widget mechanism and wrap over the old legacy code.
What's next?
Aug 13, 2014
news one and two
First!
GoodSir finished a lot of new art for Fallen, including New Loading screen.
Here it is, enjoy:
Second, I have presented Fallen at devmeat meeting for gamelinch.
It was.. funny, because I took wrong brunch with broken AI. ^_^
That was embarrassing.
Still, I got handful of good advises. I think, I see the way, how to "power up" Fallen!
GoodSir finished a lot of new art for Fallen, including New Loading screen.
Here it is, enjoy:
Second, I have presented Fallen at devmeat meeting for gamelinch.
It was.. funny, because I took wrong brunch with broken AI. ^_^
That was embarrassing.
Still, I got handful of good advises. I think, I see the way, how to "power up" Fallen!
Aug 12, 2014
Ha ha! We have moved a second play test up to end of the month!
No problem at all! GoodSir draws art. He finished a lot already.
As for me, I working on vidget technology.
Ahhh. thats mostly technical stuff, but..
well. You see, when I have finished this engine I was so proud of it!
The peak of my skills, cool, high level architecture.
Hooray, I thought.
Then, I learned and learned a lot and asked myself, why I spent about a month on skill book?
Why?
ahhh. again. You know the answer, the engine wasn't high level enough!
NO, no, no! I am not going to rewrite the game, that's would be stupid!
I'll make a shell for legacy code and then, try to level up my engine for future work.
Yeah, this is a system engineer.
Roguelike dev, I love you! I made me programer, game designer and now, system engineer.
No problem at all! GoodSir draws art. He finished a lot already.
As for me, I working on vidget technology.
Ahhh. thats mostly technical stuff, but..
well. You see, when I have finished this engine I was so proud of it!
The peak of my skills, cool, high level architecture.
Hooray, I thought.
Then, I learned and learned a lot and asked myself, why I spent about a month on skill book?
Why?
ahhh. again. You know the answer, the engine wasn't high level enough!
NO, no, no! I am not going to rewrite the game, that's would be stupid!
I'll make a shell for legacy code and then, try to level up my engine for future work.
Yeah, this is a system engineer.
Roguelike dev, I love you! I made me programer, game designer and now, system engineer.
Jul 21, 2014
How to fail a roguelike development (Guide from the Evil Wizard) #1
I
have read enough articles how to succeed in roguelike development, how to create
nice roguelike, but never heard about the dark side of the development.
The
receipt of failure.
Of
course, I don’t expect you to follow my «advises» and intentionally try to fail
your project!
No
and no! But maybe, just maybe, these articles could be helpful to my dear
readers, the fellow roguelike developers and players!
So,
my little boys and girls, you decide to fail a roguelike?
It requires
some effort and dedication, but with the counsel of Evil Me, you will succeed to
fail. Mu- ha-ha-ha.
Sorry..
My
first admonish: never ask yourself about the purpose of the features, just add
them!
You
want to create great roguelike of all ages and all us know, rogueliks are about
features.
A
lot of them!
Foodclock?
Never hurts! It served well in generations of the roguelikes! It would shine in
yours!
Poisons
and potions? Great stuff! Add them before you even planed your creatures.
Scrolls?
Every roguelike has scrolls, add scroll as first item ever!
And
so on..
I repeat
again, the question: «why do we need it?» is stupid and disastrous!
Never
question the features, simple add them to your game from the very beginning of
the development.
Keep
them coming and you’ll fail successfully!
Your
humble servant, the Evil Wizard.
Jul 18, 2014
timer time
Oh my!
I spent a lot of time trying to fix that timers!
You know, when you press 'i' once, but game opens and close inventory dozen of times, until you release the key.
Yeah, yeah. Easy job, but for some reason, it wasn't 'that' easy and eat up a lot of time!
By the way, about timers.
I used none to prevent flipping effect, even I was speaking of them about a month.
That's the story, the solution was so simple.
You should think out of the box.
What do we have left?
Menu, music and few fixes.
I spent a lot of time trying to fix that timers!
You know, when you press 'i' once, but game opens and close inventory dozen of times, until you release the key.
Yeah, yeah. Easy job, but for some reason, it wasn't 'that' easy and eat up a lot of time!
By the way, about timers.
I used none to prevent flipping effect, even I was speaking of them about a month.
That's the story, the solution was so simple.
You should think out of the box.
What do we have left?
Menu, music and few fixes.
Jul 17, 2014
14 days before the 2nd playtest
We have two weeks until the second playtest release.
I read the Development page and feel satisfied.
It looks like, we have fixed nearly everything we have planned and added couple of useful features.
Yet, Fallen didn't a finished game with a solid gameplay, of course.
But it wasn't a plan for the second playtest.
First playtest revealed a bulk of sharp edges, mostly technical ones!
It would be the same Fallen you have seen, but fixed and polished.
The third playtest will have gameplay enchantments. That's for sure.
About development progress:
Mostly technical, like game menu, fixed timers, press key mouse key once go dozen of tiles and so on.
This is important changes, but could be noted if they aren't done well. ^_^
I read the Development page and feel satisfied.
It looks like, we have fixed nearly everything we have planned and added couple of useful features.
Yet, Fallen didn't a finished game with a solid gameplay, of course.
But it wasn't a plan for the second playtest.
First playtest revealed a bulk of sharp edges, mostly technical ones!
It would be the same Fallen you have seen, but fixed and polished.
The third playtest will have gameplay enchantments. That's for sure.
About development progress:
Mostly technical, like game menu, fixed timers, press key mouse key once go dozen of tiles and so on.
This is important changes, but could be noted if they aren't done well. ^_^
Jul 8, 2014
Art update
GoodSir finished first mushrooms.
Catacoms looks better and lively now.
Of course, it isn't the last graphical update, scheduled for the end of July playtest.
Catacoms looks better and lively now.
Of course, it isn't the last graphical update, scheduled for the end of July playtest.
Jul 4, 2014
Download page
Reopened "Downloads" page.
There would be links to every release of the Fallen.
Also, added current "in progress" version there, because it is bit strange to reopen page with no new content.
There would be links to every release of the Fallen.
Also, added current "in progress" version there, because it is bit strange to reopen page with no new content.
Jul 3, 2014
Back to life
Hello again, boys and girls!
There were no hilarious bugs to report, but I have changed the AI Director a bit. It is possible for the player to reach the extreme levels of “heat” by “bulling the dragon”. Spent enough time in special (named) locations and suffer the consequences. It isn’t too obvious for player yet, but would be fixed, when we would add more ambient stuff and enhance the map generator.
I have been already caught in a situation, when the Director though that my character lived long enough and starts nightmare assault. It was fun!
That’s all for today? Wait, no!
I am a game developer.
Yeah, seriously! It is a game development blog and it isn’t a blog about weight loss, positive thinking etc.
By the way! Maybe I have to start writing about it too?
At end of all, I managed to overcome the truly downfall of life and start and follow my own path to the cool future?
I have lost about 65+ lbs and have plans for more, overcome alcohol addiction, moved my paradigms, feel positive as 108 lions etc etc etc and feel grrrrreat!
I think: it could be helpful for anyone, who is in the same trap I was? What do you think?
Also about the game development in my life.
I was developing games from the… ugh.. maybe I was 3-4+ years old.
As far as I remember, I was that guy, who was inventing game we played.
Because it is cool to play tags, when you are 6-7, but it is 10000% more interesting if you spice it up with a couple of homerules.
Some of them were meager or lame, but few were played for years.
Then I have opened the board games. Ha, ha. I was a bit embarrassing experience. There were no table top d&d-like games in my childhood. So. Well.. My friend and I invented them for our own.
Ha-ha-ha! I would never forget this feeling when discovered that we have invented a bicycle. ^_^
From one hand, it was great feeling – wow! We are not alone, from other hand, felt cheated! How dare you to invent that cool stuff before I had even born!!!!1111
Aha-ha-ha.
That feel!
Hmm. I have just remembered one game, it was original and cool. Maybe I should try to remake, updated and release? Mmm. For sure!
Then the computer games followed. It was an exiting experience, so I have learned programming with a single purpose – to make computer games.
Looking back, I find that I was obsessed with making games even more that playing games from the very begging of my life.
Name it as you want ‘the Calling’ or born game developer etc.
All of them would be true.
so, you ask me, you were born game developer, got it?
What did you do later?
Make it your profession and life?
Sadly, but no.
It was, and it is, well known to be unserious and childish, not a business for Real Man (tm) and adult. Something I have never really want, but thought it should be.
I thought the same way, because, it sounded rather convincing.
And I began my path to adulthood, strangling the child inside, tearing apart my inner self and cauterizing the wounds.
It took years to be done, years of putting your own soul on a pyre.
It wasn’t easy to do all this ugly stuff to yourself, it is like to start smoking.
A friend of mine, a heavily addicted smoker, said that it took her about year(!) to learn (read: develop addiction) how to smoke. Such a shining example of “titanium balls” level of willpower!
‘sign’
Frankly..
I think that the child inside is the only reason for us to stay alive and he or she means we are alive!
Because, I have died or killed self.
Not literally, it isn’t a spiritual secretary who is typing this post, but myself, safe and sound.
Year by year, I was making “an adult real man” from myself. I can write about it later on.
And, by the age of 30-31 I was nearly dead.
Not a real surprise when you are rooting out everything that makes you alive and planting completely alien ideas into your mind and very heart.
Ohh.. I was million years old depressed obese ailing person who hates his life, meaningless stuff he is doing.. Resigned that that the best time is behind already, thrashed for nothing and he is making the last steps on the death row.
Ugh. I wrote it, and felt a chill down the spine. It was damn true.
Ha. The development of the Fall from Heaven the Roguelike (previous attempt of the Fallen) was the only bright side in my life and looking ahead, was one of the thing that saved my life.
Even it was the bright spot, but you can find a lot of depressed posts here, in this blog.
Nothing to say about other aspects of so named “life”.
So, I managed to shape myself in grown up adult form of Respectable Real Man ™.
It wasn’t going to end well, but it did.
Yeah! I live my life now!
The person who is young! Who jumps over the water puddles, developing games, counting cats and drawing on bananas + 9999999999999! ^_^
Maybe it is the topic for separate post or even posts!
PS
Right, I will make that table top game I have mentioned above. ^_^
There were no hilarious bugs to report, but I have changed the AI Director a bit. It is possible for the player to reach the extreme levels of “heat” by “bulling the dragon”. Spent enough time in special (named) locations and suffer the consequences. It isn’t too obvious for player yet, but would be fixed, when we would add more ambient stuff and enhance the map generator.
I have been already caught in a situation, when the Director though that my character lived long enough and starts nightmare assault. It was fun!
That’s all for today? Wait, no!
I am a game developer.
Yeah, seriously! It is a game development blog and it isn’t a blog about weight loss, positive thinking etc.
By the way! Maybe I have to start writing about it too?
At end of all, I managed to overcome the truly downfall of life and start and follow my own path to the cool future?
I have lost about 65+ lbs and have plans for more, overcome alcohol addiction, moved my paradigms, feel positive as 108 lions etc etc etc and feel grrrrreat!
I think: it could be helpful for anyone, who is in the same trap I was? What do you think?
Also about the game development in my life.
I was developing games from the… ugh.. maybe I was 3-4+ years old.
As far as I remember, I was that guy, who was inventing game we played.
Because it is cool to play tags, when you are 6-7, but it is 10000% more interesting if you spice it up with a couple of homerules.
Some of them were meager or lame, but few were played for years.
Then I have opened the board games. Ha, ha. I was a bit embarrassing experience. There were no table top d&d-like games in my childhood. So. Well.. My friend and I invented them for our own.
Ha-ha-ha! I would never forget this feeling when discovered that we have invented a bicycle. ^_^
From one hand, it was great feeling – wow! We are not alone, from other hand, felt cheated! How dare you to invent that cool stuff before I had even born!!!!1111
Aha-ha-ha.
That feel!
Hmm. I have just remembered one game, it was original and cool. Maybe I should try to remake, updated and release? Mmm. For sure!
Then the computer games followed. It was an exiting experience, so I have learned programming with a single purpose – to make computer games.
Looking back, I find that I was obsessed with making games even more that playing games from the very begging of my life.
Name it as you want ‘the Calling’ or born game developer etc.
All of them would be true.
so, you ask me, you were born game developer, got it?
What did you do later?
Make it your profession and life?
Sadly, but no.
It was, and it is, well known to be unserious and childish, not a business for Real Man (tm) and adult. Something I have never really want, but thought it should be.
I thought the same way, because, it sounded rather convincing.
And I began my path to adulthood, strangling the child inside, tearing apart my inner self and cauterizing the wounds.
It took years to be done, years of putting your own soul on a pyre.
It wasn’t easy to do all this ugly stuff to yourself, it is like to start smoking.
A friend of mine, a heavily addicted smoker, said that it took her about year(!) to learn (read: develop addiction) how to smoke. Such a shining example of “titanium balls” level of willpower!
‘sign’
Frankly..
I think that the child inside is the only reason for us to stay alive and he or she means we are alive!
Because, I have died or killed self.
Not literally, it isn’t a spiritual secretary who is typing this post, but myself, safe and sound.
Year by year, I was making “an adult real man” from myself. I can write about it later on.
And, by the age of 30-31 I was nearly dead.
Not a real surprise when you are rooting out everything that makes you alive and planting completely alien ideas into your mind and very heart.
Ohh.. I was million years old depressed obese ailing person who hates his life, meaningless stuff he is doing.. Resigned that that the best time is behind already, thrashed for nothing and he is making the last steps on the death row.
Ugh. I wrote it, and felt a chill down the spine. It was damn true.
Ha. The development of the Fall from Heaven the Roguelike (previous attempt of the Fallen) was the only bright side in my life and looking ahead, was one of the thing that saved my life.
Even it was the bright spot, but you can find a lot of depressed posts here, in this blog.
Nothing to say about other aspects of so named “life”.
So, I managed to shape myself in grown up adult form of Respectable Real Man ™.
It wasn’t going to end well, but it did.
Yeah! I live my life now!
The person who is young! Who jumps over the water puddles, developing games, counting cats and drawing on bananas + 9999999999999! ^_^
Maybe it is the topic for separate post or even posts!
PS
Right, I will make that table top game I have mentioned above. ^_^
Jul 1, 2014
One month before the second playtest
Development page looks more and more, well, developed.
Coloring it green and red is really cool!
I prefer green, myself, but some features aren't ready to meet the game.
Installable artifacts are gave nice flavor to the gameplay.
Fallen artifacts are items' special featurers that could be replace with other or switch item.
Have you ever encountered, for example great two handed hammer of "wonderful enchantments"?
Sounds cool, yeah?
Oh, wait!
great two handed hammer, but when you are playing as ailing halfing/elf thief/wizard?
This cool enchantments would be great on your small needle "weakling edition"!
Right, you got the point.
It is possible to replace the enchantment from item to item.
Even more, you find them separately from items itself.
Coloring it green and red is really cool!
I prefer green, myself, but some features aren't ready to meet the game.
Installable artifacts are gave nice flavor to the gameplay.
Fallen artifacts are items' special featurers that could be replace with other or switch item.
Have you ever encountered, for example great two handed hammer of "wonderful enchantments"?
Sounds cool, yeah?
Oh, wait!
great two handed hammer, but when you are playing as ailing halfing/elf thief/wizard?
This cool enchantments would be great on your small needle "weakling edition"!
Right, you got the point.
It is possible to replace the enchantment from item to item.
Even more, you find them separately from items itself.
Jun 22, 2014
Fallen + sound = love!
Sound support, report!
Lock and loaded!
Thanks to Andreas Stöckel and his great lib "Audorra", it took just couple of days to implement sounds into game.
Both music and sound matrix, with 5.1 support! Great library!
Of course, we will add more different stuff, but it is already really cool and atmospheric.
I took sounds from Civ4 and Alpha Centauri game.
It isn't good, if we speak about author rights etc, but until we don't plan to sell it and it is small roguelike project..
Well, I don't think anyone would bother at all.
When Fallen will grow up, we would have to change it, of course.
PS
Also, I want to remind, if you want to keep in touch and get day to day development notes, don't mind to check my twitter. I post there notes about development routines, bugs and fun.
Lock and loaded!
Thanks to Andreas Stöckel and his great lib "Audorra", it took just couple of days to implement sounds into game.
Both music and sound matrix, with 5.1 support! Great library!
Of course, we will add more different stuff, but it is already really cool and atmospheric.
I took sounds from Civ4 and Alpha Centauri game.
It isn't good, if we speak about author rights etc, but until we don't plan to sell it and it is small roguelike project..
Well, I don't think anyone would bother at all.
When Fallen will grow up, we would have to change it, of course.
PS
Also, I want to remind, if you want to keep in touch and get day to day development notes, don't mind to check my twitter. I post there notes about development routines, bugs and fun.
Jun 17, 2014
progress, news and twitter
I am halve way through the fixes. Greened out a lot of glitches at the development page.
Also, I finalised the list of the gameplay features for next play test:
Item upgrades. I found that different items at the very start of the game bring completely different game!
Additional variety wouldn't be harmful.
Followers. You should be able to select one "free" follower at the start and should be able to recruit more.
Good portion of abilities.
I am not sure about semi-random bosses, because they are to be greatest part of the gameplay. I think, their concept needs more paperwork. ^_^
Also, I have registered twitter, so I'll be posting small development notes there, like "Aha! Got this bug!", which are too small for the blog.
Also, I finalised the list of the gameplay features for next play test:
Item upgrades. I found that different items at the very start of the game bring completely different game!
Additional variety wouldn't be harmful.
Followers. You should be able to select one "free" follower at the start and should be able to recruit more.
Good portion of abilities.
I am not sure about semi-random bosses, because they are to be greatest part of the gameplay. I think, their concept needs more paperwork. ^_^
Also, I have registered twitter, so I'll be posting small development notes there, like "Aha! Got this bug!", which are too small for the blog.
Jun 9, 2014
The hardest part
has been done!
I marked them as finished.
The best work to do! ^_^
I take a break from fixing for this week and plan to add few actual gameplay features, that missed the playtest version.
Like mini bosses, follower and wanderers.
I marked them as finished.
The best work to do! ^_^
I take a break from fixing for this week and plan to add few actual gameplay features, that missed the playtest version.
Like mini bosses, follower and wanderers.
Jun 3, 2014
Coffee addiction and the lost week
I had counted the quantity of the coffee cups I had per day and decided to take a permanent break. ^_^
I have managed to overcome the alcohol drinking, no problem with coffee, I am sure.
Oh yeah, 27/05/14 I have started it and got damn hard withdrawal syndrome.
Say hello to your addiction, buddy!
For the rest four-five days I felt tired, got headache and was nervous as obese virgin neckbeared fedora guy visiting the girls' campus. ^_^
All that trash had gone for good and I felt myself really cool and, as nice bonus, hate coffee smell.
Of course, all my attempts to work with Fallen code or documentary were in vain.
The good news, it has finished and I have already tested the thread's code.
There is work to be done, but I think, I'll finish it up to the end of the week.
Summary, this multithreaded pathfindig stuff is the major goal of current fix.
When I'll finish this, the rest would be mere walk in the park.
I have managed to overcome the alcohol drinking, no problem with coffee, I am sure.
Oh yeah, 27/05/14 I have started it and got damn hard withdrawal syndrome.
Say hello to your addiction, buddy!
For the rest four-five days I felt tired, got headache and was nervous as obese virgin neckbeared fedora guy visiting the girls' campus. ^_^
All that trash had gone for good and I felt myself really cool and, as nice bonus, hate coffee smell.
Of course, all my attempts to work with Fallen code or documentary were in vain.
The good news, it has finished and I have already tested the thread's code.
There is work to be done, but I think, I'll finish it up to the end of the week.
Summary, this multithreaded pathfindig stuff is the major goal of current fix.
When I'll finish this, the rest would be mere walk in the park.
May 25, 2014
Results of the playtest!
The results
of the playtest are exceptionally satisfying!
Playtest
showed a lot of flaws and major part of them were “I am too used to game to notice
it”.
Yes, the worsen
type of flaws.
For
example, game screen moves abruptly.
I didn’t
see it? Of course not, but used to it.
And so on.
I decided
to start fixing issues from hardest to easiest.
Of course,
it is 1000 times easier to add “qwe/asd/zxc” keyboard layout, then make multithreaded
pathfinding calculation mechanism.
It meant,
you can expect increase in speed of “greening” the issue as I move from hard to
easy flaws.
Current
task is already mentioned - multithreaded
pathfinding calculation mechanism;
May 20, 2014
Playtest? Playtest!
The result of the seven moths of work is here:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/jhp53zbnb89k3oo/Mini%20Fallen.rar
http://www.fayloobmennik.net/3813337;
It is only the beginning, my fellow roguelikers!
EDIT: I'll update this post with found issues.
Embarrassing ToDo list:
- Moved to Development page.
May 15, 2014
few steps before 7MRL
It means 7 Month RogueLike.
I named it this way, because evaluated that current version, which pending for the playtest has been started exactly seven months ago!
The plan was to create the unfinished alpha(of course), but with a solid chunk of further gameplay.
Yesterday I have finished technical details of trade and shop classes.
Trade would be use to give away artefacts too.
I have to polish it and integrate into game in a proper way, instead of "press space and open trade for test" and, of course, GoodSir the Artist would work on it too.
Because it is just raw tech demo, without decoration.
After that, I have three rather minor tasks. If we count the required time, of course!
They are really important for the gameplay.
The first hello screen while loading and creating the game. It should provide short and vital "your goal" info for the players.
The second - "You win" routines. Just mere "good job! wanna to continue?" screen. It is enough for now.
and the last one - "Character is dead" routines. It wouldn't stop the game, but strip character off its current exp for next level and respawn in the first town. It doesn't mean it would be this at the final version, but sound like good idea for unbalanced alpha.
I named it this way, because evaluated that current version, which pending for the playtest has been started exactly seven months ago!
The plan was to create the unfinished alpha(of course), but with a solid chunk of further gameplay.
Yesterday I have finished technical details of trade and shop classes.
Trade would be use to give away artefacts too.
I have to polish it and integrate into game in a proper way, instead of "press space and open trade for test" and, of course, GoodSir the Artist would work on it too.
Because it is just raw tech demo, without decoration.
After that, I have three rather minor tasks. If we count the required time, of course!
They are really important for the gameplay.
The first hello screen while loading and creating the game. It should provide short and vital "your goal" info for the players.
The second - "You win" routines. Just mere "good job! wanna to continue?" screen. It is enough for now.
and the last one - "Character is dead" routines. It wouldn't stop the game, but strip character off its current exp for next level and respawn in the first town. It doesn't mean it would be this at the final version, but sound like good idea for unbalanced alpha.
May 4, 2014
report 05/05/2014
You can purchases skill levels and abilities. It eat up a lot of time, but worth it!
Added full Screen mode that looks awesome.
Refactored map generator a bit. I put it aside, until the release of Mini Fallen.
Fixed dozen of bugs and glitches. Some of them were really funny. For example, static and dynamic (per level) HP bonus were replacing each other. Creature with +60 static HP bonus has mighty +60 per level HP bonus. O_O.
Added ranged attributes (Ranged Attack, Ranged Power and Ranged Speed) and ranged weapons.
Creatures use ranged weapon and attributes for ranged attacks or have "innate shooter" perk.
Player uses ranged attack via mouse.
Ranged attacks need balancing and polishing, of course.
Added accessories items and slot.
Good Sir made more cool art. Player tile, monster and some interface.
Artefact item type.
and few other small upgrades I forget. ^_^
Apr 27, 2014
spawn, generators and "mini fallen"
Made my last
stand in the sieged settlement. Inhabitants fought well, but they were losing
their solders one by one.
At some
breaking point, intruders became too strong and numerous and defenders suffered
great casualties. Town was overwhelmed. I loot weapon and armour from the dead
bodies and tried to escape, but was cornered not far from the town.
I was testing the
gameplay that combines dynamic and static spawn of the monsters. Game doesn’t
just spawn random creatures or adjust them to your level of your character.
It uses none
of these techniques.
When «just
random spawn of X-N level monsters» isn’t bad at all, and can provide decent
fun. It has one problem, it is too random and it hurts from time to tile.
From other
hand, the dynamic level adjustment is a poisoned salve. It sounds cool at first
– player always get the challenge and progress.
But this is the
problem! None of them are given by dynamic level adjustment.
I am not going
to take your time and writing about it. It is rather well developed topic.
The main idea,
that Fallen handles monster spawn in a different manner. I don’t want to spoil
your fun and write the exact algorithms.
Also, I have
finished (YES!) all this book interface routines.
Character
screen is looks like book with bookmarks. Inventory, character sheet, skills.
Book is
flexible now, I can add all types of “pages” we need, for example diary etc.
Started
factions development.
It is sort of “super
groups” that every creature belongs to.
Creatures are
no longer having «diplomatic» status. It is groups and factions only. To tell
the truth: only factions for now. There is no real need in rogue groups of friendly
factions. Maybe later.
Put owner flag
at the items, added blood splatter and other small cosmetic fun stuff.
Anything else?
Of course, we
have big, even huge plans for «Fallen», but it is always cool to have something
playable.
That’s why we
decided (about month ago) to create «mini Fallen» at first. Smaller, but playable
variant of the big game.
Like 7DRL,
that would be developed in to big game, but in our case it would be 7MRL ^_^.
When it is
done, we can test it and work on expanding something working, rather than
defunct one.
We have about
two weeks until the «deadline» we set to ourselves.
Apr 11, 2014
Your adventure
I read my blog and discovered that I wrote about nearly everything – threads, classes, inventory, interface, algorithms, landing pads for gay Martians etc.
Except for the game itself, for the experience you are going to get in the game.
Something simple like – “this game is about collecting treasures and beating monsters!”.
Okay. Let’s try to do this and then copy it to “About Fallen” page with “understanding post”.
First of all, small task for me: Describe Fallen gameplay experience in a three sentences.
Game take plays in the big system of catacombs bellow the earth surface – “The Frontier”.
You take a role of “free hunter” character that explores these catacombs, fighting necromutants and blight plants, collecting ancient artifacts and avoiding traps.
Your goal is to collect and “sell” decent number of ancient artifacts to get the top rank and win the game.
That’s it!
Now a bit more detailed explanation, but about the gameplay only, avoiding “In the Year of 465564 the Kingdom of Bubblemurder was…”.
It is okay to be inside the game Fallenpedia or ingame books, but if you risk writing it in the description, then take care about the readers and provide them with “free pillow” coupons.
First Feature: All world in game simultaneously.
You travel through the huge catacombs, but it isn’t the global map and portions of small maps within.
It is big map that computer keeps in the memory.
Different things happen here and there.
Of course, player is Avatar, but he isn’t the only active person in the game.
You walk over the catacombs, find mutants fighting guards etc.
We don’t plan to create the real world simulator; It is absurd plan for one lifetime.
But, events driven world is great alternative, isn’t it?
Event driven, you ask? Rather simple, game would have few dozens of ‘blocks’, like move monster unit there, spawn creature here, activate traps in this region, increase/ decrease ‘heat’ in this place etc.
This events? would be announced to player, if it would be passing by and they would play collisions.
Simple example: Spawn Monster in region N, Move adventurers group from A to N.
We got the collision. Then, game increased ‘heat’ in region N. Poor adventurers or not poor.
Frankly, it is a bit more complicate and simpler in the same time, but, this description gives some understanding of the process.
Game take plays in the big system of catacombs bellow the earth surface – “The Frontier”.
That’s right. Player starts in the underground settlement, connected to the catacombs network.
The map isn’t to be really huge for the first release, to keep all features close, instead of scattered all around the monstrous map. As long we expand the game, we would expand the map. Classic method.
Map has this list of features:
Settlement. 1-2 per map. You start at the one of them. It would serve as relatively safe place to rest, exchange artifact for fame and purchase equipment. Also, you can talk with NPC.
Catacombs main tunnels. This is wilderness of the Fallen.
'Dungeons' locations with tombs to explore and rob!
Custom locations. Place to some random stuff to occur.
You take a role of “free hunter” character that explores these catacombs, fighting necromutants and blight plants, collecting ancient artifacts and avoiding traps.
Player wouldn’t get classic quests during the game, instead of this you can zoom out using mouse wheel and check “popup” tasks nearby.
Possible tasks list:
Classic, defeat enemy group.
Explore location.
Defeat powerful enemy.
Need item.
Check great shop offer.
Protect creature.
Don’t disturb, I am on adventure ^_^.
Collect resources.
etc
Yes, this is representations of the event to the player.
Your goal is to collect and “sell” decent number of ancient artifacts to get the top rank and win the game.
This is your long-term goal. Fallen would be a winnable game, even being a sandbox.
I plan at least three ways to acquire artifacts. You can find them by yourself, rob other adventurers or purchase on the black market.
All of them has their own drawbacks. You can guess them for yourself. ^_^
And yes, achieve multiple major goals and win Fallen!
Except for the game itself, for the experience you are going to get in the game.
Something simple like – “this game is about collecting treasures and beating monsters!”.
Okay. Let’s try to do this and then copy it to “About Fallen” page with “understanding post”.
First of all, small task for me: Describe Fallen gameplay experience in a three sentences.
Game take plays in the big system of catacombs bellow the earth surface – “The Frontier”.
You take a role of “free hunter” character that explores these catacombs, fighting necromutants and blight plants, collecting ancient artifacts and avoiding traps.
Your goal is to collect and “sell” decent number of ancient artifacts to get the top rank and win the game.
That’s it!
Now a bit more detailed explanation, but about the gameplay only, avoiding “In the Year of 465564 the Kingdom of Bubblemurder was…”.
It is okay to be inside the game Fallenpedia or ingame books, but if you risk writing it in the description, then take care about the readers and provide them with “free pillow” coupons.
First Feature: All world in game simultaneously.
You travel through the huge catacombs, but it isn’t the global map and portions of small maps within.
It is big map that computer keeps in the memory.
Different things happen here and there.
Of course, player is Avatar, but he isn’t the only active person in the game.
You walk over the catacombs, find mutants fighting guards etc.
We don’t plan to create the real world simulator; It is absurd plan for one lifetime.
But, events driven world is great alternative, isn’t it?
Event driven, you ask? Rather simple, game would have few dozens of ‘blocks’, like move monster unit there, spawn creature here, activate traps in this region, increase/ decrease ‘heat’ in this place etc.
This events? would be announced to player, if it would be passing by and they would play collisions.
Simple example: Spawn Monster in region N, Move adventurers group from A to N.
We got the collision. Then, game increased ‘heat’ in region N. Poor adventurers or not poor.
Frankly, it is a bit more complicate and simpler in the same time, but, this description gives some understanding of the process.
Game take plays in the big system of catacombs bellow the earth surface – “The Frontier”.
That’s right. Player starts in the underground settlement, connected to the catacombs network.
The map isn’t to be really huge for the first release, to keep all features close, instead of scattered all around the monstrous map. As long we expand the game, we would expand the map. Classic method.
Map has this list of features:
Settlement. 1-2 per map. You start at the one of them. It would serve as relatively safe place to rest, exchange artifact for fame and purchase equipment. Also, you can talk with NPC.
Catacombs main tunnels. This is wilderness of the Fallen.
'Dungeons' locations with tombs to explore and rob!
Custom locations. Place to some random stuff to occur.
You take a role of “free hunter” character that explores these catacombs, fighting necromutants and blight plants, collecting ancient artifacts and avoiding traps.
Player wouldn’t get classic quests during the game, instead of this you can zoom out using mouse wheel and check “popup” tasks nearby.
Possible tasks list:
Classic, defeat enemy group.
Explore location.
Defeat powerful enemy.
Need item.
Check great shop offer.
Protect creature.
Don’t disturb, I am on adventure ^_^.
Collect resources.
etc
Yes, this is representations of the event to the player.
Your goal is to collect and “sell” decent number of ancient artifacts to get the top rank and win the game.
This is your long-term goal. Fallen would be a winnable game, even being a sandbox.
I plan at least three ways to acquire artifacts. You can find them by yourself, rob other adventurers or purchase on the black market.
All of them has their own drawbacks. You can guess them for yourself. ^_^
And yes, achieve multiple major goals and win Fallen!
Apr 10, 2014
inventory clean up
It is work for few minutes.
Also, tooltip window is on the row.
ah yeah, cool Hit Points and Experience window. All Hail the GoodSir.
Apr 9, 2014
09/04/14
Sometimes I find current progress rather insignificant for the blog to post.
Oh my, It just like my resolution - "never touch the code, if your are tired"!
I spent a lot of time, fixing the most obscure and bizarre bugs (these words are the best to describe these bugs), made during exhausted coding.
Please, go to bed and then write good code, but no!
From time to time I give up to anticipation for work and got what I got!
The same is for the blog. Why do I think for you?
If you like, you will read. You don't like, you don't read and I have nothing to do about it.
The worst thing I can do :"don't write about this insignificant stuff".
I think, it is up to you to decide!
Well then - Drag & Drop. Yeah. it is the inventory.
You can grab the item and move here and there.
I have some code clean up in inventory class and some finalization job, but it works and works well!
The most surprising stuff for me was that drag & drop is easer to implement, then classic roguelike "keyboard only" interface! Surprise!
Of course, I left "click to pick up" (or hot key) routines at the main screen.
So you don't have to drag&drop items, while you are on the main screen.
Drag & drop is cool, but it doesn't mean that it should be push it everywhere.
For example: "pick up coins in one click or 'p' hot key" (ideally auto pick up) or "grab coins and drag them to purse".
It overburdens interface in such cases.
Next cool and useful feature.
Game would have lot of game play, based on global map.
It means, you should have free, quick and comfortable access to this map!
Done!
Use mouse wheel to zoom right up to global map and back to the game.
Chess figures are a bit bugged representation of creatures' groups.
Chess figures are temporary measure, of course.
What next?
I have to finish global map information windows, fix road map glitches and inventory looks messy and unfinished.
Also, Jesus05 finished powerful debug system for Fallen.
We have to put it to use.
Heh, debug doesn't implement for itself.
It is enough for now.
EDIT:
Oh yeah. Just forget. As you can see on the inventory screenshot, font mechanism was tweaked.
Game supports up to "a lot of" fonts (three looks like enough) and they can be changed with ease.
Oh my, It just like my resolution - "never touch the code, if your are tired"!
I spent a lot of time, fixing the most obscure and bizarre bugs (these words are the best to describe these bugs), made during exhausted coding.
Please, go to bed and then write good code, but no!
From time to time I give up to anticipation for work and got what I got!
The same is for the blog. Why do I think for you?
If you like, you will read. You don't like, you don't read and I have nothing to do about it.
The worst thing I can do :"don't write about this insignificant stuff".
I think, it is up to you to decide!
Well then - Drag & Drop. Yeah. it is the inventory.
You can grab the item and move here and there.
I have some code clean up in inventory class and some finalization job, but it works and works well!
The most surprising stuff for me was that drag & drop is easer to implement, then classic roguelike "keyboard only" interface! Surprise!
Of course, I left "click to pick up" (or hot key) routines at the main screen.
So you don't have to drag&drop items, while you are on the main screen.
Drag & drop is cool, but it doesn't mean that it should be push it everywhere.
For example: "pick up coins in one click or 'p' hot key" (ideally auto pick up) or "grab coins and drag them to purse".
It overburdens interface in such cases.
Next cool and useful feature.
Game would have lot of game play, based on global map.
It means, you should have free, quick and comfortable access to this map!
Done!
Use mouse wheel to zoom right up to global map and back to the game.
 |
| close zoom out |
 |
| distant zoom out |
Chess figures are temporary measure, of course.
What next?
Also, Jesus05 finished powerful debug system for Fallen.
We have to put it to use.
Heh, debug doesn't implement for itself.
It is enough for now.
EDIT:
Oh yeah. Just forget. As you can see on the inventory screenshot, font mechanism was tweaked.
Game supports up to "a lot of" fonts (three looks like enough) and they can be changed with ease.
Mar 31, 2014
Used time
Interesting. I spent literally couple of weeks on group's
moving routing, road map and other pathfinding.
Well. That’s cool stuff, but took lot of time and need
still need fixing.
But! It took me about 2 days to add drag&drop,
better fonts methods and rework inventory to something, it would be in a final
game and I don’t speak about new debug unit and attributes’ class refactoring.
You wouldn’t see them.
Drag and drop gives +10 to game play, moving routines
gives +10 to game play, but both of them took completely different time to
accomplish. That’s odd.
What next?
I think – clean up. There are a lot of rough edges in
the interface and prepare the tutorial.
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