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;

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.

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.

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.

Monsters spawn is more interesting.
Good Sir made more cool art. Player tile, monster and some interface.

Artefact item type.
and few other small upgrades I forget. ^_^

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.

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!

inventory clean up

Inventory isn't "that" messed up, as it was yesterday, but I have to finalize drag&drop from inventory to slots, from slots to inventory and from ground to slots.
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.