next »

[st33d]

I had to give up copying the actual canvas for simply copying the tile rendering layer, it meant a massive speed gain.

And yes there's loads of chests. Testing bugs with runes is very difficult when chests are rare.

I won't be moving over to balanced levels until build 5, where a curve can be defined. Right now I'm slapping stuff in and seeing if it works.

Quickening is the lightning that shoots out of you when you level up. Watch the movie Highlander.

[mokesmoe]

I've seen highlander. I even recognized the lightning effect, just forgot they called it the quickening.

[st33d]

Ugh.

After a long hard battle against the forces of logic. Enchantments are in.

Of course casting light on an item will only have an incremental effect, compared to the raw effect of the spell (thrown and eaten runes get cast at level 20 strength as opposed to level 1).

I've had to re-write the effects system about 50 times this week. So much for my "open magic system", more like an "open can of worms".

I've uploaded it to the latest build.

Prayers go out to the God of Code that it is stable.

[Doktor_Q]

It seems to work wonderfully!

[st33d]

Just spent my entire saturday afternoon making a context aware hot-key system.

The last hot key binding method simply recorded what selections you chose.

However, consider this problem - which somewhat describes the whole problem of context:

I ask for a slice of toast. My code gets me a slice of toast. I pick up two slices of toast. I ask for toast again (I'm feeling hungry). My code goes to fetch some toast, but the specific slice I asked for before is not there. Not only that but there is a stack of toast, not a slice.

"No toast!" the code replies.

The menu is under constant change, and the hot key binding should be ever vigilant in making sure that I get what I asked for. And if it's not there, trying checking the cupboards. No toast at all? How about something else to eat, something that falls under the same grouping label. That of course doesn't mean a rune - they're for special occasions.

And that's been my afternoon. Especially tricky is the issue that I will want to bind a key to restore health. And if I've no health restoring items left - I want that key to remember what I wanted when I pick up health items again. I considered offering group choices, but that makes for a messy menu. Just knowing that you chose a path and the menu will try to maintain that path is best in my opinion.

No upload just yet. I'm trying to break it myself before anyone else does.

Right, seems to be stable. It's online now. I can go back to finishing work on the runes. Should have some more spells soon.

Though I reckon I'll be off to the pub before that.

 

[st33d]

Chests now come with a variety of runes,

Wondering what teleport, heal or poison does? find out for yourself.

I did chuckle when I first threw a teleport spell into a monster's face. I need to generate some kind of effect for when they vanish.

I've also made the menu a bit easier on the eye, allowing you to see through it and monitor your rogue, as well as see clearly what part of the next or previous menu you will step into.

Next I'm making the undead spell. This is a big and very complicated task, involving creating minion characters for when it's cast on monsters as well as reskinning the player when they come back from the dead from eating the spell (paving the way for the polymorph spell). Not to mention the big AI upgrade. Wish me luck.

[mokesmoe]

Eating a Rune of poison turns it into a Rune of loud annoying noise. Might wanna fix that.
Also, You might want to make runes not last forever, or at least the healing one, because you eat one and you are invincible.
Enchanting items with runes of teleport make them teleport away, but I think it would be cooler if you could get a weapon that randomly teleports enemies or armour that randomly teleports you. Maybe have these effects and  the teleport away thing, so when you find them they have these properties?

[st33d]

I compiled with sound off and forgot that the applyDamage function made a noise, thanks for that.

I'm not quite sure how teleport armour would work. It can't work simply as a random chance when you put it on as that would mean you would just put it on and off again till it worked. If I put it on a timer, then you have a tedious wait till it kicks in, which might work in combat, but I have to split that into 20 grades.

The health rune simply needs to be balanced. I did plan on having a slow regen rate, but the heal rune fills that role. I think levels and playtesting will show just how invincible you feel when you're actively getting the shit kicked out of you. Plus you're meant to be kick arse when you eat a rune, you're only going to have that effect till you go down a set of stairs.

[mokesmoe]

Maybe give teleport armour a short timer and have it teleport you really short distances. It would probably be more harmful be very helpful, but it would still be fun!

I forgot about multiple floors. That combined with runes being rarer would make it not quite as ridiculous.

Does enchanting your armour with health runes do anything?

[st33d]

It does, you just need to keep an eye on the health bar, it was very slowly going up when I cast it on a hat and wore it. If it isn't for you, that may be a bug.

Enchantments increase an effect on an item by one each time, which is why the light rune enchantment is subtle till you keep casting it on armour. Hence the heal enchantment is very weak. But imagine what casting it on armour 20 times will be like...

The teleport armour timer I guess I can set to half a minute at level 1 and down to 5 seconds at level 20 (bamf! bamf! bamf! bamf!). Throwing and eating would be instant effects and weapons would be a percentage chance of instant effect from 5% to 100%. It will bit of work to adapt the Effect class to know where it's coming from, but I think it will add variety and balance later on. I will keep the effect of teleporting the item away though. It's a nice fuck-you effect and could be used to remove cursed items.

I'll need to adapt the console to go into help mode and show an item's enchantments when in the menu. Seeing "+ fedora of light 8, heal 3", should make things clearer.

[st33d]

Poison fixed and new teleport uploaded.

Instant one time effect for throwing and eating. Level 1 teleport occurs every 21 seconds minus 1 second per level on armour. 5% chance per level to teleport on striking with a teleport weapon. And you still have to fetch it when you enchant it.

I'll have to work in cursed items at some point. A cursed teleport hat would be hilarious.

[mokesmoe]

I can't really test the teleport items, as by the time I've enchanted and found them a couple times, I've already killed everyone.

Also, it would be nice if you reposted the link at least once per page, as it's annoying having to go back through the tread to find it.

[st33d]

It's on the first page, first link at the top. If you click on my signature its the first thing you see.

Thanks for playtesting though. I appreciate the feedback.

[Fork and Beard]

Just had a quick parp on the game.

I had to lurch towards my monitor at first (the sprites are so tiny) but after the initial physical exertion - of leaning forward - my heart recovered and all was just swell.

I wrestled with the menu for a bit though. Couldn't tell what was highlighted. As I failed to navigate the menus I imagined I looked like some techno-phobic old timer struggling to use a remote control.

All that being said. It's right chuffin good. You've done a real nice job with this one. I'll be back often.

[st33d]

I've implemented new AI on the monsters. They have a milling about behaviour where they patrol a bit and pause every now and then. And when you come level with them and they see you, they go for you - even navigating ladders.

As AI goes, its pretty weak but no overhead. I'm going to put in a fear algorithm too. I think this would be good for monsters that notice that you're leveling up ("holy crap, the bitch is shootin lightnin, run for the hills!"), or could be used as a cheeky hit and run tactic by weak monsters like goblins.

This current state of the AI isn't final of course, and I'm sure there's more work I could do on it. But cpu is definitely at a premium here.

I'm putting the latest build in my signature from now on, to save on reposting links.

[mokesmoe]

The AI likes to climb up ladders right underneath you, which is not good for their health.

[Hideous]

Just had a quick parp on the game.

I had to lurch towards my monitor at first (the sprites are so tiny) but after the initial physical exertion - of leaning forward - my heart recovered and all was just swell.

I wrestled with the menu for a bit though. Couldn't tell what was highlighted. As I failed to navigate the menus I imagined I looked like some techno-phobic old timer struggling to use a remote control.

All that being said. It's right chuffin good. You've done a real nice job with this one. I'll be back often.

What's up with the purple text, dude? D:

[Nate Kling]

Just tried the newest version after not playing it for a while and it is awesome.  Whenever I leveled up I literally yelled out loud "WOW!"  Very cool!  I wish the levels were a bit bigger though but I'm sure that will come with time.

[st33d]

I'm working on a fleeing algorithm. It'll kick in when you level up or if you are above the monster in chase mode. After a second of fleeing for high ground and then flipping back into chase mode, they should look after themselves better (by running away up a ladder, then changing their mind and raining themselves on your head).

I've been working on a cone shaped line of sight too, so they aren't so utterly blind.

At the suggestion of my flatmate who I was talking to about the game, I've made it so that invisibile armour really does make you invisible to monsters. They only chase you if you touch them whilst invisible. It makes the invisible armour much more fun when I tried it.

The plan with levels is for them to get gradually larger and slowly trickle out new content. The current size is a level 3 area.

I'll post when I've uploaded this as I want to work on the fleeing state before I do. I think it'll make the AI model much more complete for the goblins and orcs.

Then there's the minions. I'm really wondering how not to make them a liability.

Thanks for the support, this project is a mission and a half. 

[Doktor_Q]

You gotta be really careful with the AI, since it periodically likes to stomp on you.