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[kevglass]

I've just started working on a rogue-like that I'm calling "Legends of Yore". The intention is to build a dungeon adventure thats as casual as it gets. It's targeted at mobiles (iphone and android) though there's also a web version. I'd like to make it possible to progress as a hero even on a short bus ride or coffee break. I'm making use of the wonderful tile sets created by Oryx. So far I have a basic game up and running and I'm trying to get some feedback to shape the game play into something fun - I'm traditionally pretty poor at assessing the "funness" of my games



The dungeon and quests are procedurally generated and hopefully this is going to give it some re-play value. Each level is generated from a set of parameters and can additionally have scripted elements woven in. I'm trying to give the fast paced feeling of Diablo but in a rogue like format. Letting you stop whenever you want but during play getting you to move very quickly through the turns.

One of the comments I've had so far is that the game doesn't have enough content, even at this early stage. This is probably because all the content is defined in a XML files and adding new items, monsters etc is labour intensive. To remedy this my latest addition (today) is a GUI to create content.. now wondering whether it was worth the time



Off for recovery soon, so hopefully lots of time to work on it

Kev

[kevglass]

There's some more info at:

http://www.legendsofyore.com

and some more about the rules I'm expecting to use:

http://www.legendsofyore.com/rules.html

Kev

[JasonPickering]

this looks interesting. how are you creating content from an XML? I have never had much experience with XML work.

[kevglass]

The content isn't really created from XML, it's just defined there, for instance here's the definition of the items in the game:

Code:

<types>
	<itemType name="Apple" tile="81" desc="A healthy red apple" use="true" destroy="true" equip="false" level="0" ranged="false" cost="4" stacks="true" >
		<action attribute="hp" delta="5" />
	</itemType>
	<itemType name="Red Potion" tile="80" desc="A vial of red liquid" use="true" destroy="true" equip="false" level="0" ranged="false" cost="10" stacks="true" >
		<action attribute="hp" delta="10" />
	</itemType>
	<itemType name="Key" tile="84" desc="To use, walk through a locked door" use="false" destroy="false" equip="false" level="0" ranged="false" />
	<itemType name="Sword" tile="86" desc="A light-weight short sword" use="false" destroy="true" equip="true" level="0" slot="hands" ranged="false" classes="warrior" attackMod="1" defenceMod="0" />
	<itemType name="Bow" tile="90" desc="A strong willow bow" use="false" destroy="true" equip="true" level="0" slot="hands" ranged="true" classes="archer" projectile="96" failChance="5" />
	<itemType name="Staff" tile="94" desc="A magical staff" use="false" destroy="true" equip="true" level="0" slot="hands" ranged="false" classes="wizard" />
	<itemType name="Fireball" tile="95" desc="Fireball Spell - ranged attack" use="false" destroy="true" equip="true" level="0" slot="spell" ranged="true" classes="wizard" charge="10" attackMod="2" defenceMod="0" projectile="97" failChance="5" />
	<itemType name="Town Portal" tile="100" desc="Town Port - summon a portal back to town" use="true" destroy="true" equip="false" level="0" ranged="false" cost="50" stacks="true" />
</types>

So, the game just reads in the XML and uses it to define the items that will appear in the game. Pretty standard stuff I guess. The generation of levels is procedural but the configuration for each level is defined in XML too..

Code:

<level id="1" key="true" tileset="0" chests="3" width="50" height="35" rooms="25" minMonsters="1" maxMonsters="2" >
		<monsterChance type="Skeleton" chance="5" />
		<monsterChance type="Snake" chance="5" />
		<monsterChance type="none" chance="5" />
		<chest minItems="0" maxItems="5" >
			<itemChance name="null" chance="4" />
			<itemChance name="Apple" chance="1" />
			<itemChance name="Red Potion" chance="1" />
		</chest>
	</level>

So there's a level with a fixed size and number of rooms. The sub elements describe what type of monsters to generate and the contents of the chests created. The tool shown above is completely generic but allows your to specify a schema of XML - which is then interpreted into a useful GUI. The only game specific bits are the types you can specify, for instance you can indicate an integer field is actually an index into a tileset - so the item is then displayed with a selector across the tileset.

Kev

[kevglass]

Had a knee operation yesterday, so layed up on the sofa at the moment - i.e. no day job. Today's job is to get through the feedback I've received so far and fix the bugs that have been reported on the iPhone version.

Next is shops in town working and the update of the rules to document to include archer zen and warrior rage.

Still thoroughly enjoying this project but I keep getting distracted with new ideas - how do I stop that?

Kev

[saint11]

Just did a quick play and I think it's great. I aaways wanted a roguelike for my android! :D I'll keep a close watch on this one!

[JasonPickering]

This does look great. One odd thing. The snakes in the first level are huge. I actually ran away because I thought they would be much stronger. Maybe switch to the one square sprite. Make giant snakes a later enemy.

[kevglass]

Been a bit out of action for a few days but I'm managed to update the RPG rules document:

http://www.legendsofyore.com/rules.html

And handled death correctly:



Kev

[iamagiantnerd]

Looks great kev!

I'm curious about your dev environment for ios. I know you had worked on porting slick to android a while back, what are you using for ios?

[kevglass]

For this stuff I'm not actually using Slick at all. I have a tiny Java API which is implemented in Java2D for applets, Android SDK and in IOS using XMLVM.

Kev

[kevglass]

Due to the feedback I've changed the character selection screen:



and shops are now working too:



New build soon, honest

Kev

[kevglass]

I've put the current version up on android market to make updating easier:

https://market.android.com/details?id=org.newdawn.touchquest

Theres also a new build up on the site:

http://www.legendsofyore.com

Kev

[kevglass]

The change log for the latest release:


9/4/2011

- Rage and Zen for warriors and achers
- Rage goes up as more hits are made
- Zen goes up as you stand still
- Shops working

8/4/2011

- Handle death correctly
- Update Rules document
- Can you put a marker on your map when you discover where the stairs down is?
- Disable skip turn in mini-map etc. Only needed on main screen
- Experience bar should til next level rather than % of total
- Better more interactive title screen
- Make buttons for character type selection more obvious
- Details on character type when selecting them
- Items only present for certain characters
- Fix rotation of snakes bug on iOS/Android
- Scroll or view around mode (by holding character and dragging)


Kev

[kevglass]

On screen cursors for phone versions.

Kev

[LilMonsta]

This is pretty good so far! I rather enjoy it, and think it'd make a great addition to my list of ios games when it's out. Keep it up! 

[kevglass]

Had alot of fun making online saves work. You can now play the game from iphone, applet or android and make use of your games everywhere. I ended up using Google AppEngine as that gave me a familiar and scalable environment to work in, JEE.

I've added a tonne of new stuff, trying to respond to feedback. There are now going to be multiple dungeons spread around an overworld map. The first of these has gone in for this latest release, the graveyard with access to the crypts. I'm thinking I'll add an overall story line that requires you to adventure round the over world completing each of the dungeons - maybe you're collecting a series of relics.

There's a bunch of new changes listed at the bottom of this post. Most notably due to feedback there is more content and more variation in the levels. Enemies can use items which turned out to be as simple as putting items in their inventory and equipping them thats to the data model integrity.

Had two lovely experiences with the code this last dev cycle:

1) I added a variation in chests so you can now find barrels as well. The first time I tested this I walked in to a room and saw a barrel. Yay! it worked! The next step I took the barrel started moving towards me and eventually attacked me. Every time I attacked it the inventory opened. I was promptly killed by the walking barrel.

2) When trying to get skeletons to use bows the first thing I did was a bow to their inventory and equip it. I went to test the game, expecting to find bugs and model changes to make. Instead of the which the skeletons immediately started firing at me and trying to move to get a shot. No new work, just the same player AI applying to the monsters. Awesome!

Sorry for the lack of updates, I've been desperately trying to get to this release.

Thanks for the all the feedback and support so far, much appreciated.

Kev

Change Log:

20/4/2011

- More dungeons decorations
- Monsters that shoot back
- Make Zen have an effect
- Add critical hits
- Make Rage have an effect
- Add mighty smash!
- Refactor resources to allow for many more characters
- Add support for overland maps
- Trigger zen correctly on waiting
- Add standalone application support for TouchAPI
- Add gold display
- Turn cursors off in applet
- Add overland separation
- Update data tool to show icon correctly
- Add leather armor, helmet, gloves and helmet
- Add ruby, statue, more items etc
- Saving online and shared games
- Monsters that run away
- Monsters that wander and have fixed search ranges
- Map needs to be relative to position

10/4/2011

- Make back button work correctly in android
- Support Escape as back button in applet
- Add cursor control support (still need mouse for some stuff though)
- On screen cursors
- Rage and Zen for warriors and achers
- Rage goes up as more hits are made
- Zen goes up as you stand still
- Shops working
- Handle death correctly
- Update Rules document
- Can you put a marker on your map when you discover where the stairs down is?
- Disable skip turn in mini-map etc. Only needed on main screen
- Experience bar should til next level rather than % of total
- Better more interactive title screen
- Make buttons for character type selection more obvious
- Details on character type when selecting them
- Items only present for certain characters
- Fix rotation of snakes bug on iOS/Android
- Scroll or view around mode (by holding character and dragging)

[kevglass]

Also started trying to do some of my own art, without much success so far: 



And finally, I've integrated the online saves so you can view your character stats and progress from a dedicated web page. Not quite sure how to integrate this into the web site yet but the functionality works:

http://www.legendsofyore.com/players/?name=Mads

Kev

[oryx]

How dare ye! 

Also started trying to do some of my own art, without much success so far: 



And finally, I've integrated the online saves so you can view your character stats and progress from a dedicated web page. Not quite sure how to integrate this into the web site yet but the functionality works:

http://www.legendsofyore.com/players/?name=Mads

Kev

[kevglass]

Ack! Hope you're mot offended, thoughtless of me.

The only thing I've learnt so far is how much work must have gone into your tiles and how much I desperately need to use it! You might want to renegotiate your rate given how dependent I am on your art!

Apologies again, didn't mean to upset ... just trying to learn new stuff.

Kev

[oryx]

I'm totally joking! The game looks great and I can't wait to check it out on iPhone etc. (once I can get the install to work) 

Ack! Hope you're mot offended, thoughtless of me.

The only thing I've learnt so far is how much work must have gone into your tiles and how much I desperately need to use it! You might want to renegotiate your rate given how dependent I am on your art!

Apologies again, didn't mean to upset ... just trying to learn new stuff.

Kev