Deathworld Adventure

[RiESC]

hey, so does anyone remember that Deathworld-based computer game i've been working on for the last three years or so?

    ...yeah, i didn't think so.

anyways, the game has evolved. yet again.

it's now taken on a very old-school RPG element, making it much like Zelda II or Dragon Warrior.  Not quite up to the standards of those luminaries, but certainly inspired by them.

certainly is a weird coincidence that it happened as i've been working of the whole "D&D VR game" in the comic strip, eh?

Anyways, i plan on sharing development notes on it, like i've done before.
Contrary to porbably thought, this version will probably take a lot less time to finish, as i'll be importing a lot of the game sprites, objects and level designs from the previous version.  It'll now just have an actual story to go along with it, to give it a broader, more epic scale.

[rantinan]

Ohhh now that sounds like a LOT of fun fun.


cant wait ta play it

[Bikerider]

me thinks the comic's current story line has sommafing to do with the game.

[RiESC]

not really, as there are no fantasy elements in the game.  it's set in the Deathworld universe (well, an expanded and more strictly subdivided one - almost like the different dimensions in the Golden Compass now that i think about it), and you play as Matt, getting him to collect stuff to help him fight Ysrath (bombs, SMGs, lasers, grenades, etc.)

I've just about finished off the Mecha dimension.
I just have to find and modify (or outright make) a suitable sprite for Dr. von Rudenstein in his hover platform.

[Bugle]

Hey.  Will we see the Pfhor in the game?  I love the Pfhor and Marathon, and I like Matt;s interaction with them.  Personally, I like the Marathon series better than the Halo series currently, but I haven't played Halo 2 yet, nor have I played Marathon in multiplayer at all.  Sigh, maybe someday Bungie will remake the Marathon trillogy.

Looking forward to the Deathworld game!  It'll be mac compliant, right?

[RiESC]

ummm.. probably not, seeing as how i'm using a PC-based game-building engine (GameMaker).  Also, it's unlikely that you'll see the Pfhor in it, because first of all it's a top-down adventure RPG and not a FPS, and secondly i'm not about to use copyrighted material in a game i'd like to sell.

i don't mind using the Pfhor in the comic, because that does fall under the "fair use" clause, as long as i make sure that the readers know that they aren't my creation.

i haven't played either Halo game ('cause i don't have an Xbox, nor do i plan to get one), except for a smattering of multiplayer at a friend's house.  i have played Marathon multiplayer though, but the only time i was not playing with my friends, i got my ass handed to me on a silver fuckin' platter.  it really kinda turned me off playing multiplayer games, now that i think about it.  i play to have fun, not be humiliated by a bunch of strangers.

[Bugle]

Oh, right.  Copyright laws...  Eh-heh.  Still, would have been cool tio shoot down Pfhor.  Not that my mac can play it... sigh.  And yeah, you play to have fun, not be humiliated.  Fun=good, humiliation=bad.

Frog blast the vent core.

[Zarabadoo]

i can understand that. i always wonder how they can take aim so fast without bots.

in terms of FPS, you could always use the Blender Game engine when that gets the kinks worked out of it. learn some pythong, and you could really make and advanced game.

[cthulhu_spawn]

can't wait to get my hands on it

[Monki]

It'll now just have an actual story to go along with it, to give it a broader, more epic scale.

Awesome! I can't wait to play it.

[RiESC]

brain dump to follow:

one of the things that repeatedly restarting the game helps me do is optimize the programming and reduce the redundant and unnecessary objects in the game file (this GameMaker is an Object Oriented Programming system).  already i've been able to tighten the code in several respects (hopefully improving performance on slower systems).

Right now, I'm considering redoing the GUI, as it's rather primitive, and after playing Adventures of Zelda: the Minish Cap, i see what it really could be, rather than what it's always been - due to my not knowing any other way to do it.

another thing i've found is that have more animated sprites in the game (especially the main character) presents some problems that i'll have to solve when it comes to weapon use, because i can't use the "quick fix" solutions i've used previously.  fortunately, these problems aren' too difficult, and i've already overcome one of them (the FX used for the Holy Cross weapon)

i've also realized the other day that I can most likely make the NPCs a little more efficient by making a bunch of them multi-use, rather than making seperate objects for each and every one i want the player to interact with.

[RiESC]

things are going along pretty good for a change!
i've been really inspired with my programming and mini-quest design (especially the "Chase the Hemp Fairy" sub-quest).  i've switched over the user interface to a "Doom"-style one (wherein the player selects the weapon to use with the keyboard digits, and fires it with the spacebar), i also coded a nifty little hilight cursor to show the currently selected weapon, and totally redid the graphic for the inventory/status bar. Also, i was able to come up with a sweet little subroutine to handle NPC dialogue -- it looks tons better than the original "i'm too lazy to use anything besides the default text I/O functions".  And i even made a NPC for Beerman!  He looks so cute in tiny form!  So far, i've completed the Industrial realm and the Spooky realm (well, i'm practically finished the Spooky realm -- still need to deal with the boss, Stephan), and i've decided to make some major cosmetic changes for the third realm, Nemo's aquatic adventure.  For one, i've made up a sprite of Matt swimming (rather than having him walk around like the other realms), and i've also reworked how i'm handling the "walls", which in the past was static seaweed.  it's a lot more animated and natural looking now.
i am totally excited about this, especially since i'm confident that i'm actually going to finish and release this version!  i'd say within a month or so.

[RiESC]

here's what a few of the character graphics look like:
- Matt
- Beerman
- Rudenstein

[ink]

Very nice...
I like them!
I hope we can see the game quick. I volonteer for beta-testing!

Does GameMaker look like RPG Maker ? I've begun making a game in RPG Maker but gave up. It's a huge work! You're pretty courageous.

[RiESC]

although i'm aware of RPGMaker, i've never seen it, so i can't really compare.
and you aren't kidding about this being a lot of work.  Technically, i've been designing, programming, refining and optimizing Deathworld Adventure for over four years (if i'm not mistaken. it might only be three).