After coding a little editor for LambdaRogue's data files, it's now much easier to implement new quests and story parts. And exactly this is what I'm doing at the moment. Besides the Ares-plot, which has been made in autumn 2006, I now care about the storyline for Aphrodite-characters (Hermes, Apoll and Dionysos have to wait for a while). Doing so adds more quests to the game, too, more quests add to more items, more monsters, more ideas for the engine - so everything drives development forward at the moment.
Yesterday I coded a quest editor to make it easier to handle the various quests; scripting them manually in the text file becomes unhandy. The editor is programmed in Gambas, therefore only available on Linux (although it should be very easy to port it to Windows using Visual Basic). Hopefully I now get some more quests done.
I also corrected various bugs, for example one that made it impossible to read text messages in SDL mode after pressing a key.... read more
It seems to be good to put a project to the side from time to time, 'cause now I found some minor bugs I didn't see before. Fixed. ;) Also created more story parts, in the moment the most important thing.
Well, although I neither updated the DevBlog nor the SourceForge news nor the game itself, the game still isn't dead. Today, after two months, I had a look at the LambdaRogue's source code and I still seem to understand everything I've written. So chances are good there will be more devlopment within the next days.
...as it's old, outdated, less features but more bugs. Although the snapshot branch is the current development state, it's much better than beta 2. So if you want to try the game, download snapshot 12 (or later). Otherwise, wait for beta 3 which will incorporate all changes and fixes of the snapshot branch.
This release improves the console mode. It should not flicker any longer and some strange keyboard issues should be fixed. Again I provide source and binaries for linux and windows in one package.
Another snapshot. Now with customizable keys, console mode (without need for SDL) and quicker load/save.
Another snapshot. Binaries for Windows and Linux available.
The recent changes; improved landscape generator, bugs fixed, balancing changes, char dumps now contain name of monster that killed character, items can require certain professions to be used
While snapshot #4 wasn't ever uploaded on SourceForge, I now provide the next step to beta 3.
There are two archives, one ZIP, one TAR.GZ available, but both have exactly the same content:
Source and binary, both for Linux and, finally after a long time, Windows ;)
The first stable release of LambdaRogue, 0.2, will be released in the middle of October 2006.
Until then, there is still some room for additions. Therefore, the LambdaRogue Quest Contest has been initiated.
From September 13th - October 7th, you have the opportunity to add your story to NeoTerr, the world of LambdaRogue.
For being incorporated in the game, quests should fulfill the following conditions:... read more
There has been a lot of activity concerning LambdaRogue over the past days. Along with the new website (http://donick.net/lambdarogue.html) the third and last beta release is visible on the horizon, again with many improvements.
A new snapshot. Containing source and a binary for windows. Have fun :)
I'm not satisfied with the results of the dungeon generator for the random areas in the predefined levels. The dungeon generator of the alpha-released did a much better job, so this will be implemented again.
You might ask yourself why the promised beta 2 for Windows isn't up so far. Here's short explanation:
Most people who download LambdaRogue are in fact using Windows; the Linux version hasn't been downloaded so often. After uploading the Linux version two days ago, I recognized and fixed a couple of other bugs and added another couple of features that make the game more complete. So, if I now released the beta 2 for Windows, it would be outdated already. Instead, there will be a beta 2a very soon, both for Windows and Linux.... read more
If you are interested in the recent changes which will show how the game will be in beta 2, a snapshot is provided for you. It contains src and a binary for linux. This snapshot is not seen as usable game!
Well... I don't want to wait with the implementation of quests and NPCs until 0.3, because both adds more atmosphere to the game. So, since today it's implemented and works rather well.
I overworked the way how the map is displayed. Some tiles are looking more graphical now. It's a mixture between pure ascii and graphical tiles, and it looks rather good.
Upcoming beta 2 will contain the new features.
Finally, the first real beta of LambdaRogue 0.2 has been released; it had been a long way to this point.
Contentwise, it's nearly complete. Many of the items, chants and monsters I want for 0.2 are implemented.
In the moment, LambdaRogue is very hack'n'slay-ish and can be finished in a rather short time, as there
are only 20 areas (i.e. dungeon levels) to explore. There are no quests or NPCs, except the traders,
and your only goal is to reach the last area and fight the end boss.... read more
The last two days were very productive. Existing features have been overworked and are now better implemented. Many new, simple but nice features have been added. Religions are fully implemented and much more... I'm optimistic to release the first beta, 0.1.9, in 24 hours.
Today LambdaRogue was undergoing some greater changes and improvements. Some bugs were fixed and new content (monsters, items, chants, predefined levels) were created. Additionally, the use of random in level "generation" has changed. The levels aren't created by a dungeon generator any longer. Instead, there are predefined levels which can be either used "as is" or rotated by 90 degrees. Although that's just a small change, it's a nice effect and the player has to re-adopt to the altered layout.
Numbers can be entered using numpad, simple menu choices can be made without pressing Enter every time. Next linux release will include this, too.
...SourceForge seems to have some server problems...?
Well, I'll try my best... This time, it's only a windows binary I created mainly for testing numpad under windows... I contains new items and new monsters and is very pre-beta, but there are some features I have to implement, e.g. the "net" has to get many many sites, there are still not enough and not enough _interesting_ items and the atmosphere of the game has to become better.
The last 11 days I wasn't able to continue devoloping because I was in Romania. Now I'm back and developent goes on.
Today I had no time to code. Anyway, the scenario of the game and the atmosphere I want to create will become more concrete tomorrow. As it's a postapocalyptic, therefore still technical, world, they of course have computer, and some of the enemies are already called "hacker", "cyberpunk" etc. This will continue. I'm trying to avoid most of the classic fantasy-names and -expressions. Items and songs (spells) will fit in the scenario.... read more