Temple of The Roguelike Forums
Development => Programming => Topic started by: IBOL on August 20, 2013, 03:26:34 AM
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(Original post below, but exciting news here!)
This idea has developed into a full game, thanks to people here (and other forums) for the early encouragement and ideas
And Now It's On Kickstarter! (http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/181428952/approaching-infinity-a-space-adventure-roguelike)
You can also download the alpha here for windows. (http://forumfiles.thegamecreators.com/download/2493914)
[/news]
i am thinking about writing a graphical, sci-fi, endless roguelike.
endless levels, with monsters, and equipment getting progressively more powerful.
Edit:
Been working on this for 30 days now. Here's The ARRP version 0.0.2
Approaching Infinity (http://forumfiles.thegamecreators.com/download/2487087)
/Edit
what would keep this interesting for players?
(I like hack'n'slash and love finding the next awesome weapon, so that's a big motivation for me)
what are your thoughts?
IBOL
[EDIT:]
basic design:
you fly ('are') a rogue spaceship, collecting salvage and treasure,
getting better ship parts & equipment.
in space, you explore new areas, battle aliens, and dock with space stations to sell salvage and buy upgrades.
you can land on planets to search for ancient artifacts, but it's dangerous. aliens, acid, volcanoes, disease.
the world would be random but each 'sector' would be constant once it was generated.
(I actually forget what that's called right now!) (persistent!)
the game would be essentially infinite, since you could keep finding new random technology forever,
but you could also 'retire' at any time, and keep that score.
using brian's idea (below) , tech upgrades would have interesting names (though still random)
more than just being a bunch of numbers.
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(http://s6.postimg.org/715vn5rxd/Apr_Infss234.png)
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Sure. But what's theUSP http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unique_selling_proposition (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unique_selling_proposition)?
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It has a chance, though for my thinking, to best do so it must engage with adjectives and verbs far moreso than the evils of Mathematics.
Numbers eventually ascend into a numbing haze, but expressive language tends to just get deeper as it goes down the rabbit hole. Balance will almost certainly fall apart long before the perceived values of endless/infinite to either turn into constant slogs against high defenses or some sort of 1HP constant quick draw affair.
I'd also think multiple, game affecting narratives and character deaths potentially counting for various things would fit it well as oppose to an endless descent in a bubble in a vacuum.
Also, being sci-fi, an ace up your sleeve would be an advancing sense of the Science improving in different ways far beyond the usual numbers game of 4X Research trees and the like---oddly enough people rather accept magic to be static or on an overall decline in games in general but the opposite generally scratches an itch for advancement.
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well, getter77, your idea definitely stuck with me.
from the moment I read, I wanted to incorporate it.
randomly named technologies (but that reflect what they do).
as for a USP (unique selling proposition),
I don't have one.
I just learned that I am guilty of "bottom up game design".
http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/2150/the_designers_notebook_the_.php (http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/2150/the_designers_notebook_the_.php)
I always come up with tons of formulas first, then try to build a game around them.
hp=lev^2, each skill costs [current_level+1] points, maximum rarity is sqrt(level), etc.
I heard lots of complaints over the years about "there are too many fantasy roguelikes",
so I decided I try making a sci-fi one. then the numbers starting coming to me.
another inspiration I have is oryx's space tiles, but I don't know if i'll use them.
I dreamed about his tiles one night!
(for a guy with very little drawing ability like myself, graphics are such a godsend.)
something close to a USP for my game would be like:
explore an infinite galaxy full of ancient treasures, dangerous aliens,
and incredible technologies.
but that doesn't really fit the definition.
something that I try to do with my roguelikes is to pare down the command set,
so that you can play the game with the least possible number of buttons,
and you don't need to read the manual if you don't want to.
(but since my Atari days, I always loved reading game manuals.
I was really disappointed when borderlands 2 didn't come with one!)
so anyway, the real question is,
what would keep the player from retiring their character?
of course the difficulty will increase, and you can get better equipment,
but the tileset will not be infinite.
you won't always be able to find something new as far as terrain.
and without a clear goal beyond "find the next treasure and we'll pay you even MORE!"
?
bob
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What's your reason for wanting to make an endless game?
It has a chance, though for my thinking, to best do so it must engage with adjectives and verbs far moreso than the evils of Mathematics.
Numbers eventually ascend into a numbing haze, but expressive language tends to just get deeper as it goes down the rabbit hole. Balance will almost certainly fall apart long before the perceived values of endless/infinite to either turn into constant slogs against high defenses or some sort of 1HP constant quick draw affair.
I'd also think multiple, game affecting narratives and character deaths potentially counting for various things would fit it well as oppose to an endless descent in a bubble in a vacuum.
Also, being sci-fi, an ace up your sleeve would be an advancing sense of the Science improving in different ways far beyond the usual numbers game of 4X Research trees and the like---oddly enough people rather except magic to be static or on an overall decline in games in general but the opposite generally scratches an itch for advancement.
Good post.
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-I would think one of the best steps otherwise from now would be to play and harvest from The Big 4 in this sphere, to get a feel for the best general bits and determine what else you think you can come up with to fill in the gaps. Said 4 being Prospector which is alive again over in the Announcements board, the free Transcendence which has a first paid expansion coming out soon, and the commercial folks in the form of Lost in Flatspace IIk and Drox Operative+Expansion. Also, play Tyrian (2000), just because.
-Least number of buttons possible is a good design goal---quality doesn't come from the number of commands to memorize but rather the variety of ways you can make an impact on the game within.
-As such, the manual can be freed up to become more of a source book for the setting, lore, and other such things of interest.
-Tying in Questing and the passage of time to Retiring seems like the way to go---each major quest plotline could give a chance to retire after successful completion/being rewarded, such that time would then pass and the universe react to your accomplishment in the sea of other possible ones known and unknown had you kept going. One's descendant would then pick up the game some decades later, the universe being a bit different and so on. The hook could be if you died without completing a quest, the family line ends and you simply assume the role of some other random person on that same spot on the timeline---how long CAN you keep a legacy going and to what ends versus it being a given in, say, Rogue Legacy? Will you boldly venture into the more advanced quests and risk death of the line, or take your chances building up a smaller family empire first? And so on. Maybe. Historically significant families that fall into disrepair could have their private estates/space stations/planets for strangers to plunder/search for secrets, NPC and otherwise. Combine all of that with Science also moving inexorably forward in the background and you'd have a rather different experience with each generation
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Novelty is the way to go with infinite. The game should increase in complexity as a by-product of being infinite.
Some sort of arbitrary narrative that keeps things interesting. Maybe you come across multiple opportunities to retire in the form of quests.
Saving a planet from a giant asteroid, or something, might exalt your status with said inhabitants and they provide you an opportunity to retire in high class. Or you come across a paradise planet that only requires 12 payments of some such amount to acquire a time-share.
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Wow I never thought o quests for this game that's a great idea
I would love to make procedural quest generator
Tried prospector
Died o unknown reason on plAnet
It didn't tell me why
Transcendance - tried to find something useful to do , then got bored and shot he good guys. Bad idea
What I learned from this:
Give the player obvious feedback about what is hurtin them
Give the player obvious short term goals
Get them doing something useful right away
I wanted to make it endless basically so you can keep playing. Often I avoid the main quest because once you complete it the game is over. I don't want some games to end. And I love to find the next awesome item
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IBOL did you check out my KlingonRL? It's spacey, so maybe you'll pull something from it. The design is meant to be super short with good variety, but it could easily become a much longer game with ship upgrades, a huge galaxy, multiple goals, away missions etc...
Your random monster engine from RR could also come into play to create basically an infinite number of groundscapes, flora, fauna, etc...Resource gathering and then building stuff could add to the open ended gameplay. In fact I cannot think of many open ended games that do not have some sort of crafting (Dwarf Fortress, Terraria, World of Warcraft, Eve).
Also finding artifact components for ship devices and pilot upgrades would be neat. Like you find the mutation chamber or alien physics lab or whatever. But you need crystal, metal, biofluid of a Zagnor and 3 bottles of H2 to upgrade your character with a bionic laser targetting eye piece. So it's a quest to gather the stuff, then come back and upgrade. Of course you only get between 1-3 uses out of the chamber/lab, etc...so then it's off in search of another.
Common resources like asteroid rocks and hydrogen are all over, then specialized resources like Rancor blood are much harder to find. Common 'crafting stations' like labs and medical bays are easy to find, they are on every station pretty much. But Hyper Alien Physics labs and other special crafting stations are SUPER RARE.
Since everything is used up over time you are constantly out there searching for new stuff.
You can even have a main quest of blowing up all the bad guys space stations. Which you can do by sneaking in and taking out the reactor (stealth build) or building a huge battleship and nuking it (strength build).
Your score is how many stations you've taken out, and they get harder as you move toward the core of the galaxy. There are TONS of enemy space stations, you'll never really get them all. But if you want to see the ending maybe you can take out the Mother Station around the black hole in the center of the galaxy. But you'll probably just die if you do that.
I also like how Eve allows clones. If you have a clone you wake up as them but you lose all of your cybernetics and gear and ship and everything else. I like that.
Those are just some ideas man, I was thinking about an open ended sci fi game all day and that's what I got for you.
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hi, jo,
I've been fighting with iLivid for 24hrs now. I can't seem to get your game, but I watched gamehunter's lets play of it, and it looks really nice. the reason I didn't look at it before was in my mind, I had it confused with suncrusher. KlingonRL seems to have a nice balance of elements in it.
the idea of "crafting" seems interesting, and would certainly add something for players to do. I've often planned on crafting systems for my fantasy RLs , especially since I have spent literally hundreds of hours just making potions in morrowind, oblivion, and skyrim.
I think that as you progress in the game, you can disassemble unwanted components and earn 'science points' from them
(you also gain these by exploring space anomalies and mapping planets)
these could eventually be spent to design ship components in the crafting system.
(or you can sell your data to a space station)
crafting would be something that was added into the game later , not available right away. but the idea of not always being able to craft, even with the right parts is nice. adds some pinch to the decision.
blowing up bad guy space stations was one of the possible overall goals I had envisioned.
but i'm hoping to have several. at least one goal is to find all the ancient alien artifacts (AAA?)
I bought FTL today (half price on GOG for the weekend). first impressions:
-unavoidable deaths from random encounters are very frustrating, and seem common.
-focus on crew is interesting, but I don't like micromanaging them.
-the boring parts take too long and the exciting parts happen too fast.
having more luck with transcendence, but parts of it still seem tedious.
(having to go to different stations in the same star system for different things is annoying.
put it all in one place I say.)
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I had an idea for a science fiction roguelike a while ago where you could take control of a terminal station and 'hack' into remote satellites and manipulate them to your advantage (perhaps disrupting enemy communications) or download surveillance data etc.
The process would be a sort of game in itself where you would have to manipulate memory values in a stack... I never did flesh it out into anything more than a concept, though I imagined it would be some sort of pseudo puzzle where you would have a password value stored somewhere in the stack and you had to manipulate the execution program to overwrite the password value...
Another idea I had was to include some sort of genetics system, whereby you could alter the DNA of monsters resident on a planet. Perhaps you could craft a virus and infect a corpse with it, other monsters eat the corpse, the virus spreads and affects the monsters in some way, changing their characteristics either positively or negatively. But you have to be careful not to infect yourself with the virus then, if an infected monster bites you or you eat the monster corpse for food etc.
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hi, jo,
I've been fighting with iLivid for 24hrs now
I would recommend keeping iLivid off your computer and not clicking any buttons that say iLivid on them... If you're trying to get KlingonRL off Sendspace, the only button you need to click is the one that says "Click here to start download from sendspace". The rest are all evil.
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I did some thinking about how to make a Dwarf fortress in space mining like game, more interesting. I was thinking about a variant of a food clock, not an internal one (the amount of food you carry on you). But more an external one, A large superhuman/transhuman threat coming after you. Like the Revelation space 'wolves', or the Cylons, or an AI like the AI wars antagonists, the eclipse phase AI Titans and exsurgents or Ziltoid. Basically a 'thing' that is coming after you. And if you keep sitting around it will eventually kill you. And it will never stop going after you. And the longer you survive, or the more of his stuff you kill/destroy/evade, the more persistant it gets.
With the interesting thing being that you are managing a fleet of ships. And the arrival of the Big Bad is sudden, and usually not advertised. So then it becomes a mad dash to get as much of your stuff offplanet and back into your fleets before missiles/nanoswarms/Relativistic kill vehicles (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Relativistic_kill_vehicle) arrive and blast parts of your fleet to bits.
I know it is a bit out there. And has a way to large scope for a roguelike, as RL's are not that great at management of a lot of assets. So I have no clue as of yet how to properly implement it. But thinking about it has been interesting.
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I bought FTL today (half price on GOG for the weekend). first impressions:
-unavoidable deaths from random encounters are very frustrating, and seem common.
-focus on crew is interesting, but I don't like micromanaging them.
-the boring parts take too long and the exciting parts happen too fast.
having more luck with transcendence, but parts of it still seem tedious.
(having to go to different stations in the same star system for different things is annoying.
put it all in one place I say.)
Interesting, you have described exactly what I think about those 2 games.
About endless games, I once envisioned something like that, in fact, my current project started to be an endless adventure, but the truth is that I came to realize that most games I enjoyed did had a purpose, a main goal, and it was this goal that pressed me to finish them. What I mean is that without a goal there is a good change the player won't have a sense of accomplishment and get bored of it, something that happens a lot when I play RL. I think that procedurally generated games could generate everything from scratch based on a main seed, including the player's main objective. This would maintain the game's replay value very high while at the same time providing a meaning for players to enjoy it. Creating a new main seed then would be like creating a new unexplored game with a unique scenario and objective.
Ending games feels very rewarding towards the time we invest playing them.
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Hey IBOL are you going for actually endless or are you going for sandbox?
Thought I'd ask as they can overlap quite a bit. Endless is much harder to pull off I think...
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Well the more I get into it the more I realize that "endless" is probably not my real goal
I think the player should have several ways of ending their game in victory
Sandbox to a point but but I'm not going overboard on the depth of details yet
T
I did get klingonRL and its actually very strategic and tough
Excellent design!
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Hey thanks IBOL. Took me years to make something worth playing, it's nice to have finally succeeded instead of just participated. :-)
Can't wait for an endless space game from you.
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Well the more I get into it the more I realize that "endless" is probably not my real goal
I think the player should have several ways of ending their game in victory
Sandbox to a point but but I'm not going overboard on the depth of details yet
T
I did get klingonRL and its actually very strategic and tough
Excellent design!
I think it will be difficult providing the player with multiple ways of finishing the game without a sandbox. Nonetheless, it can be done through some heavy scripting. Since I'm not aware of how your game's game-play will unfold I can't really come up with suggestions towards it.
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maybe i'm splitting hairs as far as 'sandbox' goes. definitely open world, go where you want. just can't become a god to some planet or something - not that level of detail.
something getter77 said earlier on this thread about 'how to end the game by choice':
"-Tying in Questing and the passage of time to Retiring seems like the way to go---each major quest plotline could give a chance to retire after successful completion"
been working on basic things for a week now. might be able to post some shots or even demo,
but there's no enemies or treasure yet. just your ship, space, and planets and away team.
this thread is very helpful for direction,
thanks to all!
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Can't wait to see the screenies :D, I really want to comment on them.
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I'm a pretty paranoid person generally but endorya that sounds loaded . You already have some specific comment to make even though you don't know what they'll look like. I'll try toget something up tonight.
EDIT:
does this work:(http://s7.postimg.org/dpvseq5yj/isrl_SS2b.png)
procedural planet surface using some Oryx sprites. it's all Oryx sprites.
I have line of sight now for both space and planets,
with either your ship or a little guy moving around.
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and here's a space one.
the grayed out area is unexplored as of yet.
today I got the world to be basically persistent.
(http://s6.postimg.org/4gjx649ep/isrl_SS3.png)
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here's my progress reports for the last few days. I started keeping track.
` 8/30/13 : got persistence down.
` also got a warp screen and travel between sectors.
` the abbreviation screen and the landing party stats
` 8/31/13
` got the banker station happening.
` hire crew, repair hull, buy supplies, sell sci data,
` donate to the PAY IT FORWARD fund and save it encrypted.
` create and list components for sale (but can't buy them yet)
` designed 13 commodities.
` made them available at space stations.
` can also BUY & SELL! hello space trading game!
` 9/1/13
` installing components today. effects applied to ship
` can buy & sell components at station.
` began tracking the price you paid for commodities.
` 9/2/13:
` got asteroid mining done today.
` bump to mine. spawn commodity or component, pick it up.
` also items spawn on planets, can pick them up.
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WANT.
@Endor-ya! (you were going for a Starwars/Ewok reference with your name...right?) - You don't need multiple ways to finish. You can have the same finishing conditions but with multiple paths. To be more specific, many roguelikes have different playstyles, race/class combos and builds that are winnable but with the same way to finish. If your over all goal is to blow up space stations you can sneak in with an invisible suit and plant a nuke or you can waltz in with a battleship and blow it away from range. The sneak option requires hi tech but the battleship requires tons of resources and time to build.
If you need to blow 9 stations to win, the first station is easy, but the next is harder and so on. The final station is totally prepared and you better have a battleship AND a stealth suit.
God I'd love to play that game!
You may have actually been saying something like that Endor, but I figured I'd refine it a bit.
EDIT: I already like the looks of this IBOL.
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The story so far:
Less than 10 years ago, an alien space station appeared in a human controlled sector of space. The aliens offered advanced technology to anyone who could afford it. And now all of space is in chaos. Governments collapsed as power shifted hands too quickly to maintain order. Resources were stripped and stolen, sold to the aliens who had become known as the Bankers. All attacks against their stations failed, and no one has tried for years. Life is now a struggle to obtain higher technology, just to avoid being destroyed.
You have recently obtained your own ship, and are about to set out to seek your fortune.
Will you try to destroy the bankers, or will you work for them? Will you find help from an alien species who wishes to end the Bankers rule as much as you do? Or will you find some other path, perhaps ignoring the problem entirely.
Typed on my iPod at work so forgive errors
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ok so I've done a lot of work on this lately.
I have a lot of random quests being generated now, and I designed a preliminary system
for naming weapons, in the spirit of what getter77 said back a few posts.
start with weapons like the "generic plasma cannon" and "surplus anti-proton gun", and progress up to things like the "refined phased cannon" or even a "mythical tachyon blaster".
search space for deposits of macroborazol, polykryptane, thiomethylene, benzoxanthonone
(randomly generated)
here's more progress reports:
` 9/3/13
` refined asteroid item spawning.
` spawn commodities on planets.
` allowed shields to be damaged, and then recharge after a cooldown period.
` allow hull to be damaged.
` 9/4/13
` began work on DEVICES.
` got 10 designed, and loaded their file.
` allowed landing party to die,
` and scatter what they've collected to the winds!
` 9/5/13
` got 18 devices created, and loaded
` some starting ships equipped with certain devices.
` many of the devices function.
` added docking fees at stations.
` your systems cool down some at the station.
` landing party heals some upon visiting the shuttle.
` began the long process of defining quests.
` generated my first quest, but can't actually complete it.
` 9/6/13
` you can now go on a transport quest between stations!
` you can succeed and be rewarded. you can also FAIL!
` you can now install new devices
` added a "mcguffin" collection quest, which works and can be turned in.
` developed spaceship interior generation routines, so you can board shipwrecks or even enemy ships!
` also randomized the color of the nebulas in each sector
` 9/7/13
` added the "mysterious hidden space anomaly" quest, and resolution.
` added the "Spaceforming" quest, and able to succeed
` added the "Find a bunch of stuff on a planet" quest. can succeed, but hard.
` added "fully explore this planet" quests. very hard
` created function for naming weapons according to their stats
` created functions for naming chemicals and plants for quest targets.
guess I know what i'm doing for ARRP.
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For me, Endless Sci-Fi Roguelike concept is already "interesting" in itself. No need for USPs or such. I love a SF setting and majority of RLs/RPGs seem to be stuck in the fantasy territory. As for the "endless" thingy getting boring, not a problem for me - if the game can keep me entertained for a long time it`s a mission accomplished anyway. And if this is a roguelike I`ll probably die a lot and so on...so no worries there. Plus, you can always put in some major "winnable" quest in - and keep the universe going on endlessly even after completion. And/or have a scoreboard...and a retirement option - I`m thinking Pirates! now - where you get not only a high score, but also some status description for your trouble.
Starflight is one of my favourite games of all time, and what you describe here seems to have lots of similar aspects. In fact, it seems too good to be true almost, what with the massive scope - random missions, endless weapon upgrades, planetary exploration, asteroid mining, ship boarding...Lawd! Plus, it`s an RL. If you pull it off, it could be a major hit.
One area that needs special care in this genre is space combat itself. For some reason most of the old classics, while totally awesome in other aspects, choose to go down the arcadey, real-time route for battles. So I hope yours is turn based...
Some other titles to land on & mine for ideas: ASCII Sector, Strange Adventures in Infinite Space (that one`s actually free now, wow). Space Rangers 2 is very original , though not an RL.
Finally, where can I find KlingonRL? The database`s down...
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thanks for the response, and pointing me toward starflight. i never played it, but it looks right!
as for the space combat in my game, it will remain roguelike; turn based.
i've got some random missions happening now, but their descriptions are generic (i think they might actually remain that way.)
i've also got 3 ways planned that you can play out the story, each being a long-ish major-ish quest line. the broad strokes will be the same, and hand written, but the locations, enemies, levels, terrain, etc. will be random in each game.
this is the page i got klingonRL from:
http://www.sendspace.com/file/c43vbb (http://www.sendspace.com/file/c43vbb)
one thing i'm having a hard time with conceptually is how to do an "Identify" system in this game.
you can tell that a weapon is a weapon and a shield is a shield, and you can't really plug your shield into your weapon slot to see what happens.
there doesn't seem to be any real way to 'experiment' with items, except for using them in their intended way.
using the Oryx tiles I bought (the megapack, which is awesome, and a good deal), I worked out my random spaceship generation code. taste:
(http://s6.postimg.org/gb2qo9uox/Randomly_Generated_Spaceship_Number_1.png)
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I'll re-up KlingonRL.
http://forums.roguetemple.com/index.php?topic=3082.msg25618#msg25618
Those Oryx tiles are some serious awesome. Total coolness really.
I clicked on that link and it said I had to be a game creator member...maybe I should be a member but I'm only a 'talkie' until March...:-)
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The experimentation could come from properties from the subtle to dramatic that might not be apparent without proper Identification, especially if Alien/Exotic in origin. IE A hull that reflects laser blasts entirely might be just as shiny as one with an anti-ballistic coating.
Otherwise, perhaps have such things operate at a reduced rate of effectiveness until properly "identified" and integrated into your ship, then with the even more expensive possibility of researching them more deeply so as to make it even more advanced tech than otherwise? Something like that would help solve the common issue of finding something with a particular attribute you really like, but not being able to randomly find it again in a more advanced form to match up with latter game threats and your other equipment.
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Ok I'm going to make it my goal tonight to get a demo up, because I want feedback on a lot of areas. I find this forum very helpful.
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I don't do a lot of playtesting right now, but you can count on feedback from me on this one.
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here's a download link, but i'm probably going to start an actual thread for this over in the 'early dev feedback' section
http://forumfiles.thegamecreators.com/download/2485192 (http://forumfiles.thegamecreators.com/download/2485192)
(I hope they let non members DL this - it didn't used to be a problem, and I find it a little insulting.)
here's a short youtube movie: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZyYiQrZ0rI (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZyYiQrZ0rI)
now its bed time, with hours of work and no programming :( :-[ :'(
* numpad to move
7 8 9
\|/
4-+-6
/|\
1 2 3
BUT:
- your Engines have an "MR" Maneuver Rating
it refers to how much you can change your HEADING in a single move.
with an MR of 1, you can only make small course changes.
you have to circle around.
Example:
imagine the numpad. if your last move was 8 (up), then you could move 7,8,9 (Up Left, up, up right).
as soon as you can get a MR 2 engine. do that. and a warp range >1 too.
commands can be displayed on screen . use right arrow key
* go to space stations to do stuff.
all offered quests are winnable.
* you have a million credits, so buy whatever you want.
might need to empty out your cargo hold though...
* you can't die, but the landing party can die on planets,
either from lack of oxygen, or by taking damage over time
(the more inhospitable a planet is, the more damage taken)
buy better space suits to last longer on planets.
[Q] quest screen
[I] install component
[D] dock, land, take off, leave
[W] warp - must be on warp point.
[F] fire ranged weapon
[+] cycle targets
[SPACE] bar performs "common action" dock, warp, ?
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I downloaded fine.
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Well - it works!
I know it`s not much in a way of a feedback, but since there`s no actual death/consequence it`s hard to comment on "gameplay". Hopefully it`ll be great. What we have here now is a fine basis for a great SF roguelike. A finely working engine for an RL space opera - I didn`t encounter any visible bugs. And for a non-coder and a SF nerd like a me it`s already a mindboggling thing, especially that you make it look sorta casually easy to write ;)
Now with the code side mostly out of the way the real challenge appears - balancing this thing. Infamously difficult task when it comes to open world/sandbox/infinite games. Also probably need to decide if you`d like to keep it simple (though it already has plenty of features) or add more`n more stuff (an interestingly related tale from the olden days: http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/issues/issue_237/7041-When-the-Stars-Align (http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/issues/issue_237/7041-When-the-Stars-Align))
Some random things
-oxygen tanks could be bigger - now you`re forced to take off and re-land to explore everything. Though, maybe it even makes sense...
-not sure about the inertia flight mechanics - sort of get used to them quickly and they could be more interesting than "normal" ones - but sometime can be also infuriating when you circle something endlessly and can`t get close.
-what are those lil` star things?
All the best, hopefully the next build will feature some violence`n consequence ;)
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Akeley, you have given me something to aim for as far as this years ARRP:
AI. I will get those violence and consequences into the game this week.
I think the flight mechanic will stay , especially since you should be able to upgrade around sector 10.
The little stars are just impassible terrain (stars).
I upped starting oxygen to 50 and it will scale up to 200 or 300 with better suits.
I did get shipwrecks into the game and they are explorable. They also have their own variety of space monsters.
I will also go for mouse support, but the week is usually busy.
I read that article. I had an Atari 800 and my friend had trs80
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well, definitely no mouse support, but enemies have AI now,
and you can die. then the game starts over.
made a lot of fixes in preparation for ARRP.
should be releasing "Approaching Infinity 0.0.2" on sunday, sept. 22, 2013.
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ARRP:
Approaching Infinity, A Roguelike Space Adventure.
http://forumfiles.thegamecreators.com/download/2487087 (http://forumfiles.thegamecreators.com/download/2487087)
Pilot a spaceship of your choice through an infinite sci-fi universe, exploring planets, gathering resources and technology, battling space pirates, and picking sides in an interstellar war that's been developing since the fall of rome.
most important commands:
numpad or hjklyubn to move
right & left arrow keys scroll helpful menus
[F] to fire, [ + ] to cycle targets
[D] to dock, land, or leave
What's planned for the game?
- a randomized crafting system for components and devices
- Random Officers with individual skills to help you
- More Devices with more powers
- unlockable ship classes
- elemental monsters(!)
- more alien races (Gruff, Tentaculons, Limoquee, Vordalene, Firaxughinians)
- unique monster powers, and more monsters.
- several major quest lines (at least 1 for each of the alien races.)
- 3-5 different ways to end the game, and countless ways to just keep playing.
- any great ideas from players and supporters!
(http://s6.postimg.org/715vn5rxd/Apr_Infss234.png)
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Ooooooooooooooooh. :)
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What's planned for the game?
- a randomized crafting system for components and devices
- Random Officers with individual skills to help you
- More Devices with more powers
- unlockable ship classes
- elemental monsters(!)
- more alien races (Gruff, Tentaculons, Limoquee, Vordalene, Firaxughinians)
- unique monster powers, and more monsters.
- several major quest lines (at least 1 for each of the alien races.)
- 3-5 different ways to end the game, and countless ways to just keep playing.
- any great ideas from players and supporters!
See you in couple of years then ;)
Nah, just kiddin, seeing what has been done already I believe you might be just the guy to pull this one off. Downloading now...
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my plan is 6 months, so that's probably 9. but I have prototyped a lot of that stuff already.
the biggest thing will be the quests. they require the most new functionality.
but I started keeping track of my progress right in the code over a month ago, and it's amazing to see how its grown. it helps to be able to say "a week ago, my monsters didn't even move. now they're chasing me around a new type of planet, and i'm using the mouse to move, which I just did two nights ago."
I can see that I can make real progress.
the biggest obstacle is coding vs. playing. I left myself a little note in the game:
(http://s6.postimg.org/4h6mbk1ep/Note_To_Self.png)
(I never go to bed on time though)
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Ah yes. Discipline. The most important side of the creative coin.
My lack of discipline keeps me bouncing from project to project, idea to idea, only ever finishing 7DRL's. Lame.
Keep up the good work IBOL.
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Ah yes. Discipline. The most important side of the creative coin.
My lack of discipline keeps me bouncing from project to project, idea to idea, only ever finishing 7DRL's.
Good most of us have decades ahead of us to finish our grand-scale projects, before we're called away by the Great RNG in the sky ;)
As always,
Minotauros
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Yeah seriously. My infinitely talkie and design hell project is that 'supers' one I was talking about over in development. I don't honestly think I'll ever truly finish it. But I have a TON of fun with it.
IBOL is different though. He actually gets shit done. I like that. I can talk it, but I can't walk it so well. IBOL does both. And the innovative things about Random Realms shows he's actually good at it too. Jealousy!
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Jo,
when I get lazy or depressed, I read that post.
You were a big inspiration at the start of this project.
Mutual respect, my friend!
thanks.
Here's what the game is looking like these days, thanks to David Gervais.
(http://s14.postimg.org/6u6tizxgh/have_you_seen_Approaching_Infinity_lately.png)
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That UI and those sprites both look nice.
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Ah the Gervais tiles. I really like them. If I remember correctly I did a card game with them a few years back. I imagine they are just place holders for now? Still, those are the type of place holders you can totally keep far into the development cycle.
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Yeah seriously. My infinitely talkie and design hell project is that 'supers' one I was talking about over in development. I don't honestly think I'll ever truly finish it. But I have a TON of fun with it.
IBOL is different though. He actually gets shit done. I like that. I can talk it, but I can't walk it so well. IBOL does both. And the innovative things about Random Realms shows he's actually good at it too. Jealousy!
Well shit IBOL I'm not saying anything that the average RL type fan doesn't recognize.
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Still working...it's coming along quite nicely.
But I have a question I need some community thoughts on:
There is no "main character" in Approaching Infinity.
How much does that matter to you, as players?
To me, I don't care. I make a story as I go along,
or even more, just love the experience.
There is a general backstory to the character in the game,
but I don't want to push it on people, and I don't want a
"wall of text" beginning.
What do you think?
http://ibol17.wordpress.com/the-game/ (http://ibol17.wordpress.com/the-game/)
(http://ibol17.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/new-space-graphics.jpg)
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And The Kickstarter Is Live! (http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/181428952/approaching-infinity-a-space-adventure-roguelike)
Help Approaching Infinity become the game it is meant to be, and add your own unique personality at the same time.
Name a planet, add your name to the officer's pool, name a quest item, submit a piece of small abstract art or short writing that will be found in the game (like an easter egg), all the way up to design a ship class or major race.
And don't worry; Approaching Infinity is a classical roguelike. It's not 'like-like' or 'lite' or 'ftl-like', what have you.
There's perma-death, an identify system, procedural space and planets, major quests, randarts, 2D grid, turn based movement and combat, etc.
So please, take a look. I've been working hard. There's already a playable alpha.
And with David Gervais (http://pousse.rapiere.free.fr/tome/tiles/AngbandTk/tome-angbandtkmonsterstiles.htm) on graphics and ectogemia (https://soundcloud.com/ectogemia) writing an original soundtrack,
it's going to be a great game! (http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/181428952/approaching-infinity-a-space-adventure-roguelike)
And for you sticklers, i'll throw in an ascii tileset at $10,000
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Wait...ASCII is a stretch goal?
Lol. I'm in. :-)
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Congratulations on getting it over the funding line!
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hey thanks man,
you know, I've been trying to contact you, just to keep it going,
and I just feel like this board's comms don't work too reliably.
I'm going to post my email right here, and if any of the people in this conversation want to hit me with a private email,
that would be great.
saunders72[at] Hotmail >DOT< com
WOOOOOOOOOT!!!!!!!
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Man, the interwebs are truly dying. I emailed you at this address weeks ago, check your spam maybe.
This is really annoying, it`s not my first email that went missing recently thanks to overzealous spam guards.
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Hi, Everyone!
It's been over a month since I posted here, and Approaching Infinity has seen a lot of progress! It's now in the Beta stage, with every major planned system represented in the game. New major systems of note are skilled officers, component crafting, variable speed, the shipyard, and a victory condition.
There is also a new free public demo available, as well as a sale on itch.io for continued full beta access:
http://ibol17.itch.io/approaching-infinity-early-access
Akely, I got that message, followed those links, and found them very informative. Thanks!
Last, there will be a live stream Saturday, Feb. 1st at 10pm EST on http://twitch.tv/MightBeGiantYT
Here's a new video trailer (http://youtu.be/RKI679Q2Vgw) as well.
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Oh yes. Time to buy!
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Thanks everyone!
I know we're in the throes of 7drl right now; I'm even a reviewer this year!
But I've just got to mention something...
This really is the thread that started it all...so many core ideas and developments happened here.
The game will be released in May, and it's on Steam Greenlight (http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=241001211)right now!
Please come vote yes for this awesome space roguelike you helped create!
(http://ibol17.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/aisgl_itch_banner.png)