Messages

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Traditional Roguelikes (Turn Based) / BOSS 3.2 for Windows, macOS, and Linux

« on: January 11, 2025, 03:40:07 AM »

Version 3.2 of BOSS is now available for Windows, Linux, and macOS from the BOSS home page: https://80.style/#/plunderbunny/boss/introduction.

This is a minor update with only a few new features:

• The 'Introductions' option (where the game will automatically look at monsters that have not previously been encountered) can now be persisted across multiple games.
• Vortex monsters have a new engulfing attack.
• There are two new ray-guns.
• There are more 'unusual' levels, and while still rare, there is more chance to encounter an unusual level than in previous versions.

Important note: Save games from version 3.0 or 3.1 are not compatible with version 3.2 - if you have a 3.0 or 3.1 game in progress, you should finish it before installing version 3.2. All other support files (high-scores, settings, and filters) are compatible.

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Traditional Roguelikes (Turn Based) / Re: New roguelike: BOSS (v3.1)

« on: September 09, 2024, 09:46:20 PM »

Version 3.1 of BOSS is now available for Windows, Linux, and macOS from the BOSS home page: https://80.style/#/plunderbunny/boss/introduction.

This is a minor update with only a few new features:

• Large monsters - some monsters can occupy more than one square on the map. I hope this will lead to more interesting, tactical gameplay.
• Look around command - pressing the L key (i.e. shift and the letter l) allows the player to pan the map around the sewer.
• Segmented high score display option - the high score table can be styled like an old-fashioned segmented display (think of the very early calculators prior to LCD screens). This replaces the leaderboard display option.
• On Linux only, the folder containing the options for the game (a sub-folder in the user's home folder) is now invisible by default for all new installations. For an existing installation, you can rename the folder from "Boss" to ".boss" (note the leading period and the lower-case 'b') and it will retain your options and make the folder invisible. Conversely, if you prefer to have the folder visible, you can rename the folder to be "Boss".

Important note: Save games from version 3.0 are not compatible with version 3.1 - if you have a version 3.0 game in progress, you should finish it before installing version 3.1. All other support files (high-scores, settings, and filters) are compatible.

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Traditional Roguelikes (Turn Based) / Re: New roguelike: BOSS (v3.0.1)

« on: May 19, 2024, 07:55:35 PM »

I considered letting the user blank disks and copy them, but thought that would just result in a lot of 'busy work' that wouldn't be fun.

Blank disks is cool idea. Traders can't restock goods, so "selling then buying" procedure for identifying items is more boring procedure than copying id disks IMHO.

I'll keep thinking about the blank disks to see if I can make it fun and avoid changing the game balance too much. For what it's worth, shops do restock slowly - they add a few items each day, and change some of the existing items. This occurs at midnight, so effectively you see it when you enter the shop on a new day. Of course the shop inventory is completely restocked when you go to a new city too.

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Traditional Roguelikes (Turn Based) / Re: New roguelike: BOSS (v3.0.1)

« on: May 14, 2024, 06:42:04 AM »

Thanks for playing the game, and for your feedback!

I'd like to know more about what is involved in downgrading BOSS to .NET 4.0 - I didn't know this was possible.

I agree the implementation of computers isn't great, but I'm at a bit of a loss of how to improve it. If I made it harder to get the better computers, that would just be frustrating. I considered letting the user blank disks and copy them, but thought that would just result in a lot of 'busy work' that wouldn't be fun. If you have any ideas on how to improve the way computers work, I'd be really interested to hear them.

Thank YOU for rewriting this game on c#!

I have downgraded it to .NET 4.0 for running on my AppLocker WindowsRT laptop. Now i can play Grogg istead of Rogue, BOSS instead of Moria, Cryptband instead of Angband and ForaysIntoNorrendrin instead of BRogue.

Also i think that Micro Computer (20%), Laptop Computer(40%) and Mini Computer (55%) are useless items. You never want to waste disks with this chances of success. Better to keep disks and wait for Mainframe Computer (75%) or Matrix Computer (60%) [if you have small encumbrance].

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Traditional Roguelikes (Turn Based) / Re: New roguelike: BOSS (v3.0.1)

« on: May 12, 2024, 07:49:52 PM »

These are all really good points. I think the original BOSS game probably wasn't well balanced, and of course I've just copied that lack of balance over to the new version because I didn't know any better. I'm not against having a game with a few exploits - it's meant to be a casual game after all - but I can see the examples you've given would make the game too easy once you know them.

I'd like to hear your ideas on how to fix the stealth and tank-scientist issues. I don't want to, for example, introduce randomness to the effectiveness of stealth, because random failures aren't much fun. Perhaps I could cap the maximum values for stealth and attributes when creating a new character, so that the higher values need to be earned in-game?

Some spells are specific to certain classes - the multi-classes (e.g. soldier) won't get some high level spells of the equivalent single-classes (e.g. scientist). More spells would definitely be good, and I'll try to think of a few.

Thanks.

Hi! I think that stealth formula is too cheaty. You simply get 10 stealth at the start of the game for any class and go kill all bosses like a breeze ignoring hardcore robots.

Its possible to make 50str, 50int, melee, dex, con Scientist-Tank to craft experience pills and sell corpses with that str encumbrance (can't find any container yet).

Also all spells are the same for any classes with just their own names. Its boring because wisdom and charisma classes are not so good as scientist that can craft pills.

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Traditional Roguelikes (Turn Based) / Re: New roguelike: BOSS (v3.0.1)

« on: May 12, 2024, 04:53:13 AM »

Version 3.0.3 improves the 'look' command. You can download the new version from the web site (see first post in this thread). This version is compatible with existing save files, high-score files, and default options files.

Please note that the version number is 3.0.3, but the web page, archives etc don't show the third digit. You can verify you have the updated version by pressing shift-v in-game to see the credits.

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Programming / Anyone using .Net MAUI?

« on: April 22, 2024, 09:03:59 PM »

I've written a console based roguelike in C# (https://80.style/#/plunderbunny/boss/introduction). I'd like to add some graphics, and I'm considering using .Net MAUI. Does anyone have any experience with .Net MAUI, and converting a console C# application to use .Net MAUI? Alternatively, I would like to hear options on a lightweight cross-platform library for .Net that will allow me to simple graphics (painting shapes, displaying a bitmap etc).
Thanks.

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Traditional Roguelikes (Turn Based) / Re: New roguelike: BOSS (v3.0.1)

« on: April 19, 2024, 02:11:03 AM »

Edit: Looks like I was replying to a bot account, which has been deleted (?)

You're welcome. I'm more than happy to provide more information if anyone has any questions, and I'd really like to read about people's progress in the game and their thoughts.

I'm currently playing around with two new features that might or might not ship, and continuing to write monster and item descriptions whenever I think of something funny.

I'd like to make a graphical version of Boss some day (where the graphics consist of cut-scenes and background rather than graphical tiles). I had a little look at using .Net MAUI as a first step, but I'm not sure I want to commit to that. Anyone out there using .Net MAUI?

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Traditional Roguelikes (Turn Based) / BOSS (v3.0.1)

« on: April 06, 2024, 01:07:53 AM »

A new version (3.0.1) with a few additional random encounters can be downloaded from the web site. This version is compatible with existing save files, high-score files, and default options files.

Please note that the version number is 3.0.1, but the web page, archives etc don't show the third digit. You can verify you have the updated version by pressing shift-v in-game to see the credits.

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Traditional Roguelikes (Turn Based) / Re: New roguelike: BOSS (v3.0)

« on: March 26, 2024, 08:01:44 AM »

Three minor bug fixes in the latest version (uploaded just now)
- Laser guns don't always hit their target(s)
- All guns (projectile and laser) do more damage (specifically, the damage adjustment for the gun was not being used)
- Some of the starting equipment was incorrect for some professions.

(No version number change because it's still in beta).

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Traditional Roguelikes (Turn Based) / Bug fix: exception when looking

« on: March 20, 2024, 10:02:25 PM »

I believe I have fixed the bug reported by memmaker (above - thanks!)

I have updated all the versions available for download on the web site to correct this issue.

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Traditional Roguelikes (Turn Based) / Re: New roguelike: BOSS (v3.0)

« on: March 20, 2024, 07:21:18 PM »

Hi.
Thanks for reporting this. It appears that you were looking at a monster or object when the crash occurred. If you have the 'introductions' option on, then turning it off might help prevent this.

I suspect the problem might have something to do with the console window size, or resizing the console window. Would you mind telling me what the dimensions of your console window are?

Is the crash reproducible? I think I can add some code to prevent this crash even if I don't know what the root cause is, so I'll put that in the next version.

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Traditional Roguelikes (Turn Based) / New roguelike: BOSS (v3.0.1)

« on: March 19, 2024, 01:56:37 AM »

I would like to invite you all to play beta test my new roguelike - BOSS (version 3.0). It has been in development (on and off) for almost 10 years.

BOSS was originally a variant of Moria, that I played while at University in the 1990s on the VAX/VMS mainframe. Versions have been ported to other platforms, but there has been no development for more than a decade. BOSS v3.0 is a re-write that uses some of the original data and algorithms, but has many new features. It should be a more causal experience than Moria/Angband, despite its heritage, and hopefully it distinguishes itself with its humour.

This is (hopefully) a beta in the original sense - it is feature complete, and all known bugs have been fixed.

You can download BOSS 3.0 in 64-bit versions for Windows, macOS and Linux (self-contained .net console applications):
80.style/hash/plunderbunny/boss/introduction

I have not been able to test the Windows and Linux ARM versions. If anyone really wants a 32-bit version for Windows or Linux, I can make one.

If you have any suggestions, comments or issues, please feel free to post here or email me directly: richard.drysdall at iCloud dot com.

Thanks, and enjoy!