Rogue Survivor Alpha 3.21

[roguedjack]

Rogue Survivor

alpha 3.2

More fun, less hassle.

Theme & Setting
Graphical zombie apocalypse urban survival game.


Screenshots & Videos
Youtube videos: http://www.youtube.com/user/roguedjack.
Blog: http://http://roguesurvivor.blogspot.com

Environment
Windows, .NET and DirectX.
Don't be afraid of ".NET and DirectX". If you have Windows, you probably already have those installed.

Game Objective
Survive as long as you can and score points.

Features
(In bold new since last major version)

USER INTERFACE
- Redefine Keys.
- Game Options : customize game difficulty and size.
- Game Manual in game.
- Take screenshots in game.
- Scoring with difficulty rating.
- Post Mortem files to share your death with others.
- 9 Musics.
- Resizable game window : play in any desktop resolution.

GAMEPLAY
- Your goal : survive until tomorrow.
- Character creation.
- Undeads and Livings.
- Different AIs abilities and behaviors, watch them fool around.
- The undead menace gets stronger day by day.
- Weather.
- Night & Day cycle.
- Skills, level up each morning.
- Trade with people.
- Lead a party of Followers and send them directives and orders.
- Run or Fight.
- Stamina, Hunger and Sleep.
- Make or break barricades.
- Break stuff for wood.
- Push objects around for mobile barricading.
- Guns and Bows.
- Shoot through windows and glass doors.
- Cops.
- The National Guard.
- The mysterious CHAR Corporation.
- And some more baddies...
- City divided in Districts.
- Different Buildings : Houses, Shops, Offices and Parks.
- District Simulation : stuff happened when you were elsewhere.
- Tag the City with your victory symbol.
- Keep track of your Followers with a Cell Phone.

Download & Requierements
Alpha 3.21
<new version up, please see the Alpha 4 thread>

If you have problems, follow the technical help provided in the readme.

Instructions
readme.txt provided.
Remember to uninstall your previous version first!

Readme

ROGUE SURVIVOR
==============

> INSTALL
- Uninstall all previous versions.
- Run "rs setup.exe" to install the game.
- Launch via the desktop shortcut or the start menu.
- When you first run the game it will create a Rogue Survivor folder in your documents folder.
  Typically on Windows XP:
  "My Documents\Rogue Survivor\<game version>\"
  This folder will contains your saves, grave files, screenshots, configuration and manual.

> UNINSTALL
- To uninstall the game, launch "uninstall" from the start menu.
- You can then delete your Rogue Survivor game folder created during installation.


> PROBLEM : GAME DOESN'T START OR CRASHES EARLY!
If the game doesn't start or crash when you start a new game try the following steps one by one.
Restart your computer after each install.

1. Update your DirectX installation.
   Download "DirectX End-User Runtime Web Installer" from Microsoft here:
   http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=2da43d38-db71-4c1b-bc6a-9b6652cd92a3&displaylang=en
   
2. Update your .NET Framework.
   Download ".NET Compact Framework 3.5 Redistributable" from Microsoft there:
   http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=e3821449-3c6b-42f1-9fd9-0041345b3385&displaylang=en
   
3. Update your .NET Frmakework part 2.   
   Download "Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 Service Pack 1" from Microsoft
   http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=AB99342F-5D1A-413D-8319-81DA479AB0D7&displaylang=en
   
4. Update your graphics card drivers.


> PROBLEM : I WAS AWAY FROM THE COMPUTER AND THE GAME CRASHED!
Disable your screensaver.


> OTHER BUGS
If you tried the previous solution the game still crashes it should show you a game log.
Please follow the instructions and send the log to the email below.
You can also send the last save file.
You can also contact me if you think you spotted a bug that didn't crash your game.


> CHANGES FROM PREVIOUS VERSION
Check the readme in the docs folder of your game installation for a detailled list of changes.


> FAQ
Game FAQ and other infos available the blog:
http://roguesurvivor.blogspot.com/


> CONTACT
roguedjack@yahoo.fr


> CHANGES FROM PREVIOUS VERSION
ALPHA 3.21 CHANGES
------------------
FIXED BUGS
- Bunch of random player skills upgrade. Nice but not intended.

ALPHA 3.2 CHANGES
-----------------
Bug/exploits fixes, gameplay and balance, noticeable AI improvements for acceptable CPU cost.


FIXED BUGS
- Crash: Giving stackable items would crash the game in certain situations.
- Crash: CHAR Guard AI attempting Shout action while they weren't allowed to.
- Crash: Attempt to fix DirectX error D3DERR_DEVICELOST. A stab in the dark since I can't test the fix myself, tell me if it works.
- Correct difficulty rating in post mortem and hi scores.
- AI considered only the top item in item stacks.
- AI wasn't switching weapon when out of ammo and no reload available.
- AI now resets directives and orders when has no leader.
- AI sensors memory incorrectly used global game time rather than local map time (this affected simulation only).
- Sleeping now illegal if not enough sleep points spent (fixes exploit).
- Equipping an item with batteries now spend one energy unit as you turn it on (fixes exploit).
- Trackers out of batteries were still working.

GAMEPLAY
Followers
- Choose the upgrading skills for your followers.
- New order : Drop all items.
NPCs
- Civilians & Police have a 75% chance to upgrade on mornings on their own (player followers have 100% chance).
Food
- Food has a best-before date, nutrition value is divided by 3 when expired.
- Eating expired food can cause vomitting.
- Army rations no more stackable, but they last longer that groceries.
Dying
- Dead people don't drop all their items, some can be destroyed.
Items
- Dropping an useless item (tracker or light out of batteries) discard it (destroy it).
- Items with batteries are not automatically equipped.
- Ranged weapons can jam when you fire. <insert curses here>.
Undeads
- Undeads level progression back to 3.0 rate (faster).
- Invasion event will progressively spawn hi level undeads (if undead evolution option enabled).
- Zombie Lords now assault breakables too (like Neophytes and Disciples already do).
- Zombie Lords and Disciples will not appear before Day 7.
- Scents life time increased A LOT - Zombies will chase living a lot longer.
- Some undeads smell distance increased.
Breaking
- Breaking fences drop planks.
- Breaking stronger objects drop more planks.
Firing
- Firing accuracy penalty is now given if tired (big penalty) or stamina bar not full (light penalty) (was if running).
Other Bad Guys
- Rebalanced "those guys".
- 2 new items carried by "those guys", one of them is very useful against them.
- Can find two special items in CHAR Offices if lucky (one new, one old). Good reason to visit them.
National Guards
- National Guard leaders now bring one special item after a certain time (was previously carried by "those guys").
- National Guard only comes before Day 10 - no National Guard after that.
- National Guard squad size reduced.

INTERFACE & MANUAL
- New actors icon when they have 3h or less left before becoming hungry/sleepy (green icons).
- Expired food has an icon in inventories.
- Removed cheat keys. Sorry guys.
- Changed some messages.
- Updated manual.

GRAPHICS & MUSIC
- A couple of new graphics (items, icons).

OPTIONS
- Increased default Starving Zombification.
- Increased default Invasion Daily Increase.
 
AI
- Several specific CivilianAI improvements :
  - New : Close door/window behind them.
  - New : Close doors and barricade windows near them before going to sleep.
  - New : Map exploration. 
  - Mod : Trade only for interesting items, but will still trade anything with the leader.
  - Restricted use of flashlights (again).           
  - Improved Firing logic when in contact with enemy.
- Fleeing AI try to close/barricade door/window between them and the enemy.
- Fleeing followers prefer to flee toward leader.
- NPCs leveling up try to choose usefull skills (they still have to choose from 3 random skills like you).
- AI only interested in ammo items compatible with carried weapons.
- AI only interested in expired food if lacking food.
- AI will use blue pills more often.
- CharGuardAI and SoldierAI now use Fight or Flee logic (less stupid melee deaths).
- Soldiers and Gangs explore the map too.
- All undeads -except Skeletons- explore the map.


Have fun!
And remember, die with a smile!

[Chex Warrior]

Man this version is so much harder... I'm loving it.

[flap]

Hello !

I am trying right now your game. It looks interresting!

Ah! I can't resist to make some suggestiond already... I dream to play a game with a zombie Outbreak starting from day 1: At first there are just a few infected, and mostly civilians. As the infection grows there is the panick in the street, the shops being sacked. And slowly survivors are getting organised, better equiped. The zombie change from fresh corpse to older more decaying one...

I have made a spreasheat about zombie outbreak simulation with some of these ideas. You might have fun playing with. And who knows, it might be a source for inspiration !
http://www.flap.fr/grenier/ZombieSpreadsheet.zip

Well, I stop commenting something I don't know yet, and will spend more time on your game now.

[flap]

That's quite tough!

Ok, here are a few quick suggestions that might have been made already:
So far there is only order for barricading.It would ne nice to ask the guys to do a few more things:
- Close the door/window
- attack that zombie
- break that object
- follow me

But I guess that these sort of things were already planned...

[roguedjack]

Thanks for the suggestions.

Yes more orders along those lines will come later.
For now I'm mostly interested if the interface for giving orders is good enough or annoying as hell. 

As for dificulty it is hard indeed. I'm adding more options to control difficulty (zombification rate), plus features to swing the balance back on the livings side a bit, especially for the player (traps and alarms, loud noises wakes you up etc...)

[flap]

In terms of interface, what I have seen so far seems okay. Maybe you could skip the question on who you give the order to when you have only one follower.

There another more common thing that I found annoying: when you are too tired to break something you can still start the mode, but are told that you can't do the action once you choose the direction.
Maybe before opening a mode, there should a check that at least one solution is possible...
Also once you are told that you are too tired to do the action, you still are in the break mode and have to leave manually.

[kulik]

The new version is awesome.

Actually its THE zombie game that many people were waiting for and its so good, that people started to be really enthusiastic and are suggesting things like crafting, farming on city outskirts, persistent world (like dwarf fortress) and similar stuff. It would be great if you would somehow describe some kind of plan or vision for this project. How far are you planing to go with this? And last but not least, is there a way to support you? (Other than to say that you're doing great.)  

[flap]

Another annoying thing:
I used the left clik instead of the right to drop 4 bags of food. So I basically ate all of them! (and lost them).

Of you are already full the action should maybe be aborted with a warning message...

[flap]

Ok, I have played a bit more with the order system. Here are some impressions and suggestions:

- I confirm that I find that there are too many key presses before the order is given. What I would suggest:
-- Skip the followers list if you have only one
-- I guess that we will used "Give orders" 10 times more often than "set directives". So once the follower has been choosen go straight to the "Give orders" screen. Among the orders, "Set directives" is one of the options.

This way, 2 key presses will be avoided most of the time. (Because I don't expect that many characters to survive long enough to have more than 1 followers..)

- I don't really like having to move my hands from the keyboard to the mouse. So maybe include an option to point to the order target by moving a cursor which starts from the follower. (actully, I was the same problem with dropping and taking objects. Maybe "Shift-number" and "ctrl-number" would be good perfrom these actions...)

- With the orders too, there is that slightly annoying issue: it is possible to go in the barricading mode even if the follower has no material. When he tells you that he can't perform the action, we stay in the barricading mode. If we don't wan't to do the test before, we shoudl at least leave the mode after...

That's it for now.
I quite like the game!
Maybe some human corpses now and then and zombies eating them would be a cool addition...

I saw you mentioning some potential scripted encounters cheating the full AI district generation. Yes! I think that it would be fun.

[roguedjack]

<useful ui suggestions>

Thanks for the feedback, good ideas that improve the ui with little coding to do, I like that 

The new version is awesome.

Actually its THE zombie game that many people were waiting for and its so good, that people started to be really enthusiastic and are suggesting things like crafting, farming on city outskirts, persistent world (like dwarf fortress) and similar stuff. It would be great if you would somehow describe some kind of plan or vision for this project. How far are you planing to go with this?

Next version. Then the next one. Repeat. 
More seriously, it will basically just stay that : a quite-simple-but-fun open-ended zombie apocalypse survival game.
I won't make a dwarf-fortress-with-zombies, an ultimate survival game with civilizaton rebuilding and sexual reproduction  or a fully fledged rpg.
Little by little I'll add features to enrich the gameplay, and develop on features already there.
When I think alll the major features are done it will go beta.

To give an idea, feature I plan to add in next major version (say alpha 4) are :
- more than one map per districts : sewers and undergrounds.
- uniques NPCs, heroes or vilains, with better AI and interaction than average npcs.
May sounds little but its quite a lot of work.

In the next minor version (say alpha 3.1):
- ammo.
- traps and alarms.
- loud noises can wake nearby sleepers (already implemented).
- more useful followers -yeah I know its a never ending improvement quest- : stand guard, patrol the house, give me your stuff etc...
- better difficulty control (zombification rate option, already implemented).

Of course this could change if I find something more urgent to add, fix or balance etc...

And last but not least, is there a way to support you? (Other than to say that you're doing great.)   

Feedback on stuff I can fix/improve/add relatively easily with good value for the player :
- Bugs reports. I hate when it crashes on people face. 
- UI improvement suggestions for features already there, like flap did.
- Balancing problems : this or that is too hard/too easy/useless/too powerful.
- Content suggestion : new items, actors, buildings...

I also love reading people short aars and see what strategy or tactics they use, discussion between players...
Serves as indirect feedback plus its fun seeing my little creation alive  and people having actual fun -or not-

[Chex Warrior]

Personally I'd stay away from any scripted encounters, I've always felt roguelikes should be near totally random -its so much more fun when something cool happens. 

Regardless I have one minor suggestion: The ability to mark locations on the mini-map.

[flap]

Marking the location on the minimap is there already. You need to paint it.  Paint spray can be found in parks.

Regarding scripted events, it depends what you consider as atmosphere breaking. For example changing the maze generation to include a specific vault is quite common in roguelikes, and is kind of script taking over for a while. Scripts do not have to be fixed things, but can include a lot of randomness. It could be considered as a way to help AI creating some interresting situation...

@roguedjack : Thanks! I am pleased that it helps. Ah, with time I have finally learned to refrain making huge suggestions... It is hard to resist!

Edit: Aargh, actually I can't resist... But yes I agree that a good road for improvement is more the addition of tiny fun stuff that huge complicated systems. I fell that you are more on the track of "survival crisis Z" (a zombie game, full of quick funny things. All of them are rather simple. But put together it makes something quite rich with most features quickly accessible if you know how to get them) than Dwarf fortress. So, well the suggestion is to add funny little things adding flavor : I mentioned the human corpses being eaten by nearby zombies. There could other survivors shouting something once a while, mother with babies... For example human with the same name might like to stick together (such as a familly), and then complain when then lost or a being chased by a friend or a relative. (For familly, we just need to check the last name. For friends, when a character is being generated, he could be linked to a few others...)


Actually what I thought about orders, it whether there could not be another type of interraction, such as "suggestion" to any human. The interface would be the same as orders, but the list would display every humans in FOV (with an option to shout to everybody?). And you could give basically give the same orders as to followers. However there is even less garanty that they would do it. Also they would not follow you. It is like temporaly teaming with someone in the same room as you to survive one fight, but with no guaranty that both lads will stick together after that.

Ok, this suggestion might not be very complicated (It is just a second list applied to an existing system. With one more test: will I do it or not), but now I am getting a bit annoying: it could the other humans who propose you, or the others in their FOV, to help them doing what they are doing. It could be simple. If they are fleing something, they could shout "be carefull, there is a zombie there". If they are baricading "Can you help me close that room", if they are fighting "lets kill that bastard..." and so on.

[kulik]

I miss to wake up during the sleep, sometimes i don't want to sleep till my sleep bar is full. Could you bring it back or better make it optional? Or having a mobile phone to set alarm to wake you up?

[Fizanko]

I had lots of fun with this new version (though i never played the previous ones, having only discovered this yesterday), thank you a lot for releasing this awesome game.

My only suggestion would be to release the game in 2 format, the installer like currently and a no installer version for those that worry about installer being messed up.

Some people may not play with this superb roguelike because of the lack of a no installer version.

[DFNewb]

Hello I have been following this game from Alpha 2 and even signed up for your blog. I think it great but there could be some nice improvements. I just registered to Roguetemple just to give some insight into Rogue Survivor

Some ideas I had are:

Some sort of clock that can ring to wake you up. You can set when you want it to ring and if you are sleeping when it rings you wake up. It could have a battery so it has a certain amount of rings before it's out. I would imagine it to be pretty common.

Power plugs: Being able to recharge items using a charger or something that needs to be near a Power plug located in a building. It would be useful to recharge flashlights and other electric items.
Eco-flashlight: A flash light that you can spend a turn to turn the crank to charge it a certain amount. Could be very nice.

Being able to get skills up to level 5.

Some sort of way to get food, maybe farming or something

Being able to cut down trees in the parks: Cutting down a tree could give you some wood. It could take a axe or hatchet weapon and use the break "k" command.

Being able to repair different objects

Being able to make walls or push-able objects that block things from being in the same tile as them.

Making different objects like closets have more uses like keeping items safe, maybe even add a lock item you can find in the hardware store to be able to put on the closet so other survivors can't take your stuff.

Being able to make beds or at least bringing objects through broken windows.

Here is just some suggestions/additions that I think would make the game funner. Maybe put in a option to turn off the infinite food, flashlight, energy things (government found no use to power the infected city) because some of these things would make the game a lot easier.

Also maybe in the far future the choice to play as a member of the national guard or even a zombie that kills humans and tries to control the city by making minions and getting the other undead to follow him.

I hope some of these give you inspiration or something.