The port to the current version of FB is finished, and I’ve also added a game settings menu. So far, it includes: music on/off, sounds on/off, aim guide on/off, fps indicator on/off. This settings menu is accessible from both the title screen and the gameplay main menu.
Over the past day or so, I’ve been having a lot of fun working on the enemy guide (bestiary). This submenu will keep track of which enemies you’ve killed as well as which items you’ve obtained from enemies. The completist player (like myself) will be able to hunt for rare items using this menu and the process of elimination (i.e. “which enemies have I NOT obtained items from yet?”).
The enemy guide should be finished this weekend, and then I’ll probably spend some time working on various fixes.
Demo 1507 was posted a few days ago, and I’ve done some minor adjustments since then. I added a “go back” button to the Save/Load menu, and I fixed a graphical glitch from when the user clicks “no” on the Exit menu. I also did some minor code cleanup throughout the entire project.
Right now, I’m working on switching the project to the latest version of Freebasic. I’ve put this off for far too long, and I’m embarrassed at how old my version of FB is (don’t ask). I’m still in the process of changing things over, but I’ve already noticed that the game is much more stable. So far, it looks like the random crashes have been completely eliminated. We’ll see.
I don’t know if anyone is still out there reading this, but I feel like giving a brief update. Does anyone want me to post a new game demo?
Development has been progressing nicely. The enemy behavior has been completely rewritten, and I’ve added tons of scripting/cutscene stuff. We actually have a little town meeting now… it’s cute. Also, the demo world has grown from 4 maps to 15.
Some of the next things on the agenda are to revamp the interface, continue working on enemy behavior, and fix various bugs/crashes.
Info:
I’m not doing another demo yet, but I’ve been making some progress. I’m taking a new approach – instead of completing one area of the programming (the battle engine, for example), I’m working on lots of things. Each area is woven in with the others, so it makes more sense this way. I can’t have scripts without flags, and I can’t have flags without scripts. So I’m just going to work on everything at once.
Updates:
- A new battle system is in place. It’s not finished yet, but it has battles taking place on the main overworld screen. When you encounter an enemy, your party lines up and takes turns striking.
- I’ve done a basic script system. So far, I’m using it to initialize things (based on flags) and change what NPC’s say to you after you’ve already talked to them.
- Saving/loading is ready. For simplicity, it’s only one save slot right now. I’ll do more later. I’m using the load routine to initialize things for a new game, too.
- Rhonda is working on a new style for the tiled graphics. They’re not in the game yet.
- I’m working on a new class/job system. There are new stats: vitality (HP growth), mind (MP growth), strength (physical damage), and intelligence (magic effectiveness). Characters will have to complete an apprenticeship before they can use a real job.
- Map variables are in. Each map has an enemy level, number of enemies, music, and name. These variables are kept as object contents, so they can be modified by scripts. For example, an event could cause enemies to appear in a town that was previously empty.
RPG’s like this usually have a thief class who can steal gold or items from enemies. The rate of success is usually a combination of player stats and random luck. Well, here’s an idea – perhaps stealing could be 100% effective, but take several turns to accomplish. I can think of two different ways to do this.
First: it could be 2 or 3 separate abilities – spy, sneak, steal, etc. – which must be performed in order. Since these stealing abilities aren’t weapons or spells, they could be implemented as auxilliary items That way, they aren’t taking up the thief’s entire weapon inventory. The items could be spy glasses, thief gloves, and so on. There could also be a theft spell that works in only 1 turn, but uses up MP.
Second: give all players an “approach” ability. When you approach an enemy, it uses up a turn and makes you more vulnerable to attack. However, when you are close to an enemy, you can steal from them or deal a heavy attack. Since this attack takes up two turns and leaves you vulnerable, the damage dealt would have to be worthwhile – maybe 2.5x a normal attack. This is borrowing heavily from FF3, but it’s a little different.
Alright, I’ll admit it. I got distracted from this project for a while. I blame it on Final Fantasy 3 coming out for the DS.
I started working on the game again a few days ago. Sometimes when I hit a road block and it’s not fun to work on the game anymore, I just have to push through it. Right now I’m working on a new battle engine, and – dare I say it – I’m having fun.
I think I’m on version .602 now. I’m probably not going to post any more demos here for the foreseeable future, because it’s a hassle and nobody seems to care. If any of my friends want to help test the game, then I’m totally down with that. Just ask.
I think I’ll go back to using this blog as a place to brainstorm and keep a journal of the game’s progress. That way, it’ll just be for my own use. It’s not like anyone actually reads this.
Link:
(outdated link removed)
Info:
The last time I posted a demo on here, it was version .352. A lot has changed. Many parts of the game engine were scratched, and many were redone. It some ways, it may seem like a step backwards. There are no battles, no shops, and no objectives. However, it is a much more efficient game engine this time around. Some of the new features you’ll notice are NPC’s walking around, a much better stats screen, and a better framerate with smoother scrolling. There’s not much to do in this demo, but it’s an indication of what direction the game is headed in.
