ShardWars:Dungeons

Monkey Archive Forums/Monkey Projects/ShardWars:Dungeons

Wylaryzel(Posted 2013) [#1]
Dear all,

first of all, I'm really happy to have purchased monkey as it is really speeding up development. I were all the time interested into programming since a long time and touched various languages during that time (and finally settled with monkey).

Today I want to show a bit of my upcoming game ShardWars:Dungeons. It is a bit of a dungeon crawler in the way of roguelikes with the difference that you don't explore dungeons itself by moving around but seeing the encounters and interesting enviroment in the first glance.

I'm currently in the phase of bugfixing (luckily, there are only a few there) and starting with balancing.

Some Screens:




A website has been created yesterday including a blog/forum:
Wylsoft

Best regards
Wyl


Why0Why(Posted 2013) [#2]
Looks interesting! Keep us posted.


Wylaryzel(Posted 2013) [#3]
Dear all,

I have uploaded a flash-version of the current progress on my website:

http://www.wylsoft.net/index.php/demo

Feel free to comment :-)

BTW: As it's target will be a break-breaker, it is designed to be simple once the initial learning curve is taken :-) But tutorials are for sure needed to pick up the game with the launch on android.


MikeHart(Posted 2013) [#4]
Interesting concept. I agree on the tutorial. It isn't self explaining.


Wylaryzel(Posted 2013) [#5]
Balancing can be a very hard process. Even my game has only a few stats (6 in total) but with all the current class/race combinations, encounters and equipable and usable items it was quit interesting. I had to build a math table to get it somewhere to an level that the whole beast is fun and playable.
I think for the first version, its not too bad :-)

To give you a short update:
I inlcuded a library system which works as a sort of tutorial or better explanation of the varios mechanics in the game as well as a system to include further information on an non-intrusive way to the user. As soon as I find a bit of time, I will make a blogpost on my homepage about the system.

The next big part in beta 0.6.0 was the rebalancing of all the stuff as the former numbers were mainly placeholders. Took quit some time and the use of an matrix table in Excel to get the right feeling. From now on, everything should get easier to detect.

During the balancing process, I changed a bit how the inventory and enviroment stuff is handled, which gives some additional help to the gameplay.

There are several Parts of the game which are still on my todo-list till final 1.0, but for most of the game, I'm really happy what was achieved using monkey and Jungle ID within 2 weeks of work :-) As the game is very much playable from my inital designplan point of view, I decided to release it on Android too, to get familiar with the publishing process :-)

For links & informaton, see my signatur :-)

Edit: I have submit a HTML5 to monkeycoder as well


c.k.(Posted 2013) [#6]
Here's an idea: regarding the left/right buttons at the bottom, make them bright (or otherwise highlighted) when there is an opportunity to use them. At times I've been on a screen and didn't realize I could see more options until I randomly hit those buttons looking for something else to do.


Wylaryzel(Posted 2013) [#7]
Thanks for the feedback, this was something that got missing in action :-) That can happen if you are already get blind for your on app.

You are absolutely right and will be included in the todo for the next patch :-)


Wylaryzel(Posted 2013) [#8]
Dear all,

to keep you informed:

The current playable version of the game is 0.6.3 on my website.

0.6.1 introduced something I call 'visual feedback'. This means, the UI got some enhancements whereas the biggest one you can find on the encounter and enviroment screen. Everytime you defeat an opponent or search an enviroment which provides additional content in form of items, encounters or enviroments, those items are flying from the source location to the relevant destination.

0.6.2 was only a small bugfix & further balancing patch

0.6.3 introduced two new features during the dungeon run:
Inspection and Selling (both as small buttons next to the pageflip buttons).
On the encounter and enviroment screen you can now switch between the normal mode you had before and an inspection mode. With the inspection mode, you can find out what content is unlocked by battling the encounter or by searching through the enviroment. Should provide a bit of a tactical note to the game :-)
On the inventory screen you now sell unneeded items for a small amount of XP and sometimes a key. This gives the opportunity to clean up the inventory a bit :-)


c.k.(Posted 2013) [#9]
This is an interesting game mechanic. However, I find myself just clicking like a mad man on all the encounters. The ones I can handle "safely," I just click. Then I click the ones where I don't take too much damage. In other words, not a lot of thought is going into my combat selections. Seemingly, not a lot of strategy is required.

Is this like a puzzle, and you find the best route? If so, there needs to be a metric (and maybe there already is) for establishing proficiency (say, experience points, gold, or a score based on multiple parameters). We obviously have to know how well we played the game.

Also, I completed the Level 0 dungeon and upon clicking it again, everything seemed to have been reset. That doesn't seem right to me. I played it, cleared it, and so I should keep all the assets obtained during that level, and it shouldn't be available to me any longer... Anyway, that's what I expected. :-)


Wylaryzel(Posted 2013) [#10]
Again, thanks for the feedback :-)

Currently, the goal of each dungeon is to beat the boss encounter. And the goal of the game is to beat all the dungeons with all the classes.

The dungeon 0 is more or less the simplest one (and to be honest, the one I always use for testing the new stuff I implement *g* one reason more that its so simple).
If you really like to get a challenge, you should try the last ones.

The further dungeons should provide more challenge to finish, but balancing is something which isn't finalized up to now.. most of the dungeons are to easy :) But its still time till 1.0. There are a few mechanics which aren't included, like 'safe' encounters providing still to much XP upon defeat.

Additionally, I plan to make a 'score' calculation which isn't included as well to be better comparable - as you mentioned a score based on multiple parameters.

The reason that every dungeon resets itself is that in the finished game you should be able to play them as often as you like and may beat your score :-)

It's still a far way to the final version, but every piece implemented is a step to the final goal :-) And by the way, I'm learning monkey with it :-)


c.k.(Posted 2013) [#11]
Is the "boss encounter" clearly identified? Is there a boss encounter in dungeon 0?

Understand about resetting the dungeons. That's a good idea, and a mechanic I'm planning on using in a game on my to-do list. You can complete level 1, but in order to complete it with the most points, you gotta have the increase in skills that you only earn on levels 2, 3, etc.

You're doing very well! And no framework? *golf clap*

I will try the other dungeons and see what happens... :-)


Wylaryzel(Posted 2013) [#12]
On a short note: the boss encounter has a 'gold' panel in the latest version (part of visualization patch *g*).. but now, i recognize that if the battle is safe, it is overwritten with a green panel - have to update this! (write on his to-do list) *g*

And yep, without a framework, but build in a way that all key aspects (stats, etc) coming from a textfile and are not hardcoded. So addition of dungeons, enemies, etc can be easily done once the art is ready :-)


c.k.(Posted 2013) [#13]
Wait, the art isn't ready? I really like the art so far. :-)


c.k.(Posted 2013) [#14]
Hey, is Android version keeping up with online version?!


Wylaryzel(Posted 2013) [#15]
Yes, the android version will be keeping up with the online-version, but it will not be updated as fast as the online-version :-) I like to do more testing on the android-version that I don't introduce a bug which would crash on the device. For the online-version a bugfix is faster deployed.

And the art is ready, I was meaning that new addition can be done once the 'new' art for those additions are ready :-)


Wylaryzel(Posted 2013) [#16]
Update the website-version of the game recently with several additions :-) It now gets to the shape were it plays more and more want I initially indended.

Some of the changes made since last time:
* exchange SPEED with STAMINA
* added actionpoints & score (thx to c.k. for providing the starting idea on this)
* Buying potions in dungeons (= extension of the sell option)
* Reblanced the combat calculation and all the stats

more details are posted on my blog :-)

I'm currently testing the stability and playability of the modification and afterwards prepare the Android update :-) Any advice from experienced users on the process and what I need to be carefull with?


Future ideas:
- Include maybe a buff/debuff system: For this, I have to think a bit in advanced and update my own framework to get it ready
- Provide an option for 'small screen' users to get a better readabilityas I received some feedback from android users that its hard to read on smaller screens. I have already some easy solutions but again this needs some rework and testing :-)
- More content :-)

Personal note:
It was up to now a gread learning experience as it was the first game which I got somehow to a finished and playable stage. I learned alot about the difference between having an idea and how it actual played. Sometimes during the process I was already thinking to scrap the whole game as it wasn't fun. But finding solutions to the problem was the interesting part and also the valuable feedback I received.
Additionally, it was the first time to release something for a broader audience and getting feedback :-) Great experience up to know.


AdamRedwoods(Posted 2013) [#17]
I just want to say this is a good game, unique concept. I've seen other games similar to this, but I think there's plenty of room for variations.

My only problem was the "what next" buttons. Make them white, bright. Trying to find how to enter a dungeon was not intuitive.

Also the left/right buttons need to dim further when not available.