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[pat]

I've just uploaded an experimental version of the game filled with some HUGE changes. I never planned on making the game anything more than a simple dungeon crawl but the idea of creating an overworld and a number of different places to visit and explore crept into my thinking and I've spent the last few weeks working pretty heavily on it.

Here's what the new overworld looks like:



Normally I would remove the old version from itch.io and upload all new versions to Steam straightaway but I haven't had the chance to test this as much as I would like although it feels pretty stable to me. So at the moment I've got two different version for download (http://patjw.itch.io/theredprison) - one of them is the stable(ish) single dungeon crawl and the other is the experimental version with the full overworld and other features enabled.

You can expect to find 9 dungeons to explore, each with a different theme, enemy types, dangerous bosses with powerful artifacts to be discovered. There are also 5 friendly settlements around the map, some containing unique NPCs to interact with. A lot of this is just a skeleton to be filled out with future updates but it should give you a good feel for how the game is progressing and the direction I'm heading in.

A word of warning though, some of the dungeons might be quite deadly - especially as you go deeper and deeper and I'll definitely rebalance them as time goes on. I intend on directing the player to the easier dungeons through various quests so that they don't accidentally stumble into the hardest dungeon on the map. For now, my advice is to start with the Warrens, and then look for the Bandit Keep and the Ancient Shrine. And if you want to explore the old dungeon layout, it still exists at the far south-west of the map.

If anyone tries this out and wants to give me some feedback (good or bad), I'd be really appreciative!

[ZebioLizard2]

Oh that's cool! The Overworld looks quite nice too, this has certainly expanded out further then I thought it would.

[pat]

That makes two of us haha! I've done a lot of things which were never in the original scope of the plans but I'm really happy that I did in hindsight. It feels to me that I'm on track for making a game which feels like a D&D campaign in terms of scope, although I've got a lot of work to do to fill in the details. It's actually an interesting change of pace where I'm starting to write my own content as opposed to procedurally generating it all.

[pat]

And of course I made some mistakes in that experimental version with item generation being completely out of kilter for testing purposes along with an incorrect graphical tile for villages. Fixed now with a new version uploaded.

[guessingo]

Is there a tooltip or anything that explain what different skills and such do? its hard to figure out what to pick. along with race/class bonus and restrictions?

[pat]

Unfortunately there isn't that information in-game yet, although there will be in the future. That's one of the reasons that the pdf of the Basic Rules is packaged with the game in the resources folder. I guess one of the benefits of using such a well-known system like D&D is that a lot of players know a lot of the rules instinctively, but there's a definite barrier to entry if you aren't familiar with them.

Is there anything in particular you need information about? I'm always happy to explain.

[pat]

New version released on both Steam and itch with a number of dungeons and towns to explore and a couple of quests to undertake. The world is still a work-in-progress but there is the beginnings of a broader story and series of quests which I'll be working on expanding as time goes on.

Full change list:

* Implemented static whole map starting level. Implemented special case light map for above ground. Amended save and load routines to deal with scenarios where there aren't any up and down stairs. Implemented a new vault type, which covers the whole map to be The Red Outpost.

* Continued work on fixed level generator. Continued work on The Red Outpost. Added flipping of set map on x and y axis.

* Implemented trees and shrubs into level generator.

* Implemented unique NPC generation from map files.

* Implemented flavour text for unique NPCs and necessary routines around that.

* Wrote Saint Othmar's custom flavour text.

* Updated save system to handle different dungeon branches.

* Continued work on new level generation, multiple branches and overworld content.

* Updated trees to be always visible once discovered so they act as quasi-map walls.

* Updated commands so that options on the overworld are very restricted.

* Removed most of the code to do with procedural quests because they're temporarily a bad fit for the game's structure.

* Finished special item and monster generation code using data from dungeon branches.

* Fixed weird and long-standing bug to do with placement of monsters.

* Reworked encounter generation routines and finished compulsory special encounter generation in a random vault in the dungeon.

* Implemented new tile sets for walls in normal dungeons, towns and the red prison.

* Got rid of the scorpion tail's from crab tiles.

* Implemented basic version of North Warren with unique NPCs: Odette, Sunny, Susie.

* Implemented basic version of Mirefield Keep with unique NPC: Lord Wesley.

* Finished implementing skeletons of remaining towns.

* Implemented unique monster distribution for Badbog, Catacombs, Rage Hill, Haunt and Sanctum.

* Fixed bug with hidden attackers.

* Fixed bug with item distribution.

* Changed village tile to something a bit more consistent.

* Reduced player XP gain by half.

* Added Saint Barnabas, Saint Hedwig and Cardinal Florian.

* Added flavour text for every generic NPC.

* Hopefully fixed a bug with dungeon generation which created unintentional hordes of enemies.

* Added random monster generation to special item vaults.

* Added kobold mobs spawning to warrens:2; added kobold horde as a guaranteed mob on warrens:3.

* Added Nubnag, a powerful kobold boss with the savage, relentless and extra attack traits.

* Varied the monster generation routines so there is always a chance of a random monster turning up on any dungeon level.

* Made all potions stackable to save inventory room.

* Fixed bug with NPCs dropping some items on death.

* Slightly reduced food generation rate.

* Added ranged attack stats for skeletons.

* Created necromancer horde with skeleton archers and zombie brutes.

* Added Saint Cormag the necromancer as a boss for the ancient shrine.

* Added flavour text for Nubnag.

* Designated certain encounters as special so that they don't randomly spawn.

* Added dictionary for actor positions to try and optimise the AI functions somewhat. Should cut down on a lot of looping through lists looking for actors in certain spots.

* Fixed bug with targeting system and lookup table.

* Added visual indicator of when a unique NPC is seen.

* Implemented basic journal to record all player actions.

* Implemented basic quests and reward system.

* Added gold and made it spawn as a common item in amounts between 5 and 20 pieces.

* Implemented new quest system with ability to create multiple quests per quest giver with different priorities, rewards and prerequisites.

* Fixed bug with items spawning in walls around the exterior of the map.

* Added quest given by Cardinal Florian to kill Saint Cormag.

* Finished work on quests so that they work properly and quest givers can have multiple quests to give with different prerequisites and competing priorities as well as properly giving rewards.

* Reduced how often the screen is updated to hopefully give a big boost to speed.