My Micro RPG in 24 hours

I've been very busy over the last few weeks with family and work activities which hasn't left much time for game development but I've been busy planning the next update to Alternate Reality X and carrying out research for my own original game. I'm still getting up to speed with Unity and have been inspired by reading some interesting articles from my two favourite blogs - The CRPG Addict and Tales of the Rampant Coyote.

One of my long time issues with game development is the classic problem of trying to create something which is beyond my abilities, too time consuming or too epic in scope. I was interested to hear over on Matt Chat that Richard Garriott of Ultima fame wrote over 20 smaller RPGs before he wrote Akalabeth. This game Akalabeth in turn became the basis for Ultima I.

The gave me the idea of writing a very small game in a short space of time to help me get up to speed on Unity 3D. It also gives me a completed game project and a personal confidence boost. The intention is to wrap this up in say 24 hours of development time maximum. It's not practical for me to do the 24 hours straight so this will be a couple of hours at a time. For what I have in mind this should be feasible. I spent about an hour yesterday and came up with the example room below which I was happy with.

Exploring a room in the old castle

 



Here's what I have in mind:

• Single Character
• Simple Character Creation - possibly limited to naming your character
• Simple inventory
• Single Quest - recover a stolen item and leave the castle alive
• Static map level - built using a small set of building blocks
• Random encounters using a text based system (e.g. Might and Magic 1, Alternate Reality)
• Random treasure from encounters
• Optional - Shop where you can buy weapon upgrades or healing
• Optional - Add some further back story and lore for my Stone of the Citadel game
• Optional - Add some additional map levels
• Optional - Add a few spells

I'm thinking of something with about the same level of interaction as an Ultima 1 Dungeon or a Might and Magic 1 level. Should be fun.

 

 

Alternate Reality X - Release Roadmap - May 2013

Updated: 22nd May 2013

 

At the time of writing release 0.63 of Alternate Reality X is now available. Ths list below includes unimplemented and new features. Release 1.0 will include all the content and features of the original City and Dungeon scenarios. It will be fully playable with all the quests completed plus a few more extras which will be unique to ARX. I have not included dates at this point and intend to keep implementation flexible but have grouped features in the major release sections where I think it's most likely they will be added to ARX. I would typically expect around 2-3 releases per group. New art, sound and music assets will be added to the game across multiple releases.

I'll update this as I expand it and probably put it into a tabular format so I can tick off each item as work on it is completed. The list is likely to get longer initially as I add more items and expand some of the individual items into smaller pieces of work.

 

Comments as always welcomed.

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Release 0 .6x

• Major changes to the object and inventory system for dynamic object creation such as clothing and custom weapons
• Further work on City Shops
• Add City Healers
• Add experience modifiers following successful encounter 
• Display clean ups across resolutions and different display options
• Add check for successful retreat from encounters
• Adjust encounter frequency as currently seem too frequent in City
• Potions - City Style - sip, taste, quaff etc
• Merchant - trade for timepieces or compass (via menu)
• Use crystal to charge guild ring
• Thieves stealing items
• Devourer "devouring" items
• Add encounter treasure item - eyes
• Add some of the remaining combat features (surprise, waylay, flee, summon spell cast, block, disarm etc)

 

Release 0.7x

• Add duration based spells - Strength, Dexterity, Charisma, Fireblade
• Add combat spells - Cold Blast
• Spells (nearly all)
• Add additional encounter tables for the Dungeon
• Add Rathskeller Bar & Grille
• Add all encounter weapons
• Add encounter treasure items - scrolls, eyes, wands, horns, cards etc
• Add Dungeon Level 4
• Add effects of hunger, thirst and alcohol
• Add "Examine Items or Spells" option - Low priority
• Add Dungeon level 1 and 2 special locations and quests

Release 0.8x

• Add Dungeon Smithy
• Add Bank Vaults
• Add Weapon Enchantress
• Add Dungeon Chapel
• Add Smithy animation
• Add Dungeon level 3 and 4 special locations and quests
• Add remaining unique treasure items
• Weapon durability, breaks and repairs
• Darkness - light spell, torch light, helm of light

Release 0.9x

• Add Encounter animation scheme
• Add City Rain and Storm effects
• Add any remaining Dungeon quests & locations
• Add Dungeon ending sequence
• Add curses, diseases and poison
• Turn point + sub square movement (possibly)
• Delete saved game
• More info on saved game - time and date, char level, location etc

Release 1.0

• Add the AR introduction sequence
• Produce the ARX manual and supporting documents
• Add an ARX icon
• Everything else I've forgotten!

Alternate Reality X - Release 0.63 Now Available

Release 0.63 is now available for download from the downloads page at www.crpgdev.com. It includes the much requested City shops. I've started work on the City Healers but there is a bit more to do and there is still some furtehr work to do on the Shops to make them similar to the original City.  This release contains:

• Added City shops - core functionality including randomised stock, viewing, buying and wearing
• Trying to close program now brings up options screen for save & quit
• Adjusted gate counter speed to make it closer to the original games
• Code to adjust lyric speed against different processors by Scott
• Improved timings for lyric files for City Smithy (both original and new music versions)
• Fixed Tavern opening and closing times

If you like what I'm doing and wish to support the project's future development please consider making a small donation from the blog, webpages or ARX facebook page link.

More updates coming soon!

Thanks,
Acrin1

Alternate Reality X - City Shops

I think I'm going to need more money!

I've been very busy working on various tweaks over the last few days for the next release of Alternate Reality X which is now coming up to 0.63. I hope to have this out today or tomorrow. Possibly the most visible change in 0.63 will be the addition of City Shops. This is the one feature that people repeatedly seem to ask about so I thought I would try and add it to this next release. I now have it working fairly well and just need to set up the code to vary the clothing stock at the 15 different shops in the City.

Exploring with my new outfit

 

I've still a few more details to add such as adjusting the clothing costs for each of the shops but hopefully you should be able to finally buy some clothing your City character after years of wandering!