The Stranger's Adventure

[Clay Dragon]

Greetings everyone!

I'm new to this forum and I choose this one from the ones I visit every week as a lurker to introduce myself and my RPG Engine coded in FreeBASIC. Well, I'm 41 years old and I began programming in 1984 with BASICA on genuine IBM XT computers during my computer classes... It was my first experience with computers and I simply fell in love with those machines. Since then, I owned a Coco 3, then a 386DX, a P200, P2 400, now a P4 1400, and I always used to stick with some form of BASIC language. Now it's FreeBASIC.

And, this is it! My Engine is complete! All it needed was a more appealing name and good riddance of the mouse from the previous versions. The result is a pleasant one, I did not expect to enjoy it without a mouse.

Here's some screenshots of 6.8:








The story:

A few time after leaving Pordoc for your new quest to return to your home, YOU; the stranger from another world, come across an giant hollow tree with a strong light coming from inside...

-"Is this a portal?", you ask to yourself...

-"Could it be a way to my home world?"

-"Oh yes, could be...", say little voice behind you.

You face the little sprite that startled you...

-"Questions you ask, I come..."

-"Who... who are you?", you ask.

The little sprite see your surprised face:

-"Not from this land are you, indeed... Portals appear when needed... sprites appear when needed..."

-"This portal... is a way back to my home then?", you reply.

-"Yes, could be, depends on you... if you think your home you fit, lead you to there it will... Otherwise, lead you to the world you fit most at this moment, it'll do..."

-"But I can't even remember how my world looks like!", you shout.

-"Portal open your eyes it will, need to worry you don't..."

Determined to follow the sprite's advice, you enter the hollow tree...

Then, magically, you find yourself in the middle of the woods with a little village at some distance... Night is falling and you can hear creatures in the near bushes. Unarmed, you quickly make a rush for the village... You are almost there but a giant rat jump at your back and force you to fight with your bare fists... After several hits and bites, you fall uncouncious...

-"What is all that for?", are the last words you heard...

You open your eyes at the inn near the worried face of a young woman looking closely at you and taking care of your wounds...

-"Don't move... You're still weak...", she whispered...

and a link to download it:
http://www.cooptel.qc.ca/~clay/krpg/krpged68.zip (Keyboard only)
http://www.cooptel.qc.ca/~clay/krpg/krpged69.zip (Linux supported)

if you'd like to know more about this project (KRPG), click here: http://clay.ca.cx

Thank you!

Bernard

P.S. Lachie, I did not upload it yet, I want your approbation first!! And everyone, don't sell the silver ring because you never know!

[Lachie Dazdarian]

I'll give this a spin, but I'm not clear - is this a new version of your engine or a game?

[Clay Dragon]

It's a complete game (2 villages + 2 dungeons) in itself but the engine used to do it is promised to a much bigger game... different from this one!

Thank you,

Bernard

[Lachie Dazdarian]

Oh, cool. Didn't have time to check the game today, but will give spend an hour or two with it tommorow.

Thanks for contributing.

[Clay Dragon]

Oh, I can't wait to have some professional advices on my game and it would make my day to have it featured!

Thank you Lachie for your time!

[Lachie Dazdarian]

I like the controls and the simple yet effective graphics. The battle system is a nice change compared to classic console-style RPGs, and I like it. Only, I wish I could scroll through monsters to attack with arrow keys, than to have to select a letter each time. If I really have to select them like that, I would prefer to select them with numbers then.

I would prefer that the characters in the first city are more compeling. What I dislike in these sort of mini-RPGs, is that developers too often make caricatures out of their characters because...well, it's a mini-RPGs. BTW, why the equipement I own at the beginning of the game is not equipped by my party?

I'm having some problems at the start, with my main character being too weak, but I gave up on trying because the in the first battle I was able to win (kill all the monsters), nothing happened....meaning, the battle didn't end. I was left to wander in the battlefield or run away from it. I guess it's a bug.

In the end, I'm not clear why this elf is in my party. Didn't get that from the story.

The battle system is definetly motivating for me, but I would like you to check for this bug first before I continue playing.

[Clay Dragon]

I will try to fixed all these things ASAP and I hope I will sort out that bug you're mentionned about. This is unacceptable at this stage of the game.

BTW, did the bug happen at the North of the town or the South? Also I want like to know which character annoyed you the most?

Thank you for trying anyway!

[Brick Break]

I have yet to test this. Do you have any eye-catching screenshots of an outdoor environment?

[Lachie Dazdarian]

It was south of the town. I would retest it, if winning battles was more easier.

I disliked the princess jumping out of her game role, and the french guy.

[Brick Break]

Thanks for all the help, Latchie.

[Clay Dragon]

@BrickBreak: Your outdoor pic is from a much older demo, I've added one of the actual game in my first post!

@Lachie: I have found the problem causing the bug but I want to fixed every bad things you told me before submitting a version you should like better...

As for the annoying people of the first town, the french character could definitly speak english, no problem. My son created this character when he was 9 and I always wished that he should speak our native language but now that the game can be played in french, there is no reason to preserve his language as it actually is.

And for the princess, I like her that way but I could create a serie of player's actions that will eventually set her off. Let me demonstrate:

First, when you select the "Let's talk" action, two options will appear, like: "How are you?" or "I love you!"

If the player select "How are you": The princess will talk about herself and offer you the ring on the chest next to her...

If the player select "I love you": She will be upset but will get pissed off and leave if you select "I love you!" twice in a row!

Is that a good compromise?

[Lachie Dazdarian]

Yeah, it's ok. I have no other gripes with the game but the battle bug, not being equipped in the beginning of the game, and the unexplained elf in the party. The other stuff are just nitpicks. Listen to users' comments on the game characters/setting, and then take them into consideration with the next game. You can't rewrite each character over and over until everyone is happy.

Anyway, could you submit a functional version asap?

[Clay Dragon]

You're right Lachie! Give me 48 hours and I will fixed these things!

Thanks!

[Brick Break]

It's beautiful! As for me, I'm going to download and play that thing right now. Those graphics are awesome.

EDIT: Such a shame. It won't run under Wine because it's unable to load the music files. I'll see what I can do to fix this.
EDIT 2: Nevermind, you're not giving the source code.

[Clay Dragon]

Do you have a Mac or you are using Linux?

Because I could supply you with the code I used to load and play the music that way if you manage to make that code work under Wine! I could easily modify my code afterwards.

But for now I aske you to wait until I finish the modifications I need to do with my code in less than 48 hours.

Thanks!