it's about 4 am now. about to finish getting ready for work today (leaving in a half hour). if everything goes smoothly i'll be home around 5, and from there i'll probably go in for a shift at my new, second job. i've already worked probably 42-44 hours this week.
nothing got done this week. too consumed by work and trying to stay sane.
11/03/2012
10/29/2012
on elves
i've never been terribly fond of how elves are depicted in fantasy stories. idealistic, nearly perfect, incredibly intelligent, talented, and long lived... and yet, somehow, always in decline. all of the persecution complex without any reason to actually be persecuted. but besides that, there's a few things that i just never quite got.
first, there's the forests. with the exception of maybe old nordic legends, the elves always live in forests. this isn't really so bad, except the one major feature that almost all elves share is their fantastic eyesight. these two just don't seem to fit together so well with me; in the sort of thick, overgrown forest that elves so often inhabit, you don't get to take advantage of that kind of eyesight. being able to see ten miles means nothing if the trees keep you from seeing more than a few hundred feet. why are these two features almost always found together, when the one cancels out the advantage of the other? why wouldn't they live somewhere their incredible sight actually helps them?
the second thing that bugs me is the 'peaceful guardians of nature' thing. granted there are a few precious (and notably better) examples of this, but for the most part, elves are depicted as being reluctant to go to war or fight, excessively defensive of the sanctity of their forests, et cetera. i've never liked this sort of view of nature, as some sort of ideal state. nature isn't strictly a thing of beauty; it's senseless death, terrible tragedy, and heartless self-serving survivalism. the young and the weak die, the strong take advantage of the weak, and only the luckiest, craftiest, strongest, savagest, and most desperate survive. i've always seen civilization as an opposite to nature strictly because it tries to change this: a place where the young and weak are protected, the strong protect the weak, and the drive for individual survival is replaced by a drive for communal survival. nature doesn't have, or need, guardians; nature simply exists. if the forests wither and die, that is how nature progresses. if species go extinct, that is how nature progresses. but, that's an entirely other topic of an entirely different gravity.
the third thing about elves that i don't like is their long lives. most fantasy and sci fi lores fall into the problem of not properly handling long-lived species. humans can see four generations for 90 or 100 years; if elves mature at around the same rate, that could be 20-40 generations. the alternatives are that they take a long time to reach adult size (a 60 year old child), have absolutely absurd gestation periods (2-5 years), bizarre reproductive physiology (only capable of breeding every hundred years), or some other disadvantage that would probably preclude their species from advancing past a few generations. even worse, without any of these things, they live long enough that any significant reproductive rate would quickly see them spread across a world in great swarms. now, i could see how this could make for a good source of ancient ruins (spread like wildfire, quickly occupy the entire world, wars break out as overpopulation sets in, war leads to massive rapid technological/magical development, eventually a weapon is developed that virtually wipes the world clean of the race)... but that creates an extinct civilization, not one that's in decline.
haven't had much spare time the past few days. had a tire glow flat (had to replace it), worked long shifts this weekend... and admittedly, played a fair bit of borderlands 2. the mechromancer really kicks ass.
first, there's the forests. with the exception of maybe old nordic legends, the elves always live in forests. this isn't really so bad, except the one major feature that almost all elves share is their fantastic eyesight. these two just don't seem to fit together so well with me; in the sort of thick, overgrown forest that elves so often inhabit, you don't get to take advantage of that kind of eyesight. being able to see ten miles means nothing if the trees keep you from seeing more than a few hundred feet. why are these two features almost always found together, when the one cancels out the advantage of the other? why wouldn't they live somewhere their incredible sight actually helps them?
the second thing that bugs me is the 'peaceful guardians of nature' thing. granted there are a few precious (and notably better) examples of this, but for the most part, elves are depicted as being reluctant to go to war or fight, excessively defensive of the sanctity of their forests, et cetera. i've never liked this sort of view of nature, as some sort of ideal state. nature isn't strictly a thing of beauty; it's senseless death, terrible tragedy, and heartless self-serving survivalism. the young and the weak die, the strong take advantage of the weak, and only the luckiest, craftiest, strongest, savagest, and most desperate survive. i've always seen civilization as an opposite to nature strictly because it tries to change this: a place where the young and weak are protected, the strong protect the weak, and the drive for individual survival is replaced by a drive for communal survival. nature doesn't have, or need, guardians; nature simply exists. if the forests wither and die, that is how nature progresses. if species go extinct, that is how nature progresses. but, that's an entirely other topic of an entirely different gravity.
the third thing about elves that i don't like is their long lives. most fantasy and sci fi lores fall into the problem of not properly handling long-lived species. humans can see four generations for 90 or 100 years; if elves mature at around the same rate, that could be 20-40 generations. the alternatives are that they take a long time to reach adult size (a 60 year old child), have absolutely absurd gestation periods (2-5 years), bizarre reproductive physiology (only capable of breeding every hundred years), or some other disadvantage that would probably preclude their species from advancing past a few generations. even worse, without any of these things, they live long enough that any significant reproductive rate would quickly see them spread across a world in great swarms. now, i could see how this could make for a good source of ancient ruins (spread like wildfire, quickly occupy the entire world, wars break out as overpopulation sets in, war leads to massive rapid technological/magical development, eventually a weapon is developed that virtually wipes the world clean of the race)... but that creates an extinct civilization, not one that's in decline.
haven't had much spare time the past few days. had a tire glow flat (had to replace it), worked long shifts this weekend... and admittedly, played a fair bit of borderlands 2. the mechromancer really kicks ass.
10/24/2012
on the value of commant prompts
the next release is probably going to be in the form of a console window (the crappy black and white box), capable mostly of generating a character and displaying it. this sounds disappointingly familiar.
still, the code is getting largely rewritten. the crapwindow is mostly going to be used for proving that the code works, from which point it can easily be incorporated into the main program. the base system for organs is in place now (reporting and setting values). before i can go further, i'll need to rewrite the character generation. after that i can put some sort of demo out (and possibly an editor-type program to 'write' the race files), followed quickly by a version that allows saving and loading.
still, the code is getting largely rewritten. the crapwindow is mostly going to be used for proving that the code works, from which point it can easily be incorporated into the main program. the base system for organs is in place now (reporting and setting values). before i can go further, i'll need to rewrite the character generation. after that i can put some sort of demo out (and possibly an editor-type program to 'write' the race files), followed quickly by a version that allows saving and loading.
10/21/2012
on misunderestimation
taking a bit longer than i thought it would. still need to spend some time coming up with the formula for how the game generates real length values from the relative values for the relevant organs (tails, hair, fur, tongue, penis, clit, nipples, and tentacles), while the others (wings, arm, ear, nose, and horn) can just stay a vague 'you have unusually long arms' and so on. unless there are people with a serious fetish for nose-fucking i don't see anyone complaining about that.
did run into a bit of frustration because i forgot that the organ functions are in a class outside of the entity class, so they don't have innate access to their host entity's height value, which is necessary for calculating the real values of relative stats. still, that just means i need a function that takes a relative value, height value, and organ type to spit out the proper number. might be handy for reporting information for npcs, i suppose.
did run into a bit of frustration because i forgot that the organ functions are in a class outside of the entity class, so they don't have innate access to their host entity's height value, which is necessary for calculating the real values of relative stats. still, that just means i need a function that takes a relative value, height value, and organ type to spit out the proper number. might be handy for reporting information for npcs, i suppose.
10/18/2012
on dicks
i don't like tracking the actual size of organs. when you're dealing with a number of races whose size relative to one another can differ so greatly (goblins range from 3'6" to 5'9", while imperials are a minimum of 6' and as tall as 10'6"), it gets very difficult to tell what exactly constitutes an 'average' size. 8" isn't bad for a standard six foot human, but for that short-as-hell goblin it's virtually knee-length, and for the tall-as-hell imperial it's just embarrassing. fortunately there's an answer for this, one that's (sort of) already in the game.
the game doesn't actually track your weight in terms of pounds, or kilograms. instead, it tracks your body mass index (or some approximation of it), and then multiplies that against your height (i think the formula is height^2 * BMI / 28,800, with height being measured in 1/10th inches and weight coming out in pounds - no idea how accurate this is; if someone has an actual formula i'd be happy to see it). i'm thinking of just doing something similar and then applying it to things like hair, genitals, wings, etc, to make it much easier to tell what is large and what isn't. this is mostly for the player's benefit - without graphics, it's sometimes easy to forget that you're actually four feet tall, and that (otherwise) unimpressive tool is actually quite large for your size.
it will also help prevent people from walking around with dongs that drag on the ground, but that's just a side benefit.
finished a large deal of the organ handling methods tonight. this is part of the reason i wanted to redo them in the fashion i did; instead of having 3 separate methods for virtually every piece of data stored by each organ (get, set, modify), it's all been condensed to about 40. now, the syntax is: getOrganType(1, head) or getOrganType(head). technically it's actually about 160 methods, but half of them are essentially 'halves' of the same function (one handling basic organs and the other handling sexual organs; the two store slightly different information and thus need different data structures, and thereby methods) and of those, half are one line methods that manually call getOrganType(1, head) when you just put in getOrganType(head). and yes, i could drop this number by half by only using a single data type for all organs and then just ignoring the extra sexy-type information for things like legs and arms, but the only extra code that gets written is a copy/pasted header with the names of the data types being changed. the rest of the code would need to get written either way.
i have tomorrow off, so should be done with organs by the end of then. probably going to spend several hours streaming (if anyone actually watches).
the game doesn't actually track your weight in terms of pounds, or kilograms. instead, it tracks your body mass index (or some approximation of it), and then multiplies that against your height (i think the formula is height^2 * BMI / 28,800, with height being measured in 1/10th inches and weight coming out in pounds - no idea how accurate this is; if someone has an actual formula i'd be happy to see it). i'm thinking of just doing something similar and then applying it to things like hair, genitals, wings, etc, to make it much easier to tell what is large and what isn't. this is mostly for the player's benefit - without graphics, it's sometimes easy to forget that you're actually four feet tall, and that (otherwise) unimpressive tool is actually quite large for your size.
it will also help prevent people from walking around with dongs that drag on the ground, but that's just a side benefit.
finished a large deal of the organ handling methods tonight. this is part of the reason i wanted to redo them in the fashion i did; instead of having 3 separate methods for virtually every piece of data stored by each organ (get, set, modify), it's all been condensed to about 40. now, the syntax is: getOrganType(1, head) or getOrganType(head). technically it's actually about 160 methods, but half of them are essentially 'halves' of the same function (one handling basic organs and the other handling sexual organs; the two store slightly different information and thus need different data structures, and thereby methods) and of those, half are one line methods that manually call getOrganType(1, head) when you just put in getOrganType(head). and yes, i could drop this number by half by only using a single data type for all organs and then just ignoring the extra sexy-type information for things like legs and arms, but the only extra code that gets written is a copy/pasted header with the names of the data types being changed. the rest of the code would need to get written either way.
i have tomorrow off, so should be done with organs by the end of then. probably going to spend several hours streaming (if anyone actually watches).
10/16/2012
on skinless wolves
you land the first and final blow, killing the wolf after a short scuffle. they aren't much of a challenge anymore; you're probably one of the greatest swordsmen on the continent. the beast dispatched, you pull out your trusty knife, preparing to skin the animal. oops; you put a large gash in it's hide. no problem, it's still salvageable. oops. there goes another bit; still, you can make two small hides. or three; oops. make that four. before long, the hide is completely unusable. you went from a green adventurer to master swordsmen in less than a year, but still can't skin an animal without mangling the hide.
it's a trope so common that calling attention to it has almost become a trope in and of itself: you get sent off to collect ten wolf pelts, or a dozen goat hooves, or twenty bear asses, and seem to encounter nothing but skinless wolves, legless goats, and assless bears. to mention nothing of the fact that by your second week, you've decimated the local wolf, goat, and bear populations. unlike the one i posted yesterday, this has a very simple practical solution (infinite wolves), but making it thematically sensible is the hard part.
i've already sort of gone over this, but i don't like the idea of the brave hero of the land wantonly raping and murdering half of everyone they meet. or at least, not seeing any consequence for it. so, i decided that the combat system was an abstract one; rather than actually connecting with every attack, health represents an abstract of the character's stamina, combat ability, luck, and training. it's why it goes up with your level, when you don't actually grow extra flesh or redundant vital organs. the fight doesn't end when one person falls dead; it ends when they reach the point of exhaustion, realize they can't win, and surrender. the same concept can be applied to wild animals - sooner or later that wolf will realize that it's outmatched, turn tail and bolt. obviously killing wildlife is more acceptable (and arguably necessary for a healthy ecosystem; preventing overpopulation of predator of prey species) than killing people.
so, you'll still get your wolf pelts, and you'll even get them from every wolf you kill - you just won't necessarily kill every wolf that you encounter. of course there are still a few (minor) issues; if you get jumped by a bandit and they surrender, do you tie them up and let them get devoured by all the wolves you've pissed off?
going to be streaming until about 11 tonight. more coding, more work on organs.
http://www.livestream.com/uldegoagogo
done a bit early. programming lists make me want to tear my hair out. assuming that what i have is working (which i think it should), tomorrow i just need to go through and finish all of the reporting functions (that return things like organ length, type, color, etc). it's not terribly difficult busy work, but it still needs to get typed.
it's a trope so common that calling attention to it has almost become a trope in and of itself: you get sent off to collect ten wolf pelts, or a dozen goat hooves, or twenty bear asses, and seem to encounter nothing but skinless wolves, legless goats, and assless bears. to mention nothing of the fact that by your second week, you've decimated the local wolf, goat, and bear populations. unlike the one i posted yesterday, this has a very simple practical solution (infinite wolves), but making it thematically sensible is the hard part.
i've already sort of gone over this, but i don't like the idea of the brave hero of the land wantonly raping and murdering half of everyone they meet. or at least, not seeing any consequence for it. so, i decided that the combat system was an abstract one; rather than actually connecting with every attack, health represents an abstract of the character's stamina, combat ability, luck, and training. it's why it goes up with your level, when you don't actually grow extra flesh or redundant vital organs. the fight doesn't end when one person falls dead; it ends when they reach the point of exhaustion, realize they can't win, and surrender. the same concept can be applied to wild animals - sooner or later that wolf will realize that it's outmatched, turn tail and bolt. obviously killing wildlife is more acceptable (and arguably necessary for a healthy ecosystem; preventing overpopulation of predator of prey species) than killing people.
so, you'll still get your wolf pelts, and you'll even get them from every wolf you kill - you just won't necessarily kill every wolf that you encounter. of course there are still a few (minor) issues; if you get jumped by a bandit and they surrender, do you tie them up and let them get devoured by all the wolves you've pissed off?
going to be streaming until about 11 tonight. more coding, more work on organs.
done a bit early. programming lists make me want to tear my hair out. assuming that what i have is working (which i think it should), tomorrow i just need to go through and finish all of the reporting functions (that return things like organ length, type, color, etc). it's not terribly difficult busy work, but it still needs to get typed.
on races
say you're an orc. or, you were an orc. you've gone off the straight and narrow (so to speak), given up a bit of yourself to become a stronger adventurer, exposed yourself to strange magic in a dungeon, and drunk a few under-the-counter potions that you hope will help you impress your lady friends. between the dark red scales, viciously clawed hands, and serpentine tail you look more like a dragonkin now... but everyone still greets you as an orc. what?
this game is going to have lots of races. orcs, dwarves, humans, wolfmen, and more exotic creatures like the golems and slimes. race isn't exactly a single uniform slider that can be controlled by a single number. so how does it get identified? there's two basic solutions:
first, keep a 'bloodline' count for each racial archetype (human, orc, dragon, etc), and define it by what preset race you're closest to. so humans are 100% human, orcs are 100% orc, and orckin have at least 25% human and 50% orc (or 25% orc and 50% human). each time you get exposed to a type of mutative force, you gain or lose a chunk of the appropriate bloodline. when you reach certain levels of a given bloodline, certain changes either kick in or go away; for instance, 10% dragon might give you horns, 20% might be clawed hands, 30 would be scales and 40 would be a tail. if you go from 0 to 50, you gain horns, hands, scales, and tail. if you get mutated another way and go down to only 30% dragon, you lose the tail.
this has a few problems from a gameplay perspective: how do you piss around with the fractions? if you're 25% human, 25% orc, 25%dragon and 25% dwarf and drink a potion that adds 5% horse, where does that 5% come from? 1.25 from each of your existing? if you just assign each bloodline a static number (rather than a percentage) you can calculate percentage easily enough... but then you end up with things like a character that's 0.5% orc, 1.25% dwarf, 2.25% cat, 3% dog, etc, etc. although, this could easily end badly, with characters becoming increasingly difficult to change as time goes on; while this could be good thematically, if the player only has the ability to gain demon wings after defeating demons at higher levels in the game, even a powerful potion could only move their race a fraction of a percent, since they would have already drank countless potions to get there.
you could go into things like introducing bloodline decay (eg, if you have 5 points in orc blood and 100 points in human blood, every day the orc blood goes down by one until you're free of it's taint), but that would require a lot of tweaking to see how fast things should decay, avoiding making it too high to make it impossible for characters to get the transformation they want without making it too low to make the decay worthless. if a specific item or effect doesn't occur often enough, frustrated players can't get their dragon wings and quit. and what about the people who want dragon wings, but not scales?
or, the second solution: just apply transformations on either an absolute (use item x, transformation y always occurs) or random/semi-random (use item x, transformation w, y, or z all have a chance of happening) basis, and then 'audit' the players race. essentially, this would require programming a flow chart:
does the player have humanoid legs, or something else? (humanoid -> go to elfkin, humans, dwarves, imperials, plainsdwellers, etc) (else -> go to slimes, centaur, naga, etc) from humanoid, ask does it have fur? (yes -> go to roamers, foresters, imperials, trolls, etc) (no -> go to humans, goblins, etc) and keep narrowing things down until you've narrowed them down to a specific race. if they simply don't fit any of the categories (for instance: pointed ears, bright blue fur, reptillian claws, four tits and a giant throbbing tentacle cock), they either get classified as a 'mongrel' (for mundane differences; looking humanoid, but not quite being orc, elfkin, human, or etc), 'mutant' (for more bizarre mutations, as the one mentioned previously) or 'abomination' (for the guy that modifies their character to have a foot long dick growing out their forehead).
i think i prefer the second method - it would allow the player to custom pick their body modifications, it'd be overall easier to code, and i still wouldn't have a good answer for things like 99% dragon pc's or people that became 10% 10 races.
worked on organs some more tonight. in addition to all the old stuff, the game now tracks your mouth, tongue, 'lungs', 'stomach', and tentacles, as well as tattoos and piercings. the mouth thing should allow for features like fangs and tusks, tongue should allow for kinky blowjobs, lungs and stomach will be able to track things like ingested or breathed toxins (i figure, it could lead to some fun events like certain toxin-resistant races spiking their own drink with aphrodisiac, then handing it off to someone else). tattoos and piercings should be obvious, but as a side note, tattoos will also include natural patterning, like tiger stripes or other fur and scale patterns. 'tentacle' is another sexual organ class, like dicks. because all organs use the same basic format with variables identifying what body part they represent, they all share methods: lungs will have a 'get color' function, although it only applies to skin, hair, and the like. still, the actual coding should be smart enough not to try and call for the color of a lung-type organ, so this shouldn't be an issue, and the method itself can always check to make sure the call is relevant to the organ type and return a specific answer as an error message if it's not.
on a side note, the existing system makes it much easier to add (or remove) certain organs from certain entities, so for all of those out there who hate furries, there'll be a file to swap out that turns all of the mean, nasty horse-like imperials into safely human half-giants by removing the lines that tell the game to generate fur, hoofed feet, a tail, and so forth. it'll take a bit more work before races can actually be added via these files (there will need to be a way to tell the game how to identify that race, as an example), but eventually it should be possible.
this game is going to have lots of races. orcs, dwarves, humans, wolfmen, and more exotic creatures like the golems and slimes. race isn't exactly a single uniform slider that can be controlled by a single number. so how does it get identified? there's two basic solutions:
first, keep a 'bloodline' count for each racial archetype (human, orc, dragon, etc), and define it by what preset race you're closest to. so humans are 100% human, orcs are 100% orc, and orckin have at least 25% human and 50% orc (or 25% orc and 50% human). each time you get exposed to a type of mutative force, you gain or lose a chunk of the appropriate bloodline. when you reach certain levels of a given bloodline, certain changes either kick in or go away; for instance, 10% dragon might give you horns, 20% might be clawed hands, 30 would be scales and 40 would be a tail. if you go from 0 to 50, you gain horns, hands, scales, and tail. if you get mutated another way and go down to only 30% dragon, you lose the tail.
this has a few problems from a gameplay perspective: how do you piss around with the fractions? if you're 25% human, 25% orc, 25%dragon and 25% dwarf and drink a potion that adds 5% horse, where does that 5% come from? 1.25 from each of your existing? if you just assign each bloodline a static number (rather than a percentage) you can calculate percentage easily enough... but then you end up with things like a character that's 0.5% orc, 1.25% dwarf, 2.25% cat, 3% dog, etc, etc. although, this could easily end badly, with characters becoming increasingly difficult to change as time goes on; while this could be good thematically, if the player only has the ability to gain demon wings after defeating demons at higher levels in the game, even a powerful potion could only move their race a fraction of a percent, since they would have already drank countless potions to get there.
you could go into things like introducing bloodline decay (eg, if you have 5 points in orc blood and 100 points in human blood, every day the orc blood goes down by one until you're free of it's taint), but that would require a lot of tweaking to see how fast things should decay, avoiding making it too high to make it impossible for characters to get the transformation they want without making it too low to make the decay worthless. if a specific item or effect doesn't occur often enough, frustrated players can't get their dragon wings and quit. and what about the people who want dragon wings, but not scales?
or, the second solution: just apply transformations on either an absolute (use item x, transformation y always occurs) or random/semi-random (use item x, transformation w, y, or z all have a chance of happening) basis, and then 'audit' the players race. essentially, this would require programming a flow chart:
does the player have humanoid legs, or something else? (humanoid -> go to elfkin, humans, dwarves, imperials, plainsdwellers, etc) (else -> go to slimes, centaur, naga, etc) from humanoid, ask does it have fur? (yes -> go to roamers, foresters, imperials, trolls, etc) (no -> go to humans, goblins, etc) and keep narrowing things down until you've narrowed them down to a specific race. if they simply don't fit any of the categories (for instance: pointed ears, bright blue fur, reptillian claws, four tits and a giant throbbing tentacle cock), they either get classified as a 'mongrel' (for mundane differences; looking humanoid, but not quite being orc, elfkin, human, or etc), 'mutant' (for more bizarre mutations, as the one mentioned previously) or 'abomination' (for the guy that modifies their character to have a foot long dick growing out their forehead).
i think i prefer the second method - it would allow the player to custom pick their body modifications, it'd be overall easier to code, and i still wouldn't have a good answer for things like 99% dragon pc's or people that became 10% 10 races.
worked on organs some more tonight. in addition to all the old stuff, the game now tracks your mouth, tongue, 'lungs', 'stomach', and tentacles, as well as tattoos and piercings. the mouth thing should allow for features like fangs and tusks, tongue should allow for kinky blowjobs, lungs and stomach will be able to track things like ingested or breathed toxins (i figure, it could lead to some fun events like certain toxin-resistant races spiking their own drink with aphrodisiac, then handing it off to someone else). tattoos and piercings should be obvious, but as a side note, tattoos will also include natural patterning, like tiger stripes or other fur and scale patterns. 'tentacle' is another sexual organ class, like dicks. because all organs use the same basic format with variables identifying what body part they represent, they all share methods: lungs will have a 'get color' function, although it only applies to skin, hair, and the like. still, the actual coding should be smart enough not to try and call for the color of a lung-type organ, so this shouldn't be an issue, and the method itself can always check to make sure the call is relevant to the organ type and return a specific answer as an error message if it's not.
on a side note, the existing system makes it much easier to add (or remove) certain organs from certain entities, so for all of those out there who hate furries, there'll be a file to swap out that turns all of the mean, nasty horse-like imperials into safely human half-giants by removing the lines that tell the game to generate fur, hoofed feet, a tail, and so forth. it'll take a bit more work before races can actually be added via these files (there will need to be a way to tell the game how to identify that race, as an example), but eventually it should be possible.
10/14/2012
well, shit
started work at 5.30 am today. going to get home tonight at about 9.30 pm, if i'm lucky. not terribly happy about that.
i was planning on doing something tonight, but i guess not.
i was planning on doing something tonight, but i guess not.
10/13/2012
brainstorming
one part of the changes to how body types are stored is that all color information now uses the same table to reference what color is being depicted; so, instead of '1' meaning blue for eyes and black for hair, it's now always albino (which is what it was for skin. not all descriptors make sense for all organs, but that's fine.)
as a part of compiling a complete list (or complete enough) of what can look like what, i felt that i should post what i did have, and give people the ability to look it over to see of their favorite skin or eye color missed. this is a direct copy/paste from whats in the code, so it's gonna look a bit wonky instead of being neatly arranged into two columns.
//universal color chart
// 0 = translucent 1 = albino
// 2 = chalk 3 = cream
// 4 = pale 5 = pink
// 6 = peach 7 = pale yellow
// 8 = tan 9 = mulatto
//10 = burnt 11 = olive
//12 = ruddy 13 = chocolate
//14 = deep brown 15 = brown
//16 = light brown 17 = pearl
//18 = opal 19 = bronze
//20 = copper 21 = black
//22 = pitch 23 = charcoal
//24 = blackened blue 25 = deep gray
//26 = gray 27 = soft gray
//28 = pepper 29 = pine green
//30 = brackish green 31 = green
//32 = pale green 33 = orange
//34 = pale orange 35 = dark orange
//41 = pale yellow 42 = bright yellow
//43 = sand yellow 44 = blue
//45 = pale blue 46 = neon blue
//47 = navy blue 48 = red
//49 = pale red 50 = deep red
//51 = jet black 52 = blonde
//53 = platinum blonde 53 = sandy blonde
//54 = golden blonde 55 = strawberry blonde
//56 = dirty blonde 57 = ash blonde
//58 = deepest brunette 59 = chestnut brown
//60 = golden brown 61 = ash brown
//62 = burnt orange 63 = auburn
//64 = brick red 65 = fair red
//66 = fair orange 67 = pale gray
//68 = pine green 69 = moss green
//70 = onion white 71 = gold
//72 = brass 73 = deep gold
//74 = faint gold 75 = silver
//76 = platinum 77 = white gold
//78 = pink 79 = purple
//80 = amber 81 = hazel
//82 = violet 83 = sapphire
//84 = emerald 85 = topaz
//86 = diamond 87 = granite
//88 = marble 89 = sandstone
the last three are for use with golem-type character skin. remember that this list should cover eyes, hair, fur, and skin, as well as tattoos, clothing, and natural pattern markings (like tiger stripes or the like). got something i missed? post text, a picture, or a color sample. probably going to put a post like this up on /tg/.
as a part of compiling a complete list (or complete enough) of what can look like what, i felt that i should post what i did have, and give people the ability to look it over to see of their favorite skin or eye color missed. this is a direct copy/paste from whats in the code, so it's gonna look a bit wonky instead of being neatly arranged into two columns.
//universal color chart
// 0 = translucent 1 = albino
// 2 = chalk 3 = cream
// 4 = pale 5 = pink
// 6 = peach 7 = pale yellow
// 8 = tan 9 = mulatto
//10 = burnt 11 = olive
//12 = ruddy 13 = chocolate
//14 = deep brown 15 = brown
//16 = light brown 17 = pearl
//18 = opal 19 = bronze
//20 = copper 21 = black
//22 = pitch 23 = charcoal
//24 = blackened blue 25 = deep gray
//26 = gray 27 = soft gray
//28 = pepper 29 = pine green
//30 = brackish green 31 = green
//32 = pale green 33 = orange
//34 = pale orange 35 = dark orange
//41 = pale yellow 42 = bright yellow
//43 = sand yellow 44 = blue
//45 = pale blue 46 = neon blue
//47 = navy blue 48 = red
//49 = pale red 50 = deep red
//51 = jet black 52 = blonde
//53 = platinum blonde 53 = sandy blonde
//54 = golden blonde 55 = strawberry blonde
//56 = dirty blonde 57 = ash blonde
//58 = deepest brunette 59 = chestnut brown
//60 = golden brown 61 = ash brown
//62 = burnt orange 63 = auburn
//64 = brick red 65 = fair red
//66 = fair orange 67 = pale gray
//68 = pine green 69 = moss green
//70 = onion white 71 = gold
//72 = brass 73 = deep gold
//74 = faint gold 75 = silver
//76 = platinum 77 = white gold
//78 = pink 79 = purple
//80 = amber 81 = hazel
//82 = violet 83 = sapphire
//84 = emerald 85 = topaz
//86 = diamond 87 = granite
//88 = marble 89 = sandstone
the last three are for use with golem-type character skin. remember that this list should cover eyes, hair, fur, and skin, as well as tattoos, clothing, and natural pattern markings (like tiger stripes or the like). got something i missed? post text, a picture, or a color sample. probably going to put a post like this up on /tg/.
10/12/2012
(samuel clemens reference)
so, what happened?
in short, a family member became very ill and i had to spend some time taking care of them. between this and work i had little free time for anything, much less something that takes as much mental energy as writing code. which is just as well, since (upon returning to the project) the code was a fair mess. i'm going to be simplifying how the program handles it's base behavior (from about 15 different ways, with different behaviors for things like saving, loading, etc) to three (combat, input, and output). most of the old event text is still usable, though, so that shouldn't be too bad.
also overhauling how characters are stored. i don't like having a the 150-odd disparate integers saved as hard and fast data points. hard coded character limits are bad, m'kay, something that i noticed later on when i felt the need to go back and add things like facial hair, pregnancy, and lactation support. so, everything is going to be handled for a (relatively) simple system of objects; the 'entity' (a character) now has 'organs' (things like limbs), meaning that the list can be expanded or contracted easily. this means that, instead of having to code eight extra sets of penis data for the people that want nine dongs, you just need to add a penis-type organ however many times. there's a method for handling text output as far as what organ shows up where; i don't think i'm going to bother trying to make locations exclusive (so if you want fifteen cocks growing out of your forehead, go ahead).
naturally, though... this entails a significant rewrite of how characters report, change, and save their physical data. all the same, for those interested,
http://www.livestream.com/uldegoagogo
(streamed noon till 2; probably more later)
8 pm: streaming again (ended at 9:30)
(and for those wondering, yes, they got better)
in short, a family member became very ill and i had to spend some time taking care of them. between this and work i had little free time for anything, much less something that takes as much mental energy as writing code. which is just as well, since (upon returning to the project) the code was a fair mess. i'm going to be simplifying how the program handles it's base behavior (from about 15 different ways, with different behaviors for things like saving, loading, etc) to three (combat, input, and output). most of the old event text is still usable, though, so that shouldn't be too bad.
also overhauling how characters are stored. i don't like having a the 150-odd disparate integers saved as hard and fast data points. hard coded character limits are bad, m'kay, something that i noticed later on when i felt the need to go back and add things like facial hair, pregnancy, and lactation support. so, everything is going to be handled for a (relatively) simple system of objects; the 'entity' (a character) now has 'organs' (things like limbs), meaning that the list can be expanded or contracted easily. this means that, instead of having to code eight extra sets of penis data for the people that want nine dongs, you just need to add a penis-type organ however many times. there's a method for handling text output as far as what organ shows up where; i don't think i'm going to bother trying to make locations exclusive (so if you want fifteen cocks growing out of your forehead, go ahead).
naturally, though... this entails a significant rewrite of how characters report, change, and save their physical data. all the same, for those interested,
http://www.livestream.com/uldegoagogo
(streamed noon till 2; probably more later)
8 pm: streaming again (ended at 9:30)
(and for those wondering, yes, they got better)
5/05/2012
not dead
apparently, i'm most productive after locking myself in a closet with a laptop. the upside of that is that i've at least figured out how to get myself focused - although, getting out of the closet afterward is presenting a bit of a problem.
conversation with the elf is done. still need to think of a few threads to add for methods of recruiting you to your party (for when that gets put in) and romancing her (which will occur once the game is feature-complete), but there should be some good material in the setup - particularly if you look up david wild32's guide to editing saves on the 'something is rotten' blog post and max your charm and looks.
conversation with the elf is done. still need to think of a few threads to add for methods of recruiting you to your party (for when that gets put in) and romancing her (which will occur once the game is feature-complete), but there should be some good material in the setup - particularly if you look up david wild32's guide to editing saves on the 'something is rotten' blog post and max your charm and looks.
4/22/2012
slow progress
things going slow. ended up working six days this week and adding several dozen extra functions that are handy now, and will be necessary later down the line, mostly dealing with things like describing whatever it is that's coming out of your various orifices. probably going to need to do more down the line (for things like skin), but for now, it's fine the way it is.
admittedly, picking sword of the stars back up didn't give me any extra time to program. i need to start working on a laptop with nothing but a compiler installed on it, or something.
admittedly, picking sword of the stars back up didn't give me any extra time to program. i need to start working on a laptop with nothing but a compiler installed on it, or something.
4/15/2012
something is rotten in the state of denmark
i promised to make a release tonight, but it's simply not ready. the elf's initial encounters are all finished (all the greets and all of the text for peeping on her), but i didn't have time to finish her primary dialogue. still haven't tested combat either.
a big thanks to David Wild32 for helping me identify a bug that was causing your will to display improperly (and further kudos for messing around with the save system enough to actually find it).
a big thanks to David Wild32 for helping me identify a bug that was causing your will to display improperly (and further kudos for messing around with the save system enough to actually find it).
4/14/2012
release coming sunday
although in retrospect, the best stuff can't be accessed without swapping around your character's stats by editing the save files... which by some reports, don't work.
regardless there will be some kind of release, probably a quick guide on how to futz with the save files to let people (a) cheat and (b) actually see the content. there's one event in particular that only occurs when you peep on her with a cute guy, and only if you haven't introduced yourself yet. i think, later on, i might include a bit where you can ask to roleplay with her (once you've established a relationship) so i can reuse the text.
anyway, the peeping scenes are around half done now. i have the rest 'sketched' out, so i know what's going to happen and just need to put them to words. with a bit of luck, i'll get them done early or get off work early today (or both), and have some time to bug test the combat system more than once.
regardless there will be some kind of release, probably a quick guide on how to futz with the save files to let people (a) cheat and (b) actually see the content. there's one event in particular that only occurs when you peep on her with a cute guy, and only if you haven't introduced yourself yet. i think, later on, i might include a bit where you can ask to roleplay with her (once you've established a relationship) so i can reuse the text.
anyway, the peeping scenes are around half done now. i have the rest 'sketched' out, so i know what's going to happen and just need to put them to words. with a bit of luck, i'll get them done early or get off work early today (or both), and have some time to bug test the combat system more than once.
4/13/2012
Codex: Wine Jellies
Average height: 3 inches (~7 cm)
Average weight: 1 lb (~.5 kg)
Wine jellies are a small, tough, and opaque breed of feral slime endemic to the continent. They generally have a grayish color to them, sometimes darkening to near black if their diet includes lots of protein, and both their behavior and intelligence are comparable to rats. They have very weak digestive fluid, and are unable to process meat until it has partly rotted. They act as scavengers, cleaning up bits of food and biological debris, occasionally causing trouble by knocking things over. They are placid enough to be kept as pets, although unless their diet is carefully controlled, they can reproduce quickly and become a major pest.
Wine jellies take their name from an old brewing practice, generally accepted to have been invented by a Highborn, of immersing mature jellies in a tub of grape juice mixed with a bit of yeast. The jellies will instinctively absorb large amounts of the sugar-rich liquid, far more than they can actually digest, and swell to much larger than normal sizes. In this state their stretched outer membrane become slightly transparent and the jelly becomes virtually immobile. They are left in this state for several months as the grape juice ferments into wine inside of them. While this has the somewhat comical side effect of leaving them intoxicated for a period of several months, it also produces a 'pure' flavor of wine, lacking the additional tastes that come from fermenting inside wooden barrels. The wine is harvested simply by puncturing the jelly (which is relatively unharmed by the entire process).
Wine jellies are technically edible once cooked, tasting just slightly sweet, but are mostly just gooey. They are commonly used as thickener in soups or sauces, filler in some animal feed, or as fishing bait.
Average weight: 1 lb (~.5 kg)
Wine jellies are a small, tough, and opaque breed of feral slime endemic to the continent. They generally have a grayish color to them, sometimes darkening to near black if their diet includes lots of protein, and both their behavior and intelligence are comparable to rats. They have very weak digestive fluid, and are unable to process meat until it has partly rotted. They act as scavengers, cleaning up bits of food and biological debris, occasionally causing trouble by knocking things over. They are placid enough to be kept as pets, although unless their diet is carefully controlled, they can reproduce quickly and become a major pest.
Wine jellies take their name from an old brewing practice, generally accepted to have been invented by a Highborn, of immersing mature jellies in a tub of grape juice mixed with a bit of yeast. The jellies will instinctively absorb large amounts of the sugar-rich liquid, far more than they can actually digest, and swell to much larger than normal sizes. In this state their stretched outer membrane become slightly transparent and the jelly becomes virtually immobile. They are left in this state for several months as the grape juice ferments into wine inside of them. While this has the somewhat comical side effect of leaving them intoxicated for a period of several months, it also produces a 'pure' flavor of wine, lacking the additional tastes that come from fermenting inside wooden barrels. The wine is harvested simply by puncturing the jelly (which is relatively unharmed by the entire process).
Wine jellies are technically edible once cooked, tasting just slightly sweet, but are mostly just gooey. They are commonly used as thickener in soups or sauces, filler in some animal feed, or as fishing bait.
4/12/2012
holy shit, fenoxo is awesome
seriously, he's like the colbert bump of fetish porn games. i've gotten about as many hits in the past two days as i have in the rest of the blog's existence. anyway, bug reports. i've gotten a lot more since people have actually started looking at the game, so here's a quick guide on what i need to fix a bug:
1. what button you push
2. what stops working
3. what is currently going on in game when it stopped working (where you are, who/what you're talking to/looking at, what/if you typed anything, etc)
i'm not entirely sure the world is fully functional yet, so exploring in some locations (if they haven't been properly loaded with events) might cause a crash. i'm currently busy writing a scene for peeping on the elf at the mouth of rygal river (she's in the 4.2 build, albeit nonfunctional), going through masturbation, getting caught, and being forcefully jerked off at sword point by the sexy elf lady... although that last bit is dependent on a few other things at the moment, some of which won't be attainable without manually editing your player's save file until i add items that actually change your stats.
i have tomorrow off, so hopefully she'll be finished by tomorrow, and i can make sure that everything works for a release either at the end of the day, or on sunday.
also, judging from the poll so far, the big draws for people are:
-mythic creatures
-lesbians
-inhuman creatures (tentacles)
-yiffing
-light bondage
seems people are looking for a sort of 'monster girl' theme, or possibly 'monster girl-on-girl'. i think i could live with that. of course, there's going to be a bit of everything added eventually (i've said before that it's a fetish that does nothing for me so i don't know how well i could depict it, but for the sake of inclusiveness i would like to include some vore, macro/micro, and possibly bimbofication), but i have an idea of what to put in first.
1. what button you push
2. what stops working
3. what is currently going on in game when it stopped working (where you are, who/what you're talking to/looking at, what/if you typed anything, etc)
i'm not entirely sure the world is fully functional yet, so exploring in some locations (if they haven't been properly loaded with events) might cause a crash. i'm currently busy writing a scene for peeping on the elf at the mouth of rygal river (she's in the 4.2 build, albeit nonfunctional), going through masturbation, getting caught, and being forcefully jerked off at sword point by the sexy elf lady... although that last bit is dependent on a few other things at the moment, some of which won't be attainable without manually editing your player's save file until i add items that actually change your stats.
i have tomorrow off, so hopefully she'll be finished by tomorrow, and i can make sure that everything works for a release either at the end of the day, or on sunday.
also, judging from the poll so far, the big draws for people are:
-mythic creatures
-lesbians
-inhuman creatures (tentacles)
-yiffing
-light bondage
seems people are looking for a sort of 'monster girl' theme, or possibly 'monster girl-on-girl'. i think i could live with that. of course, there's going to be a bit of everything added eventually (i've said before that it's a fetish that does nothing for me so i don't know how well i could depict it, but for the sake of inclusiveness i would like to include some vore, macro/micro, and possibly bimbofication), but i have an idea of what to put in first.
4/10/2012
still alive
although, this has not exactly been a triumph.
the elf is probably 2/3 done, combat works, so i should finally get the release out either sometime this weekend, or possibly earlier if i get an easy day at work that leaves me in functioning condition at the end of the day.
the elf is probably 2/3 done, combat works, so i should finally get the release out either sometime this weekend, or possibly earlier if i get an easy day at work that leaves me in functioning condition at the end of the day.
3/29/2012
putting words in your mouth
i was stumbling around with a bit of the dialogue today, and came to (what i think) is a fairly decent idea that only really works with text games: i'm not going to put words into the players' mouth. as much as possible of the dialogue that originates from the player is going to be described by the content, rather than directly quoted. in the end, i want this game to present an experience that is both unique and consistent for everyone that plays it. if you create a character and say, "ok, so i want him to be a dashing, swashbuckling ladies man, who also has a three foot horse penis" and i write a bit of dialogue that has him giggling out poop jokes at the tavern or whatever, it breaks the sense of involvement just as much as if you have, say, a sexual encounter that doesn't acknowledge that he has a three foot horse penis.
granted, this isn't going to be an absolute rule - any sort of clever wordplay naturally requires specific words to be used to come across, and a few extremely specific situations where there aren't really a whole lot of ways to convey intent without specific words. i'm specifically speaking of the half-elf you find bathing in a river when i say this. you can choose to approach her loudly, shyly, or just try peeping on her, and depending on what you do (and if she finds you attractive) she can end up getting angry at you, shyly pulling her shirt on, or giving you an eyeful of elf tits. flirty banter doesn't really work without banter from both sides, but whenever possible, i want to try and make dialogue open so that the player can 'customize' what their character says, rather than being railroaded into making whatever dumb statement i end up writing.
the elf is basically finished. i've been kind of exhausted after getting home from work this week, usually not ending up with more than 2-4 hours of free time (which sometimes gets eaten up by things like family, friends, SO, or electronic opiates designed to stave off stress-induced insanity), which only makes me feel even dumber for agreeing to come in and work tomorrow. still, i'm looking to get a lot of overtime hours this week, so i can't complain about that.
granted, this isn't going to be an absolute rule - any sort of clever wordplay naturally requires specific words to be used to come across, and a few extremely specific situations where there aren't really a whole lot of ways to convey intent without specific words. i'm specifically speaking of the half-elf you find bathing in a river when i say this. you can choose to approach her loudly, shyly, or just try peeping on her, and depending on what you do (and if she finds you attractive) she can end up getting angry at you, shyly pulling her shirt on, or giving you an eyeful of elf tits. flirty banter doesn't really work without banter from both sides, but whenever possible, i want to try and make dialogue open so that the player can 'customize' what their character says, rather than being railroaded into making whatever dumb statement i end up writing.
the elf is basically finished. i've been kind of exhausted after getting home from work this week, usually not ending up with more than 2-4 hours of free time (which sometimes gets eaten up by things like family, friends, SO, or electronic opiates designed to stave off stress-induced insanity), which only makes me feel even dumber for agreeing to come in and work tomorrow. still, i'm looking to get a lot of overtime hours this week, so i can't complain about that.
3/26/2012
poll
so, here's a quick poll for all those who still read the blog:
there's an elf chick you can find bathing in a river. if you don't have a particular fondness for women (eg, you created a gay man or a straight woman), should you still be able to get off to masturbating to her? the option is there regardless (things like that are how i'm going to manage how your preferences change throughout the game), but the end result is what i'm questioning.
there's an elf chick you can find bathing in a river. if you don't have a particular fondness for women (eg, you created a gay man or a straight woman), should you still be able to get off to masturbating to her? the option is there regardless (things like that are how i'm going to manage how your preferences change throughout the game), but the end result is what i'm questioning.
3/22/2012
progress
not much done today. tomorrow is a day off, most of saturday should be free (a funeral in the morning and thats it), sunday is free.
3/20/2012
ugh
8 hours of sleep
12 hours at work
2 hours making dinner & getting groceries
2 hours of free time
admittedly, didn't work on the game a whole lot. spent some downtime at work sketching out conversation lines, which helped a bit, at least.
12 hours at work
2 hours making dinner & getting groceries
2 hours of free time
admittedly, didn't work on the game a whole lot. spent some downtime at work sketching out conversation lines, which helped a bit, at least.
3/19/2012
Codex: Highborn
In-game description: Fat and jolly, any Highborn is capable of reciting their family history for a hundred or more generations, and will gladly inflict this on anyone foolish enough to come even close to asking. Though somewhat ridiculous in appearance and manner, they are surprisingly strong in spite of their girth and incredibly intelligent. Their avarice and ambition knows no bounds. It is speculated that pigs are thought of as greedy by their relation to the Highborn, rather than anything else.
Average male height: 5'7" (~170cm)
Average male weight: 216 lbs (~98 kg)
Notable traits: Highborn are relatively non-diverse genetically, with eyes varying between degrees of red and blue, and both their skin and hair take very light shades. Their most identifiable trait is their somewhat piglike snouts and their lack of a fifth digit on their hands; while Highborn can interbreed with a number of other humanoid races, these are the generally accepted marks of being a 'thoroughbred' Highborn. They also possess a more animal-like lower body, with two-toed hoofs similar to Plainsdwellers (and somewhat similar to Imperials, who have solid hoofs). It's also rumored that Highborn have 'teats' (are lacking in areola), tails, and that their men have notably porcine equipment. The first and last of these are more than rumors. As a final note, Highborn have exceptionally good senses of taste and smell, better even than canines.
Physical traits: Slimes tend to lean towards exaggerated body types, with large and barrel-chested men and curvy, well endowed women. They all tend to be rather thick in stature, and men frequently have potbellies (no matter how active they are). Most Highborn die between 50 and 80 years old.
Society: Highborn gravitate towards the top rungs of any society, and for good reason. They are universally ambitious, hard-headed, arrogant, and worst of all, damned good at it. That said, because they are so ambitious, they tend to 'colonize' other societies. They absolutely detest hard, physical labor, which means that even within Highborn-founded societies, large human, goblin, dwarf, plainsdweller, and similar populations will crop up to take care of labor needs. This generally works out fairly well for both parties; for all their faults, Highborn would be utterly despised were they not so generous. While Highborn are very conscious or their money, they generally measure their wealth by the happiness around them. Those few Highborn that don't end up in positions of power and influence end up as aspiring heroes, physicians, missionaries, or cooks. Highborn love food, from the simplest to the most elaborate, and food is one of the few loves that exceeds their dislike for hard work.
Average male height: 5'7" (~170cm)
Average male weight: 216 lbs (~98 kg)
Notable traits: Highborn are relatively non-diverse genetically, with eyes varying between degrees of red and blue, and both their skin and hair take very light shades. Their most identifiable trait is their somewhat piglike snouts and their lack of a fifth digit on their hands; while Highborn can interbreed with a number of other humanoid races, these are the generally accepted marks of being a 'thoroughbred' Highborn. They also possess a more animal-like lower body, with two-toed hoofs similar to Plainsdwellers (and somewhat similar to Imperials, who have solid hoofs). It's also rumored that Highborn have 'teats' (are lacking in areola), tails, and that their men have notably porcine equipment. The first and last of these are more than rumors. As a final note, Highborn have exceptionally good senses of taste and smell, better even than canines.
Physical traits: Slimes tend to lean towards exaggerated body types, with large and barrel-chested men and curvy, well endowed women. They all tend to be rather thick in stature, and men frequently have potbellies (no matter how active they are). Most Highborn die between 50 and 80 years old.
Society: Highborn gravitate towards the top rungs of any society, and for good reason. They are universally ambitious, hard-headed, arrogant, and worst of all, damned good at it. That said, because they are so ambitious, they tend to 'colonize' other societies. They absolutely detest hard, physical labor, which means that even within Highborn-founded societies, large human, goblin, dwarf, plainsdweller, and similar populations will crop up to take care of labor needs. This generally works out fairly well for both parties; for all their faults, Highborn would be utterly despised were they not so generous. While Highborn are very conscious or their money, they generally measure their wealth by the happiness around them. Those few Highborn that don't end up in positions of power and influence end up as aspiring heroes, physicians, missionaries, or cooks. Highborn love food, from the simplest to the most elaborate, and food is one of the few loves that exceeds their dislike for hard work.
3/18/2012
working on events
finished the first part or the elf maiden at rygal river mouth. you can now greet her, and the game saves a few bits about that (eg, if the first thing you did was attack her). i'm expecting another long day at work tomorrow, but should get the rest of the first part of her event down. once all of the race codexes are done, probably going to use polls to see which npcs people would like finished first.
going through the events that i have sketched out so far, there are about 30 simple conversations (no data tracking, things that are either relatively small or simple) and 12 more complicated ones (ones where i need to lay the groundwork for future npcs). should be able to do 2-3 simple conversations a day, or maybe one of the complicated ones (if i have a decent amount of time to work on it). i really do want to get all of the placeholders out for the next version so it looks a bit more complete.
going through the events that i have sketched out so far, there are about 30 simple conversations (no data tracking, things that are either relatively small or simple) and 12 more complicated ones (ones where i need to lay the groundwork for future npcs). should be able to do 2-3 simple conversations a day, or maybe one of the complicated ones (if i have a decent amount of time to work on it). i really do want to get all of the placeholders out for the next version so it looks a bit more complete.
3/16/2012
Codex: Rules of Engagement
Aven is a relatively small continent with many inhabitants and relatively limited resources: conflict, whether over land, wealth, or philosophy, is inevitable. 'War' has a somewhat different meaning than other places are used to: small-scale skirmishes, ranging from scuffles between individuals to groups or twenty or so, are common on Aven as the competing city-states and political groups test each others' strengths and boundaries. As such, many parts of warfare have taken on an almost ritual aspect. Nowhere is this more true than the Orcish custom of recreational combat, but all races exhibit some degree of ritualism. There are three universally respected customs regarding combat on Aven: recognition of surrender, how it is treated with respect to law, and treatment of outlaws.
The largest and most frequent practice in combat is the recognition of surrender, whether it is the attacker or the victim that surrenders. The population of Aven is limited, and as such, wide-scale combat to the death would lead to a rapid depopulation that could easily allow the already hostile feral elements of the continent to wipe out all civilization. It is considered a grave crime to execute or further attack an opponent who has dropped their weapon and knelt, one exceeded only by feigning surrender. Rumors of either are enough to make someone an outcast, attracting extra attention from authorities, not to mention bounty hunters and adventurers looking to make some coin or gain fame. Taking a victim (or attacker's) weapon is considered standard custom, partly to prevent quick retaliation, although this is generally left to the victor's discretion (so long as the loser suffers no significant injury as a result of the decision, like being tied and left for dead in a desert).
With respect to the law, simple accusations of wrongdoing are generally ignored since they would otherwise be so frequent that there would be little time for anything else. Generally, criminalization of combat only occurs when it occurs with a large number of witnesses (such as in a city) or when the accusation comes from a recognized authority figure from one of the city-states, such as a guard or sheriff. While there is (of course) some degree of politics between cities, with nobody wanting to outwardly recognize each others' authority simply on principle, major breaches - such as violations of surrender - and large bounties can both cause trouble for problem makers across the continent.
Outlaws, on the other hand, are a class of their own. Generally relegated to the most grievous of offenses, outlaws are those few who are welcome nowhere. Individuals so violent or uncontrolled that they are essentially considered feral, no longer subject to the protections afforded by the laws they so disdain. Outlaws generally have a short life span on Aven, with continent-wide manhunts and rich bounties, accumulated from dozens or even hundreds of individuals, drawing even mercenary armies to destroy them.
The largest and most frequent practice in combat is the recognition of surrender, whether it is the attacker or the victim that surrenders. The population of Aven is limited, and as such, wide-scale combat to the death would lead to a rapid depopulation that could easily allow the already hostile feral elements of the continent to wipe out all civilization. It is considered a grave crime to execute or further attack an opponent who has dropped their weapon and knelt, one exceeded only by feigning surrender. Rumors of either are enough to make someone an outcast, attracting extra attention from authorities, not to mention bounty hunters and adventurers looking to make some coin or gain fame. Taking a victim (or attacker's) weapon is considered standard custom, partly to prevent quick retaliation, although this is generally left to the victor's discretion (so long as the loser suffers no significant injury as a result of the decision, like being tied and left for dead in a desert).
With respect to the law, simple accusations of wrongdoing are generally ignored since they would otherwise be so frequent that there would be little time for anything else. Generally, criminalization of combat only occurs when it occurs with a large number of witnesses (such as in a city) or when the accusation comes from a recognized authority figure from one of the city-states, such as a guard or sheriff. While there is (of course) some degree of politics between cities, with nobody wanting to outwardly recognize each others' authority simply on principle, major breaches - such as violations of surrender - and large bounties can both cause trouble for problem makers across the continent.
Outlaws, on the other hand, are a class of their own. Generally relegated to the most grievous of offenses, outlaws are those few who are welcome nowhere. Individuals so violent or uncontrolled that they are essentially considered feral, no longer subject to the protections afforded by the laws they so disdain. Outlaws generally have a short life span on Aven, with continent-wide manhunts and rich bounties, accumulated from dozens or even hundreds of individuals, drawing even mercenary armies to destroy them.
win some, lose some
4th 11 hour workday in a row. on the plus side, i talked to a blind vietnam vet with no legs, and we talked about how we fished at the same little lake just south of where i was born. i think i saw a movie like that once.
in any case, it kicked me out of my funk. going to try harder at daily updates.
in any case, it kicked me out of my funk. going to try harder at daily updates.
3/13/2012
new job
took about 11 hours from when i left for work today to when i get back. updates might slow a bit.
3/11/2012
still working
i am still working on combat, but i'm also working on removing all of the placeholder events from the world, fleshing out existing npcs to at least a barebones level (having the initial conversation with them, etc). it's taking a while.
going to be posting a codex for highborn sometime tomorrow, assuming that i don't end up working. starting a new job, and the schedule is still somewhat nebulous.
going to be posting a codex for highborn sometime tomorrow, assuming that i don't end up working. starting a new job, and the schedule is still somewhat nebulous.
3/07/2012
Codex: Slimes
In-game description: Thought to have once been human, Slimes are aesexual and reproduce by mitosis, but strangely, manifest distinct male and female physical characteristics. They live only in warm, wet environments with a ready supply of food, although their definition of 'food' is rather loose at best.
Average male height: 5'8" (173 cm)
Average male weight: 290 lbs (~132 kg)
Notable traits: Slimes are a very distinct race. Their most obvious feature is that their bodies, rather than being flesh and blood, are composed entirely of a semi-transparent, viscous, gelatin material. The exact viscosity and transparency are both directly linked, they vary even in the same slime, depending no when it last ate, the temperature, and so on. They have a thicker, leather-like membrane on the outside of their bodies that serves as a skin, which is smooth and damp to the touch. They have monochromatic skin, either green or blue. As a rule, green slimes manifest male characteristics, while female slimes manifest female characteristics. There are 'feral' slimes of other colors, but lack the intellect or sociability to be considered a civilized species. They have pupil-less eyes, sometimes of a different shade than the rest of their bodies, but never an outright different color. Slimes generally do not wear clothing, as they do not feel discomfort from heat or cold, only wearing armor for protection, or (when in groups, or in large cities) to differentiate themselves from one another. Another unusual feature of slimes is their exceptional senses of hearing, smell, and taste.
Physical traits: Slimes tend to strongly manifest whichever sexual characteristic they gravitate towards, with green slimes having wide shoulders and strong arms, and blue slimes having slim waists, large breasts, wide hips and plump butts. It should be noted that slimes are deceptively heavy for their size; while not especially larger than humans, they tend to weigh a great deal more, which is simply a result of their composition. Slimes can live close to 300 years, although most will die naturally after around 230.
Society: Slimes tend to be outsiders from most of society, rarely forming into groups of more than two or three. They do, however, gravitate towards larger settlements; slimes are the closest to being wild of any of the civil races on Aven, with some some wild Slimes being unable to speak. Still, settled areas are hubs for food and protection, both of which Slimes seek out. Although generally characterized as being somewhat dim, it would be more accurate to say that they vastly different set of values relative to other species. Having no real need for things like shelter and clothing, capable of eating almost any organic matter, Slimes are very placid, mellow creatures. Still, this simple non-pretentiousness (and willingness to eat almost anything) means they get along very well with Plainsdwellers, which is fortunate, since Slimes tend to gravitate towards their farms. It isn't uncommon to find a found slime entrusted to the care of a farmer, using them as a sort of walking garbage disposal for rotten or parasite-eaten produce. The Highborn also have a curious love for Slimes, since their exceptionally sharp sense of taste makes them one of the few creatures capable of appreciating the full nuance of their cooking.
Physiology: Slimes have a unique biology. While even the most exotic creatures on Aven are still composed of bones, cartilage, and muscle, with some sort of respiratory and circulatory system, the body of a Slime is composed of only five different types of tissue: skin, eye, digestive, reproductive, and muscle.
The outermost layer of a slime's body is skin tissue, an amorphous (or non-crystalline) solid that is soft to a gentle touch, but hardens proportionate to the force exacted on it. Slimes do not exert conscious control over this tissue, instead relying on connecting muscle tissue to move and shape it. Slimes are capable of converting muscle and skin tissue into one another, although this takes some time. If left without a skin membrane on its outer body, Slimes lose the ability to control the shape of their body, leaving them as a lump or blob, similar to their feral cousins.
Eye tissue is the only part of Slimes that is sensitive to temperature or light. Like their skin membrane it is formed from muscle tissue, and is the hardest part of a Slime, being a full-fledged solid, although as a result is also one of the most vulnerable parts, being rather brittle. Most Slimes that come into contact with humanoids keep their eyes in their heads, although there's nothing that necessarily prevents them from forming more (or less) than two eyes, or placing at odd locations.
Muscle tissue composes the bulk of a Slimes body. It is a viscous fluid capable of both expanding and contracting, as well as connecting to nearby tissues. Combined with a rigid internal or external structure, it allows Slimes a good deal of control over their shape and overall appearance.
Digestive tissue is responsible for breaking down organic matter and converting it to muscle tissue. It is the most liquid of all slime tissues, generally held near the center of the body or as several small 'pockets' throughout the body. Slimes are capable of breaking down and digesting almost any organic material, including matter that other species would find indigestible or harmful, such as rotten food. Since they lack many of the major organisms of other sentient species they are not susceptible to most viral and bacterial infections, hemotoxins, necrotoxins, and most damaging effects of paralytic neurotoxins. While Slimes that ingest paralytic toxins do suffer their effects, since they lack a respiratory or circulatory system that can fail, this is not lethal. Further, their exceptionally large body mass means that even the few poisons that can harm them generally result in minimal damage.
Reproductive tissue serves as a sort of null-zone for the Slime's consciousness, being compatible with their biology, but not truly a part of it. It serves as a 'buffer zone' inside of a Slime, allowing them to build a 'bud' of muscle and digestive tissue cut off from it's own sentience, which in turn allows this 'bud' to begin developing an intelligence of it's own, thereby reproducing. In order to prevent direct cloning in this fashion, when Slimes reproduce they seek out others of their kind to contribute in the bud's formation (one male and one female slime), allowing the species as a whole to become more diverse. This is one of the major differences between civil and feral slimes, as many feral slimes will reproduce through binary fission.
Young slimes take some time to learn how to properly control their body, remaining as small blobs for the first several years of their life. During this time they can not reliably generate digestive tissue on their own, and are reliant on their parents. Blue slimes produce a thin, sugary liquid colloquially known as 'slime nectar' designed specifically to feed them. Socially acclimated slimes will generally store this in their breasts and engage in breast feeding as a sort of learned behavior, while wilder ones will store it in any limb, such as legs or arms. By the time they're three or four years old, slimes can generally form their own digestive tissue reliably, and soon after learn how to form eye tissue and keep it separate to avoid accidentally re-digesting it. Slimes grow at a fairly steady rate for around fifteen years after that, at which point they can form a bud large enough to generate it's own consciousness.
Average male height: 5'8" (173 cm)
Average male weight: 290 lbs (~132 kg)
Notable traits: Slimes are a very distinct race. Their most obvious feature is that their bodies, rather than being flesh and blood, are composed entirely of a semi-transparent, viscous, gelatin material. The exact viscosity and transparency are both directly linked, they vary even in the same slime, depending no when it last ate, the temperature, and so on. They have a thicker, leather-like membrane on the outside of their bodies that serves as a skin, which is smooth and damp to the touch. They have monochromatic skin, either green or blue. As a rule, green slimes manifest male characteristics, while female slimes manifest female characteristics. There are 'feral' slimes of other colors, but lack the intellect or sociability to be considered a civilized species. They have pupil-less eyes, sometimes of a different shade than the rest of their bodies, but never an outright different color. Slimes generally do not wear clothing, as they do not feel discomfort from heat or cold, only wearing armor for protection, or (when in groups, or in large cities) to differentiate themselves from one another. Another unusual feature of slimes is their exceptional senses of hearing, smell, and taste.
Physical traits: Slimes tend to strongly manifest whichever sexual characteristic they gravitate towards, with green slimes having wide shoulders and strong arms, and blue slimes having slim waists, large breasts, wide hips and plump butts. It should be noted that slimes are deceptively heavy for their size; while not especially larger than humans, they tend to weigh a great deal more, which is simply a result of their composition. Slimes can live close to 300 years, although most will die naturally after around 230.
Society: Slimes tend to be outsiders from most of society, rarely forming into groups of more than two or three. They do, however, gravitate towards larger settlements; slimes are the closest to being wild of any of the civil races on Aven, with some some wild Slimes being unable to speak. Still, settled areas are hubs for food and protection, both of which Slimes seek out. Although generally characterized as being somewhat dim, it would be more accurate to say that they vastly different set of values relative to other species. Having no real need for things like shelter and clothing, capable of eating almost any organic matter, Slimes are very placid, mellow creatures. Still, this simple non-pretentiousness (and willingness to eat almost anything) means they get along very well with Plainsdwellers, which is fortunate, since Slimes tend to gravitate towards their farms. It isn't uncommon to find a found slime entrusted to the care of a farmer, using them as a sort of walking garbage disposal for rotten or parasite-eaten produce. The Highborn also have a curious love for Slimes, since their exceptionally sharp sense of taste makes them one of the few creatures capable of appreciating the full nuance of their cooking.
Physiology: Slimes have a unique biology. While even the most exotic creatures on Aven are still composed of bones, cartilage, and muscle, with some sort of respiratory and circulatory system, the body of a Slime is composed of only five different types of tissue: skin, eye, digestive, reproductive, and muscle.
The outermost layer of a slime's body is skin tissue, an amorphous (or non-crystalline) solid that is soft to a gentle touch, but hardens proportionate to the force exacted on it. Slimes do not exert conscious control over this tissue, instead relying on connecting muscle tissue to move and shape it. Slimes are capable of converting muscle and skin tissue into one another, although this takes some time. If left without a skin membrane on its outer body, Slimes lose the ability to control the shape of their body, leaving them as a lump or blob, similar to their feral cousins.
Eye tissue is the only part of Slimes that is sensitive to temperature or light. Like their skin membrane it is formed from muscle tissue, and is the hardest part of a Slime, being a full-fledged solid, although as a result is also one of the most vulnerable parts, being rather brittle. Most Slimes that come into contact with humanoids keep their eyes in their heads, although there's nothing that necessarily prevents them from forming more (or less) than two eyes, or placing at odd locations.
Muscle tissue composes the bulk of a Slimes body. It is a viscous fluid capable of both expanding and contracting, as well as connecting to nearby tissues. Combined with a rigid internal or external structure, it allows Slimes a good deal of control over their shape and overall appearance.
Digestive tissue is responsible for breaking down organic matter and converting it to muscle tissue. It is the most liquid of all slime tissues, generally held near the center of the body or as several small 'pockets' throughout the body. Slimes are capable of breaking down and digesting almost any organic material, including matter that other species would find indigestible or harmful, such as rotten food. Since they lack many of the major organisms of other sentient species they are not susceptible to most viral and bacterial infections, hemotoxins, necrotoxins, and most damaging effects of paralytic neurotoxins. While Slimes that ingest paralytic toxins do suffer their effects, since they lack a respiratory or circulatory system that can fail, this is not lethal. Further, their exceptionally large body mass means that even the few poisons that can harm them generally result in minimal damage.
Reproductive tissue serves as a sort of null-zone for the Slime's consciousness, being compatible with their biology, but not truly a part of it. It serves as a 'buffer zone' inside of a Slime, allowing them to build a 'bud' of muscle and digestive tissue cut off from it's own sentience, which in turn allows this 'bud' to begin developing an intelligence of it's own, thereby reproducing. In order to prevent direct cloning in this fashion, when Slimes reproduce they seek out others of their kind to contribute in the bud's formation (one male and one female slime), allowing the species as a whole to become more diverse. This is one of the major differences between civil and feral slimes, as many feral slimes will reproduce through binary fission.
Young slimes take some time to learn how to properly control their body, remaining as small blobs for the first several years of their life. During this time they can not reliably generate digestive tissue on their own, and are reliant on their parents. Blue slimes produce a thin, sugary liquid colloquially known as 'slime nectar' designed specifically to feed them. Socially acclimated slimes will generally store this in their breasts and engage in breast feeding as a sort of learned behavior, while wilder ones will store it in any limb, such as legs or arms. By the time they're three or four years old, slimes can generally form their own digestive tissue reliably, and soon after learn how to form eye tissue and keep it separate to avoid accidentally re-digesting it. Slimes grow at a fairly steady rate for around fifteen years after that, at which point they can form a bud large enough to generate it's own consciousness.
3/05/2012
working, in its own way
i had some trouble while mentally organizing exactly how the game is going to manage combat. i think i could do a fair bit more to streamline it, but it would take lots of work. right now, the way the game loads enemies from memory is extremely messy and uses hardcoded info for things like attack/armor/health instead of drawing it from a file, but unless i want to build an entirely separate program designed to take a bunch of inputs and then write them to a file in such a way that they would be readable by a parser, i'm stuck with this. just add it onto the long-term goals, i guess. the fight with the knell patrol is going to be overly simplified for now (i'll go back and revamp it when i add party-based combat).
when all is said and done, i'd like most of the game data to be loaded from text files in one form or another: instead of consulting a bunch of variables typed into the code itself, i'd prefer for the game to open a text file, look for the data there, and then use that. this would basically allow the user to control everything about the game - the text displayed on startup, the minimums/maximums for character stats, the ability to add new types to existing body parts (frogue 2.0 : now with more than 200 types of cock!), even things like locations, events, and the like. that said, this is definitely be a long term goal: while it would turn the game into more of an 'engine' that other people could pick up and make their own games with, this would also mean that i would be signing off any semblance of ownership to it. truth be told, i sort of like this idea. i have no doubts that there are people out there who can write better than i can, and certainly there are those who can better represent their chosen fetish (or just feel like they have a story to tell), but lack the programming expertise to actually create a game like this.
obviously, this is all in the far, far, far future, once all of the features are added, the world is populated, and the story is told. but still... it's nice to have goals.
when all is said and done, i'd like most of the game data to be loaded from text files in one form or another: instead of consulting a bunch of variables typed into the code itself, i'd prefer for the game to open a text file, look for the data there, and then use that. this would basically allow the user to control everything about the game - the text displayed on startup, the minimums/maximums for character stats, the ability to add new types to existing body parts (frogue 2.0 : now with more than 200 types of cock!), even things like locations, events, and the like. that said, this is definitely be a long term goal: while it would turn the game into more of an 'engine' that other people could pick up and make their own games with, this would also mean that i would be signing off any semblance of ownership to it. truth be told, i sort of like this idea. i have no doubts that there are people out there who can write better than i can, and certainly there are those who can better represent their chosen fetish (or just feel like they have a story to tell), but lack the programming expertise to actually create a game like this.
obviously, this is all in the far, far, far future, once all of the features are added, the world is populated, and the story is told. but still... it's nice to have goals.
3/04/2012
and then,
i spent most of tonight working on populating data for the various creatures that you need to encounter. a lot of them (human, orc, goblin, etc bandits) are just copy/pastes with slightly different descriptions, which made things go fairly quickly. i found an outstanding bug with how people with dog cocks report the size of their knot (which hadn't been reported yet) and fixed it, and altered all of the error output messages slightly so they would report which class was calling them (eg, both 'entity' and 'enemy' have a functions named setCurrentHealth, so now it says which one is giving the error)
most of the persistent npcs will have names now. a short list:
-the kraken at west coast of aven
-the coastdweller/human adventurer at west coast of aven
-the lowland elf at rygal river mouth
-the penitent
-the leonid/trollkin convict
-the forester/lowland elf adventurer at titan's foot
-the human machinist
-the kraken raider
-the giantkin mountaineer
-the goblin adventurer at titan's hand
-the knight
-the demon
other existing, but currently unimplemented / non-enemy npcs are:
-the harpy at westcliff
-a dryad
-the imperial officer from the patrol around doren
-the bounty hunter
-the lepin/faekin with a bodyguard at vegel plains
-the ghost
-eight short and very specifically named imperials
the ones with two races listed have separate variants that show up depending on whether or not you have anthro turned on or off (and some may further not be romance-capable if you have mythic or beast turned on), but are otherwise functionally identical.
if anyone thinks they can name all of the eight imperials, they'll get a shout out in the related event.
most of the persistent npcs will have names now. a short list:
-the kraken at west coast of aven
-the coastdweller/human adventurer at west coast of aven
-the lowland elf at rygal river mouth
-the penitent
-the leonid/trollkin convict
-the forester/lowland elf adventurer at titan's foot
-the human machinist
-the kraken raider
-the giantkin mountaineer
-the goblin adventurer at titan's hand
-the knight
-the demon
other existing, but currently unimplemented / non-enemy npcs are:
-the harpy at westcliff
-a dryad
-the imperial officer from the patrol around doren
-the bounty hunter
-the lepin/faekin with a bodyguard at vegel plains
-the ghost
-eight short and very specifically named imperials
the ones with two races listed have separate variants that show up depending on whether or not you have anthro turned on or off (and some may further not be romance-capable if you have mythic or beast turned on), but are otherwise functionally identical.
if anyone thinks they can name all of the eight imperials, they'll get a shout out in the related event.
3/03/2012
combat system progress
so, the basics on the combat system.
the game is going to have relatively simplistic combat, with three separate actions: strike, feint, and guard. guard beats strike, feint beats guard, and strike beats feint. ten points if you already understand the ages old mechanic behind all of this. for now, it will probably display results like, "you strike. your opponent feints. you push their weak first strike aside and connect, dealing X damage" or "you strike. your opponent blocks. their defense puts you off balance, and the enemy's counter attack deals X damage", but this may be expanded to be more verbose in the future, since things like the opponent's stance, demeanor, behavior, etc can be used as tells for what their next move is going to be. ties will probably have differing results based on the individual action - block vs block might just result in both parties circling each other and not even making a single offensive move, feint would be a few cautious lunges and probing strikes with (maybe) half damage done to both parties, and strike might be both people taking full damage. it might be nice to have them all have unique effects, but there's still something to be said for efficiency (and i don't want to end up with a situation where everyone opens with, say, strike, because it has a 2 in 3 chance to deal full damage to an opponent, as opposed to block, which only does damage 1 in 3 times).
the basic formula is going to be [attackers strength + weapon damage - defenders armor = damage]. first group to reach 0 health loses the fight, but isn't necessarily killed. health is a bit of an abstract representation in this game, although to be fair, if i want to keep saying that it might be good to change it's name (stamina? heroism?). it's a combination of experience, endurance, ability, smarts, and so forth, a concrete measure of how much you can put yourself through before you make a mistake that allows your opponent to connect with a solid shot to put you out of the fight. high-level characters aren't necessarily physically more durable, but they do fight better, which justifies the hp increase.
i'm not going to include randomized elements, like dodges or critical strikes. in fact, i'm not even going to randomize the opponent's responses. maybe - maybe - for the opening move. i want enemies to have recognizable patterns in terms of how they respond to you; it creates a neat sort of situation, i think, where the player can encounter the same antagonist several times, eventually learning their patterns and using this to flawlessly beat them even though they're (relatively speaking) on equal terms. on the other hand, i don't want players to memorize these and then get into a situation where they say, "oh, another greater demon? block-feint-strike-strike, flawless victory" and go through the fight without actually bothering to check what their opponent is doing. again, this goes in to the amount of text that gets displayed - there can be tells (like an opponent shifting their weight to their back foot when they get ready to strike, or raising their shield slightly when they're getting ready to block) that would give the player an idea of the best way to attack, but still allow the opponent to respond randomly.
i have an idea on how i want group combat to work, although i'm not entirely decided on it yet. my preliminary idea is that, first, the melee on each side squares off. the teams split off into either dueling pairs, or goes two on one if needed. if it's 1v1, combat works normally. if it's 2v1, then the side with more uses the most advantageous of the attacks from it's group (so, if the players use strike and feint, and the enemy uses block, the feint gets used instead of the strike). you can't have 3 melee attacking the same opponent, since that would make combat next to impossible to win/lose (depending on if you're the 3, or the 1). ranged characters from either side get to choose to attack whoever they like, doing (weapon damage - armor) per strike. obviously, there's a benefit to having a melee character hold the line while a companion shoots from the back row. if a ranged character gets forced into melee, they have to rely on a 'backup' weapon (which will be listed by weapon, such as "bow with dagger"), which will have a markedly decreased damage than real weapons do.
with regards to the actual programming, i spent most of tonight organizing how the game is going to store things like enemy health, writing simple functions to make sure that you can't set an opponent's current health to a number higher than their maximum health, making sure the right event runs when an opponent gets defeated, that sort of thing. i didn't want to make a massive array with dozens of entries for how enemies respond to different attacks, so instead i'm making a simple file reader that will open up a file, search for a string of letters (lets say, "THIEFHU" for human thief or "THIEFOR" for an orc thief), and get the next ten characters after it, and then parse those ten to fill in the responses for when a block, strike, or feint succeeds, fails, or ties. it keeps the game from holding 10 numbers in memory for every individual enemy (which should dramatically decreases the game's memory footprint, seeing as how i already have around 90 enemies i need to fill out for various races of bandit, civilian, and soldier, not to mention the handful of npc's), and it lets people who really just don't give a damn go in and edit all of the numbers to 1's so they can just spam one button and get through the damn irritating combat and get straight to the hot, juicy troll-on-elf rape if they want to. really, everyone wins.
the game is going to have relatively simplistic combat, with three separate actions: strike, feint, and guard. guard beats strike, feint beats guard, and strike beats feint. ten points if you already understand the ages old mechanic behind all of this. for now, it will probably display results like, "you strike. your opponent feints. you push their weak first strike aside and connect, dealing X damage" or "you strike. your opponent blocks. their defense puts you off balance, and the enemy's counter attack deals X damage", but this may be expanded to be more verbose in the future, since things like the opponent's stance, demeanor, behavior, etc can be used as tells for what their next move is going to be. ties will probably have differing results based on the individual action - block vs block might just result in both parties circling each other and not even making a single offensive move, feint would be a few cautious lunges and probing strikes with (maybe) half damage done to both parties, and strike might be both people taking full damage. it might be nice to have them all have unique effects, but there's still something to be said for efficiency (and i don't want to end up with a situation where everyone opens with, say, strike, because it has a 2 in 3 chance to deal full damage to an opponent, as opposed to block, which only does damage 1 in 3 times).
the basic formula is going to be [attackers strength + weapon damage - defenders armor = damage]. first group to reach 0 health loses the fight, but isn't necessarily killed. health is a bit of an abstract representation in this game, although to be fair, if i want to keep saying that it might be good to change it's name (stamina? heroism?). it's a combination of experience, endurance, ability, smarts, and so forth, a concrete measure of how much you can put yourself through before you make a mistake that allows your opponent to connect with a solid shot to put you out of the fight. high-level characters aren't necessarily physically more durable, but they do fight better, which justifies the hp increase.
i'm not going to include randomized elements, like dodges or critical strikes. in fact, i'm not even going to randomize the opponent's responses. maybe - maybe - for the opening move. i want enemies to have recognizable patterns in terms of how they respond to you; it creates a neat sort of situation, i think, where the player can encounter the same antagonist several times, eventually learning their patterns and using this to flawlessly beat them even though they're (relatively speaking) on equal terms. on the other hand, i don't want players to memorize these and then get into a situation where they say, "oh, another greater demon? block-feint-strike-strike, flawless victory" and go through the fight without actually bothering to check what their opponent is doing. again, this goes in to the amount of text that gets displayed - there can be tells (like an opponent shifting their weight to their back foot when they get ready to strike, or raising their shield slightly when they're getting ready to block) that would give the player an idea of the best way to attack, but still allow the opponent to respond randomly.
i have an idea on how i want group combat to work, although i'm not entirely decided on it yet. my preliminary idea is that, first, the melee on each side squares off. the teams split off into either dueling pairs, or goes two on one if needed. if it's 1v1, combat works normally. if it's 2v1, then the side with more uses the most advantageous of the attacks from it's group (so, if the players use strike and feint, and the enemy uses block, the feint gets used instead of the strike). you can't have 3 melee attacking the same opponent, since that would make combat next to impossible to win/lose (depending on if you're the 3, or the 1). ranged characters from either side get to choose to attack whoever they like, doing (weapon damage - armor) per strike. obviously, there's a benefit to having a melee character hold the line while a companion shoots from the back row. if a ranged character gets forced into melee, they have to rely on a 'backup' weapon (which will be listed by weapon, such as "bow with dagger"), which will have a markedly decreased damage than real weapons do.
with regards to the actual programming, i spent most of tonight organizing how the game is going to store things like enemy health, writing simple functions to make sure that you can't set an opponent's current health to a number higher than their maximum health, making sure the right event runs when an opponent gets defeated, that sort of thing. i didn't want to make a massive array with dozens of entries for how enemies respond to different attacks, so instead i'm making a simple file reader that will open up a file, search for a string of letters (lets say, "THIEFHU" for human thief or "THIEFOR" for an orc thief), and get the next ten characters after it, and then parse those ten to fill in the responses for when a block, strike, or feint succeeds, fails, or ties. it keeps the game from holding 10 numbers in memory for every individual enemy (which should dramatically decreases the game's memory footprint, seeing as how i already have around 90 enemies i need to fill out for various races of bandit, civilian, and soldier, not to mention the handful of npc's), and it lets people who really just don't give a damn go in and edit all of the numbers to 1's so they can just spam one button and get through the damn irritating combat and get straight to the hot, juicy troll-on-elf rape if they want to. really, everyone wins.
2/29/2012
frogue 0.4.2b
http://www.mediafire.com/?5g096u5r1ppev7d
-fixed a few issues with the game menu being incomplete, and getting stuck in endless loops
-fixed a few issues with the game menu being incomplete, and getting stuck in endless loops
2/28/2012
frogue 0.4.2
http://www.mediafire.com/?vokyvakd5gt7gdz
frogue 0.4.2
-saving and loading characters works now
-increased the number of save slots to 6
-general navigation works now
-size of explorable continent increased to about 40 areas
-a large number of events are still one sentence 'stubs' with no real content
feedback, comments, suggestions, requests, or thoughts on which events i should fill out first are all welcome.
now that i'm going over my 'to do' list i'm realizing that i (sort of accidentally) knocked off three of the items on my list - persistent world data is in, and the existing system can easily handle cities and dialogue - which means that there's only three more features that need to be added before i can start focusing on content: combat, inventory, and the sex scene generation. i want to include a party interface to allow you to take companions with you, but that can be added after.
combat is next, for the 0.5.0 release.
frogue 0.4.2
-saving and loading characters works now
-increased the number of save slots to 6
-general navigation works now
-size of explorable continent increased to about 40 areas
-a large number of events are still one sentence 'stubs' with no real content
feedback, comments, suggestions, requests, or thoughts on which events i should fill out first are all welcome.
now that i'm going over my 'to do' list i'm realizing that i (sort of accidentally) knocked off three of the items on my list - persistent world data is in, and the existing system can easily handle cities and dialogue - which means that there's only three more features that need to be added before i can start focusing on content: combat, inventory, and the sex scene generation. i want to include a party interface to allow you to take companions with you, but that can be added after.
combat is next, for the 0.5.0 release.
release tomorrow
i'm about an hour short of posting 0.4.2. i haven't put saving and loading through the final bugtest, but the big kinks have been ironed out. all of the events that i've written are in place, navigation functions perfectly (the game even shows you which directions you can and can't go now), and all that i need to do is finish up the options menu (so you can finally put things into metric) and actually load the events into the locations (which isn't difficult, but takes time).
2/27/2012
locations now work
locations (should) now work properly, although since importing the old events isn't yet complete there isn't anything to do in them yet. loading should work although i haven't tied saving in yet. also, the game should now track world data - so far there's a few story-related flags, a bunch that are reserved for various npc events (like the dryad, which admittedly nobody will get to see until you can raise your stats). also haven't bug tested any of this so it probably doesn't work. i did a check out of curiosity, and the project is sitting at 15,000 lines of code and 2,700 lines of comments right now.
i may or may not have a lot of time available to program tomorrow, depending on how work ends up going. if i do have a lot of time i'll be able to put out 4.2 at around 5.30 / 6am us central, otherwise it will probably be out on tuesday.
if you open up the .txt files that the game creates to save data in and fiddle with things a bit, you could conceivably unlock the (beginnings) of a gangbang, but other than that, still no sex just yet.
i may or may not have a lot of time available to program tomorrow, depending on how work ends up going. if i do have a lot of time i'll be able to put out 4.2 at around 5.30 / 6am us central, otherwise it will probably be out on tuesday.
if you open up the .txt files that the game creates to save data in and fiddle with things a bit, you could conceivably unlock the (beginnings) of a gangbang, but other than that, still no sex just yet.
2/26/2012
Codex: Knell (city)
Location: Continent of Aven, eastern Rygal Forest
Population:
(anthro enabled) 79% Forester, 5% Ratkin, 4% Faekin, 4% Lepin, 3% Human, 3% other, 2% centaur
(anthro disabled) 80% human, 7% goblin, 5% orc, 4% faekin, 2% centaur, 2% other
Military:
Knell has a unified military and legal system, with the few full-time military personnel acting as sheriffs when the city is not at war. Although this leaves the city vulnerable at first glance, a number of factors make it more than capable, at least defensively. The large population of hunters and woodsmen in the area can turn into irregulars capable of carrying out ambushes and laying traps overnight, turning any attempted occupation into a grueling campaign against guerrillas. The city itself holds regular archery tournaments and open archery training camps for it's citizens, enabling them to easily be formed into a defensive force to man the town's walls. Beyond this, there are a number of independent militias, extremists who will occasionally clash with one another for one reason or another, but work together without hesitation to defend Knell from outsiders.
Rulership:
The rulership of Knell is both very simple and obtuse. In the strictest sense there is a single absolutist leader that manages the city and the buildings within it, collects taxes, organizes the military guard, and establishes law (most of which is concerned with theft of property, assault, and murder; there are no explicit economic, religious, or social laws to speak of). This is a hereditary position called Margave, passed from parent to eldest child (barring explicit instructions otherwise). The Margave serves as the absolute arbiter of disputes and keeper of peace, although in practice the day-to-day goings on in Knell is managed by various councils of the elder (50 and older) members of the city. It is rare, but not unheard of, for non-Foresters to be invited into these councils, which while lacking in any real authority, are respected enough for their expertise that those who go too often or too far from their advice will find living in Knell much more difficult, with inns suddenly running out of space or shops mysteriously being out of stock. These councils form to handle issues regarding everything from sanitation practices to the regulations regarding sale of imported alcohols, and can range from just a few individuals to dozens, depending on how many people's cooperation is needed to get a task done.
Economics:
The almost absolute lack of legal code regarding commercial exchange would make Knell an trader's haven, although the near anarchy that tends to break out from time to time (even in spite of the best efforts of the military guard) make the Trigare Commons, just to the south, a more popular stop for the more legitimate traders who don't need to worry about regulation so much. The unusual paradox of this is that it is possible to find almost anything in Knell except the things you would need on a day-to-day basis. All other governments recognize transactions in Knell as valid, however, making it a popular stop for those with less savory merchandise, such as certain alchemical supplies and weapons. Dwarven weapons and armor of a higher quality than Ironwall technically allows for exports infrequently show up in Knell, although the rogue traders who sell them rarely show up in person for fear of being identified and ostracized by their kin.
Underworld:
Gambling, prostitution, and slavery are all fairly commonplace in Knell, although confined to specific areas for one reason or another. Imperial slavers are common here, as it is one of the few other places on Aven where the laws regarding it aren't buried under mountains of laws that limit the duration of servitude. Gambling is surprisingly well-organized, in large part due to the fact that the frank anarchy of the city means that organizers have to maintain a reasonable degree of fairness or risk running afoul of one of Knell's many citizen militias. Prostitution is easily the most widespread and respected of the three, being generally regarded and treated as a legitimate profession by the populace at large, although a number of self-imported religious groups have also integrated themselves into the city to try and curb it's influence. These are generally regarded as being in poor taste but, unless they get too aggressive with their message, they are not harassed. Smuggling, technically speaking, is nonexistent in Knell because there are no import or export laws to break, which has made the city a haven for those transporting goods to or from other locations.
Persons of note:
Margave Faedr - The standing Margave, a 60-something Forester thought to be in his last few years of life. The two most likely heirs, his eldest son Laush (aged 43) and a granddaughter named Rhynd (aged 19).
Laush - The eldest child of Margave Faedr, Laush has established himself as a very capable member of the military guard, and has long been the go-to on matters of import when Faedr is unavailable. He bears no grudge towards Rhynd for her sudden rise to prominence, recognizing that even if she does become the de-facto leader of the city, she would likely turn to him to keep the military guard running smoothly.
Rhynd - Granddaughter of Margave Faedr and (by that) a niece to Laush, Rhynd spent the majority of her youth traveling with caravans, as there were no jobs within the city that her already rather large family needed her for. As a result she has gained, what is for a Forester, a surprising understanding of the politics on Aven as a whole, as well as forming several political and business relationships outside of Knell. This makes her a bit of a rarity among Foresters, and while many Foresters dislike the idea of increased interaction with the outside world, Margave Faedr sees the potential benefit that having a more diplomatic leader could have on the city.
Silas Barius - An Imperial citizen, Silas is the assumed name of the primary organizer of the Imperial hand of slavery in Knell. While close to fifty years old, he is still in robust condition, and is supposedly a former slave himself. While the truth of this is unknown, it is certain that he is intimately familiar with the business. He serves as the unofficial face of the slave trade in Knell, and is one of those few outsiders who are routinely brought into the relevant councils. He is much calmer and more collected than many Imperials, with a tendency to hold his tongue when words aren't necessary.
Population:
(anthro enabled) 79% Forester, 5% Ratkin, 4% Faekin, 4% Lepin, 3% Human, 3% other, 2% centaur
(anthro disabled) 80% human, 7% goblin, 5% orc, 4% faekin, 2% centaur, 2% other
Military:
Knell has a unified military and legal system, with the few full-time military personnel acting as sheriffs when the city is not at war. Although this leaves the city vulnerable at first glance, a number of factors make it more than capable, at least defensively. The large population of hunters and woodsmen in the area can turn into irregulars capable of carrying out ambushes and laying traps overnight, turning any attempted occupation into a grueling campaign against guerrillas. The city itself holds regular archery tournaments and open archery training camps for it's citizens, enabling them to easily be formed into a defensive force to man the town's walls. Beyond this, there are a number of independent militias, extremists who will occasionally clash with one another for one reason or another, but work together without hesitation to defend Knell from outsiders.
Rulership:
The rulership of Knell is both very simple and obtuse. In the strictest sense there is a single absolutist leader that manages the city and the buildings within it, collects taxes, organizes the military guard, and establishes law (most of which is concerned with theft of property, assault, and murder; there are no explicit economic, religious, or social laws to speak of). This is a hereditary position called Margave, passed from parent to eldest child (barring explicit instructions otherwise). The Margave serves as the absolute arbiter of disputes and keeper of peace, although in practice the day-to-day goings on in Knell is managed by various councils of the elder (50 and older) members of the city. It is rare, but not unheard of, for non-Foresters to be invited into these councils, which while lacking in any real authority, are respected enough for their expertise that those who go too often or too far from their advice will find living in Knell much more difficult, with inns suddenly running out of space or shops mysteriously being out of stock. These councils form to handle issues regarding everything from sanitation practices to the regulations regarding sale of imported alcohols, and can range from just a few individuals to dozens, depending on how many people's cooperation is needed to get a task done.
Economics:
The almost absolute lack of legal code regarding commercial exchange would make Knell an trader's haven, although the near anarchy that tends to break out from time to time (even in spite of the best efforts of the military guard) make the Trigare Commons, just to the south, a more popular stop for the more legitimate traders who don't need to worry about regulation so much. The unusual paradox of this is that it is possible to find almost anything in Knell except the things you would need on a day-to-day basis. All other governments recognize transactions in Knell as valid, however, making it a popular stop for those with less savory merchandise, such as certain alchemical supplies and weapons. Dwarven weapons and armor of a higher quality than Ironwall technically allows for exports infrequently show up in Knell, although the rogue traders who sell them rarely show up in person for fear of being identified and ostracized by their kin.
Underworld:
Gambling, prostitution, and slavery are all fairly commonplace in Knell, although confined to specific areas for one reason or another. Imperial slavers are common here, as it is one of the few other places on Aven where the laws regarding it aren't buried under mountains of laws that limit the duration of servitude. Gambling is surprisingly well-organized, in large part due to the fact that the frank anarchy of the city means that organizers have to maintain a reasonable degree of fairness or risk running afoul of one of Knell's many citizen militias. Prostitution is easily the most widespread and respected of the three, being generally regarded and treated as a legitimate profession by the populace at large, although a number of self-imported religious groups have also integrated themselves into the city to try and curb it's influence. These are generally regarded as being in poor taste but, unless they get too aggressive with their message, they are not harassed. Smuggling, technically speaking, is nonexistent in Knell because there are no import or export laws to break, which has made the city a haven for those transporting goods to or from other locations.
Persons of note:
Margave Faedr - The standing Margave, a 60-something Forester thought to be in his last few years of life. The two most likely heirs, his eldest son Laush (aged 43) and a granddaughter named Rhynd (aged 19).
Laush - The eldest child of Margave Faedr, Laush has established himself as a very capable member of the military guard, and has long been the go-to on matters of import when Faedr is unavailable. He bears no grudge towards Rhynd for her sudden rise to prominence, recognizing that even if she does become the de-facto leader of the city, she would likely turn to him to keep the military guard running smoothly.
Rhynd - Granddaughter of Margave Faedr and (by that) a niece to Laush, Rhynd spent the majority of her youth traveling with caravans, as there were no jobs within the city that her already rather large family needed her for. As a result she has gained, what is for a Forester, a surprising understanding of the politics on Aven as a whole, as well as forming several political and business relationships outside of Knell. This makes her a bit of a rarity among Foresters, and while many Foresters dislike the idea of increased interaction with the outside world, Margave Faedr sees the potential benefit that having a more diplomatic leader could have on the city.
Silas Barius - An Imperial citizen, Silas is the assumed name of the primary organizer of the Imperial hand of slavery in Knell. While close to fifty years old, he is still in robust condition, and is supposedly a former slave himself. While the truth of this is unknown, it is certain that he is intimately familiar with the business. He serves as the unofficial face of the slave trade in Knell, and is one of those few outsiders who are routinely brought into the relevant councils. He is much calmer and more collected than many Imperials, with a tendency to hold his tongue when words aren't necessary.
off topic work
spent some time tonight organizing how pregnancy is going to end up work (the one last major thing that i've forgotten). as far as time, it will literally take 9 months (in-game) for a human to have a child, and i do want things to impact the pregnancy (eg, engaging in hand-to-hand combat with ogres is inadvisable during your third trimester). the other side of this is that i want there to be plenty of non-combat activities available in the cities, from meeting people to managing properties (whether that's a shop or an inn), but for now, that's all in the far future. basically, i just put all of the relevant numbers and info into the game.
some races (like coastdwellers) will lay eggs. unlike live births, which are divided into the first/second/third trimester, eggs are handled with the first 'trimester' being conception to the formation of the egg, formation to they laying of the egg, and laying to the hatching of the egg. generally, the first two steps take a relatively short period of time, while the hatching takes noticeably longer. also, most humanoid egg-laying races will only lay one or two larger eggs, rather than lots of really small ones.
there are also two races - the haigen and kraken - that lay 'clutches', large amounts (40+) of very small eggs. these are measured from conception -> laying, laying -> hatching, and hatching -> maturity. since these eggs are smaller there's an extra step in between the 'birth' of leaving the egg and reaching an identifiable member of the species. in addition, the second and third stages see relatively high mortality rates - not all eggs hatch, and not all hatched spawn live to become juveniles.
slimes are the only race that leave 'buds'. these are a bit like eggs, but also have a chance to survive even if ruptured early. the basic reasoning is that slime reproduction involves them pulling off a bit of their own material, a part that doesn't hold memory or consciousness, and letting it rest in an egg until it 'heals' itself back into a full (if small) body. this has to be done separate from the slime because if the tissue tells it's still attached to brain matter, it won't generate more brain matter (to avoid things like having a slime with multiple consciousnesses in it).
also spent some time testing the main interface in preparation for the 4.2 release. the code for saving/loading characters and game settings is ported over, so it just needs to be linked up and it's ready. locations are functioning, they need to be linked up, and the directions info (stuff that tells the game which directions you can go from an area) needs to be linked into the menu and that will be ready. after that, 4.2 should be complete.
some races (like coastdwellers) will lay eggs. unlike live births, which are divided into the first/second/third trimester, eggs are handled with the first 'trimester' being conception to the formation of the egg, formation to they laying of the egg, and laying to the hatching of the egg. generally, the first two steps take a relatively short period of time, while the hatching takes noticeably longer. also, most humanoid egg-laying races will only lay one or two larger eggs, rather than lots of really small ones.
there are also two races - the haigen and kraken - that lay 'clutches', large amounts (40+) of very small eggs. these are measured from conception -> laying, laying -> hatching, and hatching -> maturity. since these eggs are smaller there's an extra step in between the 'birth' of leaving the egg and reaching an identifiable member of the species. in addition, the second and third stages see relatively high mortality rates - not all eggs hatch, and not all hatched spawn live to become juveniles.
slimes are the only race that leave 'buds'. these are a bit like eggs, but also have a chance to survive even if ruptured early. the basic reasoning is that slime reproduction involves them pulling off a bit of their own material, a part that doesn't hold memory or consciousness, and letting it rest in an egg until it 'heals' itself back into a full (if small) body. this has to be done separate from the slime because if the tissue tells it's still attached to brain matter, it won't generate more brain matter (to avoid things like having a slime with multiple consciousnesses in it).
also spent some time testing the main interface in preparation for the 4.2 release. the code for saving/loading characters and game settings is ported over, so it just needs to be linked up and it's ready. locations are functioning, they need to be linked up, and the directions info (stuff that tells the game which directions you can go from an area) needs to be linked into the menu and that will be ready. after that, 4.2 should be complete.
2/24/2012
work, again
re-did everything from last night (completed events for ~13 of the locations; a lot of the remaining content that needs to be transferred is simple placeholder events if i remember, so they shouldn't be too hard), added support for lactation fetish at a future point (kinda surprised i forgot that in the first place), trolled /d/ for ideas on what should come out of lizard tits.
from the thread on 4chan:
>Why not a nutritious fluid meant to help little slimes grow up big and strong? Slime "milk" would be like a thinner, simpler version of the goopy stuff that goo girls are made of, easy for other slimes to absorb.
>Googirl milk could also have a specific effect on non-slimes: increased fluid production. A few mouthfuls of it causes breasts (if any) to turn tightly engorged and leaky within minutes, and balls and prostates (if any) to be almost painfully desperate for release. It wears off pretty fast, but repeated exposure can have long-term effects, i.e. perpetually dribbling milk-factories and/or absurdly huge loads and a need to cum multiple times per day.
(response)
hrm... now that i'm thinking of it some more, it would make some sense for slimes to breast feed, given on how they reproduce. if they 'lay' smallish buds, rather than growing to massive size and splitting into two equal halves, you could have distinctly juvenile slimes. add to that a simple stipulation that slimes have a tougher, more membranous outer 'layer' that prevents accidental re-combination with other slimes, and you'd need a specialized system for feeding younger slimes that can't hunt on their own.
...which would also mean slimes in this world can feed on things other than cock juice, which would make sense both in terms of allowing them to grow to human-like sizes without milking millions of cocks, and avoiding loli slime controversy. age-related shenanigans is one of the few things that is strictly not going to be in the game.
>Semi-serious idea, maybe lizard tits can squirt out natural lubricant. Hear me out:
>>Lizard people aren't really breastfeeding types
>>Lizard people don't naturally lubricate "down there"
>>Sex is very chafe-prone
>>In addition to kinda sorta making sense for biological reasons, lube titties would also mean that lizard women prepare for sex by "milking" themselves onto their partners' cocks and their own pussies, which is a little bit HNNNGH
(response)
A worthwhile thought...
(not posted: i really do like the idea behind it. gives cold blooded races a noticeably different physiology, which is nice from a diversity standpoint, but means you need to track lube production. not as simple as just using race, since characters will be able to significantly alter their character over time, eventually turning race into a mutable concept.)
>You know I honestly think the fluid doesn't matter that much. Most people (as do I) only like lactation in hentai for its extreme nature, where it squirts out real hard. It mimics a male orgasm and at the same time shows the girls fertility. If I look at regular porn with lactation however, it grosses me out as it simply drips down in watery streams.
>Whatever comes out, it should be thick and plenty. Even though it is kind dull, simple milk is possibly the best. I don't really like the idea of goo for goo girls as it essentially means she's squirting out herself which doesn't sound sexy at all. Maybe water would work for them, as although it's a large part of them it's not the girl itself especially (and it makes for good stories as she'll have to be filled up again, hue hue).
>For other creatures liek reptiles it's a bit harder. A reptile squirting milk might be over the WSoD. How about venom? Seeing as this is a h-game, venom would obviously mean aphrodisiac
(response)
as i've tried to explain it before, if fenoxo's CoC is /d/, this game is going to be more /tg/. a bit more 'realistic' in terms of that sort of thing; instead of whipping your cock out during combat and fucking your opponent into submission, you whip it out after they've been forced to surrender and explain that there's only one way they're going free.
although, if you give the males a sort of low sex drive and turn females into the sexually aggressive type, it would make sense as a sexual stimulant... and possibly cue some snake girl date rape. i think i might actually end up going with that.
so, how about the people reading the blog? what sorts of ideas do people have? new ideas? expansions on one of the above? right now it's just being called "PLACEHOLDER", so any ideas are going to be better than what's currently in the game.
from the thread on 4chan:
>Why not a nutritious fluid meant to help little slimes grow up big and strong? Slime "milk" would be like a thinner, simpler version of the goopy stuff that goo girls are made of, easy for other slimes to absorb.
>Googirl milk could also have a specific effect on non-slimes: increased fluid production. A few mouthfuls of it causes breasts (if any) to turn tightly engorged and leaky within minutes, and balls and prostates (if any) to be almost painfully desperate for release. It wears off pretty fast, but repeated exposure can have long-term effects, i.e. perpetually dribbling milk-factories and/or absurdly huge loads and a need to cum multiple times per day.
(response)
hrm... now that i'm thinking of it some more, it would make some sense for slimes to breast feed, given on how they reproduce. if they 'lay' smallish buds, rather than growing to massive size and splitting into two equal halves, you could have distinctly juvenile slimes. add to that a simple stipulation that slimes have a tougher, more membranous outer 'layer' that prevents accidental re-combination with other slimes, and you'd need a specialized system for feeding younger slimes that can't hunt on their own.
...which would also mean slimes in this world can feed on things other than cock juice, which would make sense both in terms of allowing them to grow to human-like sizes without milking millions of cocks, and avoiding loli slime controversy. age-related shenanigans is one of the few things that is strictly not going to be in the game.
>Semi-serious idea, maybe lizard tits can squirt out natural lubricant. Hear me out:
>>Lizard people aren't really breastfeeding types
>>Lizard people don't naturally lubricate "down there"
>>Sex is very chafe-prone
>>In addition to kinda sorta making sense for biological reasons, lube titties would also mean that lizard women prepare for sex by "milking" themselves onto their partners' cocks and their own pussies, which is a little bit HNNNGH
(response)
A worthwhile thought...
(not posted: i really do like the idea behind it. gives cold blooded races a noticeably different physiology, which is nice from a diversity standpoint, but means you need to track lube production. not as simple as just using race, since characters will be able to significantly alter their character over time, eventually turning race into a mutable concept.)
>You know I honestly think the fluid doesn't matter that much. Most people (as do I) only like lactation in hentai for its extreme nature, where it squirts out real hard. It mimics a male orgasm and at the same time shows the girls fertility. If I look at regular porn with lactation however, it grosses me out as it simply drips down in watery streams.
>Whatever comes out, it should be thick and plenty. Even though it is kind dull, simple milk is possibly the best. I don't really like the idea of goo for goo girls as it essentially means she's squirting out herself which doesn't sound sexy at all. Maybe water would work for them, as although it's a large part of them it's not the girl itself especially (and it makes for good stories as she'll have to be filled up again, hue hue).
>For other creatures liek reptiles it's a bit harder. A reptile squirting milk might be over the WSoD. How about venom? Seeing as this is a h-game, venom would obviously mean aphrodisiac
(response)
as i've tried to explain it before, if fenoxo's CoC is /d/, this game is going to be more /tg/. a bit more 'realistic' in terms of that sort of thing; instead of whipping your cock out during combat and fucking your opponent into submission, you whip it out after they've been forced to surrender and explain that there's only one way they're going free.
although, if you give the males a sort of low sex drive and turn females into the sexually aggressive type, it would make sense as a sexual stimulant... and possibly cue some snake girl date rape. i think i might actually end up going with that.
so, how about the people reading the blog? what sorts of ideas do people have? new ideas? expansions on one of the above? right now it's just being called "PLACEHOLDER", so any ideas are going to be better than what's currently in the game.
2/23/2012
argh
>spend four hours coding
>backup files
>accidentally copy backup files over the newer versions
>ffs
>backup files
>accidentally copy backup files over the newer versions
>ffs
2/22/2012
Codex: Faekin
In-game description: Faekin are slight, spirited humanoids with a strong link to the mystical. Although the widely held belief is that faekin, rather then actually being of fey blood, are simply those touched by magic while still infants, there are those who hold that this is not the case.
Average male height: 4' 5" (137 cm)
Average male weight: ~100 lbs (~45 kg)
Notable traits:
Faekin have eyes that practically sparkle, with white irises not being unheard of or even uncommon. They typically have some shade of blonde hair, although red and black hair also occurs in lower numbers. They tend to have pointed ears, although a small amount will have more human-like ears, which is generally considered 'exotic' by other faekin. Their skin covers the same color range as humans. They have a quartet of large, diaphanous wings, similar to dragonflies, on their backs. These are largely nonfunctional, although they can produce a pleasant breeze when needed. Faekin tend to wear specially tailored clothes, either to protect their somewhat fragile wings under a strong (but well ventilated) leaher pad, or to expose them so they can serve as a symbol of their heritage. Clothes of this type generally have firm leather chest pieces as well, as faekin tend to have unusually sensitive chests.
Physical traits:
Faekin have narrow shoulders and thin arms, but are surprisingly strong for their size. Obesity is rare among them, as their wings allow the to burn significant amounts of energy, providing a simple and easy means of exercise. Faekin can live for around 140 years, although very few live past 120.
Society:
Faekin tend to form insular communities within larger social groups, and very rarely gather in groups composed exclusively of Faekin. They end to enjoy variety, or more specifically, they enjoy a bit of chaos. They prefer to let others do the 'ruling' and 'leading', avoiding positions of responsibility whenever possible and simply disappearing overnight if things start becoming unpleasant. While some point to this as further proof that they truly are descended from the likes of fairies, the truth is that faekin tend to easily and quickly incorporate themselves into whatever sort of underworld happens to be present in a city. Their frequently loose morals and willingness to get themselves into trouble, coupled with their already prodigious urge to get into trouble, leads them astray more often than not, although they rarely dig themselves too deeply, few having the heart to deliberately or willingly cause harm to others. They are famous as information mongers, dealers of contraband alchemical substances, and smugglers, and more often than not, it is their connections that enable them to disappear at a moments notice.
NOTE: if the player has chosen to enable body deformation content, Faekin acquire a slight elastic quality.
Average male height: 4' 5" (137 cm)
Average male weight: ~100 lbs (~45 kg)
Notable traits:
Faekin have eyes that practically sparkle, with white irises not being unheard of or even uncommon. They typically have some shade of blonde hair, although red and black hair also occurs in lower numbers. They tend to have pointed ears, although a small amount will have more human-like ears, which is generally considered 'exotic' by other faekin. Their skin covers the same color range as humans. They have a quartet of large, diaphanous wings, similar to dragonflies, on their backs. These are largely nonfunctional, although they can produce a pleasant breeze when needed. Faekin tend to wear specially tailored clothes, either to protect their somewhat fragile wings under a strong (but well ventilated) leaher pad, or to expose them so they can serve as a symbol of their heritage. Clothes of this type generally have firm leather chest pieces as well, as faekin tend to have unusually sensitive chests.
Physical traits:
Faekin have narrow shoulders and thin arms, but are surprisingly strong for their size. Obesity is rare among them, as their wings allow the to burn significant amounts of energy, providing a simple and easy means of exercise. Faekin can live for around 140 years, although very few live past 120.
Society:
Faekin tend to form insular communities within larger social groups, and very rarely gather in groups composed exclusively of Faekin. They end to enjoy variety, or more specifically, they enjoy a bit of chaos. They prefer to let others do the 'ruling' and 'leading', avoiding positions of responsibility whenever possible and simply disappearing overnight if things start becoming unpleasant. While some point to this as further proof that they truly are descended from the likes of fairies, the truth is that faekin tend to easily and quickly incorporate themselves into whatever sort of underworld happens to be present in a city. Their frequently loose morals and willingness to get themselves into trouble, coupled with their already prodigious urge to get into trouble, leads them astray more often than not, although they rarely dig themselves too deeply, few having the heart to deliberately or willingly cause harm to others. They are famous as information mongers, dealers of contraband alchemical substances, and smugglers, and more often than not, it is their connections that enable them to disappear at a moments notice.
NOTE: if the player has chosen to enable body deformation content, Faekin acquire a slight elastic quality.
2/21/2012
event overhaul
put 70 some events into the new system, drawing from... maybe, 30 from the 0.3.0 code. the conversation with the patrol outside of doren took about 25separate event entries, and it's still only half finished.
i'm noticing that i still haven't set aside time for writing the faekin codex. i'll get to it tomorrow.
i'm noticing that i still haven't set aside time for writing the faekin codex. i'll get to it tomorrow.
2/20/2012
frogue 0.4.1
http://www.mediafire.com/?5s9da6hvqatrz68
-the text window should scroll properly when new text is output now
-fixed a bug that was causing entities with multiple possible sclera colors to have invalid sclera colors
-fixed a bug that was causing erratic behavior during character creation for entities without hai
-race/gender/sexual orientation should now accept text input (eg "human" "orc" "dwarf") in addition to numeric input (eg "1" "2" "6")
-added popups when the player gives invalid input to clarify what type of input the game wants
-attempted (?) to clarify the first few lines of text that pop up when you try to make a new character to make it clearer where the text entry bar is
location still doesn't function. i'm going to have to redo how i had the dialogue system set up before - instead of just passing the game a function that contains the event in it's entirety (dialogue and all), it has to be done a single element at a time: each individual branch and leaf in a dialogue tree needs to be its own individual event.
basically, i need to recode the way that the game handles locations, which will slow down the actual release... so, this is just a few bug fixes. it shouldn't work beyond character creation.
-the text window should scroll properly when new text is output now
-fixed a bug that was causing entities with multiple possible sclera colors to have invalid sclera colors
-fixed a bug that was causing erratic behavior during character creation for entities without hai
-race/gender/sexual orientation should now accept text input (eg "human" "orc" "dwarf") in addition to numeric input (eg "1" "2" "6")
-added popups when the player gives invalid input to clarify what type of input the game wants
-attempted (?) to clarify the first few lines of text that pop up when you try to make a new character to make it clearer where the text entry bar is
location still doesn't function. i'm going to have to redo how i had the dialogue system set up before - instead of just passing the game a function that contains the event in it's entirety (dialogue and all), it has to be done a single element at a time: each individual branch and leaf in a dialogue tree needs to be its own individual event.
basically, i need to recode the way that the game handles locations, which will slow down the actual release... so, this is just a few bug fixes. it shouldn't work beyond character creation.
2/18/2012
frogue 0.4.0
http://www.mediafire.com/?9kokoo5b1sha4pb
the gui is implemented and character creation functions once more. i can't guarantee how nicely it will display, since that depends in large part on what font the game decides to display in (on windows 7, it should be rather neatly aligned, more or less...) if needed i can just make a fairly simple work-around by providing a more textual description (eg. "you are a xx-year old male human. you have xx colored hair of xx length", etc).
wanted to get a release out this week. ported over the code for saving and loading, but i'm going to link all of that up at the same time as i implement locations, since it all needs to tie into the button menu. that will be 0.4.1, and once it's functioning, i'll start working on combat.
the things needed for the party interface (sort of) exist, but i need to implement it still.
reported bugs:
-entering race selection is broken in a nonspecified way (maybe trying to use the race name instead of number? going to make it work both ways)
-the return key does not enter text through the text box
-creating a slime and golem causes an error with getRandom()
-some goblins have their eye sclera color returned as ERROR
the gui is implemented and character creation functions once more. i can't guarantee how nicely it will display, since that depends in large part on what font the game decides to display in (on windows 7, it should be rather neatly aligned, more or less...) if needed i can just make a fairly simple work-around by providing a more textual description (eg. "you are a xx-year old male human. you have xx colored hair of xx length", etc).
wanted to get a release out this week. ported over the code for saving and loading, but i'm going to link all of that up at the same time as i implement locations, since it all needs to tie into the button menu. that will be 0.4.1, and once it's functioning, i'll start working on combat.
the things needed for the party interface (sort of) exist, but i need to implement it still.
reported bugs:
-entering race selection is broken in a nonspecified way (maybe trying to use the race name instead of number? going to make it work both ways)
-the return key does not enter text through the text box
-creating a slime and golem causes an error with getRandom()
-some goblins have their eye sclera color returned as ERROR
display is functional, character generation works. need to link up save/load functionality and world generation (which should be simple since it doesn't require player input) and it's ready to release. should be out tomorrow, hopefully before midnight, although that shouldn't be interpreted as a promise.
it looks like i'm going to be writing the codex for faekin next. i think i'm stating to see a trend towards the 'pretty' and 'exotic' races.
2/17/2012
progress!
had some issues getting text input to work. the GetWindowText() function uses a LPTSTR to put the text into, which is virtually impossible to convert into a string. after spending two hours hunting the web for a solution, i realized that i had already - in fact - solved this issue when i was working on getting text output to the game and system boxes cumulative instead of replacing older content. basically, by not using LPTSTR at all, but instead by using an array of TCHAR (which is what LPTSTR is in the first place), which neatly fits into a string without any issues. after that i had some issues getting the message box that asks you to confirm your entry to pop up (it wouldn't show up without pressing the alt key), which was fixed after a little bit of google fu.
everything is coming together nicely, and while a release is unlikely today it should be up by tomorrow. in other news - i found out that there's actually another game (a finished looking one, no less) using the name frogue. not because they contacted me or anything, i just googled it out of curiosity. so, the name will probably change for the next release. the blog's name, though, will remain the same (for consistency purposes).
everything is coming together nicely, and while a release is unlikely today it should be up by tomorrow. in other news - i found out that there's actually another game (a finished looking one, no less) using the name frogue. not because they contacted me or anything, i just googled it out of curiosity. so, the name will probably change for the next release. the blog's name, though, will remain the same (for consistency purposes).
2/15/2012
a bit of progress, again
imported the location and world classes from the old version of frogue, implemented the party class, made everything report error messages to the system pane. also figured out how to actually use resources outside the main .cpp file, which was sort of necessary for getting objects to work.
working with windows is kind of confusing. it's not linear - windows basically runs a single, continuous loop that listens for whatever input the keyboard / buttons give, and then runs functions based on whatever input you give it. so it ends up looking something like this:
if(button pushed = keypad 0) {
if gamestate = 1 { do this }
else if gamestate = 2 { do this}
etc
}
if(button pushed = keypad 1) {
etc
}
so basically, i need to write ten statements for each possible input to tell the program how it should respond if the game is, say, in 'movement' mode (go north/go south/etc). it's a massive pain to keep everything straight. still - progress is progress. at the very least, i think i know how everything should go together now.
working with windows is kind of confusing. it's not linear - windows basically runs a single, continuous loop that listens for whatever input the keyboard / buttons give, and then runs functions based on whatever input you give it. so it ends up looking something like this:
if(button pushed = keypad 0) {
if gamestate = 1 { do this }
else if gamestate = 2 { do this}
etc
}
if(button pushed = keypad 1) {
etc
}
so basically, i need to write ten statements for each possible input to tell the program how it should respond if the game is, say, in 'movement' mode (go north/go south/etc). it's a massive pain to keep everything straight. still - progress is progress. at the very least, i think i know how everything should go together now.
Codex: Golems
In-game description: Golems are animated chunks of stone, metal, or similar material, given the ability to move through magic. Exceptionally rare in the first place, taking great magical power to create, golems do not become self-aware until they have lived for at least several hundred years, long after their creators have passed away.
Average male height: 7'5"(225 cm)
Average male weight: ~540 lbs (~245 kg)
Notable traits: Golems have eyes that are a solid white, gray, or brown, with no visible pupil or iris. They are capable of seeing normally, but in areas lacking light, they can also sense heat signatures. As constructs, they lack any form of hair, as well as the ability to grow it. They have skin which is tough and rock-like when struck, but yields slightly when pressed slowly. Texturally, it ranges from smooth to rough. Golems are made from a single rock type each, usually sedimentary, such as marble, chalk, or sandstone. Most Golems - though not all - are generally crafted with sexual characteristics modeled after males, females, or both. All known Golems appear to be scaled-up humans, with the notable exception of those with male genitals, which (while similar in size to an ordinary human) are rather poorly endowed given their size. Further suggesting their use in sexual relationships is the fact that Golems do secrete a lubricating fluid from the mouth, anus, and sexual organs, and are also capable of ejaculation, although they do need to consume small amounts of fluid and organic material to do so. If a Golem distinctly based on other races, such as Trollkin or Dwarves, exists, it has yet to be discovered.
Physical traits: Proportionately, Golems are nearly identical to humans, albeit scaled up. While they seem to exhibit monumental strength in some cases, their very makeup suggests that much of this is used simply in movement. Although inorganic, Golems do consume rocks, which they somehow process into 'replacement' material for damaged or destroyed parts. As such, Golems can not only recover from injury, but (if sufficient stone is available), can do so much more quickly than organic creatures. The lifespan of a Golems is still under debate; there are documented specimens as young as 300 years old, and one identified case of a Golem as old as 2900 years old. No documented case of a Golem 'dying' of natural causes has been recorded, although on occasion they will leave or 'sleep' for several hundred years at a time. The most notable example of this is the Marble Colossus, a massive construct nearly nine feet tall that watches the main entrance of Doren. There are thousands of well-documented reports that the Colossus activated and strode into battle when the a large army of mercenaries, planning on sacking the city, laid siege to it more than two hundred years ago.
Society: Golems are exceptionally rare. There are only a handful known to exist, and roughly thirty cases with enough evidence to support a living Golem. There are, of course, myths and legends of hundreds of other cases, which range from hoaxes and cons, to almost religious worship. It is theorized by some that it's possible to tell the origin of a Golem my their construction, although there are not nearly enough recognized, documented accounts to form a clear pattern. What is known is that they are generally created as guardians, sometimes outlasting the person or structure they were set to guard. There are two theories as to how they gain sentience: the first is that it is the result of several hundred years of accumulated experience; while generally created with little directive beyond their initial task, after a long enough time of observation, Golems become sentient once they reach a certain 'threshhold' of information. The other is that the magic compelling Golems to their duty 'fades' over time while the magic that creates them does not, resulting in the Golems being released as the binding magic dissipates, but still remaining active. Golems are generally most active between 200 and 500 years of age, with their activity steadily declining and their actions becoming more and more divorced from a 'human' outlook as time continues.
Average male height: 7'5"(225 cm)
Average male weight: ~540 lbs (~245 kg)
Notable traits: Golems have eyes that are a solid white, gray, or brown, with no visible pupil or iris. They are capable of seeing normally, but in areas lacking light, they can also sense heat signatures. As constructs, they lack any form of hair, as well as the ability to grow it. They have skin which is tough and rock-like when struck, but yields slightly when pressed slowly. Texturally, it ranges from smooth to rough. Golems are made from a single rock type each, usually sedimentary, such as marble, chalk, or sandstone. Most Golems - though not all - are generally crafted with sexual characteristics modeled after males, females, or both. All known Golems appear to be scaled-up humans, with the notable exception of those with male genitals, which (while similar in size to an ordinary human) are rather poorly endowed given their size. Further suggesting their use in sexual relationships is the fact that Golems do secrete a lubricating fluid from the mouth, anus, and sexual organs, and are also capable of ejaculation, although they do need to consume small amounts of fluid and organic material to do so. If a Golem distinctly based on other races, such as Trollkin or Dwarves, exists, it has yet to be discovered.
Physical traits: Proportionately, Golems are nearly identical to humans, albeit scaled up. While they seem to exhibit monumental strength in some cases, their very makeup suggests that much of this is used simply in movement. Although inorganic, Golems do consume rocks, which they somehow process into 'replacement' material for damaged or destroyed parts. As such, Golems can not only recover from injury, but (if sufficient stone is available), can do so much more quickly than organic creatures. The lifespan of a Golems is still under debate; there are documented specimens as young as 300 years old, and one identified case of a Golem as old as 2900 years old. No documented case of a Golem 'dying' of natural causes has been recorded, although on occasion they will leave or 'sleep' for several hundred years at a time. The most notable example of this is the Marble Colossus, a massive construct nearly nine feet tall that watches the main entrance of Doren. There are thousands of well-documented reports that the Colossus activated and strode into battle when the a large army of mercenaries, planning on sacking the city, laid siege to it more than two hundred years ago.
Society: Golems are exceptionally rare. There are only a handful known to exist, and roughly thirty cases with enough evidence to support a living Golem. There are, of course, myths and legends of hundreds of other cases, which range from hoaxes and cons, to almost religious worship. It is theorized by some that it's possible to tell the origin of a Golem my their construction, although there are not nearly enough recognized, documented accounts to form a clear pattern. What is known is that they are generally created as guardians, sometimes outlasting the person or structure they were set to guard. There are two theories as to how they gain sentience: the first is that it is the result of several hundred years of accumulated experience; while generally created with little directive beyond their initial task, after a long enough time of observation, Golems become sentient once they reach a certain 'threshhold' of information. The other is that the magic compelling Golems to their duty 'fades' over time while the magic that creates them does not, resulting in the Golems being released as the binding magic dissipates, but still remaining active. Golems are generally most active between 200 and 500 years of age, with their activity steadily declining and their actions becoming more and more divorced from a 'human' outlook as time continues.
2/14/2012
one step forward, one step back
finally figured out what i needed to be searching for to find a proper text output. apparently, i was using entirely the wrong bit of the windows api to try and display text. anyway, when i first switched over, it broke the text output. then i realized the window updates properly, but wasn't visually updating until you do something to the window (touch the scroll bar, move the window on your screen, highlight the text area, etc). but it's text, it scrolls, and i can output as much as i want - though, to prevent it from bloating too much, i'm (temporarily) putting a limit of around 33,000 characters as far as how much it will display at a time... which is about ~7000 words, give or take, which i assume will be fine. i can always bump it up if need be.
still, the largest issue (not being able to get it to display scrolling text) is solved. button input is working fine, text output is working fine... just need to figure out why the thing isn't visually updating. in the meantime, i just need to play around with reading text from a text input (for player names) and the game will be back at 0.4.0.
still, the largest issue (not being able to get it to display scrolling text) is solved. button input is working fine, text output is working fine... just need to figure out why the thing isn't visually updating. in the meantime, i just need to play around with reading text from a text input (for player names) and the game will be back at 0.4.0.
2/13/2012
difficulties
well. the 10key now takes input properly, although i need to figure out how to output large amounts of text to the game and system displays before any sort of release will be possible. at current, i can add however much text i want (and actually add new text instead of just replacing it), but the box isn't scrolling. also, i'm having some difficulty in getting button clicks to work properly; it's not difficult in the least with visual studio c++, but then again, i actually know what i'm programming without it.
i think i found a muse tonight.
i think i found a muse tonight.
2/11/2012
slowly, but surely
still trying to figure out exactly how to get the game to do what i want it to do. one big task tonight was to go through all of the functions in the entity class (characters, basically) and make sure all of the functions that report error messages when they get passed an invalid value report it to the system messages panel. also, replacing several hundred instances of commands that output text to the console so they could display to the game panel. not terribly difficult work, but there's a lot of it, and it needs to be done.
now that i'm getting around to it, though, i'm really glad that i'm getting to this early in the development. it's basically going through all of the code i've written up to now and rewriting it all slightly.
also, there's a poll up right now about which race gets the next codex entry. golems are leading so far, with trollkin not far behind. nobody cares about the ambulatory iguanas, it seems.
now that i'm getting around to it, though, i'm really glad that i'm getting to this early in the development. it's basically going through all of the code i've written up to now and rewriting it all slightly.
also, there's a poll up right now about which race gets the next codex entry. golems are leading so far, with trollkin not far behind. nobody cares about the ambulatory iguanas, it seems.
2/10/2012
definite progress
if the rest of the week remains relatively peaceful, i should be able to get 0.4.0 out by this sunday.
2/09/2012
first look
obviously, it's still kind of shit. and too large to view properly in the blog. but, i know how to put it together, which means i should have a full, if non-functional, window up by tomorrow, and (if things go well) a semi-functional window by the end of the week. the 0.4.0 release is going to be a bit of a step back in terms of what you can do, since i'm going to have to rebuild everything to work with the gui, but it should allow you to create and view your character. 0.4.1 is going to add locations back in, 0.4.2 is going to bring saving back in. after that everything should be more or less in place, so the development speed should pick back up again.
out of curiosity, which codex would everyone like me to put up next: coastdweller, trollkin, or golem?
2/08/2012
somewhat progress?
well, i've found out how to fix the errors the compiler is giving me when i try to set up a button with 'NULL' passed as the last parameter: you ignore it.
no, seriously. just compile the code anyway and it runs fine. i've also figured out how to make text appear, though i'm honestly still working on getting it to function for what i want to use it for (displaying game-related text to the player). going to spend some time toying with code, getting frustrated, and then giving up to play minesweeper for a few minutes before coming back to it. for the curious, my best time is 181 seconds on expert. it helps distract me from the growing realization that i'm basically going to have to re-code the entire entire to make it work with the gui, although there will be a decent amount of stuff that i can (almost) copy and paste that has to do with things like classes, function declarations, and simple data. this also might be a good place to learn how to use xml with c++, but on the upside, i should be able to pop up a dialogue box now so you can save wherever you like, name saves whatever you like, and try to load files that have nothing to do with the game.
in other words, i am doing more than just writing fluff for the world.
no, seriously. just compile the code anyway and it runs fine. i've also figured out how to make text appear, though i'm honestly still working on getting it to function for what i want to use it for (displaying game-related text to the player). going to spend some time toying with code, getting frustrated, and then giving up to play minesweeper for a few minutes before coming back to it. for the curious, my best time is 181 seconds on expert. it helps distract me from the growing realization that i'm basically going to have to re-code the entire entire to make it work with the gui, although there will be a decent amount of stuff that i can (almost) copy and paste that has to do with things like classes, function declarations, and simple data. this also might be a good place to learn how to use xml with c++, but on the upside, i should be able to pop up a dialogue box now so you can save wherever you like, name saves whatever you like, and try to load files that have nothing to do with the game.
in other words, i am doing more than just writing fluff for the world.
Codex: Dwarves
In-game description: Short, stocky, stubborn, and reclusive. Dwarves are shorter than humans and generally not as well socialized due to their sometimes hermetic lifestyles, but their excellent eyesight in the dark makes them well suited to a cave-dwelling lifestyle.
Average male height: 4'6" (136 cm)
Average male weight: ~119 lbs (~54kg)
Notable traits:
A handful of dwarves (less than 1%) are born with white irises. All Dwarves are able to see in absolute darkness, making them excellent miners. The down side of this, however, is that some Dwarves have difficulty seeing in brightly lit conditions. They have hair color mostly the same as humans, although redheads are more common, and a good number also have gray or white hare even at a young age. All male Dwarves wear some form of beard and mustache if given the chance, with braids and fanciful patterns being common. Some Dwarves develop tough, leathery skin, and a scant few suffer from a condition that can harden it to an almost stone-like composition. Their skin tends to keep lighter tones, with the darkest-skinned Dwarves still having little more than a healthy tan. Dwarven women are rather famously busty for their height, a reputation which they aren't shy about in the least.
Physical traits:
Dwarves tend to be somewhat heavy for their size, with barrel-chests and thick, strong arms. Despite their height they aren't lacking for strength, and their low center of gravity lets them leverage it extremely well. Dwarves generally live into their hundreds, with some pressing even to 300 years old. Unlike some other long-lived races, Dwarves retain their vitality throughout their entire lives, peaking physically around 60 years and then declining slightly until reaching a plateau at 100.
Society:
To outsiders, Dwarven society is at best mad and at worst absolute anarchy. Dwarves rarely have any kind of formal hierarchy or rulership, with virtually every Dwarf being able to trace their heritage back to some prince or other royal. If anything, Dwarves operate mostly by communal agreement, and while a single physical city might consist of a great many Dwarves, these will be divided into many 'wards', each bent towards a specific task. Put simply, like minded Dwarves attract each other, and they tend to be too single-minded on accomplishing their tasks to bother fighting.
Culture:
The largest consequence of being quick to breed and long-lived is that Dwarves are practically suicidal compared to other races. They have no problems throwing themselves into dangerous situations, whether it's mining without properly supporting their tunnels or getting drunk and trying to kiss a bear. Beyond this, Dwarven culture tends to revolve around three things: metal, architecture, and madness. The famed Dwarven ingenuity is largely a product of long lives devoted to a single idea which may or may not be possible in the first place. If nothing else, it has lead to the greatest triumph of the Dwarves, which is their metallurgical knowledge. Hundreds of years of experimentation has lead Dwarves to mapping the exact process of refining and combining metals and alloys, measured down to the weight of a grain of sand and the exact construction of the tools, and yet they have not found the finding perfect tin alloy for dinnerware.
Average male height: 4'6" (136 cm)
Average male weight: ~119 lbs (~54kg)
Notable traits:
A handful of dwarves (less than 1%) are born with white irises. All Dwarves are able to see in absolute darkness, making them excellent miners. The down side of this, however, is that some Dwarves have difficulty seeing in brightly lit conditions. They have hair color mostly the same as humans, although redheads are more common, and a good number also have gray or white hare even at a young age. All male Dwarves wear some form of beard and mustache if given the chance, with braids and fanciful patterns being common. Some Dwarves develop tough, leathery skin, and a scant few suffer from a condition that can harden it to an almost stone-like composition. Their skin tends to keep lighter tones, with the darkest-skinned Dwarves still having little more than a healthy tan. Dwarven women are rather famously busty for their height, a reputation which they aren't shy about in the least.
Physical traits:
Dwarves tend to be somewhat heavy for their size, with barrel-chests and thick, strong arms. Despite their height they aren't lacking for strength, and their low center of gravity lets them leverage it extremely well. Dwarves generally live into their hundreds, with some pressing even to 300 years old. Unlike some other long-lived races, Dwarves retain their vitality throughout their entire lives, peaking physically around 60 years and then declining slightly until reaching a plateau at 100.
Society:
To outsiders, Dwarven society is at best mad and at worst absolute anarchy. Dwarves rarely have any kind of formal hierarchy or rulership, with virtually every Dwarf being able to trace their heritage back to some prince or other royal. If anything, Dwarves operate mostly by communal agreement, and while a single physical city might consist of a great many Dwarves, these will be divided into many 'wards', each bent towards a specific task. Put simply, like minded Dwarves attract each other, and they tend to be too single-minded on accomplishing their tasks to bother fighting.
Culture:
The largest consequence of being quick to breed and long-lived is that Dwarves are practically suicidal compared to other races. They have no problems throwing themselves into dangerous situations, whether it's mining without properly supporting their tunnels or getting drunk and trying to kiss a bear. Beyond this, Dwarven culture tends to revolve around three things: metal, architecture, and madness. The famed Dwarven ingenuity is largely a product of long lives devoted to a single idea which may or may not be possible in the first place. If nothing else, it has lead to the greatest triumph of the Dwarves, which is their metallurgical knowledge. Hundreds of years of experimentation has lead Dwarves to mapping the exact process of refining and combining metals and alloys, measured down to the weight of a grain of sand and the exact construction of the tools, and yet they have not found the finding perfect tin alloy for dinnerware.
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