http://www.mediafire.com/?5g096u5r1ppev7d
-fixed a few issues with the game menu being incomplete, and getting stuck in endless loops
2/29/2012
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.
2/07/2012
Codex: Elves
In-game description: Quiet, graceful, and elegant. Though not as attuned to nature as their purebred brothers, they are resourceful to the extreme and significantly more prolific. They tend towards positions as artists, exploreres, diplomats, and adventurers, only held back by a (deserved) reputation for being lushes.
Average male height: 5'7"(171 cm), pureblood: 5'4" (163 cm)
Average male weight: ~155 lbs (~70kg), pureblood: ~141 lbs (~64 kg)
NOTE: Although lowland elves are generally referred to as 'Elves' or 'Elfkin', it is important to note that most are - at most - 1/16th elf by birth, although few are actually able to trace their heritage back to any specific ancestor. More commonly, they are identified by their eyes. Pureblood elves are thought to be extinct.
Notable traits: Elven eyes, while typically human-looking, have irises which can expand to cover nearly the entire eye. As a result, they tend to have excellent night vision, with some being able to see even in absolute darkness. Their hair, skin, and eye colors tend to be similar to that of humans. They are generally thought to have a sort of unearthly beauty to them.
Physical traits: Elfkin tend to have slightly narrower shoulders and thinner arms than humans, although excellent muscle tone means that they are not lacking for strength. They tend to live slightly longer than humans, although their maximum lifespan still caps at a little over 100 years for the extremely venerable.
Society:
Elfkin tend to be socially versatile, fitting into almost any society with ease. Normally this could be attributed to the nature of being born between two societies, but there is no truly 'elven' society to speak of on Aven. Rather, as a sort of universal outsider, they integrate simply as a matter of necessity. In this regard they are much like humans, although while humans will form a sort of sub-society within a larger group, Elfkin will integrate fully. Although it can be difficult to accept them in some roles (an elfkin adopting the mindset of an Imperial warrior, for instance, suffers simply from being several heads shorter than their peers), their adaptability is commendable.
Culture:
Elfkin tend to have a reputation for being lushes, in part because they claim to have an superior sense of taste to other races (something the Highborn contest). They have an excellent eye for details, often picking up on body language or other visual cues that others might miss. These two tend to put Elfkin at the center of any society's culture, frequently turning them into major movers in arts and politics. However, since they readily adopt the traits of whatever society they come from, this generally only moves existing movements further forward, rather than creating new ones. The Elven specialty is refinement, rather than innovation.
Average male height: 5'7"(171 cm), pureblood: 5'4" (163 cm)
Average male weight: ~155 lbs (~70kg), pureblood: ~141 lbs (~64 kg)
NOTE: Although lowland elves are generally referred to as 'Elves' or 'Elfkin', it is important to note that most are - at most - 1/16th elf by birth, although few are actually able to trace their heritage back to any specific ancestor. More commonly, they are identified by their eyes. Pureblood elves are thought to be extinct.
Notable traits: Elven eyes, while typically human-looking, have irises which can expand to cover nearly the entire eye. As a result, they tend to have excellent night vision, with some being able to see even in absolute darkness. Their hair, skin, and eye colors tend to be similar to that of humans. They are generally thought to have a sort of unearthly beauty to them.
Physical traits: Elfkin tend to have slightly narrower shoulders and thinner arms than humans, although excellent muscle tone means that they are not lacking for strength. They tend to live slightly longer than humans, although their maximum lifespan still caps at a little over 100 years for the extremely venerable.
Society:
Elfkin tend to be socially versatile, fitting into almost any society with ease. Normally this could be attributed to the nature of being born between two societies, but there is no truly 'elven' society to speak of on Aven. Rather, as a sort of universal outsider, they integrate simply as a matter of necessity. In this regard they are much like humans, although while humans will form a sort of sub-society within a larger group, Elfkin will integrate fully. Although it can be difficult to accept them in some roles (an elfkin adopting the mindset of an Imperial warrior, for instance, suffers simply from being several heads shorter than their peers), their adaptability is commendable.
Culture:
Elfkin tend to have a reputation for being lushes, in part because they claim to have an superior sense of taste to other races (something the Highborn contest). They have an excellent eye for details, often picking up on body language or other visual cues that others might miss. These two tend to put Elfkin at the center of any society's culture, frequently turning them into major movers in arts and politics. However, since they readily adopt the traits of whatever society they come from, this generally only moves existing movements further forward, rather than creating new ones. The Elven specialty is refinement, rather than innovation.
2/06/2012
Codex: Orc
In-game description: Close cousins of the Humans, Orcs differ primarily by philosophy. They are more reluctant to integrate societies and more certain of their superiority as a species. Though numerous, they are split into many warring tribes - fortunate, since their long natural lifespans and tendency toward multiple births would otherwise see them overwhelming the other nations purely by weight of numbers.
Average height: 6'3"(190 cm)
Average weight: ~200 lbs (~91 kg)
Notable traits: Red eyes are common among Orcs, and occur with about the same (if not higher) frequency than other eye colors. Rarely, the whites of their eyes will take a purple tint. They tend to have superior vision in the dark, and as a result, some races find Orcish buildings poorly lit. Common hair colors are blacks and browns, with darker greens also occurring frequently. Red hair is not unheard of, and natural white hair exists, but is exceptionally rare. Skin tones tend to be darker than human, generally ranging from light tan to rich brown, though whiter skin, as is common among humans, is not unheard of. Albinism is almost unheard of among Orcs, and attitudes towards albinos vary from reverence to fear.
Physical traits: Orcs tend to have upper bodies that are bulkier than human, but not necessarily stronger. Orc women have a greater tendency towards inverted nipples and slightly smaller breasts, while Orc men tend to have slightly longer (but narrower) cocks. Most Orcs are capable of living exceptionally long lives, upwards of 200 years, but frequent violence tends to keep the actual life expectancy under 60.
Society:
Orcs tend to prefer strict, rigid societal structures, preferring the simplicity of more authoritarian with a single ruler or a small set of rulers. This preference is generally keeps Orc societies small, although in rare cases, an exceptionally strong or charismatic leader will gather larger groups of Orcs into a single group. Orcish law and social mores tend to vary greatly, as they are a reflection of whichever individual leads the tribe. As a result of this, it is difficult to make many broad, sweeping comments Orcish society. Orcs are proud and warlike, but unlike the similarly minded Imperials, they hold little sense of general racial superiority, instead supplanted by familial or personal superiority
Culture:
Orc culture centers around violence. Children are taught to fight from as soon as they can walk. Instead of art or music, knife-fighting is a more common pass time, with 'show fights' (generally to the first blood) being a common form of entertainment. As a result, around half of all Orcs, male and female, will have at least three or four scars on their hands and arms before they're fifteen, with some veteran fighters accumulating dozens or even hundreds over their lives. A notable side effect of this is that Orcs are famed for their medical skills, particularly in the fields of pathology, pharmacology, orthopedics, and surgery. Their methods are surprisingly sophisticated when compared to other parts of their society. A common expression is that Dwarves treat metallurgy the same way Orcs treat medicine, although whether this reflects an exceptional care on part of Dwarves or a dispassionate pragmatism on the part of Orcs is debatable.
Average height: 6'3"(190 cm)
Average weight: ~200 lbs (~91 kg)
Notable traits: Red eyes are common among Orcs, and occur with about the same (if not higher) frequency than other eye colors. Rarely, the whites of their eyes will take a purple tint. They tend to have superior vision in the dark, and as a result, some races find Orcish buildings poorly lit. Common hair colors are blacks and browns, with darker greens also occurring frequently. Red hair is not unheard of, and natural white hair exists, but is exceptionally rare. Skin tones tend to be darker than human, generally ranging from light tan to rich brown, though whiter skin, as is common among humans, is not unheard of. Albinism is almost unheard of among Orcs, and attitudes towards albinos vary from reverence to fear.
Physical traits: Orcs tend to have upper bodies that are bulkier than human, but not necessarily stronger. Orc women have a greater tendency towards inverted nipples and slightly smaller breasts, while Orc men tend to have slightly longer (but narrower) cocks. Most Orcs are capable of living exceptionally long lives, upwards of 200 years, but frequent violence tends to keep the actual life expectancy under 60.
Society:
Orcs tend to prefer strict, rigid societal structures, preferring the simplicity of more authoritarian with a single ruler or a small set of rulers. This preference is generally keeps Orc societies small, although in rare cases, an exceptionally strong or charismatic leader will gather larger groups of Orcs into a single group. Orcish law and social mores tend to vary greatly, as they are a reflection of whichever individual leads the tribe. As a result of this, it is difficult to make many broad, sweeping comments Orcish society. Orcs are proud and warlike, but unlike the similarly minded Imperials, they hold little sense of general racial superiority, instead supplanted by familial or personal superiority
Culture:
Orc culture centers around violence. Children are taught to fight from as soon as they can walk. Instead of art or music, knife-fighting is a more common pass time, with 'show fights' (generally to the first blood) being a common form of entertainment. As a result, around half of all Orcs, male and female, will have at least three or four scars on their hands and arms before they're fifteen, with some veteran fighters accumulating dozens or even hundreds over their lives. A notable side effect of this is that Orcs are famed for their medical skills, particularly in the fields of pathology, pharmacology, orthopedics, and surgery. Their methods are surprisingly sophisticated when compared to other parts of their society. A common expression is that Dwarves treat metallurgy the same way Orcs treat medicine, although whether this reflects an exceptional care on part of Dwarves or a dispassionate pragmatism on the part of Orcs is debatable.
sort of progress
put up the groundwork for two new npcs: a human hunter, and an escaped leonid (or giantkin, if you have anthro content disabled) convict. i have a good idea on where i want to take the bounty hunter, but until i find a good way to include persistent world information, none of it will see daylight. i think i have a decent idea. basically - either create a giant array or a large stack-type structure filled with numbers, with each number corresponding to a specific 'state' of an event. so, if you haven't met the bounty hunter yet, the flag will be 0. once you've found out he's a hunter, it will be set to 0. etc. the obvious problem here is discovering complex information about npc's, but this can be solved just by using multiple flags for the same person (eg: one flag relates to how much you know about his past, another relates to how many times you've had sex with him and how comfortable he feels around you).
the convict, i'm not entirely decided on yet. i know how i want the two to interact but i'm not entirely set on the backstory he'll have yet - i want him to remain a consistent character that the npc can interact with, but i want to avoid making him a typical 'wrongfully accused' type. guilty, but repentant? guilty, unrepentant, alpha lonewolf (or lonelion, maybe) who is just so manly that no prison can hold him? still, i have time to decide. i figured airing out the idea might help me get some suggestions.
in gui news, still trying to learn. i figured out how to do more than just make a blank window, sort of, but i can't figure out how to get the code to work just yet. if someone who knows a bit more about the win32 api than me happens to read this, when i'm creating a child component for a window (a button, text label, etc) what do i pass for the last parameter of CreateWindowEx() or CreateWindow()? the official api at msdn.microsoft.com says:
Pointer to a value to be passed to the window through the CREATESTRUCT structure (lpCreateParams member) pointed to by the lParam param of the WM_CREATE message. This message is sent to the created window by this function before it returns.
If an application calls CreateWindow to create a MDI client window, lpParam should point to a CLIENTCREATESTRUCT structure. If an MDI client window calls CreateWindow to create an MDI child window, lpParam should point to a MDICREATESTRUCT structure. lpParam may be NULL if no additional data is needed.
i know what a pointer is (i had to learn in order to figure out how to pass multiple objects, like a location and a player, to a function and have it be able to modify both of them; eg. player takes an item from a location) and i know what mdi refers to (and i'm not doing anything with that... at least, i don't think i am), but i have no idea what the rest of the sentence means, nevermind that the person who wrote it refers to both 'a MDI' and 'an MDI' (i actually did a double take when i read that; this is a professional document, for crying out loud. do most programmers really have such trouble with the english language?)
i think what it means is that i need to create an [struct] object with CLIENTCREATESTRUCT and then pass a pointer to it as a part of CreateWindowEx(), but all of the tutorials i've been able to find thus far just pass NULL (which the official api actually lists as a valid option), but when i try to do this, it fails.
although, i am finding that visual c++ (while the code it creates looks absolutely nothing like any examples i've seen anywhere else) is at least useful for getting little scraps of information, like x/y coords from. it's starting to make a bit more sense now, at least.
and yes, i am aware of the irony of complaining that someone, somewhere, put 'a' instead of 'an' in front of a word that begins with a vowel sound when i don't capitalize anything in my own writing. the difference is, i am not professional: they are.
the convict, i'm not entirely decided on yet. i know how i want the two to interact but i'm not entirely set on the backstory he'll have yet - i want him to remain a consistent character that the npc can interact with, but i want to avoid making him a typical 'wrongfully accused' type. guilty, but repentant? guilty, unrepentant, alpha lonewolf (or lonelion, maybe) who is just so manly that no prison can hold him? still, i have time to decide. i figured airing out the idea might help me get some suggestions.
in gui news, still trying to learn. i figured out how to do more than just make a blank window, sort of, but i can't figure out how to get the code to work just yet. if someone who knows a bit more about the win32 api than me happens to read this, when i'm creating a child component for a window (a button, text label, etc) what do i pass for the last parameter of CreateWindowEx() or CreateWindow()? the official api at msdn.microsoft.com says:
Pointer to a value to be passed to the window through the CREATESTRUCT structure (lpCreateParams member) pointed to by the lParam param of the WM_CREATE message. This message is sent to the created window by this function before it returns.
If an application calls CreateWindow to create a MDI client window, lpParam should point to a CLIENTCREATESTRUCT structure. If an MDI client window calls CreateWindow to create an MDI child window, lpParam should point to a MDICREATESTRUCT structure. lpParam may be NULL if no additional data is needed.
i know what a pointer is (i had to learn in order to figure out how to pass multiple objects, like a location and a player, to a function and have it be able to modify both of them; eg. player takes an item from a location) and i know what mdi refers to (and i'm not doing anything with that... at least, i don't think i am), but i have no idea what the rest of the sentence means, nevermind that the person who wrote it refers to both 'a MDI' and 'an MDI' (i actually did a double take when i read that; this is a professional document, for crying out loud. do most programmers really have such trouble with the english language?)
i think what it means is that i need to create an [struct] object with CLIENTCREATESTRUCT and then pass a pointer to it as a part of CreateWindowEx(), but all of the tutorials i've been able to find thus far just pass NULL (which the official api actually lists as a valid option), but when i try to do this, it fails.
although, i am finding that visual c++ (while the code it creates looks absolutely nothing like any examples i've seen anywhere else) is at least useful for getting little scraps of information, like x/y coords from. it's starting to make a bit more sense now, at least.
and yes, i am aware of the irony of complaining that someone, somewhere, put 'a' instead of 'an' in front of a word that begins with a vowel sound when i don't capitalize anything in my own writing. the difference is, i am not professional: they are.
2/03/2012
opposite of progress
spent the evening mucking about with microsoft's visual c++, which is (supposed) to allow creation of windows in a visual format... which technically works, but since i don't have any of the underlying knowledge of the code or how it works, i don't know how to get anything to actually work beyond that. so, back to square one.
still, i think i'm making small amounts of progress. i'm learning bits and pieces, figuring out what i need to look for to find a better tutorial that teaches me the next small step i need to figure out how to get a functioning window. it's slow. i think doing this in the middle of writing content was a good move - i can write content when i get sick of learning how to make a window, and go back to learning how to make a window when i get sick of writing content.
still, i think i'm making small amounts of progress. i'm learning bits and pieces, figuring out what i need to look for to find a better tutorial that teaches me the next small step i need to figure out how to get a functioning window. it's slow. i think doing this in the middle of writing content was a good move - i can write content when i get sick of learning how to make a window, and go back to learning how to make a window when i get sick of writing content.
2/02/2012
progress?
wrote a few events, but spent most of the night trying to figure out how to build a gui.
i'm moving this to the top of the list for several reasons: first, until i get the gui built, the game will look like shit. no matter how good the writing or the code behind it is, the game will be shit because it looks like shit. very simple. second, and possibly more importantly, the text display needs to be integrated into the gui, which means i'm probably going to need to replace many lines of "cout <<" with something else. the sooner i turn the game into a gui format, the less busy work i'll have to do converting, rather than actually writing. third... i've been talking with the guy who first got into contact with me about programming a gui, and while he's dropped on that end, he is still working with me to create some really nice looking buttons. i have to say, i'm really please with what he's put out so far.
to check out his other projects, visit http://notagodcomplex.blogspot.com/
i'm moving this to the top of the list for several reasons: first, until i get the gui built, the game will look like shit. no matter how good the writing or the code behind it is, the game will be shit because it looks like shit. very simple. second, and possibly more importantly, the text display needs to be integrated into the gui, which means i'm probably going to need to replace many lines of "cout <<" with something else. the sooner i turn the game into a gui format, the less busy work i'll have to do converting, rather than actually writing. third... i've been talking with the guy who first got into contact with me about programming a gui, and while he's dropped on that end, he is still working with me to create some really nice looking buttons. i have to say, i'm really please with what he's put out so far.
to check out his other projects, visit http://notagodcomplex.blogspot.com/
2/01/2012
progress
still working on the content. finished about 15 of the new events. just as a taste of some of the things that are going to be in the update:
-elf maid, wat do
-dryad (stalled until persistent world data gets added, though)
-hitting on the guards outside doren (whether they're the horse anthro imperials, or giantkin)
-slutty nun (again, stalled until persistent world data gets added)
-an escaped leonid convict (and moral conflict!)
-actual tracking of which races you have and haven't met, so i won't have to include 'hacked' settings files anymore!
-political intrigue in doren!
-sand yeti!
-a fat dwarven nudist!
-placeholder events waiting for the combat system to be created!
-sarcastic npc's mocking your lack of an inventory!
-a cactus!
i should be able to put up a 'codex' entry (taking a cue from fenoxo) for the city of doren tomorrow. most of this is coming from scratch, so it'll probably take a while. i've also heard back from the person who had offered to build the gui; turns out he wasn't as comfortable with c++ as he thought, so i just ended up getting a bunch of really nice looking buttons from him for when i get around to coding it. still, they're nicer looking than what i had before, so it worked out.
-elf maid, wat do
-dryad (stalled until persistent world data gets added, though)
-hitting on the guards outside doren (whether they're the horse anthro imperials, or giantkin)
-slutty nun (again, stalled until persistent world data gets added)
-an escaped leonid convict (and moral conflict!)
-actual tracking of which races you have and haven't met, so i won't have to include 'hacked' settings files anymore!
-political intrigue in doren!
-sand yeti!
-a fat dwarven nudist!
-placeholder events waiting for the combat system to be created!
-sarcastic npc's mocking your lack of an inventory!
-a cactus!
i should be able to put up a 'codex' entry (taking a cue from fenoxo) for the city of doren tomorrow. most of this is coming from scratch, so it'll probably take a while. i've also heard back from the person who had offered to build the gui; turns out he wasn't as comfortable with c++ as he thought, so i just ended up getting a bunch of really nice looking buttons from him for when i get around to coding it. still, they're nicer looking than what i had before, so it worked out.
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