Rogue Developments @

Thoughts and shares on how my current roguelike project is going

[roguehackslash-blog]

Displaying data

Spent a view hours puttng together a helper class for rendering tables of data.

*Each columns width is set to be whatever the longest value in that column is.

*If a column heading is shorter than the columns width the column heading is centered

*The optional table heading is centered against the width of the whole table

*The optional SelectedRow variables sets which row is highlighted, For instance, on the inventory screen :-

Non-highlighted row has a black background and the text colour is the same as the item colour 

Highlighted row has black text and background colour of whatever colour the selected item is

Currently it’s being used to display Inventory and worn equipment but I think I’m going to extend another class from it for it to become one of the pop-up ‘GUI’ items

[roguehackslash-blog]

Simple Input + Roguelike

I’m so happy with how well the simple input system works and feels.

It makes the game so accessible.

Testing out the whole goal and behaviour system, I managed to lure away an actor that was on a quest to gather bread by leaving a trail of loafs that led round the back of a building out of view. Easy to take him out as currently NPCs are unarmed. Opens up so many different options with how tactics can play out.

Need to implement the same sort of idea with making noises....all in good time

[roguehackslash-blog]

What a lovely day

With no immediate work deadlines looming, I managed to get a few enjoyable development hours in with my project.

The base of the simple input system (SIS?) has been implmented. Meaning that the game can be played using just the direction buttons and two input buttons.

For a good example of how well a roguelike can work without a full keyboard, check out POWDER.

Worked more on the opinion system:

*You attack someone, their trust of you goes down

*You give someone some food who is looking for some, their opinion of you being generous goes up

Personal traits + opinions are used when making a decision.

It’s statistically organic.....ish? :P

[roguehackslash-blog]

Be brave, be bold, Refactor!

I gringed everytime I needed to work with the inventory interface but I left it as it was as it did the job while I could just crack on with other areas (AKA easy wimpy way out).

But I finally decided enough was enough! I knuckled down and dived into the jungle. Being ruthless with what was carved up and with how things were re-modeled.

I feel such inner peace and more relaxed when I work with the inventory interface now. It just feels like it has a beautiful working flow now, and in time its bound to save time when I come back to implementing features that rely on it.

[roguehackslash-blog]

Bug squashing relief

I don't know if this warm glow I'm feeling is from finally addressing a bug with the input class or this amazing coffee. That's how rock and roll I am, coding on a Friday night :)

[roguehackslash-blog]

Why a Roguelike?

My professional job involves me programming applications and backend systems.

I love to code and I love my job.

Some work projects are not things I would chose to take on but I’m glad that I get the chance to flex my coding muscles and work on things I’d never thought about before.

My current personal project is a roguelike as I’m currently really interested in AI + party mechanics. I’m not fussed about how the game will look at the moment (as mentioned in a previous post, the look will be easy to develop sepperately).

I want to create a world where you are one person. You’ll meet other people who have personalities and ambitions. They might join you, they might like you, they might kill you if their ambition out weighs their liking for you.

The AI actors remember places and objects. If they need to get to someone, they’ll head to where they remember seeing them last. If they don’t have this memory, they’ll ask another actor, they might ask you (will you tell them the right place? how will this affect their relationship to you?).

The AI actors remember routes, which are safest or shortest. Are you in their way? If they like you, they might ask you to step aside, if their need is greater than their like for you or they have an agressive personality, they’ll just push you aside.

It’s very stat driven but in a natural way that so many factors come in to a decision that it becomes organic.

A roguelike is perfect for being clever with functionality and features but letting time consuming visuals take a back seat (for now)

[roguehackslash-blog]

“Dedicated”

In my previous post I mentioned that I am “dedicated” to my current project.

Why that choice of word? It’s because I’ve learnt to not invest too much all the time...wait.....WTF?!?

With previous personal projects, I would completely become absorbed. I would spend hours everyday and actually get anxious if I was kept away from working on it.

When brain freezes hit me during working on it, I would beat myself up for not progressing and not getting more development work done. I would feel frustrated and it wouldn’t be long before another great idea pulled me off track and for the current project to get mothballed.

But from somewhere I realised that there is no rush or pressure except the ones I put on myself. No one knows of my personal projects, nothing bad will happen if I don’t finish a project.

So I started my current projects with these thoughts:

* Work on it when I feel like it, not forcing it because I have time

* If i’m not enjoying working on it, stop

Without the pressure I was giving myself, I have stuck with this project longer than any other personal project.

I have loved the ideas I have tried, even the ones I ended up scrapping. It really is feeling like a personal project that I feel a sort of warmth and happiness about as at no point has it grudgingly spend time on it.

An added bonus would be others to enjoy what I have created but I’m good at the moment with just me getting happiness during development :)

[roguehackslash-blog]

Introductions

I’ve never been a fan of blogging as I struggle with getting my thoughts down in writing.

I find scribblings and diagrams easier to work with.

I also struggle with working out if a sentence makes sense and if my words are in the right order.

I completely understand if you’ve already stopped reading this, no hard feelings :)

If you have got to this bit..... HI!

I’m a programmer who has more ideas than free time.

I rarely stick with one idea as I just seem to be too eager to push on with another project idea......until fairly recently....

My latest personal project has had me “dedicated” to it for the last 7 months.

I’ll explain in another post why I say “dedicated”, but for now the details of my current project is:

* A roguelike (hence my username)

* Built so output is flexible (currently can use PDCurses or SDL, ASCII or tiles)

* Party based

* Easy to use action menu that allows the usual roguelike commands

Because I’m still at the framework stage I’ve not set myself down a certain theme. I don’t think I’ll go the usual high fantasy route, I’m more tempted to go the wasteland futuristic feel (pretty sure it’ll go a Necromunda route as the party system and AI feel like it would marry up nicely).