Topics

46

Shopkeeper / Relaunch

« on: June 17, 2016, 12:11:12 AM »

I've begun to work on this game again. You can check a lot of screenshots that I've posted on the FB page: https://www.facebook.com/pnpshopkeeper/

No date for the next testing round so far. There is a lot of work ahead of me. But there will not be another web-based test. I am confident to get the 3D client running this time.

47

This Forum / Forum merging / new structure

« on: June 14, 2016, 08:34:44 AM »

At this time am running two complete forums (BM and MaF) and they both have sections about other topics as well.

I very much want to merge them into one. Each game would still have its own seperate section, it can even have its own look, but administration of one forum would be much easier than administration of two.

There would be some issues with user accounts and such. I haven't figured out how exactly to do it and if someone wants to dig into SMF docs and plugins that could help, it would be much appreciated. But ultimately, I cannot sustain several forums.

48

General Talk / Help me by voting for the perfect picture

« on: June 02, 2016, 11:13:51 AM »

Please help me finding the perfect picture for one of my other games. Vote here on the pictures that I have collected:

https://www.facebook.com/BlackForestSurvivalGame/photos/?tab=album&album_id=1149755335066774

And check the website http://schwarzwald.lemuria.org/ to learn about the game, if you want, to understand the atmosphere I am trying to capture.

49

General Talk / Anyone interested in a Unity 3D beginners course ?

« on: June 01, 2016, 06:03:19 PM »

Some of you know that I work with Unity 3D sometimes, for example for the Map Viewer that I started building for Might & Fealty. As well as other games I do.

I'm currently creating a course for total beginners to teach basics of Unity 3D. I would like to have some 2nd and 3rd opinions. Is anyone interested in taking this course (I will give you a voucher so it's for free) and give me honest feedback on it?

Please PM or e-mail me.

50

Black Forest / Marketing Ideas

« on: May 26, 2016, 12:09:18 PM »

Collection of thoughts on promoting the game.

51

Black Forest / Game Start Discussion

« on: May 25, 2016, 09:46:29 AM »

At the moment, the game has a fairly static start layout with a small bit of randomness. And also when you sign up for a game you see exactly - nothing. You just pick a name from a list.

I had two ideas how to make it a little more interesting to join a game. Please discuss:

a) you don't pick a name from a list, you pick a family from the map. So the game loads up with a list of villages open, and when you choose one instead of bringing up another list with names, it brings up the village map and you can choose your family from there.

b) free-form village formation. You choose village and come to the village screen. However, plots are not pre-determined, only the common grounds are fixed. From the unassigned grounds, you can select your own plot. Essentially, you choose first where to put your house, and then you can starting there pick neighbouring tiles until you have X tiles and that is your land.


Comments?

52

Black Forest / Gameplay Feedback / Questions

« on: May 17, 2016, 07:46:48 AM »

Here are some thoughts I have about the gameplay, once you have played a few turns, let me know your thoughts:


a) taking plots is too easy at this time, especially once you play competitively (i.e. try to destroy other players).
Possible restrictions I am thinking about:
1) if there is anything on the plot, the first take action only turns it into common ground
2) buildings cannot be taken at all
3) add a "defend" action that is more powerful than take, e.g. it defends the plot you select and all adjacent plots

b) maybe creatures trampling through fields should damage them?

c) (this is pretty much decided) - Destroyed buildings and walls do not return the plot to empty, but to a new state "ruined".
This gives both better visual feedback of the events and makes rebuilding more difficult because those plots need to be cleaned first (which on the plus side will yield 0-2 wood).

d) I've always, since the original design, wanted to make gathering actions in the forest competitive
By that I mean that the more people do it, the less everyone gains. But with the current resource values that just doesn't work unless I go into fractions.

53

Black Forest / Upcoming Beta Test Phase

« on: May 16, 2016, 12:01:13 PM »

In one or two builds, I will transition the testing from alpha to beta.

During beta, the focus is more on the gameplay and bugs and less on checking if it works at all. Gameplay is more or less done (maybe not complete, but the core is there) and we are looking for balance issues, what is fun and what is not and so on.

We also desperately need more players for this phase.

54

Black Forest / Renaming and topical notes

« on: April 29, 2016, 09:10:05 PM »

I've decided to rename the game to "Schwarzwald", the original german name for the Black Forest. It is more topical, less naming conflicts and it sounds more unique. Everything is black this or black that these days.

Website is updated already, the client will be updated with the next build.

55

Black Forest / Development Notes and Updates

« on: April 17, 2016, 07:47:59 PM »

Here is where I will post when a new build is available or something else important happened.

56

Black Forest / Unity 3D Game Client Discussion

« on: April 04, 2016, 09:45:41 AM »

What I plan with the game is to make the code for the Unity 3D client freely available. I want others to improve it, or to take it and write their own client, quite possibly a better one than I can manage.

I want to do this early in the development, but not too early, because right now I am still messing with basic concepts. The concept phase should be over (it almost is). So if you are interested in working with Unity 3D on a community project, where others will read and improve your code, this is a good place to start.

The same is true for artwork. If you want to contribute 3D models, graphics, sounds, music - anything - then this could be a good opportunity.


Anything related to the development of the 3D client can be posted in this discussion.

57

Black Forest / Looking for Alpha Testers

« on: March 17, 2016, 02:28:14 AM »

I'm looking for a bunch of alpha testers, people who would like to play the game before anyone else does.

• needs to have a PC, Mac or Linux machine to test it. Post which it is so I know what clients to build.
• needs to be ready to give feedback. Don't need silent people.
• needs to understand this is an alpha development state - things will break, everything is unfinished, graphics are placeholders, etc. etc.
• time demand for the game is probably 10-15 minutes a turn. During alpha test, we will experiment with the number of turns per day, from one to several, to find out what works.

To sign up, post below. I need to know how many people I can count on.

58

Black Forest / Introduction

« on: March 17, 2016, 02:24:36 AM »

Alpha Test website is up with some documentation, details and (soon) downloads - will add to it as development goes on:

http://blackforest.lemuria.org


Teaser / Trailer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0ui49HTgsM


Gameplay Video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENsB4DJEAwY


Development Screenshots are sometimes posted here:

https://www.facebook.com/tomsgamescollection/

59

General Talk / Side project, looking for feedback

« on: March 05, 2016, 10:04:01 PM »

Learning German? Here is the pilot episode of something I'm trying to make learning German more easy. Please help me make it better by checking it and commenting:
https://youtu.be/OTcqrrtFrA8

60

Announcements / Game is Stopped pending server move

« on: October 09, 2015, 11:22:13 AM »

The game has been stopped (i.e. no turns are running) pending the server move.

UPDATE: Databases have been moved and DNS has been updated. It might take a day for your ISP to notice, that is why we stopped the game.

Wiki is still a bit broken, we are working on it.