61
BM General Discussion / Server Move - check in
« on: September 29, 2015, 06:40:41 PM »
If you see the "new" forum, post below so I know everything is fine and other people are also receiving the new site.
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62
Announcements / Forum Move Procedure
« on: September 24, 2015, 02:32:23 PM »
How this will work:
1.) We will set up the forum on the new server until we see it working
2.) We will put this forum into read-only mode, to prevent posts from getting lost
3.) We copy the database over to the new server
4.) We change the DNS entry so that you reach the new server under the old address
5.) Since DNS updates can take a few hours, there will be a time where you see the old forum. We will put a banner or something up so you can spot the difference. Little we can do here, you simply have to wait a short time.
6.) New forum is running, old forum is shut down after a few days.
1.) We will set up the forum on the new server until we see it working
2.) We will put this forum into read-only mode, to prevent posts from getting lost
3.) We copy the database over to the new server
4.) We change the DNS entry so that you reach the new server under the old address
5.) Since DNS updates can take a few hours, there will be a time where you see the old forum. We will put a banner or something up so you can spot the difference. Little we can do here, you simply have to wait a short time.
6.) New forum is running, old forum is shut down after a few days.
63
Shopkeeper / Heroes of Sansibar and Tilog
« on: July 14, 2015, 10:57:23 AM »
Alpha 2 test is beginning. The towns are set up. Check them out here:
http://shopkeeper.lemuria.org/api/towns/1
http://shopkeeper.lemuria.org/api/towns/2
And pick your shop (simply give me the ID# - they are in the URL when you click on shop details).
You will notice shops now have layouts, meaning they do not allow all sections to be built anymore. There are three different layouts available for starting shops. Later on, you can upgrade to new shops.
http://shopkeeper.lemuria.org/api/towns/1
http://shopkeeper.lemuria.org/api/towns/2
And pick your shop (simply give me the ID# - they are in the URL when you click on shop details).
You will notice shops now have layouts, meaning they do not allow all sections to be built anymore. There are three different layouts available for starting shops. Later on, you can upgrade to new shops.
64
Shopkeeper / Looking for Playtesters II
« on: June 30, 2015, 12:29:02 PM »
Since I plan to start another round of alpha testing shortly, here is a new topic to sign up for the alpha test.
The exact number of slots is yet TBD, but I want to run at least two towns this time, so there are at least 8 slots available. Post below if you are interested. Include one sentence of why. In case there are more people interested than I have slots, I'll go by those sentences and add the ones that I think will add the most to the testing process.
Understand that this is an alpha test. Half the game doesn't even exist yet, the rest is in various states of partially-finished and very little balancing and fine-tuning has been done. The purpose of these tests is to find out what works and what doesn't, so things may change at any time. Things may break. Your shop may burn down, either because I added such a new feature or because I messed up the database. At the same time, I might give a thousand gold to everyone just because I want you to test more stuff or such.
The exact number of slots is yet TBD, but I want to run at least two towns this time, so there are at least 8 slots available. Post below if you are interested. Include one sentence of why. In case there are more people interested than I have slots, I'll go by those sentences and add the ones that I think will add the most to the testing process.
Understand that this is an alpha test. Half the game doesn't even exist yet, the rest is in various states of partially-finished and very little balancing and fine-tuning has been done. The purpose of these tests is to find out what works and what doesn't, so things may change at any time. Things may break. Your shop may burn down, either because I added such a new feature or because I messed up the database. At the same time, I might give a thousand gold to everyone just because I want you to test more stuff or such.
65
Shopkeeper / 3D Client Early Preview
« on: June 21, 2015, 09:22:13 PM »For Mac OS X: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/9638874/Shopkeeper-alpha1-mac.zip
Update: New Downloads are:
for Mac OS X: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/9638874/Shopkeeper-alpha2-Mac.zip
for Windows: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/9638874/Shopkeeper-alpha2-Win.zip
Both downloads are about 25 MB.
This is a very, very early prototype. You can walk around in the shop, and as you do so you will notice when you enter various areas, information dialogs show up, or you can purchase shop sections and watch them appear.
The main purpose of this is to give you a taste of what the 3D version will look and feel like. Again, this is extremely early, pretty much nothing works, etc.
But anyway, let me know how it feels to walk around in your own shop...
66
Shopkeeper / Idea: Item Parts
« on: June 15, 2015, 10:06:23 AM »
Here is an idea that I'm bouncing around in my head to make the game less one-dimensional just about gold:
Every item consists of parts. For an axe that's a stick and a blade. For a sword it's a handle and a blade. For a ring it's gold or silver and some gem. For a scroll its parchment. For a potion its a flask and so on.
The cost of these items is included in the price of them when you buy them from wholesellers. But if you can provide the parts, you can get the items cheaper.
All of these items are also loot in dungeons. Parties bring them back to town and sell them on the market square. Shopkeepers can go to the market square and buy them, based on a reverse auction system. Meaning that they start at some price X, let's say double their base value (meaning you save nothing at all if you buy them at this price). Then every day that nobody buys, the price drops. When someone buys, the price rises. When the price hits the base value, a random amount of that part disappears (wholesellers buy them) and the price rises again to some value.
This introduces competition to shops. You want to have something, but others probably want it as well. Oh look, this is crazy cheap right now, buy for later? Or just buy one part here just to raise the price and make life for the competition more difficult?
Every item consists of parts. For an axe that's a stick and a blade. For a sword it's a handle and a blade. For a ring it's gold or silver and some gem. For a scroll its parchment. For a potion its a flask and so on.
The cost of these items is included in the price of them when you buy them from wholesellers. But if you can provide the parts, you can get the items cheaper.
All of these items are also loot in dungeons. Parties bring them back to town and sell them on the market square. Shopkeepers can go to the market square and buy them, based on a reverse auction system. Meaning that they start at some price X, let's say double their base value (meaning you save nothing at all if you buy them at this price). Then every day that nobody buys, the price drops. When someone buys, the price rises. When the price hits the base value, a random amount of that part disappears (wholesellers buy them) and the price rises again to some value.
This introduces competition to shops. You want to have something, but others probably want it as well. Oh look, this is crazy cheap right now, buy for later? Or just buy one part here just to raise the price and make life for the competition more difficult?
67
Shopkeeper / similar games
« on: June 13, 2015, 08:28:55 AM »
Of course, as far as I know, Shopkeeper is unique, I wouldn't be making it if it weren't.
But there are some games that are similar, in that they have elements that just click. Post here what you know. Here are two:
DungeonKeeper, of course.
And this new one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vRQxl6icoF4
But there are some games that are similar, in that they have elements that just click. Post here what you know. Here are two:
DungeonKeeper, of course.
And this new one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vRQxl6icoF4
68
Announcements / Server Down / Reinstall
« on: June 11, 2015, 01:17:41 PM »
The server went down yesterday evening and it took a complete server re-install to get it going again.
I'm now reinstalling everything piece-by-piece. So one by one things will come online again. For the moment, the forum is back. Game will be back soon, I hope.
I'm now reinstalling everything piece-by-piece. So one by one things will come online again. For the moment, the forum is back. Game will be back soon, I hope.
69
Shopkeeper / Quest Writing
« on: June 09, 2015, 05:54:47 PM »
As mentioned by James, there's some interest in writing quests, and I would certainly welcome it a lot if I didn't have to write them all by myself.
At this time, I can offer what's below and it is very, very rough. But maybe you can puzzle it out and make a quest or two, and if not at least let me know what exactly needs more details.
The basics is that every quest comes in two data files. They are both in YAML format. One contains all the texts (and can theoretically be translated, to provide quests in multiple languages) while the other contains all the technical information.
I will post an example quest below to demonstrate how it all works.
At this time, I can offer what's below and it is very, very rough. But maybe you can puzzle it out and make a quest or two, and if not at least let me know what exactly needs more details.
The basics is that every quest comes in two data files. They are both in YAML format. One contains all the texts (and can theoretically be translated, to provide quests in multiple languages) while the other contains all the technical information.
I will post an example quest below to demonstrate how it all works.
70
Shopkeeper / Suggestions for Items, Quests, etc.
« on: June 06, 2015, 10:06:33 AM »
Post your suggestions here.
71
Shopkeeper / Dev Log
« on: June 06, 2015, 08:05:59 AM »
Here I post important news and changes. I won't post every small improvement (too many), but the ones that you need to know.
72
Shopkeeper / First Impressions and Other Feedback
« on: June 05, 2015, 10:32:29 PM »
This topic is for everyone, both players and those just watching, to share their very first impressions and general feedback.
73
Shopkeeper / Heroes of Westhaven
« on: June 04, 2015, 02:13:34 PM »
The first heroes have arrived in Westhaven, and by pure chance (well, I warned about duplicates) two groups have both been hired by the same guy for the same tasks. Seems he really wants his daughter back.
The quest is "The Missing Daughter" and the summary is:
A wealthy trader is missing his daughter and has hired the characters to find her.
That is what you know when these guys enter your shops soon:
http://shopkeeper.lemuria.org/api/parties/1
and
http://shopkeeper.lemuria.org/api/parties/2
Since they are new in town, they will select where to shop at random. They intend to spend about half their gold in the first shop, and the rest in the second they visit, and after that they will go and attempt the quest.
Since the buying-AI part is not yet done, I will simulate it like this:
I will let you know when a party enters your shop and how much money they are willing to spend. You then tell me what you will sell them and for how much gold.
The quest is "The Missing Daughter" and the summary is:
A wealthy trader is missing his daughter and has hired the characters to find her.
That is what you know when these guys enter your shops soon:
http://shopkeeper.lemuria.org/api/parties/1
and
http://shopkeeper.lemuria.org/api/parties/2
Since they are new in town, they will select where to shop at random. They intend to spend about half their gold in the first shop, and the rest in the second they visit, and after that they will go and attempt the quest.
Since the buying-AI part is not yet done, I will simulate it like this:
- they will buy everything that you offer them at reasonable price, where "reasonable" is up to 20% above the buying price (they players have read the price lists in the manual, you know?)
- after the first quest, parties develop "needs" (this is already coded) - based on what they were lacking last time, they want to buy more of that. For items "in need", they are willing to pay up to 50% more than the buying price.
- based on how useful the stuff you sold them was, they will develop customer loyalty (this is also already coded) - on the next round, they will visit shops in order of their loyalty. So sell them something good and they will likely come again.
I will let you know when a party enters your shop and how much money they are willing to spend. You then tell me what you will sell them and for how much gold.