Well the past weeks work has picked up, I have had a few more things so, I'm sorry for any delay's that occur and I'm also sorry for how late this update is coming.
Dukandia, Currently we have some great progress, almost getting on the in game side of things, but sadly we will be scrapping the coding progress, as well as the menu graphic progress due to some overhaul we have done on the planning side of things. Now these new update's won't actually set us back too far, in fact most of the slowness caused in the past, was due to me not knowing java and thus I was unable to do things I would have otherwise needed to know how to do. well, this is just a summary below I have outlined reasons for, each new update as well as give you some inside peeks of our new NEW features.
Graphical User Interface (G.U.I):
Now one of the biggest realizations was that the G.U.I was a bit showy for a 2D game, so we have decided to work on it and give it more of a "Toon" look, this look will allow us to use a 3D like menu while still retaining the "fun" and "2D" aspect that is allowed when making a 2D game interface.
Windowed Mode:
This has been a feature that well, I simply had decided I disliked, however I have come to realize that not all graphic cards support re-sizing as well as the fact that windowed mode is a rather good feature, it allows you to close the game if it crashes, ect, ect.
Hidden H.U.D Components:
We decided to add the possibility of the world ending, now by this we don't mean doomsda- well actually we sorta do, In Dukandia your technology and such advances with your progress and attempts at survival, so in doing so you can actually pollute the world, now what happens if the whole world becomes polluted, it begins to get toxic, if 65% of the world is toxic, the world ends. When you get the correct Skills otherwise hidden H.U.D components will become visible informing you that your in a ##% Polluted area and the toxicity of the current location is ##% in other words survival know-how.
Single Player:
After a lot of thinking and realization that an online world could get rather boring and such without the plot and events and such that usually drive someone to play a game, that and the possibility of a single empire arising ruining the game for everyone, it only seems right to have a fall back, maintenance free version for you to enjoy. The single player version is much like the multi-player except it offers a tutorial, an explanation of why you're on there and well the plot events, story and other interesting aspects are sure to keep you busy and wanting more.
Story outline:
Please note that the following information is unfinished planning material that I have decided to release for public opinion, it is not set in stone and does not actually represent working and or completely thought out ideas.
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Dukandia: [size="4"]Story and Quest Plan
[size="2"][size=2]- Josh Cole[size="3"]This script orchestrates the overarching story of the game, which will be broken into segments or Chapters, with certain in-game effects triggering new chapters. This means that there will be no blazing through the story. To progress, the player will actually have to explore, survive, and expand the game as it was meant to be played. The story should not effect the sandbox aspects, but should provide something of an incentive for more story-driven gamers.
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[size="4"]Key:
[size="3"]Throughout the script, I will be writing notes to the reader (Mainly to Ice, since he's in charge of Dukandia).[size="2"][size=2]*Notes asking for confirmation on certain aspects of the game will be written in bold, and centre orientated.
[size="2"][size=2]*Notes explaining certain aspects of the script and how I assume they would work will be in Italics, and left orientated.
[size="2"][size=2]*If, God forbid, the font of inspiration runs dry, notes asking for help or input will be written underlined.
[size="2"][size=2]Intro/Tutorial - Prologue
[size="2"][size=2]The character creation screen fades out to black, and the screen slowly fades back in to view, looking down on the dark, dank cargo hold of a ship. The wood is greying with rot, and the only light originates from a small lantern hanging from the ceiling. The character (for the purpose of the script, lets call him Jenson) awakes, and walks into the centre of the room, to a circle of other people (perhaps sitting, but I can't be certain the game will allow that), all wearing ragged clothing, with dirty faces.
[size="2"][size=2]'Oh, you're awake!' An elderly man slowly stands up and comes over to Jenson. 'I thought we'd lost another one.'
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Basic Mechanics:
Please note that the following information is unfinished planning material that I have decided to release for public opinion, it is not set in stone and does not actually represent working and or completely thought out ideas.
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Tile Type Change
"[font="Cambria, serif"][size="5"]When a player moves from one type to another..."[/font]
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When a player moves from one type [of tile] to another type of tile, the server will generate a randomized number, we can then say if this number is (1-100) 0-25 for 25% and such to generate interesting events. Such as 45% of stubbing your toe if you are barefoot and go from dirt to paved so the randomized number would be checked for a number 0-45
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The exception is when you go from stone paved to lets say gold paved or cobble paved, or if you go from shallow to deep or water to swamp and such since these are similar tiles there is no need to call an event or wed overload a player with shit tons of events if lucky/unlucky (tick + eel bite + stubbed toe or something weird like that)
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Attack(ed)
"[font="Cambria, serif"][size="5"]When an attack towards or from the player is made"[/font]
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When an attack towards or from the player is made, the server will again do a randomized number, and using 0-# can create percentages for an event, one of the ones I really want to do is a 35% chance of your ammo when using a ranged weapon dropping to the floor for use again, and if this happens actually rising the quality to 110% of its original.
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The exception is player versus player combat.
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That is all we have this morning, but the days still young, this week we are sure to have more of the story, some new graphics, get our coding re-done and for sure improved as well as introduce a melting cube logo and a video or two outlining our progress. Stay tuned and let me know how this all sounds too!
Yours truly,
~Ice
Random event systems have always added that dose of suspense, or even simply surprising the player. Heck, you could have a player walking through forest, and randomly falling over a stone, which had a treasure underneath, or a secret passage.
The challenge with come with finding a right percentage to work with. Over time, you may have to alter that number depending on how users take advantage of your combat system.