First and foremost we wanted to thank everyone for all the feedback and comments we have been receiving for on our alpha release. We never imagined getting such a large response to the game and we have been working tirelessly to bring to you our next alpha.
Our plan is to bring you new builds on a fairly frequent basis. The goal is to release a nfeew alpha build once every 2 weeks. That includes new features, bug fixes, and hopefully a plethora if chicken slaughtering fun. The next bi-weekly alpha update is planned for schedule March 3rd.
Garrett has been hard at work fixing bugs and coding new features for our next public release. We have managed to implement smooth camera controls. This took quite a bit of time considering Garrett had to essentially rewrite the way our game displays it's graphics. We have a list of the major features we plan on adding within the coming weeks.
Top Priority Features
- Ability for dwarves to be assigned and complete tasks
- Inventory/GUI
- Sound/Music (kinda a big deal...)
- Title/menu screen
- Saving levels
- Mob spawner
- Parallax layers
- Randomly generated levels (dormant code lying around that we have yet to test out with active AI)
- Number crunching stuff
- Cuter chickens.
Our goal is to have these features implemented into the game within the coming weeks. Also don't hold my word on this however we may have a chicken spawner in our next build.
As always don't forget to follow us on Twitter, Tumblr, Facebook, and Blogger.
The grin on my face is second only to the one I made yesterday after watching the Skyrim trailer. You guys make two weeks seem like eternity.
One question though: The parallax layers, are those only for aesthetic purposes, or will our dwarves be able to interact with them in some (limited) way, turning the game into something like "2.1D"? Because that's really the only thing I'm slightly concerned about: The possible loss of potential complexity/depth that comes with not using an entire dimension.
Nevertheless, can't wait to see what you guys churn out next.
Currently it is only for aesthetics. We are aware we are losing a lot keeping it on a 2d plane. However we have some interesting plans and use of different layers and tiles that we will be implementing to try and makeup for the loss of an axis.
I figured as much. Still good to have some confirmation though.
I'll be waiting for you to surprise us to Valhalla and back~
You have no idea what our faces looked like after the Skyrim trailer. Not to mention the Norn area trailer for GW 2 came out as well. I feel like yelling and slaying my enemies and dining in my hall with their blood as my wine and their bones as my utensils for the meat I hunted while slaying them!
I am guessing it is supposed to be March 3.
-_- yes.....
Thanks for pointing that out ithilienranger, fixed.
February March 3rd. yeah....
on a side note, keep up the good work!
obviously our release date is based off of the old Nordic calender.
And roasted chicken filled with mead I'm guessing.
Your game and visual style is amazing :D
Keep working on this project, I'll try every build :D
It's quite a challenge thinking of dwarf fortress as a platformer. Platformer means linear gameplay but if random terrains can be generated, this would help alleviate the issue. There aren't too many sim rpg platformers out there... Actually, I can't think of any... Exciting!
I apologize for the many questions, and don't feel like you have to answer them all but I'm genuinely intrigued:
- Will the player be able to control a "leader" dwarf (Sim Ant) or is it more of a god sim? ...Both perhaps?
- Will dwarves have individual inventories and stats?
- Will furnaces produce smoke, requiring smoke stacks? (These could be built as parallax layers, preventing collisions and unnecessary tunnels)
- How many different biomes are planned?
- How large will the island be or will it generate land via a minecraft method?
- Different wood/stone types? (Maple, Birch... Sandstone, chalk..)
- Day / night cycles?
- Weather effects?
- Zombies? Zombie animals? Nazi Zombie animals?
- Do you plan on implementing physics into your engine?
- Do you plan to have multiple races or different dwarf/gnome 'build' types, more skilled in certain professions? Just an idea: Joeflashedme.com
I have a million other questions and comments but I'll spare you all. Looking forward to the next update guys!
- Will the player be able to control a "leader" dwarf (Sim Ant) or is it more of a god sim? ...Both perhaps?
Answer: We have not decided yet, but we do plan on having some sort of adventure mode where you control a dwarf directly.
- Will dwarves have individual inventories and stats?
Answer: Yes.
- Will furnaces produce smoke, requiring smoke stacks? (These could be built as parallax layers, preventing collisions and unnecessary tunnels)
Answer: We have not even thought of that, so maybe.
- How many different biomes are planned?
Answer: I can tell you like Minecraft. We expect to have something similar to biomes, how many has not been decided yet.
- How large will the island be or will it generate land via a minecraft method?
Answer: This also is not decided yet, we have land generating code finished, but it is very simple and hasn't been touched since we started working on AI. It was not made to create infinite land masses, but we are thinking about changing that later on in development. For now it allows for maps of what-ever size you input.
- Different wood/stone types? (Maple, Birch... Sandstone, chalk..)
Answer: You'll find out in the next update. ;)
- Day / night cycles?
Answer: Most likely.
- Weather effects?
Answer: Most likely. These things are more of a time issue than anything, we have so much work ahead of us, it will have to wait until we have some more solid game-play finished.
- Zombies? Zombie animals? Nazi Zombie animals?
Answer: Don't you think all of these things are cliche and done to death? I mean, we could, we might, but don't we have enough zombie games already?
- Do you plan on implementing physics into your engine?
Answer: We're looking into some simple stuff. Nothing set in stone yet.
- Do you plan to have multiple races or different dwarf/gnome 'build' types, more skilled in certain professions?
Answer: Yes.
-These things are more of a time issue than anything, we have so much work ahead of us, it will have to wait until we have some more solid game-play finished.
There is a butt-load of work ahead of you guys! Alphas are an exciting time and planning is a huge part. The more you guys have planned now, the easier implementing and removing these ideas down the road will become and I'd love to help be a part of that!
- Don't you think all of these things are cliche and done to death?
I completely agree. Trolls, ogres, goblins, and zombies are totally cliche. But zombie gorillas, zombie slug men, zombie chickens ( Joeflashedme.com )? ...It simply wouldn't be dwarf fortress without them!
"....don't we have enough zombie games already?"
BLASPHEMY! BLASPHEMY, I SAY!!
*cough* .. on a serious note, this is looking sweeeeeeet.
Can i ask what language and what graphic libraries are you using, just for personal info
Java, Swing(swt), and we're probably gonna use OpenGL's sound libraries.
I was about to say that the panning was rather laggy but I figured it was just Java being Java. Great work fixing this :D