Blog

  • Alternate Reality X 0.83.5

    This is version 0.83.5.   This is just a quick fix to fix the ability to save your game.

    If bugs are reported, then I will look at fixing them.  If the bug is related to unfinished code, then nothing will be completed until the city is completed.

     

    You can download the release here.

    Version 0.83.5 – 15th Apr 2018
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    • * Fixed –  Missing saves directory in the zip file.

     

    Version 0.83.4 – 25th Feb 2018
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    • * Fixed –  Missing Ini file in the zip file.

    Version 0.83.3 – 13th Feb 2018
    —————————-

    • * Fixed – Graphics mode Alternate would cause a crash on start.

    Version 0.83.1 and .2 – 13th Feb 2018
    —————————-

    • * Fixed – Game crashed when entering the city
    • * Fixed – New Character Immobilized, clothing caused this when inserted into inventory.

    Version 0.83 – 4th Jan 2018
    —————————-

    • * Fixed – Hours in certain Inns wrapped over to the next day and you where not able to enter that inn.
    • * Fixed – Player position on automap being off by one.
    • * Added – A timeout option during fight, opponent will not do something instead of waiting forever.  
                If player leaves,  it will timeout after 20secs and clear the screen.
                No more locking up the games in waiting for keyboard inputs.
    • * Added – when you try to flee an encounter there is a chance it doesn’t work.
    • * Added – Added 16bit graphics to the graphics Mode
    • * Added – When you charm,trick or attack certain opponents, causes alignment decrease
    • * Added – Ghost attach can now be the “Bone-Chilling” attack.  Certain percentage. Reduced STR by one if was successful.
    • * Added – 2 new diseases.  Mold and fungus from MOLD, slime.  Slime will foul your food once it becomes active.  These takes 48hrs before they become active.    
    • * Added – Sun set and sun rise to 16bit graphics.  It is not done by still graphics. Drawn on the screen based on time.  that way it moves like a real sun.
    • * Fixed – Ghost information was not correct on armour.  He is suppose to be invulnerable to blunt, sharp weapons.
                you need magical weapons for the most part.  Fixed that.
    • * Fixed    – put back in the weapon selection for opponent when they attack.  Many opponents have different attacks was hard coded to just the first weapon.
    • * Fixed – Armour ability to handle different weapons is back into the system.  If using a blunt weapon and the armour is invulnerable to blunt.  You will not be able to do any damages with that kind of weapon.
    • * Fixed – Certain armour is vulnerable to certain weapons, and these weapons cause double damage.
    • * Added – Added in 3 missing encounters from binary, Cutthroat, Brigand, Master Thief
    • * Added – Put these encounters into possible city/dungeon encounters.
    • * Added – capture the number of encounters variable from binary.  When in the dungeon you can have multiple encounters now, up to the max defined in binary.  City still is only allowed 1
                encounter at a time.  The number of encounter is affected by your level, dungeon level. your alignment
                vs. encounters alignment  will increase or decrease your chances for more monsters at once.
    • * Added – Started loading in attributes for weapons. Its loads in weapons that causes curses and dieseases.
    •           Not active in the code yet. Have not loaded the weapon attributes values into the system yet.  Like, How long it last.
    • * Adjust- Adjusted the Treasure finding stats.  Potion should only be in affect until you find treasure and then it should go away.  In the code, the treasure just kept getting higher.
                Adjust treasure.  You got a weapon on almost every encounter.  The original game was not like this.  It was much hard to get weapons.  The chances for finding a weapon is much higher now.
    • * Adjust- Treasure Torch and Keys will not show up in the city anymore.  The city didn’t have these items.
    •           You end up with so many of these items you never have to want for this.          
    • * Added – When you find a potion you get 120xp points like the city gave you.
                You get 255xp for each Jewels,  128xp for each Gems
    • * Fixed – Fixed Weapon damage.   It was calculating weapon damaged wrong.  Way to high.
                It was doing a bit check for number of dice and number of sides to the dice.
                This was not correct. a Value of 36 would be 3 dice and 6 sides.  bit check would turn this into      a different value.

                        
    Notes:
        Graphics Mode is now  
            0 – 8bit,
            1 – 16bit (Amiga),
            2 – Alternate Small,
            3 – Alternate Large                
        16bit Amiga has a sunset.  Added sun to the game.  You can see the run rise and
        set.

    * Charm,Trick, Attack – on certain good characters causes your alignment to decrease.
         first time cause a huge decrease before good no matter what your score was.  Once below
         good, then each act causes it to go down a bit.

  • City and Dungeon Update

    Its been a bit since my last update,  been busy and this is what has been completed since last update.   Moving data around so Player doesn’t keep track of everything like guilds, tavern data and such.  Player only has player related data now.  Other data has been move into the correct class they are related to.  Did some tweaking of the different window sizes to make them more correct on scaling for the different sizes. Got mip mapping in Java working now.  So little to no flickering in the distance anymore. Added code to limits frames to 60 fps.  This way no matter what the game is played on it moves at the same pace.

    All jobs in the game can now randomly generate wounds during working.  It will be displayed at the end if you received a wound during working.  Guild now do not automatically accept you,  it is based on a percentage this was in the original 8-bit City and 16-bit City.  I liked that, so I put that in.  Each Guild has a different percentage for accepting new people that day.  If they are not accepting, check again tomorrow.  Guilds can remove curses and disease even if you are not joined.  They just do it for a cost.

    All shops in the city are now real time,  sitting in the place, time move forward.  Also in any of the City shops you have hit the F1-F8 or the ‘<‘ and ‘>’ key to move forward through those menus.  Menu 0 is the main menu and that is the menu the shop menu will show up if you do this inside the shop.  You can flip through any of those menus now.

    Added a new feature for the smithy sound when outside the shop.  The sound level fades depending on how far away you are from the shop.  This way you can tell if you are getting closer or further from the shop. Smithy shops are complete with friendship levels.  Has effect of friendship, saying,  barter system.  You can raise or lower you barter system.   Friendship changes if its been a long time since last visit,  will get kicked out if drunk. Going in to the shop drunk will lower your friendship.  Get that friendship up and you get a weapon at a better price.

    [image:23]Next one is a big one.  I told myself to work on the City first and move to the Dungeon once completed.  I screwed that up and loaded the Dungeon, that cause 3 days of coding to get many items working and completed.  So I never loaded the dungeon once I converted it to Java.  So I decided to load it and have finding the endless loop,  it worked like a champ.  So, it made me notice how far from complete the Dungeon really was.  So first step was add in the ability for the torch to function and for areas in the dungeon you need a torch were working.  So I added the dark area.  Now you can light a torch and see inside the dark area.

    [image:24]It also looks great.  Dark areas get darker based on the distance from you, light source,  even the 8-bit does this.  You can’t see as far as you can in the well light area.  The lighting is done in a generic 16-bit style.  The shading is based on x,y locations.  I think that fits the game very fell.

    Next step was I love the 16-bit graphics and there are some sequence and shop images but no wall images.  So I took the time to create several of the 16-bit dungeon wall images based on the 16-bit city game.  Many of the I just had to hand draw to make them work.  I think they came out pretty good.  They have the dungeon feel and look like the 16-bit version.

    Next step was how imcomplete the fixed treasures in the dungeon where in the C++ version.  But I understand now.  Only items in the game where basically the items from the monster binary file.  I completed the code to load in the Dungeon Items from the original binary file from the Dungeon.  This was need for all those fixed treasure and Quest items.  This took a day and an half to get the loading down to the 8-bit format.  Many different structures for the different items.  The longest section was getting all those Special Effects loaded.  Weapons, Potions and Card and etc….   Many items have special effect and several of them can load up with 3 and 4 effects at a time.  I have the load code complete to load in every aspect of the items.  This way all the items can be completed correctly.   I still have a few areas where the special effect will not work.  The effects tell you which byte to adjust and how to adjust them.  Many of those bytes are undocumented,  I figured several out by my self.  Like if you blow the “Gold Horn” adjust byte 0x6320 in the dungeon.  This value had all kinds of comments over the internet on what they though it might be.  I figured it out and love this one.   Setting this variable forces an encounter depending on the value.  So now I can test encounters with anyone I wish by adjusting this value.  Only problem is the encounter in ARX is off from the Dungeon.  Because ARX doesn’t load all the monsters from the original monster binary file.  It skips about 6-10 monsters, so this caused the index to get off between the two system.  Have to work on that.  But I can fight the FBI anytime I wish now.  There are several bytes not documented and was unable to deteremine what effect in the game they have.  Still working on those.  

    Loading of the Dungeon Items was needed to complete the Dungeon.  Was not going to hard code all those items into the game.  Like the couple of Quest items ARX has right now.  They are not real items and the name is just hard coded to be an item inventory.   I’ve removed all this because now you just tell it to put an item in the players inventory.

    I started adding in the fixed treasure location throughout the game.  Just taking a bit of time but easy enough to do.  As I’m just teleporting in the 8-bit dungeon game by adjust the x,y and level bytes to put me in a new location a to verify ARX plays just like the 8-bit did.  It works out well, except that as in the City the entire 64×64 was loaded into the game. While Dungeon level 1 is pieced into 4 sections, I assume that was the reason for the teleports, it can cause a load sequence to get the next section loaded.  So I have to get into that section and then I can teleport anywhere I want.

     

    [image:25]Quest One
      Quest One was not in ARX,  So I’ve added the first half of the sequence with Ozob and the prison.  The first half of Quest One is complete and working in the game. I’ve changed the sequence just a bit from the original.  See if you notice it, it doesn’t affect game play or how you can play.  But I thought the slight change was great addition.

     

     

     

    • Added – Load all items from the original Dungeon Item binary file.  This is need for all the missing items.  Only items really in the game where the items of the monsters.
              nothing else was in the game.  
    • Added – Ozob, Acrinimiril prison sequence is complete.  Getting key, releasing the prisoner and teleporting complete.
                Quest One Part 1, Last part of quest one if to find tomb and getting new item is left to do.
    • Added – All shops inside the City run in real time.  Time moves forward just sitting there.
                The Tavern, Bank, Inn, Shop and Smithy are not complete with friendship system, jobs, and menu systems.
    • Added – Smithy shop is complete now.  Has effect of friendship, saying,  barter system.  You can raise or lower you barter system.
                Friendship changes if its been a long time since last visit,  will get kicked out if drunk. Going in to the shop drunk will
                lower your friendship.  Get that friendship up and you get a weapon at a better price.
    • Fixed – Smithy sound adjustment.   The sound level is adjusted depending on how close you are away from the shop.
                It was hard coded to certain squares to play the smithy sound.  Now the game checks to see if a smithy shop is when a certain
                distance of your location and then plays the sound.  it adjust the sound level depending of the distance.
    • Added – Added the alter menu to work in shop, taverns adn etc….  This way tipsy and drunk can put up random screen and make it hard to navigate.
                 Also, you can check your equipment, gold and such in a shop.
    • Added – Added cost to remove curse when you are not joined with the guild. The guild will still remove curses but for a cost.
    • Added – Guild percentage for acceptance has been updated.   Even the original 8bit city didn’t automatically accept new members.
                Now all guilds will be accepting or not, if not check back the next day.
    • Added – Jobs now in Tavern can randomly generate a wound.  All jobs in the city can cause injury during work.
    • Added – Frame limit to 60fps.
    • Added – Mip Mappings is functional now.  The flicker is gone.
    • Fixed – Tweaking the different window sizes layout.  Getting them to be more perfect in positioning.
    • Added – Pulled out all the of on player data out of the player class and put them into the correct class they are related to.
  • Quick Update – 8-bit graphics

    [video:youtube:IBiU46UjT1s]

    I’ve been working on the Atari 8-bit graphics when it comes to the city.  I’ve completed completely over hauling the background system.  No more multiple images for the background images.  There are only 4 textures,  one for each moutain.  Also,  The original 8-bit game has animation on the southern mountain with a river.   I’ve added that part to the game.  Looks good.   Also,  added the sun rise and sun set effects from the original 8-bit game.   I’ve completed the rain effect in the 8-bit version of the game.  Like the other systems, the rain intensity is based on the weather condition.  I”m not completely happy with the look.  It feels different from the original.  Not sure how much more I’m putting into it.  But the weather system for the 8-bit and 16-bit are completey now.  Feels so much more like the original game.   The game is coming together.

     

    • Added – 8bit style.  If you become very thirsty and you have water packets. The player automatically drink the water.  This is the new style.
    • Added – 8bit river.   The 8 bit bit river animation has been added to the game when viewing the mountains in the south.
    • Added – 8bit sun.   Sunrise and Sunset is now implemented in the 8bit version.
    • Added – 8bit rain.  The rain for all system of system is in the game.  They are in their own class,  At start of game it determines the graphics  defined and creates the correct class for that type.
  • Quick Update – Lightning effect for 16-bit

    [video:youtube:8nY3xKXKfbk]

    I’ve implement the 16-bit lightning effect and got it into the game.  It looks good.  I actually like it, like the little flashes that it creates during the duration of the lightning.  Also, implement the 8-bit rain effect and it is working great.  Even though it doesn’t have the exact feel of the 8-bit.   I’m not sure if I’ll continue tweaking it to be 100% like it.

    When it comes to the weather the 16-bit and alternate has a new feature that the 8-bit will not have.  If the weather indicates it is freezing and it calls for rain,  it will render SNOW instead.  Snow intensy is based on the storm intensity.  So it could fall light to heavy based on the degree of the storm.  During a SNOW STORM, the sun effect during the 16-bit version, will not be drawn.  

    Also,  implement the timer event for the game.  This way can start to implement timed events for potions.  Really implement deseases and curses correctly.

    Torches work on the timed events.  Also, they work in The City.  It will light the area for a timed event.  Then the torch becomes a dead torch.  Which at this point it is just a stick as a weapon.

     

     

    • Added – Timed events started.  Works with Torches.  Torches has a duration now.  Will burn out and become useless. Can be used as a weapon but just like a stick.  a blunt weak weapon.  This is the start of events for potions/magic.
                Now I can give potion timed event.  do not like items structure.  It is way to hard coded and limiting.  Like a torch the type is a weapon.  There is no way to determine what kind of weapon it is.  I want to change this but it is not important at this time. 
    • Added – You can use torches in the city now.  At night the city can get dark and its hard to see in the distance.  If you use a torch, it will provide light for a period of time
    • Added – 16-bit Amiga –  It now has snow.  If the temperature is below freezing, and the game calls for rain.  It will display snow instead how much it snows is based on how big of a storm it is.  Also, during a snow storm, the sun doesn’t show. 8bit it only rains, no matter how cold it is.  The game didn’t have that feature.
    • Fixed – Fixed the thunder sound.  It can choice between short vs. long thunder sound and will repeat based on how frequent it calls for it.         
    • Added – Experience points are rewarded differently between charm/trick  vs. death from fighting.  Your experience points for charming is different from the attack.
    • Added – Started to add in “Game Options”.  The ability to select 16-bit Guilds   vs. 8-bit Guilds.
                Started to add the ability to select 16-bit experience point rewards vs. 8-bit
                Started to add the abillity to select 16-bit healer options bs. 8-bit
                Once a character is created, then from that point forward, you are force to use that type of game option.
                No switching back to the other style after creating your character.
                
                Right now missing menu option during creation to select which style you wish to use. Its hard coded to a certain one right now
  • Quick Update – Shops and Alcohol

    This is a small update and it is mostly related to Shops and drinking.   Friendship for shops is completed.  If you enter it while your drunk, they will kick you out and reduce your friendship level.  30 day waiting period if your friendship gets to low. Taking damaged during working at a shop can now happen.  Greetings change based on your friendship level in the shop. So you can use this to judge where your friendship level is.

    Bargain system for shops is much more complicated now.   It was very simple before.  Now your friendship with the shop does affect how well you can bargain with the shop.  Don’t piss off the shop keeper or your friendship will reduce.  You only have so many attempts to bargain unless you piss the shop keeper off and they can quit the bargain then.  Or extend it if your not to bad on the value.  So play around and get your items for the best price.

    Character creation numbers where to high.  It is possible in the 8-bit version to go as low as 3 and ARX limited it to 10.  I changed it back to 8-bit version.  Want that hard feel the original game had.

    Alcohol system has been completely rewritten.  You don’t get drunk instantly.  partial effect to the blood system and then the rest has to get digestion and then into the blood stream.  So you can drink several items and not be completely drunk but 20 minutes later become very drunk.   Now since the alcohol system is now complete.  The next step is to put in the side effects of being  tipsy, drunk and very drunk.   random screens,  random moves,  possible blacking out.   Don’t pass out in the street, you might wake up with missing items.  Thiefs are plenty in city streets.

     

    • Added – Alcohol effects your stealth stat.
    • Added – Alcohol drinking has changed.  It uses blood concentration and instetine concentration.  So you don’t become instally tipsy or drunk. Over time the alcohol is transfered to the blood and your level of alcohol in the blood affects your drunkenness.   Then slowly over time, once all the alcohol is out of your instetines, then removed rom the blood you return back to normal.  This is like the original game.
    • Added – Change creationg stats to match more of the 16-bit game.   The stats were always to high for minimum.
    • Added – Taking job in a Inn will use the fatigue rate for the job.  So you will get tired faster than normal.
                You have a probablity of receiving a wound during your job.  It could be a minor or major wound.  Luck would be have it to die during work.  Watch out.
    • Added – Add sequence for shop offers.   This is much more advance and your friendship to the shop affects what is acceptable.  If your offer is to low then you may be kicked out and your friendship is reduced.  If it gets to low then you will not be acceptable for 30 days.
    • Added – Shop friendship is in place.  If it is over 30 days since last visit, your friendship will be reset for that shop.  Based on your buying of items and bargaining, your friendship can increase and/or decrease.
    • Added – Shop,  if you enter while drunk, they will kick you out.  This hurts your friendship with the shop.
                Frequency changes the greetings,  so vist more often.
                If you fail to bargain then it will reduce your friendship level with the shop.
                If your friendship falls to low then you will not be allowed in the shop.  Have to wait for 30 days.

     

     

  • Quick Update – New addidtion to the game

    This is an update on what I’ve been working on this week.   I’ve worked on the weather system and got most of it working.  Missing the 8-bit graphics and the visual part of lightning.  the 16-bit and alternative graphics has rain drops and those rain drops have depth to them. You will see rain falling behind walls in the city.   Also, when you go into a building you can still here the rain but its sound is reduce by more that 60%,  so it just sounds like outside instead of no sound at all.

    In the weather system, there is temperature now,  so the player can get cold and hot throughout the year.   I did an update on the weather system already, so I will not go into it here. So clothing is required now and has an effect.

    The best part of the update is the HUGE expansion on the shop.  The clothes has had a complete over all on it.  It doesn’t have limited clothing anymore.  They are not hard coded anymore.  The game will make them up based on the 4 types that make up a piece of clothing.

    Quality Color Fabric Type
    Cheap Gray (Not specificed) Jerkin
    Simple Green Linen Breechcloth
    Fine Gold Wool Toga
      Orange Silk Robe
      Red Cotton Cloak
      Silver Satin Vest
      Black Fur-Lined Hat
      Brown Dragonskin Pants
      White   Shirt
      Purple   Dress
      Plaid   Blouse
      Yellow   Skirt
      Blue   Socks
      Striped   Scarf
      Maron   Tie
          Raincoat

    Each shop has only 12 items per day,  it might not be for a very long time you see all possible combinations.   A random number is generated for each type and then the system generated an item based on those 4 types.  Cost, weight, dapper, warmth, ware quality and water proofness is generated through a combination of those items.   So during the summber months I would not suggest wearing heavy items, save them for the winter so you don’t freeze.

    Player can be affected by the temperature, so watch out what you where in what temperature.   You coulbd become “Cold!” and then affect your ability to fight and stay alive. or get too hot and become more fatigue and become thirsty even faster.  Inside the any shop will be always 72°f. 

    Next big update that happened this week was getting 3 different primary stats working for the player.  You have  shown, active and real stats for all 6 primary stats.   If you are having dilusions, the stats shown on the screen will not be true and you will not know what your true stats and even HP are, so watch out.  Each stat has 3 kinds of penalties for them,  you have hunger, thirst, fatigue, depending on how your player is currently affected.  So you can’t go without eating forever anymore without a side effect.

    Everywhere in the game it calls for one of your stats to determine a charm, trick or surprise and etc..   It get your active stat for that stat.   That may or may not be what is shown on the screen,  so keep your character healthy.

    You can become bloated in the game from eating and drinking to much at one time.  So don’t let yourself become to hungry or thirsty at one time because you might have to drink and/or eat to much at one time to remove that and become bloated.   Being bloated will slow down your movement in the game.  Depending on how bloated you are, the speed will be reduce in different stages based on that players stat. So don’t get to full.  Also, when trying to leave an encounter your speed is what determine if you leave.  If you are bloated then this affect your ability to run away.  So don’t go fighting on a FULL stomach.

     

     Potion,  you now have the ability to identify the potion going through the steps.  But also, in the original you had the ability to lose that potion,  small chance but its there going through identifing it.  So watch out you don’t want to see “Poof!” as a result of taste or sip.  Also, your wisdom is used to idenitfy a potion, so it will use your active wisdom and not your true wisdom.

    Adjusted the trick/charm options in the encounter.  Charm is based on the opponents charisma,  is they are to simple it will not work.  The difference between your charm and the opponents charm determines your chance at success.  Of course it is using your active charm now.   Tricking an opponent works the same way but it uses your intelligence.

    Offering an item during encounter is way more complicated then before.  There are many variables to determine what happens.  Sometime the opponent will accept and leave, sometime take the item and stay and sometime refuse to take the item at all.  Its based on their intelligence and alignment what they will do.

    Now if your are in the palace court at the top of the hour, you will hear the palace theme playing like the original game.

    When leveling up, stamina plays a big part in your increase in HP.  But when this occurs it uses your active stamina.  so don’t leave up when your under something.  Another option that changed for leveling up is all of your stats, before was just a random number to increase your stats.  Now it is based on a random number and that stat,  so the higher the stat the smaller amount that stat will increase over time.  So it will be hard to jump to 255 really fast.

    All parts of the encounter system will use your active stat and not the real stat to determine what ever it needs at that time.  So being hungry, thristy and cold  is not a good time to go looking for a fight.

    Big changes to the banking system.   Governemnt game in and said we needed regulations, so there are new rules for each bank.  Ok,  there are failure for saving accounts now.  So watch out, before it never did failures.  Each day the system will run and check for failure and handle your interest rate increases for each account in each bank.  Bank hours have been added to the game, they are not open 24hrs anymore.  Selling gems/jewelry has different values based on the bank you are trying to sell it to.  The game did not implement the appraisal option. Still have to add that.

     

    • Added – Shown stats so delusion and other magic works on what you think your stats are.  So you now have shown, active and real stats for the primary stats.
    • Added – Complete rewrite of the clothing items.
                It is somewhat dynamic now.  Clothing is made up of 5 different things to make an item.  So there are
                now hundreds and hundreds of clothes.  You can dress as you wish.
                Quality of cloth, Color of cloth, type of fabric, type of clothes (robe, shirt, pants and etc)
                Price is based on all those types to come up with a total.  
                Clothing affect your warmth level, so it will prevent you from being to cold.  But could make you too hot
    •  Added – Added possible account failures in banks
    •  Added – Bank hours added to the game.
    •  Added – Selling Gems/Jewelery  has different values depending on the bank you are trying to sell it to.
    •  Added – encounter sequences now uses the affect stats value instead of true value.
    •  Added – If you offer an item to an encounter where the intelligence is less than 5 and evil.  They take it and still stays.  If the character is bad alignment, then based on alignment and money you have, they will decide if it is ok and leave.  Otherwise take item and stay.
    • Added – The chance of charming an encounter is now based on affected charisma not true charisma.
    • Added – Player status level up is based on the players stats, the higher the stat is the lower chance of increase
    • Added – Level up of hit points is based on affected stamina instead of the true stamina.
    • Added – Added temperature system into the game.  Its based on month, weather type and hour of the day.
    • Added – Added playing the palace theme song on the top of the hour every hour if if you are in the palace courtyard like the original 8-bit
    • Added – enhanced the background mountain images.  Background texture is just the mountain now.  Sky and ground is drawn by the software now.
    • Added – charm/trick attempt that fails, will cause any attempt after than a 50% likely to fail again.
    • Added – Started to add in speed feature.  Depending on your speed, it will determine how fast the player will move around in the game
    • Added – Idenity of potion feature is completed.  Based on wisdom you have a chance of identified the name of the potion if it is successful
    • Added – Original game had a small chance of the potion going “POOF” during the Sip/Taste/Quaff.  This had been added to the game
    • Added – Bloated to the game.   Once you eat you will get bloated if you eat to much.  This will reduce the speed of the character while  bloated.  Depending on how bloated you are, the speed will be reduce in different stages based on that players stat. So don’t get to full.   Right now it is only movement speed that is working.

     

  • Quick Update – Weather Update

    [video:youtube:g_hEwNXiKgg]

    This is another short update on the weather system in Alternate Reality.   The weather system is almost complete and working pretty nicely.   I’ve gotten the 16bit version working pretty nicely.   The rain is based on the 16 bit information,  like how much, how long and etc…   it changes based on month and type of weather that is selected.  Lightning sounds will play also, but do not have the visual aspects implemented.   Next I will put in the 8-bit graphics of the rain.  Want the 8-bit rain to look like the old 8-bit rain.

    Also, in the 16-bit version, the rain has depth unlike the original where it only rain in front of the screen.  You will see rain fall behind walls and out of view.  Will see large rain drops when they are close.

    The background in 16-bit mode is completely different from the C++ version.   The only texture is the mountain.  The sky and ground is drawn based on weather condition and time.  

     

    Hope you enjoy.

     

  • Quick Update – Java Edition

    This is another small udpate on what all has changed from the 0.83  version of ARX to the Java Edition that is related to the game.  Nothing about inside code changes between the two.

    This update is about the Tavern mostly,  ironing out all the different things about a tavern that was in the original 8-bit/16-bit game.  Friendship level is complete now,  done to the point if your friendship gets to low they will kick you out and you have to wait for 30 days to get back in.  This is a very minor change in the game but want to make the feel of the game complete.  Still need work on the digestion part of the player stats.

    • Added – If you become VERY drunk in a tavern, they will kick you out and reduce your friendship level
    • Added – Random chance of alignment increase if you take a job at the tavern.
    • Added – Multiple message for buying round based on your friendship.  Instead of the static message, it can be between
                2 different messages based on your friendship level for each group.
    • Added – If you attempt to but a drink or food item and do not have enough money, your friendship value will decrease
    • Added – If sitting at a private booth in a classy tavern, the items on the table change.  They are not just popcorn or nuts
                 They are Breadsticks or Hors d’oeuvres, it randomly picks which item to put on the table.  For a non classy tavern
                 it will randomly pick between nuts or popcorn in the booth.
    • Fixed – Food and drinks change on the hour like the original game not once a day any more.
    • Added – Friendship will be reduce if last visit is over 30 days.  Come on Cheers guys showed up everyday!!!
    • Added – Tavern, if friendship is to low, you will be thrown out.  Have to wait 30 days for this to be reset.
    • Added – Different greetings in the tavern based on your friendship level like the original.

     

  • Quick Update – Java Edition

    This is a small udpate on what all has changed from the 0.83  version of ARX to the Java Edition that is related to the game.  Nothing about inside code changes between the two. I’m working hard on getting all the Modules to be a state machine so they do not loop inside its code forever.   This way it just goes into the module displays its screen and checks for user input and leaves.  So the main game loop keeps looping all the time.   You can die in a shop now!!!   Say if you have a desease and standing in the lobby, if the update hits you with a new update on the desease and takes hit points away you can die in the shop on the lobby floor.   Poor shop keeper, he has to clean you up.  Talking about not being a good customer!!!!

    • * Added – Fatigue has been added to the game. You will get tired over time.  Your Embumbrance will increase how fast you become fatigued.
                 Once your very tired,  then it will start affecting your stats like the original game.
    • * Fixed – Thirst and Hunger stat has been enhanced,  while sleeping the amount is reduced while sleeping by 50%.  So you get hungry/thirsty
                slower while sleeping like the original
    • * Added – Rotating indicator on status panel like the dungeon has been added to show when time is advancing.  In many shops(Interactive areas)
                the time doesn’t change ever, thirst, hunger and etc never changes when sitting at these menus.   I’ve started changing all modules to not get stuck
                in loops causing it to have its own loop for drawing screen and getting inputs.   They go through the main game loop and time is updated.
                So sitting at a menu in say shop, time will progress and you might leave and it be dark now.  Or desease will affect you standing the the lobby.
    • * Added – ViewPort size menu option.  You can select between “Small” and “Large”.  Small is the normal viewport like the original. Large is full screen
                below the status panel.
    • * Added – Title songs with text has been added to the main menu.  Also, in the background,  stars fly by like the original.  
                It will play it at random intervals.  You can stop is by pressing “S” or start is by “P”.
    • * Added – You have 3 screen sizes to select from.  Orignal of 672×512, 1344×1024 or fullscreen.  The game will just scale all items for the last two
                screen options.
    • * Added – Put in more of the gate sequence features the original had.  You now have the electric fence effect, and also after selecting your stats.
                The screen will be erased just like the original 8-bit/16-bit The City game.
    • * Added – You now have the ability to select the different graphics options like 8-bit/16-bit/Alternative, and now you do not have to restart the game.
    • * Added – Game Configuration now saves on exit of the game.  So manually editing of the ini file is required.                   

     

  • Alternate Reality X 0.83.4

    This is my first release of Alternate Reality X.  This is version 0.83.4.   I picked this up from Arnic that has been working on this for years to get to this point.  It is a great game.   I found ARX about 3 years ago and tried it for a bit, but I didn’t find it very playable at that time and game back in 2017.  I found it in a very playable state but then I found out that we had personal things going on and was unable to complete the game.  So I decided to fix some of the bugs and then that evolved in completing what he started.

    My goals are simple, that is to complete The City.  There are many things missing from the City.   Like weather, need for wearing Clothing.  Spells, curses, poisons and many other items. Once, the city is complete, then I’ll look into completing the Dungeon.

    If bugs are reported, then I will look at fixing them.  If the bug is related to unfinished code, then nothing will be completed until the city is completed.

     

    You can download the release here.

    Version 0.83.4 – 25th Feb 2018
    —————————-

    • * Fixed –  Missing Ini file in the zip file.

    Version 0.83.3 – 13th Feb 2018
    —————————-

    • * Fixed – Graphics mode Alternate would cause a crash on start.

    Version 0.83.1 and .2 – 13th Feb 2018
    —————————-

    • * Fixed – Game crashed when entering the city
    • * Fixed – New Character Immobilized, clothing caused this when inserted into inventory.

    Version 0.83 – 4th Jan 2018
    —————————-

    • * Fixed – Hours in certain Inns wrapped over to the next day and you where not able to enter that inn.
    • * Fixed – Player position on automap being off by one.
    • * Added – A timeout option during fight, opponent will not do something instead of waiting forever.  
                If player leaves,  it will timeout after 20secs and clear the screen.
                No more locking up the games in waiting for keyboard inputs.
    • * Added – when you try to flee an encounter there is a chance it doesn’t work.
    • * Added – Added 16bit graphics to the graphics Mode
    • * Added – When you charm,trick or attack certain opponents, causes alignment decrease
    • * Added – Ghost attach can now be the “Bone-Chilling” attack.  Certain percentage. Reduced STR by one if was successful.
    • * Added – 2 new diseases.  Mold and fungus from MOLD, slime.  Slime will foul your food once it becomes active.  These takes 48hrs before they become active.    
    • * Added – Sun set and sun rise to 16bit graphics.  It is not done by still graphics. Drawn on the screen based on time.  that way it moves like a real sun.
    • * Fixed – Ghost information was not correct on armour.  He is suppose to be invulnerable to blunt, sharp weapons.
                you need magical weapons for the most part.  Fixed that.
    • * Fixed    – put back in the weapon selection for opponent when they attack.  Many opponents have different attacks was hard coded to just the first weapon.
    • * Fixed – Armour ability to handle different weapons is back into the system.  If using a blunt weapon and the armour is invulnerable to blunt.  You will not be able to do any damages with that kind of weapon.
    • * Fixed – Certain armour is vulnerable to certain weapons, and these weapons cause double damage.
    • * Added – Added in 3 missing encounters from binary, Cutthroat, Brigand, Master Thief
    • * Added – Put these encounters into possible city/dungeon encounters.
    • * Added – capture the number of encounters variable from binary.  When in the dungeon you can have multiple encounters now, up to the max defined in binary.  City still is only allowed 1
                encounter at a time.  The number of encounter is affected by your level, dungeon level. your alignment
                vs. encounters alignment  will increase or decrease your chances for more monsters at once.
    • * Added – Started loading in attributes for weapons. Its loads in weapons that causes curses and dieseases.
    •           Not active in the code yet. Have not loaded the weapon attributes values into the system yet.  Like, How long it last.
    • * Adjust- Adjusted the Treasure finding stats.  Potion should only be in affect until you find treasure and then it should go away.  In the code, the treasure just kept getting higher.
                Adjust treasure.  You got a weapon on almost every encounter.  The original game was not like this.  It was much hard to get weapons.  The chances for finding a weapon is much higher now.
    • * Adjust- Treasure Torch and Keys will not show up in the city anymore.  The city didn’t have these items.
    •           You end up with so many of these items you never have to want for this.          
    • * Added – When you find a potion you get 120xp points like the city gave you.
                You get 255xp for each Jewels,  128xp for each Gems
    • * Fixed – Fixed Weapon damage.   It was calculating weapon damaged wrong.  Way to high.
                It was doing a bit check for number of dice and number of sides to the dice.
                This was not correct. a Value of 36 would be 3 dice and 6 sides.  bit check would turn this into      a different value.

                        
    Notes:
        Graphics Mode is now  
            0 – 8bit,
            1 – 16bit (Amiga),
            2 – Alternate Small,
            3 – Alternate Large                
        16bit Amiga has a sunset.  Added sun to the game.  You can see the run rise and
        set.

    * Charm,Trick, Attack – on certain good characters causes your alignment to decrease.
         first time cause a huge decrease before good no matter what your score was.  Once below
         good, then each act causes it to go down a bit.