Archmage Rises - the play-how-you-want mage simulator - now available on Early Access

[HoboForEternity]

Thomas Henshell's Debt Rises

 

[ArchAngel]

The last progress video is just going to be his wife with a bloody knife in her hand admitting she killed him for spending all their savings on this.

 

[thesecret1]

Every time I find a good looking indie game, it turns out to be vapourware.

 

[Viata]

The last progress video is just going to be his wife with a bloody knife in her hand admitting she killed him for spending all their savings on this.

Or his wife having sex with someone else while he waste his time doing shit in this vaporware.

 

[lightbane]

Which one is going to be released first: Barkley 2, or this?

 

[Citizen]

Which one is going to be released first: Barkley 2, or this?

Grimoire V3

 

[Modron]

Which one is going to be released first: Barkley 2, or this?

That Which Sleeps.

 

[Infinitron]

http://www.archmagerises.com/news/2019/7/21/update-99-generating-believable-3d-dungeons-with-ai

This week’s update is the presentation I gave at CGDC in Portland, OR Jul 18 2019. I dive into the unique design constraints of Archmage Rise’s procedural dungeons, the prototypes and processes attempting to meet those requirements, and how, now, the technology differs from other algorithms of the past.

I finished the talk with a live demo, which didn’t work very well and didn’t record, so this video contains just the presentation itself.

 

[Viata]

which didn’t work very well

Life is a harsh mistress.

 

[Infinitron]

http://www.archmagerises.com/news/2019/8/10/update-100-the-studio

In this special 100th episode I’m joined by Neil of Pixel Light Games. Today I reveal some of the bigger things that have been in the works since April and how the hiring of Daniel fits into a larger plan.

In the Jan 2019 update I stated 9,500 programming hours have gone into Archmage Rises. With this new plan we will be able to work 4,400 programming hours from Sep 1 2019 to Aug 31 2020. About 50% of the total effort to date, will go into finishing.

This, my friends, is what I mean by Sprint to the Finish Line.

 

[thesecret1]

So what are the odds of this releasing before 2025?

 

[Haba]

So what are the odds of this releasing before 2025?

It depends on how swiftly the debtors are able to compile the assets.

 

[Infinitron]

http://www.archmagerises.com/news/2019/8/23/update-101-better-dungeons-amp-alienfx

Daniel has been working hard to finish up his last full-time week. Tomorrow at 5am he flies back to Florida for his final year of Computer Science. Before leaving he finished implementing AlienFx lighting into the game. We tried to think of innovative ways to tie the lighting system into the players actions and game environment. We think it’s pretty cool for those with the hardware to enjoy it. Why did we implement it now? Because for 5 years my Alienware rep has been politely asking when we would implement this feature, presumably so they can brag about the game.

I have been busy working on heuristic algorithms to make the dungeons fun. Placement of locked doors, levers, monsters, all in smart interesting places that make sense.

Here is an example debug output from the dungeon structure generator:

• Start - Purple Outline and labeled “start”
  
  
• Goal (final room or stairs to next level) - pink outline (#17)
  
  
• Green Outline - critical path between Start and Goal
  
  
• Red outline - It’s a trap!
  
  
• Red dot - patrol of monsters
  
  
• Colored door - requires a key or lever to open
  
  
• Colored room - the corresponding location of the key or lever to open the door
  

The algorithm favors placing keys in dead ends (1 door rooms, labelled 1d) and far from the door. It was really bugging me when, randomly, the key would be placed in the room adjoining where you needed it. Euclidean geometry and A* pathfinding for the win!

Monsters are placed in smart-ish locations, like to guard a key (#10, #12, #1).

Daniel and I think it will be really fun, much better than what we had before. We’re nearing the end of working on dungeons and I think it has really been worth it!

If anyone is interested, this is a really easy to use C# A* pathfinding algorithm (which i had to debug and add features to):

https://www.codeproject.com/Articles/5758/Path-finding-in-C

 

[Infinitron]

Work, minions:

The team grows again! Long time fan and recent Computer Science graduate, this week Michel moved from Michigan to Canada and is now working full time on the game.

Michel is still getting his bearings, but he is actively working on finishing up the dungeons.

Not mentioned in the video, but also this week Daniel improved performance of the Mage Tower screen by 100x.

Things are starting to move quicker!

 

[Infinitron]

http://www.archmagerises.com/news/2019/10/5/update-103-dungeon-walkthrough

This week I share some of the team’s great work bringing the dungeons closer to completion. Inspired by Nic’s constant nagging, I fire up a dungeon and start wandering around pointing out gameplay changes. We finish with some examples of “themed rooms” by our newest member and 3d modeller, Emily Adams!

 

[ntonystinson]

http://www.archmagerises.com/news/2019/10/5/update-103-dungeon-walkthrough

This week I share some of the team’s great work bringing the dungeons closer to completion. Inspired by Nic’s constant nagging, I fire up a dungeon and start wandering around pointing out gameplay changes. We finish with some examples of “themed rooms” by our newest member and 3d modeller, Emily Adams!

Sounds bored playing through his own game, even skipping the battles. On another note why are RPGs so obsessed with dungeons? Feel like more time shpsho be put into the role play bits and the overworld

 

[HoboForEternity]

http://www.archmagerises.com/news/2019/10/5/update-103-dungeon-walkthrough

This week I share some of the team’s great work bringing the dungeons closer to completion. Inspired by Nic’s constant nagging, I fire up a dungeon and start wandering around pointing out gameplay changes. We finish with some examples of “themed rooms” by our newest member and 3d modeller, Emily Adams!

Sounds bored playing through his own game, even skipping the battles. On another note why are RPGs so obsessed with dungeons? Feel like more time shpsho be put into the role play bits and the overworld

dungeon are great if implemented well. fun, twisting paths with danger, traps, puzzles and good loot. too bad most RPG have shit dungeons

 

[adrix89]

I wish the developers would ask themselves "Where is the gameplay".

"Dungeons" where you click stuff and a bunch of dice rolls for traps does not constitute gameplay.
They didn't need to make "3D Dungeons" to figure that out. They were a clear mistake from the moment they were introduced.
Tabletop Mechanics do not work in a computer game, you do not have the other players, you do not have the GM to cut through the bullshit and keep things sane.

 

[ArchAngel]

Weren't they in financial troubles not so long ago?
Where does he get the money now to hire all these extra people?

 

[Space Satan]

Weren't they in financial troubles not so long ago?
Where does he get the money now to hire all these extra people?

 

[ntonystinson]

http://www.archmagerises.com/news/2019/10/5/update-103-dungeon-walkthrough

This week I share some of the team’s great work bringing the dungeons closer to completion. Inspired by Nic’s constant nagging, I fire up a dungeon and start wandering around pointing out gameplay changes. We finish with some examples of “themed rooms” by our newest member and 3d modeller, Emily Adams!

Sounds bored playing through his own game, even skipping the battles. On another note why are RPGs so obsessed with dungeons? Feel like more time shpsho be put into the role play bits and the overworld

dungeon are great if implemented well. fun, twisting paths with danger, traps, puzzles and good loot. too bad most RPG have shit dungeons

Mount and Blade Warband to my knowledge has no dungeons yet still one of the most enjoyable RPGs around. Why are RPGs so obsessed with dungeons. Even Stardew Valley the "Farming" RPG felt the need to include a dungeon that is totally disconnected from the Rest of the game

 

[Infinitron]

http://www.archmagerises.com/news/2019/10/28/update-104-dungeon-decoration-debugging

This week I show off the cool work Emily and Michel have been doing on the dungeon room decorations. To get those rooms you will be exploring and looting feeling good. This video shows some more room types and the 3d debugging tool Michel made.

 

[fantadomat]

So when is the release?

 

[Viata]

Fuck, people complaining about dungeon in an RPG.

 

[ntonystinson]

Fuck, people complaining about dungeon in an RPG.

No dungeons in Disco Elysium or KCD Don't think they suffered as a result
Edit: these are just random games that cropped up in my mind