Driftwuld: Armour Hunter progress update

Plugging along on the next module of Driftwurld, pretty much done except for playtesting it.

The idea in it is that armour repairs are expensive, but you can hunt supernatural creatures called Rage Beetles, who have armour scaled bodies. If you kill one, you can take the scales and use them for armour repair. But it involved owning an ATV and racing along, firing at the Rage Beetle with a rail gun as you race ahead of it's snapping jaws (they can move fast and they live in areas where there isn't alot of open ground to get away from them).

With this module, the player has just scrapped his way out of being a dirt farmer and now actually has a fair bit of power and the capacity to start doing his own thing in life without the costs of it being prohibative.

The next module, I think, will be slaying drift monsters for cash, then after that maybe a world map where you can start investing that money in things or explore around for cash.

Must code in the Drift Kings attacks at some point, though. He's the main antagonist, after all!



First posted this here, then realised I should have posted on my blog first! :)

Diablo 3 - Yeah, sure, Blizzard aren't running an item shop!

Article here.

I'm really surprised how people seem to think diablo 3 wont have an item shop?

What, does all it take is that 'oh, it's players selling to players!'? That's enough to baffle peoples senses?

Let's make it clear - players can only sell to other players because blizzard makes their sale possible.

Blizzard makes a cut on each sale, that it made possible to do.

How is this not an item shop?

Blizzard is being smart with the revenue coming in from this system: players will be charged a flat fee to list an item, and if it sells there will be another flat fee paid to Blizzard. The company won't make more profit on a more expensive item, and the "nominal" fee will dissuade players from simply dumping everything they find on the auction block. Since drops are random and only players can sell to other players, the economy is still self-contained.

What's this self contained bit? It's self contained when it's a blackmarket at well? What's new?

Further, if you can sell stacks of items the "The company won't make more profit on a more expensive item" is completely untrue. A stack of 50 healing potions having the 'same' posting fee as awesome sword X isn't the same. The fee is divided by 50 in one case. Which means awesome sword grants a bigger profit.

I think there are a few stars in peoples eyes, out there. Or perhaps they are snow blind?

Forsaken world trailer

Forsaken world has a nice trailer to it. One day I'm sure mmorpg gameplay will, like video game caught up with their trailers, will catch up.

Driftwurld: Hail to the King

This wouldn't be the hell king - more like one of his underling. Even a grunt. That's how powerful the hell king is!

You know, I've really got to code in the threat of the HellDrift King for my browser game, Driftwurld, into the raptor slayage code.

See, it's about time he showed up as a threat. Before, you were so living on the fringes it's like the roaches living inside the walls of your house, you just don't notice them. But once the roaches build a little fort...

The idea was I add a variable to the database to indicate the HellKing's notice, which also gives a message when you log in. Each day there is a chance of it going up (or...down...maybe!). Once it gets to a certain point, he simply sends a minor force to wipe out your fortification.

It's supposed to annoy you - it makes him a bad guy who actually affects the world. Unlike those in warcraft, who only affect anything once your in a raid with them.

Besides, you can buy a basic new fort for $1500, which is a sting but not the worst...

Driftwurld: Teaming with possibilities!

At the moment I'm working on a method of forming a party in Driftwurld.

The idea is that you work as a team by each of you dealing with a random scenario that you face. You then have a number of options you can choose from as a response, one of which is the right response (which you discover either by experimentation (or paying!) then need to remember it (it's a small memory game).

The response you give is actually sent to another player as a signal. When they log in, they see the signal you gave as to what action to take and they have a number of options shown to them. Their part in the team play is to follow the direction you gave them and hit that option.

If they do and you gave the right signal to begin with, you get tactical strength points, which make the battle a hell of alot easier (read: less horrifically expensive) to fight.

And likewise, they will be getting a random scenario and then sending a signal to you to respond to as they direct as well. It's like everyones giving each other commands - so everyones the leader for a moment, telling others what to do, then it switches around equally and you follow their directions. Do it all right and you grow strong as a team!