Dungeon Colony Version 0.1.9.99

Today's version (v0.1.9.99) extends the recently updated quests. Now, the level editor allows the level designer to associate quest rewards to a quest. This is optional and a reward can currently be any kind of object that exists in the game. A count can also be set to specify a specific amount of reward:

When the player completes a quest, the reward is placed in a special reward-crate. This crate allows the player to select the reward from the crate and place it anywhere on the map. Eventually, the rewards will be extended to include more than one kind of reward as well as other types of entities, such as creatures or abilities.


Here's the change-log summary: Other changes include:

• Improves Error Catching for Video Card Issues.
• Adds Quest Rewards: Quests can now reward player with different types of rewards. 
• Adds Reward Crate: Rewards are delivered in a special Reward crate. 
• Adds Rewards Management to Level Editor.
• Extends Server Database to incorporate Level changes made over the past weeks. 
• Adds new server methods to load/save Level data. 
• Code Cleanup and Refactoring
• Some visual additions 
• Extends quit-game frame to return to main menu.
• Adds new frame to select tutorial levels.
• Extends textbox control.
• Fixes bug with projectiles.
• Fixes bug that caused enemies to spawn like there's no tomorrow.

Dungeon Colony Version 0.1.9.91

Today's version upgrades many Quest related classes and simplifies/refactors a lot of code. This was especially good to make the level editor easier to use. It's so much easier now to create a Level and add quests to it than it was ever before. I've also added a few new quest types, such as giving creatures a goal to reach a certain tile location. This will be very useful for quests where the player will need to reach a region like mining through thick walls to find a specific resource for example.

While upgrading the quests, a lot of older code broke, which let me to just scratch all the old quests in the Sandbox game mode and redo them. So I made them a little bit more descriptive, not wasting too much time there, since my main goal is to continue on the tutorial levels. Quest information in now displayed in a new quest window centered in the middle of the screen. Hovering the mouse over the quest buttons shows the quest info window:

The next thing I will add to quests are rewards.

The summary of changes in version 0.1.9.91:

• New Quest Window Centered in screen when hovering over quest buttons
• Adds Question Tile Locations
• Unifies quest class and deactivates unnecessary quest classes.
• Temporarily restricts leg traps from being replaced. realized that this caused a new bug.
• Editor: Adds more missing logic to Quest Manager.

Dungeon Colony Version 0.1.9.83

Today, I continued work on the Editor mostly. There were also some bugs I fixed that the bug tracker logged (thank you for testing). So short and sweet, here are today's changes to version 0.1.9.83:

• Editor: Grow Trees with one button click.
• Editor: Fixes Rendering Bug
• Editor: Adds Button to clear grass.
• Editor: Adds ability to draw fog of war.
• Bones decay on/off switch.
• Fixes bug that allowed creatures to walk on water in certain cases.
• Fixes bug when opening or using the level-up window.

And here a screenshot from today's development:

Dungeon Colony Version 0.1.9.74

This version (v0.1.9.74) fixes a few critical bugs caught by the automated bug tracking system thanks to the Alpha testing done by you guys! Thanks!! These occurred when a player transferred items from an object like the cooking pot, furnace or alchemy bar and the game would just crash randomly. Another bug was that players could craft bones from wooden planks... yes I left that in by accident!

This post is rather short but if you want more eye-candy, check out my last post.=)

I'm helping decorating for the holiday season this year...

Tis the time of the year and everyone is decorating so felt obligated to contribute this time and start making snow flakes. If you want to give it a try download the templates here.

I love the flames behind Vader's head.

I've made a couple so far, and it's becoming easier each time, but as you can see I've made a bunch of mistakes in the process. The most important thing is to have a good sharp knife and a solid surface to work on. It wasn't convenient either that my printer ink just ran out and the template wasn't visible all the way.

Cut out the round template shape and then fold it on the lines on the template, folding it into accordion shape and leaving the gray shades on top, so that you can see where you will have to cut. (There are better instructions on the web if you search for it ;-p)

 Once everything is cut out, be veery careful taking it apart. It is very fragile.

While unfolding, also try to fold into the opposite direction to get all folds rather flat. Finally you can place a heavy book on top of the completed snowflake to flatten it for a while.

Next I will try the storm trooper.

Dungeon Colony Version 0.1.9.70

For those of you who live by North American traditions, I hope you survived Thanks Giving. Even though I live in California, I don't originate from this part of the world. However, I've been doing quite a bit of Thanks Giving stuffing myself and found little time to work on Dungeon Colony. In the end, I still managed to get a release (v.0.1.9.70) out tonight which brings some new additions and bug fixes.

If you have followed my previous posts, you know that I am working on new levels (tutorial and campaign). I am working behind the scenes on the Tutorial which means Alpha Testers won't see any such progress until it's finished. Parallel, I am also adding other new features that can be tested immediately. Today I am adding new objects: Bones.

Bones are remains that enemies (currently only Bandits and Archers) leave behind. After their corpse disintegrates, bones appear on the ground. The following screenshot (click to enlarge) shows these new bones in action:

 At the moment, bones are pretty much useless and just look neat. Though, in the near future, bones will become a useful resource that your minions should collect.

This version also fixes some bugs and other logical issues.