The plan

I drew a new world map of Teemu and placed new locations on it. It was then easier to visualize where new items would go and how they would contribute to the gameplay. The plan is now ready which is a good thing, no more wondering about what to do.

I have given up creating TEROS (TEemu ROleplaying System). It was too detailed and started to go in the direction of "never releasing it". Instead I'm going to model the damage system the simplest possible way and add only features that are needed. It's probably going to be something like accuracy and damage vs. dodge/speed and hit points.

Teemu on Bay 12 forums

There is a thread in Bay 12 forums about Teemu. I found it now about three years later. I also got some e-mail feedback when the first version was released, but nothing since then. Anyway, it was fun to read the experiences of players. I could get used to it, because it's somehow rewarding to know that people play the game.

It's also interesting to discover that players don't always do what you expect. Teemu is strictly plot-based and you should follow the plot to win. At least that was the plan. For instance the guy who started the thread didn't realize how the wire should be used. I thought it was essential to survive through the forest. Someone else told me that he killed all the pirates. How he did that? It was supposed to be impossible.

The main idea for the new version is create alternative ways to proceed in the plot (which mainly is about finding key items). The "problem" is that when the plot is less strict it can be easier to build a situation where it's impossible to continue. The good thing is that the player is responsible for that, in a way.

Tedious parts

I'm in a process to create another roguelike project. I'm kind of bored to finish Teemu 1.3 and, well, Kaduria... need to say more? One of the things in game development is that some parts of it are tedious and boring. I realized that when I think of a new project it usually ends up in my blank face staring at nowhere. You can always start with some kind of framework or using previous project as a framework.

Then what? I strongly believe that I was able to finish the first version of Teemu simply by using an actual plan written on paper. I drew the world map and locations on a piece of paper. I was thinking, why not use that approach again? Even there is no world map in this game. I should draw the layout of dungeon levels on paper and plan as much as I can.

It should prevent the blank face syndrome, because then you at least know what to do. How to reach the goals of the plan. Oh, I think I'm going to call the game 'Agduria'.

7DRL results

Over 300 game projects, some made it to a game. I think we need a summary of these games with clear indications on how well they made it as roguelikes. But who wants to do that? It's all mess now, no one knows what happened and what kind of games were made. There were too many of them.

I think 7DRL contest should be a way for developers to get contact in roguelike game development and try out ideas. But it wont make any difference if nothing else happens. If those game projects are left like that, unfinished or too light weight to be anything else than @ moving on screen.

When people talk about how easy it is to create a roguelike, they are talking about 7DRL games. Now try to create a real game with complexity of a major roguelike. Then you can call it easy.

The halls of Agduria

Agduria was kind of joke I presented back some years. I think it never was a real game project at all. Yet it has a page in Roguebasin. What the hell guys? I think Roguebasin has a lot of game projects that will never be a real playable game. Just remove them. It's difficult enough trying to find something in Roguebasin. Also I think various Angband stubs really need another web page. They aren't interesting anyway.

Jo had an idea for a 7DRL project to search an existing roguelike with tiles and then try to paint better graphics for it. It's actually a good idea, because roguelikes can have a bit rough implementation of tiles and it even feels like fun, something else than writing source code which can be boring sometimes.

The bios battery of my laptop died again. I guess it was old, because I found it somewhere. Need to get a new one from somewhere, then slightly improve the way the battery is connected. If it doesn't work then there is some problem in there. A new laptop could be a viable option, only this time try to find a computer that doesn't suck in so many ways as Fujitsu does.

Still underground

I was able to kick my laptop back into life by replacing bios battery and going through a long update process. I have plans to use it in music creation, but I also moved Teemu in it. I'm hoping to arrange some time for Teemu's development that way. I don't know if it will work, but it's something to try.

Some laptops have strange native resolutions like 768 pixels height. The current version of Teemu doesn't fit into that resolution. The easiest way to fix that could be shrinking the gameview. I think it's now 80x50 or something like that. Changing height to 48 or 47 fonts should fix the problem. The size of gameview can affect to gameplay in a way that if you can see enemies sooner it's easier to plan tactics. In this case the difference is likely too small to notice.

As usual the development of Teemu has been slow, much slower than I hoped. I think the main issue is the new combat system which is not yet planned. I'm not sure if I should even try to create a serious gameplay for Teemu. Maybe I could run into another direction and make everything go bananas.

Catacombs

Fixed room creation in the catacombs theme that was generated using digger bots. There are actually three, not two, unfinished level themes. I don't know what to use them for yet. I think it's going to become clear when I add more special items which could be located in those areas. Or I could just leave them empty and make players mad when they try to think if there is something hidden somewhere.

I'm now unemployed. I was supposed to go back to work, but stuff happens. More time and energy for roguelike development, but at the same time I wish to find another job.