Changes & Updates:

• Added a sword line about the GM.
• Added a 1-5 ‘rate this game’ command to give the GM some helpful feedback. Also renames the game to reflect the player’s view.
• Fixed bug with text rules with multiple text items.
• Tried to set up a Twitter for the rainbow sword, but the good names were taken. Oh well.
• 9-year anniversary!
• Wrote up some details on moon locations, which use a different method of navigation (coordinate and distance-based). Requires some special handling of boundaries and pathfinding (e.g. you can’t walk up a cliff).
• Mapped out the new, bridge-connected zones, which includes 18 new locations and a series of tests for the adventurer. They’ll need brains, brawn, and initiative, but not always where they expect.
• Spider room.
• Launched V5 of our main website at work.

Another long work day, but things are coming together.

Unrelated notes (will make sense later):

• Time button
• Illuminated text
• Eyes in the dark

Finished an 8-month project at work today. Feels good.

Lots of spoilers in this post. I’m going to quickly go through some of the new locations and their impact on the beginning of the game.

The Bridge

The bridge spans either one stream at all points, or many streams at single points. It’s left to the player to decide which interpretation they prefer. In either case, turning the wheel on the bridge causes it to shift location. The GM isn’t sure what to make of it.

Circle

A mysterious circle of flowers and mushrooms in the woods. Purpose unknown, probably some type of druid nonsense.

Alcove

A small resting place carved into the rock at the entrance to the Underground. No one has used it in a long time. I’ll come back to that.

Pier & The Split

An ocean pier on a beach, overlooked by a cracked mountain. The stream flows from above and ends in the sea. I don’t have a good justification for the pier yet; just seemed like a change of pace.

Bridge Ends

When the wheel is turned too far, the bridge loops back on itself endlessly. Dizzying but harmless. Probably.

The Underground

The underground is, I feel, something SRPG has been missing. Not a dungeon, exactly (though they’re staples of classic RPGs), but close. This area will tie into something later in the game, but I’ll leave that unspoiled for now.

Winding Stair

I like Zork. Also stairs are a good way to go up and down.

Great Hall

An abandoned room for feasts and parties. Ruined tapestries and scattered tableware indicate a hasty retreat or looting. The hall connects the other three regions of the underground, each of which attempts to teach the player something. I’ll leave those locations for another day, since I only have a vague notion of where I’m going with this.

Here’s what I’ve got so far with the moving bridge.

The GM doesn’t know it moves, but the sword does.

Mapped out the new, bridge-connected zones, which includes 18 new locations and a series of tests for the adventurer. They’ll need brains, brawn, and initiative, but not always where they expect.

There’s also a Spider Room, which is exactly what it sounds like.

Working on an expansion for the starting area, involving a bridge that travels along a stream. Connected areas include an underground chasm and a series of other bridges.

Also added a couple lines for the sword.

Wrote up some details on moon locations, which use a different method of navigation (coordinate and distance-based). Requires some special handling of boundaries and pathfinding (e.g. you can’t walk up a cliff).

Something like:

LunarLocale {
    int x, // Canonical X coordinate
    int y, // Canonical Y coordinate
    rect bounds, // Rectangle defining the bounds (size) of the locale
    bool blocksMovement, // Whether the bounds block movement through it
    int visibleRange, // How far away the locale is
    bool fastTravelAllowed, // Whether the player can fast travel to the location
    bool discovered, // Whether the player has discovered the location
}

Learned about installing PostgreSQL extensions today. Needed to do some fuzzy string matching (I’ve previously used SOUNDEX for this). Ended up going with metaphone(), which is more flexible on precision, and also converts normal text into something reminiscient of the Swedish Chef.

9 year anniversary today. Time flies when you’re having fun.