Although it hasn't been built in to any current release, you can see from the live alpha at www.myrpgp.tk, that all icons in the game now properly mouse-over description. There are also a few entries in the "how to play" manual. Previously unorganized and uncommented code has been revised; although many more revisions are still under way.
Most likely by the next release, some of the "shop" will be active.
Friday, January 22, 2010
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Skipping a version...
Release of MyRPGPv0.06a
This release includes a lot of upgrades and rewrites. Starting from this release, there will be a focus on heavily re-writing a lot of the code to be more comment-heavy and modular. The next step is more thorough documentation... especially from the player perspective in the form of manuals and FAQ where the game mechanics are explained to curious users/players.
All this is taking a fore-front to the rewrite of the battle system (which will be entirely interactive) and help make the game friendlier to other developers that have expressed interest in working on the project.
Grab the latest stable release and familiarize your self with the code; if you are really enthusiastic. Otherwise, wait out version 0.07a or 0.08a. Thanks :)
This release includes a lot of upgrades and rewrites. Starting from this release, there will be a focus on heavily re-writing a lot of the code to be more comment-heavy and modular. The next step is more thorough documentation... especially from the player perspective in the form of manuals and FAQ where the game mechanics are explained to curious users/players.
All this is taking a fore-front to the rewrite of the battle system (which will be entirely interactive) and help make the game friendlier to other developers that have expressed interest in working on the project.
Grab the latest stable release and familiarize your self with the code; if you are really enthusiastic. Otherwise, wait out version 0.07a or 0.08a. Thanks :)
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Goals
When taking on a project of this magnitude, it is important to have goals. Set them, and achieve them.
1.) No timers. In MyRPGP, there will never be a timer that delays a player's progress. Want to fight a thousand battles in a row? If you've got the time, then go ahead.
Timers present a difficult scenario. A lot of other online games that are browser based attempt to use timers in order to prevent players from "rushing through" the game. Unless you wait for a sufficient period of time, your progress further will be delayed... not by your skill or want to play, but rather by some kind of mundane timer designed to slow you down.
MyRPGP is designed in such a manner that progress through the game relies on a cycle of events that usually must be completed in a certain order. In order to keep fighting, you have to keep your health up and keep your attention on the screen. All the play is random. How is this achieved?
Random numbers are rolled for all aspects of battle. Dodging, blocking and landing damage on the enemy all depend on your stats versus their stats, with random valued rolled for each (obviously the max number you or the enemy can roll depends on your stats, giving players incentive to increase their abilities).
Just because you think you are a beast and can click through a thousand battles in a row and never lose does not mean that every once in a while the random number generator wont be working against you. That being said, this is NOT a game of luck, but a game of SKILL *and* LUCK. An incredibly lucky player may defeat an incredibly skilled enemy, while an incredibly skilled player will have the upper-hand over a player who is just trying to rely on luck to see them through.
2.) $_POST and $_GET variables are not used, neither are cookies.
Okay, certainly you log in using classic mechanisms that use those variable sets. The majority of the game after that point is handled through sessions and difficult to manipulate ajax calls. The vast majority of the game system is hard coded. This makes tampering with the game or attempting to cheat an increasingly difficult task.
From the earliest stages of development, possible exploits have been kept in mind. No game is safe from hackers and cheaters. MyRPGP aims to be as secure as possible by limiting the amount of overall interaction a player could theoretically have with the server at any given point during a game.
3.)Complex stats and mathematics that enhance game play
There are rolls for everything, and calculation for everything. The inner-workings will be detailed for players in a manual so they know the reason that all their attacks are suddenly being blocked or the enemy has a hard time hitting them.
As mentioned previously, MyRPGP uses a stat system based on tri-stat dx. As I've never actually used tri-stat dx for games (or been exposed to it), MyRPGP has my own unique flavoring that has been tailor fit to offer an exciting experience.
Unlike some other web-based games, your stats actually matter in MyRPGP. Every single number gets used every single fight. There are no pre-set constants or scripted responses that *always* happen during a situation. Every single battle is unlike the one before or the one after.
4.) Easy expansion
MyRPGP is constructed with expanding outwards in mind. Adding enemies, items, quests, jobs and more to the system is made as simplistic as possible. In this manner, the game could take on any atmosphere or universe as a basis for playing in. Any person, regardless of their programming knowledge, can contribute to the game and add their own elements.
Most of these goals have already been accomplished. If you are willing to play an unfinished alpha version of the game that is usually a few days behind development, there is now a server or two hosting the game.
I'd recommend playing other than for testing purposes, as the database of users and other information is always in flux. The alpha version offers a brief glimpse in to the world MyRPGP is attempting to craft while simultaneously not revealing the true nature of the game.
If you'd like to become an alpha tester or even join in on the project, feel free to contact me.
1.) No timers. In MyRPGP, there will never be a timer that delays a player's progress. Want to fight a thousand battles in a row? If you've got the time, then go ahead.
Timers present a difficult scenario. A lot of other online games that are browser based attempt to use timers in order to prevent players from "rushing through" the game. Unless you wait for a sufficient period of time, your progress further will be delayed... not by your skill or want to play, but rather by some kind of mundane timer designed to slow you down.
MyRPGP is designed in such a manner that progress through the game relies on a cycle of events that usually must be completed in a certain order. In order to keep fighting, you have to keep your health up and keep your attention on the screen. All the play is random. How is this achieved?
Random numbers are rolled for all aspects of battle. Dodging, blocking and landing damage on the enemy all depend on your stats versus their stats, with random valued rolled for each (obviously the max number you or the enemy can roll depends on your stats, giving players incentive to increase their abilities).
Just because you think you are a beast and can click through a thousand battles in a row and never lose does not mean that every once in a while the random number generator wont be working against you. That being said, this is NOT a game of luck, but a game of SKILL *and* LUCK. An incredibly lucky player may defeat an incredibly skilled enemy, while an incredibly skilled player will have the upper-hand over a player who is just trying to rely on luck to see them through.
2.) $_POST and $_GET variables are not used, neither are cookies.
Okay, certainly you log in using classic mechanisms that use those variable sets. The majority of the game after that point is handled through sessions and difficult to manipulate ajax calls. The vast majority of the game system is hard coded. This makes tampering with the game or attempting to cheat an increasingly difficult task.
From the earliest stages of development, possible exploits have been kept in mind. No game is safe from hackers and cheaters. MyRPGP aims to be as secure as possible by limiting the amount of overall interaction a player could theoretically have with the server at any given point during a game.
3.)Complex stats and mathematics that enhance game play
There are rolls for everything, and calculation for everything. The inner-workings will be detailed for players in a manual so they know the reason that all their attacks are suddenly being blocked or the enemy has a hard time hitting them.
As mentioned previously, MyRPGP uses a stat system based on tri-stat dx. As I've never actually used tri-stat dx for games (or been exposed to it), MyRPGP has my own unique flavoring that has been tailor fit to offer an exciting experience.
Unlike some other web-based games, your stats actually matter in MyRPGP. Every single number gets used every single fight. There are no pre-set constants or scripted responses that *always* happen during a situation. Every single battle is unlike the one before or the one after.
4.) Easy expansion
MyRPGP is constructed with expanding outwards in mind. Adding enemies, items, quests, jobs and more to the system is made as simplistic as possible. In this manner, the game could take on any atmosphere or universe as a basis for playing in. Any person, regardless of their programming knowledge, can contribute to the game and add their own elements.
Most of these goals have already been accomplished. If you are willing to play an unfinished alpha version of the game that is usually a few days behind development, there is now a server or two hosting the game.
I'd recommend playing other than for testing purposes, as the database of users and other information is always in flux. The alpha version offers a brief glimpse in to the world MyRPGP is attempting to craft while simultaneously not revealing the true nature of the game.
If you'd like to become an alpha tester or even join in on the project, feel free to contact me.
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Expanding the Canvass
The task bar, stats, and login have been repositioned to allow for the most amount of canvass for the game to work on.
EXP has been changed to reward slightly lower for winning a random monster battle. The deduction to exp (and gold) for losing was slightly reduced.
Gold cost for the inn was reduced, and the health recovered was increased slightly.
Beta soon?
Remix! AJAX Upgrade and Revised Menu
The player menu is now much cleaner, with stats appearing under their respective icons. During battle, enemy stats have also seen the same restructuring.
Minor adjustments to the fighting system have also been introduced. Several optimizations to poorly constructed code also crept their way in.
New Menu and AJAX!
I'm proud to say that the player stats are now polled in real time using AJAX. This improves game functionality.
For instance, you can now immediately see the effect on your stats after going through battle.
The top menu area has changed. Icons now represent all the different tasks you can perform.
Battles Updated!
Battles are now more balanced. The amount of gold received from a victory was once again increased to ward off progress issues with character development.
A legion of new enemies were also added. MyRPGP now has enough monsters to occupy a player to approximately level 10.
Version 0.03a Released, Lots of Changes
With the release of 0.03a I've stopped listing the included files/sizes and changes/additions of files. The project has broken down in to lots of small files that get the work done in a simple manner.
An entire fight, for example, is decided with this single page of code:
include('core/mysql.php');
$userid = $_COOKIE['userid'];
if($health == 0){ echo '<center><b><font color="RED">You can\'t fight with no health!</font></b></center>'; }
else {
include('core/raRe.php');
include('core/generateNme.php');
//Output versus and enemy image
$nmePic = str_replace(" ", "", $enemy);
echo'
</td><td>
<center><br><img src="img/'.$nmePic.'.gif" ALT="'.$enemy.'" width="200" height="200"></center></td>
<td bgcolor="#ffffff" align="left">
';
//Display Enemy Stats
include('tasks/showNme.php');
//Generate Battle
include('core/generateBattle.php');
//Show results
include('core/battleResults.php');
//Show new stats
echo '<br>';
include('player/showstats.php');
}
If you are curious about the version system used by the project, 0.03a dictates that this is the third alpha release. The game is nearly playable at this early stage. Still, there is tons of work yet to be done.
My updates will now become less frequent, but only because I plan on being able to reach beta status within a few weeks. Enjoy!
Download MyRPGP v0.03a Source
Reward System
The reward system has been modified to better adjust for players trying to grind and needing gold to stay at an Inn.
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