News
ROGUELITE V0.7
May 8, 2008
posted by Tom Quinn
This, I'll admit, is unusual. I haven't had so much fun coding in my entire life.
[Download RogueLite 0.7 here!]
Made a lot of big changes and added several new items. Play it, enjoy it, and give me the word at feedback@citadel-studios.com.
ROGUELITE V0.6
May 6, 2008
posted by Tom Quinn
After just two days, we're ready to release a substantial update to RogueLite. And here it is... v0.6
[Download RogueLite 0.6 here!]
There haven't been many graphical updates, so you can check out last post to see some screenshots. As with the last release, RogueLite 0.6 requires the .NET Framework to run, an obstacle we're still trying to get around. For now, it can't be avoided.
Although there haven't been any graphical updates, there have been a humongous boatload of updates in an area that people actually care about: the gameplay. We've added a bunch of new weapons, potions and enemy types, and new to this version is armor, rings, scrolls, wands, and a bunch of other neat stuff you just need to play the game to see. I'm proud to announce that today, for the first time, I had fun playing my own game. This is a big deal for me.
So yeah. Give it a try.
WEEKLY(?) UPDATE #6
May 4, 2008
posted by Tom Quinn
There's something you should know about me. I... love roguelikes. Any roguelike. Even games that vaguely resemble roguelikes, roguelikelikes if you will. Nethack, ADOM, Dwarf Fortress... basically anything with ASCII and near-infinite possibilities. It's sad, I know, but at least one good thing has come of it.
The past week, myself and Jonny Leahey (ladies, check The Team section for photos) have been working on RogueLite, an oversimplified dungeon-crawler. After only a few days of frightening progress, Citadel is putting out its first release.
It's been an experiment, testing and fortifying our XNA abilities, but unbelievably enough, its playable. In later posts, I may go into detail about our struggles in A* pathfinding and 2-D pseudo-raytracing, but for now, I'll just give you the link. It's got 4 monster types, a half-dozen potions, and you can only go up to experience level 3, but we put it before you, shamelessly. Lamentably, it requires the .NET Framework to run, which can be gotten here if you don't already have it.
[Download RogueLite 0.5 here!]
RogueLite runs in a window about 1024 pixels wide, so if your monitor's resolution is lower than that, you may have a problem. RAM, processor speed, and video card don't really matter at all. It's RogueLite after all, so its not exactly a resource hog.
Another positive side effect of these furious coding sessions -- Citadel has 2 more members who are at least competent with C# and the XNA Framework. Hopefully, Ouranos will progress faster than ever with triple the coding manpower.
NEW REVIEW: NOITU LOVE 2
posted by Tom Quinn
Not much to report in the way of Ouranos, I'm sorry to say. Unfortunate circumstances have made in necessary to update much of the game engine. As soon as there's something to show off, however, it'll go right here. Citadel lives!!!
In the meantime, Joakim Sandberg (a.k.a. Konjak) has released his indie beat-'em-up masterpiece Noitu Love 2! Check out the review by selecting "Reviews" on the left. Well, that's it. Hopefully, it won't be another month before the next update. Here's hopin'!
WEEKLY UPDATE #5
March 24, 2008
posted by Tom Quinn
And we're back!!! After a week-long spring break, it's time to get crackin' again. Of course, we apologize for the lack of updates, but many of us were away from computers for the majority of the week. I was able to bring my laptop back home with me, but without a mouse, it's difficult to get much of anything done.
Just today, I've been messing around with more modelling. We need some kind of quadrupedal creature for our soldiers to prance about on, so the idea of a "beak stallion" popped into my mind. I can't imagine where I got it from.
I'm a poor artist to begin with, and I can't draw worth a crap. Add to this the confusing environment of 3DS Max 9, and you get the results above. It looks passable, especially given the "game piece" motif we're using, but I definitely need alot of practice modelling. Not to mention an art lesson or two.
We also have a bit of a wallpaper for you. Check out the pictures section for wallpapers, or just grab it here.
Also, check out music from the Ouranos OST on last week's Gamers With Jobs Conference Call! I neglected to mention it in the Link Fiesta all those weeks ago, but it's a really great podcast full of funny guys.
That about wraps it up. I expect that next week, actual progress will have been made towards a playable demo. Keep your eyes open, and check back soon!
Link Fiesta!
March 12, 2008
posted by Tom Quinn
While browsing the internet, as I am wont to do, I come across tons of interesting crap. Some of it actually pertains to freeware and the other stuff that goes on here at Citadel. Here's the cream of the crop:
Via the2Bears, an amazing sprite generator. How it exactly functions escapes me, but what I do know is that it functions quite well. It creates a whole mess of 16x16 sprites, from which you mix and match parts and put together a nice bit of pixel art. The best part is that you can "evolve" the sprite, which generates a new set of sprites based on the one you've created. You can then pick and choose parts from that set until you can create something that actually looks good. It's certainly a black-and-white affair, but once the outline is done, coloring it is relatively easy, even for me. Give it a try, it's real satisfying.
I want to give a shout to my two favorite gaming podcasts, GFW Radio and Downloadable Content, the Penny Arcade podcast. GFW Radio features Shawn Elliott, a Games for Windows Magazine editor who's made a name for himself by griefing, gets on the mic with his fellow GFW staffers. The result is absolutely hilarious as they go on lengthy off-topic rants and still manage to cover everything in PC gaming news. The Penny Arcade podcast, if you like their webcomic, is a great and worthwhile look into the thought processes they go through to create the tri-weekly comic. If you have an MP3 player, listening to either of these podcasts is just about the best entertainment you can get on the bus.
If you play Rock Band as much as we do, this site is a great help for figuring out which DLC songs are worth getting.
Oh, and if you like freeware, check out Joakim Sandberg's site, where he's working on Noitu Love 2. It's a reaaally great looking 2D sidescroller with mouse controls. It looks like alot of fun.
More freeware: ABA Games. It's where Kenta Cho publishes his absolutely incredible shoot-'em-ups.
One more: Bay 12 Games devlog. It's amazing just how much Tarn Adams gets done every day, and at this webpage you can see features being added to Dwarf Fortress in amazing real time.
If I manage to scrounge together more links, it'll be time for Link Fiesta 2: Electric Boogaloo. I just can't stop giving.
WEEKLY UPDATE #4
March 10, 2008
posted by Tom Quinn
It's been assets week here at Citadel! After much thought and consideration, we've realized that a compelling indie game requires things called "art" and "music," so coding has grinded to a halt while we figure out how to execute basic creative tasks like 3D modeling and texturing. Our efforts aren't entirely fruitless, but they are undeniably amateur. See for yourself.
In addition to art, there's the promised music sample. Using FLStudio and the thousands of knobs and sliders in EDIROL Orchestral, I've managed to create somewhat convincing instruments. Given my minimal knowledge of music theory, I've managed to create two and a half minutes of music. Give it a listen, won't you?
Enjoying the multimedia experience? Well, it's over now. And don't get used to it. We're off to create more content, with more updates on the way. If you don't like the look of these models, take some initiative! I'd like to see you do better. Send any content to feedback@citadel-studios.com. See y'all next week!
WEEKLY UPDATE #3
March 2, 2008
posted by Tom Quinn
Units and strongholds appear on the map now! Now that the game engine is all but done, we can start piecing together the demo and more importantly, getting our hands on some better looking textures and models. Right now, each stronghold is represented by a Ferrari Enzo, which I'm pretty sure isn't going to sit well with the Ferrari legal team. I've noticed alot of traffic coming from StumbleUpon, so if any artistic types out there wouldn't mind taking a few hours out of your day to make some models or textures, it would be greatly appreciated. Naturally, you'd be welcomed as part of the dev team, get to see the latest builds, and all that jazz. Anyone interested should send a sample of their work and a short write-up about themselves to webmaster@citadel-studios.com.
Once some actual strongholds and units make their appearance, we'll be sure to throw some screenshots on the site, along with a sample of music that I've been working on. It sounds pretty good, if I do say so myself. Also, videos will begin to make their way onto Youtube as soon as we have something to show you guys.
Really what I'm trying to get at here is that we'll be adding screenshots and video to the site as fast as content is being made, so you'll always be kept updated with what we're up to.
Even though we don't have a playable game yet, we've also been hard at work balancing the units. This often involves little more than math, as we need to ensure that our damage formula makes sense in all situations. With so many abilities and so many units, it's also tough to figure out stats for each one. I'll admit, I've never undertaken a theoretical project quite as difficult as this one before. It's much tougher than I expected -- just when I think I've struck the perfect harmony between units, I check the abilities of another and find that the whole thing is out of balance. I know there must be a way better than trial-and-error, but I'm not aware of it. Finally, I intimately understand why game-balance patches are so difficult to put together.
Well, thus ends another weekly update. Check back for another post in the middle of the week, as we're constantly expanding the website's features. Notice that we've added a "Reviews" tab on the left? Dwarf Fortress isn't the only indie game that deserves a write-up. As always, thoughts, comments, and questions are best directed at feedback@citadel-studios.com.
WEEKLY UPDATE #2
February 25, 2008
posted by Tom Quinn
Boy, we got alot done this week. After puzzling out the content and flow of the demo, the basic graphics engine is nearing completion. Hexagons display beautifully in 3D now, with textures, lighting, and everything. After overcoming minor problems like figuring out how to know which hexagon the cursor is hovering over, we can clean up work on the foundation and start adding real, playable content.
In other news, the demo tech tree is done. It's not too extensive (it's only going to be a 7-10 minute tutorial, after all), but it should offer a decent taste of what's to come. You'll be dealing with wild monsters, defending against attacking troops, and checking out some of the cool features the map is going to be covered with.
I guess here's the part where I explain more about the mechanics of Ouranos, so I'll take the opportunity to go into combat. Seeing as how you'll have so many decisions to make, the actual way damage calculation is done has been kept simple. Each unit has an ATK, DEF, and HP value. The real strategy in combat comes with the unique traits and abilities that we're including with each unit. Almost every unit has a major distinguishing feature: a researchable upgrade or ability, some kind of attack bonus in certain situations, an interesting buff. The goal here is to make every unit useful up until the end of the game; no unit will be completely phased out when another is made available to train. As it stands now, even the basic footsoldier unit has a half dozen upgrades and abilities that can be researched from the tech tree and used to your advantage.
At this point, it seems like the extensive planning we did is paying off. The game engine is almost done, and the actual gameplay is coming together like a dream. Honestly, we just can't wait until everyone has a chance to play it.
Again, any thoughts, comments, or questions can be sent to feedback@citadel-studios.com.
WEEKLY UPDATE #1
February 18th, 2008
posted by Tom Quinn
Work continues on the Ouranos demo! It's taking longer than anticipated to finish the interface and to lay down the hexagons themselves, but with the demo completely functional on paper, the coding itself is our only obstacle. So, with an almost utter lack of substantial updates, the only service I can provide is further introduction to the actual flow and structure of the game.
The tutorial (as we have planned it) is relatively straightforward. We have the player go through the motions: building Recon units, exploring a bit, wrangling some monsters, and finally training up some early-game units for a quick encounter with a heavily scripted AI. Basically, our goal is to force the player to explore each branch of our massive tech tree, and give them a taste of the myriad of options that can be chosen from.
We're putting alot of effort into balancing the tech trees. We want to make sure that a well upgraded army of footsoldiers will be an equal match for an equally well upgraded squadron of mages, or a powerful monster that took several turns for the player to capture. After all, the paths that are open to you depend on the natural resources that your Recon units find near your Stronghold. It makes sense that you can't capture and tame an army of monsters if there are none to be found in your immediate area, so each unit must be superbly balanced with all the others.
With progress constantly being made, these updates will keep coming. This'll no doubt be a weekly thing, so don't miss a post!
OURANOS DEMO IN THE WORKS
February 12th, 2008
posted by Tom Quinn
As outlined in the last news item, Citadel Studios has just begun production on our turn-based strategy game, Ouranos. All you fans of top-notch freeware should be excited to hear that we're planning a short demo for release relatively soon.
This demo is planned to be more or less a tutorial, so people will be able to get a feel for how the game is going to play. Basically, each player begins play with a city tile, defined by a large castle called a Stronghold at its center. In this hex, you have a certain amount of space to lay out buildings (like a Barracks or a Wizard's Tower) which will enable you to make units or do research. If you want more space to place building's you're going to have to expand your city's walls.
Let's not get ahead of ourselves, though. First, you'll want to build a few Reconnaissance units and scout the local area. This way, you can get the lay of the land and figure out what kinds of resources are available to you. You'll need this kind of information to begin making strategic choices.
For instance: if your initial scouting shows a lot of Beak Stallions (an easy-to-capture early game mount) around your city, you can have your Recon units capture them and begin training Beak Cavalry. If, on the other hand, your scouts find magical resources aplenty, you can take advantage of them by starting up the opening branches of the magical Tech Tree.
Even without making use of your surroundings, there'll be plenty of options available right from your Stronghold and the buildings available from the start. We're talking dozens of melee troops, several siege engines, a million different magic-casters, and a metric ton of tamable monsters.
I hate to dance around the subject of a release date, but how much time we put into the game varies with our schedule. Rest assured, work on Ouranos comes second only to passing our classes. Check back here for more updates!
OURANOS OFFICIALLY ANNOUNCED
February 11th, 2008
posted by Tom Quinn
It's my pleasure to announce that Citadel Studios has begun production of its first major project in earnest. Ouranos is a turn-based strategy game with elements of Civilization, Final Fantasy Tactics, and Advance Wars. Featuring a gigantic tech tree, a plethora of available strategies, deep army management and a unique combat system, just to name a few features, Ouranos is going to have enough meat on it to satisfy even the most advanced strategy gamer.
Design on Ouranos couldn't be going better. As huge fans of turn-based strategy ourselves, we know what we like in existing games, and we know what we'd like to see in a new one. Like Civilization, most unit building and research will be done at a player's city hex. This city is your base of operations and must be well protected to have any hope of winning. Each city will be able to be outfitted with dozens of buildings and enhancements which can provide it with interesting strategic options and benefits.
When it comes to the map, every hexagon is divided up into six triangles, which provides the game with a proper sense of scale. Where each unit can attack is determined by their placement within a hex, so strategic troop movement is an important skill to master. Six units filling a hexagon can be locked together into a full army to provide the player with even more movement and attack options. The resulting army will be less mobile than each of the units individually, but armies play a key role in sieging another player's cities.
Also concerning the map: the world which the player explores is littered with things to discover. Scouting parties can find powerful equipment and artifacts, exotic resources, and even wild monsters which, when captured, can be turned on your enemy or provide you with useful technology. Imagine a team of trappers catching you an ancient and dangerous dragon. Will you tie it down and kill it, providing your units with much-needed experience? Will you bring it back to your city to research its draconic magic? Its diamond-hard scales can be used to make armor... but maybe your best option is to let it loose to rampage through your enemy's defenses. It's all up to you.
We hope to provide updates daily as the game progresses to the coding and testing stages, and suggestions or comments are always welcome. Just direct them to feedback@citadel-studios.com, and we'll read every one. If you want to have a visible effect on an up-and-coming indie game, this is the way to do it.
Please drop by tomorrow for our next update. If you like strategy, you have a home at Citadel Studios.