Cyberganked Jan 2018 dev log - flavor text

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Cyberganked Jan 2018 dev log - flavor text

Post by Ice Cream Jonsey »

So last month I constructed the last big area. January is about filling it with fun text.
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Re: Jan 2018 dev log - flavor text

Post by Ice Cream Jonsey »

So, taking a look at what is left so I can finish and ship this thing - there are two small areas that I knew I would have to do for the end game. Luckily they take place in an office, which I have ample time to photograph, and ample availability. That won't be a problem.

It's actually looking like I might finish the content. Like, before tonight I just had no idea of all the work needed to be done. I can at least estimate it now.
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Re: Jan 2018 dev log - flavor text

Post by Ice Cream Jonsey »

It is March. I am trying to go from the start of the game to the end of the game. The content is not all here, not by a long shot. But in terms of navigating all the areas, that is what I am working on now, pausing to fix the hilarious errors, glitches and bugs.
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Re: Jan 2018 dev log - flavor text

Post by Tdarcos »

I stumbled into a project back in 2003 when I was using my notary commission to handle people's paperwork for loan refinance. You'd visit someone's house or office and watch them sign the paperwork. I got talking to the woman about how I was a programmer, and it turned out her company wanted to replace an MS-Dos-based order system for something running on Windows for the 65 laptops their employees used. We agreed on a price, I wrote the specs from playing with the old program plus new features.

When it was finally finished including testing and eventual rollout, this little program took one full year to design and implement.

At one point she probably thought I was slacking off, having no idea how long it takes to actually implement a desktop application from scratch, so she asked me to come out one day, and work at her house. No problem, I brought my copy of Visual Basic, as well as the reference book. I (technically illegally) installed VB on her computer in order to write and test the program.

Typical software development in RAD (Rapid Application Development) environments tends to be built on "accretion," the way an oyster turns an irritating grain of sand into a pearl, by picking a piece of function, implementing a little bit, then adding more functionality until completed. Code, Run, Fix, Lather, Rinse, Repeat, until done.

I work at my usual speed in my usual fashion, her checking up on me every so often as she was doing other things, and sat in amazement as she watched how each piece went from a stub to fully operational.

After this, she realized that software takes a while to develop and construct. And never questioned about how fast I work.

And the last line is a reminder to you, Jonsey: "Before a software project is done, it always looks easier than it is."
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Re: Jan 2018 dev log - flavor text

Post by pinback »

Tdarcos wrote: Thu Mar 15, 2018 2:45 amAt one point she probably thought I was slacking off, having no idea how long it takes to actually implement a desktop application from scratch, so she asked me to come out one day, and work at her house.
Dude, learn to read the signals. She wanted you to TAP DAT ASS.
I don't have to say anything. I'm a doctor, too.

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Re: Jan 2018 dev log - flavor text

Post by Flack »

I wonder if when she asked him questions, he responded with tenuously-related stories from fifteen years prior.

And I wonder if the story he told her, the one that happened fifteen years prior to that, was another barely-related story that actually took place fifteen years before that.

I feel like if you did this enough times you would either discover what lies in the center of a black hole, or wish you were in one.
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Re: Jan 2018 dev log - flavor text

Post by Ice Cream Jonsey »

And the last line is a reminder to you, Jonsey: "Before a software project is done, it always looks easier than it is."
...

I know you're just trying to participate and you have no context for the sheer amount of code I've written for jobs and these text games over the last 20 years... I get that and in the spirit of kindness, I'll just say at no point did I think singlehandedly writing, programming and illustrating a character-based role playing game was EASY. It took Cleve Blakemore 20 years to do it, though he had animation. It took them 3 years to make The Bard's Tale III which was a new engine even though they had the design down and that's a professional company with people doing it for their jobs.

At no point did I think the task I took on would be easy.
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Re: Jan 2018 dev log - flavor text

Post by Ice Cream Jonsey »

I can use a photograph of someone playing the role of the (enemy class) arsonist. I envision a person with crazy eyes holding up a (lit?) match.

For each role this thread spawns I'll post a preview of a similar role that I went ahead and played, hopefully for laughs.
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Re: Jan 2018 dev log - flavor text

Post by Ice Cream Jonsey »

And do people have context? Maybe some don't here. I dunno. Here is an example of Aarvark playing an enemy class and it never fails to make me laugh because his expression of a guy that just chopped like thirty heads off is what I think goes on here:

Image
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Re: Jan 2018 dev log - flavor text

Post by Ice Cream Jonsey »

The arsonist role has been filled. Thanks to all who read this thread and participated.
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Re: Jan 2018 dev log - flavor text

Post by Tdarcos »

Ice Cream Jonsey wrote: Sat Apr 21, 2018 9:40 am The arsonist role has been filled. Thanks to all who read this thread and participated.
Wrong. You mean the arsonist role has been burned into the game.
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Re: Jan 2018 dev log - flavor text

Post by RealNC »

APOLOGIZE.

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Re: Cyberganked Jan 2018 dev log - flavor text

Post by Ice Cream Jonsey »

None of you participated in being the arsonist, by the way, but whatever, this all works better when I do it locally.

OK, development on Cyberganked started on July 1st, 2012. It has now been 6 years. Over 6 years. 6 years and one week. I am going to get this game finished in the next 12 months if it kills me.

Three years ago I spent my free time helping a startup. The last two years all my free time has gone to my job. I am taking a year for myself, god dammit. I am investing in myself.

I count the time I spent getting Crypto on Steam as time towards Cyberganked, because I learned what I had to do to sell this thing. And OH GOD is it a mess to get stuff up. But it would have driven me insane to have the game done and have to wait 2 months for Valve. So. Time well spent.

There was a chapter in the book "Insanely Great" that inspired me, a little. The book is by Steven Levy, who also did "Hackers" Heroes of the Computer Revolution." Insanely Great is a liiiiiiittle too forgiving of Apple, Jobs, the Mac and everyone involved and a liiiiiiiittle too snide about IBM machines. But it was still good, I want to read every book about old computers. But the part that inspired me was this:

At one point, trying to get some rev of the Mac out the door, Steve Jobs posts a sign up that reads, "REAL ARTISTS SHIP". Now, that's hilarious because nobody had any idea how long hardware and software took to get to market but deadlines were made anyway. But the point is good. Real Artists Ship. Cyberganked is the best game in the history of my head because it's not out there getting pulled apart and dissected by others. The time for that is now, it's time for me to buckle down and get serious about working on it to completion every night.

I am taking a year for myself. Real artists ship.
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Re: Cyberganked Jan 2018 dev log - flavor text

Post by Ice Cream Jonsey »

I believe I now have a graphic for every room in the game. This doesn't mean I am done with graphics, but at least there are no blank rooms.

I have a long list of unimplemented stuff. The first three on my list are:
Marissa checks one more time. "Nein! Nothing," she says, ending the converation and search.
The refrigerator looks just like you would expect.
It shouldn't say that last line about the refrigerator! That's Hugo 101 stuff.
print "5) England: Englishfolk gain program energy naturally."
I don't think they are yet!
Create a flame-based attack and have the arsonist use it.
Create the burn victim and have him use flame attacks.
Many RPGs have hot and cold attacks and I'll need to code that for Cyberganked.
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Re: Cyberganked Jan 2018 dev log - flavor text

Post by Ice Cream Jonsey »

Hot and cold attacks are in. Arsonists are one of the enemies that will blast you with a flamethrower (among others) and refrigerator technicians handle the cold attacks so far.
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Re: Cyberganked Jan 2018 dev log - flavor text

Post by Flack »

Another group that could issue cold attacks could be the biting sarcasm of ex-mall or GameStop employees.
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Re: Cyberganked Jan 2018 dev log - flavor text

Post by Ice Cream Jonsey »

I like the idea of GameStop employee being in the game. They have a forum on Reddit and you have never seen a more brainwashed group of people.

If you are bad at sales but want to be around video games, GameStop won't have you. But if you were any good at sales, why the fuck would you be at GameStop?
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Re: Cyberganked Jan 2018 dev log - flavor text

Post by Ice Cream Jonsey »

Australians now receive health from gin and gin will temporarily increase strength when consumed.
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Re: Cyberganked Jan 2018 dev log - flavor text

Post by Ice Cream Jonsey »

THis has nothing to do with Cyberganked, but I wanted to post it here for ideas for a future game: https://design.tutsplus.com/articles/50 ... s--psd-296
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Re: Cyberganked Jan 2018 dev log - flavor text

Post by Ice Cream Jonsey »

I needed to tweak the code that Roody wrote when it came to trading items between characters. It worked great if the character just had one of an item, but it wasn't working if there were multiple items like bullets. I've got it to where it's very hacky and only works if you are trying to trade between 1 and 9 of something, but that part works now. I'll need to correct it so that it works for the number of digits supported. I imagine the game will overflow if you get, for instance, more than 32,767 bullets but I guess that can't be helped.
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