Michel and I are working on the events that appear on the map.

What does that actually mean? We’re aligning our vision of it right now as we build a prototype, so I can bring you in on some of the discussion points.

1. Traveler
2. Discovery
3. Resource
4. Tracks
5. Monster Patrol
6. Monster Lair

We are focusing on the Traveler and Discovery types because they are slightly more complicated and require definition for implementation.

Rather than writing a sample event from scratch, we’re using a typical one from a game we both enjoy: FTL

Asteroid Derelict Ship[hugomg.github.io]
(its basically impossible to format this text on Steam, so here is an image of the text or click the link above)
FTL is a great game and their event system works well in their game context. What I like about FTL Events for us:

• Simple - get to the point, faced with a decision with multiple outcomes
  
• Randomized Outcomes - even if you get the same event, and choose the same option, it has potential different outcomes (the 1/3s above)
  - We can weight these outcomes by stats, skills, equipment, etc
  - We can flag some to only appear once per game
  
• Scalable - we can write a lot of these and keeping adding more until it feels that we have enough

We’re working on getting a prototype event icon to appear on the map and parse the data file. Then take it from there.

I’m here, at my desk, with Unity open to Archmage Rises.
The first thing I did was make sure it still compiles and runs so I can work on it.
It does. 😅

From Nov 19 to Dec 31, I still kept having meetings with the potential investor/publisher and he and I both hoped that the money would come before year end, but it didn’t.

We’re moving forward on the game regardless.

Some good news: I don’t have to do it alone! Michel and I have come to an arrangement where he will work full time (4 days a week) programming on Archmage. Michel has been working on Archmage since 2019, he brings a wealth of experience having worked on most of the major systems.

It’s been a while since I worked on the game. Of all the things we could work on, where to begin?

“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step”

The first goal is to do something tangible: for you, for me.

I think putting out a small update in a short but reasonable amount of time, like about a month, will help build momentum. So that’s the goal.


In my consulting/contracting work I’ve been advising the client about game loops and how important it is to answer “why am I doing this?” every 5 seconds, minute, 10 minute, and 30 minutes. Uh… advice I need to apply to my own game! 🤦‍♂️

Miyamoto famously said, “Just walking around needs to be fun". (Fun is better translated “engaging” or “interesting”). So if we rephrase as “Just walking around needs to be interesting” and pull in the famous Sid Meier quote “A game is a series of interesting choices”, I think we might be onto something.

I have to confess something: I’ve never liked the way the game plays at the map level. The exploration, resource gathering, the tracks, tracks, and more tracks… It just never felt right.

Good news is our senior designer Mark already came up with a new design to make map exploration way more interesting with Map Events.

What’s a Map Event?

Campsite Event, Resource Event, Traveler Event, Lair Event, Quest Event, Monster Patrols, etc.

We were in the middle of implementing the first prototype of it.

After some discussion with Michel (and Mark), we think this is the best place to start. Michel was halfway through making some tooling for the feature prototype:

Internal demo of the tool for making Map Events, never intended for the public, hence the background music and bandicam logo 😁

My goal for today was to come up with a plan and let you know what we’re doing. So far, mission accomplished!

I will write another update next week Friday.