WIP Wizard's Dungeon

[+ZeroPage Homebrew]

ZeroPage Homebrew is playing the updated Wizard's Dungeon on tomorrow's (Fri Mar 26, 2021) stream LIVE on Twitch at 6PM PT | 9PM ET | 2AM GMT! Hope everyone can watch!

 

ZPH Twitch Stream: https://www.twitch.tv/zeropagehomebrew/

 

Games:

• SpaceVenture (2021 Exclusive WIP Premiere | 7800) by Karl Garrison @Karl G
• Cosmic Cabbie (2020 WIP | 7800) by Karl Garrison @Karl G
• Wizard's Dungeon (2021 WIP Update | 7800) by BydoEmpire @BydoEmpire

 

(SET VIDEO TO 1080P60 FOR FULL QUALITY)

 

 

Edited March 29, 2021 by ZeroPage Homebrew

[BydoEmpire]

Latest version, quite a few bug fixes and tweaks.  I'm calling this alpha 0, hoping to have some kind of beta/final version in a month or so.  1) I'm in the cycle of optimizing code to free up a few bytes of ROM space then immediately using it and 2) at some point I need to call it "done" and get to the next game.  Long list of ideas... At this point I don't really have space to add a whole lot anyways, mostly just fixing bugs and tuning to make it more fun which is going to take a little while.

 

Huge thanks to @-^CrossBow^- for finding several of these bugs and giving me good details to help find and fix them.

 

2021/03/25
- updating enemy spawn rates based on difficulty
- fixed some bugs w/ magic items and magic bolt spell
- tweaks to starting placement every 4th level
- fixed bug with everything staying black when pausing/unpausing within boss room
- fixed bug with arrows wrapping vertically through open passageways
- fixed bug with not allowing items in starting room not working
- fixed bug with weapon palettes after picking up magic hat
- added some randomness to treasure chests - surprises await!

 

I also took a stab at a first pass of an instruction manual, attached as PDF (I'll look for a better manual template at some point, but at least it's something to go by).

wizarddungeon_alpha0.bas.a78 wizards_dungeon_7800_manual-0.1.pdf

[BydoEmpire]

I found this amusing after trying to squeeze something in.  Feels like hitting 100 in the Price is Right big wheel.

[+ZeroPage Homebrew]

37 minutes ago, BydoEmpire said:

I found this amusing after trying to squeeze something in.  Feels like hitting 100 in the Price is Right big wheel.

You get another spin!!!

 

- James

[BydoEmpire]

The Twitch stream was great!  I'm so glad it didn't crash on you this time, and I took a lot of notes.

 

Update to the manual attached, but still a WIP.

wizards_dungeon_7800_manual-0.1.pdf

[+ZeroPage Homebrew]

1 hour ago, BydoEmpire said:

The Twitch stream was great!  I'm so glad it didn't crash on you this time, and I took a lot of notes.

Thank you so much for watching and I'm glad our gameplay was able to give you some ideas! Thanks for the updated manual with all the item information, very helpful!

 

- James

[BydoEmpire]

2 hours ago, ZeroPage Homebrew said:

Thank you so much for watching and I'm glad our gameplay was able to give you some ideas! Thanks for the updated manual with all the item information, very helpful!

 

- James

I made it so that you can unpause with the controller buttons - much better!  Also tried adding more potions, but they restore less health each. That's probably a better balance. I'll try out using buttons 1&2 together, we'll see how it plays.

 

Slow progress tonight, though, I've got a ... helper:

[BydoEmpire]

Latest binary and manual attached:

 

2021/03/27
- change which interior tiles to use level-to-level (don't always use blocks level 0, columns level 1, etc)
- cap max enemies on screen at once to avoid slowdown (not perfect, but hopefully less frequent)
- tweak enemy velocity and health
- tweaked weapon parameters (swords knock enemies back more, l4 bolt isn't as strong, etc)

- Give more potions in each level, but they refill less health (5 instead of 10)
- enemies spawn more often in rooms with gates

- Pause by holding Fire (b0) and then press Weapon Select (b1)
- Unpause with any button (pause, b0, b1)

- Updated manual w/ new images and enemy, weapon, item descriptions.

- Freed up 200 bytes of ROM space with some refactoring and code optimizations

 

I haven't play tested this build extensively, but nothing obvious stood out.

 

wizards_dungeon_7800_manual-0.2.pdf wizd_210328.bas.a78

[BydoEmpire]

I've decided (assuming no huge outcry from anyone that cares) that this game should actually have a defined end state - 4 levels, if you beat it, you're done.  The design of the game would have to change pretty significantly to make it fun as an endless arcade shooter type of game. I think it'll be more fun, hopefully relieve some of the tedious feeling, make the points mean something, better tune difficulty... and free up some ROM space to do all that.  It's tough to have a game try to be all things at once, and eventually I had to make a decision. I put it off to see how the game shaped up, but it's time.

[+Karl G]

12 minutes ago, BydoEmpire said:

I've decided (assuming no huge outcry from anyone that cares) that this game should actually have a defined end state - 4 levels, if you beat it, you're done.  The design of the game would have to change pretty significantly to make it fun as an endless arcade shooter type of game. I think it'll be more fun, hopefully relieve some of the tedious feeling, make the points mean something, better tune difficulty... and free up some ROM space to do all that.  It's tough to have a game try to be all things at once, and eventually I had to make a decision. I put it off to see how the game shaped up, but it's time.

I personally think it's a good move, and - for me at least - more motivating to try to get farther in the game knowing that it can be beaten.

 

[+Muddyfunster]

44 minutes ago, Karl G said:

I personally think it's a good move, and - for me at least - more motivating to try to get farther in the game knowing that it can be beaten.

 

Agreed, I think that's a great call.

 

[+ZeroPage Homebrew]

2 hours ago, BydoEmpire said:

I've decided (assuming no huge outcry from anyone that cares) that this game should actually have a defined end state - 4 levels, if you beat it, you're done.  The design of the game would have to change pretty significantly to make it fun as an endless arcade shooter type of game. I think it'll be more fun, hopefully relieve some of the tedious feeling, make the points mean something, better tune difficulty... and free up some ROM space to do all that.  It's tough to have a game try to be all things at once, and eventually I had to make a decision. I put it off to see how the game shaped up, but it's time.

I think that's a good decision, that way you can also ramp up the difficulty accordingly and have a confined number of levels to do the risk reward balancing. Although we played on 'Normal' level on ZPH I rarely felt in any danger through the first four levels, having the game end at the 4th level I can see the difficulty going WAY up to make it more of a challenge.

 

Looking forward to it!

 

- James

 

 

[SlidellMan]

Bydo, you did the right thing, and less time spent on trying to make it endless means more time making it solid, and ultimately, fun.

[BydoEmpire]

I think a fantasy-themed "endless" arcade style game more in the vein of Berzerk would be cool, but that's a very different game.  Perhaps this needs to be a trilogy like Dragon's Cache, Dragon's Descent, & Dragon's Havok.  Seed planted...

[+Karl G]

1 minute ago, BydoEmpire said:

I think a fantasy-themed "endless" arcade style game more in the vein of Berzerk would be cool, but that's a very different game.  Perhaps this needs to be a trilogy like Dragon's Cache, Dragon's Descent, & Dragon's Havok.  Seed planted...

Diablo 7800, anyone? 

[BydoEmpire]

Just now, Karl G said:

Diablo 7800, anyone? 

Diablo, except with actual gameplay.  

[+-^CrossBow^-]

So the ONLY issue with making the game now end once you defeat the evil wizard, is that there is still the chance of not finding all the weapon power ups with the evil wizard room not being shown. So you can very easily end up having to fight the wizard before you have had a chance to fully explore the last level maze. I don't think I've been able to do it since the evil Wiz was implemented.

 

So to get back on making it more difficult with just the 4 mazes is that we need the artifacts and weapons to be guarded as well similar to how the maze stairs are guarded. I was kinda surprised by who quickly James was able to defeat the wizard considering it has taken me more work usually when I've encountered him. 

 

I do like the idea of being able to pause using a combo of the buttons. I didn't know that was even possible since I thought the pause was hard coded and not a software option? But if so, then more games need to use that since I have been planning for a remote pause hard mod to allow the use of NES style controllers to have pause/unpause be functional from them.

 

[+Muddyfunster]

1 hour ago, -^CrossBow^- said:

I do like the idea of being able to pause using a combo of the buttons. I didn't know that was even possible since I thought the pause was hard coded and not a software option?

Pretty much, a developer could in theory set pause to be any combination of inputs.

[BydoEmpire]

7800basic also allows you to override the default pause function with whatever you want (in my case, a map screen), which is super handy. If you want to use the pause button, it's all set up for you.  I've been playing with my build of using button 1+2 to pause and it seems to work really well.  I just got my 2600-dapter II so I'm using a ProLine right now and it plays well with that, too. I haven't personally run into any "accidental pause" situations.

 

Quote

I have been planning for a remote pause hard mod to allow the use of NES style controllers to have pause/unpause be functional from them.

That would be awesome.

Edited March 31, 2021 by BydoEmpire

[+-^CrossBow^-]

16 hours ago, BydoEmpire said:

7800basic also allows you to override the default pause function with whatever you want (in my case, a map screen), which is super handy. If you want to use the pause button, it's all set up for you.  I've been playing with my build of using button 1+2 to pause and it seems to work really well.  I just got my 2600-dapter II so I'm using a ProLine right now and it plays well with that, too. I haven't personally run into any "accidental pause" situations.

 

That would be awesome.

It isn't new and I did test it without issue on my test bench 7800 a few months back. But if it is possible to program it with button combos from the controller, then that is a better option since it wouldn't require any console modification or specific controllers to be used.

 

[BydoEmpire]

54 minutes ago, -^CrossBow^- said:

It isn't new and I did test it without issue on my test bench 7800 a few months back. But if it is possible to program it with button combos from the controller, then that is a better option since it wouldn't require any console modification or specific controllers to be used.

 

I'll post a new binary soon with the pause button combo, I'm wrapping up first pass of an end game screen.  Need to find memory!  I've got some really cool ideas to make it better, but I have to find ways to fit them in.

[gambler172]

Hi BE

Plays very well and makes a lot of fun.

I have only one small suggestion....the tentacle

Could look a little bit better.....just my opinion.

Thanks for a great game.

Greetings Walter

[BydoEmpire]

Pretty big update this week.

2021/04/04
- first pass at winning game after 4th level, with end game "congrats" screen
- pulled out all dungeon_level>3 code
- evil wizard is more difficult now
- allow your shots to pass through treasures (this one was always annoying to me)
- tracking # enemies killed per type, and # treasures per type for end game screen (yay stats!)
- spawn potions when you kill max enemies spawned per screen - this gives you incentive to kill monsters if you're low on health - risk/reward
- put map & key closer to initial room - you don't always see them right away, but they will be closer

- changed (and simplified) how enemies spawn - it seems a bit more challenging now, for the better.

- lots of random tweaks to enemies, weapons, minor gfx updates, etc

 

 

wizd_210404.bas.a78

Edited April 4, 2021 by BydoEmpire

[BydoEmpire]

On 4/3/2021 at 1:56 PM, gambler172 said:

Hi BE

Plays very well and makes a lot of fun.

I have only one small suggestion....the tentacle

Could look a little bit better.....just my opinion.

Thanks for a great game.

Greetings Walter

@gambler172 - let me know what you think would make the tentacles better (thinner, different colors, different motion, etc). I'm not really an artist, but I'll see what I can do.  Glad you like the game!

Edited April 4, 2021 by BydoEmpire

[gambler172]

7 hours ago, BydoEmpire said:

@gambler172 - let me know what you think would make the tentacles better (thinner, different colors, different motion, etc). I'm not really an artist, but I'll see what I can do.  Glad you like the game!

I am not an artist also,a little bit thinner would be great....

Edited April 5, 2021 by gambler172