Island of Foxes.

[Aswald]

Currently, I'm working on the Commodore-64 version of the all-text role-playing game, Island of Foxes. It may take a few months; getting the title screen just right is proving tricky.

As this is the year 2003, it seemed a good idea to make it somewhat more complex. As a result, there are some more monsters, and the island itself is now randomly-generated. The lakes act like maze barriers now.

Still, a question: since you can move all about the island, would all-text work? The island is about 21X32. The game does keep track of where you are (from the starting point), and the relative locations of key places as you find them.


There is no way I can program a ColecoVision version of this game. Emulators simply will not work here. You can't even play Armadillo Knight any longer.

[Raccoon Lad]

What's keeping you from getting your own PC? You could probably get a emulator capable computer pretty cheap.

[Aswald]

Right now, household and medical expenses are taking up all I have, and the accident at work a few weeks ago has not helped matters. Getting a few homebrews are all the extras I can possibly afford. If not for the fact that I was injured and nearly killed (by falling cement forms) while on the job, it would be much, much, worse than it already is.

But in any case, what do you think of the all-text format?

[Raccoon Lad]

it needs graphics, even if they're simple, graphics are necesary.

How about a map screen that represents the game field, but only shows where you have already been, and a small blinking marker to show where you are.

Seeing as you're (if I recall correctly) building the maze from randomly placed "maze blocks", your maze could easily be represented visually that way.

a simple generic background with visual representations of the monster's you're engaged in battle with could be a nice touch also.

it'll proably be more work to add the graphics, but even minimalistic graphics can hold a players attention more that just text can.

[Aswald]

Aside from the title screen, about the only thing I would add would be the map, which would simply show where you've been. Landmarks would be shown, but not monsters; that would be pointless.

You also have to keep in mind that I'm sort of hoping that it can be translated into a ColecoVision format and so I must keep memory limitations in mind myself. Tel: The Odyssey of the Seeker Dragon would only have a representation of the part of the maze you're in, similar to Lord of the Dungeon, until a combat takes place; then, as with the rest of the game, it goes to all-text. I sacrificed the visuals for more gameplay, such as a gambling segment.

[Aswald]

Originally, this game was to have allowed 5 characters, with 3 in play at any one time, but memory limitations made this too impractical. As a result, I decided to have just one character, but with 3 classes. As you gain experience levels, you can apply them to whatever class you want; but, in order to use items for a particular class, you must have at least twice as many levels in that class as the other two combined. You can earn up to 120 levels.