Topic: "Castletoria" - In Development!

[Zuljaras]

I am back!!!

I took a very long break. Now im back and I have started a couple of things for the game.

First and most important for me is the new feature that I have implemented with the help from the people in GM forums. A platform that move in all directions that could be used as lift or in the other very awesome way as platform somewhere on the Boss or enemy. If you like climbing on enemies like Balore (DoS), Eligor (OoE) etc.

I have drawn a new enemy the Sludge Fiend and I have coded its movement.

I have made a better formula for the damage dealing so now I could delete several objects. I like to make things as simple as possible. I have created some simple visual effects when you click on the shop and inventory buttons (when you use potions).

So this is it. I just wanted to share those things and say that even if I am beginner I did not quit

[darkmanx_429]

That's what I like to hear! Don't give up!

[Chernabogue]

Sounds good!

[Zuljaras]

The DEMO is released!!!

Now some info about it:

1 - DO NOT forget to read the text file first! There is information about the controls.

2 - There is no music in the game only sound effects. I do onw rights to any kind of music.

3 - There is no END to the DEMO you could just run around after meeting Death and farm souls to buy all things that are currently in the game.

4 - There are no spells in the game. Actually there are but they are not available


Now some requests from me:

Please if you find any bugs ... TELL ME!!! I want to fix and polish everything I can!!!

Things that I made in this version that are different from the last didaster:

1 - New enemy the Sludge Fiend.
2 - Shop and new items there.
3 - Soul system as currency.
4 - Better damage and defense formulas.
5 - Some nasty bugs with the movement of Erhard.
6 - Better menu for the Usable items.
7 - Finally decent dialogue system and one long dialogue with the shopkeeper.

I would like to ask anyone who try my DEMO to tell me and rate his or her experience. This is very important for me!!!

Here is the link with the download: http://www.mediafire.com/download/a3joao8dwxpjbn2/Castle_of_Nightmares_DEMO.rar

PS: It is not a virus. The exe is encrypted and some anti-virus programs are detecting it as virus but it is not!!!

[Chernabogue]

Playing the demo is a real pleasure! I like the new animations (potions, etc.) Nice job!

[X]

Just gave your new demo a try and it is very good! I've noted several things that I'll want to inform you of;

1) There is a spelling error in the enemy data about Gorg. You have the word 'Always' spelt with 2 L's when it should only have one L.

2) There is an eye portrait in the castle entrance that does not move like all the others. You will find it on the way to the castle kitchen.

3) The game froze while I was collecting souls while outside castle entrance. It stayed that way for over ten seconds then the game resumed, except that I was no-longer outside the castle but inside. Then I went back outside and just before I got to death the game froze once more. I'm not sure if this is part of the character bug you mentioned or maybe it's a part of the soul collection thing.

[Zuljaras]

Just gave your new demo a try and it is very good! I've noted several things that I'll want to inform you of;

1) There is a spelling error in the enemy data about Gorg. You have the word 'Always' spelt with 2 L's when it should only have one L.

2) There is an eye portrait in the castle entrance that does not move like all the others. You will find it on the way to the castle kitchen.

3) The game froze while I was collecting souls while outside castle entrance. It stayed that way for over ten seconds then the game resumed, except that I was no-longer outside the castle but inside. Then I went back outside and just before I got to death the game froze once more. I'm not sure if this is part of the character bug you mentioned or maybe it's a part of the soul collection thing.

1) I am really sorry I fixed that now

2) Not all pictures of the eye are moving. This makes the things a little more mysterious.

3) This is really bad!!! I played the DEMO now and I got outside the castle and I farmed the souls of the zombies and got to death like 50 times but nothing happened. Not a single freeze.

Could you test that again please. And I wonder if some of the other people who downloaded the demo and played it could confirm that thing I do not want such bad bugs in my game

[X]

You needn't apologize for your mistakes. After all this game is a work in progress so it's to be expected 

In terms of the freeze glitch it might be a variable of some sort. It could be the number of souls that I had collected (238 I believe). I'm no programmer so I'm very limited with what to look for. I could play through it again to see if it happens, but who knows.

[Zuljaras]

You needn't apologize for your mistakes. After all this game is a work in progress so it's to be expected 

In terms of the freeze glitch it might be a variable of some sort. It could be the number of souls that I had collected (238 I believe). I'm no programmer so I'm very limited with what to look for. I could play through it again to see if it happens, but who knows.

I played again and collected souls again and again in the castle and outside and go to the shop in and out. Nothing happened. The one thing that I noticed was when I minimize the game the characted keep running in one place but then I saved and restarted the game and it was not occuring anymore. It may be because of the other programs and games I ran at the same time.

[X]

After playing the game again, it froze on me in the same area (Castle Entrance). But the game unfroze when I activated the Start Task Manager (Ctrl-Alt-Del). Once i closed the task manager the game was running again except for one thing; The player was not in the game. I could hear him swing his sword but it was if he wasn't there at all. Even the half-zombie crawled right passed him and no hotbox collision took place either.

Now for something that's not a glitch but an idea for your game. It's your choice to use it or not of course 

I was thinking about the bosses and about souls in general. Some of the bosses could drop a special type of soul that death cannot deal with as they are outside of the natural order, say a dark soul. These dark souls (once you've collected them all) could act as a type of power/spirit key when combined that will allow you to access the final part of the cursed castle. Once that's done the souls will be cleansed and death can then take them to the other side. I feel it would add more depth to the game and make the bosses that much more important to the game itself. Since the bosses are guardians of the castle it would make sense for these guardians to be parts of a key as well.

[Zuljaras]

After playing the game again, it froze on me in the same area (Castle Entrance). But the game unfroze when I activated the Start Task Manager (Ctrl-Alt-Del). Once i closed the task manager the game was running again except for one thing; The player was not in the game. I could hear him swing his sword but it was if he wasn't there at all. Even the half-zombie crawled right passed him and no hotbox collision took place either.

Now for something that's not a glitch but an idea for your game. It's your choice to use it or not of course 

I was thinking about the bosses and about souls in general. Some of the bosses could drop a special type of soul that death cannot deal with as they are outside of the natural order, say a dark soul. These dark souls (once you've collected them all) could act as a type of power/spirit key when combined that will allow you to access the final part of the cursed castle. Once that's done the souls will be cleansed and death can then take them to the other side. I feel it would add more depth to the game and make the bosses that much more important to the game itself. Since the bosses are guardians of the castle it would make sense for these guardians to be parts of a key as well.

The idea is damn nice!!! However I have to rid of the bug I will play it again and see what I can do.

[darkmanx_429]

You should just make it so you can just press A in the submenu to return to game instead of the mouse.  I get the reason you start with a dagger, but (it just be a design choice) he really should have a sword. Starting off, the dagger forces the player to get in close and get so many of unnecessary hits. Kind of a turnoff at the beginning of the game. The dagger could be a secondary weapon you find in the castle. Oh yeah, I don't know if it's a sound error but I hate that dagger sound. You should use a more metallic sound. Personal preference, you should switch the Z and X buttons around for the jump and attack or give the player the option to set their own button layout. I don't know if this is because the game is in beta, but the lifebar doesn't work correctly. You should also add a death animation where the character drops dead or something. I love the hand drawn sprites! With a good soundtrack this game could be a real winner!

[Zuljaras]

You should just make it so you can just press A in the submenu to return to game instead of the mouse.  I get the reason you start with a dagger, but (it just be a design choice) he really should have a sword. Starting off, the dagger forces the player to get in close and get so many of unnecessary hits. Kind of a turnoff at the beginning of the game. The dagger could be a secondary weapon you find in the castle. Oh yeah, I don't know if it's a sound error but I hate that dagger sound. You should use a more metallic sound. Personal preference, you should switch the Z and X buttons around for the jump and attack or give the player the option to set their own button layout. I don't know if this is because the game is in beta, but the lifebar doesn't work correctly. You should also add a death animation where the character drops dead or something. I love the hand drawn sprites! With a good soundtrack this game could be a real winner!

Why the lifebar doesnt work correctly?

The sounds are really bad I know but that is just for testing. I will add death animation to the character The X and Z are just my prefference and I will try to make so the player will choose for those. As for the dagger I have to think about that

Now I am changing the link with a version that removes a bug or two but I need confirmation that the freeze bug is gone!!! Please test it!!!

[darkmanx_429]

Why the lifebar doesnt work correctly?

The sounds are really bad I know but that is just for testing. I will add death animation to the character The X and Z are just my prefference and I will try to make so the player will choose for those. As for the dagger I have to think about that

Now I am changing the link with a version that removes a bug or two but I need confirmation that the freeze bug is gone!!! Please test it!!!

I seem to be getting hit and the lifebar is touch and go. It would seem that sometimes it still shows life in the bar even though the bar is exhausted and I am dead! Don't forget about my suggestion for the submenu! I hate having to click on the mouse to get out those menus!

[Zuljaras]

I seem to be getting hit and the lifebar is touch and go. It would seem that sometimes it still shows life in the bar even though the bar is exhausted and I am dead! Don't forget about my suggestion for the submenu! I hate having to click on the mouse to get out those menus!

This is because you get the You are dead screen right after you lose all your HP and the life bar shows the HP. For example you have 4 hp and the enemy hits you for 5 you are dead but the lifebar displays 4 hp. This is normal

And yes I will make that you exit the menu with the same button you go in