Frayed Knights: The Mid-Development Doldroms
by Jay Barnson · 11/28/2007 (8:51 pm) · 3 comments
Ah, gentle reader. Let me welcome you back to another installment of Frayed Knights Theater, wherein we again follow the rollicking adventures of our delightful band of misfits, as they go merrily rampaging across the landscape, sowing destruction, death, pain, and carnage in their wake. Ah, good times, good times...
As November draws its frosty curtains upon the autumn, and December comes with its promise of snow and chill of the beginning of the true winter season, we also find our attention turning slowly from code to content. We find many of the code modules in the game to be function, in much the same way a ten-year-old computer running Windows 3.1 might be considered "functional." Now begins the tedious process of refinement, improvement, and maintenance.
Our goal for the month of December is to see the first dungeon, the "Temple of Pokmor Xang" (god of boils, blisters, and pimples) completed, playable, and even, dare I say it, "beta ready." Indeed, it may be considered a trial by fire of our code and team, presenting great challenge that may daunt the unready developer! Ahead there lay much puzzle-solving, monster-bashing, lock-picking, trap-disarming, maiden-rescuing, and button-clicking!
Let us dispense with these inadequate introductions, gentle reader, and move ahead to the true meat of this post. By meat, I mean, "Stuff I've already written so I can end this post already." Without further ado, let us traipse through chapters in November's saga of the development of Frayed Knights!
Are You Experienced? - wherein we discuss the nature of experience points awards, and ponder such things as fairness and... user interface managers.
On Weaponry and Spraying Blood - wherein we gaze deeply into the philosophical implications of bashing an enemy's head in with a flanged mace, versus simply lopping it off with an axe, or the classic skewering of it upon a pike. Ah! A veritable cornucopia of carnage! With a tasty cream center!
Death, and Arianna's Interview - What happens to the Frayed Knights when they "die?" Oh, and Arianna threatens our interviewer.
Frayed Knights Squeaks Into the Lead - Wherein we note that whoops and cheers amongst our team is warranted, but only just.
Ben Speaks, and Combat Tweaks - Wherein gentle Benjamin finds his voice and talks about his history. We also speak about how those annoying monsters have just become speedier, more interesting, but also more dangerous...
Until next time, gentle reader, I bid you farewell, and happy decapitating!
Jay Barnson
Rampant Games
Tales of the Rampant Coyote
As November draws its frosty curtains upon the autumn, and December comes with its promise of snow and chill of the beginning of the true winter season, we also find our attention turning slowly from code to content. We find many of the code modules in the game to be function, in much the same way a ten-year-old computer running Windows 3.1 might be considered "functional." Now begins the tedious process of refinement, improvement, and maintenance.Our goal for the month of December is to see the first dungeon, the "Temple of Pokmor Xang" (god of boils, blisters, and pimples) completed, playable, and even, dare I say it, "beta ready." Indeed, it may be considered a trial by fire of our code and team, presenting great challenge that may daunt the unready developer! Ahead there lay much puzzle-solving, monster-bashing, lock-picking, trap-disarming, maiden-rescuing, and button-clicking!
Let us dispense with these inadequate introductions, gentle reader, and move ahead to the true meat of this post. By meat, I mean, "Stuff I've already written so I can end this post already." Without further ado, let us traipse through chapters in November's saga of the development of Frayed Knights!
Are You Experienced? - wherein we discuss the nature of experience points awards, and ponder such things as fairness and... user interface managers.
On Weaponry and Spraying Blood - wherein we gaze deeply into the philosophical implications of bashing an enemy's head in with a flanged mace, versus simply lopping it off with an axe, or the classic skewering of it upon a pike. Ah! A veritable cornucopia of carnage! With a tasty cream center!
Death, and Arianna's Interview - What happens to the Frayed Knights when they "die?" Oh, and Arianna threatens our interviewer.
Frayed Knights Squeaks Into the Lead - Wherein we note that whoops and cheers amongst our team is warranted, but only just.
Ben Speaks, and Combat Tweaks - Wherein gentle Benjamin finds his voice and talks about his history. We also speak about how those annoying monsters have just become speedier, more interesting, but also more dangerous...
Until next time, gentle reader, I bid you farewell, and happy decapitating!
Jay Barnson
Rampant Games
Tales of the Rampant Coyote
About the author
Jay has been a mainstream and indie game developer for a... uh, long time. His professional start came in 1994 developing titles for the then-unknown and upcoming Sony Playstation. He runs Rampant Games and blogs at Tales of the Rampant Coyote.
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