AliensRL [roguelike]

[673f5604d0e35LarkSS]

I'm actually surprised at how interesting and fun this is while sporting such a simplistic appearance. It really gives me motivation to do some self programming regardless if I lack all of the fancy graphics resources to go with it.

Also, I too prefer the console version of v0.8 (just annoyed me slightly that I had to register first just to download it, but at least it only took like 30 seconds).

[673f5604d1145Kolya]

<3 console
Looks cleaner, sharper and less confusing imo. I was quite amazed when Kornel put that out half a day after my rant. And he even plans to make it optional in the main package.
I considered putting the 0.8 console version up here, but registering on ChaosForge won't hurt anyone. And it gives you the chance to comment/complain/praise the game in the AliensRL forum. Some feedback is the least Kornel deserves for his cool work.

[673f5604d134cLarkSS]

I was more surprised that he made the jist of it all in 7 days; wish I could work that fast. He made a pretty good DiabloRL too.

Is there any way for me (using Win 7) to be able to get the command prompt version to go fullscreen? The most I can do is to enlarge the font size a bit, and I would rather not revert to some XP mode display. Tried two cmd replacements too with no luck.

Edit: Did the storage area always have that radiation attribute? =E (The extremely low lighting in that area really annoys me so I haven't been there too often.)

[673f5604d1469Kolya]

Here's what I did on XP: Create a shortcut to the game, rightclick it, choose properties->options->fullscreen.

[673f5604d168dLarkSS]

No fullscreen option for Windows 7 in either the properties of the cmd or in the shortcut properties. =[ I guess I'll have to stick to the original version and modify the dimensions of the game in the ini file for semi-fullscreen. Nevermind, missed it the first time somehow, but there's a fullscreen option in there too, nice. Everything will be darker now due to light radius, but not having the window will help me to tune out the fact that I'm playing with ascii characters.

Edit: One last thing before I go quiet for awhile, but in case I wasn't the only one who was annoyed by the random large gap in "Entering level 2", I popped the file into an audio program, sliced the dead space out, and reencoded it to an .ogg which I attached to this post. I'd back up the original .ogg just in case, as I haven't tested it for any possible issues yet.

Edit2: Was getting really into this game until I lost all interest when I realized that strong aliens had the uncanny ability to randomly spawn right next to me, forcing me to lose massive chunks of health and ammo for lack of strong firepower (only in the storage tower right by the beginning point) just to fight them off and meet another spawner a few rooms down. I'm all for a good challenge, but this is ridiculous.

[673f5604d180bepyon]

Just a quick note that AliensRL 0.8.2 has been released, with a lot of new features (some also inspired by SS/SS2)

http://alien.chaosforge.org

[673f5604d196aKolya]

* Kolya reads the feature list: Hohum. New level generator...see through walls...consumables...degrading armor...armor packs...portable turret...drugs...HACKING!

Oh Yeah!

EDIT: AliensRL was a great game even before this update. Now with this and Captain Jameson I'm in glowy pixel heaven!
Thank you so much! It feels good to be a geek.

[673f5604d1d4cThiefsieFool]

Sounds like a new clear is in order 

[673f5604d20c3ThiefsieFool]

Cleared 0.8.2, with no save cheating and as a Tehnician too, the difficulty is incredible which is why it feels so good to play properly.
Had a safehouse on level 4 of the military tower where there were 2 working elevators in a small room which was nice to revisit, fought the queen by setting up a turret and kiting her with the RPG and stim, as advertised the flamer was a little overpowered so I used it mostly during my escape to the Civilian tower, relying on the RPG most of the time, smashed open a lot of doors with it despite being a Tehnician as I didn't find too many multi-tools even in the Engineering tower.
Note: it really needs to be harder to erase your progress by hitting "Quit without saving" in the escape menu, just one click and you're screwed

Code: [Select]

-- AliensRL 0.8.2 Post Mortem ----------------------------------------

  Name     : ciox
  Class    : Technician
  Rank     : Veteran
  Result   : killed the queen and escaped
  Score    : 16174

  Total experience  : 14350
  Experience left   : 750
  Game length       : 668485 turns

  Security keycards : 7
  Military keys     : 0

  Armor   : Plasteel armor [3]
  Sidearm : .44 colt (6/6)
  Primary : MP5 submachine gun (30/30)
  Heavy   : M240 flamethrower (4/4)
  Medpacks: 3

-- Graveyard ---------------------------------------------------------

  |°..#......#.a......|..þ#...#    #..Ü..Ü....#...#.......°#....
  #...#.°....#####-####þ..|..a#    #..........##-##.......#a...
  ##-#####-###.a.°....#...#..þ#    #°.....%/.°#...|........#####
  #...#......#.......°##-##..#    #.....a.°..#þ..####-#####a..þ
  #°..#.....°#°.Ü..Ü..#...#...#    #######-####...#........#þ...
  #...#°.Ü...#........|þ..##-##    #%þ...þ.aþa#...#°.......|..ÜÜ
  #..°#......#°.Ü..Ü..|..þ#...#    #þ|........#þ..#..Ü..Ü..#þ...
  |...#..Ü...#........|...|.|þ#    #..ÜÜÜ.ÜÜ..#..þ#°.......#..ÜÜ
  #...|.....°#..Ü..Ü..|þ..|þ%.#    #..........#...#..Ü..Ü..#þ...
  #...#°.Ü...#........|..þ|..þ######..ÜÜÜ.ÜÜ.þ#þ..#........#..ÜÜ
  #..°#......#........|þ..|þ..|....|..........#...#°......°#þ...
  #.°.#...°..#.°.°....#aþ.#.þ.|....|..þ...þ.þ.#...#....°...#..þ.
  ##############################--##############################
                               #..#                             
                               #..#                             
                               #X.#                             

-- Skills ------------------------------------------------------------

  Sidearms      : untrained
  Light weapons : advanced
  Heavy weapons : basic
  Technical     : expert
  Medicine      : expert
  Fitness       : advanced
  Perception    : expert

-- Ammunition --------------------------------------------------------

  9mm ammo      : 172/400
  5.56 ammo     : 27/400
  .44 ammo      : 44/150
  M309 ammo     : 0/500
  M250 ammo     : 350/500
  60mm gren.    : 1/40
  12g. shells   : 200/200
  napalm cartrid: 2/20
  frag grenade  : 0/5
  inc grenade   : 2/5
  krak grenade  : 0/5

-- Other items -------------------------------------------------------

  3 * medpack
  3 * multi-tool
  7 * security key
  2 * stimpack
  1 * armor pack
  3 * painkiller pack

-- Kills (1067) ------------------------------------------------------

  257 juveniles
  165 warriors
  54 elites
  20 praetorians
  138 scavengers
  186 hunters
  66 stalkers
  117 drones
  60 workers
  2 overseers
  1 queen
  1 defense turret

-- Messages ----------------------------------------------------------

 You reload your weapon.
 You prepare your heavy weapon! The
 elite slashes you!
 The elite dies.
 You reload your weapon.
 You use a medpack. You feel much
 better!
 The praetorian dies.
 Screenshot taken
 (screenshot\arl-0126.png)
 You reload your weapon.
 Screenshot taken
 (screenshot\arl-0127.png)
 You enter the corridor. Entering
 Civilian Tower, level 1...

----------------------------------------------------------------------



[673f5604d21c3Kolya]

Jesus, you beat that game? I'm impressed. 

[673f5604d23e0ThiefsieFool]

I did it with the older version in 2010 too, but this one was much harder and better for it.
The "multi-level connected towers" design is really interesting, I don't believe it's common in roguelikes is it? I feel I've been taught a few things about game design from playing this so much, specifically about setting up a game world for interesting navigation:
- the main tower is really dangerous, and it's also in the center meaning it's usually the most obvious "shortcut" to take
- you can try to avoid the dangerous main tower by ascending with the elevators in the other towers, but this can become very hard sometimes and tempt you to peek into the main tower after all to ascend at least one level when all the other towers' elevators are broken or you simply can't find the working elevator
- the tower structure makes you really think when you need to go somewhere, like say level 5 of the Storage tower when you are on level 3 of the Engineering tower, your first thought might be to walk to the Storage tower on level 3 and just take the elevator up but that might be a pointless action if the ascending elevators are broken for the Storage tower on that level, and your mission turns into trying to ascend however you can while trying to stick to towers that are next to the Storage one and then remembering the (different for each run) route for later


Here's a pic of the safehouse, pretty SS2-like even if goodies don't travel with the elevator

[673f5604d2b93Aurora]

As a fan of Aliens, atmospheric RPGs, and all things retro, I am going to give this a try. I have a soft spot for old school pseudographics, maybe something to do with the picture of the imagination being better, as some discussed here earlier.

I'm actually surprised at how interesting and fun this is while sporting such a simplistic appearance. It really gives me motivation to do some self programming regardless if I lack all of the fancy graphics resources to go with it.

It's been looming on my mind for ages, but I finally decided now that one day I will make a roguelike adventure game.

The "multi-level connected towers" design is really interesting, I don't believe it's common in roguelikes is it? I feel I've been taught a few things about game design from playing this so much, specifically about setting up a game world for interesting navigation:
- the main tower is really dangerous, and it's also in the center meaning it's usually the most obvious "shortcut" to take
- you can try to avoid the dangerous main tower by ascending with the elevators in the other towers, but this can become very hard sometimes and tempt you to peek into the main tower after all to ascend at least one level when all the other towers' elevators are broken or you simply can't find the working elevator
- the tower structure makes you really think when you need to go somewhere, like say level 5 of the Storage tower when you are on level 3 of the Engineering tower, your first thought might be to walk to the Storage tower on level 3 and just take the elevator up but that might be a pointless action if the ascending elevators are broken for the Storage tower on that level, and your mission turns into trying to ascend however you can while trying to stick to towers that are next to the Storage one and then remembering the (different for each run) route for later

This is really quite clever. One could use such a layout with a 'high-risk' shortcut route for FPS as well. Mental note added...