[Dev Log] Tourney: The medieval tournament sim

[Tusky]

Thanks for the ideas dubsartur and Jubal. I certainly think you are right and that there were a lot of unique and interesting beliefs that people held. I suppose that the main thing for me was that I only wanted a hint of of "magic", and a potion seller was convenient for that. Perhaps because it is so standard in gaming it would be easily understood by players. Items that are consumed, could be purchased, and provide an effect of some kind.

Again, another big reason for me was that it allowed me to make an apothecary cart and plague doctor which I thought would look cool

Anyway on with an update for August!

Multiple venues

After some thought on how multiple event areas would work I came up with a plan.
Essentially now you can have 16 knights, and then you set off 2 groups of 8 at the same time. You choose an event venue for each group out of those that you've built. So for example you can have 2 jousting tilts, then set off 2 groups on each one. You could do all 16 bouts on one tilt if want some reason. When both groups are complete, the finalist from each group can square off in a final - but only if each group is doing the same sort of event (not if one is doing archery and the other doing melee - that wouldn't be very fair!). I need to tidy up the menu a little but it looks something like this:



New area

I've begun the enironment design for the second of four areas that will be in the finished thing. A hilltop castle in Avalon. It will be the location for levels 2 and 3, and I think is going to look drop dead awesome. I'll give a sneak of it in the weeks and months ahead as the models are completed.

Stable

To allow for the 16 knights I came up with a quicker way to invite them, you build a stable! This model took quite a long time but happy with the results.



Testing

level 1 was tested by a human other than me for the first time. There weren't any bugs really, since I've spent so long furiously squashing them over the last few weeks. The testing did raise an issue with the clearness jousting minigame, so I came up with a simpler, even better method of determining tactics.

Next

- I'm going to add the melee arena and mechanic for determining the winner by the next update

[Tusky]

It's September! Time for a lil' ol' update.

I have all of the level 2 bits finished except for the environment models which someone else is still working on - hopefully to be done soon. But all of the missions have been implemented now, and you can progress through from one level to the next and all of the training or upgrades that you've bought for your house knights are remembered.

There is a new type of knight in levels two and three. It's the penultimate armour type that the player can get. I've given it the working title "boss armour". I was particularly happy with the belt. Posted below (with the other 2 for comparisen). Not sure if anyone can think of a better name for it?





And finally, I made a nice background for the events menu that I felt like sharing.




Next

I'm pretty much finished with the sword fighting / melee that is introduced in level 2. There are a couple of bit to finish off so I'll save that for the next update

[Jubal]

What are the other armours called for comparison?

[Tusky]

"Simple" is the lowest and "Crusader" above that. Not sold on those either if I'm honest!

[Jubal]

I'll have a think. I guess one could do "Squire's Armour", "Knight's Armour", "Paladin's Armour", "Hero's Armour", or some such like that that? A question to bring to next time I do medieval pub maybe

[Tusky]

I'll have a think. I guess one could do "Squire's Armour", "Knight's Armour", "Paladin's Armour", "Hero's Armour", or some such like that that? A question to bring to next time I do medieval pub maybe

I think those names are a vast improvement on my hastily, poorly thought through ones!

[Tusky]

Happy October! Home of Halloween, the end of daylight savings in England, and this update:

Melee

As the game progresses various buildings and mechanics become available. One of these is a new event type: The Melee!



The melee is definitely something I could not omit from the game. Historically speaking, when medieval tournaments first began they focused on the melee. Jousting, whilst a component of the tournament, was not the main feature. Although jousting is pretty much what people most associate with them today.

Testing

I've been running some more early alpha test sessions on the first level, and it's definitely highlighted some things that needed adding, changing and clarifying. I'm always glad to test early for that reason. Doing some of these changes later in development is always a time consuming pain. The most tangible fruits of this labour are a nice help menu, and the ability to move most buildings.

New song

I've been working with the talented composer, who has completed the first track of the Tourney OST. Here is a short clip of the track which will be heard in the first level:

[soundcloud]https://soundcloud.com/tuskygames/tourney-track-one[/soundcloud]


You can check out more of the work of Curtis Falkingham here: https://soundcloud.com/soundforascene

Level 3

As I have mentioned before, work on the level 2 environment "Avalon castle" was started a while ago. That has been coming along nicely, and here's how it looks:



Next

- So far only peasants have been able to attend the tournaments, but nobility are on their way!
- A jeweller stand when nobles can squander their wealth

[dubsartur]

Moar castles is always a good thing!

[Jubal]

I vote for adding trapdoors to the top of those towers, because inaccessible tower roofs make me twitch

[Tusky]

I vote for adding trapdoors to the top of those towers, because inaccessible tower roofs make me twitch

Well we can't be having that.

[Jubal]

Wonderful stuff! Is that an addition to the model or just a texture? Either way it looks really good.

I'm not quite getting what we're seeing outside the castle, I'll admit, it looks like it's sort of jutting out over something?

[Tusky]

Yeah I made a small trapdoor model and added it to each of the 6 towers.

Yes the whole thing is perched at the pinnacle of a big square rocky peak. It's a distant cloud / fog covered forest you can see. I suppose it's not especially clear in the still image. Here's a gif if you are curious https://imgur.com/XnUAjMt

[Jubal]

Ah, OK. The foggy forest looks lovely, I really like that! Maybe the rocky peak needs to stick out a little more from the base of the castle so it's juuust larger than it? It looks odd having that really thick-set tower base and then it doesn't appear to be really founded on anything.

[Tusky]

I think it looks alright in the level, it's not clear in the gif or image I posted

[Jubal]

OK, fair snuffles