Author Topic: Roadwarden [Fantasy/RPG Elements/Pixel Art] [DEMO]  (Read 60789 times)

Jubal

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Re: Roadwarden [Fantasy/RPG Elements/Pixel Art] [DEMO]
« Reply #135 on: January 30, 2021, 12:43:57 PM »
Hm, that's a really interesting one. Given how much it absolutely happened historically it actually is odd that RPGs never do "we want to pull down the old ruins in order to get the stone and build new stuff" as a quest hook, the more I think about it the odder it feels that I've never seen it done before. Nice stuff!
The duke, the wanderer, the philosopher, the mariner, the warrior, the strategist, the storyteller, the wizard, the wayfarer...

Aure

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Re: Roadwarden [Fantasy/RPG Elements/Pixel Art] [DEMO]
« Reply #136 on: January 30, 2021, 09:37:27 PM »
I think so as well! The recycling of stone blocks was so common that it easily reached across the ages. I quite like it how in Witcher 3 (especially the Blood and Wine DLC) the player had an opportunity to restore various hamlets, but I feel like it's just one side of the coin.
Especially since once we establish that building materials are worth collecting and reusing, it makes the buildings which are left to itself even more interesting. It makes sense, for example, that a "haunted", burnt house becomes taboo.
Roadwarden - an illustrated text-based RPG in which you explore and change a hostile, grim realm. Currently in development.
Tales From Windy Meadow - my fantasy pixel art Visual Novel.

Aure

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Re: Roadwarden [Fantasy/RPG Elements/Pixel Art] [DEMO]
« Reply #137 on: February 13, 2021, 12:56:07 PM »
It’s been a year since the last time I visited Howler’s Dell... It now looks somewhat prettier. : )

I currently work on the ambient nature sounds for the game, and next week I’ll start writing new scenes and interactions, in the meantime updating the older illustrations... This winter is great for the game. ^^

Roadwarden - an illustrated text-based RPG in which you explore and change a hostile, grim realm. Currently in development.
Tales From Windy Meadow - my fantasy pixel art Visual Novel.

Aure

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Re: Roadwarden [Fantasy/RPG Elements/Pixel Art] [DEMO]
« Reply #138 on: February 20, 2021, 12:46:03 PM »
The residence of the magic crafter. October 2019 vs February 2021.
I’m so, so happy with this one.



Roadwarden - an illustrated text-based RPG in which you explore and change a hostile, grim realm. Currently in development.
Tales From Windy Meadow - my fantasy pixel art Visual Novel.

Jubal

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Re: Roadwarden [Fantasy/RPG Elements/Pixel Art] [DEMO]
« Reply #139 on: February 26, 2021, 01:02:26 PM »
This is probably just a me quirk, but to what extent are the walls in your setting meant to be actively versus passively defensive? Which is to say, is it designed for "if we make a barrier the wild animals won't think to get in" vs "this may need to be defended against a rampage or actual assault like the one in Windy Meadow". They look built for the former, I think - my concern defending those things would be that there aren't a lot of places inside the walls where you can get a vantage point over the outside, whereas an actively defensive wall might want more tower points or earth ramps for that purpose (Howler's Dell I guess does have a couple such towers).

I do love the golems in the magic crafter's residence, and especially empathise with the slumped one that's sitting down and looks how I often feel lately :)

The duke, the wanderer, the philosopher, the mariner, the warrior, the strategist, the storyteller, the wizard, the wayfarer...

Aure

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Re: Roadwarden [Fantasy/RPG Elements/Pixel Art] [DEMO]
« Reply #140 on: March 06, 2021, 01:27:04 PM »
I'm really sorry, Jubal. I don't know why the forum skipped its notification for your question. And I'm sorry you recently feel blue / demotivated. The last 12 months is a nightmare irl.

to what extent are the walls in your setting meant to be actively versus passively defensive?

In my mind they are in 95% meant to serve as a barrier that keeps the local and especially the roaming creatures far away, with the assumption that if it failed, you would rather barricade inside one of the buildings, than fight them off. You can chase away a monkey or a smaller, flying beast, but most of the larger creatures willing to get inside are too dangerous for most people to bother. And if it's wrath of the herds that comes... You can't really stop that, no matter what you do.

The wall from Clean Spear is better at providing defensive capabilities since it allows to stop the bandits or other human groups from getting inside (merchants need extra protection), but as you may imagine, it's not really a setting with "sieges". The only siege weapon I can picture working in this world would be a ballista, but it's used by defenders to shoot at monsters. The term "siege weapon" actually doesn't exist in this world. : P

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

The many faces of the Clean Spear inn, previously known as a tavern.









Roadwarden - an illustrated text-based RPG in which you explore and change a hostile, grim realm. Currently in development.
Tales From Windy Meadow - my fantasy pixel art Visual Novel.

Aure

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Re: Roadwarden [Fantasy/RPG Elements/Pixel Art] [DEMO]
« Reply #141 on: March 27, 2021, 12:08:05 PM »
I’m glad I took some time to return to the very beginning of Roadwarden. So many changes throughout the entire prologue section, but I still like the first paragraph.



Roadwarden - an illustrated text-based RPG in which you explore and change a hostile, grim realm. Currently in development.
Tales From Windy Meadow - my fantasy pixel art Visual Novel.

Aure

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Re: Roadwarden [Fantasy/RPG Elements/Pixel Art] [DEMO]
« Reply #142 on: April 03, 2021, 12:01:10 PM »
Hi there! I have a whole bunch of screenshots to show, they would turn this thread into a scrollfest... Please take a look at them here!
Roadwarden - an illustrated text-based RPG in which you explore and change a hostile, grim realm. Currently in development.
Tales From Windy Meadow - my fantasy pixel art Visual Novel.

Aure

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« Last Edit: April 26, 2021, 02:32:36 PM by Jubal »
Roadwarden - an illustrated text-based RPG in which you explore and change a hostile, grim realm. Currently in development.
Tales From Windy Meadow - my fantasy pixel art Visual Novel.

Jubal

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Re: Roadwarden [Fantasy/RPG Elements/Pixel Art] [DEMO]
« Reply #144 on: April 26, 2021, 02:40:48 PM »
You can use the bbcode spoiler tag (yellow and black circle on the posting bar) if you want to make things less of a scrollfest but still put pictures here :)

Your notes on whether to make words synonyms or not (e.g. spirit and soul) are a common issue in worldbuilding I think and one that I've hit a lot. It's a tricky thing to work out whether to try and come up with new, unfamiliar vocab for things or to try and re-use known words but give them an additional more setting specific meaning. Part of the reason it feels an odd thing to do, I think, is that it involves everybody having a weirdly high understanding and language specificity among your NPCs - because with the player being unfamiliar with the conceptual landscape it's even more confusing if your NPCs also don't understand how souls work, even if actually it makes complete sense that most people aren't necessarily hot on the precise details any more than an average person could explain serious scientific concepts effectively. Though I think that could be quite fun to play with in a game sometime actually, having genuinely competing ideas about those fundamental concepts.
The duke, the wanderer, the philosopher, the mariner, the warrior, the strategist, the storyteller, the wizard, the wayfarer...

Aure

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Re: Roadwarden [Fantasy/RPG Elements/Pixel Art] [DEMO]
« Reply #145 on: April 26, 2021, 05:20:14 PM »
Using the spoiler tag sounds like a good idea, thank you! I could even use it to group the screenshots in categories. Hmm.

I originally saw value in allowing these synonyms to chaotically function since the societies of this fantasy realm often have their own accents are are very much "allowed" to have their own terms and perception, but I believe it didn't work so well in practice - it's hard to pin why, exactly.

I believe it's fair to assume that even the less-educated people people would be familiar with the commonly used terms and teachings. It wouldn't be based on the actual complexity of the doctrine, but rather on the commonality of usage. I mean, the Christian traditions are really complex, and the philosophers were disputing all sort of crazy definitions for centuries, but they were still using some generally known words, such as "God", "angel", "Satan". What exactly is an angel, what is "body of Christ"? 95+% of people asked about it couldn't express what they think and believe, but they would intuitively use these words for various purposes.
Roadwarden - an illustrated text-based RPG in which you explore and change a hostile, grim realm. Currently in development.
Tales From Windy Meadow - my fantasy pixel art Visual Novel.

Aure

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Re: Roadwarden [Fantasy/RPG Elements/Pixel Art] [DEMO]
« Reply #146 on: May 15, 2021, 12:54:42 PM »
A fistful of icons - 6 of the newer items and a reminder how does the inventory look like in the game. : ) Quite happy with the current style!





Roadwarden - an illustrated text-based RPG in which you explore and change a hostile, grim realm. Currently in development.
Tales From Windy Meadow - my fantasy pixel art Visual Novel.

Aure

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Re: Roadwarden [Fantasy/RPG Elements/Pixel Art] [DEMO]
« Reply #147 on: May 22, 2021, 01:24:09 PM »
Gale Rocks is a home to a stubborn, patient community. The settlers, unable to live off the rocky land and its fruitless forest, turned their eyes toward the sea, and to this day trade salt and fish for vegetables, iron, and clothes. Over the course of the centuries and through many sacrifices, they left the safe caverns, raised the walls, and expanded their village, bit by bit.

In sunny days, most of them form crews of boatmen and hunt for sea fish in the shallow waters, while a smaller group cuts down trees, prepares lumber, and oversees the production of barrels. When the weather gets capricious, they split the firewood and burn it under the large pans, boiling the brine until it turns into salt.

In the meantime, the wounded, elders, and children take care of the chores, cook, and prepare the latest catch to be either smoked, or salted and stored in the barrels. The hands of the villagers are scared by the years spent with knives, and by the salt getting even into the tiniest of wounds.

It’s a harsh, but slow life. Predictable, yet peaceful.

Roadwarden - an illustrated text-based RPG in which you explore and change a hostile, grim realm. Currently in development.
Tales From Windy Meadow - my fantasy pixel art Visual Novel.

Jubal

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Re: Roadwarden [Fantasy/RPG Elements/Pixel Art] [DEMO]
« Reply #148 on: May 22, 2021, 01:34:34 PM »
Ooh, that looks quite a big settlement by Viaticum's standards?  Nice work :)
The duke, the wanderer, the philosopher, the mariner, the warrior, the strategist, the storyteller, the wizard, the wayfarer...

Aure

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Re: Roadwarden [Fantasy/RPG Elements/Pixel Art] [DEMO]
« Reply #149 on: May 22, 2021, 05:22:54 PM »
Thank you, and yes! I hope to underline in the game that there's a benefit to living close to the shore - not as much wild animal migration, and splitting the exploitation between various sources (forest + the sea + trade) is less invasive overall, and upsets beasts less.
Roadwarden - an illustrated text-based RPG in which you explore and change a hostile, grim realm. Currently in development.
Tales From Windy Meadow - my fantasy pixel art Visual Novel.