Roadwarden [Fantasy/RPG Elements/Pixel Art] [Full Version Released!]

[Aureus]

I’ve been working a lot on the new title screen, and I think that after receiving a lot of very helpful feedback, it’s in a pretty good spot right now. : )

 

 

I’m also doing a whole bunch of minor things for the game, since I can hardly find enough time and patience to focus on writing dialogues. I’m adding quests, items, some new dialogue options... I had a really good flow with some ideas, like these two weapons:

 

 

I’ve also realized that my original plan of “fitting every bit of dialogue in a single window” won’t work. Some NPCs will just have too many dialogue options available if you meet them for the first time in a very late part of the game. Because of that, I’ve decided to add the optional scrolling - it will show up only if there’s something to scroll through, so it won’t impact the major experience.

 

[Aureus]

Through this week, I wrote sooo many dialogue bits, made new items, designed new quests and broadened some older content... I’m in the flow, and it feels good.

Here’s an example of how arriving to a new place looks like. My lizard brain tells me to stop overcomplicating things, but I’m more like... Nah, “how bout I do anyway”. ; )

 

 

 

 

 

And here are some examples of how do the later parts of the same conversation look like.

 

 

[Aureus]

The development has recently encountered a couple of obstacles and pitfalls, but guess what. I *think* the new version of the demo is working. : ) It still needs some additional testing, would you like to help me with that?

You can download it here!

Does it start for you, can you play it? At one point, the Mac version was crushing out after saving. I hope it’s fixed. : P

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And if you wonder what has changed since the last version but you plan to wait for the full game, here are some highlights, just for context:

• the available content has tripled - you can visit four new areas (each one is significantly different) and engage in three complex dialogues that they involve
• a completely new music was introduced
• the in-game journal now includes a chapter that summarizes interesting clues related to various NPCs
• the inventory screen is completely redesigned and much more convenient
• area illustration and inventory icons were updated
• text parser that don’t need to support capital letters, like the one in the dolmen, don’t use them anymore
• various bits of dialogues and interactions were enhanced
• various spelling / phrasing fixes
• new menu screen
• bugs were eliminated - unless?

Edited November 30, 2019 by Aureus

[Aureus]

Guess what! Roadwarden can now be wishlisted on Steam!

[Aureus]

I’ve reached a rough spot, since as I share more WIPs from my game, my posts get more and more spoilerish... I need to figure out a new approach. But here is something more casual that I’ve been working on this week! : )

 

[Aureus]

In the original “Roadwarden’s” Design Document, there were no game-overs. You could get significantly hurt during your journeys, but never to the point where you’d face a brick wall that would make the further progress impossible. You need to rest and heal your wounds to participate in some events, but you can always move forward.

I’ve finally decided to change it. In most situations, reaching 0 HP won’t result in an instant death. But in some scripted encounters - usually when facing an overwhelming opponent while being completely unprepared - your character will be broken.

Still, I hope to make it as player-friendly as possible. Did you forget to save your game? Was autosave ran in an inconvenient spot? You can jump back in time a bit, no strings attached.

The game now also involves some new systems, like a redesigned “armor level”. I’ll talk more about it in the next devlog.

 

[Aureus]

Roadwarden looks much better now, all thanks to the new font. : ) The text has more space to breathe, the letters have more personality, and thanks to the serifs, it’s going to be easier to keep track of the lines you read. Everybody wins.

Other changes were introduced as well, such as the new addition to the inventory screen - when you now point at any icon, the item’s name is instantly displayed, so you don’t have to click anything if you try to quickly find something in your equipment.

I currently write dialogues, quests and stores for the game’s largest area, it’s quite exhausting, and I try to avoid spoilers. : P However, you can expect more posts very soon.

 

 

 

 

[Aureus]

For this ScreenshotSaturday, I have a rather large update. And a lot of pictures to show. Too many for a forum post. Oh dear, that must mean... It’s devlog time!

And here it is!

I wrote about the map updates, the new armor system, UI adjustments, the new Journal, the most recent WIPs, and recapped the stuff related to the game over screens and the new font.

[Aureus]

I took a little break from writing and drew some new areas. One of them is this abandoned fishing hamlet that I really like.

Places like this one are somewhat common in this fantasy realm. No village can have access to all the goods it requires to prosper, but daily travels for additional resources can turn out to be fatally dangerous. If a village has enough working power and supplies, it will sometimes start a new, small settlement focused on a specific field of work.

You can find among them mines, quarries, and brickworks, but also houses for hunters, lumberjacks, and charcoal burners, as well as temporary shelters for workers who build bridges or roadside inns. The fishing hamlet we see here allowed the locals to fish, and to preserve their meat by curing and smoking.

[Aureus]

The game has grown tremendously, though I try to keep everything spoiler-free. : )  For now, how about a tune?

We want our music to be subtle, not bluntly cheerful, nor overwhelming tense. The today’s example is on the “brighter” side, but we still tried to hide some uncertainty in it. Is “post rock folk” a thing?

 

[Aureus]

Villages in Roadwarden are secluded and often self-sufficient, doing their best to utilize their landscape and the nearby resources to their advantage. This also results in the common distrust of strangers, especially of those who attempt to shake the status quo.

Even the smaller settlements need to have their guard up, but the high walls are often not enough to keep the beasts, undead, and highwaymen at a distance.

 

[Aureus]

The latest Roadwarden devlog is now available. About the new notifications, clock, font, world map updates, and more.

[Aureus]

I’ve made some fantastic progress this week, but I’m especially happy with introducing the new continue button. One of the best things about making a game that doesn't use a lot of hardware is that you can make it run almost instantly. You won't have to remember where has your last save occurred or which save slot you have used - just click and play.

Also, I don’t think there will be a reason to add some semi-skippable animated company logos whenever the game launches, so all it takes from the moment you press the game’s icon to the moment you’re in is like 10-15 seconds. : P

 

Edited May 2, 2020 by Aureus

[Aureus]

The Clean Spear inn. From February 2019 to May 2020.

If you think it’s an improvement, you should see the game’s writing. I’ve been grinding some juicy level ups.

(New, probably the last, version of demo coming this month.)

 

[darkmaster006]

This looks really interesting :O.

[Aureus]

Thank you! : )

[Aureus]

The new version of Roadwarden’s demo is now available on Steam.

An additional area to explore, more things to do, better writing, upgraded UI, improved visuals. I’d love to know what you think. : )

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Aureus]

The Roadwarden’s world map keeps its original size in the game, so most of its details won’t be noticed without putting your nose against the screen. It’s a shame, honestly, but my goal is to convey the impression of shifting landscape, not to portray the “realistic” geography.

 

 

 

[Aureus]

Unlike most people, the monks learn to be satisfied with what’s essential for their survival, the simplest foods and shelters. They seek happiness in understanding and accepting things as they are, hidden both in nature and between the lines of the sacred scriptures, studying the mysteries of the world - herbs, crops, magic, beasts, metallurgy...

Many of the monasteries are placed on the outskirts of civilization, where the monks explore and tame the unknown grounds. They expect that the other settlements, especially those which focus on food production, will provide for them. In return, the order shares with such villages the fruits of its research, from general guidance to specific inventions.

The monks see themselves as responsible for broadening the potential of humankind, even though this perspective is rarely shared by those who don’t follow the teachings of the Church of Truth. Disbelievers claim that too many of the orders aim to gather resources beyond their needs, discarding their grand ideas, and reveal just the scraps of their research, and only when they can’t parasitize their neighbors any further. The lack of transparency sparks distrust, fear, and in some cases - hostility.

 

[Aureus]

Humans try to mark their presence in the world, but their memories and tales dwindle, their bodies wither away, their homes and statues turn into dust.

The wilderness prevails, indifferent like time.

 

[Zalor]

The art style you have going for this game is really nice

[Aureus]

On 8/10/2020 at 4:59 PM, Zalor said:

The art style you have going for this game is really nice

Thanks a lot! I apologize for the late response, I somehow missed the notification.

 

The Foggy Lake tavern is one of the younger shelters that the roadwarden can visit during their patrols. It used to be a single hut used by the hunters and woodcutters from the nearby village, but quickly proved to be useful for trading. It provided the locals with a spot to barter or, once the palisade was raised, to spend a night and feast. 

Foggy, a huntress and a fisher, has decided to invest into a more durable building, and then moved in as the keeper. She hopes to turn this place into a large inn, or maybe even a new settlement, though so far it's a distant dream. While the nearby wilderness is rather gentle and the beasts keep their distance, the open access to the lake remains a threat to the dwellers. They leave this place at the end of every fall, moving back in the early thaw. The won't risk being cut away from their old home for months.

The actual lake doesn't have a name, but Foggy is a bit vain. Since she knows a lot about the settlements in the North, it may be better to stay on her good side.

 

[Aureus]

You can now find the newest Roadwarden devlog on https://moral-anxiety.itch.io/roadwarden/devlog/176144/invisible-milestones-roadwarden-devlog , with updates on the new approach to the character’s goals, the crossbow rework, the heart of the forest, the game’s release date, and more!

 

[Aureus]

I’m having a crazy month, but I’ve managed to test some new things.

1) The new d6 icon, that both makes it clear that a choice has a random chance attached to it, and allows me to alter some of the older choices to make them more interesting. It’s especially useful in combat - and gambling.

 

2) The new “wait” option, a quality-of-life addition to the UI.

 

3) A WIP illustration. I’m struggling to find a balance between the chaos and emptiness of the wilderness. I'll need to rework it, but I think it's an interesting attempt.

October will be one of the loosest months I’ll have in 2020, so I’ll be able to finally focus on the game’s development. I can’t even express how happy I am. ^^

[Chronopolis]

The dice marker is pretty neat, I've never seen it in a VN before, except like a stats marker "Try to break the door": {STR}. It's helpful for the player, but it does give them a sort of clairvoyance that the character wouldn't have.