Development Info SCOURGE v.1 hits the net

[Saint_Proverbius]

Tags: S.C.O.U.R.G.E.: Heroes of Lesser Renown

<a href="http://scourge.sourceforge.net/">SCOURGE</a>, the 3D roguelike with turn based combat and a sense of humor, has hit <A href="http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=98006&package_id=104986&release_id=334336">version v.10</a> for Windows and Linux. The new features and changes are:
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<ul><li>New game logo and windowless menu
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<li>UI themes (default to dark theme)
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<li>Character portraits
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<li>Simplified/improved UI (eg.: cast healing spell on char. portrait, etc.)
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<li>Quick spell/skill buttons (icons ant tooltip) (F1-F12 shortcuts)
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<li>Linux binary distribution via autopackage
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<li>Improved wall transparency that works with water levels.
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<li>Cursed items that cannot be removed w/o uncursing them first
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<li>General/Storyline npc-s at HQ.
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<li>Conversation engine/UI w. npc portraits
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<li>New dungeon themes from Wadfather
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<li>Storyline playable to level 6: npc conversation, storyline missions, balanced battle, monsters casting more spells, etc.
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<li>More new spells: Ring of harm, Malice storm, Unholy decimator, teleportation
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<li>Decorative gargoyles take up less screen-space.
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<li>Oval cut-out lighting optional.
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<li>Items/spells now have a min. depth at which they appear.
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<li>Magic item's damage multipler select a likely monster. (ie. a level 3 item does not select a level 15 monster.)
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<li>Uzudil (npc) "reminds" players of mission objectives on level change
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<li>Uzudil gives mission success message (carries storyline forward).
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<li>XP bonus on mission success, display this with success message.
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<li>Better mission management (bugs fixed, removes old missions, etc.)
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<li>Party / Character creator wizard
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<li>TB combat: double click to move, single click to show path
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<li>Cursor to change to indicate attack over creature
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<li>Item and spell graphics (items use RLTiles)</ul>
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w00t! Character creation is finally done!
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Thanks, <b>Gabor</b>!

 

[Elwro]

Anyone tried it? Is it any good?

 

[Shevek]

I recognize the models its using on the character selection screen. I saw them way back when at polycount.com in the custom Quake 2 models section.

 

[Severian Silk]

I've been playing v0.12. Since they don't have any forums of their own, I thought I'd post my notes here:

• Interface needs to be streamlined.
• Way too many buttons on the screen at any one time.
• Buttons too small in 1024x768.
• Intro text not readable in 800x600 (windowed).
• Inventory interface is too rubbery. Don't like how moving an item automatically switches players.
• Don't like how moving an item automatically switches to the top of the list.
• Donning/removing equipment is tiresome.
• There should be an easier way to close crate-inventory windows.
• Pathfinding is pretty crappy.
• Often can't see objects behind walls. Camera angle is too steep, or walls are too tall or thick. (Looks nice, though.)
• Movement shouldn't be done via 'Group' and 'Single' modes. One should be able to select or band-box any number of characters using the mouse.
• Way too many crates/loot.
• Can't find anyone to sell weapons to.
• Lvl 1 emenies are too weak.
• Interactive doors aren't highlighted from certain angles.
• Sometimes doors can't be opened because they're blocked. Later they can be; however, it's not explained what was blocking them.
• Teleporter takes up too much screen area and interferes with movement.
• Mouse gets stuck in the corners of the screen when panning the camera.
• Characters can see through walls, triggering encounters even when you can't reach a target.
• Music is repetitive.
• Movement is tiresome. There's too much stuff getting in the way of mouse-clicks. Often, can't click on open floor-space, and it's not explained why one can't move to a certain location.
• There's no way to predict where one can move to, and where one can't.
• Should have to touch doors/levers in order to trigger them.
• Characters tend to get stuck at doors.
• Combat tends to get bottle-necked in doorways, where only one or two characters have a clear line-of-fire, and the others just stand around doing nothing.
• Projectiles may remain in the air at the end of one turn, then complete their actions in the next turn. Not sure if this is the proper way to abstract combat. Kind of fun, though.
• 'Begin Turn' and 'End Turn' buttons are too close to each other.
• Shading/shadows changes as you zoom in/out.
• Can't tell whether an item is equipped in the Trade menu.
• Trade/inventory interfaces should be unified, and should always show the paper doll.
• Can't tell an item's level from the paper doll.
• Levels are generated randomly each time one exits a portal, regardless of whether a player has visited the level before.
• Opened doors are not considered when checking line-of-fire, even though they block projectiles.

Overall, it's a pretty game -- but it's tedious to actually play.

 

[Drain]

skip

Is there anything positive about this game at all?

 

[Thrawn05]

skip

Is there anything positive about this game at all?

It's free.

I've only really tried it for a few minutes, but it looks okay to me. Been a long time since I played any type of "point and click" game. I need to break my WASD keyboard habit anyway.