Indie DrDungeon's Ultizurk and MADMAN Thread

[Infinitron]

"Morbius’ Isthmus":
This is the exact same game as "The Great Ultizurkian Underland". "Morbius’ Isthmus" cannot be unlocked, but if you like it, you should play "The Great Ultizurkian Underland".

Hah. That's odd.

I suppose Morbius is actually an older version of TGUU? Or maybe newer?

"MadMan":
Now, there is a misunderstanding about "MadMan" that I would like to remove. Everybody should know that "MadMan" will be completely NEW, NOT like the old "MadMan"

Don't worry, DrDungeon has made that quite clear.

 

[PeeWee]

I think "Morbius’ Isthmus" is the same as the latest version of "The Great Ultizurkian Underland" (version 5.5). See the start post / original post by Infinitron as for downloading this version (version 5.5).

I could have been mistaking in the past. Please update this in the start post / original post, Infinitron. Let me just say that:

"Wraith" can be unlocked by pressing Shift and 5 to enter % and then typing r or R (try both).

The old "MadMan" can be unlocked by pressing Shift and 7 to enter & and then typing mach or MACH (try both).

 

[DrDungeon]

Thank you so much, Infinitron! I like the new name! Especially capitalizing MADMAN. And thank you so much PW for your enduring support of my games.
Yes, PW is right. If you have MadMan DOS, just tap & and I think in caps, MACH. It will state it is registered and release all shareware references.

If ya'll play nothing else of my games, play MadMan. The few who completed it were quite freaked out how it ended. It was my blues game. Written during a time when things were looking a bit grim in the workplace, bills piling up, etc.

This is why I chose to re-write that particular game as I felt it should have gotten attention far more than the other games. Really put my heart in that one, back in 1996, and was always working to make a layout similar to my favorite "Martian Dreams". MadMan DOS still isn't as elegant and snappy as "Dreams", but much nicer than UZ3. "Wraith" was actually a kind of a windup for madman, making a new game engine.

Now the "new" madman re-write isn't the same relation like The Witcher is to The Witcher Enhanced Edition.

It a little more like the original Tomb Raider compared to Tomb Raider: Anniversary.

While maintaining the same essential theme, the engine is far evolved over the old DOS days, and the game is expanded maybe 5-10 times over the original.

It already runs on any Mac or Windows platform without a hitch, and as you can see from the videos, the interface is indeed very snappy and quite invisible to the user. You click somewhere and it will do what you think it will.

Its coming along nicely. Combat is basically done and I'm now working through the magic system.

Madman is everyman. The goal is to create a character who we can identify with. It steers away from classic elves and wars and factions, and puts players in a unique world where the land and people seem to reflect his or her state, questioning their own sanity, while all along from far away, the ultimate demon is rapidly approaching the world, now foreshadowed by the peoples fear of rocks - a mystery the madman must solve, even sacrificing his very life if thats what it takes to save an entire planet from certain doom. -Rob

 

[Infinitron]

Sounds awesome!

 

[PeeWee]

Dr. Dungeon asked me to report:
- Magic is nearly done!!!
- Everything is going very smoothly!

Dr. Dungeon sent me another screenshot, which I sent to Deuce Traveler for uploading. Dr. Dungeon says it is a picture of a spell actually being cast!

Thanks for all your help, both Infinitron and Deuce Traveler.

 

[Deuce Traveler]

Hey, hey! Just got this pic in my e-mail. It was like Christmas.

Looking good!

 

[PeeWee]

Dr. Dungeon reports he is still working hard on "MadMan" and it is going very well. Dr. Dungeon sent me four new pictures showcasing mostly the new INSIGHT spell, which gives information on the monsters currently in combat. There is also a picture of the new VAMPIRE spell being cast. I sent these four pictures to Deuce Traveler for uploading.

 

[Aeschylus]

Dr. Dungeon reports he is still working hard on "MadMan" and it is going very well. Dr. Dungeon sent me four new pictures showcasing mostly the new INSIGHT spell, which gives information on the monsters currently in combat. There is also a picture of the new VAMPIRE spell being cast. I sent these four pictures to Deuce Traveler for uploading.

You know, you could upload those pictures yourself, it takes all of 10 seconds using imgur.com (unless you gave some reason that I missed). Not that your updates aren't all much appreciated.

 

[Deuce Traveler]

The monsters cometh:

 

[Severian Silk]

That font is really hard to read.

 

[Jaesun]

Yeah the green and yellow text on grey is a bit hard to read.

 

[PeeWee]

Hi. About the font, Dr. Dungeon read about this and sent me two new screenshots that I sent to Deuce Traveler for uploading. Yes, the font is a little weak. The fonts seem to lose fidelity and color when converting to jpg format. Dr. Dungeon has tweaked the font a little plus changed the backdrop coloring. If possible, Dr. Dungeon wonders, could these two screenshots be uploaded as full bmp pics? Dr. Dungeon knows the files are larger, but full bitmaps give a better definition of how the fonts and their coloring actually appear when the game is run. Dr. Dungeon also mentions the pictures are 1280x800 resolution, as is the game when run.
To Aeschylus: I do not know anything about imgur.com, so I prefer continuing like this. No, I have not given any reason. I am glad all the screenshots Dr. Dungeon wants to go on this forum are appreciated. Thanks again, Deuce Traveler.

 

[DrDungeon]

Thanks again PW. Yeah, I fixed up the font a little and darkened the backdrop - it looks a lot better. But in-game it looks very clear. I didn't expect it to degrade so much when converting to jpg. I have a similar problem with my videos.

Here is a brand-new, short video showcasing a few spells.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfYK9SfLSwg&feature=youtu.be

But here, too, it looks a little fuzzy. It is recorded as an avi, but not sure what youtube does to it.

I use fraps for this, and I think a really big problem is that I use this giant 2560x1600 Apple Cinema display on my windows PC, where I'm doing most of the work. Fraps is already known for making big files, but even though the game is 1280x800 I'm pretty sure its taking full 2560x1600 frames, which is really huge. That little video was 2.2 gigs!

If anyone knows of some better screen capture software that could catch it in a window or something, it would be greatly appreciated! My goal is to make a full-fledged video where I can actually talk and explain the game play in detail. -Rob

 

[PeeWee]

I have just watched that video and have just listened to it. 720p, full screen and sound on. I suggest you all do the same. I like that video and it is very impressive.

 

[Jaesun]

Looks good. Stats/Skill and spell system. <3

 

[Indranys]

It really is the year of incline.
Great work Doc.
God the tears just won't stop.

 

[Jashiin]

Fantastic read. MadMan is looking great. Would like to add that a good font and readable colour scheme is essential.

 

[Deuce Traveler]

Folks, looks like your inputs were taken to heart rather quickly. I received this from PeeWee :

"The fonts seem to lose fidelity and color when converting to jpg format. Dr. Dungeon has tweaked the font a little plus changed the backdrop coloring. If possible, could these be uploaded as full bmp pics? Dr. Dungeon knows the files are larger, but full bitmaps give a better definition of how the fonts and their coloring actually appear when the game is run.
The pictures are 1280x800 resolution, as is the game when run."

The pics look great, too.

 

[Bruma Hobo]

I love the new stats and skills options, compared to the original madman is like RPG heavan.
On the other hand, the dialogue system only needs a very simple fix:

I mean, why am I able to to comment on his future dialogue lines, just like in the original version?

Edit: WTH, the pic is gone

 

[Severian Silk]

I have an easier time reading the second image despite it being 1/3 the size. LOL.

 

[DrDungeon]

Hey ho! The actual image is much clearer when seen in-game, plus the letters are larger. I may, however, darken the background even more just to make it super-clear.

Yes - the dialogue lines for a few NPC's were pulled over from the original, and this is one of those areas among many where the improvements are pretty dramatic.
Since the characters play a large role in the game, they will indeed have a greatly improved dialogue system. When done, it should work a bit like in Baldur's Gate, Fallout, etc., where the dialogue choices make more sense with what the character has said. Also, they will have a lot more to say.

This isn't so much difficult as it is time-consuming. Didn't they say Planescape: Torment had something like a million lines of dialogue? Well, Madman won't be quite that extravagant, but the idea is to shoot for something similar, hopefully making the game a deeper, richer experience than anything I made before.

Its an awful lot of work. The code alone is already nearly twenty times larger than all the games I ever wrote combined!!! If it weren't for you guys, Dr. Dungeon would be nothing but a long-lost memory.

 

[Infinitron]

Dr. Dungeon or Cleve Blakemore - who will release first???

It's the new Ultima vs Wizardry.

 

[Rpgsaurus Rex]

Vampired!

 

[Charles-cgr]

I just stumbled here from the grimwah thread, read all 10 pages & am writing to keep updated on updates. Unfortunately I must postpone trying the games due to other endeavors. Best of luck to the good doctor!

 

[Mother Russia]

Thanks again PW. Yeah, I fixed up the font a little and darkened the backdrop - it looks a lot better. But in-game it looks very clear. I didn't expect it to degrade so much when converting to jpg. I have a similar problem with my videos.

Here is a brand-new, short video showcasing a few spells.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfYK9SfLSwg&feature=youtu.be

But here, too, it looks a little fuzzy. It is recorded as an avi, but not sure what youtube does to it.

I use fraps for this, and I think a really big problem is that I use this giant 2560x1600 Apple Cinema display on my windows PC, where I'm doing most of the work. Fraps is already known for making big files, but even though the game is 1280x800 I'm pretty sure its taking full 2560x1600 frames, which is really huge. That little video was 2.2 gigs!

If anyone knows of some better screen capture software that could catch it in a window or something, it would be greatly appreciated! My goal is to make a full-fledged video where I can actually talk and explain the game play in detail. -Rob

What program are you making this game in? C++? Who is doing the art+animation+spell effects and in what program?