Indie DrDungeon's Ultizurk and MADMAN Thread

[PeeWee]

Hi, Infinitron. Now I see the screenshot from "ULTIZURK III", but I do not see the 1 or 2 from "The Great Ultizurkian Underland". Is it possible to see everything in the first post on the first page of this thread?

 

[PeeWee]

I hope I will get answers, please, to my previous two posts.

Anyway, I, PW, heard from Dr. Dungeon again, about "MadMan".

Dr. Dungeon is currently working on the interface by which a little pop-up box will appear when the game is run, giving the options to either:

- Enter a keycode
- Purchase a keycode
- Play Demo

This little window pop-up is common to such games.

Also, while still exploring distribution options, as well as advertising, he is also working on the possibility of making it available right from the website itself.

 

[PeeWee]

I visited
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=357940984
again and noticed the 3 latest posts, 1 of them from Deuce Traveler and 1 of them from Dr. Dungeon.

I visited
http://www.machgryphon.com/index.html
again and noticed Dr. Dungeon said:
"MADMAN should be released by the end of the month!"

 

[PeeWee]

I noticed that some of the comments have disappeared on "Steam".

I have played the new "MadMan" on a computer with "Windows XP" and although I have not finished it, I can already tell the game does not work properly with "Windows XP". There is something wrong with the screen. On the left a part falls off and on the right there is a black bar. I suppose the game was not designed to work with "Windows XP".

Dr. Dungeon has changed the text on his Internetsite, now saying:
"Madman is rapidly approaching release!"
He told me:
"I was a little hasty on the Madman release date! I changed the wording on the site."

 

[Mustawd]

Why are"you", spamming the use "of" quotes?

 

[PeeWee]

To Mustawd, I am careful while using quote-marks. To everybody, I have finished the new "MadMan" Release Candidate 1 both on a computer with "Windows XP" and a computer with "Windowns 7". I noticed the game also runs slowlier on my computer with "Windows XP", but maybe that is the computer, not "Windows". Dr. Dungeon told me he may have to change the new "MadMan" to get it released. Dr. Dungeon is busy right now.

 

[m_s0]

Dr. Dungeon told me he may have to change the new "MadMan" to get it released. Dr. Dungeon is busy right now.

What do you mean by 'change'?

 

[PeeWee]

To m_s0, Dr. Dungeon told me to host something, or have some company do the credit card processing, is a service that costs money, so he is trying to avoid having a slew of different Madmans, demos, etc., for different services, plus paying all those services. Plus parts of Madman would need to be re-done to accommodate whatever method a particular services uses to generate keycodes for the people that purchase Madman, and link the keys to whatever database the company uses to keep track of the valid purchases, and how Madman verifies this.

 

[DrDungeon]

Guildmaster! Madman runs fine on my XP computer here, with an older Pentium processor, but a fairly decent video card (7950 GT), as well as my notebook with a more modern processor, but a crappy "integrated" video card. In both cases it runs a bit slower than a more updated PC, but the speed auto-adjust actually works quite well, so its not too bad, plus remember you can change the speed in the settings.

Its shooting more for the mid-range notebooks with wide-screens as this is the likely most common machine people will play on, and has been tested on everything including windows XP, Vista, Win 7 and Win 8. Worked fine on all.

It is likely your screen is the culprit.

For this reason, I asked you for details - full details about your XP computer. Its processor type, memory, video card, screen (LCD or CRT), resolutions available, etc.

You did not give any of these details, plus had indicated - for some reason - that you weren't even planning to test on the XP.

This sort of info is needed. Madman, if I say so myself, is quite clever at detecting screens - even the new super hi-def ones. This info is needed to see if any changes are needed.

If Madman sees a strange screen with odd resolutions, it should default to windowed mode. I believe Luzur had tested it in this mode.

Also toying with the idea of allowing the player to purposely choose windowed mode at the start if they like.

As far as the distribution - this is the real hold-up right now with Madman. I'm leaning more toward the idea of making it available on my site, but that might likely result in lower traffic unless I become a super-marketer, which as a programmer/designer, I'm woefully not.

If I get it on a distribution service, there would be more exposure, but likely each has its own scheme for payments, etc. This is what I meant by "changing" Madman - meaning the whole keycode/purchase checking stuff, which is proving to be a maze of confusion. It would likely have to be re-programmed in the registration code to accommodate whatever the service needs.

I think the best bet is to go with my site for now.

But remember, Guildmaster! It is your duty as the Master of The Wizard's Guild here at The Castle of The Mach Gryphon to report things like the full specifics of what computer it is tested on. That's what being the Guildmaster is all about!

 

[DrDungeon]

Guildmaster! Download this PC Wizard on your XP computer. It will tell me all I need to know about your XP:

http://download.cnet.com/PC-Wizard-2013/3000-2094_4-10793737.html

Set it up, then run it.

Select File, Save As, then OK

Give it a name, like peeweepc or something.

It will save as a .txt file to the desktop.

Send it to me ASAP! Thanks. Dr. D.

P.S. I added a little test feature to Madman, but you don't have the final version. It can tell me where and what it detected as your screen in the code. How can I get it to you?

 

[DrDungeon]

With Madman on the brink of release, alas, I must report I've lost my mind. Too much work for one guy. Programming is my second whacky "thing to do". Martial Arts is my first whacky "thing to do". So when one writes something like the following,
I think it pretty much demonstrates that he has indeed, lost his mind. Maybe I'll write one about programming next.

TOO MANY STYLES!

In the land of McGilly ByGolly GaZoose
They study an art that's based on the moose,
where all of the students are let on the loose,
while flying on Jilligin's Zonkin-Out juice.

And on Flinnigan's Isle they practice Gung-Zant,
while chewing on roots of the hanky-pank plant,
and spitting it out on the head of an ant,
and making a sound that sounds like a rant!

Yet in Ziba-ga-futsi they have them all topped,
once started in motion, they cannot be stopped,
unless all their feet and their hands are all cropped.
And up from the floor the blood is all mopped...

But the people of Bala-ze-zala-ka-bunk,
don't know any style 'cause they're mostly all drunk;
and likely to fall on the floor with a clunk,
and think themselves worthy of being a monk!!

The folks down in Zeebin don't worry at all;
They study Par-Fitzi and Koota Ka Tall,
arts filled with slander and malice and gall,
you're better off learnin' kung fu at the mall.

Or heavans forbid you should learn Fala-Bind,
they say that this art will drive out your mind,
making most of your thoughts a bother to find.
So don't study any arts of that kind!

Another to run from is Bala-Gar-Zart,
which trains you so hard that you usually fart,
or land with your footsies atop of your heart,
Of this art I'm art-smart and won't have a part!

So...........
If you want to learn Martial Arts...

Take a tip from the Master, Master Bruce Lee
That we're shaped like a man, and not like a tree.

 

[DrDungeon]

I screwed up while editing the Steam Greenlight page and deleted the whole thing! Arrgghh! Had to re-upload everything. Oh, well. At least its near the top of the search list for awhile.
New Steam Greenlight link:
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=457828980

Also zeroing in right now on getting it available right from the site. Will keep informed!

 

[DrDungeon]

Come visit the newly re-vamped website! Join the all-new forums!

http://www.machgryphon.com/

 

[DrDungeon]

We're working on a new museum section! It will feature all the old DOS games - for free!
Also zeroing in on the official DEMO! This could be very soon indeed.
And its...huff...huff...pant...DRM FREE!!!!!!

Imagine! A game with no bugs upon release, no DRM, and does not crash!
I, Dr. Dungeon, do thus sayeth this!

Man, if they don't like that, I'm moving to Hollywood and gonna be a movie producer instead!

 

[udm]

Is there some way we can push for this to be on GOG, other than the wishlist? It worked for The Cat Lady when a bunch of us started discussing its rejection on the GOG forums (though who knows, it could be a coincidence). I do agree with some of the criticisms when it comes to artwork, but I don't see why this should be denied access on that basis alone, particularly if game mechanics are good. Besides it's not like the good doctor is a fresh out of design school hack, with a development record spanning over a decade.

Of course we still have to deal with the idiots who shit on every new indie game with pixel art, but that's a story for another day

 

[Deuce Traveler]

If it gets enough love at Desura or IndieGala, then I am hoping GOG or Steam Greenlight picks it up. I heard that Desura's parent company is having financial problems right now, however, and so that's a bit worrisome.

 

[Jaesun]

Desura is currently bankrupt. Though getting this back on greenlight should help I hope.

 

[DrDungeon]

Thanks for the comments, guys. I think I know what happened on GOG. They looked at it too briefly. Its not like they played a demo. They probably think I'm some 15 year old kid who whooped this up in a month using
some game maker tool. I just didn't have the heart to tell them that at 57 years old, I've likely been programming since they were in diapers! Way back in the Radio Shack TRS-80 days.

The keyword they use is that it looks "addictive", and a mention of the low, or poor production values. "Addictive" means they didn't really look into it, because I don't usually think of role-playing or adventure games as addictive.
Pacman is addictive. Tetris can be addictive. Its usually used for arcade games.

Also, the pixel art is a good point. How many articles have we read about SpiderWeb games that say the graphics are really old but the gameplay is grrrrr.....eat!!!!

So the gameplay made the game. Not the graphics. Remember how popular Nethack was? What if Nethack was never made, and someone made it today and offered it to GOG?

I also resisted the temptation to tell the GOG guys that madman was largely influenced by everyone on this site! The kind of good chaps that would play this sort of thing.
As you all know, I got a whole lot of feedback here, and much of how madman now is, is the direct result of that feedback.

But the thing that irks me more than anything else is this:
Madman is not "just another" role-playing game. The whole point of madman was to make something that maintained classical role-playing conventions, while bringing something wildly different
to the board. Even the title, "MADMAN!", says its not about orc armies and wizards. Been there, done that, copied too many times. I think GOG thought madman was like that.

My goal with Madman was to make something that is to typical fantasy role-playing Indie games what something like Planescape: Torment was to Baldur's Gate.

Both of those are legendary games, but quite different in style, presentation, and especially the story.

So I think GOG just thought I'm the 15 year old "wannabee", a copycat making "just another" Zelda-clone. I'll bet they barely spent 5 minutes looking into it.

And I doubt any one of them could make something like Madman working entirely by them self!

See, what happened to GOG is that they forgot the real reason we like "retro" games.

Its nostalgia, isn't it? -Dr. D.

 

[Infinitron]

DrDungeon Have you tried releasing your old games there first? Sure, they're not "Good Old Games" anymore, but still, they should have a lower threshold of required graphical polish for genuine old games.

 

[udm]

Tron brings up a good point. You could show them your entire portfolio of games, the purpose of which is to just show them that they're as good and old as GOG games get. On this note it could incidentally be easier to get them on GOG than steam since you automatically bypass a lengthier voting process.

 

[DrDungeon]

I'm thinking about the portfolio - that's probably a good idea. Thanks guys!
Right now I'm figuring the minimum system specs. The DEMO may be available pretty soon!
In the meantime, one final post for bragging!

The trailer only touches the surface! Madman offers just about everything we like in old-
school role-playing games. And how many games have you found that are free of bugs upon
release? It has never crashed in tests!

You can:
- Hear incredible tracks of professional music.
- Pick herbs! Make potions! Use the land in many ways from trimming sheep to popping
popcorn. From mining ore from dungeons dark and deep to crafting weapons, to chopping up
stones for slingstones. Go fishing, bake bread from scratch. Grind corn for flour.

That's Madman.

Intriguing story that isn't just another kill the evil wizard story, or take on the next
goblin army.

Combat is in-depth and variable. If you're clever, you can even sometimes take out a higher
level group by choosing wisely what ye do when that sword is drawn.

-Realistic NPC's with personality. Many off-the-wall.
-Hundreds of exotic items abound. From weapons to artifacts, some perhaps not even of this
world.

-Curious quests. Not your run-of-the-mill fed-ex style. Well...maybe one or two.

That's Madman.



-ACTUAL races! Not elves and dwarves. You go in as yourself. White, Black, Hispanic,
Chinese, Indian. Man or woman. Graphics update accordingly.

-A land of staggering variety, from icy mountains to deep forests. From deadly dungeons to
vast desert plateaus. Even ancient cities left by an unknown race.

-Treasure caches abound, from chests left by pirates to old tree stumps with unexpected
goodies.

-You can even find exploding cigars that level an entire group of enemies.

-It has a comprehensive first-person narrative for a journal. You really so see the world
through the eyes of the madman, or madwoman. (Similar to Planescape: Torment)

-Of course, a built-in manual! But the interface is so designed that you'll have it
mastered in minutes without needing to read tons of instructions.



- Detailed minimap shows actual map! Not just lines. And the perspective's the same!

- And the large fonts are easy on the eyes, almost as easy as the blond-haired beach babe
you meet when you start.

- Be sure to talk to her at the "Outside Inn", where they party all day and night.

- You can even dance with the girls on the grapes to make elderberry wine.

- Everything about Madman is bizarre and different. Its kinda the idea.

- That's why I named it Madman, and I think you're gonna like this, if you're looking for
something different.

- You can even stomp on snakes for eating those poor butterflies. This has the same pleasure value as popping those plastic bubbles in packages! It is, perhaps, the single
neatest feature of Madman.

And that blue-eyed blond isn't walking the beach for show and tell.

 

[DrDungeon]

Ok - this is just tentative. The Guildmaster (peewee) is testing on a new computer. These specs could change.
As a rule, it should certainly work on any pc 7 years old or younger. LCD widescreen recommended because its designed to look best on a wide screen. It will, however, work on square 4:3 screens.

Its smart enough to adjust for 16:9 vs. 16:10, however this can look different if auto-scale is set via screen vs. video appellate. Worst case, madman might have small lines top and bottom, but usually it knows
how to fill the screen nicely.

Ok, here we are so far:

Intel Core 2 Duo 2.13 or Athlon X2 5600
2 gigs RAM
700 megs hard drive space
Dedicated video card is best, but it works on Integrated graphics - especially later versions. But a real card makes a big difference.
I'm not sure which card would be the minimum.

Windows XP, Vista 32 or 64, Win 7, Win 8, 8.1 and probably Windows 10 when it comes out.

It runs fine on my $400 notebook, so that's a good sign! (It runs GREAT on my 9MG quad-core ASUS and GTX 970 card!)

Basically, if you can run the first "Witcher" game, madman should run fine.

If you can run Baldur's Gate fine, madman should work but maybe be a hair slower.

Right now I'm working on the system to preserve save games for those who try the demo and wish to purchase the full version, so that the save games are preserved. Since madman is DRM-free, there are thus
two versions - no keycode to unlock anything (DRM). This isn't hard to do, but requires a lot of careful typing, as the DEMO makes a backup from each save for the full game to seek when installed.

For the user its just the click of a button on the site!

Another thing I'm wondering! The demo will be ready before the full version - and this could be only days away. I was planning to release both at once, but it wouldn't be hard to release the DEMO first, then the main, full version a little later - maybe a week or two?

So its up to you guys. If there's like, say, 20 votes for an early demo, then I guess I'll go for it. Thanks again! - Dr. D.

 

[m_s0]

I'm all for an early demo.

 

[Se7enth Sun]

VOTE! Lurker. Forgive my intrusion.

 

[PeeWee]

Dear gentlemen and ladies,

Trouble at The Castle! About 22 days ago, I received an e-mail from Dr. Dungeon, saying, among other things:

"Standby!! We're having BIG MAJOR problems with Madman on Windows 8!!!"
and
"It seems the files are being saved all over the computer, in strange directories - not just the installed directories!!!"
and
"This is serious!"
and
"Will keep informed! This could KILL Madman if I can't solve it!"
and
"Castle is now in EMERGENCY mode!!!!!"

Dr. Dungeon seems to have found out more about this and as far as I understand, he now has to type hundreds of lines extremely carefully for two reasons:
- the saving and restoring should be working properly in "Windows 8", too, without files being saved in directories where they are not supposed to be saved
- the demo must come first, then the full game and then the Museum

Note that there will be a "Windows"-version first, and then a "Mac"-version.

There is not any news about "Desura" or "ULTIZURK IV: Lord of the Cyclops".

More trouble: I have not heard from Dr. Dungeon for about 6 days. I, PW, wonder what is going on.

Kind regards,

PW, The Master of The Guild of Wizards here at The Castle of The Mach Gryphon, fan of Dr. Dungeon and reader of "THE DAILY DUNGEON"