Development Info GearHeads updated

[Fez]

Tags: Gearhead 2; Joseph Hewitt

The excellent and free roguelike RPGs <a href=http://gearhead.roguelikedevelopment.org/>GearHead 1 and GearHead 2</a> have both received updates, bringing them up to v1.100 and v0.430, respectively.
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The changes for <b>GearHead 1</b> include a few bugfixes:
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<blockquote>- One new thinwall added
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- Many major NPCs now have correct portraits
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- All bmp's are now png's, removed 8-bit png's
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- Retrofitted NPC weapon selector from GH2 (aibrain.pp)
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- Added "ADVANCEDCOLORS" config switch to activate theoretical color swap (sdlgfx.pp)
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- Applied xterm boxdrawing patch (xterm-boxdrawing/crt.pp.diff)</blockquote>
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GearHead is available at the home page linked above, complete with decent graphic tiles to pretty things up for those who can't bring themselves to get excited at the approach of a green lowercase 'b' in combat.
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The latest <b>GearHead 2</b> release promises more changes now and for the future with Joseph stating that "This is another one of those outwardly quiet but structurally deep releases... Rest assured, though, that beneath the hood a whole lot of important things are happening."
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Changes for this version include:
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<blockquote>- Two new locations, Xianzai Spinner and Gaos Spinner
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- Added map editor (maped.pas)
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- Pregenerated maps should now work (randmaps.pp)
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- Plot initialized with difficulcy rating (mpbuilder.pp)
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- Plot rumors may be filtered based on plot state (interact.pp)
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- Rumor string formatting changed (playwright.pp)
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- Story and global plots may request subplots (mpbuilder.pp)
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- Containers may include random loot (gearparser.pp)
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- RanCon may include door prototypes (randmaps.pp)
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- Requesting "." as element selects current scene (playwright.pp)
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- Fixed bug with talking to surrendered NPCs (pcaction.pp)
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- Mecha don't have legality levels (services.pp)
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- When selecting job, will be shown skills and category (chargen.pp)
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- Fixed bugs in quest dungeon assembler (navigate.pp)
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- Added Arena, Park building meshes (glmap.pp)
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- Added video game, vending machine meshes (glmap.pp)</blockquote>
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New areas, a map editor and ways to customise the plot all sound good to me.
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GearHead 2 adds many new features on top of the old and is the focus of most development and new features for the future. Randomised elements to increase replay, interesting tactical combat, open free-form play and <b>giant stompy robots</b> crushing the small and weak. You know you want it. Go <a href=http://sourceforge.net/projects/gearhead2>download</a> it.
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Thanks <b>copx</b>!
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[Ladonna]

Now we are talking. I loved playing Gearhead, and it might be time to take my death machine through another time. I still remember playing Battletech; The crescent hawks inception back when I was a kid. Its a pity the game went to hell after the initial parts. Then the rest of the series were lame strategy lite games.

Is G2 up to playthrough standards yet? Or still well in beta?

 

[Fez]

G2 is worth playing even at these stages. It doesn't feel as complete as G1 and it's still lacking in content in some areas, especially the newer ones, but there are a lot of new features and it is good to see where the game is headed. If you don't want to play the RPG mode the arena mode combat mode is still fun and lets you get straight into the process of getting to grips with the newer engine, combat and controls.

If you or anyone else are brave enough you can even try getting to grips with the map editor, or start planning for when it is fleshed out some more.

 

[Higher Game]

Ahh, nothing like a fine new Gearhead release to give me a stiff.

 

[Fez]

Well said. I'm sure that's just what Ladonna really meant but couldn't quite articulate at the time.

 

[Ladonna]

Yes...Thats surely what I meant Fez. In place of 'Stiff' I decided to waffle on about a dead game. The meaning, of course, amounts to the same thing. :wink:

Gearhead: Giving Stiff's in the most unlikely places.

 

[Fez]

I know people often make that mistake, instead of whispering sweet nothings or expressing how turned on they are they extol the virtues of a dead game's combat system. I'm sure that many relationships have been sundered by the sudden and very inappropriate outburst of appreciation for Ulitma or another old classic game during the heat of passion.

That is the power of GearHead.

 

[Severian Silk]

Was wondering what your opinions were on these feature requests.

A lot of them are in an attempt to make the game more tactical. Note also that the art for the graphics requests is already done and waiting.

 

[Ladonna]

Was wondering what your opinions were on these feature requests.

A lot of them are in an attempt to make the game more tactical. Note also that the art for the graphics requests is already done and waiting.

After reading through them I see nothing wrong with any of them. Most of them don't really create an urge to Stiffness, but still, they seem to mostly address some issue or other.

 

[Severian Silk]

It's just that I thought GH1 was abandoned for GH2 before it received sufficient polish. As it stands, it feels like a loose amalgamation of tacked-on parts and I'm worried GH2 will end up the same way.