Indie Lurking - Inspired by Ultima 3 (released)

[oklabsoft]

Will do. They rejected L2 but that was some time ago now so I will definitely submit.

 

[ShaggyMoose]

I am intending to release v4.0 August 1st-ish on itch.io. Some presentation updates but most importantly vastly improved combat and LINUX and MACOS builds will be available. 100% new code so I am sure a few bugs will present but if all goes well, might be finally presentable for steam.

Thanks, I might give this a go now, since I started with Lurking II. I can help you playtest it if you can assure me I won't end up with a broken game halfway through.

 

[Jinn]

I am intending to release v4.0 August 1st-ish on itch.io. Some presentation updates but most importantly vastly improved combat and LINUX and MACOS builds will be available. 100% new code so I am sure a few bugs will present but if all goes well, might be finally presentable for steam.

Will be buying immediately as soon as it's available on steam. Are you releasing Lurking II at the same time?

 

[oklabsoft]

I am intending to release v4.0 August 1st-ish on itch.io. Some presentation updates but most importantly vastly improved combat and LINUX and MACOS builds will be available. 100% new code so I am sure a few bugs will present but if all goes well, might be finally presentable for steam.

Thanks, I might give this a go now, since I started with Lurking II. I can help you playtest it if you can assure me I won't end up with a broken game halfway through.

I am 99% sure that there is nothing game breaking at this point that would not be just a patch and continue type of issue. Appreciate any testing and feedback... even if it's just a quick look. I will IM you a download link in case you wanted to check it out before the itch release. TY!

 

[oklabsoft]

I am intending to release v4.0 August 1st-ish on itch.io. Some presentation updates but most importantly vastly improved combat and LINUX and MACOS builds will be available. 100% new code so I am sure a few bugs will present but if all goes well, might be finally presentable for steam.

Will be buying immediately as soon as it's available on steam. Are you releasing Lurking II at the same time?

Thanks! I don't believe I would release L2 on Steam unless I did the same and re-coded the game from VB6->C. I plan to start working on this task at some point but after the past few months I am really feeling the need to get more work done on the new projects. I have been working more on L3: Vermys in the past week or two and I am pretty pleased with the progress although it is still very early.

 

[CryptRat]

Lurking I: Immortui v4.0

It is my pleasure to announce that over the past four months I have completely and utterly re-coded Lurking I from it's original VB6 to C. Using the other-worldly powers of the RayLib library and the help of some amazing people, I am now able to offer an improved game with improved battle in LINUX and MAC versions in addition to Windows. The only caveat is that game data from previous versions are not compatible with the new 4.0 version. I hope you will check it out. Journey Onward!

 

[Jinn]

Wow, huge improvement on the UI too. Really like how you chose to go the full pixel on the text route. Looks like a much more natural and complete package. Can't wait to play it!

 

[ShaggyMoose]

Nice one; haven't had a chance to try it yet, but will get into it after Starcrawlers.

 

[ShaggyMoose]

Finished the game. More of the goodness that was L2, but since this is the first game obviously not as large/polished/user friendly. If you haven't played either game yet, I would recommend starting with this one then progressing on to L2 as the world and lore is common between each title.

 

[newtmonkey]

oklabsoft

Weird request, but could you re-add the ability to switch between MIDI and OGG music? One thing I enjoyed about the previous version of Lurking was that I could use external synth hardware connected to my PC to play the soundtrack when set to MIDI.

 

[oklabsoft]

oklabsoft

Weird request, but could you re-add the ability to switch between MIDI and OGG music? One thing I enjoyed about the previous version of Lurking was that I could use external synth hardware connected to my PC to play the soundtrack when set to MIDI.

Oh cool. Yes, let me see what I can do!

 

[oklabsoft]

oklabsoft

Weird request, but could you re-add the ability to switch between MIDI and OGG music? One thing I enjoyed about the previous version of Lurking was that I could use external synth hardware connected to my PC to play the soundtrack when set to MIDI.

I have not forgotten you. Turned out something that I thought would be easy was not trivial at all. I had almost given up and then an idea popped into my mind. It will involve a vb6 'helper' program running simultaneously that receives the song to play from a data file maintained by the new version of Lurking and handled midi playback. Don't.know if it will work but should be easy to try as soon as I get a chance. Cheers!

 

[oklabsoft]

This is a creative workaround for you... Doesn't look like midi option for the published version is in the cards any time soon. I will keep u posted.

 

[oklabsoft]

oklabsoft

Weird request, but could you re-add the ability to switch between MIDI and OGG music? One thing I enjoyed about the previous version of Lurking was that I could use external synth hardware connected to my PC to play the soundtrack when set to MIDI.

Think I've got it. I will IM u a download link.

 

[oklabsoft]

Hey! If you enjoyed RPG CODEX top 10 game Nox Archaist, you might be interested in checking out Lurking I or II. Sorry, no feelies or Apple II version but it is a 'donate or not' download...
https://oklabsoft.itch.io/lurking
https://oklabsoft.itch.io/lurking-ii-a-madness

Cheers!

 

[oklabsoft]

GOG... "Your game is too niche"

 

[Tacgnol]

GOG... "You're game is too niche"

Cleve had the same issue with Grimoire.

Fuck em.

Bunch of China pandering cunts anyhow.

 

[JarlFrank]

GOG... "Your game is too niche"

And another one joins the gang!

You're not the first one it happened to, bro. Don't worry.

It also happened to Grimoire: Heralds of the Winged Exemplar, Vigilantes, Das Geisterschiff, Titan Outpost, Legends of Amberland... and probably plenty of more I forgot. You're in illustrous company

 

[oklabsoft]

The things is, I had accepted that response from GOG and did not necessarily disagree with it until I saw that they had accepted Nox Archaist (nothing against Nox Arachaist which looks awesome). I just don't understand. Nox Archaist, Unknown Realm... I must just be marketing impaired.

 

[V_K]

I just don't understand. Nox Archaist, Unknown Realm... I must just be marketing impaired.

I guess the reason is that retro-PC maniacs are a cult, and an underserved one at that. It's only games actually written for older systems that get this kind of publicity and success. Pixel art alone is not hipster enough these days.
At this rate, it seems like if someone managest to make an RPG for a typewriter, that would outsell Skyrim.

(which of course makes GOG's decision even more stupid because most people willing to buy it will buy the version for an actual retro PC - that GOG doesn't sell)

 

[oklabsoft]

Whining session terminated. Go play NoTO: https://cryptrat.itch.io/note-of-the-outskirts

 

[JarlFrank]

I just don't understand. Nox Archaist, Unknown Realm... I must just be marketing impaired.

I guess the reason is that retro-PC maniacs are a cult, and an underserved one at that. It's only games actually written for older systems that get this kind of publicity and success. Pixel art alone is not hipster enough these days.
At this rate, it seems like if someone managest to make an RPG for a typewriter, that would outsell Skyrim.

(which of course makes GOG's decision even more stupid because most people willing to buy it will buy the version for an actual retro PC - that GOG doesn't sell)

GoG's curation is 100% retarded, they keep rejecting games that would fit the original target audience of the store 100%.

 

[Strange Fellow]

Just finished this. Very cool game, absolutely nailed the Ultima spirit. It's silly how there's so much crap out there yet a game like this is given out gratis. At least Oklabsoft allows me to pay if I want to, unlike this other gremlin I know (CryptRat I'm looking at you).

Anyway, great game. Often with this sort of project, there's stuff that makes you say oh, sure it's a bit unpolished or small or frustrating or whatever, it's only a free indie game after all. Not so with this one. I don't think I encountered a single bug throughout the entire game, the main questline is smooth and engaging from start to finish, and no location feels half-baked or unfinished. OK, maybe some of the underground areas are a bit too large and mazey for what they have going on, but everything else is quality.

I think I got more or less everything there is to do and find in the game. I may have missed a couple of pools, but that's only because I didn't need them. I found where to use the Gilded Rope, I found the Angel's Aura, and I think I also found the lord of Sosaria. And hordes of other treasure, of course. The game is packed full of secret stashes, to the point that four out of five of my characters had full inventories by the time I finished, and were pretty much untouchable by enemies save for the main villains. Again, nailed the Ultima spirit.

There are a few things I'm not sure about, though:

Spoiler

Is the Old Man the lord of Sosaria (aka Lord British?) If so, I found him, if not I didn't.

The one weak point of the main quest is that the names of the wights are too easy to find, since you can just walk up to them and read it off their dialogue screen without them attacking you. This more or less invalidates the related quests, such as the Mewlips, which I never completed. This was the only part of the game that felt weak to me, but since you still have to acquire and prepare each of the items you need to kill them, it ended up not being a big deal.

I also had trouble finding the sixth drake scroll. I'm not sure how you're supposed to know that the king of Borealis has it. I only found it by running around and shouting SCROLL at everyone in the entire world :D. As for solving it the legitimate way, I got as far as discovering that it was lost in the Deep passage between the continents, but after that the trail went cold.

Speaking of going around shouting random nonsense at people, you can cause a lot of shenanigans by saying YES to everyone you meet, since a lot of them ask yes or no questions at some point. It's a pretty major exploit, but it's the sort of thing that can make sequence-breaking in a second playthrough possible, so it ends up being a neat thing IMO, even though it's easily abused.

Is the Spellsinger considered a melee weapon or a ranged weapon? I tried a few tests, but found nothing conclusive. Eventually I ended up giving it to my dedicated ranged dude and upping both his combat and ranged stats to 10, just to be on the safe side, which worked OK, but I assume I wasted some skill points this way.

What does the song Memory Real do? It didn't appear to do anything.

I'm looking forward to getting into the sequel, and I hope either or both of the current projects are completed at some point. Conceptually they're both much more interesting to me than Lurking, so if they ever come out it'll be a day 1 purchase, no question.

What ever happened to releasing this on Steam, anyway?

 

[KeighnMcDeath]

I thought Unknown Realm: The Siege Perilous perma zombie ware. Sure, i got a xmas gift from them a few years ago but the game seems so limbo it'll never seethd light of day.

 

[oklabsoft]

Just finished this. Very cool game, absolutely nailed the Ultima spirit. It's silly how there's so much crap out there yet a game like this is given out gratis. At least Oklabsoft allows me to pay if I want to, unlike this other gremlin I know (CryptRat I'm looking at you).

Anyway, great game. Often with this sort of project, there's stuff that makes you say oh, sure it's a bit unpolished or small or frustrating or whatever, it's only a free indie game after all. Not so with this one. I don't think I encountered a single bug throughout the entire game, the main questline is smooth and engaging from start to finish, and no location feels half-baked or unfinished. OK, maybe some of the underground areas are a bit too large and mazey for what they have going on, but everything else is quality.

I think I got more or less everything there is to do and find in the game. I may have missed a couple of pools, but that's only because I didn't need them. I found where to use the Gilded Rope, I found the Angel's Aura, and I think I also found the lord of Sosaria. And hordes of other treasure, of course. The game is packed full of secret stashes, to the point that four out of five of my characters had full inventories by the time I finished, and were pretty much untouchable by enemies save for the main villains. Again, nailed the Ultima spirit.

There are a few things I'm not sure about, though:

Spoiler

Is the Old Man the lord of Sosaria (aka Lord British?) If so, I found him, if not I didn't.

The one weak point of the main quest is that the names of the wights are too easy to find, since you can just walk up to them and read it off their dialogue screen without them attacking you. This more or less invalidates the related quests, such as the Mewlips, which I never completed. This was the only part of the game that felt weak to me, but since you still have to acquire and prepare each of the items you need to kill them, it ended up not being a big deal.

I also had trouble finding the sixth drake scroll. I'm not sure how you're supposed to know that the king of Borealis has it. I only found it by running around and shouting SCROLL at everyone in the entire world :D. As for solving it the legitimate way, I got as far as discovering that it was lost in the Deep passage between the continents, but after that the trail went cold.

Speaking of going around shouting random nonsense at people, you can cause a lot of shenanigans by saying YES to everyone you meet, since a lot of them ask yes or no questions at some point. It's a pretty major exploit, but it's the sort of thing that can make sequence-breaking in a second playthrough possible, so it ends up being a neat thing IMO, even though it's easily abused.

Is the Spellsinger considered a melee weapon or a ranged weapon? I tried a few tests, but found nothing conclusive. Eventually I ended up giving it to my dedicated ranged dude and upping both his combat and ranged stats to 10, just to be on the safe side, which worked OK, but I assume I wasted some skill points this way.

What does the song Memory Real do? It didn't appear to do anything.

I'm looking forward to getting into the sequel, and I hope either or both of the current projects are completed at some point. Conceptually they're both much more interesting to me than Lurking, so if they ever come out it'll be a day 1 purchase, no question.

What ever happened to releasing this on Steam, anyway?

Thank you! Always love to hear about someone enjoying the game!

Spoiler

The Old Man the lord of Sosaria (aka Lord British?) is in fact he. If you leave the cottage but not the map and walk south to the water a moon gate will appear at night and you can wander a replica of Sosaria. Nothing to do there.... it's just there.

Darn on the wights names thing. I did the same thing the first time around and then fixed it a long time ago but obviously I made the same exact mistake on the redo. I will definitely be fixing that in the future.

As far as the scroll, I need to dig around to find that. It's been a long time but iirc you are directed to ask one of the Borealis gaurds about it and he tells you that the gov'ner's got it... could be wrong though.

I never thought about the exploitation of keywords as you described. I will take care of that loophole in Void and Vermys for sure... just need a slightly different approach.

Spellsinger is a ranged weapon that shoots magic bolts from afar... at least it is supposed to.

Memory Real should resurrect dead characters (or turn them to ash).