Codex Interview Talking to Bill about Bloodlust - A Vampire RPG

[Gragt]

Careful with the Tessera patch as it is the work of a mad "modder" (as far as I learned, he can't mod and only gathered the works of other people) who despite his claims of keeping the game "pure" will take it in the shitty direction he sees fit.

 

[Mangoose]

Sookie... You're Mine.

 

[Mastermind]

There are 2 boxes at end of demo installation - They are checked "off" by default since most users dont need them ... but you may want to make sure to have these checked ON for you.

If it still doesnt work (and you have fairly new computer and somesort of 3D card installed) you may need to re-install DirectX 9.0c - check "demo download" area for link to microsoft's directx download link.

Even if you already have the newest version of directx already installed sometimes a reinstall seems to clear up any errors.

Tried to reinstall with the boxes checked and checking the boxes crashed the installer.

Might just be my shitty computer. I'm using an SSD for my windows install but the fucking drive routinely corrupts files on it to the point where I have to reinstall it from a back-up every week. Maybe it fucked something up here too.

 

[Licaon_Kter]

@WRF Studios: 1.7 frames per second on a GTX460+ tri-core machine ( up to date with drivers, updates, physxs and such ) ? also, try to cover at least the most used resolutions too, see http://store.steampowered.com/hwsurvey for some stats

 

[WRF Studios]

@WRF Studios: 1.7 frames per second on a GTX460+ tri-core machine ( up to date with drivers, updates, physxs and such ) ? also, try to cover at least the most used resolutions too, see http://store.steampowered.com/hwsurvey for some stats

@Licaon_Kter - Whoa! That is beyond bizzarre - I cannot imagine why any dedicated graphics card would have such low fps... I have tried this game with a very "old" Gforce 210 (thats about as lowbudget as you can get - i think? lol!) - and I get 15fps

But thank you for letting me know about this... Please Let me know if you can play most other 3D type games games,if so, which ones? ( such as Skyrim and Dragonage, neverwinter nights 2, Unreal? etc.)

Also...I definetly plan on supporting more resolutions.

Thanks
Bill

 

[Akasen]

A Vampire RPG? How can I say "no" to such a game? I am currently downloading the demo at the moment and will give my thoughts.

 

[Mozgoëbstvo]

000000000000000000135 error or something after install. Probably just my fucked up computer but FUCK was I hyped for that demo.

 

[Mozgoëbstvo]

000000000000000000135 error or something after install. Probably just my fucked up computer but FUCK was I hyped for that demo.

 

[WRF Studios]

Sorry its not working for you... but thanks for trying.


If you have a fairly new computer with 2GB ram and decent video card the only errors that usually occur are DirectX related. You may want to re-install DirectX9.0c (link in on download section of site)

Sometimes a reboot can fix things sometimes too.

If you want to play around with it and need some help - feel free to email me (email on site) your system info and we can go over some other things too.

Thanks
Bill

 

[Licaon_Kter]

Please Let me know if you can play most other 3D type games games,if so, which ones?

playing fine: Witcher1, Witcher2, Just Cause 2, Metro 2033, Stalker SoC & CoP, DeusEx: HR, Alpha Protocol
playing fine but not that demanding: Age of Decadence DEMO R3, DeusEx w/ newer renders, Frozen Synapse DEMO, Hitman - Codename 47, Seventh Sense, Solium Infernum DEMO, atomzombiesmasher, cogs, osmos, samorost 2, steelstorm, and yet it moves, braid, crayon physics deluxe, hammerfight, lugaru hd, revenge of the titans, vvvvvv, adom, daggerfall, defcon demo, eschalon - book I demo, eschalon - book II demo, fallout, full throttle, PenumbraCollection, regnum

also failing in WINE with Mono:

fixme:mscoree:_CorDllMain (0x783f0000, 1, 0x1): stub
Method '<Module>:_WinMainCRTStartup ()' in assembly 'D:\Games\BloodLust - Vampire ShadowHunter DEMO\Binaries\Win32\Bloodlust.exe' contains native code that cannot be executed by Mono in modules loaded from byte arrays. The assembly was probably created using C++/CLI.
Method '<Module>:<CrtImplementationDetails>.DoDllLanguageSupportValidation ()' in assembly 'D:\Games\BloodLust - Vampire ShadowHunter DEMO\Binaries\Win32\Bloodlust.exe' contains native code that cannot be executed by Mono in modules loaded from byte arrays. The assembly was probably created using C++/CLI.
Method '<Module>:<CrtImplementationDetails>.ThrowModuleLoadException (string,System.Exception)' in assembly 'D:\Games\BloodLust - Vampire ShadowHunter DEMO\Binaries\Win32\Bloodlust.exe' contains native code that cannot be executed by Mono in modules loaded from byte arrays. The assembly was probably created using C++/CLI.
Unhandled Exception: System.TypeInitializationException: An exception was thrown by the type initializer for <Module> ---> System.MissingMethodException: Method contains unsupported native code
at (wrapper managed-to-native) <Module>:<CrtImplementationDetails>.ThrowModuleLoadException (string,System.Exception)
at <Module>.<CrtImplementationDetails>.LanguageSupport.Initialize (<CrtImplementationDetails>.LanguageSupport* ) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0
at <Module>..cctor () [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0
--- End of inner exception stack trace ---
[ERROR] FATAL UNHANDLED EXCEPTION: System.TypeInitializationException: An exception was thrown by the type initializer for <Module> ---> System.MissingMethodException: Method contains unsupported native code
at (wrapper managed-to-native) <Module>:<CrtImplementationDetails>.ThrowModuleLoadException (string,System.Exception)
at <Module>.<CrtImplementationDetails>.LanguageSupport.Initialize (<CrtImplementationDetails>.LanguageSupport* ) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0
at <Module>..cctor () [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0
--- End of inner exception stack trace ---
fixme:mscoree:_CorDllMain (0x783f0000, 0, 0x1): stub
[1] 29026 exit 1 ./Bloodlust.exe

IIRC, UDK engine based games run pretty ok in WINE, at least they start, I presume that the launcher is at fault

some pics: 1 and 2, note how it says Physx>CPU no matter what setting? like Risen did
the log: http://www.mediafire.com/?9exc71ykbhnxzpn

 

[Oriebam]

Careful with the Tessera patch as it is the work of a mad "modder" (as far as I learned, he can't mod and only gathered the works of other people) who despite his claims of keeping the game "pure" will take it in the shitty direction he sees fit.

Wesp's patch is better

 

[Davaris]

Bill,
I tried it last night and it worked fine for me.

I wasn't sure about how you have the controls set up though. I found them a little awkward TBH. So I think you should go either full top down view, if you are to use the mouse, or use more standard FPS controls.

As someone else said, you appear to be using lots of fantastic equipment, in a non-fantasy setting. I am also not sure if that will work out so well.

I read something by HP Lovecraft recently, that suggests you use only one fantastic item, that is built up all the way through the story, while having everything else ordinary.

Notes on Writing Weird Fiction
By H. P. Lovecraft

http://www.hplovecraft.com/writings/tex ... s/nwwf.asp

So my suggestion, either go full fantasy, or if you set your game in our times, use the Lovecraft method.

Just my opinion. Good luck with your game.

 

[WRF Studios]

@Licaon_Kter - I am not really familiar with WINE and Mono... but I will try to look into that (perhaps install those and set up a test machine)



Thanks for trying it out...

Yes... I think you are correct about too much fantasy stuff - it may be misleading. I think I will just confine those type items to Ancient Ruins area and you wont really find stuff like that in the city area.

Let me know if I am missing something... but the conrols are currently set up exactly like"World of Warcraft" and "DragonAge" - I figured that would be a safe way to go... (with holding RIGHT mouse button to look around and clicking RIGHT mouse button to Attack - LEFT mouse button for User Interface stuff, menus, etc... and using WASD to move around)

I am curious to other opinions about the controls - they seem pretty natural to me(and I know not everyone plays WOW)... but are they OK?

Thanks
Bill

 

[Davaris]

Let me know if I am missing something... but the conrols are currently set up exactly like"World of Warcraft" and "DragonAge" - I figured that would be a safe way to go... (with holding RIGHT mouse button to look around and clicking RIGHT mouse button to Attack - LEFT mouse button for User Interface stuff, menus, etc... and using WASD to move around)

That's probably just me being an old fuddy duddy. I haven't played DragonAge and I wouldn't touch an MMO with a barge pole. If those people are your intended market, how you have it set up is the right way to go.

 

[Licaon_Kter]

@Licaon_Kter - I am not really familiar with WINE and Mono... but I will try to look into that (perhaps install those and set up a test machine)

Eh, , ignore those remarks for now, they're there for a 'FYI', I was hoping to be able to test this in Linux in case the low framerate issue was a Windows ( 7 64bit ) one.

 

[Teepo]

WRF Studios, if you do this right you should have a cult classic on your hands.

The key is to make the RPG system long and experimental. Focus on brainstorming a long, long list of abilities that would be available early game, mid game and late game.

Make a good fun list of early, mid and late game weapons. If the dialogue turns out to be crap, the writing boring you will still have fun gameplay. That is the key to games like Titan Quest and Diablo 2. Sure, Diablo 2 had a unique amazing atmospher but that's only a bonus.

Remember that it is a single player game and so it doesn't have to be slow and boring like world of warcraft.

So, right. IMO make a big list of creatures, guns, melee weapons, and abilities.

 

[Mozgoëbstvo]

Bill! I managed to install and run the game!
So far, I like it. I love the atmosphere, damn it. Looks distinctive in this era of generic grit. Really seems to come out of the best "dark" concepts of the 1990s.
Nice skill-stats system.
Also, I really liked the voice acting of the first NPC.

The thing I found VERY awkward is the camera. It's weird to pivot it especially as you're fighting multiple enemies and you need to face and click them...
Also, please make an effort to use proper punctiation. Use commas with interjections.

Exempli Gratia:
Not "I could really use your help man"
But "I could really use your help, man"

Not "I'm sorry though about this whole affair"
But "I'm sorry, though, about this whole affair"

I find the absence of commas more immersion breaking than the still rough animations.

Other than that... Go for it! I'll have another game to look forward to that isn't Age of Decadence!

 

[WRF Studios]

@Teepo - thanks for the support and comments... Yes I think the key will be providing more interesting weapons, skills and abilities as the game progresses.

Mozgoëbstvo- thanks for checking the game out and the comments. I will make a note of the camera and see what I can do. Also thank you for pointing out the gramatical errors too - I will fix that.

Also FYI... a new version has been uploaded since this original post. New fixes include...

• 
  
  - ESC key now closes all open windows.(inventory, skills, map, etc.)
  
  - Volume Control
  
  - New Monster type (Blood Lizard)
  
  - Traps
  
  - 2 New Attibutes (Intelligence and Persuasion)
  
  - other various changes and fixes

It's probably not worth redownloading and playing if you already have... but all new players should check it out if they want.

Thanks
Bill

 

[Mozgoëbstvo]

Ehm... I'm also stuck, and I'd need advice...

Where do I find the last ingredient for the bloodstone, the "FULL elixir"?

 

[WRF Studios]

If you cant find one in a chest or from a monster... You can always get one from from Sarah in the store area. (Note she restocks after entering new areas)

You do know where the store is, right?

 

[Mozgoëbstvo]

She has vitality and health... are those the ones?
Or I must've accidentally swallowed stuff...
Been killing lotsa monsters!

Anyway, does the demo go on for long or does it end quickly, after you open the gate with the bloodstone?

 

[Teepo]

I haven't tried the demo (not really in the mood for a Diablo-esque game, I'm more of a turnbased or FPS player) but I'll give it a shot now and if it's not too rough I might consider critiquing it it.

What are your influences in making this game?

 

[circ]

A vampire game called Bloodlust. Wow, points for originality.

Looks ok though. Like NWN without a retard doing the art design. I wanted to see the screenshots in a higher resolution but couldn't but looks like I could view them in a new tab and they'd show up a little bigger. Oh well.

 

[Stakhanov]

Anyway, does the demo go on for long or does it end quickly, after you open the gate with the bloodstone?

You "win the demo" after opening the gate.

Impressions of the game: I like the aesthetic choices and the somber mood. It ran well and I didn't encounter any major issues (although where is the store? Is it supposed to be behind Varelok or somewhere else on the map? I couldn't find it and I looked pretty thoroughly).

Areas I feel could improve: The camera, as some mentioned, is a little bit awkward. I think I'd prefer a slightly more zoomed out and overhead view.

Combat, if it's going to be based on the Diablo model, should probably be more than "click, quaff potion, or kite"; more varied attack types and enhanced AI behaviour is essential. If you can just run away from every enemy and regen health it takes the challenge out of it.

Rather than large quantities of loot have harder to find and more meaningful items. Sorting through five pairs of tattered boots to sell to the vendor is never a high point of action RPGs.

The reputation system was interesting, but I'm not sure about the skill system as is. Personally I think having skills have fewer levels and having to work harder to improve them is more meaningful (whether from NPCs such as trainers or quest rewards, hidden areas, etc.) Having a bunch of skills on cooldown that you incrementally improve is a bit too MMO-like and does not work as well for a single-player game I find. Maybe add some more choices for character development such as perks/feats or different vampire 'races'. Those are probably the key issues I had. That said, I think Bloodlust definitely has potential, good luck with its development.

 

[Mozgoëbstvo]

So, anyone played the second version of the demo after the first one? I'm asking since I don't wanna clog this Crap-puter with demos.

Any substantial difference?
or detected?