New version of WZA posted:

http://wwflgames.com/zombies-attack/

Did some balance tweaks and bug fixes, mostly just getting re-acquainted with the code.  Also set up a google group for people to discuss the game:

http://groups.google.com/group/when-zombies-attack

Let me know what you think!

Finally launched:

When Zombies Attack!

Enjoy. Only version 0.1, so likely lots of bugs and so forth.

My 7DRL, When Zombies Attack, is not dead. I have continued to work on it and have made good progress.  It will most likely be a 30-40DRL rather than 7, but I’ve reached a point where most stuff works and am now working on bugs on polish and a few small features that are left to be implemented.

I’m hoping to release in the next 2 weeks or so.

I’m still posting this under 7DRL, even though, clearly, I didn’t make it in 7 days.

Anyway, latest progress screen shot, showing how walls will become transparent if you’re inside a room:

You can also see that I’ve switched over to my new macbook pro for development. Fun!  Now, doors.

Finally got the isometric drawing stuff mostly working.  Items are sort of working (melee weapons mostly).  You can switch weapons.  Still lots and lots to do, and 12 hours to do it, and I’m at work.  This may be a fail.

I never really posted anything about what the game I’m building will be like, so here it is in brief:

The story:

The “Zombie Virus” as it was called swept over the nation. Anyone infected died shortly thereafter only to rise up again and crave human flesh.  The virus seems to effect different people in different ways, some of the zombies come back with superhuman strength, others move lightning quick and some have other mysterious abilities.

For years the residents of Richmond Towers have dealt effecively with the Zombie menace.  They were well stocked with weapons and ammunition, and had an ample supply of anti-virus (which, when applied quickly enough, can reverse the effects of the virus).  Until things went horribly wrong.  Now, they are evacuating.  The last helicopter is on the roof of the building waiting for survivors but it won’t wait forever.  And to make matters worse, as people have fled the building, security has broken down and the unstoppable zombie horde has breached the building.

Gameplay:

• Level of difficulty and length of game is based on how many stories Richmond Towers has. An easy game might only be four floors, a hard game might be a 25-floor skyscraper.
• Two different time pressures are in effect — the helicopter will leave in a certain number of turns, and the zombie horde is filling the building from the ground up, literally nipping at your heels.  The only way to succeed to is move through each floor to the stairs and get to the next floor.
• The virus has also infected many of the inhabitants of the building, so you have to fight them to get through. Different types of zombies will have different abilities.  Most are the “typical” slow moving beasts of the movies, but the virus has caused some to become very fast, or hit very hard.   Players will have to figure out what types of zombies have what abilities (and I’d like to randomize this per game, if possible).
• Melee combat is dangerous, because every time you are attacked by a zombie in melee range, you might be infected! The only hope after infection is to have available a dose of anti-virus, or find one quickly!
• Weapons and ammo have been left behind in people’s haste to leave the building, but they are in short supply and may be hard to find. Use them wisely!
• Upon completion of each floor in the building, the player will be able to choose a new “Attribute”, which exist in this game in place of experience points and levels.  An attribute might be something like “Strong” (+extra melee damage), “Quick” (fast movement), “Sniper” (+rifle damage), “Ironman” (+resistance to the zombie virus).  In longer, more difficult games, it will be possible for the player to get stronger (via more attributes) than in shorter games.
• Movement is not typical for a roguelike, it’s essentially like hex-based movement, and facing matters (i.e. to turn around takes a turn).  The inspiration for this type of movement system comes from Squidi, of the Three Hundred Mechanics fame.  But bump-combat and range combat is pretty similar to many roguelikes.
• Perma-death, of course.

There you go. All of this in 7 days. If you’re skeptical, so I am. I aim to finish, no matter what, so even if this doesn’t qualify as a 7DRL, I’ll get it done.

My ultimate, secret plan is that this game is serving as a prototype for an iPhone version.  So the UI will be focused with an eye toward moving to the iPhone eventually with a version of the game.

No new screen shot, but I made good progress last night.  Got attack animation working, got basic (brain-dead) zombie movement.  Did some re-factoring.   Major things to get done:

• Walls, Door and Rooms, which leads to map generation
• Item (weapons, bandages, zombie virus antidote)
• LOS for zombies and slightly better AI.
• Character Attributes (which will exist in lieu of character levels — when you complete a map, you’ll get to choose a new attribute for your character)
• Player death
• Player status (i.e. infected with the virus). Maybe other statuses too, like “wounded” (decreased movement speed) or something.
• Win condition (reach the top of the building and get away in the helicopter)

If I get all that done, I’ll at least have a playable game.  Other stuff I’d like to include, if time allows:

• Different types of zombies (i.e. the virus that caused the zombies in the first place had different effects on different people).  Maybe even have “boss zombies” on each map.
• Lots more animations for stuff
• Non-zombie characters who might help, or you get items from

Working on an animation system for movement and attacks, no real progress to show in a screen shot.  I should likely not be working on animation since there isn’t much of a game here. I may put that on hold and work on some simple AI for the zombies, and map generation, and other basic gameplay stuff.  It’s likely I won’t finish this in 7 days, but we’ll see, I still have a couple of days left.

Not as much progress as I wanted this weekend, we’ll see if I can get this done.

The hero of our story is now rendered on the map, and valid moves are highlighted in green.  Unfortunately, there is no input set up yet. Tomorrow, I should be able to walk around a really boring map, and maybe have the walls finished out so I can actually have rooms.  Still trying to figure out movement across the squares where the wall bisects the square.  Time for bed now. Good night internets.