AliensRL: Ressurection?

27 February 2010

Waiting for the DoomRL 0.9.9.1 RC version to be tested, I turned to other projects, most notably getting DiabloRL in order. While at it, without any particular reason I decided to bring the AliensRL codebase up to date also. After doing the basic refactoring needed, I played a few test games, and thought “Damn, this is quite playable… If only it had this and this…”. And so…

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DoomRL has DoomRL 2 planned, Berserk! will also be rewritten using Neko. DiabloRL has been ressurected . Hence, that left AliensRL in the shadow…

AliensRL isn’t a bad game. Actually, after playing through it again, I noted that it has several original features that beg for more exposition. The tactical weapon management, or the freedom to explore the towers for example. In a way it’s much more original then all of the rest of ChaosForge roguelikes (maybe excluding Berserk!, but that one has a much more limited scope).

Today I showed some love to AliensRL — apart from bringing the code base up to date, and fixing a few bugs, I managed to drastically increase level generation speed — up to the point that I barely notice the generation screen. Also, a foundation has been laid for having proper items in AliensRL (as you may or may have not noted items are pretty limited).

What could be further plans for AliensRL?

  1. Lua support – least exciting in itself, but opening a mountain of possibilities including, but not limited to, the ones below
  2. Better level generators – make the towers more differen from each other
  3. Security and Military tower – the way they were intended to be – full of security mechanisms and bots (EMP weapons would appear!)
  4. Missons! – this would be a festival! From the possibilities of placing the Fleet Bacon in Comm Tower, to overloading the reactor in Main Tower.
  5. Terminals – read information, deactivate security, peek through cameras, activate misson-based equipment, reroute power to light systems, activate tower bridges, and much more…
  6. Flamer and more fun weapons – hell yeah.
  7. Many of the fun DoomRL features – player data, challenges, others?
  8. there’s much more where this came from…

To be honest, the more I think about it, the more I believe that AliensRL could easily become a as much interesting game as DoomRL… if only given enough love…

Hence, I ask you, dear reader… what do you think should be done about AliensRL? Should it get more attention? Should I drop it and focus on other (which?) stuff?

Your opinion matters!

Comments

you · 28 February 2010, 01:25

Maybe you should have finished Lualization of DiabloRL first?

Kornel Kisielewicz · 28 February 2010, 06:26

It’s more or less finished, check it out ;>

Leon · 28 February 2010, 16:47

Mmm, I love the taste of Fleet Bacon for breakfast!

Hehe in all seriousness, I liked what I played of AliensRL, more so than DiabloRL and Berserk, as this game had immediate depth and ease of play. I would like to see AliensRL get some attention, as it has some great potential.

Ultra · 28 February 2010, 23:51

I’m all for everything on that list, AliensRL was always my favourite out of the 4.

Cyber Killer · 1 March 2010, 00:49

HELL yeah!!! AliensRL FTW! I love this game and it’s great that you finally decided to move it forward :-).

Tavana · 1 March 2010, 03:35

Obviously anyone would love to see your games get worked on. AliensRL has amazing possibilities. Develop where you want to right now, I reckon. Don’t forget your bounties, though. ;)

Sam · 10 March 2010, 16:08

I would suggest DS or PSP ports, as well as a tile set, like the current portable nethacks have. that would give more atmospheric appeal, as well as all the advantages you recently posted for a tile-only DoomRL. Also, both of those would probably attract new users.

skarczew · 22 March 2010, 03:37

Kornel, my advice: fix the existing errors, then start with the new things :) .

Michael · 26 March 2010, 13:55

“Should it get more attention?”
HELL YES. I was waiting three years for some info about future of AliensRL and yeah, you should continue work on it. Fixing bugs and then adding new content would be great.