List of homebrew games in development

[Songbird]

I discussed Distant Lands with the developer, and we agreed now is not a good time to release a demo, particularly the older ones since so much has changed over the years. I'll see if I can pull some new screens just to give you a taste of some of the more recent updates.

[Atari Smeghead]

I'm sure we're all quite curious to see how thigs are progressing.

 

Actually, come to think of it, I don't believe I've even seen a screenshot of DL.

 

So yeah, bring it on, Carl!

 

Cheers,

Smeg

[Songbird]

Well, that part is easily fixed:

 

Distant Lands homepage

 

[EricDeLee]

Hopefully this game will see the light... someday. But I know that takes a long time.

[matashen]

Hopefully this game will see the light... someday. But I know that takes a long time.

 

And until that i release some new games.

[EricDeLee]

Hopefully this game will see the light... someday. But I know that takes a long time.

 

And until that i release some new games.

 

Not a DAMNED thing wrong with that! LOL

[+karri]

Which one would be more interesting?

 

Stardreamer single player game (loosely like Elite but with a different storyline and different objective)

 

or

 

HeroQuest (board game with lots of missions. The missions are created by enthusiasta around the world already. I am merely creating the engine to run on the Lynx.) HeroQuest is a multiplayer game taking turns. You can pass the Lynx around or use ComLynx. You can also net-play with mixed hardware Lynx + Windows + Linux in the same game.

One game has four characters: A barbarian, a dwarf, an elf and a wizard. You can play with fewer characters but it makes the quest much more difficult. Quests are like "rescue prince Caspian from the dungeon". You can find potions, gold, weapons in the dungeon also. There may also be a monster or two lurking in the dungeon - I don't know

 

Both are about in the same state.

Edited September 23, 2009 by karri

[EricDeLee]

Karri... is that a screenshot on the Lynx?

WOW!

 

When I have thought about my Dark Tower Lynx game, I was hoping for two different versions. One where you walk to each territory with graphics like the one you posted (so it 'looks' like an RPG). And then an unlockable version that is a quick down and dirty version of the game (where it looks like the java version that is on the internet).

That picture above looks like it could EASILY be a crypt of something for the Dark Tower board game.

[glitch]

These may not count since I don't think they'll ever be sold publicly but 2 games I've been working on are below. I started these a few years ago and keep planing to get back to them when I have time. Currently the PC they were being developed on is dead but the hard drives live on in external enclosures so nothing has been lost. I'm at work so I don't have access to the roms at the moment but I can post more if anyone is interested. I have included a few screen shots of an early version I had hidden in a folder here.

 

Ogre, based on the game from Steve Jackson Games. More or less I'm enhancing what Origin released way back when.

Currently a lot of the display and menu work is done but there is no AI yet. You use the "mouse" pointer to place and move game pieces on the scrollable playfield. It has a animated menuing system to do the various steps (setup, move, attack, options...). Currently it can be played as a 2 person game, although a lot of the automation is not done yet such as removing the pieces when destroyed (has to be done via the menus). I can post more if anyone is interested. Since the board game is still technically in production I'll never be able to secure rights to release this game w/o major modifications so I'm doing this for my own use. One of my all time favorite games on one of my all time favorite systems

 

Empire, based off the old PC game (as well as every other computer made probably). I took a different approach with this game. Instead of working on the display first like I did w/ Ogre I am working on the play engine instead. I started by porting an old public domain PC C code version. It's about 70% done although the display is being saved to an array at the moment w/ only debuging output messages & flags being displayed. All "movement" is hard encoded within a few testing subs. By separating it this way I hope to be able to basically skin it to simulate different time periods (similar to AoE). Originally I started this one to help design the AI for Ogre but I used to love playing this game so it'll be it's own and will probably be done first.

 

I had also started a version of NukeWar, based on the Atari basic game from AH. But all I have is an animated title screen and a handful of notes for it. I was also going to attempt a port of Telengard but don't really think I'll ever get back to either one.

Edited September 23, 2009 by glitch

[+karri]

Karri... is that a screenshot on the Lynx?

WOW!

 

The image is not a screenshot. It is the Gremlin game graphics scaled to Lynx resolution and 16 colors. But the problem is that the real graphics art is still missing. The game engine is written but there a _lots_ of items like chests, tables, chairs, doors, tombs etc. that I need. So far I have not found a graphics artist to do it and my talents are a bit limited in this field.

 

Would you like to try your pixel talents and come up with tiles in this style?

 

The Windows, Linux and Mac versions have top-down graphics and larger display areas. For Lynx I prefer an isometric display like pictured here.

 

The game engine is quite big and will eat up all Lynx RAM. On the cart I would like graphics in several different light scenarios: Outdoors day - dusk - night, Dungeon, Red dark dungeon.

 

Due to the rights this game can be made but not sold commercially. The Gamers Workshop says that re-makes faithful to the originals can be made. But you can not use names and characters from the original game.

--

Karri

[Atari Smeghead]

Which one would be more interesting?

 

Stardreamer single player game (loosely like Elite but with a different storyline and different objective)

 

or

 

HeroQuest (board game with lots of missions. The missions are created by enthusiasta around the world already. I am merely creating the engine to run on the Lynx.)

Personally, Stardreamer interests me more. I never was able to play Elite very much... it ran too slowly on my ST. (It might be Elite II I'm thinking of. I remember ST Format rating it one of the best ST games.)

 

I'm not saying I wouldn't (buy and) enjoy HeroQuest, but for me, a choice between a space game and a board game, I'd choose space.

 

Cheers,

Smeg

[Atari Smeghead]

2 games I've been working on are below.

 

Ogre, based on the game from Steve Jackson Games. More or less I'm enhancing what Origin released way back when.

 

Empire, based off the old PC game (as well as every other computer made probably).

 

I had also started a version of NukeWar, based on the Atari basic game from AH. But all I have is an animated title screen and a handful of notes for it. I was also going to attempt a port of Telengard but don't really think I'll ever get back to either one.

 

I'm always pleased to hear about someone making Lynx games!

 

Of the names you mentioned, the only one I played a lot of was NukeWar. I really enjoyed that game. I had a cassette version of it, and I think the tape died on me. I would love to see a Lynx version!

 

These may not count since I don't think they'll ever be sold publicly...

 

Due to the rights this game (HeroQuest) can be made but not sold commercially.

 

You guys have GOT to stop remaking games you can't easily release! Please find a way to either get the rights or (better yet) tweak things enough so you can sell them.

 

Don't tease us like this!

 

Cheers,

Smeg

[gambler172]

Hi Guys

I hope,there will be soon demos available......Cannot wait to check them on my Flashcard.

greetings Walter

[GroovyBee]

The image is not a screenshot. It is the Gremlin game graphics scaled to Lynx resolution and 16 colors. But the problem is that the real graphics art is still missing. The game engine is written but there a _lots_ of items like chests, tables, chairs, doors, tombs etc. that I need. So far I have not found a graphics artist to do it and my talents are a bit limited in this field.

 

You might find Reiner`s Tilesets useful :-

 

http://reinerstileset.4players.de/englisch.html

 

I'm not sure how well they'd translate to the Lynx colour system though.

[EricDeLee]

Karri... is that a screenshot on the Lynx?

WOW!

 

The image is not a screenshot. It is the Gremlin game graphics scaled to Lynx resolution and 16 colors. But the problem is that the real graphics art is still missing. The game engine is written but there a _lots_ of items like chests, tables, chairs, doors, tombs etc. that I need. So far I have not found a graphics artist to do it and my talents are a bit limited in this field.

 

Would you like to try your pixel talents and come up with tiles in this style?

 

The Windows, Linux and Mac versions have top-down graphics and larger display areas. For Lynx I prefer an isometric display like pictured here.

 

The game engine is quite big and will eat up all Lynx RAM. On the cart I would like graphics in several different light scenarios: Outdoors day - dusk - night, Dungeon, Red dark dungeon.

 

Due to the rights this game can be made but not sold commercially. The Gamers Workshop says that re-makes faithful to the originals can be made. But you can not use names and characters from the original game.

--

Karri

 

If it can not be sold... then what will you do with it after it is finished? Just release the rom publicly?

 

Would you like to try your pixel talents and come up with tiles in this style?

I can possibly give it a try... it would be a tuneup for me.

Give me a little bit of time. I'm trying to wrap up a few projects at home (and I got to get my netbook working again.

[SwedenLynxer]

Which one would be more interesting?

 

Stardreamer single player game (loosely like Elite but with a different storyline and different objective)

 

or

 

HeroQuest (board game with lots of missions.

Of course I like to see Stardreamer finished too. But I have a soft spot in my heart for HeroQuest. So it will get my vote if I have to pick just one. Back in the day I had both the Hero Quest board game and the old Gremlin PC game. I loved both of them! So Hero Quest or a Hero Quest clone on the Lynx would really be awesome.

 

Personally I really like to see new games released and sold on real carts. If HQ is not to be sold commercial, then why not change the name? Keep all the stuff that made this game great and just give it a slightly overhaul ? Give it a unique Lynx style?

[SwedenLynxer]

These may not count since I don't think they'll ever be sold publicly but 2 games I've been working on are below. I started these a few years ago and keep planing to get back to them when I have time. Currently the PC they were being developed on is dead but the hard drives live on in external enclosures so nothing has been lost. I'm at work so I don't have access to the roms at the moment but I can post more if anyone is interested. I have included a few screen shots of an early version I had hidden in a folder here.

 

Ogre, based on the game from Steve Jackson Games. More or less I'm enhancing what Origin released way back when.

Currently a lot of the display and menu work is done but there is no AI yet. You use the "mouse" pointer to place and move game pieces on the scrollable playfield. It has a animated menuing system to do the various steps (setup, move, attack, options...). Currently it can be played as a 2 person game, although a lot of the automation is not done yet such as removing the pieces when destroyed (has to be done via the menus). I can post more if anyone is interested. Since the board game is still technically in production I'll never be able to secure rights to release this game w/o major modifications so I'm doing this for my own use. One of my all time favorite games on one of my all time favorite systems

 

Empire, based off the old PC game (as well as every other computer made probably). I took a different approach with this game. Instead of working on the display first like I did w/ Ogre I am working on the play engine instead. I started by porting an old public domain PC C code version. It's about 70% done although the display is being saved to an array at the moment w/ only debuging output messages & flags being displayed. All "movement" is hard encoded within a few testing subs. By separating it this way I hope to be able to basically skin it to simulate different time periods (similar to AoE). Originally I started this one to help design the AI for Ogre but I used to love playing this game so it'll be it's own and will probably be done first.

 

I had also started a version of NukeWar, based on the Atari basic game from AH. But all I have is an animated title screen and a handful of notes for it. I was also going to attempt a port of Telengard but don't really think I'll ever get back to either one.

Nice! I never play either of those games. But the screen shots looks very interesting. Is Ogre a strategy game? I need do some research on those games. Same question here: why not keep the game concept but rename the games, glitch? Eliminate/strongly minimizing the risk for fights over the games name

[108 Stars]

Changing a name alone is not enough not to infringe copyrights. The actual gameplay would have to be changed quite a bit too. To tell when a game is a clone and when it is a legit concept of its own is a thing you can have lawyers fighting over. And you can´t expect a homebrewer to take that kind of risk; possibly getting into serious trouble with a company like Hasbro over a small Lynx-game.

[+karri]

Changing a name alone is not enough not to infringe copyrights. The actual gameplay would have to be changed quite a bit too. To tell when a game is a clone and when it is a legit concept of its own is a thing you can have lawyers fighting over. And you can´t expect a homebrewer to take that kind of risk; possibly getting into serious trouble with a company like Hasbro over a small Lynx-game.

 

The fact is that the code exists already. It is a remake of the Gremlin game. And its name is HeroQuest. There is also several persons generating new adventures for this engine.

 

If I want to port this work to the Lynx it can only be freeware. But many good things in life are free. It is possible to make a commercial cart. But you can not charge more than the actual cost for making the cart. The game itself can not be sold for money.

If you want to make a game, TC or a mod using our IP you must adhere to the following (in addition to the general principles as outlined above):

 

Any game or mod must be a "total conversion." In other words, you must not use our intellectual property (logos, images, names etc.) in relation to the worlds, names, logos, or images of any other company. For example, you cannot place our Space Marines in a Disney total conversion using the Unreal engine, but you could make a TC solely using Space Marines with the Unreal engine. This is, of course, assuming that you have permission to use the Unreal engine.

 

Please bear in mind that we may require you to remove the game or mod from any public forum at any time so that we can comply with any licenses that we may have with computer game publishers/developers. Be aware that we may even have to insist that the mod be destroyed. Please take very careful note of this statement, as we would not want you to feel unfairly treated at a later date.

 

The game or mod must be strictly non-commercial - this includes any web site that the mod or game is hosted on. You also cannot pay a printing company to publilsh copies of it onto CD. It may also mean that you cannot get sponsorship.

 

It must be made clear on any readme files, splash/intro screens and accompanying material that the game or mod is unofficial and the origins of the intellectual property must be made obvious (e.g., your mod might say "Battletoes ­ a total conversion for XXXX (insert game name) using intellectual property owned by Games Workshop. Used without permission...etc." See the relevant disclaimer on the following page.).

 

The game or mod must not devalue any Games Workshop product in any way.

 

Any distribution (zipped or otherwise) of the whole, or any part, of the mod or game must be accompanied with the appropriate disclaimers and must also follow these guidelines.

 

The functionality, atmosphere, and parameters of any mod or game must be consistent with the relevant IP.

Of course it is a nice thought to create something new. Stardreamer is an attempt for something new. The problem in creating new games is that you have to invent stuff. It is so much easier to copy things and just modify them a little. Like Solitaire. I just "invented" a new rule for moving cards to the collect piles in Freecell and Klondike. The rest is pure copying.

 

--

Karri

[+karri]

The image is not a screenshot. It is the Gremlin game graphics scaled to Lynx resolution and 16 colors. But the problem is that the real graphics art is still missing. The game engine is written but there a _lots_ of items like chests, tables, chairs, doors, tombs etc. that I need. So far I have not found a graphics artist to do it and my talents are a bit limited in this field.

 

You might find Reiner`s Tilesets useful :-

 

http://reinerstileset.4players.de/englisch.html

 

I'm not sure how well they'd translate to the Lynx colour system though.

 

Thank you for this link. The graphics are 96 by 96 pixels so I need to scale them down by 3. But the graphics is very beautiful. I believe it would easily fit into the HeroQuest world.

 

--

Karri

[dan h]

@karri:

I wouldnt recommend using those tiles and scale them down. i am afraid you will nedd to find somebody who can pixel them from scratch everything else will look extremely dogdy especially if you use 16 colors only.

You need crystal clear tiles, its actually not that much work to do for a lynx game but hard to find a decent artist who can paint with 15 colours or less if you use transparencies.or you could scale them down and then you still need an artist who cleans all images.

there are quite a lot of scene artists in the GBA or DS scene.

all the best with your game.

daniel

[GroovyBee]

Even if the scaled down and limited palette graphics don't look good at least karri will be able to code the rest of the game engine around them. Temporary graphics are always much better than sprites ripped from another game and karri will be able to continue the project and release demos along the way (should he want to do that). Its much easier to attract an artist to your game when there is a game already working in my opinion .

[dan h]

Even if the scaled down and limited palette graphics don't look good at least karri will be able to code the rest of the game engine around them. Temporary graphics are always much better than sprites ripped from another game and karri will be able to continue the project and release demos along the way (should he want to do that). Its much easier to attract an artist to your game when there is a game already working in my opinion .

 

agreed.

I thought in terms of a full production , yeah it does help a lot if you can demostrate a finished game.

very handy for an artist to "just" pixel over dummy assets.

cheers