NSW wrote:Some of the tinkering i did included...
1.) Adding more descriptive text replacement to allow the text information to be more interesting. So instead of just DMG for damage, you could also use tags to add gender, name and heath information for both predator and prey.
2.) Adding an isdigest tag to swallow moves so creatures could have descriptive text if the player is the predator.
3.) Adding extra keys that allow me to select targets in the predators stomach (or the players) and offer a popup with additional options. (Setting friend tag, switching places, having the predator find another of their kind and either feed themselves to or eat them.) That last option was mostly for testing... mostly.
Those are interesting concepts. Thus far, I've exclusively modified Object.js to fix a couple of minor issues with the way that pleasuring predators work. Also, the player gains experiencing for befriending a creature through pleasure, because it unlocks a new way to play.
Speaking of that, it seems like everyone is really focused on creatures, but not too much on the rest of the game. Currently, there isn't a major gameplay objective. If there was, the current map generation method produces dull but eccentric layouts, and only of one type. There's no level features, such as ponds, rivers, treasure rooms, 'difficult terrain' that's harder to traverse, or even doors. Player options are currently placeholder, so there's no character generation step, and classes including all of their features aren't a part of their game. Before that even happens, I presume you would need to do more than move, attack, and open your inventory/use consumable items. There's no way to inspect tiles/creatures yet, and things like traps would be one of the reasons to do that anyway. The basic code to support equipment is partially there, but that may involve designing out the class system at the same time. Short range weapons are fine, but what assumptions would make sense for long range and thrown weapons? Anyway, magic and spells are even more complicated, potentially. Even if you're elusively interested in predatory creatures, their AI is one-note right now; they randomly wander until they are within sight range of an equal or lesser predtype and then give chase. They don't currently have the capability to lurk in a small area/nest, guarding/lurking there, or patrol a route around an area. They are also all solitary, which is fine for some creatures, but not so good when you want them to pack with allies (or the player). Finally -- and this is of the upmost importance in my opinion! -- there is no money and commerce system. no gold and no trading with friendly creatures that are capable of doing so. I don't need to elaborate on why that's an issue.
Anyhow, I haven't made much headway with any of these things. Some of them are intertwined, so you really have to think them through together.
One thing I can fix right now is the emergent behavior caused by friendly creatures not wanting to move when adjacent to each other. This was a sound assumption for when the player wants to interact with a friendly creature, but when creatures have higher strength, they can befriend each other and stop moving. This can lead to large (and growing) groups of enemies sitting together peacefully, presumably enjoying each other's company. Charming, but undesirable.