Knightmare.com

Heyo folks. Dark Comet here. Resident Musician, Amateur - screw it, you know the score by now.

This is a formal topic about my new project-to-be - an amateur downloadable game in Adventure Game Studio based on Knightmare, planned as a 'new season' that more or less follows on from the eigth, with recurring characters, locations, and all the elements that made Knightmare great, with new adventure elements and one or two new characters (most likely Vyrrian Wren, my RPG Assassin, who is tricked into serving the opposition).

No formal work has begun, but I have started putting together a technical demo showing what is possible in AGS. However, I plan to set myself a target of including the following elements:


- Four quests - three avaliabel at the start in any order, one 'final' one.

- Treguard, Lord Fear, Pickle/Majida (maybe both) and recurring characters we all know and love (I have in mind Hordriss, Lissard, Raptor (with the Mireman), Skarkill, Motley, Stiletta, and good ol' Sly. Maybe more.

- The old classic format, combining outdoor locations such as Wolfenden with classic 'dungeonesque' levels, and Linghorn with Marblehead.

- If it can be done, the old lifeforce (maybe implemented in a clockwork revelation/Dissolving way with the pie, but keepng it animated with the whole skull bit at the end.)

- Deaths, and plenty of them. Not really unfair ones, but stupidity WILL be punished. Painfully.

- Arcade bits. Play your cards Right, fireball rooms... and everyone's favourite Corridor.

- Spyglass sequences. Very easy to do in AGS.

- For those who survive and complete three quests, a special extended quest - Lord Fear never played by the rules, and he intends to end the game once and for all, in the classic series 6/7 style we know and love...

- VERY maybe at the moment... but I am working with someone to see what can be done for some 3D Eye-shield sequences. If it can be done in AGS...

So, there's the plan. I posted something similar in the AGS topic, but I'm really looking for feedback here, and responses to any ideas that may occur. Does this sound good enough? Is it worth doing? And if I do it, will I get into trouble with any Legal Eagles? Something I want to avoid as much as possible.

As far as I know, KM doesnt seem to be being owned by anyone sooooo.....

Sounds good - If you need any help *Graphically* I am a pretty darn good resource. PM me if you want.

Knice one.

Coding and story I can do without any hassle at all. I've got someone else helping me with sprites and backgrounds... but any extra help in that department would be greatly appreciated.

Will PM when the time comes.

The Eye shield sequence, would probably be easiest if it were a sequence of film taken on a video camera, and then put onto a PC and changed to AVI.

I considered that... unfortunatly, I know very few dank claustrophobic dungeons with torches down in Southampton.

Besides, my artist comrade who I work with on these things has dabbled in 3D, and is quite good. He's working on a test sequence - something similar to the opening corridor shot of Series 8.

Will this project be Windows-only?

Well, AGS is capable of both a DOS and Windows version. I'll be making it in a Windows version of AGS, and I may be able to release both Windows and DOS packs.

The problem is time. XP can't run DOS AGS games, and Windows AGS games run on pretty much every system. If I can release both versions without having to recompile every single thing (effectivly making the game all over again) then I will.

I take it ye have a DOS system?

Could be MAC, Linux, etc etc compatability isues. The game itself is an EXE, and so it should work fine on any system. It would require testing however.

I'm using Linux.

Not a problem. There are plenty of AGS-Linux converters out there. Will most definatly do multiple ports.

Right. Time to start knocking some ideas out.

I plan to feature mostly dungeon based levels, as this I think epitomises the 'true' spirit of Knightmare. However, I want this game to be also an AGS adventure, so there will be plenty of players who do not know Knightmare, and as such will want a 'pure' adventure with the modern day adventure elements.

Here's my idea - a 'tutorial' kind of section set outside the castle, in areas such as Wolfenden and the surrounding forests. Guided by Pickle, you will learn all the basics of gameplay (spellcasting, scrolls, items, spyglasses, all the standard stuff) in a death-free environment to get new players aquainted with the whole getup. I'm thinking of having this section hosted by Pickle. A good way to tie him in without having an artifical 'lets bring back Pickle' scenario.

This will appeal to people who A) are not familiar with knightmare and B) those who liked the outdoor segments of Knighmare in later series.

Of course, when the game begins properly... its dark dingy dungeon all the way.

Good? Bad? Ugly?

Perhaps you ought to have a message that says:

If this were real, you would lose life force - be careful next time!

Oh, and perhaps if there is going to be a save function, have specific save points - possibly in the first room of level 2/3

Yeah, this is something I have considered. Since there are oppertunities to get 'stuck' (unable to proceed any further without dying) embedded in the Knightmare gameplay, saving would have to be at key save 'points'.

For example, arrival in each level, before a major arcade sequence, final confrontations, and so on.

That means in death, you can either 'continue' onto the next quest, or 'restore' from the last point.

Nice idea about the training, BTW. Will be sure to put that in.

Sounds cool! Could there be a dungeoneer design screen or something...

It could even have a series select if it was that big, like the Block and Tackle in series four, and the Great Causeway in the sixth...

Or is that too big?!

Nonetheless a great and promising game...

Well, since there would be four quests to embark on, it wouldn't do to have EXACTLY the same rooms... I'm seriously considering chucking in at least one causeway. Block and Tackle would be tricky... but it would be good if I can pull it off.

Now then: Level Themes. Here are my ideas.

Level 1: Classic Dungeon look from Series I-III. All medieval looking, castle-esque.

Level 2: Series VIII Dungeoneseqe look - all slimy, dark and murky.

Level 3: Linghorn and Marblehead. Nuff' said.

Thanks for the feedback folks. Over the next few weeks (when I get time off from exams - AS REVISION, ARRRGH THE PAIN) I'll see what I can post in regards of prelim rooms, interface ideas and sprites.

And yes, customising dungeoneers... names will be easy, and naturally I'll make it so it can be male or female. Of course, this'll mean for convinience, that one person will be used for all the quests - even if death results. I know that's knida breaking Knightmare tradition, but I'm sure I can swing it so if you want to continue, you just appear back in the Quest room.

What do ye all think about this? I don;t wanna get all 'the little things' wrong. Such things often make or break something for people. Just look at the SW fanboys.

The idea of Restore/Quit/New Game would work best I think. That way, they would have to do all of the skilled bit again. And if it were possibel to have random room slecetion, that would make it allt he better