Thanks for the compliment, but Bughunt's nowhere NEAR finished-- it's still only version O.I.VII.II for a reason.
By version O.II.O.O, I want most the actual features in the full-game ironed out, and to have despaghettified and commented the code; maybe even split the .py into multiple files. I want to have at least started a character generation option, with multiple usable character types (genestealer cultist, astartes, living saint) and a way to level up more than just your hit-points. I also want to add a scoreboard file, so you can keep track of how well you've done. Also a count of how many of each type of bug you've killed.
By O.II.V.O, I want to have added skills and abilities-- stuff like the old stereotypical-but-undeniably-cool 'attack everyone in base contact' chainsword spin and a way to sneak that isn't just 'have a really long range'; stealth, xenology, admech stuff (aka theology), trapmaking, skinning, demolitions... plenty of them planned.
By version O.III.O.O, I want to have the game able to handle leaving a map through one of the edges- it'll generate a new map, saving the old one. By version O.III.V.O, I want it to start looking like a city, with specific buildings, the ability to climb upwards or go down stairs.
By version O.IV.O.O, I want to have a plot to the overall game, more background text, and an intro blurb of about 500 words. I want to start on descriptive text for clicked-on enemies that you're not shooting or grenading- long term one, that is- and finish that by I.O.O.O. I want to have all the various Tyranid enemies in the game programmed in, to have improved the AI significantly, to add traps and ambushes, location-based-events (walk over here, hear lasgun sounds to the east-- go east, PDF troops are fighting a lictor), and allies. It's around this time the game will actually, at long last, be winnable beyond getting oodles of points.
By version O.IV.V.O, I want to have vehicles playing a part, and a whole different types of building material to be blown up (or not). I want to add different city-block types and NPCs, and have at least 100 items per rarity. I'll likely have modified how equipment works (in code- it'll work the same in-game) by now, too. This is also the version when cover-saves will actually appear. Ammunition might, too, in guns that aren't lasguns. Vehicles will be drivable and weapon emplacements can be manned.
By version O.V.O.O, I want to have added non-Tyranid enemies, if only a tiny handful- you might run into one squad of Chaos Astartes or Eldar in the entire game. These will likely be scripted. I also want spore-mines back in and working properly.
This is the plan so far. It'll grow-- I've got plenty of room between O.V.O.I and I.O.O.O to add s tonne more mechanics and features. The game will evolve, become more complex, less frantic, stay very deadly but be a bit fairer, and as playable for victory as for points- and for character levelling, too ("You attained a WS 7 with chainswords?! How in the hell did you live that long...?"). The order of things might change, and features might get pushed forwards or pulled back, but it's handy to have a rough goal. It'll be along, rough road, but I'll stick to it-- I always wanted to play a game like Bughunt!... and no-one else was doing it... so I don't think I had an alternative.
This is the first thing I've ever programmed-- I learned to program just to make this game. It's a clunky mess at the moment, but it's playable and fun and has the style and substance I want to continue throughout. It's hard, unfair, and a blast to play as you down tens of enemies with a chainsword before a mawloc gives you a kiss... this will never change. It's my mess, my dream game; my madness and my passion.
Eventually, I'll get Bughunt! a full-on website of its own-- but I'll keep this thread updated. Maybe spread it to that other bug site and Bolter and Chainsword (once Space Marines are playable... along with Genestealer Cultists (whose end-game might be different to everyone else's) , Aspect Warriors... and representatives of every other race!). It'd be great if some of you stay interested all the way; I'm amazed even now that anyone's interested in my spaghetti. Amazed, and delighted.
I'll take you up on the milk, though; there's nothing quite like moo-juice. Plus, I'll need to strength in my bones to have this to version O.V.O.O by 2013. Fingers crossed.
Incidentally, I may, just may, add cows (my favourite animal) as an easter-egg interactable NPC- at the least as a walking time-bomb Mawloc homer.
_________________ Disclaimer: This member is extremely fallable. Conclusive tests result in a 77-82% idiocy rating. Handle with derision.
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