(https://rmrk.net/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fbb.ohsk.net%2Fuploads%2Fafarlogo-big.png&hash=d3ce061842c7a2f1d030579186f9367bc7026fe2) (http://www.afar.ws)
What is Afar?
Afar is a free online RPG game with multiplayer elements. It is all about exploration, storyline, and battles.
Released in the last quarter of 2010, Afar has been in production since 2007 but kept falling back. The game was restarted from scratch as a PHP game in it's current state, and was quickly released. Since release it has ammassed 200 players, with a record of 100 online at one time.
The State of Afar
Since the game is constantly (as much as daily) updated, it is hard to keep a project thread organised, and so instead I am writing this semi regular newsletter to place in all my threads around the place.
Where is the game currently?
Last time I spoke, there was no battle system, inventories was a big thing, and we had about 20 players around the world.
Build 2
Build 2 greatly enlarged the screen resolution, specifically with future plans for apps in mind and based on player feedback.
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The navigation system and random battles are a new feature. That's right, battles!
We now have a basic turn based battle system. At current all you can do is attack, and the view is head on, but there are some tactics to it all:
- Different equipment has different stats for how much damage will be dealt
- Choosing your profession gives you boosts in certain weapons
- Swords give you melee exp, which makes you harder hitting with a sword
- Bows give you sight exp, making you better with a bow
- Different enemies are weak to different things
This is just a shell however and not representative of the eventual goal for the battle system, which will have animated sprites rather than a front-on view.
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The World
As it currently stands, this is our world map:
(https://rmrk.net/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fbb.hbgames.tk%2Fupload%2Fplanned_world.png&hash=dd6233ee24cc05edad70ca4e77190467ad14d0dc)
The marked off regions are not yet created, but are planned.
You navigate the world using the four arrows shown on the screenshot above, but you can also access some key areas via the world map, once you have unlocked travel to them.
(https://rmrk.net/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fbb.hbgames.tk%2Fupload%2Ftibenarea.png&hash=a05274eb68acf72ff88a2050871ced0d9981806a)
You gain gold as you play or by defeating enemies, of which there are currently ten. I am not revealing the algorithms and they are ever changing as I tweak and balance the game. You can at current spend this money on items in shops.
(https://rmrk.net/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fbb.hbgames.tk%2Fupload%2Fshop_garlic.png&hash=57cd3da5da4329e31e2356f5dfd8aae249ed1fed) (https://rmrk.net/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fbb.hbgames.tk%2Fupload%2Fshop_tatteredrobe.png&hash=5e5e5708f0ec20d17d43856598341c4192d644d1) (https://rmrk.net/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fbb.hbgames.tk%2Fupload%2Fshop_pot.png&hash=84bcb8a02e78cedc7bc66ee172450c8fdd23befa)
You can also gain gold by referring other players; how to do this is shown in game on the main screen.
(https://rmrk.net/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.vengeance-rpg.com%2Fv%2Fimages%2Fitems%2F9.png&hash=d46220a988ac801ac97cdf0c7e8583ae1825b462) (https://rmrk.net/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.vengeance-rpg.com%2Fv%2Fimages%2Fitems%2F15.png&hash=4b9a914eaffc688120749ffdef42dfec6447ce74) (https://rmrk.net/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.vengeance-rpg.com%2Fv%2Fimages%2Fitems%2F13.png&hash=a916f0a247de41d65857abbedb8a7ef381bd3f4d) (https://rmrk.net/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.vengeance-rpg.com%2Fv%2Fimages%2Fitems%2F20.png&hash=670a24dec3f395987196192662e2009201112fcd) (https://rmrk.net/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.vengeance-rpg.com%2Fv%2Fimages%2Fitems%2F10.png&hash=0f58001deee5b2f7337526f6df550eab707dc8e0) (https://rmrk.net/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.vengeance-rpg.com%2Fv%2Fimages%2Fitems%2F22.png&hash=b945c4e0524d885e5691563dc7ebc3aae600e20e) (https://rmrk.net/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.vengeance-rpg.com%2Fv%2Fimages%2Fitems%2F20.png&hash=670a24dec3f395987196192662e2009201112fcd)
Structure
Afar is created using PHP and javascript, with phpBB providing a base for account authentication and forum posting. It uses graphics provided by First Seed Material and others created by myself.
The amount of my own code has risen a lot since last time I spoke to you. The battle system was created entirely from scratch for example, as well as various other systems. Most of the game aspects are my own code, with the phpbb backbone merely serving as a good base for authentication, forums, and moderation as well as the admin cp.
[marquee](https://rmrk.net/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fbb.hbgames.tk%2Fupload%2Fairship.png&hash=c0632f7c94bed6571e83a8ab3d58fe840d25c72a)[/marquee]
Quests
Quests are under construction. You can complete most of the first one, but there is no reward yet. The second is in development and they will both be finished around the same time. The current "testquest" storyline revolves around vampires.
(https://rmrk.net/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fvengeance-rpg.com%2Fv%2Fimages%2Favatars%2Fgallery%2Fmain%2F44.png&hash=111c84f2add38a56e2cb0a61b8713b739d44915b) (https://rmrk.net/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fvengeance-rpg.com%2Fv%2Fimages%2Favatars%2Fgallery%2Fmain%2F41.png&hash=25c713824d56383cd678579b405d42e6596ffadc) (https://rmrk.net/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fvengeance-rpg.com%2Fv%2Fimages%2Favatars%2Fgallery%2Fmain%2F43.png&hash=d03e82ca9bc730724f65b4b9665a88c720b7fcd0) (https://rmrk.net/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fvengeance-rpg.com%2Fv%2Fimages%2Favatars%2Fgallery%2Fmain%2F42.png&hash=0668f548ff7304c6465c27f27858935c221e6946)
System Requirements
You must have javascript enabled for the domains:
vengeance-rpg.com (for now)
afar.ws
jquery.com
jquery is a javascript library, visit the jquery.com website for more information.
Otherwise your gameplay will be severely hindered. I may block users who do not have javascript activated in future because this may cause unfair advantages; it doesn't at the moment (other than making screens such as the inventory just not work).
High Scores
Because of our now large userbase we now have highscores. You are rated on either your gold amount, or your cumulative exp from all stats.
Stat signatures are available which update regularly:
(https://rmrk.net/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fvengeance-rpg.com%2Fv%2Fimages%2Fsigs%2F2.png&hash=82360dff5ebd0ac89638eac8604f5b5b361aa011)
If somebody registers from your sig, you get gold!
Accessing the game
http://www.afar.ws
Inspiration
The Netplay project for getting me into creating MMOs,
VDex for making me realise my old idea of making games using forums could actually work
W3schools for teaching me PHP
Tomas for helping me with javascript and showing me better ways of doing things
Everyone who helped me with Vengeance before <3
(https://rmrk.net/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi52.tinypic.com%2F200s4js.jpg&hash=35c2a626f3221a38a3cf4b4b7ea7dd5dba401e21) (http://rmrk.net/index.php/topic,40140.0.html)
Vengeance has been nominated for Project of the Season for Winter 2011. Vote here if you wish to support this project: http://rmrk.net/index.php/topic,41338.0.html
I have decided to split the "very large expansion" up and release it in chunks, as that way you get more content right now. The first part I have titled Beasts of Afar, as it is an update to the enemies database.
It was planned for tonight but has been pushed back to tomorrow (Friday) due to the amount of work involved. It is "mostly done".
Update: I lied, the update is now live and finished.
(https://rmrk.net/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Falt.hbgames.org%2Fimg%2Fupload%2Fboaexp.png&hash=17e16eebeaa76564815bfc6c3421d1fa6c3d236b)
What does the expansion involve?
At the moment there are five enemies to fight while traveling the world of Vengeance (which has been for a while called Afar, if you weren't aware!). There are a few others scattered around dungeons, but these are not available in random encounters.
The Beasts of Afar expansion adds 30 new enemies (that's right, brings us to seven times the current amount) to random encounter tables.
But that's not all! The expansion also involves the creation of random encounter groups. These are area-based groups of enemies, meaning you encounter a different set of enemies in each mini region. Farms will have different enemies to the desert, which will have different enemies to the fire caverns.
This update brings us to 49 total enemies, which includes 14 special instances from dungeons and quests (therefore 35 available in random encounters).
Three of the enemies added are only available to paid members (at current that service is unavailable, and only two people have these accounts as well as myself, for they have done work for the game or have generously donated to keep us online; however the service is coming in the near future) in the Damascan Sands region. This is a peninsula of 20 maps including a new city, that will be available during or shortly after the Beasts of Afar expansion.
Look out for the expansion tomorrow if all goes well. Until then have fun fighting the... five enemies in the game!