A Lode Runner Story - 0.1

2d puzzle action rpg retro classic singleplayer

In "A Lode Runner Story," I began with the core gameplay from the original classic. As in the original, you must navigate various levels, attempting to dig through the ground and acquire gold while evading the bad guys who want to kill you.

On top of the classic gameplay, I add in a number of popular RPG elements. The game will feature a nonlinear quest and dialogue system. As you explore the world, you will have an opportunity to talk with the various NPCs that populate the game.

As you converse with people in the game, you will gain various quests and objectives. The dialogue responses you select during those conversations will determine your reputation and, in time, the path your story will take. Different conversational approaches will yield different rewards, and at times even entirely different quests!

In exactly the same way, many quests will present you with the same freedom of choice. If a citizen asks you to retrieve a special item for you, will you retrieve the correct item, or will you bypass it in favor of a more interesting item that you like better? Furthermore, if you do take the "correct" item, will you agree to return it to the citizen, or will you ultimately decide to keep it for your own use?

The game's inventory / item system allows you to make continued modifications to your player throughout the game. Some items might grant you a speed increase; others might lengthen the duration of the holes you dig in the ground. Higher-level items will mix and match various attributes, even! As you play through the game, you will have the ability to experiment, to learn which item combinations give you the best chance to complete each puzzle and elude the bad guys.

The game is currently still in an alpha state. Many of the listed features are already firmly in place, but many features also remain waiting for their turn in line. I have recently began recording narrated "developer diaries" that take a more detailed look at the game's various systems. I've included links to those videos below, and I'll definitely keep this page updated as I continue to progress toward playable demos and, some month, a final release!

Dev Diary #2 - Reactive dialogue system, quest system
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRvLBfp3dJ4

Dev Diary #1 - Core gameplay, inventory system
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=it1k8tcCKiI