Thursday 29 September 2011

Worldcrafter 0.5 Released

Mind the lava!
Version 0.5 of Worldcrafter, the Minecraft alternative for Android, has been released with the following new features:-

* The player's inventory is now saved with the map
* Improved world creation
* Darkness when going underground
* Zombies can destroy walls
* More animated blocks
* Killer wasps
* New block type: Sand
* Moved icons to give more visibility
* Health bar
* Random items in chests

Tuesday 27 September 2011

Hitchhiker's Guide to Worldcrafter

Since there are quite a few block types and gameplay "elements" in Worldcrafter, the player needs some kind of reference for everything, and this is exactly what the Worldcrafter Guide is for.  It's just like a 'wiki' that runs in your Android phone, and has links to all the block types, monsters and gameplay elements in the game.  And it's completely free!


Monday 26 September 2011

Worldcrafter: Version 0.4 Released

Version 0.4 has just been released!  Here is a rundown of the latest major new features:-

* Apples grow on trees
* New blocks - Admantium, iron ore, flint
* Shows current selected block type
* If construction mode, the player has access to all blocks
* Now collect items by clicking on them
* Zombies can drop flint
* Player can start fires

The latest version of Worldcrafter is available here.

Friday 23 September 2011

Worldcrafter: I am the God of Hell Fire


..And I Bring You Fire!  Dum dum duuuum duum...

Here's a screenshot* of one of the new blocks, fire**.  It can be created by dropping a piece of iron ore** and throwing*** a piece of flint at it.

* I've discovered how to take screenshots now without having to run the slow-as-a-crawl emulator.  DDMS has the option in it.  Get ready for some much better screenshots coming soon.  Although this one isn't bad, as it shows a tree growing from an acorn as well as a fire.

** Note that this is feature is in version 0.4, which will probably be out on Monday 26th October due to the rigorous testing regime we have here.

** I've decided that one of the way the players can 'craft' (to use the Minecraft terminology) is to place one kind of block and throw another kind at it.  If they are "compatible" (like iron ore and flint are) something will happen, like a fire will be created.  'But how will a player know what blocks are compatible?' I hear you ask.  That's what I created the mini-wiki for, which I'll write about on Monday probably.

Wednesday 21 September 2011

Worldcrafter: Dungeons

Looking for dungeons, and the treasures that they hold, will probably be a big part of Worldcrafter.  Here you can see a dungeon that the player has found, and they are currently stood on top of a treasure chest ready to open it.  However, the blue/black chequered block next to it is a rumbling zombie generator, so our hero better get a move on before one appears!

Also in this screenshot you can see the new "ID" icon, which will help the player identify blocks.  If they click on it and then click on a block, the type of block will be identified.

Tuesday 20 September 2011

Worldcrafter: Name Change Required

As I suspected, I've definitely got to change the name of this game.  I can't even find it myself on Android Market, since the search results are swamped with a million World of Warcraft apps thanks to Google trying to be clever and assuming you were searching for WoW.

Suggestions for a new name are welcome.Please let me know at the Worldcrafter forums.

Thursday 15 September 2011

Worldcrafter: Released

The first version has just been released!  Feedback is welcome as to which features players want next.

One of the semi-annoying things about Google is that if you do a search for "Worldcrafter", you'll have to wade through approximately a million results for "Worldcraft", whichis a bit more popular (at the moment).  Maybe I might have to rename it for the first full release.

There are a few new features that have been added recently:-
* Zombie generators in the dungeons
* The player's health slowly goes down
* There are snow-capped mountains further on if the player explores.

Friday 9 September 2011

Worldcrafter: Here be Zombies

Any game worth its salt must have the current "enemy du jour" in it, which these days seems to be Zombies.


Here you can see one of the little blighters trying to creep up on our hero. What can he do to save himself? At the moment he can either run, or mine some rocks and throw them at it. But more may be waiting round the corner. They normally only come out at night, but thanks to my new and patented "debug mode", I can conjur them up whenever I want. What's that you say? "Prior art"???

Thursday 8 September 2011

Worldcrafter: Animated Sky


Instead of having a static sky, I've decided to animate it with sprites for the sun and clouds. This gives far more variety, and also also for an additional game devices like day and night.

Tuesday 6 September 2011

Worldcrafter Controls


Trying to optimize controls for a phone is always a case of treading a fine line between making it intuitive but simple. I've opted to make it so that tilting the phone left/right moves the player's avatar, while touching the far sides of the screen makes them jump. Touching icons obviously selects them, and touching adjacent blocks either mines them or places them. And finally, "flicking" from the avatar outwards makes them throw a rock in that direction. Now the player is almost ready to fight the zombies!