Dirkels Blog

I stumbled upon this forum again and read some of your comments from 2016. I feel like a real dick for never posting that demo. It was almost playable.
I've made a playable version today and uploaded it to the gamemaker community forum here:
https://forum.yoyogames.com/index.php?threads/dirkels.24824/

I hope you guys like it. Thanks for everything, it was real fun!!!
Also curious what you guys are up to now a days!

Happy new year everyone.
Updated from GM8 to Gamemaker Studio today! Had to fix lots of bugs, still have to change things, but it's playable again.
Also improved the trees in Dirkels, they are also animated now if you look closely. Also made new armour and made that you need statpoints in Endurance to wear certain equipment. You now have leather armor, and hardened leather armor. (on the picture below i wear leather armor, and a hardened leather cap, because this only requires 1 endurance, and I've put all my other stats in strength haha)

Took a lot of time to fix a bug today.
Made it so that if and enemy attacks you, but you run away, and the enemy can't find you anymore, that he walks to his starting position.
Anyway, also made that after you've defeated Baldir Bloodaxe, the Balderits are gone.
There are now some extra slugs (so that it isn't completely empty), and some npc' to talk with.



Also created new characters, that only appear when the Balderits are gone (so after the storyline you can go back to the balderit area and meet them).

So I've redesigned the Balderit camp area.
In the beginning you see a battlefield, guards fighting balderits.
Pretty cool, also a cool place to get experience and gold, because the balderits are weakened and easy to kill.
For the first quest you have to save richard hopps, from his 'cage' (just as in the previous dirkels)
I need some beta testers soon to see if it's too hard for a first quest, and if I should make the Balderits weaker.



And of course, the second quest in which you'll kill Baldir Bloodaxe.

Played the previous Dirkels again, haha it's still awesome, gave me some ideas for this version.
Also scouted the Dirkels Graphics forum om the GMC from 3 years ago, will still use the best sprite-designs, also gave me lots of ideas for this Dirkels.
Maybe some of you remember when someone designed the 'Phelocee'.
Well, he'll be in the game soon:

(Master XYZ for size comparison. Too big for a low-level enemy? Too small? haha)

Working on a new map, the area left of Korteya Town, which will be the Grasslands...

It's been a while.
Just want you guys to know that I'm still working on the game. I've finished the first part of the game, including the tutorial (aldezars castle) and the Balderit storyline, which has 2 quests including the boss fight with Baldir Bloodaxe. Jeremiah Pena's music is back in the game, and lots more.

Today I finished the loot system, the loot can be multiple items. (picture only shows 1 though, with more items more squares will appear)

Sooo the fight is getting pretty awesome.
Master XYZ helps you kill Baldir, and Baldir uses his 'axe spinning attack' so now and then. Master XYZ' AI is quite good too, he dodges attacks, runs around baldir and strikes him when he can, and runs away when Baldir does the spinning attack.
Ruden is doing nothing special yet, he probably just floats around I guess.
Some ideas?

Very busy on the boss fight with Baldir Bloodaxe.
I'm planning to let Master XYZ join the fight, not sure what Ruden will do in the battle though,
probably casting those lil' skulls again.




- Kyon

finished the scene in which Ruden the Warlock attacks the Balderits.
Now he turned Baldir into one of his minions.

This is just the second 'real' quest I've made, and you already have to defeat Baldir Bloodaxe.
As you see I'm speeding up the story so you only have exciting quests all the time.

I'll now start scripting the battle with Baldir Bloodaxe, which will take some time I think.
Was the boss fight with Baldir in the previous...

Very busy on a scene in which Ruden the Warlock attacks the Balderit Camp.

Busy with the Balderit camp.



Also remember Jashua Moreland from the previous Dirkels? He's the guy who gave you quests about Slugs.
Anyway, now he's just at his little camp watching the Balderit camp close to him.
The messagebox system works so perfect, I'm very proud of that.





- Kyon

I've improved the background, what do you think? Any improvements? Contrast ok?

- Kyon

Done a lot again, armor works now, you can level up now, and you can add stat points, but strength is the only one that works so far haha.
Anyway, the thing I'm proud of this time is the shop system, I finally got it worked, and again all made by myself.
So you can now buy stuff.


And of course sell stuff, your gold will be added. The buy price of an item is higher than the sell price.


Also made it so that if your inventory is full you can't buy...

Done a lot.
The tutorial/intro of the game is done, this part was mostly Aldezar's Castle, you'll see Aldezar get killed by the hands of Alyuen (as you saw the cutscenes of the previous Dirkels, now you'll actually see the fight). Later you see Baldir Bloodaxe attack Korteya Town, and after a while he escapes, and the Emperor orders you to help Master XYZ to get rid of the Balderits and bring peace to Korteya. Same concept as in the old Dirkels.



Also made a working questlog, you can have a maximum of 3 quests at a...

Working on this scene most of the time now, it's still part of the game intro,
after this scene you can finally free-roam the world of Dirkels.

- kyon

Here some new screens,
I made a guard and I've reeeeaally polished the battle system now.
You'll hear more from me soon

Sooo I'm working on Dirkels a lot lately, it's quite fun to make this part of the game when the basic engine is done.
Though, soon I'll have to make boring stuff again, like, there aren't shops in the game yet, still have to make this, I also haven't made that you can pick up items from the ground, or loot a corpse or anything. So still have lots to do.
Anyway, here is a cool picture of the awesome fight between Aldezar and Alyuen. The fight doesn't last long at all, but it is quite awesome!

(ignore the "30" above...

Not sure why I'm writing this, but I guess after what all you guys did for me, I should let you know that all the work wasn't for nothing. I won't give away too much info, but I'll post here once in a while with some cool pictures and stories about Dirkels.



Let me answer some questions for you;
-Yes, I started working on Dirkels again.
-I was gone for so long mostly because of school and no motivation to continue Dirkels again.
-Yes, I am using the same story, but slightly improved.
-Yes, I scrapped...