The first drop for Passage to the Indies is ready. Simply click on the link below to download the .zip file. Then run the setup.exe within to install Passage to the Indies. You’ll need to use the Control Panel to remove it, however.
Passage to the Indies download
The explorer traverses the plains in the New World
This first drop represents a very primitive, but playable, version of the game. The explorer (represented by a red crosshair for now), having landed in the New World while searching for a passage to the Indies, is in camp. He has already gained some fame as a result of the landing. The explorer can be moved about the new land, uncovering terrain for discovery credit. Once the explorer returns to camp discovery credit is “cashed in” for fame credit. In the final game this will be analogous to returning to Europe and making known the discoveries. Basically, discovery credit is only good if the explorer returns alive. This will hopefully be an interesting gameplay dynamic between cashing in versus pushing it to the limit to make more discoveries before returning to camp (Europe, eventually).
Time only passes while the explorer is moving. Though this will have to be changed should multiplayer ever be added, I’m happy with it for now. Eventually there will need to be a “wait for X time period” capability so that the explorer can hunker down in the event of bad weather and the like but for now that is not needed. Time is constant (at about a day per second of movement) but the rate at which the explorer moves varies by terrain. Mountains are the slowest and plains the fastest, with the other terrain types falling in between.
The terrain type the explorer is traversing also determines the explorer’s maximum sight range. Forests offer the least range while mountains offer the most. Also higher terrain than the explorer is standing on can limit his sight range. For example, if the explorer is traversing plains they will not be able to see hills beyond a mountain nearer to him. However, he can see a mountain beyond a hill nearer to him (but not a forest beyond that hill). It is hoped that offering greater sight range (and the resulting increase in discovery credit from uncovered terrain) will make mountains and other difficult terrain appealing, despite their impact on movement. Terrain that is currently visible is lighter than discovered but not currently visible terrain. Black areas are as yet undiscovered.
Finally, the explorer starts with only 300 food. Once the food is gone the explorer dies. Food is currently eaten at a rate of ten per day. Various terrain types, however, allow for that rate to be lessened by allowing for foraging. Foraging is currently automatic but won’t remain that way in the future (interesting gameplay could arise from assigning crew to foraging, or having a native guide along that knows the land and offers a better foraging modifier). Deserts currently offer the least in the way of foraging while forests (jungle, evergreen, or deciduous) offer the most. Eventually weather, season, etc. will play into this (as well as into sight range, above).
There are a couple of issues with this drop. First, the coastal tiles don’t allow any walking on them even when the shoreline looks walkable. I’ll fix this soon, but the coast just looked way too cool to not put in. Second, there is an occasional frame stutter when scrolling / moving — I’ll try and knock that out soon too. Finally, winning is a bit open to interpretation. Since the explorer can’t get any more than 300 food and can’t retire winning is accomplished by having the greatest amount of fame (not discovery!) credit at time of death. Morbid, I know!
For the next drop I’ll be looking at adding rivers, sailing to and from Europe (the right side of the map), and some (at least rudimentary) random land form generation.