This is an old-style computer role-playing game I have been working on in my spare time for many years (the current version was started around 2005, although some preliminary work was done as early as the mid-1990's). It runs on Windows.
It has some unfinished details, but is playable and I have been really enjoying it as I test it so I hope others will enjoy it, as well. Since some people have expressed an interest in trying it and my time these days is so limited that I don't know when I'll ever finish various details on it, it is probably long since time I went ahead and shared it.
While this is entirely my own game and designed from scratch, you may notice that it has been influenced by a variety of popular CRPG's and tabletop RPG's, particularly my favorite games, the early titles in the Ultima series (it actually was designed to allow running an Ultima II scenario so has a few baseline UI elements in common with that game as a result). That said, I have changed, extended, combined, etc. many of the concepts from the various games I have been influenced by in order to better fit my own designs. In other words, this is an original game, not a copy or a clone.
I should also note that this is not a single game, but rather a game engine containing several scenarios and the ability for others to design their own scenarios. This is a concept used in many games, but a good example of a popular CRPG that uses this approach is NeverWinter Nights.
That said, the most complex and finished scenario I have designed to date is called "The Gemstone of Balance". The "and Other Stories" refers to the other scenarios I started that happen to be far less complete and to any future content that someone else may decide to design.
Main Menu:
Outside:
Combat:
Town:
Arctic:
An Arctic Dungeon:
A Dungeon Room:
(This is in addition to some on the old site. Further, the count may sometimes temporarily decrease by 1 when I am testing the download after an update.)
Download the game (latest standard version 250817)
This version wraps in (includes) all patches up to and including patch 240817, meaning it is the most comprehensive standard version to date. While newer patches such as the one listed next (see below) CAN be installed over this version (and are intended for doing so), it is NOT necessary to install any old patches over this version (250817 or older) since they are already included. Note that this version is identical to installing patch version 250817 over old game version 240720 (or over later versions that also support that patch, meaning 240715 or 240817-250725).
Note that while this version includes a huge number of changes from the previous standard version (240720) related to a variety of subjects, it is the first standard version to include the party system (for scenarios that support it).
Also note that the term "standard version" simply means that future patches may at some point be based against it or newer rather than older versions, although this is not yet the case (any future patches will for now continue to also support old versions 240720 and newer).
Download the latest patch (version 251119) for game version 250817
This patch should ONLY be applied to recent or semi-recent install or patched versions (250817, or 251106, 251020, 251008, 251001, 250824, or older versions 250725, 250716, 250709, 250626, 250614, 250522, 250322, 250309, 250301, 250214, 250207, 241122, 241115, 241111, 241107, 241101, 241026, 241019, 241012, 241004, 240926, 240919, 240909, 240903, 240825, 240817, 240720, or 240715). Installing it means the game becomes version 251119. Note that this patch also includes all of the content of patch 250817 in order to support the afore-mentioned older versions; refer to the notes on the "old versions" page (link below) for old patch 250817 if you want further details. It also includes a bug fix to prevent removing a party member in some invalid situations, an enhancement to use 'A' for "all" at some quantity prompts, enhancements of a party inventory Gather command and Share command, and an enhancement of Party left/right as another way to select the active character. It also includes a bug fix for delay sometimes temporarily getting stuck on the first party member, rogues now have an extra chance to detect some traps, improvements to the Seaport combat trainer conv, fixed a problem with some spell messages, improved some spell/party interactions, improved the balance of some spells, and added a note to the readme about ignoring any errors/warning when first entering the special desert area after first installing one of the newer patches and using an older save. It also includes a bug fix for delay not being processed for an unsplit party, a bug fix for a line feed problem with some border selections, a bonus to hit when flanking, the rogue now may do extra damage when flanking, and additional work on spell/party interaction. It also includes a bug fix for a pit trap failed escape saving throw (results were reversed), a minor bug fix related to the Seaport library, integration of the rogue traps abilities into the scenario completed, and implementation of a simple class-based flexible skills system along with integration into the rogue class and the scenario (climb such as better at climbing out of a pit trap, detection such as hearing sounds, etc.). Note the rogue class should now be more balanced with the other classes. It also includes a minor bug fix for incapacitated join-based party members in conversations, added some doors that a rogue can pick, added some new treasure focused on rogues, NPC joining no longer considers the rogue underpowered, significant progress on some incomplete content, added copy (control-c) for advanced input prompts (such as the script console) corresponding to the existing paste, and some work on the manual mainly to correspond to the recent work on the rogue. This version differs in that it also includes an enhancement where arrows etc. look more like arrows etc. during attacks, an in-game book of spell descriptions, a party member with the locks skill doesn't have to be active to notice a target door, a minor bug fix for the afore-mentioned copy enhancement, and more significant work on the afore-mentioned incomplete content (some now complete).
This full version is an alternative to installing the patch over an earlier version.
To be clear, all the content of these old versions are already included in the newer versions. These are only useful for special purposes.
Note that for purposes of patches, the current game versions are still considered to be 240720 or newer, meaning, those designed as being for that version can be applied to that version or newer.
Download old game version 251106
Download old patch version 251106 for old game version 240720
Download old game version 251020
Download old patch version 251020 for old game version 240720
Download old game version 251008
Download old patch version 251008 for old game version 240720
Download old game version 251001
Download old patch version 251001 for old game version 240720
Download old game version 250824
Download old patch version 250824 for old game version 240720
Download the game (old version 240720)
This version wraps in (includes) all patches up to and including 240715, meaning it was the most comprehensive standard version to date. While newer patches CAN be installed over this version (those that are listed as appropriate for this version), do not install any old patches over this version (240715 or older) since they are already included. Note that this version is identical to installing patch version 240715 over old game version 240210.
Download the latest patch (version 250817) for old game version 240720
Download old game version 250725
Download old patch version 250725 for old game version 240720
All newer versions include more content, and/or more complete content, and/or various bug fixes, and/or general improvements
More old versions: Old versions page
Download the install instructions
The text file download contains the install instructions but it is also included in the zip file download. The zip file download also includes a very detailed manual that I wrote. If you are looking for the installer program, please read the install instructions document; there is no need for an install program (to summarize, you copy the contents of the zip file to whichever location you want on your machine and run the game from the exe or the batch file corresponding to the scenario you want to start). Note that the primary scenario "The Gemstone of Balance" is currently designated as scenario number 2 due to the order in which I designed them.
So to reiterate, the best way to run the game is one of the following methods:
OR
I've tested on a variety of machines with no problems, but had some feedback on situations that I have not encountered as well as other issues so please keep the following in mind:
Download the editor (latest version 240714) (optional)
This version includes various improvements such as a new option to jump to the last buffer, a bug fix for loading files with no extension, a major enhancement to editing text input, and significant progress on the manual.
Download the plugins package (optional)
Download the tcl plugin (optional)
I designed the game with a focus on gameplay, not graphics. That said, the engine is capable of handling high-resolution graphics. I simply did not want to spend time creating high-resolution graphics and I think the low resolution graphics fit the older style of game better, anyway. (That said, I did create some sample high-resolution graphics that are available in a few special cases; please refer to the manual for more details.)
I wrote the engine from scratch using C++ with Win32, and did so at a very low level (largely because I had originally intended to port the game to DOS). It has been tested on a variety of Windows OS's over the years. I have not tried it on the oldest versions in a while, but given my design approach, there's a good chance that it still works fine as far back as Windows 95. Although I designed it in a manner which abstracts the OS-specific functionality so that it would be easier to port to other OS's, this is not a priority so unlikely.
This game does not use any content from any other author (although, as previously noted, it uses a few concepts from a variety of influences). I also wrote the primary scenario "The Gemstone of Balance" entirely from scratch (with the exception of one public domain sound). Some of the other scenarios I wrote demonstrate the use of some data based on Ultima II for the purposes of fan scenarios based on that game, but were otherwise also written entirely from scratch.
I would be very pleased and honored if someone else wanted to write a scenario using this engine (and it is specifically designed to allow for this). However, do make sure my name is still clearly cited as the author of the engine, any copied scenario content, original design concepts, etc.. Also, do not sell any content based on this game since it is non-profit. Lastly, I'd appreciate it if you'd let me know if you plan to post any scenario that you have created, mainly because I'd love to try it! :) (I will try to set up a method of contact in the near future, probably a forum thread. For now, you can contact me by responding to my announcement post on Reddit.)
The game is non-profit, a hobby based on my tremendous interest in the old CRPG style of games. I have not sold this game at any point and currently have no intent to do so.
Please note that I have purposely and carefully avoided any information about any other similar efforts over the years because I did not want my game to be influenced in any way by any similar work anyone else was doing. This means that my game has no influences from any such work and I'd prefer to continue with the same approach (including not getting into discussions about them).
Please refer to the manual for more details about the design.
I am a software engineer with a degree in computer science. Some of my interests include programming, computer role-playing and strategy games, music performance, music composition, listening to music, tabletop role-playing games, and good movies and TV series (particulary science fiction and fantasy). I became a software engineer largely due to my interest in CRPG games I played when I was young in the 1980's such as the best game of all time, Ultima IV.