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 240720)
This version wraps in (includes) all patches up to and including 240715, meaning it is the most comprehensive 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), 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 250322) for the current game version
This patch should ONLY be applied to the current game version (240720 or 240715) or recent patched/install versions (250309, 250301, 250214, 250207, 241122, 241115, 241111, 241107, 241101, 241026, 241019, 241012, 241004, 240926, 240919, 240909, 240903, 240825, or 240817). Installing it means the game becomes version 250322. As with other recent patches, the primary change is that it adds the core of a party system to the game along with integration into scenario 2. Be aware that additional party system testing is still planned. While changes in each patch have been focusing on the party system, changes that are more general have also been included. Just as with all other recent patches, this patch also includes all of the content of the other previous recent patches; refer to the notes in the "old versions" section below for old patch 250214 if you want further details (the text for those older changes has become very lengthy so was separated from this note). Also included is a bug fix for the dungeon SE of Friel and the river where a new or summoned creature after killing the leader could cause it to not be considered completed for the related quest, a bug fix in combining item stacks due to item charges not combining correctly in a few specific situations, party member Wait now ends with any unsplit, condition displays now include negative modifiers and Wait, a few additional fixes were made to condition displays (such as missing the delay condition in one case), a bug fix in the feature to skip disabled party members where the first party member would sometimes incorrectly appear in place of another, and some minor improvements to various NPC conversations. It also includes a fix for a very serious bug in exit data of autosaves from the PA wand and the special area in the rescue quest dungeon (however, only a problem upon direct reload), a bug fix if some party options are selected without a party, you can now change the active character in a ship (or any other vehicle) (this was actually in 250301 but noting it was forgotten), rescue quest conversions now properly support a cleric and party, a main menu enhancement to create characters ahead of time, user scenario settings have moved to a dedicated file (scenario 2 only for now), and some misc. minor fixes/improvements. This version differs in that it also includes a bug fix for if scenario-user.cfg is not found (the file is supposed to be optional) along with some related changes, a bug fix for the special lava location so that it works properly with a party, a party-related enhancement for the 'Z' character stats command to allow keys such as left/right between any multiple party members (along with other party-related features), a major enhancement to support creating a party from the main menu (however, this is not a change for scenario 2, but rather meant for custom scenarios, a cheat setting, and possibly future built-in scenarios), and some misc. minor fixes.
This full version is an alternative to installing the patch over an earlier version.
Download old game version 250309
Download old patch version 250309 for the current game version (240720)
Download old game version 250301
Download old patch version 250301 for the current game version (240720)
Download old patch version 250214 for the current game version (240720)
This patch should ONLY be applied to the current game version (240720 or 240715) or recent patched versions (250207, 241122, 241115, 241111, 241107, 241101, 241026, 241019, 241012, 241004, 240926, 240919, 240909, 240903, 240825, or 240817). Installing it will cause the game to be updated to 250214. As with other recent patches, it adds the core of a party system to the game along with integration into scenario 2. That said, the integration is still being tested so be warned that some problems may still remain. This patch is being posted now rather than waiting because the core of the system and all of scenario 2 that has been tested so far works and is a lot of fun to try out (I've really been enjoying it as I test it). To activate this, there are now new NPC's in scenario 2 that will join you (with some prerequisites); refer to the release notes in the patch for details. Further work included significant additional progress so everything should work much better when using a party than in earlier patches (although work still remains). Just a few differences of particular note include a bug fix for saving a disbanded party, additional NPC's that will join, handling many additional core party system details, and significant additional integration with scenario 2. Also included is a fix for a very serious bug when using a party where if the active character is killed in particular situations, the game flags may be lost (which track things such as completed quests). Another (also with a party and very serious) is where in a very few locations exit data may be lost which means it is not possible to leave that location. Another (also with a party) are fixes for a few different but related bugs with the wrong party member being used for things such as the result of a stun attack or a decrease in inventory weight when food is used up (and for the later a new bug fix menu option to recalculate inventory weight). Another (also mainly with a party) are fixes including the sidebar being properly set after the party stats command, not displaying a party member as delayed after a map-based pit, and more, and some enhancements including the "Move NPC" command now also working on (inactive) allies (this one not just with a party) and the party trade command now being allowed in split mode. There are also a few more party-related and general bug fixes and enhancements (the later such as area-effect powers for some creatures and a new party option to skip delayed party member view changes). NPC's that will join now are an official part of the scenario and some of their NPC implementations also have a few fixes/improvements. A bug related to several NPC's not recognizing unlocked doors after an item was dropped was fixed. A number of minor bugs and a few moderate bugs have been fixed, those mostly related to the party system but a few also were more general. Just a few of these include a minor memory issue with some special containers, display of a dead party member, Look including all party member conditions, combat messages include the party member name, mass turn undead spells won't anger most allies anymore, level checks done for all party members when XP given, no "on other" spells on maps with invalid targets, a sidebar SP issue when resting, a problem with the Move NPC command when using a split party, and many more. The same is true of various enhancements, just a few of which include party pass, displaying cast spell names, alternate spell selection options, more precise checking of valid unsplit and danger conditions, etc.). A new cheat command now allows optionally creating your own party characters (though not recommended due to game balance of scenario 2, thus only a cheat command). There are also more fixes for both general and party system problems. The former includes Yell no longer using a turn when aborted, the later the PC tile no longer turning empty after the Seaport theater and split no longer placing party members beyond barriers, and for both wrapped maps now being properly supported in several features (some problems in the view map display, screen locking, area spells, party members seeming to disappear but actually simply not displaying across the border, and splitting and unsplitting). There are also more changes that are general and specific to the party system. The former includes a fix so the end menu will not happen an extra time after loading, a fix for the Move NPC command that was incorrectly mixing X and Y coordinates when the PC needed to move out of the way, the end sequence properly handling a reloaded save, fixed remaining summoned allies preventing the Seaport goblin lair quest from being completed, and more. The later includes fixing a problem where the display of a party member's HP would sometimes not update when it should, rebalancing the final battle to consider a party, the end sequence properly considering a party in the text, talking to the joining rogue with an existing party will no longer cause an error, and more. There is also a fix for a general bug where verifying Fire command ammo such as for a ship cannon was also incorrectly checking standard weapon ammo so could say it was out when it wasn't, improved messages for a party member target of a power (clarifying who was hit and such), a party "Wait" command was added, and fixes or improvements on several maps (for the party system as usual but also some in general). As with previous recent versions, the main focus on this from the last is more progress on the party system (such as fixing issues related to maps that don't work properly with a party).
Download old patch version 250207 for the current 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.