There is a metric grundle of DROD-related news items to share from last month and for this upcoming month! I'll try to be as brief as possible, for the Archivists' sake, though it won't do much good.
DROD:TSS 5.0.1
A new version of DROD:TSS is released, with multiple bug fixes and stability and performance improvements. It is recommended for everyone to upgrade TSS to the new version. If you have been playing TSS in 5.0.0, you need to follow specific steps to upgrade your player data for use in 5.0.1. This procedure, plus the change log and instructions for getting the new version, are listed here:
http://forum.caravelgames.com/viewtopic.php?TopicID=5899&page=10#385056
TSS Custom Elements Bonus Pack
In keeping with the spirit of working closely with the community to make everyone's DROD awesome, we've made available a package containing a good selection of the custom graphic and puzzle element content featured in TSS. Everyone who has registered TSS to a forum user account may download it, and you may include or modify these assets for use in your own personal DROD holds.
http://forum.caravelgames.com/viewtopic.php?TopicID=38640
Gunthro is Greenlit!
Everyone here who uses Steam should be pleased to hear that "
DROD: Gunthro and the Epic Blunder"
has been Greenlit by the Steam community! We want to take this moment to thank everyone who has voted for DROD to be on Steam, or who has otherwise plugged DROD to be featured on this or other channels.
To acknowledge your dedication, we don't want to just throw our current build of Gunthro up on Steam. We would like to feature "
Gunthro"
in the 5.0 game engine, with fresh, new hold Challenges integrated with the Steam framework. We're also figuring out how to implement CaravelNet features with the Steam community and playerbase at large. On top of that, we're planning to add some card collectibles and make other DROD content cleanly available as DLC, and hopefully provide Steam cloud support. Regardless of our release schedule for these features, we will promise a Steam key to everyone who has registered Gunthro on the Caravel Forum when it's published on Steam, and we need to implement an automated mechanism for handling this.
As you can see, there's a good number of things we'd like to put together for our Steam players to enjoy. It will take us at least a few months to put everything together. We don't have a date in mind, so we'll keep you posted as progress is made.
In the meantime, we're celebrating by offering both the downloadable and CD versions of "
GatEB"
for 50% off the prices listed on the Caravel Games site, effective today! So, if you haven't purchased "
Gunthro"
yet, now would be a great time to enjoy this entry offering into the world of DROD.
http://www.caravelgames.com/buyGatEB.html
New Linux versions of older DROD games:
Trick has provided shiny new versions of Linux DROD for each major title!
All of these fix a crash at startup, add native 64-bit executables, better unicode filesystem support, and other minor fixes. Anyone who has registered their games to their user account on the forum can get the new Linux versions from the Caravel Forum Downloads page:
http://forum.caravelgames.com/downloads.php
KDD 2.0.19
JtRH 2.0.19
TCB 3.3.1
GatEB 4.0.4
RPG 1.2.1
DROD Developer Interviews
Patrick interviewed Pearls and LarryMurk a couple of weeks ago. They shared their thoughts and vision on some fascinating puzzle and story development in TSS. You can listen/watch the recap here:
http://forum.caravelgames.com/viewtopic.php?TopicID=38549
This Saturday, 8 AM MDT, I'll be speaking with Patrick in another round. I heard a rumor that Matt or Jacob might be there too. If not this time though, then in a later session. The interviews get streamed live on Patrick's Twitch page. Join the Caravel chat and ask me and the rest of the group questions!
http://www.twitch.tv/GamingCashbox
Forum contest: Keeping it Secret
In designing TSS puzzles, we made a concerted effort to provide interesting and varied ways to access secret areas. Our first post-release official Forum Contest had players designing an interesting way to access a secret room.
http://forum.caravelgames.com/viewtopic.php?TopicID=38437
There are twenty-five contest submissions that you will be able to try out this Saturday, and you will be able to judge the entries! First place winner will receive a free prize from the Prize Pile and 100 rank points. Second place gets a three-month CaravelNet extension and 50 rank points, and third place gets a one-month CaravelNet extension and 25 rank points. If this sounds like a fun contest idea to participate in, but you weren't aware of it till now, don't despair. There will be a second part to the contest, and we will also have another contest next month. Stick around, and you too could win a free game or other goodies!
DROD Challenge League
Looking for more ways to compete in DROD-space? Now you can take part in the all-new DROD Challenge League! Participate in a series of unique challenges, twisting your mind in ways you might have never considered doing in DROD before, like letting loose as many briars as possible in "
Somewhere Under the Ocean"
or maybe getting yourself killed in an unusual way.
There's still time to get involved in this First Season now and opportunity to place in the winner's circle.
http://forum.caravelgames.com/viewtopic.php?TopicID=38573
If there's a lot of interest drummed up here, we may consider making this an actual part of the game and CaravelNet at some point.
What's the Bar up to these days?
Pssst...if you poke the progress bar on the Caravel Forum these days, you can see how many TSS players so far have seen "
The Second Sky"
!
Happy DRODing!
--Mike
____________________________
Gandalf? Yes... That's what they used to call me.
Gandalf the Grey. That was my name.
I am Gandalf the White.
And I come back to you now at the turn of the tide.
