The Murran Chronicles: Episode 3 - Lifedrinker of Landsdowne
Website: http://www.billandnicole.net/games
Teaser video: http://www.billandnicole.net/games/ep3/murran3.wmv
NOTE (3-3-11) : See my last post : http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/yabb/index.php?topic=37524.msg571278 for info on the new screenies.
Plot/Storyline
-------------------Shortly after your adventure with the mystery in Montana, you are given a case involving mysterious deaths in Landsdowne, Massachusetts. The bodies of two men in their early twenties have been found recently, and according to local authorities both dead men looked to be in their seventies when their bodies were found. There is no explanation as both men were thought to be healthy, and in the prime of their lives. Add to this the odd reports of a pack of animals roaming the town at night, and you have your work cut out for you. Is there some sort of vampire creature on the loose as some of the town rumors suggest? What is behind the rumors of odd goat-like creatures that have been seen after nightfall? Are the two related? You are thrown into the midst of an age long battle between good and evil as you investigate the case of the Life Drinker of Landsdowne.
About The Game
------------------------Life Drinker of Landsdowne is in 640x480 resolution, running in Hi-Color mode. This game will be almost twice as long as the second game, and will have much more content, many more characters: some with dynamic locations, and 3 different endings depending on the paths and choices you make as the player.
This third game in the series will be the first to not feature the police cruiser as your primary mode of transportation. Dust off those walking shoes, there is much to see in the town of Landsdowne.
This game will also feature something new to the Murran Chronicles: day and night cycles. Explore the town during the day, and return to places as night for a whole new look at them.
Progress
----------------Story 100%
Dialogue 100%
Graphics 90%
Character Art / Animations : 85%
Puzzles 100%
Scripting 100%
Music/sound 100%
Old Screenshots (CLICK A THUMBNAIL FOR THE FULL IMAGE):
(http://www.billandnicole.net/games/ep3/ss1.png) (http://www.billandnicole.net/games/ep3/ss1.png) (http://www.billandnicole.net/games/ep3/ss2.png) (http://www.billandnicole.net/games/ep3/ss2.png) (http://www.billandnicole.net/games/ep3/ss4.png) (http://www.billandnicole.net/games/ep3/ss4.png)
(http://www.billandnicole.net/games/ep3/ss5.png) (http://www.billandnicole.net/games/ep3/ss5.png)
Thanks,
Bill
Great great great. Need to finish one and two first, but great..to see this is on.
thou work so fast , sport
:) nice !
Thanks for the interest :)
I am hoping to have dialog finished within the month and track down some voice actors. Then its on to Beta testing in early May hopefully.
I work fast because my job has a LOT of downtime where I do my games in between trouble calls (I'm in IT) :)
-Bill
Updated the main post with info and screenshots reflecting the completely new artwork I am doing for the game.
Thanks,
Bill
Here are some new screenshots, including the new character sprite, the speech portrait, and Turner's sprite, done by Neil (announced as new sprite artist above). Also linking in the new screenshots:
(http://www.billandnicole.net/games/ep3/ss3.png) (http://www.billandnicole.net/games/ep3/ss3.png)
(http://www.billandnicole.net/games/ep3/ss6.png) (http://www.billandnicole.net/games/ep3/ss6.png)
(http://www.billandnicole.net/games/ep3/ss7.png) (http://www.billandnicole.net/games/ep3/ss7.png)
(http://www.billandnicole.net/games/ep3/ss8.png) (http://www.billandnicole.net/games/ep3/ss8.png)
(http://www.billandnicole.net/games/ep3/ss9.png) (http://www.billandnicole.net/games/ep3/ss9.png)
**Note: We are doing away with the shadow under the main character**
Thanks,
Bill
Will there be any options for non lethal weapons like tasers or pepper spray? Just because I draw my gun on somebody doesn't exactly mean I want to KILL him.
Guard: OW!! You crazy bugger! You shot me!
John Connor: I can't believe it! You just shot that guy!
Terminator: He'll live!
Quote from: mkennedy on Mon 08/06/2009 20:30:38
Will there be any options for non lethal weapons like tasers or pepper spray? Just because I draw my gun on somebody doesn't exactly mean I want to KILL him.
Guard: OW!! You crazy bugger! You shot me!
John Connor: I can't believe it! You just shot that guy!
Terminator: He'll live!
It isn't that kind of game. There was only one part in MC Episode 2 where you needed your gun, and that was in a non-lethal kind of way, at the end of the game.
As of now, there is no use for the gun other than two scripted events, but it's not lethal use, and you aren't using it on a person. Using the gun on people or most items/object will get you a stern talking-to.
Without ruining the game, or giving too much information out... When you see where this game is going with the story (especially related to Ken, the player), you won't care about using a gun :)
-Bill
Yeah against certain enemies you are better off using a Cross or a Bible.
Shooting them would only make them mad.
The backgrounds and sprites look great! I can't wait for this game; Murran Chronicles is my favorite new AGS series :D
Do you have a release date in mind?
Glad you like it :)
I am expecting to get it done by the end of July, then it will enter Beta testing. I tend to have a LOT of spare time *cough* at work *cough* to work on it.
-Bill
The art looks pretty nice, but you know, I honestly really liked the photo backgrounds of the first two games! They really added to the atmosphere and I didn't even think that the sprites looked too odd over the photos. I had that problem with other games (Other Worlds, ...) but not with Murran 1 & 2.
Anyway, I am very much looking forward to this third part! The first two were excellent in my opinion. Cool stories, great writing, pretty good puzzles... I had a great time playing through them!
There was only one very minor thing which I minded, and that was the main character's speech portrait - I thought he looked like he was 12 years old or something! (Hope I'm not offending whoever is on the picture - I think the black mouth for the talking animation has something to do with the way I look at it.) Happy to see that the portrait has been updated.
Yeah, so, keep up the fantastic work & thank you for the wonderful games!
I hope I'm not the only one who noticed the "S&M Painting" label in the screenshot. I really don't think myself that dirty-minded.
As I said in my update above, I am back on the job, working on Murran #3. I am posting 3 of the new backgrounds I've worked on:
(http://www.billandnicole.net/games/ep3/ss10.png) (http://www.billandnicole.net/games/ep3/ss10.png)
One of the houses in Landsdowne.
(http://www.billandnicole.net/games/ep3/ss11.png) (http://www.billandnicole.net/games/ep3/ss11.png)
One of the shops being terrorized by the strange goat-like creatures. This is a long background I have cropped. There are 3 stores here, a music store, flower shop, and an ethnic novelty shop.
(http://www.billandnicole.net/games/ep3/ss12.png) (http://www.billandnicole.net/games/ep3/ss12.png)
This is a scene depicting a tranquil (or so it seems) park.
Thanks,
Bill
I did wonder where you'd got to. Nice to hear you're still working on the game. :)
Welcome back Mr. Danger ;)
Haha :) Thanks guys. Neil is also back on duty, working diligently on sprites, portraits, and all the detailed little things I can't do well.
And speaking of Mr. Danger, I still get random emails about that. It seems to have been some kind of cult hit or something. Ah well :=
-Bill
Welcome back Mr. Danger indeed! :D
Awesome! I'm so glad you're working on this again! I really loved the first two.
I played your Mr Danger and liked it so I tried both murran chronicle games and liked them. My only real gripe were the weird graphics but this game looks very promising.
As I mentioned in the main post edit, I finished coding the little minigame in the bar's arcade machine: Astro Chicken from SQ3: Pirates of Pestulon! :)
(http://www.billandnicole.net/games/ep3/ac1.png) (http://www.billandnicole.net/games/ep3/ac1.png)
The title screen.
(http://www.billandnicole.net/games/ep3/ac2.png) (http://www.billandnicole.net/games/ep3/ac2.png)
Our hero in flight (well, falling).
(http://www.billandnicole.net/games/ep3/ac3.png) (http://www.billandnicole.net/games/ep3/ac3.png)
A good, solid landing.
Thanks,
Bill
Hello everyone,
It's been a few months since I last updated this, but I just wanted to let anyone interested that we're still hard at work making this. Neil has churned out some amazing character art, and I am plugging away on a daily basis. The game has grown in scope beyond what I'd originally planned, but it shaping up to be (what I feel to be) an amazing and enthralling experience. I updated the original post in this thread again to reflect the progress.
Thanks,
-Bill
Yay, I'm looking forward to this :D Did like the other parts very much, especially part 2.
can't wait to play this game, loved the first 2.. hehe.. keep up the great work...
Quote from: poc301 on Tue 15/12/2009 15:50:41
As I mentioned in the main post edit, I finished coding the little minigame in the bar's arcade machine: Astro Chicken from SQ3: Pirates of Pestulon! :)
(http://www.billandnicole.net/games/ep3/ac1.png) (http://www.billandnicole.net/games/ep3/ac1.png)
The title screen.
(http://www.billandnicole.net/games/ep3/ac2.png) (http://www.billandnicole.net/games/ep3/ac2.png)
Our hero in flight (well, falling).
(http://www.billandnicole.net/games/ep3/ac3.png) (http://www.billandnicole.net/games/ep3/ac3.png)
A good, solid landing.
Thanks,
Bill
Sorry to quote the images but great!! Astro Chicken!! Bacooockk!!! Greatness, looking forward to this triple !!
Glad you like Astro Chicken :) I loved playing that game when I was a kid. Once I got the hang of it, it was a lot of fun.
I am glad people are anticipating this release, it has been a good while in the making, and a LOT of hours have been spent on this thing. I am hoping to have Beta testing open within the next month or so. I am working on the final portion of the game now (coding, etc).
Also, just because, here is another screenshot showcasing the character sprites that Neil (locutusofbored) has done up for the game. Neil is a truly amazing artist, and I feel that his character sprites are going to put this thing over the edge. In the screen below, the main character is in the jacket, the large gentleman in the purple sweater is Turner, your partner from Project Lamplight, and Gary in the background is the store clerk.
(http://www.billandnicole.net/games/ep3/ss13.png) (http://www.billandnicole.net/games/ep3/ss13.png)
Click for larger image
Thanks,
Bill
Your game has a mysterious 80s appeal to it :)
I hadn't noticed that, but I guess it does :) I was a child of the 80s (born in the 70s), so I remember it fondly. Leather jackets, spiked hair, jeans... Yeah, its good stuff.
-Bill
Well, it has been about a month and 1/2 since my last update, and I wanted to post for 2 big reasons:
First, is to let anyone interested know that the game is still in development. I am making great progress in the scripting, backgrounds and story/world immersion (or so I hope). Neil is cranking out amazing character art and the game is coming along nicely.
Second, is to say that as of today, March 26, 2010, Murran Chronicles 3: Lifedrinker of Landsdowne has been in production for one full year! The game has come a LONG way from its original conception, and I've incorporated a lot of feedback from the community from my first 2 games. I am looking forward to getting this out for beta testing, hopefully within the next few months.
And because I can, here is another screenshot :
(http://www.billandnicole.net/games/ep3/ss14.png)
Thanks,
Bill
This looks more awesome all the time! I really like that you chose to draw the backgrounds in this one. Hehe, now you'll also have to release deluxe versions of your first two games!
Btw, its funny that you have a bar with a spacey arcade machine mini-game, as my game will have one too. From the looks of it mine will be much simpler though, a version of space invaders.
Keep up the great work! :)
Looking forward to test this one Bill ;)
Great to hear, that you're still working on it. The new style looks much better.
I found a typo in the screenshot. I won't tell you what it is, but I give you a tip: It's in the first line. ;-)
Thanks for the kind words guys. Arjon, I'd love to have you as a tester again.
I might re-release the first two (episode 1 was my first ever game) with different sprites/backgrounds. We'll see.
Neon, thanks for the heads up. It slipped by me. I apologize for it. Hehe.
-Bill
I like the style of the game. Reminds me a bit of Southpark. :=
Just a little note to anyone who is interested, I took a few months off, but am back in development of the game. Hopefully, it won't be too much longer until it is completed.
-Bill
Great news.. hope it goes well.. good luck..
Yay! Looking forward to it! This is one of my favourite AGS series!
Looks pretty interesting. Not played the earlier games in the series, but it looks like I should, so I'll go investigate!
Glad to hear you're finishing up the third game. I enjoyed the first two a lot. Hope you're close to finishing up this one.
- Cogliostro
I've gotten several emails in recent days since I posted that the game was still on, asking generally the same questions: when it will be done, and how big it is after so long in development compared to my first 2 games. I'm honored that people actually like my games (or storytelling is more like it since that is what I focus on), so here is a bit more info beyond what I posted a few days ago:
The game is looking like it will be entering beta test phase around mid January 2011.
Stats:
Game Screens (Not including cutscenes) : 74, and still growing.
Total Dialogs : 48, and a few more pending.
Total Characters : 34, with a few more coming.
Total Dialog Messages : 1894
To give some idea of the scope, the last game, Talons of Terror was:
Game 2 Screens : 26
Game 2 Dialogs : 15
Game 2 Characters : 17
Game 2 Dialog Messages : 482
So yeah, it's a LOT bigger :)
Thanks,
Bill
hahaha.. looking forward to it.. first 2 where great.. so this one will keep me busy a lot LOT longer ;) goog luck
Definitely looking forward to this as I greatly enjoyed the first two. :)
Keep up the hard work! ;D
Will day and night versions of outdoor locations use the same room, or will there be one room for the location at day and another room for the location at night?
Quote from: mkennedy on Tue 23/11/2010 22:44:14
Will day and night versions of outdoor locations use the same room, or will there be one room for the location at day and another room for the location at night?
There are 11 rooms in the game with day/night cycles. These 11 places use different rooms for day and night. I could've used an alternate background, but the night cycles have different hotspots, objects, characters, events, etc. It was just easier to create a 2nd room for it since the only real similarity between the day and night version of the scene are the landmarks in the background.
So of the 74 mentioned rooms (which is up to 75 now), 11 of them are night-versions of corresponding daytime scenes.
-Bill
What kind of vampires is it, the european kind or the sparkling kind?
LOL! Hahaha. None of the above :)
-Bill
Awww...
Just another update that I finished all scripting, programming and gameplay stuff as of this morning. Neil is working on the remaining character art and animations, and the game will be released for beta testing!
-Bill
Yeay!
*reserving time for betatesting*
Hello everyone,
The game's been in development over 20 months now, and nearing completion. All coding, scripting, story, etc is finished. Neil is working on the final character animations and sprites and I am going over the pages of little glitches I've amassed and fixing them all. Once these are finished I'll be releasing the game into Beta test mode. I updated the stats on the WIP thread, but figured I'd post this separately.
In the meantime, here is a small teaser movie I've done for the game. It is about 5mb in size, and just over 1 minute long. Hopefully you all like it and it might raise some interest:
[VIDEO LINK]
http://www.billandnicole.net/games/ep3/murran3.wmv
Thanks!
Bill
Hey I thought I'd check in to tell everyone that this game is awesome! I'm glad to be a part of it. The story and development of the characters is really phenomenal. I've really learned a lot about the mythos behind the story - just from playing through the game.
And sorry I'm taking so long with the character graphics -- just want to make sure they're worthy of a great game like this.
I wanted to take a moment to show the new GUI sets I'm doing for the game. This is just the taskbar and the mouseover box for interactable things, but you get the point:
The taskbar with the requisite name of the game, and the Day # of the investigation you're currently on.
(http://www.billandnicole.net/games/ep3/gui1.png)
The taskbar, but with the mouseover box activated, showing an interactable item.
(http://www.billandnicole.net/games/ep3/gui2.png)
Thanks!
Bill
Awesome! The previous two games were great storywise and this now has also great graphics.
nice ones,
keep it up in this good direction, man ;)
Thanks David :)
Cat: The storylines for the first two games are NOTHING compared to this one. There is so much more content in this game it is staggering. I've done a whole lot of research into the topic the game is about (no spoilers), and there is just so much to put in :)
Neil also said he picked up a lot of the mythos or lore behind the main storyline from playing it as he did all the character art, and that is exactly what I am hoping the person playing the game gets from it.
Thanks!
Bill
Been waiting for this one for a longtime. Just watched the trailer, can't wait to play it. It is funny how I look forward to AGS games more than AAA titles :)
Alrighty, this is likely going to be the final update before the game is released into Beta testing. Neil is finishing the final sprite work, and I just finished all the menus for the game. Below is a screenshot of the Inventory, the Save/Load (thanks SSH!) and the Quit screens:
Inventory Screen -
(http://www.billandnicole.net/games/ep3/inventory.png)
Save / Load Screen (SSH's module is amazing) -
(http://www.billandnicole.net/games/ep3/SaveLoad.png)
Quit Screen -
(http://www.billandnicole.net/games/ep3/Quit.png)
The game should hopefully be finished and into Beta in the near future. I've got a list of people who've volunteered to be on the beta team, so if you're one of them, you'll be getting an email/msg from me sometime probably this month or so.
Thanks!
Bill
OMG! That's Two-face!
And the killer rabbit from Monty Python.
Haha, almost :) Didn't mean for it to look that way, but I guess it could.
Also, I forgot to mention that all speech portraits have backgrounds depending on the room the character is in. The earlier posted screenshots with the solid colored backgrounds aren't in the game any more.
-Bill
Hmmm, still looking forward to playing it.. But I'm not certain if the 'taskbar' is such a good idea, it seems a bit too distracting from the game itself..
Can we get a status update?