Tag: game dev

  • This Week in Archmage Rises: Managing your Muse

    I had a bizarre personal/family situation that totally consumed me from May to the end of July.  Nothing much happened with Archmage during that time, which was like Chinese water torture for an indie dev. It turns out that I had to take over a little store – from personnel to IT. I couldn’t choose not to…

  • What ‘90s SSI Goldbox RPGs Can Teach Us about the Modern RPG (Archmage Origins Part 2 of 2)

    Sometimes a new solution is just an old idea in a new package. Last time, I covered how re-reading the Dragonlance novels got me thinking about a new kind of RPG.  One that is a realistic open world, procedurally-generated, and full of meaningful choices.  The question is: How can I build it? Is it even possible? Shark…

  • Archmage Origins: Inspiration and DragonLance

    . How to Have a Good Idea I am very interested in what drives creative inspiration.  How to spark it, then harness it.  I’ve read books on it. I’ve looked into what the artistic masters like Da Vinci, Michelangelo or Bach did.  I’ll share the best advice I have assimilated on the topic:

  • Reaction to Why I Left Mobile for PC

    I wrote my previous post because someone asked me to.  I did not anticipate how well it would be received by the gamedev community.  Thank you, everyone!  Some favorite comments: “I share a lot of similar background.” “I wanted to contact you to let you know that I was incredibly inspired by your writing.” “Thank you for…

  • Why I’ve Said Goodbye to Mobile in Favor of PC

    I am fed up with the whole mobile/tablet gaming market.  I’ve worked hard for three years and released two games to almost every mobile device you can think of.  Never again.  From now on I am focusing all my development resources on the PC.  Frankly, I should have started there to begin with. So how…

  • Because it isn’t an RPG without the Undead

    I like shooting fireballs at skeletons and watching them burn. So Archmage features skeletons. Click to see larger version.

  • Female Mage Pic

    First piece of artwork revealed! At the start of the game you are 16 and must choose which mentor you will study under. Each has pros and cons and determines how you begin the game.  This is one of your possible mentors:

  • Archmage Rises Game Design Document

    In this Friday Update I show some of the depth of the Archmage Rises design document.  And you may learn something about mindmapping too! Read the full post in the forums      

  • Rewriting Combat Engine

    The combat engine was the first thing I wrote when I started what would become Archmage Rises.  Inspired by this card from Hearthstone, I started rewriting combat to handle multiple opponents and multiple waves of opponents. You can read more in the forum post: Rewriting Combat for Multiple Opponents