Archipelago - Player elimination, game phases and declaring a winner!
Introduction
The last Archipelago update saw the addition of a scoring mechanism and scoreboard. Rules were codified for how points are earned for player actions. A map, a compass and a collection of pieces started to take the form of an actual game.
Following a similar theme, this update aims to gives the game more shape and structure. The game is now limited in duration to eight moons. Each new moon will bring a new task, ability, or threat, breaking the game into distinct phases. Earlier moons will focus on resource discovery with faster ships. Later moons will require shipbuilding for larger contracts. As the game draws towards its end the last ranked players will start to be eliminated, leading to a frantic rush for points.
The main features added are in this contribution are:
- Moon scrolls: an introductory scroll at each new moon to describe the new task or threat.
- Player elimination: the last player is removed at certain intervals; their ships sunk, their settlements and resources tiles deserted.
- Game ending: A final message at the end of the game to declare the winner.
- Random order for player turns: A gameplay improvement (which also provided the greater flexibility required for player elimination).
Phases 2 (Resources, Goods, Building, and Trade Contracts) and 3 (Conflicts) of Archipelago development are almost finished!
For a full view of the current state of the game development see my github-hosted page.
https://miniature-tiger.github.io/archipelago/
Please note that the game is not yet complete - you can see current progress and test functionality but you will have to wait a little longer to play!
Background details of the project can be found at the end of this contribution post.
Repository
The repository for Archipelago can be found here:
https://github.com/miniature-tiger/archipelago
New Features covered by this Contribution
Moon scrolls
The game will last a maximum of eight moons. In order to give the game more structure each new moon will start with an introductory scroll describing a new task, threat or game element. Earlier moons will see the activation of trading, shipbuilding and the central market with a focus on gathering resources. Later moons will bring player elimination, whittling down the competition to the final two.
The moon scroll is a pop-up with a few lines of descriptive text and illustrations. The game continues simply by clicking the screen.
The code changes for the above new feature can be found here:
https://github.com/miniature-tiger/archipelago/pull/77/files
The main changes were:
- Addition of the createScroll method to draw the scroll on the screen.
- Addition of the scrollText method and scrollTextArray to define the title and text of the scroll.
- Addition of the scrollClose method to close the scroll.
- Splitting out drawMoon from drawMoonLayer within board.js and localising arguments so that moon diagrams can be added to the scrolls.
- Moving the nextTurn function into gamemanagement.js, separating between pre and post moon scroll effects, and adding scroll pop up elements.
Player elimination
At the end of the fourth and sixth moons the last player is eliminated. Their ships are sunk; their settlements and resources tiles deserted. The game board is updated to reflect these changes with deserted tiles shown in grey.
The code changes for the above new feature can be found here:
https://github.com/miniature-tiger/archipelago/pull/78/files
The main changes were:
- Addition of lastPlayer method to determine player to eliminate
- Addition of eliminatePlayer method which updates arrays and map to eliminate player and adds the comment to the next moon scroll
Game ending
At the end of eight moons the scoreboard is shown and a final message declares the winner. The game is over!
The code changes for the above new features can be found here:
https://github.com/miniature-tiger/archipelago/pull/80/files
The main changes were:
- Update of lastPlayer method to firstLastPlayer - now finds first and last player so winner is determined
- Addition of presentWinner method to show the scoreboard and include the winning team in the final message
- Update of game logic to end game after 8 moons have passed
Random order for player turns
A gameplay improvement which also provided the greater flexibility required for player elimination. Previously player turns always started with Green Team and moved clockwise. Now a random player move order is determined at the start of the game.
The code changes for the above new features can be found here:
https://github.com/miniature-tiger/archipelago/pull/76/files
The main changes were:
- A new player object was added (playerListing) which forms the basis of team names and info (this is with an eye on future player name input)
- The method teamArraySetUp was added which determines the random order of player moves.
[There are a couple of small play improvement changes sneaking through here also (changing of contract delivery amounts with time, shipbuilding scoring)].
Proof of Work Carried Out
This is the full url to my github account:
https://github.com/miniature-tiger
That is all for this update. If you have any queries please drop them in the comments or contact me on discord.
Details of the Archipelago Project
What is the Project About?
Archipelago is a new project that I have been working on. The aim is to develop a seafaring and trading turn-based strategy game. Players will guide their ships around the islands, searching for goods to aid construction of ships and their bases, trading with the Kingdom settlements and avoiding hazards like pirates and whirlpools.
Technology Stack
The project is a browser based game:
- Mechanics: Javascript
- Visuals: HTML and CSS initially but now moved across to Canvas and SVG.
Roadmap
Phase 1 - the first main goal of getting ships on the board and moving at different speeds under the influence of the compass is complete.
The graphics overhaul is also now complete.
Work is now ongoing on Phase 2 which is resource discovery, goods production, building and the trade contracts that underlie the game.
Work has also begun on adding pirates and conflicts.
Phase 1 - Board and ship movement: COMPLETE
- Board set up - COMPLETE
- Basic ship creation: functionality and graphics - COMPLETE
- Manual ship movement and board updating - COMPLETE
- Basic compass creation: functionality and graphics - COMPLETE
- Turn based activity of ship movement - COMPLETE
- Logic of length of longer moves around obstacles - COMPLETE
- Chaining together transitions to allow graphics of longer moves - COMPLETE
- Separation of board layers (Canvas base layer, Canvas activation layer overlay, SVG piece overlays) - COMPLETE
Phase 2 - Resources, Goods, Building and Trade Contracts
Resources
- Add Resource tiles (forest, ironworks, flax, gold etc) - COMPLETE
- Discovery of resource tiles - COMPLETE
- Claiming of resource tiles - COMPLETE
- Dashboard of player pieces - COMPLETE
Goods
- Creation of new goods each turn - COMPLETE
- Loading, unloading and transportation of goods - COMPLETE
- Dashboard of goods pieces - COMPLETE
- Goods icons - COMPLETE
- Variable quantity of goods to be loaded / unloaded - COMPLETE
Contracts for delivery:
- Semi-random (equitable) generation of trade delivery contracts - COMPLETE
- Creation of trade settlements - COMPLETE
- Dashboard for contracts - COMPLETE
- Mechanics for contract sign-up - COMPLETE
- Mechanics for contract delivery - COMPLETE
- Island naming: for describing location of trading settlements - COMPLETE
- Graphics of trade routes - COMPLETE
- Continuance of contracts over time - COMPLETE
- Breaking of contracts due to interference - COMPLETE
- Re-work resource and contract surrounds to prevent overrun
- Only allow one contract to be made with each island
Building
- New ship designs - Catamaran, warship, cargo ship - COMPLETE
- Definition of goods requirements to build each ship and ship ability specifications - COMPLETE
- Ability to construct new ships - COMPLETE
Scoring and game structure:
- Work out scoring mechanism (linked to contracts) - COMPLETE
- Add score dashboard - COMPLETE
- Breaking of game into stages - COMPLETE
- Elimination of players as time passes - COMPLETE
- Game ending - time limit of eight moons - COMPLETE (additional methods to end game to ne added in future, e.g. complete contracts with all four islands)
Phase 3 - Conflicts
Pirates
- Add pirate ships - COMPLETE
- Automate pirate ship movements (basic movement with wind and search for cargo ships) - COMPLETE
- Search - telescope range of 5 tiles for stronger search for ships - COMPLETE
- Separate ship types for teams and whether all ships can defend themselves - COMPLETE
Forts
- Add fort icons - COMPLETE
- Create safe harbour from pirate ships - COMPLETE
Conflicts
- Attack - Develop conflict method between ships - COMPLETE
- Stealing of cargo - COMPLETE
- Limping back to harbour - COMPLETE
- Ship repair - COMPLETE
Phase 4 - Game Management and Settings
Settings
- Settings pop up box created - COMPLETE
- Options added - In progress - game speed added, developer tools added
- Local options (player name etc)
- Game saving and replay
Phase 5 - Central trading centre
- Develop central market allowing players without resources to trade and fulfill contracts
Phase 6 - One player version development
Artificial Intelligence levels for computer players
Phase 7 - Rules, roll-out, documentation, testing etc
Contact / Contribute
You can get in touch with me on discord if you would like to contribute.
You can find the current state of the game here:
https://miniature-tiger.github.io/archipelago/
The repository for the project is here:
https://github.com/miniature-tiger/archipelago
Have fun!
I really like the look of your game. It feels like a board game like the ones I play with my friends!
But I didn't understand how to play it. I couldn't find a tutorial but I didn't search for long. You should do a basic tour for new comers or start a tutorial game. In video games when you start and you don't know the control, the game takes you by the hand and in a matter of minutes you know how to play.
Let's go for the review:
Well this is going to be short as I don't have much to say, you've done an excellent job.
https://github.com/miniature-tiger/archipelago/pull/78/files#diff-b948cf1eb5fd92311199ce90966a9ef8R277 => No need to keep dead code.
You make a good use of comments it really helped me understand your code quickly
https://github.com/miniature-tiger/archipelago/pull/76/files#diff-c7456f6f0322125db0ae2ec54c23b9e0R36 => Best practice is to use
i += 1
see hereAnd well that's all, again good job!
I hope you'll do a tutorial :p
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Thanks Grégory!
Yes, the game definitely needs some form of in-game guide or initial instructions, possibly a list of rules and a map key too. Also a backstory and a little more graphics / branding to give it a more rounded professional feel. All to come once I've finished off the functionality of gameplay and done a little gameplay testing (just so that I don't have to re-write the instructions each time I find I need to change something in the game).
Thanks for the feedback tips and the link to the style guidelines too. Very useful!
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I've probably commented with similar before, but I really love that you are able to develop your own game in your own time and be monetized for doing so. What a win-win-win! :D
Thanks Asher! Yes, it's nice to have that little extra motivation to keep things going when I'm feeling burned out.
It's good to see so many new projects coming to the Steem blockchain through Utopian too. It's really a great feedback loop, rewards for building projects that in turn should help the Steem environment that should lead to bigger rewards. Just needs the crypto markets in general to start looking upwards!
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