"Kingdoms was one of the first games I ever wrote way back in 1990, on my Amstrad CPC. Most the graphics were just ASCII characters, but it was actually a really fun, playable game back then. In 1999, I was moving to MS QuickBASIC on the PC, and one day, feeling nostalgic, thought it would be cool to recreate one of my first ever games.
I got started, but realised that the gameplay hadn't stood the test of time as well as I remembered. So it was with great enthusiasm I embarked on 'Kingdoms 2' packing in more features, depth and gameplay than ever before!"
It's the first QB I ever started working on, waaay before 'Ghini Run was even a glint in my eye. The first attempt at Kingdoms 2 was a horrible piece of badly coded spaghetti with an awful custom sprite engine called QSprites (this was before I knew about GET & PUT!) About 18 months after I started, the code was inevitably scrapped as I went back to the drawing board and started again.
I kept the sprites though, and many of them made their first appearance in the PC version of Kingdoms. The characters will all be back in the sequel, along with many new faces. It was about this time I also thought it might be fun to do a racing game...
So what's new in Kingdoms 2?
A lot of the game design is still up in the air right now. Although sharing the same characters and universe as it's predecessor, Kingdoms 2 is currently looking like it will be a very different game.
The main difference is that the game is now played on a 2D map. Although still turn-based, your units can be controlled individually as they move around, and be given orders such as follow, attack, steal, and magic depending on their class. The strategic importance of the map will depend on my ability to get the AI spot on.
Clicking on a map square will take you to a close up view, where you will be able to issue orders and manage your economy (a bit like in the first game). This time you can have as many armies as you like (or can afford!) and you will have to despatch your scouts to find the best places for your other structures.
The game also features the addition of spell-casting mages, and a whole host of NPCs with different skills. Characters gain experience points for carrying out various actions, and improve accordingly.
One major problem is that the graphics are pretty awful. They look great in these small screenshots.. but in game, the sprites have been scaled too much and look very blocky. These will either have to be shrunk, or redone. If I decide to redo, I might try to get someone to help me as it's a *big* job. I also have to get started on the AI, and work more on the game interface. Currently it's mouse-driven, which is great for you but hard work for me ;-)
This tag board is for you to post any ideas you have for this game. A lot of people gave me feedback on the original Kingdoms game, which was great. I've also picked up a lot of good ideas on various forums. What did you like about the original game? What didn't you like? What other features would you like to see? Post your ideas here!