Hello, and welcome to the development blog for the upcoming game/simulation, Ramblewood Grove. I'm the primary author and developer Monket. My goal is to update this blog on a Monday-Wednesday-Friday basis to help promote my own personal work schedule and also provide a steady stream of content to anyone interested in the project. The first couple of months will be mostly art, concepts, and creative ramblings from me, admittedly, as I'll be struggling to get the hang of the new language and library I'm using for the game engine, and will be mostly experimenting with different theories and algorithms rather than game development. Sometime come November or December though and sure enough I'll be starting on solid game development and feature implementation. The release date is unknown as of yet, and I know how awful it looks with no content to show, but believe me when I say a lot of thought and effort has been put into this game beyond daydreaming and idle wishes.
Ramblewood Grove will be a unique blend of different game genres put together. You, the player, are a young adult that has inherited a small plot of land. It's a peaceful land, where the crystal-clear streams bauble, and the soil is fertile, and the skies are cloudless all summer long. But even in what can look like paradise for the tourist, it's a much more strenuous life for the landowner and the pioneer. The world is unknown to the player, and it's up to them to discover the secrets of the land. There may be fairy tales and legends brimming and alive in this strange land, their existence only whispered of by drifting leather-clad wanderers, creatures dancing and lurking in the shadows of the woods in deep, moonless nights...
The player can acquire money in any way that they want and head to the local towns to trade their goods. Carpentry, gardening, hunting, fishing, these activities and more to come are all plausible options for the player to acquire income. There are no limits and no deadlines. There is no back-story or exposition beyond the simple sentence given earlier. It's what you make of this world that's given to you. It's up to you to make the story, to forge your own legacy, to create your own triumphs and perils in this land.
For the most part, it will use a text parser that the player types basic commands into, similar to what would be found in a text adventure game. However, using a sophisticated and yet simple, free-form method of accessing complex commands via using verbs and adverbs along with actions, the game allows for nearly unparalleled flexibility in inputting commands compared to other games of the nature. Something like an FPS will allow you to crouch, sure. Walk, maybe. But with this versatile system, the players can do much more than that. They can hold their breath to steady themselves while lining up their sights to aim for the lungs of a trespasser. With advanced dialogue and AI, they can converse with NPCs on a far greater level than a simple dialogue tree or mute nodding. In a tense situation, they can choose either to lay prone and crawl quietly or burst out in a sprint. All in a system that's turn-based and works with the player's pace, with simple and easy to learn input. Instead of being twitch-based and all muscle memory, this system requires a much more cognitive form of interaction, one that requires planning, foresight, and wit. The player can get themselves out of any situation they find themselves in, with the right amount of cunning.
Of course, text-based doesn't mean that it will be drab, boring text to stare at the entire time you're playing. I plan on utilizing music, ambience, and sound to its fullest extent, along with some very detailed pictures to accompany the player's journey. I want to fill in just enough to kindle the flame of the player's own vivid imagination, and let everyone have their own journey and experience in this game. I plan for this game to be open to everyone of all skill levels without sacrificing depth and complexity.
Plunge yourself into a land unlike any other. A land brimming with mystery and warmth.
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