Elderlore

Source: GearHead RPG

I’ve just uploaded v0.623 to SourceForge. This is mostly a bugfix release, since v0.622 had a couple of serious problems. It also includes a new way for mercenary lancemates to bug the player, and the first ever pirate mission. Even better, the police patrols haven’t been added yet! Enjoy your easy plundering while it lasts, ya scurvy dogs.

Source: GearHead RPG

The space pirate stuff I said I’d try to complete for the next release? Not ready yet. However, since there’s a whole lot of other stuff worth releasing and since the space pirate stuff is going to require some deeper changes than I originally thought, I’m making a release now.

Here’s an overview of the changes:

• More components and better connections in the core story. All deadends reported to me so far should be resolved this time around. Core story missions now tell you their rewards up front, and the dreaded “Mansion of Fetch” episode has been altered to become less arbitrary.
• New character development plots for lancemates. If you have a lancemate who owes you a favor, they now have a chance to pay you back.
• Some script bugs fixed. Repair skills used by lancemates will now display the correct message.

Try it out and let me know what you think.

Source: GearHead RPG

I’ve just uploaded GH2 v0.621 to SourceForge. This release fixes a lot of bugs from v0.620, adds some new content to the core story, and should be less disjointed overall. Also, I’ve been building some really tiny giant robots. The guy on the left looks like a Transformer but I’m afraid I can’t make a positive identification.

Full list of changes below the fold.

- Fixed BuildRobot messages (robotics.pp)
- Props with undefined sprite now get one (cutegfx.pp)
- Added ERSATZ_MOUSE config option (cutegfx.pp)
- World map working in 2D mode (cutemap.pp)
- NPCs can tell PC to buzz off (arenascript.pp)
- Seeking rumors uses SocSkillTarget (arenascript.pp)
- Added \EXACT_SCENE message formatting command (arenascript.pp)
- Fixed crashing bug with monologue (arenascript.pp)
- Mullins is no longer invisible
- Create New Pilot now works in ArenaHQ (gh2arena.pp)
- Added title screen (cutegfx.pp,glgfx.pp,vidgfx.pp)
- Added ifGSealed, SayPlotMsg ASL commands (arenascript.pp)
- Removed unused NUMPLOTS config option (ui4gh.pp)
- Out of scale characters represented by small sprite (cutemap.pp)
- Updated readme file with config options and troubleshooting

Commentary will be posted over at the GearHead forum. As usual, try it out and let me know what you think.

Source: GearHead RPG

A new version of GearHead2, the roguelike with more giant robots per tile than any other, has just been uploaded to SourceForge. The big changes this time around are a 2D isometric interface (useful to people without 3D graphics cards, or who just prefer the look) and a new “Dramatic Choice” mechanic in the core story. Important note: You should do a clean install with this version, i.e. delete the previous GH2 files before upgrading.

Here are some of the highlights:

• Dramatic Choice: At the end of an episode, your character will now be able to decide the next course of action. These choices affect the progress of the core story and ultimately its ending.
• The PC’s Home: Your player character now starts the game at home. There’s not a lot you can do with the home yet, and your parents/guardians/landlord don’t have much to say, but at least you now have a couple of places for stashing loot.
• 2D Graphical Interface: Classic isometric. Aside from a couple of props which don’t have sprites yet, it’s completely working.
• Full 3D Interface: There is a config option to turn on meshes for all characters and mecha.
• Numerous Bugfixes: That “Unknown script value +1 -1″ thing? Gone.

Note that RPG save game compatibility is broken, and previously created CHA character files can’t be used in a new RPG campaign. Arena mode save files should be unaffected.

Try it out and let me know what you think.

Source: GearHead RPG

Happy new year! To celebrate, I created this 2010 calendar for GearHead. It’s formatted for printing on a US Letter sheet at 300dpi (it also comes out fine on an A4 sheet).

Download full size (2.5Mb)

This year, I hope to bring GearHead2 all the way to release 1.0. My big tasks for right now are finishing off the L5 region, polishing up the core story, and making sure that all character types are fully supported.

Source: GearHead RPG

A new version of GearHead2 has just been uploaded to SourceForge. Also, it’s Frumple’s birthday. Hooray!

The big change this time around is the improved lancemate system. You start out with the ability to take on one lancemate; you can gain up to two more slots by completing quests in your hometown. If you attempt to add a new lancemate while your party is full (say, by hiring a mercenary) then you’ll have the option to drop a character currently in the party. The core story partner can be removed like any normal lancemate, but for the time being I’d advise against doing so.

Here’s the list of changes:

- Encounters visible even if on a hill (glmap.pp)
- Can clear email by passing message index 0 (arenascript.pp)
- Added IfMeritBadge, Announce, EndPlotsByConID ASL commands (arenascript.pp)
- Added merit badges (ghchars.pp)
- NPC XRan context will include GOOD, EVIL tags (playwright.pp)
- StartPlot, StartStory commands updated (arenascript.pp)
- Factions can be initialized with standard scripts (gearparser.pp)
- Mecha arenas won't let you compete without a suitable mecha
- More enemies will appear if you have many lancemates (arenascript.pp)
- Script XP awards reduced if more than one lancemate (arenascript.pp)
- If adding lancemate when party full, may automatically drop some (arenascript.pp)
- If remove lancemate in bad place, LM will go to safe area (arenascript.pp)
- Plot lancemates can join, quit lance like regular lancemates (arenascript.pp)
- Increased number of basic lancemate slots from 1 to 3 (arenascript.pp)

Try it out and let me know what you think.

Source: GearHead RPG

The RMA-01 Gaunt was the first unique design fielded by the Red Mask Raiders. It appeared shortly after Queen Rei Tajiko Madas took control of the fleet in NT155. Unlike the Crihna Gorilla, the Gaunt is built for speed and maneuverability. In standard configuration it carries a 70mm rocket rifle, a plasma torch, a six-rack of night missiles, and five anti-armor missiles.

With its wings stowed the Gaunt is merely 11m tall, making it one of the most compact battroids in its weight class. Its appearance has been described as reminiscent of a flying monkey. Some pilots express concern about the conspicuous front-mounted canopy, but this doesn’t really affect the model’s survivability since any direct hit to the body is likely to blow the fusion engine anyhow.

The trick to piloting a Gaunt is to avoid getting hit in the first place. Its speed and long range weapons mean that it rarely has to get too close to its enemies, and there are few mecha in L5 which can outmaneuver it. The Gaunt’s usual tactic is to strike hard and then get the hell out. They are typically deployed in waves, with two wings of Gaunts followed up by a heavier mecha.

This image is getting squashed by WordPress. View it in a separate window to see original proportions.

The Gaunt is at least as sophisticated as the mecha built by the spinner colonies. Before the arrival of Queen Madas pirates were limited to clunky kitbashed mecha; now, the Red Mask Raiders have access to some of the finest military hardware in the solar system.  It is thought that this design was the first one released because it requires few resources to produce. That way, the Queen was quickly able to build a sizable force with which to steal more materials to build even larger mecha.

Source: GearHead RPG

I just uploaded GH2v0.612 to SourceForge. Many thanks to Buffered, who provided many of the bug fixes. Here’s the list of changes:

- Antobiotics, Neural Regenerator now working thanks to Buffered (ghswag.pp)
- Can’t use reverse movement if not legal for movemode (pcaction.pp)
- Fixed many bugs in the Vesuvian Freighter quest
- PC should not get hungry during shuttle flights (arenacfe.pp)
- Range modifiers should be applied correctly (effects.pp)
- Scavenged limbs get mecha name as designation (arenascript.pp)
- ASCII memo interface now shows Call Person option (vidgfx.pp)
- Can’t forget the hidden skills, thanks to Buffered (training.pp)
- FindNAtt, FindSAtt should be faster, thanks to Buffered (gears.pp)
- Correct mecha energy level shown in ArenaHQ, thanks to Buffered (description.pp)
- Fixed possible crash in UpgradeWeapons, thanks to Buffered (customization.pp)
- Hopefully no “Not Responding” thing during long enemy turns, thanks Buffered (arenacfe.pp)
- Missile launchers get +4 range bonus (locale.pp)
- Changed the WeaponRange calculator (locale.pp)
- Spot Weakness correctly applied to damage, thanks to Buffered (effects.pp)
- Fixed door repair crash (skilluse.pp)
- Fixed Zerosaiko 2H problem
- Changed the Overload, CauseStatus defense targets (effects.pp)
- Core story plots load different components if episode conclusion (mpbuilder.pp)
- Fixed the guns of the Secutor, Daum, Cogan, and Corraich
- Added Phil Munoz’s female mesh to the experimental full3D mode (glmap.pp)
- Lancemates will expand the visible map area (action.pp)

Try it out and let me know what you think.

Source: GearHead RPG

While searching through my old Amiga files for last Friday’s cartoon, I found the following sprite sheet:

At first I thought it was for Realm of Sendai, but then I noticed the mecha and uniforms and realized that it was instead from GearHead’s ancestor Z-Warrior. It features some early versions of mecha which would later make it into the GearHead universe.

I’m not entirely sure on the Radcliff- the mecha pictured above might possibly be the Hoelvetican, in which case the Radcliff would be the one that looks like a fat Corsair.

Source: GearHead RPG

I’ve just uploaded GH2v0.611 to SourceForge. This is largely a bugfix release- as predicted, there were several problems with v0.610, and this corrects most of them. Here’s the list of changes from the history file:

- Fixed several quest and core story issues
- Modified the Steel Arena a bit
- Funky martial arts fixed (effects.pp)
- Added Uniform scene special tag (arenascript.pp)
- Boxed lunches should stack once more (backpack.pp)
- Encounter dungeon entrances should now activate properly (arenascript.pp)
- Dungeons now record the ID of their entry scene (mpbuilder.pp)
- Fixed L5Law’s alleigance (FACTIONS_Default.txt)
- Modified the Pixie mecha
- Added SocSkillTar ASL command (arenascript.pp)
- Added SkillTar, HardSkillTar to the macro initializer (arenascript.pp)
- Even without Repair, can rarely salvage destroyed enemy mecha (arenascript.pp)
- Tech Vulture needed to salvage destroyed enemy mecha (arenascript.pp)
- Spontaneous ejection more likely if all weapons disabled (arenacfe.pp)
- Forced ejection more dependent on situation (arenacfe.pp)
- NoMouse will not interfere with map rotation, scrolling (glmap.pp)
- Using repair skills should provide XP again (skilluse.pp)
- Changed the shopkeeper upgrade rate (services.pp)

This release is fully compatible with v0.610, but in order for some of these changes to take effect you’ll need to start a new campaign. Please see the forum for additional commentary.