Dweller 0.15.1 bugfix and stability release

I have recently run into a couple of weird bugs when playtesting Dweller. One time I after loading a saved game I came across a map cell that looked like a normal floor tile, but it was impossible to move there. After some inspection and hacking I came to the conclusion that it had contained a dead ooze, that for some reason left it's id on the map cell, but was removed from the main list of monsters. I think the problem was caused by killing the monster with a weapon of displacement/knockbacks, but I'm not sure yet. I've also come across an irreparable save game...

I've improved the error handling drastically to help me catch weird situations like the ones mentioned above. If you come across a Dweller error screen with some log output and an error message please let me know!

Get the new release from:

http://roguebasin.roguelikedevelopment.org/index.php?title=Dweller

or try the desktop version straight away:

http://www.roguelikedevelopment.org/dweller/DwellerJ2SE.jnlp

Change log:

NEW Dweller Desktop now properly resize the drawing area when the window is resized
NEW Greatly improved the error handling when loading/saving data
NEW Added a loader/progress screen when starting Dweller to give feedback while waiting for the game to start

CHANGE The bottom bar is now hidden when showing item categories
CHANGE Additional drops from dead monsters favor the cell the monster was in if it is empty, instead of spreading it to adjacent cells

FIX Some key codes on some handset models did not show correct key names in the Commands menu
FIX It was not possible to close an opened gate
FIX The Dweller Mobile code to properly resize when the canvas was resized (not sure if/when that ever happens) did not work

Dweller 0.15.0 released - desktop support added

I have released a new version of Dweller. The new version features a couple of bug fixes and some new features. Most prominent are the progression/kill tracker that lists slain monsters and J2SE dekstop computer support. The purpose behind the desktop version is not to compete with PC/Mac/Linux roguelikes. I view it as a way to try Dweller on a desktop computer before dowloading it to your mobile.

Download and installation instruction:
http://roguebasin.roguelikedevelopment.org/index.php?title=Dweller

Try the desktop version straight away (or download from link above):
http://www.roguelikedevelopment.org/dweller/DwellerJ2SE.jnlp

Changelog:
NEW Desktop J2SE support
NEW Improved feedback from charmed monsters
NEW Added a monster kill tracker to the character menu. First time kills reward double the amount of xp
NEW All items now have a value in gold, in preparation for features to come...
NEW Monsters, primarily humanoids, now drop gold in addition to other loot
CHANGE Made targeting a bit more intelligent. If no previous target exists it is always the closest one that gets picked first
CHANGE Some keys are now locked so they can't be redefined. This is to prevent a user from redefining keys and completely block navigation within menues
FIX Targeting no longer incorrectly cycles through items when it isn't supposed to
FIX It is now possible to exit the hiscore and game over screen by pressing center/select, not only menu and exit
FIX Selecting an inventory category other than ALL sometimes caused the incorrect category of items to show

Flash for iPhone? Apple says no!

A million people have already blogged about this, but I would still like to chime in on the matter. As most of you are aware Apple updated their already pretty strict License Agreement for the SDK to read:

3.3.1 — Applications may only use Documented APIs in the manner prescribed by Apple and must not use or call any private APIs. Applications must be originally written in Objective-C, C, C++, or JavaScript as executed by the iPhone OS WebKit engine, and only code written in C, C++, and Objective-C may compile and directly link against the Documented APIs (e.g., Applications that link to Documented APIs through an intermediary translation or compatibility layer or tool are prohibited).


This could potentially mean that use of 3rd party tools such as Flash CS5, Unity 3D, MonoTouch and PhoneGap to create iPhone/iPad application would be a breach of the license agreement. ArsTechnica have wrapped it up pretty well, and I agree that the real reason for this is to target both Adobe (Flash) and Google (Android). We know for a fact that Steve Jobs doesn't have any nice things to say about Flash and it is pretty obvious that the biggest competitor to the iPhone is handsets running Android OS.

Additional reading:

http://techcrunch.com/2010/04/10/steve-jobs-responds-to-iphone-sdk-complaints-intermediate-layers-produce-sub-standard-apps/

Single Malt de Bretagne?

When I visited my local Swedish monopoly liquor store (yes, you can only buy beer, wine and other alcoholic drinks at government controlled stores in Sweden) the other week to buy a new whiskey for Easter I came across a French whiskey, Armorik. I've heard good things about French whiskey and I believe in stepping out of  ones comfort zone from time to time so it was a natural choice to put it in my shopping basket on my way to the Scottish section. The next evening I decided to give my new French acquaintance a try, and I must say I enjoyed it very much! The whiskey had a nice peatiness, with cask notes, barley and dried fruits.