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Cancer's Journal

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3 entries this month

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Blood Empires Development
18:40 Jan 31 2010
Times Read: 993

Development of Blood Empires is coming along nicely. I'm somewhere around 40-50% done with the game. I've completed a number of the core elements and systems.

I'm really happy with the way it is unfolding. It's going to be a great game. There's nothing out there exactly like it. There's a few similarities here and there to other games, but overall, it's very unique.

I am unaware of any vampire strategy games out there, especially web games. Most vampire web games are silly run around, explore things, bite things games. They get boring very quickly.

Blood Empires has ZERO grinding. You just don't grind in this type of game. There's the playable world, and it's always in motion.

This week I start development on the technology systems... Building missile silos, spy satellites, and tactical nuclear weapons. Imagine a game where you discover the location of an enemy base, launch a spy satellite over it to keep an eye on it, coordinate a 200 missile nuclear launch, then send in a legion of gargoyles and dragons to clean up, take the base over, and occupy it.

That's Blood Empires.

COMMENTS

TheDarkWolfman
18:41 Jan 31 2010

I'm no gamer but that sound exciting.

imagesinwords
18:43 Jan 31 2010

Rockin' :) Vampire Rave: One stop shopping vampire information and entertainment.

birra
18:48 Jan 31 2010

You won't get almost to the end only to have the game stop and ask you if you want to play a game of chess, will you?

Cancer
18:51 Jan 31 2010

I won't lie, Wargames influenced me while developing this game.

Nightgame
18:55 Jan 31 2010

I can't wait to play this game, it sounds so much more active than the online games I'm playing now.

Fizbop
19:59 Jan 31 2010

Sounds fun, I really wish I could playtest this game. It would be a nice addition to add to my playtested games list.

Cancer
20:05 Jan 31 2010

Don't be too concerned about the beta test period. It will be short, and more for game balancing than bug testing. I need to test many of my mathematical assumptions, and that can only be done during beta testing.

Once I see the game in semi-full action and am satisfied with the mathematics, the testing period will end, all server stats will be wiped, and the game will open to the public.

BlackMasquerade
20:15 Jan 31 2010

Wow all I can say is I am sp glad to see how things have changed since the beginning, and I am excited t get to play the game once it is done it sounds like alot of fun. I like WarGames myself so this game seems tosound like it is gonna blow WarGames out of the water LOL so to speak.

Once Again Cancer you amaze us with wonderful things as you yourself grows as a WebMaster of VR and the Dark Network.

Thanks for sharing and expanding as you have great fun all around.

BLOODLIFE
21:10 Jan 31 2010

C & C for Vampires, sounds thrilling.

BillytheJust
23:44 Jan 31 2010

Does indeed sound exciting. The last on-line game I played was on a local BBS called, "Bordello" when I had the 386sx Tandy! Should be a very interesting change. But then again, I did have a nice little whore-house going. :D

atyourwindow
03:18 Feb 01 2010

hmmmm....we shall see.

Flannery
23:43 Feb 01 2010

Excited for this!

deathnitegrl
20:07 Feb 05 2010

Lovise
01:13 Feb 06 2010

I don't know why, but it reminds of Battle Ship...

Lolita
06:23 Feb 18 2010

Awesome... but no bats here... *considers going through your entire journal since 2005**

Blood Empires
21:30 Jan 22 2010
Times Read: 1,158

So I've been working on the next big Dark Network update for the past several weeks. I can't really keep it a secret, as it will require extensive beta testing prior to public launch.

It's a new Dark Network site called Blood Empires. It's a web-based, real-time strategy game.

Don't run off to the site and try to log in. You won't be able to - yet.

In a nutshell, in the future, vampires have taken over the world and enslaved mankind. Vampires managed to interweave magic and technology. This combination keeps them in control of the world. However, the old alliances have fallen apart and now vampires fight against one another for power, gold, territory, and control.

The world is broken up into Cantons - small geographical regions ranging in size from 500 to 1500 square miles. As a new player you get your first Canton. The real geographic world is used, meaning you can control territory in Japan, Russia, virtually anywhere.

A big portion of the game is building. You must develop your Canton. Once you've got the right buildings in place, you can research technologies and magic. Once you've got the right technology or magic level, you can build military units or summon creatures (werewolves, dragons, etc.)

Then the fun starts. You can attack other Cantons (other players).

You can also expand your empire by taking over free Cantons (Cantons that no vampire controls). Doing so expands your empire, your income, and what you can build or summon.

I'm making good progress on the game. I'm thinking it will be ready for beta testing sometime around March or April. I'm hopeful for a public launch about 30 days after beta testing begins.

You'll just need your regular Dark Network username and password to log in and start playing. Premium members will get some extra game features. A lot of stuff will be separate though. Your status level won't matter in the game. If you want to be powerful you'll have to build your empire up and maintain it.

This is a project I've wanted to get started on since the fall of 2005. That's when I first conceptualized it, but I wasn't ready to start it yet. The web technology just wasn't there yet.

Today, everything I need to get the game rolling exists. This isn't going to be a game like Starcraft or World of Warcraft. There's no way to do that level of graphics over the web - yet. But the game won't be all textual either. I'm working on some things, trying to provide a good mix of text and graphics that works well through a web browser.

More to follow shortly. No questions please. A lot of game parameters are still being worked out. Beta testing will be available to Acolytes+ only.

COMMENTS

Bones
21:38 Jan 22 2010

Sounds interesting (and like a lot of work). Looking forward to the sites public launch.

imagesinwords
22:19 Jan 22 2010

I kept the secret :P But I am glad you've let the cat out of the bag- because I have been wanting to share the excitement openly.

Deunan
22:42 Jan 22 2010

this is so awsome!!!

but this also mean I got to redo my acolyte tests on my accounts... man this is exciting and stressing, I so want in, so much!!!!

Xzavier
23:49 Jan 22 2010

Sounds bloody great!

atyourwindow
01:56 Jan 23 2010

hey how about fixing vampirerave first? lol

BillytheJust
06:26 Jan 23 2010

Why fix what's NOT broken. Only AYW *shakes head* But damn Cancer, where do you find all the time for this?

xXChaoticSymphonyXx
09:43 Jan 23 2010

I have to agree with some of the others, fix problems here before giving us a whole new headache..there are plenty of MMORPG vampire games out there for now that we can pick from.

BLOODLIFE
10:39 Jan 23 2010

I certainly will give it a try.

AMurderOfSin
10:42 Jan 23 2010

Sounds cool..

sahahria
14:03 Jan 23 2010

Where is the damn like button????

Oh shit, is this mic on? *cough*

;)

Daire
16:15 Jan 23 2010

This sounds retarded and nerdy.

Daire
16:15 Jan 23 2010

Just thought I would give you a break from the usual. ;)

deathnitegrl
13:01 Jan 24 2010

Wow awesome!!!!!!!!!

AnimeKikei
06:00 Jan 26 2010

I've never been good with computer games like what your talking about. I get lost easily and it goes over my head lol

I guess I was skipped when passing out those DNA codes lol

I'm willing to give it a shot though :)

Have no idea how you have the time to do all this, I would have had a nervous break down or a stroke by now lol