BrowserQuests Online RPG

General topics, including off-topic discussion, goes here.
User avatar
Senyors
Posts: 22
Joined: Fri Jun 21, 2019 10:37 pm
Location: Wisconsin, USA
Contact:

BrowserQuests Online RPG

Post by Senyors »

I'm looking for volunteers to playtest an online RPG I've developed from scratch over the past five years called "BrowserQuests" (http://www.browserquests.com). I actually released this RPG under a similar name ("InfiniQuests") back in 2016, but other life challenges forced me to all but abandon the system for a few years. I've now totally rebuilt the game's graphical interface and I'm trying again, this time to determine whether the system is worth putting any more time into.

What I've attempted to do is basically bring the Basic Fantasy RPG system into an online environment where players can register an account and play through a potentially-limitless number of adventures. The "alpha" version of my system features a collection of individual quests that, put together, plays like a typical module (loosely built on a novel I wrote back in the day at http://www.wizardreborn.com). The system utilizes a virtual game master to manage and control the overall experience, and while I used the Basic Fantasy ruleset as a foundation for the system, there are a lot of my own ideas embedded into the system as well (such as the introduction of "behaviors" as well as player character abilities to help give party members personality).

In addition to the player interface, I've also created an entire back-end of administrative forms to input data and control everything. I did this in order to potentially allow module authors to build their own quests within the system and allow players to go through those modules. In theory, a countless number of modules could be entered into the system that would allow players from all over the globe to play Basic Fantasy-based adventures!

For those of you willing to give the system a try, please be aware that this is a preliminary alpha version; everything should work, but the game will feel a bit slow, clumsy and unpolished at times. Ultimately, I want to try and determine two things: First, is the overall system worth additional time and attention, and Second, what should be improved in order to warrant continued development. For example, I know that the way the game processes player commands (utilizing a small collection of associated dropdown menus) is awkward and inefficient, but I can't figure-out a better way to do it--perhaps someone here within the forums might have some ideas.

So, for those of you willing to give my online system a try, please browse http://www.browserquests.com, click the "Register to Play" link (http://www.browserquests.com/Players/Pl ... gistration) near the bottom of the home page, verify your registration (requires a valid email address), browse the actual game itself at http://www.browserquests.com/Players/Play-the-RPG and have at it! Again, the game may feel a bit underwhelming at first so PLEASE spend some time with it and give the RPG a chance. Afterwards, respond to this post or post your own comments on the site's forums at http://www.browserquests.com/Players/Forums. Thanks, and enjoy!
Image

Scott Mark Huelsman
Waunakee, WI 53597
https://browserquests.com
https://scottymark.com
User avatar
Senyors
Posts: 22
Joined: Fri Jun 21, 2019 10:37 pm
Location: Wisconsin, USA
Contact:

BrowserQuests

Post by Senyors »

Last month, I made an announcement that an initial alpha version of my online role-playing game engine "BrowserQuests" (http://www.browserquests.com) was available, a single-player, persistent world, online application based on the Basic Fantasy system. A variety of folks tried the game but, unfortunately, I didn't receive a lot of feedback.

Accordingly, I've created a Survey Monkey questionnaire at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/GVTHXQP that I'll keep open for a while to solicit feedback, ten general questions that should take about 15 minutes to complete. To be honest, I've been working on the system for several years now and I'm not sure if I should continue, but if I decide to proceed with a beta version, I'd really like to know what folks may want (especially in terms of playability).

As perhaps some added incentive, note that the sample adventure (consisting of several individual quests) contains a quest taken from the Basic Fantasy Adventure Anthology 1 book! So, if you can try the game, get past the city adventure and make your way toward the Evilroot Forest, you can interact with one of the stories taken from AA1! :D
Image

Scott Mark Huelsman
Waunakee, WI 53597
https://browserquests.com
https://scottymark.com
beardedinlair
Posts: 7
Joined: Tue Jun 25, 2019 1:04 am

Re: BrowserQuests Questionnaire Available

Post by beardedinlair »

Thank you for this.
User avatar
Solomoriah
Site Admin
Posts: 12460
Joined: Thu Nov 13, 2008 8:15 pm
Location: LaBelle, Missouri
Contact:

Re: BrowserQuests Questionnaire Available

Post by Solomoriah »

Hey, one thing I'd like you to change, please... don't say "Basic Fantasy," say "Basic Fantasy RPG" or "Basic Fantasy Role-Playing Game." For reasons that are hard to explain, I really do need you to use the whole name.
My personal site: www.gonnerman.org
User avatar
Solomoriah
Site Admin
Posts: 12460
Joined: Thu Nov 13, 2008 8:15 pm
Location: LaBelle, Missouri
Contact:

Re: BrowserQuests Questionnaire Available

Post by Solomoriah »

Commentary on the user interface: I don't like the dropdowns. It would be just as easy to list the possible "actors" and "actions" live on the screen, so that in order to tell Aura to pick up the gold piece, I could click just three times rather than seven times ("tell aura" "take item" "1 gold piece" vs. dropdown, select, dropdown, select, dropdown, select, button).

Also, I find the dialog font rather small on my computer monitor. Possibly it might be better on a widescreen (my home monitor is a 4:3 20" vs. the 16:9 24" in the office). Of course, I just Ctrl-plussed it up to a comfortable size, but the default might be a bit small.
My personal site: www.gonnerman.org
User avatar
Senyors
Posts: 22
Joined: Fri Jun 21, 2019 10:37 pm
Location: Wisconsin, USA
Contact:

Re: BrowserQuests Questionnaire Available

Post by Senyors »

A big THANK YOU for the feedback! I did just go through the site and changed references from "Basic Fantasy" to "Basic Fantasy RPG" -- there were only a few. I want to be very respectful of your branding requirements so I appreciate being informed about this.

I completely agree that the menu dropdowns have to go. The problem is that they're vital to the way I programmed the entire player command system so replacing them will require a major overhaul. There are other aspects of the game that I think aren't working for folks either, so I've been trying to figure-out better ways to do things (possibly leading to a whole new design for a potential beta release next year).

Subsequently, I'd welcome ANY additional comment and feedback. To be honest, I'm not sure whether to continue with this effort, as it's such a vast undertaking and there are certainly other toolsets out there for developing RPGs (RPG Maker MV for example). So, again, I appreciate the feedback and hope to hear more from the Basic Fantasy RPG community!
Image

Scott Mark Huelsman
Waunakee, WI 53597
https://browserquests.com
https://scottymark.com
User avatar
Senyors
Posts: 22
Joined: Fri Jun 21, 2019 10:37 pm
Location: Wisconsin, USA
Contact:

New Interface for BrowserQuests

Post by Senyors »

Back in June, I made an announcement that my unique online BrowserQuests RPG was up and running at http://www.browserquests.com, and a few months later I received enough feedback to recognize the biggest weakness to the application--the command system that tells the virtual gamemaster what to do. After a few more months of trial and error, I've redesigned the game's overall interface and, hopefully, made it easier to play and enjoy (learn more at http://www.browserquests.com/Welcome/Pr ... -Interface).

Again, BrowserQuests is a bold attempt to capture the spirit of traditional role-playing through an online browser, a single player commanding his own adventuring party and interacting with a virtual gamemaster. The text-based system generally leverages the Basic Fantasy rules and currently includes an introductory adventure that takes a few hours to complete (and while the story is based on a novel I wrote two decades ago, I did borrow a quest from the Adventure Anthology 1 book to see how it would convert). I've been working on BrowserQuests off and on now for five years and it's starting to take on a life of its own. So, if you'd like to try the new interface--or you're just curious and want to try something different--hop on over to BrowserQuests.com and see what you think!
Image

Scott Mark Huelsman
Waunakee, WI 53597
https://browserquests.com
https://scottymark.com
User avatar
Senyors
Posts: 22
Joined: Fri Jun 21, 2019 10:37 pm
Location: Wisconsin, USA
Contact:

New Party Management in BrowserQuests

Post by Senyors »

A quick shout-out that I've spent the last few weeks updating the BrowserQuests online RPG (http://www.browserquests.com) to now allow new players the choice of which hero to play at the beginning of the game. In the past, a random hero was assigned but now the player can choose from all available heroes (by class, race and gender). The game still doesn't allow building a hero from scratch, but at least players can now choose which character to play.

Currently, I have eight such heroes available, taken from the pregenerated list of characters that are available near the end of the Morgansfort module (Apoqulis, Aura, Barthal, Bork, etc.). I'd like to add more--a lot more! Hence, if anyone wishes to provide basic statistics for a beginning hero, I'd welcome the content! The game is still in its infancy so classes and races are limited to what's found within the 3rd edition BFRPG rulebook and I'm only interested in beginning first level characters.

Additionally, I utilize "behaviors" within the BrowserQuests system as well (scored just like attributes such as strength and intelligence), which help define personality for the hero. For example, I assigned the following behavior scores to Morningstar in the game: Altruism: 16, Curiosity: 7, Diplomacy: 9, Empathy: 15, Honor: 12, Optimism: 8, Reason: 5, Spirit: 14, Tolerance: 13. Accordingly, I then assigned the following description for her: "Morningstar is an elven female fighter/magic-user from a small village in southwestern Pirapa. Possessing a strong zest for life and a heart of gold, Morningstar's greatest weakness is her inability to listen to reason, preferring instead to let passion and emotion guide her decision-making." Such is the content I'd be looking for.

If anyone out there has some first-level characters that they're perhaps particularly fond of and would like to see them integrated into the BrowserQuests online system, feel free to reach out to me via email at gamemaster@browserquests.com. I'd really appreciate any and all submissions!
Image

Scott Mark Huelsman
Waunakee, WI 53597
https://browserquests.com
https://scottymark.com
User avatar
tvance929
Posts: 51
Joined: Thu Nov 21, 2019 1:57 pm
Location: Nashville, TN
Contact:

Re: BrowserQuests

Post by tvance929 »

I love this! Just starting the tutorial and love it. I can see the dropdowns becoming laborious but still this is amazing and has huge potential! I'll keep poking at it and see if I can give you more feedback.

**BTW - I do some acting on the side (and have done voiceovers), have a deep voice and would love to suggest maybe some of the dialogues to be read into a speech file that a player could player rather than read. And if you need someone to do the reading... I know a guy. :) Either way, might be a decent idea. If I could click on audio mode when it's time for reading, I could do other boring things, like real work, while listening **
User avatar
Senyors
Posts: 22
Joined: Fri Jun 21, 2019 10:37 pm
Location: Wisconsin, USA
Contact:

Re: BrowserQuests

Post by Senyors »

Hey, thanks for the great feedback! I'm actually working on a whole new beginning pair of quests that are intended to better introduce the fantasy world as well as act as an introductory tutorial. I also intend to open the underlying engine up to potential authors sometime in early 2020. Again, the vision behind BrowserQuests is to integrate as many adventures into it as I can!

Yeah, I could definitely see adding an audio narration element to the game at some point. Right now I still consider the effort in an "alpha" stage meaning that I'm still working on core mechanics and presentation. I also still need to implement all second level and beyond spells which, I'm sure, will take some time. But when I reach the point where I think I'm ready to integrate audio narration into the system, I'll let you know!
Image

Scott Mark Huelsman
Waunakee, WI 53597
https://browserquests.com
https://scottymark.com
Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Google [Bot] and 36 guests