Ultimate Amiga

Games Corner => The Crypt of Bloodwych => Bloodwych - The Book of Skulls => Topic started by: Hungry Horace on May 30, 2021, 09:59:16 PM

Title: Bloodwych - Book of Skulls - Official Beta Version
Post by: Hungry Horace on May 30, 2021, 09:59:16 PM
Hi Everyone

After over 12 years of development, I have finally produced a working beta for the Bloodwych level set 'Book of Skulls'

At the moment, the download is a self-booting hard-drive in ZIP format, but this could be unpacked and run for original hardware if preferred.

I've also produced a manual for it, with the full backstory included within.

Downloads are here:

Cover Art:
http://www.djcresswell.com/bloodwych/files/Book_of_Skulls-Cover.png

PDF Manual:
www.djcresswell.com/bloodwych/files/Book_of_Skulls-Manual_1-0.pdf

ZIP File Release: (Self booting Hard Drive)
www.djcresswell.com/bloodwych/files/Bloodwych_BookOfSkulls_v2.51_BETA2.zip

The beta is also avaialble via AmigaLive.com to play online with your friends - just load the 'Bloodwych&ExtendedLevels' entry and the game will be available from the custom menu.


Hope a few of you will enjoy it, and do let me know if you find any bugs!!

Title: Re: Bloodwych - Book of Skulls - Official Beta Version
Post by: Torico on June 12, 2021, 09:31:59 AM
Really enjoying this so far, been so long that it's all new again hehe.

Question:  Is Blodwyn's default setup meant to have a bag full of gems, ace of swords, chaos gloves and a key?  Just wondering cus seems overpowered from start and now we got double the gems, bit strange.
Title: Re: Bloodwych - Book of Skulls - Official Beta Version
Post by: Hungry Horace on June 12, 2021, 05:17:24 PM
Bugger - no!!

Dispose of everything Blodwyn had!!  (It means you would have been able to access the first gem holes too early as well)


Originally i had a 'super Blodwyn' hard-coded in for testing. Later on i change that to a special 'cheat patch' I could apply.

I removed (or rather, didnt use) the patch on the final Beta, but i obviously still had some hang-over in the main data.

I'll fix that this weekend, but it wont do much for your save i'm afaid unless you were willing to start over.


I'd look forward to seeing some videos though Torico!
Title: Re: Bloodwych - Book of Skulls - Official Beta Version
Post by: Hungry Horace on June 15, 2021, 08:10:16 PM
I've updated the ZIP download to remove the testing/Blodwyn bug!
Title: Re: Bloodwych - Book of Skulls - Official Beta Version
Post by: Torico on June 20, 2021, 08:30:58 AM
Thanks!  Bit stuck in the Moon tower at the min, pretty much solved the gem rooms (except for a gem on a shelf) that was really tough, pillars moving and unmoving with wrong steps, eek.  Got to a dragon door, but have no key, and there was a red button near the form wall section that I don't know what it does.  Challenging!  :)
Title: Re: Bloodwych - Book of Skulls - Official Beta Version
Post by: Hungry Horace on June 20, 2021, 10:43:24 AM
So… this red door.

Have you done both “sides” of the gem holes?

The bluish gem side has a moon door to start and the tan gem side has a dragon door to start.

Each side rewards you with a key you need on the next level up (possibly red/blue or bronze/iron - I forget without checking the detailed maps)

Or…..  if you have made it up to the next level after completing one gem side only .. you may see a sign shortly after a red door (which you can come back to) which has a big clue
Title: Re: Bloodwych - Book of Skulls - Official Beta Version
Post by: Hungry Horace on June 20, 2021, 11:34:32 AM
I've checkd, and you get a Bronze key from one side (the Bluish side) and an Iron key from the other (Tan side)

Both tof these are used on the floor above. You get a sign with a clue, and using the Iron key (which i think you already have) you get a second clue.
 
I expect that the switch you used has done something in an area you havent reached yet (I tried to make the order of things less linear where possible)

I am thinking if you drew a rougt map, i would have a good idea of where you are stuck and what needs to happen next.  :)
Title: Re: Bloodwych - Book of Skulls - Official Beta Version
Post by: Torico on June 20, 2021, 12:39:56 PM
Yea I think that gem floor maybe done on both sides, we've gotten to the floor above with 4 keys, chromatic, iron, bronze and moon but haven't found anywhere to use them yet.  Not too much to mention up there, we pressed a red switch and there's a dragon door and black door.   :)
Title: Re: Bloodwych - Book of Skulls - Official Beta Version
Post by: Hungry Horace on June 20, 2021, 01:48:55 PM
"Wait. Right. Here"
"Erase the walls of magic formed"
Title: Re: Bloodwych - Book of Skulls - Official Beta Version
Post by: Torico on June 20, 2021, 05:29:27 PM
Thanks, I remember wanting to try that at one point, but didn't have the spell, luckily friend does.
Title: Re: Bloodwych - Book of Skulls - Official Beta Version
Post by: Hungry Horace on June 20, 2021, 05:44:51 PM
Maybe i'll add a couple more wall scrolls to make it more obvious!

There should be two ways to solve this though - so if you dont have the spell, you shoul be able to just wait it out :)
Title: Re: Bloodwych - Book of Skulls - Official Beta Version
Post by: Torico on June 20, 2021, 07:48:07 PM
Ohh, that's a mechanic I've not seen before, I wouldn't have expected that to work, pretty cool.  ;D
Title: Re: Bloodwych - Book of Skulls - Official Beta Version
Post by: Torico on June 21, 2021, 01:39:55 PM
Got to the Dragon tower, bit stuck, we can't seem to find what this button did, still have red, blue, yellow and iron doors with no key.
Title: Re: Bloodwych - Book of Skulls - Official Beta Version
Post by: Hungry Horace on June 21, 2021, 05:24:21 PM
LOL, still using the cheat Blodwyn armour huh? ;)

Looks like you are on Level 5. (shortly after the start you get teleported up to level 7 and work your way down)


That switch allows you to pass through the yellow door... i think you probably need to go back on yourself slightly - you need to go though the 'middle' section of the floor you are on. Did you go back up and kill the level's Guardian character? (She walks in the middle of the squares and has special dialogue)
Title: Re: Bloodwych - Book of Skulls - Official Beta Version
Post by: Hungry Horace on June 21, 2021, 08:25:04 PM
Actually, if you have doors but no keys, i wonder if you missed collecting the keys on the floors above (with the previous gem holes)
Title: Re: Bloodwych - Book of Skulls - Official Beta Version
Post by: Torico on June 22, 2021, 11:18:47 AM
lol, told my friend to drop all that Blodwyn gear, think he kept a few bits.

Hmm, can't get in the middle section, needs yellow key, haven't found a way to get to the guardian upstairs, all blocked off, we just did enough to get downstairs.

Title: Re: Bloodwych - Book of Skulls - Official Beta Version
Post by: Torico on June 25, 2021, 03:03:28 PM
Still can't find a way to the guardian, if you have any hints? thx
Title: Re: Bloodwych - Book of Skulls - Official Beta Version
Post by: Hungry Horace on June 25, 2021, 03:05:33 PM
Do you still have "red, blue, yellow and iron doors with no keys" ?

If so, the floor above i think you've missed some keys in the puzzle sections. (You should have a side each, accessed from the gems)

Title: Re: Bloodwych - Book of Skulls - Official Beta Version
Post by: Torico on June 25, 2021, 03:09:49 PM
yea I think we got a couple of bronze keys from the puzzle rooms upstairs, and used them downstairs to get out, but didn't progress anything.
Title: Re: Bloodwych - Book of Skulls - Official Beta Version
Post by: Hungry Horace on June 25, 2021, 09:08:56 PM
Do you have a cutpurse? I wonder if you have missed a hidden shelf...   Any chance of drawing out a small map of where you are stuck?
Title: Re: Bloodwych - Book of Skulls - Official Beta Version
Post by: Hungry Horace on June 25, 2021, 09:18:49 PM
Just checked the maps - Through the bronze doors you should have picked up 2 more keys (one each side) Red and Green i think
Title: Re: Bloodwych - Book of Skulls - Official Beta Version
Post by: Torico on June 26, 2021, 08:49:06 AM
Ah, found it, we redid the Tower, there was a gem room hallway we missed, the first time I went in I got teleported from the floor tile and forgot to revisit it, doh.
Title: Re: Bloodwych - Book of Skulls - Official Beta Version
Post by: Hungry Horace on June 27, 2021, 07:30:51 PM
Your gonna hate the Chaos tower 😂
Title: Re: Bloodwych - Book of Skulls - Official Beta Version
Post by: Torico on June 29, 2021, 03:59:06 AM
 ;D
Title: Re: Bloodwych - Book of Skulls - Official Beta Version
Post by: Torico on July 06, 2021, 06:37:15 PM
We sorta cleared the Dragon Tower, top to bottom, but are left with a chromatic key, can't find where to use it.  ???
Title: Re: Bloodwych - Book of Skulls - Official Beta Version
Post by: Hungry Horace on July 09, 2021, 12:57:42 PM
I suspect you didnt use it on the highest level with the Arc Bolt machine. (the level before dropping into the dragon & fire pit)

I had a feeling that might happen on 2 player mode - you need it to avoid a particular floor switch, but if a player is already on the other side of the door, it might not be used.

Something similar happens in the Extended Levels with a Serpent key if i remember rightly!
Title: Re: Bloodwych - Book of Skulls - Official Beta Version
Post by: Torico on July 13, 2021, 01:36:47 PM
Ah k, only thing left in the tower I then is the red door at the bottom and the crystal, but haven't found the key.
Title: Re: Bloodwych - Book of Skulls - Official Beta Version
Post by: Hungry Horace on July 13, 2021, 04:50:19 PM
It will be on either of the above two floors :)
Title: Re: Bloodwych - Book of Skulls - Official Beta Version
Post by: Torico on July 21, 2021, 04:03:57 PM
Ok, we made it to The Land of Entropy, killed a couple of bosses that dropped chromatic keys, and found a blue and green key, but stuck trying to find doors to use them with. Any hints? thx
Title: Re: Bloodwych - Book of Skulls - Official Beta Version
Post by: Hungry Horace on July 29, 2021, 05:54:51 PM
Final Tower, huh, but still on the first floor?

Blue door is hidden; there is a clue to one of the common annoying spell puzzles of the game ;)

The serpent door should be easy enough to find - its near the arc bolt machine :)
Title: Re: Bloodwych - Book of Skulls - Official Beta Version
Post by: Torico on July 30, 2021, 05:16:29 AM
Ah so there must be a second serpent door, as I'd already opened that one, and found another green key near the portal to the unknown.
Title: Re: Bloodwych - Book of Skulls - Official Beta Version
Post by: Hungry Horace on July 30, 2021, 10:16:35 PM
I don’t recall two serpent doors on the first level of the final tower …..

One could be used later on , but maybe a mini map might help?
Title: Re: Bloodwych - Book of Skulls - Official Beta Version
Post by: Hungry Horace on July 30, 2021, 10:17:29 PM
It’s possible that 2 serpent keys is a bug that needs fixing
Title: Re: Bloodwych - Book of Skulls - Official Beta Version
Post by: Torico on August 07, 2021, 04:02:36 PM
Progressing!  :D
Title: Re: Bloodwych - Book of Skulls - Official Beta Version
Post by: Hungry Horace on August 26, 2021, 09:43:50 AM
Would love to know if you completed it and/or recorded any of it :)
Title: Re: Bloodwych - Book of Skulls - Official Beta Version
Post by: Torico on August 27, 2021, 02:00:12 PM
Made a few clips but haven't finished it, have got the Book of Skulls but stuck what to do next.
Title: Re: Bloodwych - Book of Skulls - Official Beta Version
Post by: Hungry Horace on September 06, 2021, 05:52:00 PM
You should basically be at the end?  Probably just need to pay close attention to the signs and stand in the right place!
Title: Re: Bloodwych - Book of Skulls - Official Beta Version
Post by: Torico on September 20, 2021, 06:32:55 PM
Yea, seems like the end, can't seem to find an alter though.  :o
Title: Re: Bloodwych - Book of Skulls - Official Beta Version
Post by: Hungry Horace on September 25, 2021, 09:28:00 AM
Yea, seems like the end, can't seem to find an alter though.  :o

the pad between the chaos signs - it's figurative ;)
Title: Re: Bloodwych - Book of Skulls - Official Beta Version
Post by: Torico on October 07, 2021, 11:59:51 AM
Dang, did try that before but nothing happened, got it to trigger with one of the spellcasters, haha, great game, huge, very puzzly and solid game altogether, well done.  ;D