WetFire
Wetfire is a text-based RPG project that I wrote
in 2003, when I was thirteen. I was just beginning to learn the C++ language,
and wetfire was my way to experiment with the language and grow more comfortable
with it. The features include:
- Loading and saving the game
- Multiple races and characters
- Computer MOB enemies
- Interaction with rooms
- Colors
- Multiplatform
- Items and shops
Mistakes
Although this was a really fun project, it had many obvious drawbacks and design flaws.
Firstly, areas and room descriptions must be written in CODE inside the game. This is not
very practical. Data like that should have been loaded through a data file, which could be
created through an area editor program.
Another drawback was the save file type. The saved games were saved in plain text. This
made it extremely easy for a player to change their hp to a very high amount and dominate.
A better implementation would have been to use binary files for save game storage.
And finally, there was really not much to this game. Althogh it could have been expanded
much more, I spent most of my time writing the game engine. The game can be completed easily:
within fifteen minutes or so.
If I ever felt the need to write another text based role playing game, I would have a much
better idea for overall design, and would not make the same mistakes I made when writing
wetfire.
History
I started writing this game in October 2003 and development really finished around December
of that year. I wrote it using Visual C++ 6, and using Ivor Horton's "Beginning Visual C++
6" to accompany me. Three years later, I ported the game to Linux. I used the GNU compiler
collection and scons for the linux port.
Download
While this project is not that practical, I am posting the source here for historical
purposes. Please feel free to look and modify if you are interested. I hope this may
inspire someone else to write something better. All code is licensed under the GNU GPL.
Wetfire version 1.2 source
Email