Alchemyst Dig!

altermaven · Post by **altermaven** » Sat Apr 24, 2021 6:55 pm

Sometimes it takes another viewpoint to determine the quality of my work -- and also, dare I say: what is conventional?

I only have "Vol. 01" available at the moment and I'm open to feedback. Made in GDash, and it's preferred to use GDash, even though the sets are provided in BDCFF format.

Vol. 01 uses the following engine tricks:

- BD1 amoeba transform via magic wall, in some levels
- BD2 slime
- Bonus Life on Intermission complete
- Horizontally expanding walls (in later caves)
- vertical wrap in one cave to peruse the namesake of the cave

In short: it's pseudo-vanilla. Higher levels mean shorter delays, extra weirdness and hazards, and potentially stricter requirements.

But what do I know? I think it's alright in my book, but I want to know from you.
So, why not grab it here?

Looking forward to any and all feedback. Cheers!

Dustin · Post by **Dustin** » Fri Apr 30, 2021 10:26 pm

Sounds great!
But I don't see a download section... how can I download the .bd file and play the game?

altermaven · Post by **altermaven** » Sun May 02, 2021 3:04 am

Whoops!

Go to Code > Download ZIP! It will pack everything up and you can just drop them at the most convenient spot for you.

I should add that to the README!

EDIT: Just sent the ZIPs to Arno via email, hopefully we get entries in the BDGB so you don't have to hassle with the github.

Dustin · Post by **Dustin** » Thu May 06, 2021 8:39 pm

Nice! I downloaded the file and already played through Alchemyst Dig 1 level 1. It was simple but fun! Let's see how hard the higher levels are! In any case, I like the 5 level concept very much!

altermaven · Post by **altermaven** » Thu May 06, 2021 9:33 pm

Dustin wrote:Nice! I downloaded the file and already played through Alchemyst Dig 1 level 1. It was simple but fun! Let's see how hard the higher levels are! In any case, I like the 5 level concept very much!

Glad you enjoyed it. Also, appreciate the input on what needs a bit more improvement. My general thing regarding higher levels is basically one of these things:

- Stricter time limits / reduced delays
- Reduced times on level mechanics (amoeba/walls)
- More annoyances in some levels
- Increased quotas

I didn't want to go too clutch on near the end, but the last cave on L5 says something different if you reach it.

altermaven · Post by **altermaven** » Wed May 12, 2021 4:28 pm

Hi!

There is a known bug in Alchemyst Dig! Vol.2 cave X level 3, in which there is not enough diamonds to complete the level. I forgot to change the RNG seed for this level. A fix is forthcoming.

Edit: The zips and individual files are updated on the github. Simply overwrite to apply. (Hiscores table will be lost. Sorry.)

Edit 2: An impossibility issue in Vol.2 cave III level 4 was fixed, simply replacing a blocking boulder with a dirt element. The zips and individual files are updated again.

altermaven · Post by **altermaven** » Tue May 18, 2021 1:33 am

An EX (Extra) version of Alchemyst Dig! Vol.01's "Cave 7 Level 5" is up on the BD site, and the conditions were changed.

- 210 of the diamonds are needed.
- Different permeability on the slime (because the GDash version uses C64 permeability).
- Instead of time limit, it is now "penalty based on time expired", so cleverness and temptation might be needed for high scoring.

My goal for the EX versions of these caves is simply to make it a bit more challenging. I also invite people to make more difficult versions of these caves if you can. One possibility when designing this EX was to remove the slime, but it just becomes a whole sorting factor and it kinda ruins the thematic.

Because the level is now "penalty based on time expired" I greatly increased the score per diamond, so there's no possibility of getting zero points (unless you take a very long time

)

I also made the first "Stripes" level utilizing the free-flowing omnidirectional wrap. I'll probably make some renditions of the Dig 02 levels that don't rely on GDash's bizarre changes (so sadly, no "flutterprinter" or the like).

Also, if you feel Dig 02's ANCIENT 5 cave (A5) looks a little familiar, it's based off of Boulder Dash NES' 6-3..

EDIT: All current EX levels on Krissz's site:
Dig 01 C6L3: No magic wall to stop amoeba
Dig 01 C13L1: Old design of this cave involving leading butterflies to amoeba
Dig 01 C17L5: All walls are horizontally expanding, not just the bottom row. Same exact diamond count.
Dig 02 Ancient 4: More butterflies, normal amoeba (same 100-count limit but in normal fashion becomes boulders); moved exit.

More will come..

altermaven · Post by **altermaven** » Wed Aug 18, 2021 12:30 am

Do note I've not abandoned this and said that Vol.1/2 is done. I'm kinda active on KrissZ's site but I'm also slowly working on Vol.3 at the moment.

One goal I have in mind eventually is to bring the B-sides version of Vol.1 to GDash. However, it's not exactly optimised for straight play; these levels, instead, are more or less alternate versions of the levels for the purpose of score attack. Some variants of levels I have on the BD online site might show up in Vol.3, but I won't release the details, as 1) I haven't decided yet and 2) the spoiler potential might give a few players a heads-up. ;D

That being said, I love hearing about any nuances in existing caves that either make things too difficult and/or create unsolveability situations. Let me know about these and I'll patch them ASAP.

altermaven · Post by **altermaven** » Wed Sep 01, 2021 1:46 pm

Vol.03 is submitted to Arno and it will show up in the BD Gamebase soon. Links on my BDCFF github will be added soon(tm). GDash is recommended for playing Vol.03!

EDIT: Oops. There was a problem in Cave X/3. It should be fixed now. Sorry!

altermaven · Post by **altermaven** » Thu Sep 09, 2021 9:10 am

Since it's been brought up oh so nicely, you will note that certain gem names in Alchemyst Dig! Vol.01 are ... made up. Here's the list of gems and the nod references I am making:

Cave 4: "Uridium" is a C64 game by Andrew Braybrook and it's actually a mineral, not a gem.

Cave 14: "Ebonite" is the name of corrupted stone in Terraria.

Cave 17: "Obsidian" is also a nod to both Terraria and Minecraft, which was formed when lava and water clashed. Hence why the cave title is "Heat"

Cave 19: "Psychophelenium" is derived from "Psychopheles", the project moniker I used when I was using "Alter-Maven" as a project name in 2003 (I since then ditched the hyphen and "Altermaven" is who I am). It was short lived hence the cave title "Hallucination"

Cave 20: "Scintillarium" would come up in Dig! 03, it is raw prismacite, a hardened substance that seems to have prismatic qualities, but in Dig! 01, it's used for "timeless" recipes.

Cave 21: Luminite is a mineral, not a gem. It's found from the last main boss in Terraria, hence the cave title "Peril"

Cave 24: Mesmerium is an allusion to "mesmerism" which is an illusionary trick of the eyes.

INT 3: Upsidedownium is a play on the mineral "Upsidaisium" which is a fictional mineral in the Rocky & Bullwinkle cartoons.

Full list of imaginary materials:

CAVE 2: "Magicarium"
CAVE 4: "Uridium"
CAVE 6: "Dazzlestone"
CAVE 12: "Shimmerstone"
CAVE 14: "Ebonite"
CAVE 18: "Wonderstone"
All of CAVE 19-26 is made up

All of the INT levels, excluding 4 and 6, are made up. Believe it or not, moonstone is a derivation of feldspar.

altermaven · Post by **altermaven** » Sun Feb 06, 2022 6:18 pm

My friends! It's been a good while, but Vol.04 is now available in the BDCFF-sets github, with a BDGB entry coming soon once Arno puts it up. The "Releases" zip now has Volumes 01-04.

GDash is needed for this caveset.

This caveset has 20 caves and 5 intermissions chopped into five "4-1" units. Only the start of the first four units are selectable by default.

The caveset also has 5 levels that adjust the weirdness and crtieria of each cave except the intermissions save one.

Any issues that occur, or any general playthrough problems, go ahead and reply. I'll get to any of them ASAP. As far as all goes, there should be none.

Have fun and get digging!

EDIT: It's now available at the BDGB.

altermaven · Post by **altermaven** » Tue Feb 15, 2022 11:42 pm

All four cavesets should eventually get the respective "title images" as shown in the GDash presentations on the BDGB.

In the event you have never really seen them, the BDCFF-sets page on my github has them. Each title card uses exactly four colours (black, and the three chosen colours for the font and block text). The extra text used is not by hand, but rather a generated structured font that I whipped up on my own, and made double width to adhere to the 160x200 resolution.

altermaven · Post by **altermaven** » Wed Aug 24, 2022 6:59 pm

Oh, what's this? Vol.05 is now available inthe BDCFF-sets github, and hopefully soon Arno will have that one up since I've sent it over.

This means the bundle now has Volumes 01-05.

GDash is needed for this caveset.

The structure of this caveset is different. The first four segments are in classic "4-1" fashion but the fifth segment is chopped up into an intro, five caves, an outro and a final intermission. The intro and outro changes depending on your current level. The levels adjust the weirdness and criteria of each cave, but the intermissions are static.

Any issues that occur, or any general playthrough problems that might crop up, please get in touch and I'll reply ASAP. But I haven't found any issues during the tests.

Have fun and get digging!

EDIT: There was an error in Cave E, and Cave F was a little too unfair in most cases, so the RNG in cave F was adjusted, and Cave E is fixed.

EDIT 2: Fixed an issue in Cave L "Trip" where there was no score indicators for diamonds.

EDIT 3: Did a final sweep and everything is solid yesterday. You can now grab this game from the Boulder Dash Game Base.

altermaven · Post by **altermaven** » Sun Aug 28, 2022 10:04 pm

So what is exactly going on? What is the lore regarding all this?

- It takes place on a fictional continent known as Morobia, home of prospectors and aspiring alchemists
- Vol.01 has you looking for various minerals for experimental concoctions in Hazardhap (Mt. Vesulia)
- Vol.02 is a test dig for unattuned prismacite that occurs in a opened mineshaft further south in Hazardhap (Mt. Vesulia)
- Vol.03 puts you around and inside Peril Peak (Mt. Stahl) for a year
- Vol.04 is inside Moonspiral, south of Mt. Vesulia, a place often known for pilgrimages to honor the gods of the land that once existed
- Vol.05 is inside the Main Quadrice of the late Zelach Vennhurst, a ruler who originally was known for his benevolence, but became avaritious in his later years. The doorplate that lead into the inner vaults, where the result of his covetousness was said to reside, had etched in its door a command:

"He once hailed from the south, and tried to make friends with the west; he then sought to conquer the east, and tempted the gods of the north. Beware ye, the verse held true in Proverbs 16:18, for is was true for he, fallen from his greed; his closest fanatics shall smite any who pass the gates."

"South" refers to his young years on the earth, and 'north' refers to the sky as he boasted the gods couldn't touch him. Don't tempt the gods, I guess.

The entire gig occurs in the past Morobia, whereas currently, it is but one sixteenth its former size and naught but a volcano remains amidst forgotten and abandoned civilization.

Where will you dig next? I'm not telling you.

altermaven · Post by **altermaven** » Mon Aug 29, 2022 10:14 pm

Alchemyst Dig! Vol.05 was updated to fix an oversight courtesy of Dustin where the fill RNG in C/3 made the cave unsolveable. The fill RNG was readjusted for the later 3 levels to create solveable caves.

You can grab the .bd (or the replacement package) from the github as always.