{"id":1434,"date":"2022-11-05T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-11-05T15:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/genxtralife.com\/heropath\/?p=1434"},"modified":"2025-09-12T23:36:04","modified_gmt":"2025-09-13T04:36:04","slug":"destroy-the-duck-dragons","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/heropath.com\/blog\/destroy-the-duck-dragons\/","title":{"rendered":"Heropath Dev Log #3 – Destroy the Duck-Dragons"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

I\u2019m pleased to release a new alpha version of Heropath, the second version using Godot<\/a> and is alpha build version 0.3.0.18. It represents the first actual vertical slice of the game (inspired by Atari’s Adventure<\/a>) I am building towards since I started development a year ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This version is thanks to Heartbeast’s Demo 2D Action RPG game tutorial titled Godot Action RPG series<\/a> found on YouTube. Heartbeast’s Demo provided the following critical mechanics: 1) Draws a tilemap for the player to move in, 2) Move the player\u2019s character around, 3) Monsters are placed across the map and chase the player if detected, 4) The player must avoid being killed with collision detection being implemented, 5) The player must find the sword and use it to kill the monsters, 6) A basic HUD with intro and statkeeping. Below you see a screen shot of Heartbeast’s Demo 2D Action RPG game which is the code base for this version. <\/p>\n\n\n

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Heartbeast’s Action RPG<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

After building HeartBeast’s Action RPG game, I changed the characters and music and sound and began changing how the game functioned. This was new territory for me and really challenged me but I got to know the Godot engine much better and make it more of my own project. The character and item graphics come from an outstanding homage\/update to Atari 2600 Adventure<\/a>. The world graphics and effects come from Heartbeast’s Godot Action RPG<\/a>. Sounds and music comes from freesound.org <\/a> and soundimage.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Heropath Destroy the Duck-Dragons<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

The above screenshot is for Heropath alpha version .3.0.18 titled \u2018Destroy the Duck-Dragons\u2019! This alpha demo is an exceedingly simple action-adventure game with a fantasy theme. You can play Heropath version 0.3.0.18 with a web browser, keyboard, and mouse here:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

https:\/\/heropath.com\/demo\/alpha-v0.3.0.18\/heropath.html<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instructions: You control Sir Bloc with the keyboard WASD\/arrow keys. You must find the sword and use it to destroy the Duck-Dragons. You need to bump into sword to it pick up and then drop it using the space bar. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Well, what exactly is a Duck-Dragon? When Warren Robinette drew his original dragons for Adventure<\/a> they did look like ducks. In a way it fits since birds are related to reptiles\/dragons.<\/p>\n\n\n

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The dreaded Atari Adventure (duck) Dragon<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Version 0.3.0.18 currently has the following features:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2013 Load small world and environmental objects
\u2013 Load character
\u2013 Load monsters
\u2013 Load items (currently only a sword)
\u2013 Logic for character movement
\u2013 Logic for monster movement and chase behavior
\u2013 Logic for monster-player collision
\u2013 Logic for monster-sword collision (new code)
\u2013 Logic for item pick-up and drop (new code)
\u2013 Logic for intro, win, and lose states (new code)
\u2013 Updated graphics
\u2013 Updated music \/ sound
\u2013 Updated basic HUD
\u2013 Drawing expanded map (320 x 180 pixels to 600 x 600 pixels or 5x bigger) with cliffs, brush, dirt, and grass (existing assets in new map)
\u2013 Drawing and placement of Duck-Dragons (new assets)
\u2013 Drawing and placement of Sword and Player (new assets)
\u2013 Drawing and placement of Intro, Win, and Lose screens (new assets)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With this version I\u2019ve moved along from a very simple puzzle game<\/a> to a very simple arcade game<\/a> to a very simple arcade-adventure game. This is fitting since Atari’s Adventure<\/a> combined both arcade action along with item\/map puzzle play, being the first ever action-adventure game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some ongoing Godot observations:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Working with Godot remains enjoyable and I’m appreciating its many benefits with built-in collision detection, physics, animation, editor, tile-mapper, and more. I definitely see the immense value of using a game engine to develop Heropath. There is no way I would have released this demo as quickly as I did by using JavaScript.<\/p>\n\n\n\n