The year is 2006. Due to dreadfully unwise experiments in the field of occult menthol mints, the human race has almost been driven to extinction. Now, huddling in the blasted ruins of forgotten cities, hiding from the all-too-mintyfresh children of Yog Sothoth, the dregs of humanity scratch out a pitiful existance. TRUELY THIS IS THE PRICE OF HUBRIS AND MINTS.
In other news, here's the new Arkham release (THE RELEASE ATTACHED TO THIS GODAWFUL NEWS POST HAS BEEN DELETED - PLEASE ASK IN THE FORUMS IF YOU'D LIKE A COPY). This contains our second prototype, an attempt to recreate a portion of Nathaniel J. Bradlee's Boston Asylum (never actually built). The keen-eyed among you will spot that it bears a strong resemblance to the Danvers Asylum layout... and infact is slightly more intresting in places. The experiment does, however, confirm one of our suspicions...
...these places are bloody huge. I mean, really enormous. You may think it's a long way to the shop, but that's just PEANUTS to Nathaniel J. Bradlee. As a result, we're actively looking into ways to create a more compact version of the map. We'll keep you informed... (mainly because we speak our brains regularly on the forums)
Also included in the zip are a number of textures (from Allicorn, Edgarallenpoet & Reverend Speed) and some sound files (from Allicorn). We hope you enjoy.
I'm hoping this site will become a useful resource for people who wish to research and create Lovecraft computer games, so I'm very pleased with progress in the forums... We've accumulated an enormous collection of research links for Lovecraftian asylums and period aesthetics. In addition to this, you'll also find the largest list of Lovecraftian games KNOWN TO MAN.
Right, back to the grindstone
Hmm... I guess I should start dating these. 17/04/06. Community is fairly quiet at the moment, but we're busy behind the scenes. Speed's doing research on Danvers, Allicorn is testing out some excellent soundscapes... Other members are currently frozen with college or paying work, but expect to be freed up soon and still others are performing strange investigations into the inner workings of HL2...! =)
Somewhere in the wilderness a ragged figure works with twigs and sand, his fingers rubbed raw with activity... and slowly a graphical design is being built for the site. Go man, go...!
Okay, a new Arkham map release - a cleaned-up version of the single-floor map and the eyeballed test of the Danvers front... you may download it: HERE! No, wait, (OH NO! YOU'VE MISSED THIS OLDER RELEASE! AND IT WAS SUCH A GOOD ONE TOO! SOME LOOK BACK ON IT WITH MISTY EYES AND A FOND, SOMEWHAT RUEFUL EXPRESSION - THOSE WERE GOOD DAYS, BUT GONE, GONE AND NEVER WILL WE LIVE THEIR LIKE AGAIN. UNLESS YOU REALLY WANT THE FILES AND YOU ASK ON THE MESSAGE BOARDS)
One day I'm going to find it natural to find the > symbol on a keyboard. Ack, that's a horrible tag. Not using that again.
Currently, we need:
* a Mission Statement
* Danvers Blueprints
UPDATE: We have achieved HTML. I repeat: We have achieved HTML. I'm just hoping I don't get any comments about how people don't like the new site design.
Take me away from this horror and into the safety of a new dark age. Or, failing that, a forum for making Lovecraft games...
...oops. Nearly forgot. You may still find the first Arkhamsoft release of the Asylum map with a sample music track from Allicorn... (UNFORTUNATELY I APPEAR TO HAVE EATEN OUR FIRST RELEASE. IF YOU ASK NICELY ON THE FORUMS, I MAY REGURGITATE THE .ZIP AND VOMIT FONDLY INTO YOUR MOUTH).
Old news follows... =)
So - thought we could take some strain away from the Dark Corners site - though I'd still like to see a little presence there for recruitment purposes... =)
Arkhamsoft, then. The name should not imply any kind of commercial intent - should I get off my ass and add some content to the site, it'll be to the effect that Arkhamsoft is a Webdesign / Softco based in Arkham - all participants are Miskatonic U. graduates. =) Unfortunately, in a particularly Spinal Tap twist, most Arkhamsoft clients go mad, die or disappear in bizzare circumstances...
For the moment, however, we'll keep the game plan simple - focusing on the boards. Post links & pictures, etc... of your work. We'll try and use this to keep organised. Naturally, there'll be some ICQ sessions in the near future.
Man I'm tired. It's nearly six in the morning now. Bloody hell. Anyway...
Arkhamsoft (or The Lovecraftian Computer Game Resource Depot, whichever trips off your tongue easiest...!) - onwards and upwards.
--RoB