Download I Had Hope!

Now that we're re-making the engine, you can enjoy what was I Had Hope Alpha v0.5!

We won't be working on this version of I Had Hope anymore, so please do not report bugs, but if you have a feature suggestion feel free to let us know and we'll see if it will go into the new engine!

Download I Had Hope:

While we work on the new engine, we've released the Alpha v0.5 game and source for free!*

Alpha v0.5 Build - https://dl.dropbox.com/u/4714446/IHH/IHadHope_Alpha05Build.zip

Alpha v0.5 Source - https://dl.dropbox.com/u/4714446/IHH/IHadHope_Alpha05Source.zip

Features that might make it into the next engine:

• Multi-floor buildings
• Weather effects
• Weapon and item modding
• Animals
• NPC's with AI to help players in quests and provide dialogue
• Online and LAN multiplayer co-op for a large number of players (depending on how low-latency the network code turns out)
• 2-4 player splitscreen, one on keyboard and mouse and the others on Xbox360 controllers (or just 4 Xbox 360 controllers), possibly mixing with online gameplay

Want to edit the game? Download Construct Classic:

Construct Classic R2 from Scirra.com

Non-standard effects and plugins used in I Had Hope:
Plugin - TextureSetter by R0J0hound
Plugin - Unique Sprite by lucid 
Behavior - Path Movement by R0J0hound
Effect - Coloured Outline by Luomu

Find any others that stop the source from loading up? Let us know and we'll link or upload it here!

Having problems running the game? Try installing these:

Latest Direct X 9 (not 10 or 11) - http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=35

The Visual C++ 2005 Redist - http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=3387

*Read the Readme.txt file for licensing information

Time for a rewrite!

Well, it looks like I'll be re-writing the engine for the game to fit many more features in. Still, this isn't so bad as I've already coded a large portion of the game engine once already, so it can only turn out better!

Here's some ideas that the current engine wasn't designed for but might be possible now:
-> Multi-floor buildings
-> Weather effects
-> Weapon and item modding
-> Animals
-> NPC's with AI to help players in quests and provide dialogue
-> Online and LAN multiplayer co-op for a large number of players (depending on how low-latency the network code turns out)
-> 2-4 player splitscreen, one on keyboard and mouse and the others on Xbox360 controllers (or just 4 Xbox 360 controllers), possibly mixing with online gameplay

I'll need to talk to Bioked first, but as the old engine isn't going to be used it may be released here as open source!

You'll be able to play and take a look through the code of the old Alpha while we make an even better game =]

In the mean time, you can check out the program I Had Hope is developed in, Construct Classic by Scirra.

Construct Game Development Beginners Guide

My book on making 2D games is out! It's called Construct Game Development Beginners Guide by Packt Publishing and is aimed at teaching absolute beginners to make their own computer games with Construct Classic.

If you're interested in seeing what the book is like, PacktPub have an entire sample chapter available to read!

Here's the overview:
"Construct Classic is a free, DirectX 9 game creator for Windows, designed for 2D games. Construct Classic uses an event-based system for defining how the game behaves, in a visual, human-readable way - you don't need to program or script anything at all. It's intuitive for beginners, but powerful enough for advanced users to work without hindrance. You never know when you’ll need a helping hand exploring its inner workings, or harnessing its raw power to do your bidding.
Construct Game Development Beginner's Guide is the book for you if you have ever felt the urge to make a game of your own. Reading this book will not only teach you to make some popular games using Construct, but you’ll also learn the skills necessary to continue on and bring your game ideas to life.
Starting as a beginner to Construct Classic, you’ll be learning to make platform, puzzle, and shooter games, each styled after popular games of their genre.
This guide covers everything from creating animated sprites, to using the built-in physics and shadow engines of Construct Classic. You will learn the skills necessary to make advanced games of your own.
Construct Game Development Beginner's Guide will lead you on your journey of making games."

With the book done, I Had Hope should get some much deserved attention again, although an engine rewrite is looking pretty tempting (to allow for multiplayer, better modding, less crashing).

Delays oh yay!

Well, due to things getting pretty hectic, it looks like I won't have much time for the game for the next couple months =/ Still, we won't take as long as Duke Nukem Forever did ;]

Probably (Definitely) not PayPal

Okay here's some more news,

PayPal decided it'd be fun to freeze my account, not a cool story.

Instead we'll probably use something else as the main payment option, and maybe PayPal as a back-up if people can't get the other thing.

Although the game isn't even beta yet, this experience with them already leaves me feeling pretty worried about when we start getting money coming in. Here's hoping I get my current balance back at least...

Edit: Well, they've unfrozen my account (great!), but I still don't know if we can trust them. If we don't find a good alternative we'll probably end up stuck with them.

Edit #2: Again they freeze me for spending 5 bucks. Well, we're definitely not using them as a main payment option...

Things are happening!

We promise.

In all seriousness though, we've created a Facebook page and Alpha testing is underway.

Bioked has also snuck some game material onto his Twitter background so go and check it out!

Welcome

Watch this space for some more information on I Had Hope, an upcoming game by Jayjay and Bioked.