Announcing Epok

It’s been a while and I’m certain that I've gone and made people worry again. There hasn't been any updates and my posts from before were getting more and more vague. The one promise I did make that I intend to keep was that if I were to ever halt a project, I’d have the decency to tell you guys. I can’t go on misleading you guys any longer and I’m announcing that I have shelved Cow Girl Farmer for the present time.

Yes, yes, I know that it’s a damn shame. I’m pretty upset about it too. Setting a goal and not making it is always a shit deal, but it’s better to bite the bullet and kill it, oppose to allow it to cling on the back of the mind and on others hopes.

So what now?

I've been busy learning plenty of new things at work and playing some interesting games out in the community.  With new ideas and a stronger technical toolbox I am prepared to march into a new project I’m calling “Epok”.

Read the rest after the break...

Epok is going to be a free engine/library for developing Visual Novels through Chat Mapper and deployed using Adobe Flash. The idea is to build a system that allows for quick prototyping of visual novels and the ability to expand that prototype into its own game with game elements. If you want to take a peek at the sort of development power you will have in this system take a look at the free version of Chat Mapper. This isn’t intended so much to be a new RAG’s Engine or game maker, but to provide a great starting point and toolbox for individuals that wish to quickly create these styles of games on Flash. I intend to use git for distributing the project. I expect a minimally usable alpha in the next 2 – 3 months and a usable beta in the following 2 -3 months. This is something for the long haul.

A full feature list is still in the works but I plan to use this project as a basis for revisiting my previous projects. Depending when I get there, I may get the opportunity to unshelf CGF and finally get it out there to you guys. Until then, I hope you look forward to this new project and may want to try your hand at bringing your own Visual Novel ideas to life using this system.

Donations Removed

I've gone and removed my donations button for the time being. I want to thank everyone that has contributed to me in the past and I want you to know that I’m using the funds to purchase a license for Chat Mapper.  This will allow me to proceed with project Epok. It feels too scummy taking donations for products that I feel are too weak and backed only by my words. I’ll wait until there’s something here to be proud of before I will take donations again.

Updates Going Forward

I’m looking to try and doing updates once a week minimum. What day that will rotate on is still in the air, but I hope to share progress on Epok and spew some more code junk again. I’ll also try to add more links to other content and games that I've found that you should check out.

Stuff to Check Out

There’s two pretty awesome games I would recommend you guys trying out.

Fetish Master is a new work in progress java game based around the developing a personal harem of sex workers and milk maids that grow not only in stats but physical traits as well. This looks to be the closest thing to what I've been trying to accomplish with CGF, so do try it out and follow its development on Fenoxo’s forum here.

Trap Quest is a well progressed INFORM text game based around transforming your player character via traps in a Rouge-Like dungeon. Plenty of BE and other expansion themes for those that choose a female character. Get it and follow its progress on TFGames forums here. (Requires forum registration to view)