Available as Digital Download and Collector's Boxed Set
(Manual cover painting by Denis Loubet)
(with Nox Archaist game art)
Game Trailer
About Nox Archaist
Nox Archaist is a new RPG for the classic Apple II platform, playable on Apple II hardware, Windows, and MacOS. It is an evolution of the classic fantasy games of the 1980s like Ultima, Bards Tale, and Wizardry.
Gameplay Description
Nox Archaist is set in a sinister world ruled by sorcery and swords. Adventurers brave enough to explore Nox Archaist will encounter engaging NPCs and a vast storyline within a non-linear world. Hordes of vile enemies will block your path to fame and riches.
Gamers will enjoy features like skills-driven character development and strategic turn-based combat scenarios which integrate with the game's storyline and push the boundaries of the Apple II platform.
Check out our Masters of Wolfenstein page for masters and aspiring masters of the classic 1981 Apple II video game Castle Wolfenstein!
We also host a work-in-process list of RPGs for the Apple II platform.
Gameplay Description
Nox Archaist is set in a sinister world ruled by sorcery and swords. Adventurers brave enough to explore Nox Archaist will encounter engaging NPCs and a vast storyline within a non-linear world. Hordes of vile enemies will block your path to fame and riches.
Gamers will enjoy features like skills-driven character development and strategic turn-based combat scenarios which integrate with the game's storyline and push the boundaries of the Apple II platform.
Playable Demo
A demo version (with limited content) of Nox Archaist will eventually be available as a free download.
Lord British is an NPC in Nox Archaist!
Steve Wozniak is an NPC in Nox Archaist!
Lord British is an NPC in Nox Archaist!
Steve Wozniak is an NPC in Nox Archaist!
Sample Content
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| Venture into the wilderness! |
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| Delve into the deep, where treasure swells and dragons sleep! |
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| Rest and count your gold! |
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| Visit mighty castles! |
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| Explore their battlements and towers! |
Nox Archaist Technical Details:
- Custom game engine coded entirely in 6502 Assembler, no construction sets used
- ProRWTS File I/O
- Single Hi-Res, with page flipping
- 4 frame animation
System Requirements:
- The requirements are listed in the product description in our store
Other Projects
Check out our Masters of Wolfenstein page for masters and aspiring masters of the classic 1981 Apple II video game Castle Wolfenstein!
We also host a work-in-process list of RPGs for the Apple II platform.
Support the Mockingboard!
ReplyDeleteWhere can I buy a genuine Mockingboard
DeleteUpdate: we've setup a Mockingboard support technical discussion post in our new forum section.
Deletehttp://www.6502workshop.com/p/forum.html
Ditto on support for Mockingboard and/or Phasor. Also, if there are dungeons, make them 1ST PERSON like in the early Ultimas. I love the 3-scale world - large view of the outside, medium view in cities and battles, first-person closeup in dungeons.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the feedback guys, we really appreciate it. Mockingboard support is something we are definitely considering.
DeleteAt this point we haven't committed to 1st vs 3rd person for underground environments and this is a topic are interested in hearing more input on from the community. I’ve added a poll on the right side of the page. Feel free to respond to the poll or provide feedback in the comments.
I deleted a duplicate post below.
How about basing something upon the "Escape from Homebrew Computer Club 3D" engine? There's got to be some continued life on that ingenious thing, and it'd create more press for this game as a multifaceted technological wonder. ;)
DeleteYou say you're not using any existing toolkits, but are you making one? Are you also going to publish a generalized game engine or kit out of this?
May I ask why this isn't utilizing DHGR mode? Not enough RAM in 128kB for game plus graphics? Thanks guys and good luck!
Never mind about the DHGR question, as I later read in this thread everything I could want to know about DHGR and more. ;) I don't understand it all, especially if there's a double-buffered pageflipping support. I'd like to learn more about it and see performance tests for my own understanding.
DeleteMaybe a title or interstitial screen ..or...a slot machine. ;) lol
Daniel, thanks for the suggestions. Homebrew certainly looks like an awesome engine. Perhaps a future project for us. The core functionality of the Nox Archaist game engine is done and we're shifting into game design mode. A toolkit release of our engine in conjunction with the game release isn't planned, but it's a possible future project as well.
DeleteDaniel, welcome to ground zero for discussing DHGR vs. HGR tile game engines :-) To summarize, DHGR consumes more resources, which means there are trade-offs. It takes twice as much memory (twice as many pixels), and takes more CPU clock cycles because the CPU has to write to twice as many pixels. In the thread further up on the page, somebody provided a link to a DHGR tile engine and there were some notable things it didn't have, such as no line-of-sight algorithm to prevent the player from seeing over obstacles like mountains and walls, and also very limited animation. These are features more advanced HGR tile engines have. So ultimately it's a design choice and whether as the designer one wants to give up some other things in exchange for higher resolution graphics.
DeleteHere's an app for converting photorealistic or painted graphics to DHGR and HGR, maybe for your menus or interstitials:
Deletehttp://www.appleoldies.ca/bmp2dhr/
You might not have the RAM or CPU for this, but here's a multitasking audio library for 8-bit:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZujHGRbG2Wc
lol
It sounds like you know what you're doing and you're really splitting hairs on some tight tradeoffs!
I saw that you were at kfest 2017, so I was just curious if you or any other current game developer are able to make any use of this project. Is it a game changer at all for anyone?
Deletehttps://github.com/blondie7575/HiSprite
Daniel, about https://github.com/blondie7575/HiSprite. Thanks. The author, Quinn Dunki (a pro mobile game developer), gave a session on this at Kfest, and I talked to her about it at length. Compiled sprites was something I was considering exploring. I thanked her for saving me the trouble of doing down that rabbit hole :-) As it turned out, she concluded that while it's possible to get compiled sprites to work (i.e. the github demo), they simply take too much memory to be practical in an 8-bit game of any scale. A compiled sprite essentially trades more memory usage for increased speed, but the ratio sucks on a 128k system. They were used in IIGs game development where a lot more memory is available.
DeleteHi Daniel, thanks for the ideas and links. The DHGR utility looks great. I think that is the utility incorporated into Buckshot, a GUI DHGR/HGR converter. We are considering a DHGR splash screen, and I'd love to use a converted image of our game box cover or something else cool from our print artist. Since the game engine isn't in memory at that time, in theory, memory and speed shouldn't be a problem. It will probably come down whether enough disk space is available.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteThis is awesome! The attention to detail is fantastic, and I was delighted when I saw the heads poking about the tall grass, not just the hero, but the pursuer. I thought it was great that you could abandon your ship and swim(!) to the shore, and that the progress was slower and, again, your head bobbed to the surface! Excellent, excellent, excellent!
ReplyDeleteUnlike the other commenters, I don't think it has to have a 1st person perspective in the dungeons, but if you *did* decide to go that route, what I would *love* to see is the approach that the game Dungeons of Daggorath used on the TRS platform: they used a custom line drawing algorithm to make the lines appear more faint, giving the illusion of *depth* to their dungeons and its inhabitants, which I've never seen elsewhere. Check it out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQKQHKdWTRs
The other observable truth of dungeons in the 8-bit world is that they always had hard, square-ish edges, which never seemed very dungeonesque to me. I felt like I was walking around hallways rather than underground passages. One game that made me think otherwise was Eidolon, with its fractal-like corridor "ribs", which I thought was exceptional. Any game that attempted this for its dungeons, even if it was simply lines instead of filled regions, would be great: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hWhD_mB-2o
I am very excited to hear about this game, where I heard about it on the Apple II Enthusiasts group on FB. Please join the group and share your progress there, thank you!!
Thanks for your comments and enthusiasm! We are really glad to hear that the attention to detail in features like swimming and hiding in tall grass are appreciated. There will be many more :-) Great to hear another perspective on dungeons too.
DeleteWe’ve joined the Apple II Enthusiast on Facebook and look forward to participating. Thanks for the invitation!
Another comment... I really like that it's using the whole screen to display the world, rather than a tiny portal. So if there is going to be text and stats or storytelling, it'd be great if that can be hidden so that the full view can be seen, as it is now.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the feedback!
DeleteI'm so pleased to see an Ultima like.
ReplyDeleteWhy not doing it in DHGR?
Do you want to push source code on GitHub?
Thanks for your question. We did very seriously consider using double high-res graphics to gain the additional resolution and colors. A key factor in the decision to use single high-res mode was the fact that DHGR only has one graphics page, whereas single hi-res mode has two graphics pages which makes page flipping possible. Nox Archaist uses page flipping to smooth out animation and the screen updates between player moves.
ReplyDeleteWe are considering options for making the source code available, and GitHub is definitely a possibility.
Really looking forward to this release. Great ideas already. I rather like the way that dungeons are done in Legacy of the Ancients or Legend of Blacksilver. They used slightly textured walls which provides some feeling of movement.
ReplyDeleteCheers,
BluPhoenyx
Thanks much for your feedback, we really appreciate it. I took a look a the games you mentioned. Legacy of the Ancients stood out to me in particular. It looks like they are using Apple “low-res” graphics but I think it looks better than any hi-res 1st person dungeon views that I have seen. I wouldn’t have expected that. The extra 10 colors available in low-res seem to really bring the scenes alive. Very interesting!
ReplyDeleteActually, I think the graphics are standard hires bitmap shapes, but I could be wrong. However they are done, they make for a great display when walking through mazes. I recall it took a few trips to keep from getting confused when first exploring the places. IIRC, the original Questron used line drawings in dungeons and small character bitmaps for the towns.
ReplyDeleteKeep up the good work and have fun!
Cheers,
BluPhoenyx
Thanks Michael. We'll have some cool new features to announce soon. Stay tuned!
ReplyDeleteWe need a commercial release !!! (Cloth map included ;)
ReplyDeleteWe'd love to do that and are looking into it. Thanks for the encouragement!
Delete-Update: Check out our Kickstarter on September 16, 2017! Game box, fabric map, printed manual, and more feelies; all with professional custom artwork!
DeleteCount me in! I'll definitely pledge for a deluxe version.
DeleteGreat to heat, thanks for your support!
DeleteActually there are 2 double hi-res pages, see this forum thread for a smart discussion about all that stuff . There's also 2 pages of double lo-res :) Everything to do with DHR is super gnarly though and I think its a pretty good choice to stay away.
ReplyDeleteI tried doing an DHR engine for a break out game, I wish I remember for sure if it used page flipping, but I think it did. I got burnt out soon after getting my first sprites on the screen. Trying to figure out how to do collision detection hurt my brain too much ;^)
Oops, I meant the words "this forum thread" to be the link http://www.verycomputer.com/20_7f105447ec490536_1.htm
DeleteThanks for the information! I retraced my steps and I do not know how I acquired the perception that there was no double hi-res page 2.
DeleteI thought it was mentioned in the book “High-Rest Graphics and Animation Using Assembly Language” by Leonard Malkin but I must have imagined it a review confirms the book is silent on the subject.
Kudos to you for giving it a shot with your break out game! I can image collision detection in DHR would have been a big head ache. I plan on doing some animation off the tile grid in the combat system and expect to have to think through some collision control mechanics, in single HR though.
I seriously considered DHR for Nox Archaist. To elaborate on my DHR comment from the earlier post, the central concern was speed. As far as I could tell, DHR meant that twice as many memory addresses would need to be filled to render the screen. In the planning stage I recalled thinking that if page flipping was available in DHR maybe that would sufficiently smooth out any screen refresh lag cause by the extra memory copies, but without page flipping it seemed impractical.
I also recall thinking it was a risky design decision considering there are no Apple II tile based RPGs using DHR that I’m aware of which proved it could be done. If anyone is aware of any please let me know, I’d love to check them out.
Of course DHR being unique to tile based RPGs would have also make it extra cool to do. Had I know DHG page flipping was possible, I have to wonder if I would have tried it or at least done further testing.
As it stands, our game engine currently is just fast enough to deliver an acceptable screen refresh rate after player moves, but with very little speed resources to spare. My gut feeling is that doubling the memory addresses to draw the tiles and scroll the screen would tank the screen refresh rate.
Hi. As far as a tile based game using double-hires, the only one that comes to mind is The Legend of Blacksilver. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=54TxDN2Uglw It was like an unspoken sequel to the Legacy of the Ancients (which i know in turn was like a successor to Questron). It is nice to have true "Red" and a whole lot more choices as far as dithering goes...
DeleteDarkcrayon: Thanks for the link! That is impressive that Legends of Blacksilver got it to work.
DeleteSince we’ve been having a technical discussion on the blog about double hi-res and tile graphics engines here are my observations on factors that may have enabled Legend of Blacksilver to make it work, whereas every other Apple II tile RPG (as far as we know), used single hi-res:
*No sprites that I could see. Mobs were presented as a pop-up picture, randomly encountered. NPCs were static. When the player moved, NPC positions on the screen changed, but the NPCs didn’t appear to have the ability to execute moves on the X,Y grid themselves.
*Very little terrain animation
*No line of site algorithm calculating hidden tiles based on the player position relative of obstacles such as mountains and walls. The only thing along that line that I saw were shops having a roof on them until the player opened the door, which then revealed the tiles inside the shop and also kept the tiles outside the shop visible. That is a much more specific (and faster) calculation than dynamically changing hidden tiles based on simulated line of site. It's also a calculation that only needs to be run when the door open command is run, whereas line of site algorithms run between every player move.
By not having features like these, more CPU cycles would be available to manage the double hi-res overhead. Significantly more.
No criticism intended whatsoever to Legends of Blacksilver, they did a great job, and did something pretty unique. Very interesting to see this.
Mark
Problem with DHGR is that the dipswitches only let you swap in main/aux for page 1 -- and writing to page 2 requires a lot more complex coding tricks to pull off. Not to mention, it eats memory. We also struggled with this decision but decided it was worth not taking a 30% CPU hit once we figured out how to max out HGR graphics for Lawless Legends. By the way, our sprite/map editor (Outlaw Editor) is 100% free open source if you want to use it. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks dropping in and sharing your experience. Sounds like we both concluded not to use DHR for similar reasons. I’ll check out the editor, thanks for that suggestion too.
DeleteLooks like your project is coming along nicely! We encourage our readers to check it out if they have not already: http://www.lawlesslegends.com/
DeleteYou're welcome!
ReplyDeleteAre there any plans for Alpha testing outside the core team? Beta testing?
ReplyDeleteThanks for your interest! Beta testing opportunities may be available in the future. If you would like to be considered please email us at playtesters@6502workshop.com so we have your contact information.
DeleteHey whats the status of this? Would love to get it on my IIe!
ReplyDeleteThanks for your interest! We are shooting for release date in 2017. In the meantime if you want to check out our progress, take a look at the latest game play video "Shattered Sword" https://youtu.be/0ecDcrH-MGw . It is a short in-game story about a hero's adventure to fix his sword after shattering it on an Ogre's head.
DeleteHey 6502 WorkShop! Will you be release a complete construction set for this game where a person can draw their own graphics, plot their own map, have complete event editor and be able to compile their own game using this engine?? It would be soooo cool!
ReplyDeleteThere would be hundreds and hundreds of cool different games being made on this if it is possible!
Thanks for your interest in our project! We are currently focusing on completing the Nox Archaist game itself and have not made any firm plans on what our next project will be. Thanks for letting us know your vote is for a construction set! You might also be interested in the Lawless Legends project if you haven't seen it already. They have created some construct set-like tools for 3D RPGs on the Apple II.
DeleteWill the game have music? Also can the modern version have graphics that aren't fuzzy?
ReplyDeleteP.S. I really want this to become reality! Can you please talk to a youtuber or something to spread the word???
Thanks for your interest! Nox Archaist will have lots of sound effects. We are also exploring the viability of in-game music support for Mockingboard cards.
DeleteThe graphics that you see in our demo videos are a fairly accurate representation of what the graphics in the final game will look like.
We’ve done several podcast interviews, including video podcasts on YouTube to spread the word. More are scheduled. If you’d like to help, please post about the Nox Archaist in any forums you are active in. Any help is much appreciated!
I can point you at this one for sure: https://youtu.be/meKsUgzc-zQ
DeleteEnjoy!
nice
ReplyDeleteDisappointed that once again devs completely ignored Linux emulators - only backwards buffoons think Mac and Win are relevant today.
ReplyDeleteThere are 4 ports for Apple emaulators on linux. Could devs bother simply installing a FREE linux distro, install FREE, open-source linux emulator? No.
Pathetic. No mention or vocal support or simple testing acknowledgement of emulators like LinApple, which can be tested and "supported" for FREE and not buy A-hole mega-corporate OS? Shows stupidity. I waited a longtime for the kickstarter and simply expected some verification and consideration for linux users. F*CK IT NOW. Not supporting because devs are failed knowingly. Shows there goals - like before, kickstart, cancel. Lazy and IDIOTIC.
Waited a good year? only to be completely blown off by devs. Don't bother with reply or apology - it's too late and there's no excuse. Your actions speak volumes toward your crappy attitude or respect towards supporters on a stupdily simply issue and request.
Ouch. On behalf of your Linux-using fans who are anticipating Nox Archaist, we do not all share Anonymous' grievances. I'm sure NA will work just fine with the emulators out there under Linux as NA doesn't seem to be doing anything that would break the current crop of emulators. Keep up the good work!
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeletedo these pictures have been updated for kickstarter campaign ?
ReplyDeleteit might be my mistake but looks more polished than before.
btw, i don't understand why linux users have to show such over-reaction ?
i believe LinApple works fine as AppleWin. (it forked from AppleWin anyway)
sound/mockingboard emulation seems not to be that great but some other part like window/screen size and save/load states are more flexible.
Yes, the pictures in the "Sample Content" section above were updated recently. Thanks for the compliment!
DeleteAwesome news. Quick question. Will there be an option to back at the same level as the original Kickstarter? I wouldn't want to lose my original backing tier.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the enthusiasm! We made improvements to all of the Kickstarter reward tiers, so you'll need to select a new tier. The new tiers are similar so you should be able to find something comparable to (or better than!) the original Kickstarter.
DeleteStay tuned to our blog for an announcement of the approximate time of day, on May 2nd, that the campaign will go live. That announcement is expected to go out in late April.
If you'd like email alerts to our blog posts, you can signup at http://mailinglist-signup.noxarchaist.com
Thanks for your support, we really appreciate it!
Saw some of the art for this on display at an exhibit at work. Nice stuff for such a simple platform!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the compliment! Bill has really brought the world of Nox Archaist alive with his art.
DeleteThanks for commenting Ean. Did you use the QR code link on the art to get to the site?
DeleteIf so yay! I'm glad it worked.
I really like them when they are blown up but also looks better when it is moving.
Cheers
Bill
I bought the Collector's Edition on the 3rd of September and was just curious if other than the Palpal receipt there is suppose to be any other conformation email?
ReplyDeleteReading the comments here some of them from the Linux users are disgraceful. It's an Apple II game, the fact you can run it on an emulator is a bonus.
Thanks for your support! Our pre-order system currently only sends the Paypal receipt as confirmation. However, I’d be happy to double check for you if you let me know the name on the order, which you can do confidentially by emailing mark at 6502workshop.com
DeleteIt's ok that all I needed to know.
DeleteI look forward to the release.good work!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the compliment and your enthusiasm, we look forward to delivering Nox Archaist to you!
DeleteThank you! was a big joy to be part of the project like Beta Tester for the Floppy version, i swapped and recorded a lot of disk but it was a right cause effort!
ReplyDeleteI have bought the Digital copy version and i'm happy with it! The Soundtrack is calling me in another dimension!!!! bye 6502 Workshop
Thanks for your compliments, so glad to hear you are enjoying the game!
DeleteCannot get the digital version to run on either the or the IIe; downloaded the Nox for windows, opened with Ciderpress, trying to launch from a CFFA 3k on both the IIe and the IIgs. Suggestions?
ReplyDeleteThanks for your support of Nox Archaist and thanks for reaching out!
DeleteI am sorry to hear you are having trouble. Many players are using CFFA 3k cards so we should be able to help you to get the game working.
For more efficient troubleshooting we ask that you contact us preferably on Discord (https://discord.gg/kwcFxVp) in the #technical-help channel, or alternatively via email to support 6502workshop.com.
Please provide a description of what happens when you try to boot the Nox Archaist .HDV file on both your IIe and IIgs, and provide screenshots if possible.
Thank you.
Hello! I am so excited to find this. I heard the physical boxed versions are sold out. If I purchase one now about how long a backorder can I expect? Thanks!
ReplyDeleteThanks for your interest! We are accepting preorders for boxed sets and expect the to ship in February. If you preorder, you'll get a download link to the Digital Edition right away so you can start playing, if you want.
DeleteI saw your game on 8-bit Show and Tell, and I think it looks great! I was wondering if you had any plans to release a C64 version?
ReplyDeleteThanks
A C64 version isn't impossible but probably not likely. There are significant technical challenges such as the 128k RAM requirement and heavy reliance on fast floppy drive access. And, since our team only has experience with the Apple II we'd need to connect up with C64 expert to basically take on the project.
DeleteEasyFlash format solves all of those things. 1MB instant access. Take a look at Prince of Persia, it's a direct 128K Apple conversion. Happy to offer my expertise.
DeleteHey there! Thanks for your offer.
DeleteSince posting my comment above I've had some discussion with Per Olofsson, who also recommended EasyFlash. We put together a high-level memory conversion map between the banks that make up the Apple II 128k and the C64 internal RAM and the cartridge. He doesn't have time to lead the project but he thinks Nox Arachist is a good candidate for a port.
I'd anticipate offering a profit sharing agreement if we can find a C64 programmer to lead the project. Any chance you might be interested?
Will there be an option for 3.5 inch disks? I don't have a 5.25 inch external for my //c at this time, just a 3.5 inch external.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your interest! There will not likely ever be an official 3.5" disk version of Nox Archaist. Theoretically, it may be possible to copy the files to two 3.5" disks and get it to work, but that would be a DIY project. There has been some discussion about it on our Discord (see support section for address) but as far as I know it has not been tried yet.
DeleteAs it stands, this game is clearly aimed at C64 (or Apple II ?) owners. It may be a wonderful game with a nice story, but with this kind of graphics and music, it's not for me.
ReplyDeleteIf the graphics were essentially the same, but in high resolution, with all the colors possible on a modern computer, and nice music, I would, almost certainly, buy it.
I don't need sumptuous graphics like those of Skyrim, Elex, Dark Souls or Witcher, but those of Nox Archaist are too basic. Sorry.
Thanks for taking a look at our website! You are correct - the target audience for the game is people with nostalgia for 8-bit computers, the Apple II in particular. The game was written from scratch in 6502 assembly language and will run on original Apple II hardware and is playable on modern computers via emulators.
DeleteA future project under consideration is a "Nox Archaist Remaster" which would have enhanced graphics and sound and run natively on modern computers.
Hi everyone! Any chance you'll publish a boxed version of the "Lord of Storms" Expansion Pack?
ReplyDeleteAlso, am I right assuming new players (who haven't yet played the original game) are advised to start their new game by loading the expansion binary, since it'll allow them to play both the original game and the expansion without having to start with a brand new party? (unless, of course, the expansion is meant to tell the story of a new player character?)
Thanks for your support! Yes, you are correct if you install the original game and the expansion you will then have the content of both and this is the recommended way to play. This will give you the benefit of of a features new to the expansion while playing the original content, such as renaming characters and turning magic on/off in quick combat.
DeleteWe don't currently have any plans to release a boxed set of the expansion. We are currently focused on developing Nox Archaist II: Dragonsmere so if we did a Lord of Storms boxed set it would likely be long in the future as part of an anniversary edition or something.
Darn it, I only have an Apple II+, so doesn't meet the minimum system requirements, maybe need to upgrade? :)
ReplyDelete