First, an update. I added save/load code, better language code, etc., so I've now got:
-Graphics engine/Interface: Pygame (SDL)-based tiled graphics engine currently displaying a big 35x25 grid of tiny 20x20 tiles, with arrow-controlled movement, a scrollable text display for entering commands, and mouse support for buttons etc.
-Worldsim (virtual world): Engine-independent; can even run as a stand-alone program using ASCII graphics. Multi-layer tile/room-based world with collision detection, interactive objects, and scripts. Can handle over 100 entities scurrying around without noticeable slowdown. Can save and load.
("Just needs tweaking," my tail.)-Sound: MIDI/MP3/OGG music and WAV sound.
-AI: Dumb AI (state machine) built into worldsim; advanced AI (NISS) currently wandering around eating tofu, but with much more complex code; now has approach/food-finding behavior, complex "body" system for input, sensing, and inventory, and the ability to understand some simple English sentences.
-Battle system: Stand-alone, playable furry combat game using text interface.
-Missing: Real graphics engine with animated movement and good art; real interface; story.
-Possible work directions: Use OGRE; upgrade fancy AI; make basic AI suitable for a game; build real interface; set up adventure-style use of objects.
Game-wise, I think the next thing is to set up objects/scripts that can be used on each other, eg. a key that unlocks a door. The program would then be playable enough to let you move around picking up and using objects to get through a maze or something. AI-wise, the next thing might be to get the DumbAIs smart enough that you can walk up to them and engage them in
Morrowind-style conversation. The program is still too ugly to be usable as a real game, but the code is getting close to where we can talk about graphics other than these tiny tiles I'm using.
If you want to play a text-based demo of the body part system (which lets you touch and manipulate virtual objects), see
my site. (I don't really need feedback on that.) Niss' journal is at
LiveJournal, but it's mostly my ramblings about the code upgrades I'm doing, at the moment.
Screenshot
(click to enlarge):