WIP 3 of Kouyate, my new C64 RPG

Ever since the 80s I've always wanted to create an Ultima-style RPG for the C64, so I've started creating one!
This is the 3rd video clip, and shows quite a few things that are now working, including New Game. All numbers will need balancing once everything is finished, so for now the game's a bit easy.
All music by / @nordischsound .
Character graphics by bsky.app/profi...
All graphics are WIP and subject to change.
To see more progress, visit me on Bluesky at bsky.app/profi...

[@harrylor66]

EXCELLENT!!🙂👍 I wish you much success!

[@rotorportor3119]

Amazing in all aspects!!

[@Nordischsound]

I'm soooooo happy to provide the music for this game, such a pleasure. THANKS SARAH! 🤩

[@phantomharlock999]

I knew I recognized your jams! Congrats.

[@root42]

Can you drum up some visibility for this game on Mastodon? I know you have an account there and there are quite some C64 fans there. Will gladly boost!

[@patton72010]

Sarah makes great tunes but I am really glad you are involved, your tunes bring the game another dimension.

[@UnknownUserUU]

WOW ! What a partnership !!

[@stefcastelli]

You both are doing an exceptional work.

[@Disthron]

this looks so good!

[@Onechip2]

Estoy alucinando con este video. Mybe the best RPG for C64? :) .Nice gfx, sound, combats. I want in cartridge! I love RPG's! Sarah you are a excellent developer. Thanks for your works and time!

[@CttPla]

An impressive act of love ♥

[@freddyh.1282]

Another exciting game .....i can't wait :)

[@tuhown3160]

This is really impressive! Intriguing gameplay with great hi-res graphics and atmospheric soundtrack

[@craigleslie2577]

Fine work Sarah, looking forward to the next video upload. Love the music. :)

[@Nordischsound]

thanks, glad you like the music that much 🤗🤩

[@_.OX._]

Unknown Realm? Pah, hold my beer.

[@laffytaffy1966]

I've played all your games - what you've created is on a whole new level in terms of UX/UI, graphics, and gameplay. You're a genius! c64 FOREVER:)

[@marcopiras7681]

Seems great!

[@RetroGamingJebus]

RPG Queen right here

[@Chris_Longstreet]

I love seeing the progress. The resurrection animation is great. Also, I noticed Clarissa the innkeeper 😉

[@sr.warrior]

I really like the music and the sounds used to play them, great SID chip usage, amazing soundtracks in your games.

[@Nordischsound]

glad you like the music I did so far ☺️

[@YoreHistory]

@@Nordischsound You have done a fantastic job! Can't wait to hear your tunes in the finished product! Very Ultima (Kenneth W. Arnold) style but still original!

[@cybermodo]

It's cool to see proven arcade game coder - doing RPG. And it shows, in various little details, bringing sparse Ultima format into vibrant, dynamic looking virtual world.

[@cfsproductions2725]

Can't wait for this to be released!

[@1stacbats]

Loving the tune. 🎉

[@Nordischsound]

glad you like the music, I'm the Composer of the soundtrack

[@1stacbats]

That makes sense, you’ve made some fantastic stuff.

[@Nordischsound]

thanks 🤗 🤩 ​@@1stacbats

[@Emudude1963]

This is Awesome. Thank You Sarah.🤩

[@AlexanderKurtz]

wow, that looks great to me .

[@TAITheAsian]

Oh this looks dope!

[@scrubsandwich1050]

I love the textmode graphics! Something so charming about 1-bit graphics with grid of colors. The character creation screen reminds me of Final Fantasy a bit, looks to be a bit more user friendly then the Ultima games, though just as charming. I also love the starting town near the water, reminds me of Castle British in Ultima 3. If you ever do another one of these games, I would love to have a crack at music! Great stuff

[@MurderMostFowl]

Oh I love the way you do area effect spells and the resurrection effects too! Wow this is a wonderful game

[@basrover6544]

It's in fact a boring game, their legs aren't even moving when they walk.😊

[@Elrinth]

Dayum, those traps are ruthless! :)

[@SarahAvory]

Don't worry, it'll all get rebalanced once everything is in and working.

[@kite666G]

This looks very nostalgic like Ultima. Great music to! 👍

[@MurderMostFowl]

The game looks top notch but so would say the music is my favorite part. I am sooo appreciative that you have so much variety and situational music so it doesn’t get annoying.

[@Nordischsound]

Thanks so much, I'm the creator of the music and there will be a lot more tunes in the final game. I have so much fun working together with Sarah and Memento Moree.

[@root42]

@@Nordischsoundthis really starts to feel like a AAA-1980s production!

[@Kordanor]

So cool, that there is music in the background everywhere and even different tracks. Music is often much neglected in C64 games. Don't want to just have music in the title screen and then play in silence.

[@GadgetUK164]

Totally awesome! Can't wait for this!

[@micheleporcu2287]

Sarah this Kouyate look fantastic ! Can't wait to play it.

[@Jammet]

I wonder what Kouyate means. Is it something made up, like fantasy, or does it mean something in another language? Is it a name, a place, a person, an expression...

[@julienbraudel7109]

Kouyate is a popular family name in Africa, and especially in Mali. Maybe it has link with african griots..

[@RaveyTeamLarge]

Looks awesome and the music really pumps up the atmosphere

[@Nordischsound]

Thanks so much! Glad you like my music, It's the first time, I'm involved in in a big game like this, such a pleasure to work in this team togehter with Sarah 😀

[@gamingtonight1526]

Nobody does RPGs or SIMs or Adventures on C64. It's all platform games, and shoot'em ups! So kudos for this from an RPG fan! Very Ultima like, too! Where will this be available, and any time frame on completion? No rush though!

[@theoasisbbs]

You're making incredible progress. Can't wait to see the final release!

[@whitehuayra]

Um.. this is freakin cool

[@Northlander72]

I've never actually tried an Ultima-style RPG before. I would certainly NOT mind making this one the first I've ever played.

[@flamingo2946]

This looks SO cool

[@6502Workshop]

Looks great!

[@summerWTFE]

Looks awesome

[@patton72010]

Great! If you made games in the time of golden age and popularity of C64 I think you would be (You still are now too, but C64 is more of a nostalgic niche thing) among the greatest game makers for that platform.

[@MartinPiper6502]

Looking good

[@RetroChlop]

Perfect game 😎

[@Jammet]

I really love the very atmospheric moody music. No idea what the plot of the story is going to be, but the music sets the tone for something suitably dark perhaps. Anyway I am a thousand percent up for it. I've longed for a deep rpg like this, like Ultima, for so long. Yes, the jrpg style games were brilliant too, they are. My heart is more aligned with this style of rpg though. I hope you can do lots of things. Interact with the game world. I adored the interactivity of u5, where you could walk to a chair and your character would sit in it for example.

[@Nordischsound]

I'm so glad you like the music I've made so far. I have so much fun working together with Sarah and Memento Moree.

[@jp2en]

That is perfect!

[@sverrekvernmo]

You know, I always shunned the Ultima series - much as it did partially blow me away at the time. With this, I'm feeling a real urge to get a CRT setup going - its so nice to see the format well, alive and still developing, decades after the flatscreens pulverised the rounded bands of mysery and turned them into jagged flat edges. Oh, and please do keep infusing the dialogue with little touches of authentic british too, without being contrived. I find myself amazed at how much it adds, compared to the colder textbook style of comparative games. Will we see a William Marshall style character in this? His backstory - well his entire story - is mindbendingly awesome. Tall order to mention of course, but shouldn't the everpresent knightly sprite reflect at least one pixel of the greatest knight of all time? At last? Anyhow, I do digress and most profusely apologise for attempting to inject the already obvious into the lady's latest great creation.

[@JB.zero.zero.1]

I'd be scared to touch those chests - poor Peeb 😮‍💨

[@root42]

I hope he gets resurrected! Edit: he did! Yay!

[@SarahAvory]

They do need a bit of rebalancing...

[@ChrisFreeman_4Bit]

Keep at it!

[@CrazySpence]

i was like 'wtf is Kouyate' then it was like 'oh she named the ultima game'

[@phantomharlock999]

This looks and sounds amazing!

[@zanpinoz280]

Thanks.

[@kirishima638]

You should have the characters shuffle-dance when they win like in FF 😊

[@zzmarx]

My mouse cursor hovered over "New Game" when the video started and I was confused for a moment.

[@TheDarkmore]

I think dead monsters only should leave loot on the ground, trapped chests should be "reward" for exploring. Not like a dying kobold would be like "with my last breath I will throw my stuff into a chest and carefully set up this trap". Also where is the pre-order button? 🙂

[@SarahAvory]

I agree, so have updated my Design Document.🙂

[@BadSiD_64]

Just ACE! Those names... =)

[@-ratoa-]

Sarah been working on this for less than 2 months meanwhile I been waiting for the other C64 RPG since 2017 🙄

[@joshhiner729]

The battle scenes with animation are awesome. Cant wait for the final release. Do you plan on a few frames of character animation as the character walks the map?

[@thedddemon]

Awesome! What are your video settings for Vice? This is a great CRT looking image!

[@julienbraudel7109]

Great work. Any possibility to get an extra sound channel in order no to damage the music with sound effects? I guess not but i’ll ask anyway. If not, any option with music only?

[@kurtwinter4422]

Are you building in any features for C128 or dual SID users? Like using fast mode to load screens, or using the second SID for an enhanced soundtrack?

[@root42]

Or maybe show an automap on the VDC as in EOB and Petscii Robots.

[@SarahAvory]

Not considered C128 support, but will look into that. Not sure about dual SID for music, but could at least use a 2nd SID for enhanced SFX.

[@csaboplus4]

Have you considered a Commodore Plus/4 port? Looks like the fighting uses hardware sprites extensively, but that could be re-done from characters. The vast majority of the rest of the code can likely be ported with very little difficulty.

[@basrover6544]

Maybe the worst game ever😊

[@svenmeling6053]

This looks super impressive! Reminds me a lot of the old Exile games by Spiderweb Software, but for the C64.

[@rorychivers8769]

Peeb

[@SarahAvory]

I got the party names from ProJared when he did a NES FF1 playthrough.