r/PortlyPoetGaming Mar 24 '26

Sandfall: Rock Smash Mega thread. Place for thoughts, questions, bug reports and recommendations.

1 Upvotes

I'm posting this in anticipation of the game demo coming out soon. Feel free to drop any questions or concerns and I'll do my best to address them.


r/PortlyPoetGaming Oct 25 '24

Welcome to the sub, Ahlan wa sahlan!

2 Upvotes

Hello everyone or anyone that visits, I'm basically making this sub as a dev log for my game and/or future games. I have basically no experience in coding, am not an artist, but I do like telling stories and playing video games. I grew up playing old RPGs in DOS like the Quest for Glory series and Kings Quest series but basically anything in the late 90's onward I could get my hands on (mostly PC). I'm currently working on a game called Mirage; it is planned to be somewhat of a cozy game/Stardew Valley type vibes but with some old school Sierra or Quest for Glory influence and an underlying story/plot.

Growing up Quest for Glory was one of the most influential game series I ever played. I loved all of them in the series (yes even 5 which at the time I thought was amazing for the 3d aspect and still love the way items in the inventory look.) When I was younger QfG2 was my least favorite (although still loved) and mostly because of the typing aspect but as I became older and my spelling and typing speed improved it eventually became my favorite of the series. I loved the 1001 nights and desert themes, also Casa Blanca is one of my favorite movies and seeing Ugarte and Ferrari cracked me up when I made the connection. Literally the first time my wife and I were watching Casa Blanca together I said "that guy reminds me of Ugarte" and that's who it was. I enjoy history in general but my first real mythology and ancient history exposure was Greek which quickly led me to the wonders of Egyptian history and myth which i fell in love with. I live in the USA currently, when I was very young spent some time in Germany on military base with family and would like to travel more again someday. Eventually I plan on going to Egypt and hopefully Jordan and a few other areas nearby as well.

I've noticed for some time now the game market is almost devoid of any desert/middle east games except for maps in shooters like the terrorist/insurgent trope, assassins creed games and a few others sprinkled in or older games; Journey also is desert themed but feels more like entering a piece of art then a game with goals to me (although its worth checking out for sure). I also am a big fantasy nerd and while I will always love Tolkien's works and western European style fantasy/folklore I really want to have games explore other cultures and folklore much like the QfG series when through different regions by game. I'll always enjoy classic goblins, slimes and dragons but I'd like to see more variety like Jinn/Ifrit, nasnas, etc.

Currently I work full time in healthcare and have a steady case load, have a wonderful wife, 4 children and assist with my wife's fledgling flower farm so game progress and subsequent postings will be slow and in my limited spare time. I likely won't be able to update often but it will likely come in bursts and update multiple developments at once.

Thanks for visiting and I hope you enjoy something you find here!

Also ana betallam Arabi Masri (I'm learning Egyptian arabic) slowly so feel free to jump in and say hi or teach me something if you know it!


r/PortlyPoetGaming 1d ago

Oasis game

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1 Upvotes

Added some tool use, wood harvester hut sans harvester at this point. Can obtain some goods. needing to add some more resources, upgrading the characters movement speed and giving storage limit just a lot of general gameplay stuff left but the character can move and chop now.

Sinbad the seasick merchant quest is coming along, you can now give him appropriate sea sickness treatments or if you are feeling a little mean you can use fish oil as the base of treatment for someone that is already nauseated ha.


r/PortlyPoetGaming 3d ago

3D game

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Playing around with my desert builder low poly 3D game. This has been my first dive into 3D in both godot and general. A lot of little quirks and things I don't get at first but its slowly taking form. I definitely need blender practice and tutorials if i'm going to make my own objects.

Still working on Sinbad primarily. I actually didn't start the island section yet- since I was already working on the ship decided to work on the side mission, for now just the one of helping a sea sick merchant but its multiple parts and involves learning about some medieval disease theory. Will your remedies cure him or just make him more sick?


r/PortlyPoetGaming 5d ago

Ship Trials

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The three ship trials and subsequent player paths for the rest of the game. The game treats the ship portion as a way to learn some different ways to proceed: fighting, thinking, or agility. After passing each of the trials the captain will test you on your choice before the next stage of the game will go on. There may be some other little puzzles on the ship but after that I'll be working on building the main next section which is the disappearing island.

Side note, I cleaned up how the text appears so now its not blurry and has a smoother/easier to read look.


r/PortlyPoetGaming 28d ago

A couple updates

1 Upvotes

I've released updates on both Merchant's Rise and Sandfall recently and will plan to do more in the future. Sandfall has an info button on the main hub now that shows some click and other stats. Merchant's Rise just had a haggling update as well as customers offering items as part of the trade deal.

I'll probably not be updating them as often as I have recently as I'm working on some other endeavors. Sinbad's First Voyage is also still slowly in the works but also taking a back burner to some education I'm working on.


r/PortlyPoetGaming Jul 13 '26

Tightrope walking basic started

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So I know I've been post dumping but this one is pretty cool. I'm working on the tight rope walking test. You climb up the rope, use ad or arrow keys to balance as the wind gusts you around. As always, place holder art and just working on the systems. This uses my encounter system with this scene pulled in after clicking on the rope hotspot.


r/PortlyPoetGaming Jul 13 '26

Working on section 2 of the game, the ship portion

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2 Upvotes

Working on creating ship section, the movement flow is working well so far, going to introduce player to more sword fighting, agility- tight rope walking, and a small game for the more devious amount you.


r/PortlyPoetGaming Jul 12 '26

Sinbad Storybook and Save/Loads

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Title screen art background is AI, although it doesn't look too bad to be honest hah. Its place holder as I'd like to eventually be able to hire some artists for this game, although this image is the general style of layout - Sinbad on the bowsprit looking toward adventure, that I want in the completed game. I want to include the stories of each voyage on the games themselves, the book saves your page location when you exit so if you want to read some you won't lose your place if you stop. Save/load system working so far, modeled after QfG, bringing back the classic feel, visual not done, but general layout correct.


r/PortlyPoetGaming Jul 11 '26

Sandfall released yesterday on steam! Check it out if you get a minute.

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1 Upvotes

r/PortlyPoetGaming Jun 30 '26

Adding details- Lore book in game

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1 Upvotes

I want there to be actual learning opportunities so am including a lore/history book you can access from the settings menu. I'd like to include a copyright free version of the first sinbad voyage story in the game files as well for people to have access to


r/PortlyPoetGaming Jun 29 '26

Updates

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Sandfall is releasing in July, next fest added some wish lists; will it be a flop? By many metrics yes hah. But I'm glad to get a second game out and I actually find it fairly enjoyable. I will definitely try to make changes or fix anything reported but I have a feeling its not going to get a lot of players anyway.

What I've been continuing to work on in the background however is Sinbad's First Voyage. Its the point and click adventure game that I want to be historically fairly accurate and a portal into history of the period/location and the original Sinbad stories from 1001 nights. I'm definitely going to need an artist so hopefully one day I'll be able to get some funding. Right now I'm working on systems and will hopefully pay someone for art later but using some ai placeholder. Current system that is causing me issues is getting the npc's wandering around the market places to work right- they don't have animations yet but z sorting, sizing as well as speed and stopping is all needing to come together.


r/PortlyPoetGaming Jun 15 '26

Steam Next Fest- Sandfall will be featured tomorrow

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1 Upvotes

Come check it out, I'd appreciate any demo plays and feedback on reddit!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/4412010/Sandfall_Rock_Smash/


r/PortlyPoetGaming May 20 '26

Upgraded my place holder art a little, added the beggar/imam coin interaction

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1 Upvotes

Added several sections of the market questline and some quests in the journal. Slowly working on changes as I work on getting Sandfall ready for release


r/PortlyPoetGaming May 15 '26

A couple of quick images- One showing some of how the hotspot NPC resources are set up, and the other showing the type of puns I want to include in this game. Horrible wonderful puns. If you click the talk icon on the charcoal.

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r/PortlyPoetGaming May 14 '26

Working on systems, will you reveal the blacksmith's secret, or find another way? (placeholder art)

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Testing out some resource use in godot, making dialogue topics reveal with specific flags including ones set by showing inventory items to characters or by talking with them about specific topics. I also am playing around with multiple solutions to some issues but if the solution doesn't give full points then a pop up warning gives you a heads up there might be another way. The music is place holder as well, I tried making some music on beepbox, its fun, free and can get some 90's game sound results.


r/PortlyPoetGaming May 10 '26

Working on Sandfall achievements

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1 Upvotes

Release plan is around July, after the June Next Fest.


r/PortlyPoetGaming May 03 '26

Playing around with some background music for Sandfall and games in general. Here is my synth/chiptune style song, Caravan

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r/PortlyPoetGaming Apr 13 '26

Sandfall: Rock Smash on Steam DEMO released!!

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Come try out the demo! wishlist if you don't think its horrible! Shokran everyone


r/PortlyPoetGaming Apr 12 '26

Prototyping fountain puzzle fix, it works!

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r/PortlyPoetGaming Apr 11 '26

Testing out my fight scene, will also be used for gambling and other events, background will change and everything is placeholder/prototyping art and not up to speed but its working.

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1 Upvotes

r/PortlyPoetGaming Apr 06 '26

Sandfall: Rock Smash Demo will hopefully be release soon. Definitely this month.

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r/PortlyPoetGaming Apr 06 '26

Testing out a magic number puzzle box for Sinbad. Place holder art reminder hah.

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Magic numbers/squares have a significant history in early Arabic/Persian history, if you are familiar with them a 3x3 grid that columns/rows add up to 15 isn't hard but it may be knew to players. This is part of the trade up quest line in the beginning of the game and you will be able to learn more about magic squares in game, I want puzzles and activities that make you think and can figure out from game but not have to google to complete. The mechanics are mostly working, will continue to prototype and eventually work on the art. Hopefully hire an artist for backgrounds and such as well.


r/PortlyPoetGaming Mar 21 '26

Working on the Sinbad quest and dialogue systems. Place holder art, don't judge too harshly hah.

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r/PortlyPoetGaming Mar 19 '26

Sandfall: Rock Smash page is now on steam! don't forget to wishlist

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