Shortly after version 1.3.7.9, we had gathered enough bugfixes to call it 1.3.8. I also created an update script for biamin players to keep their game current, and also a new CUSTOM.map pasted below, so you’ll have something to do in the weekend:)

DOWNLOAD version 1.3.8
Download the latest release from the download page.
GPL-Only releases are available here.

CHANGES in 1.3.8
Several small bugfixes in ASCII and LoadGame function were handed in by Kastian, thank you!
We’re eeking closer to version 1.4 which will be LEGACY.

Notably, there is now a biamin update script available! It simply pulls the raw text of the current biamin.sh in our gitorious repository, checks the version numbers of the local and the remote file and if they are any different, asks the player if s/he’d like to update the local biamin.sh to the latest version. This makes things so much easier, especially on the blogging side! Please note that the update script is version 0.5. It has been tested, but since it assumes default config there may still be bugs worth ironing out. The update script does not destroy character sheets, highscore list or the current configurations.

WORK IN PROGRESS on version 2.0
We’ve already started developing the new features for version 2.0. This version goes beyond the original scope of Biamin, so when 2.0 is released, the current game (reaching 1.4) will be renamed to Biamin-LEGACY. I’ve also started working on some of the many new ASCII screens the new features require.

This collaboration has forced me to learn how git is a developer’s tool and not just a fancy FTP put command. When I was coding alone there were few reasons to branch and merge code, since I was the only one who would face the consequences. But more than that, it has taught me how F/OSS projects grow and take on a life of their own. This is exactly why the concept of a LEGACY and a 2.0 version is important to me. The 2.0 would never have seen the light of day without Kastian! Cheers!

CUSTOM maps
I’m going to revisit this function to make sure it sanitizes the map file before loading it into the game, for version 1.3.9. In testing it out, I created this little kingdom so ya’ll have something to do in the weekend;)

       A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R 
   #=========================================================================#
 1 )   @   @   x   x   x   x   x   x   T   .   .   .   .   T   .   .   @   @ (
 2 )   .   .   H   x   @   @   x   .   .   x   x   x   x   @   @   .   T   @ (
 3 )   .   @   @   @   @   @   x   .   x   x   x   x   x   @   @   .   @   @ (
 4 )   .   @   @   @   @   x   x   .   .   x   x   x   x   @   @   .   @   @ (
 5 )   .   T   @   @   x   x   x   x   .   @   x   x   @   @   @   .   @   @ (
 6 )   .   @   @   @   @   x   x   x   .   @   @   @   @   @   @   .   @   x (
 7 )   .   .   @   T   @   x   x   x   .   @   @   @   @   @   @   .   @   x (
 8 )   @   .   .   .   @   @   x   x   .   @   @   @   @   @   .   .   .   . (
 9 )   @   @   @   .   .   @   @   .   .   @   @   @   @   .   .   @   x   . (
10 )   @   @   @   @   .   .   .   .   @   @   @   @   @   .   @   x   x   . (
11 )   @   @   @   @   .   @   @   @   @   @   @   @   @   .   @   x   T   . (
12 )   @   @   @   @   .   @   @   x   x   @   @   @   @   .   @   x   x   . (
13 )   @   T   .   .   .   @   x   x   x   x   x   @   @   .   @   x   C   . (
14 )   @   @   @   @   @   x   x   x   x   T   .   .   .   .   x   x   x   x (
15 )   @   @   @   @   x   x   x   x   x   x   x   x   x   x   x   x   x   x (
   #=========================================================================#
          LEGEND: x = Mountain, . = Road, T = Town, @ = Forest         N
                  H = Home (Heal Your Wounds) C = Oldburg Castle     W + E
                                                                       S