Octogon Trail

Octogon Trail

• Simple recreation of the classic migration simulator
• Controls:
  • Title Screen:
    • Press W to start game and begin traveling
  • Traveling:
    • Press A to go to game control UI
    • Press D to hunt
  • Game UI:
    • Press W and S to cycle through options
    • Press A to decrease value
    • Press D to increase value
    • Press V to return to traveling mode
  • Hunting:
    • Press WASD to move the crosshair around
    • Press E to fire bullet
    • Press V to return to traveling mode
  • Game over
    • Press A to return to the Title Screen
• Traveling Mode Layout
  • Along the top of the screen there are two stars that represent the wagon's progress along the trail and the passage of time. In the future, the time may function as pressure to complete the journey before getting stuck in the mountains during winter (game over).
  • There are four thin status bars that indicate: (1) servings of food, (2) dollars, (3) number of bullets, (4) passage of days. These are not intended to give a precise readout of the player's resources, but instead to show how close they are to running out.
  • Six party members are displayed along the bottom. They start off healthy, but in the event of a "Hardship" (broken leg, dysentery, etc.), the party members can become sick. Sick party members can heal or permanently die. When all party members die, the game is over.
• Strategy
  • When the game is properly tuned, it will be necessary to maintain the food supply (by hunting or trading) to provide your party with adequate rations. Low rations or moving at too fast a pace will make your party susceptible to illness and death. Slowing down, resting (not implemented), and increasing rations will increase the odds that sick members will recover.
  • Other resources may be added such as oxen and wagon wheels, which can die/break and must be replaced to continue. The time of year may affect the abundance and variety of wildlife available when hunting.

Known Issues

• Still a work in progress, so plenty of rough edges.
• Needs gameplay balance tuning
• River crossing minigame not yet implemented
• Needs a trading system. Maybe a very simplified buy/sell option for each resource?
• Hunting needs more variety and risk
• In-game UIs are imprecise and difficult to decipher. Need to add icons for each status bar.
• Wagon progress moves East instead of West 🤡