Most programmers probably love adding new features and hate testing and debugging old features. I was delighted to discover that Fame is not the case anymore. It was fun to test the final revision of Fame 0.8.1. (It was a huge headache to get to that point over some exceptionally nasty bugs, but that's another story).

The player character now can be controlled by mouse. You can also use auto-movement by holding Ctrl while pressing arrow keys. These two features (actually one feature with two different interfaces that trigger it) are still under development and will improve in future versions.

Fame 0.8.1 also features a tutorial, better help system in the hero creation window, new aiming system when casting spell or using a ranged weapon, and several other user interface improvements (friendly UI has recently become my idée fixe as you can see).

This time I tried to test the game thoroughly, striving to do all the quests. It's nice to know that completing all of them takes so long (about 12 hours of constant playing!), but I was horrified to learn about so many crashes and other glitches that made the game (probably) impossible to win. I have fixed most of those, though.

If your character has the ability to read and write, a diary will be added to their inventory. You will be able to read it and learn a little more about your character, their past, and their motivation.

Last, but not least: this version contains a weather system. It does not affect the gameplay yet, but it will get much more complex in the future.

Complete change log:

(Okay, it's not so complete actually, I was to lazy to include some of the recent bugfixes.)

auto-exploration

movement can be controlled with mouse

weather system

hero's diary

piles of items do not display the "many items" if they consist exclusively from corpses

new menu buttons

missile or spell potential trajectory is displayed when aiming

tooltips in the character creation window show immediately after moving mouse over appropriate elements and do not disappear until moved to a next element

separate tooltips provided for skills

merchants who trade in potions will also buy empty bottles and flasks

black mambas are much harder to encounter

when paralyzed, the hero cannot cast spells, use skills, use ranged attacks, kick, read, eat or drink

goblin warriors are now able to attack with darts

special items will no longer get stolen when left on the ground

item description for shields now states chance to block instead of AC

additional log messages when monsters are using their ranged attacks

the "?" button on the main interface opens keyboard help

"the same key closes" feature added to more windows

[bugfix] it is no longer possible to trigger some unwanted action by pressing direction keys when aiming with mouse (throwing, spells etc.)

it is no longer possible to trigger some unwanted action by pressing direction keys when aiming with mouse (throwing, spells etc.) [bugfix] right-clicking gold in the trade window no longer causes the gold to be placed after the last item, which would eventually lead to a crash

right-clicking gold in the trade window no longer causes the gold to be placed after the last item, which would eventually lead to a crash [bugfix] the hero is no longer unable to pass through plants in the dungeons (this bug could also lead to a crash)

the hero is no longer unable to pass through plants in the dungeons (this bug could also lead to a crash) [bugfix] plants, when become picked up, no longer fail to be removed from their spot on the ground

plants, when become picked up, no longer fail to be removed from their spot on the ground [bugfix] monsters no longer attempt to use ranged attacks when standing behind a wall

monsters no longer attempt to use ranged attacks when standing behind a wall [bugfix] the "waiting" window no longer fails to disappear after the hero dies

the "waiting" window no longer fails to disappear after the hero dies [bugfix] the game no longer crashes when using stairs in the random dungeon

the game no longer crashes when using stairs in the random dungeon [bugfix] the game no longer crashes shortly after being loaded with some monsters fighting other monsters

the game no longer crashes shortly after being loaded with some monsters fighting other monsters [bugfix] the game no longer crashes after exiting to the main menu, loading an old game and then attacking a monster

the game no longer crashes after exiting to the main menu, loading an old game and then attacking a monster [bugfix] the game no longer crashes when right-clicking in the black area in the immersion mode

the game no longer crashes when right-clicking in the black area in the immersion mode [bugfix] potential crash when throwing an item is fixed

potential crash when throwing an item is fixed [bugfix] potential crash when resting in a town with some corpses on the ground

potential crash when resting in a town with some corpses on the ground [bugfix] throwing the item against a wall then standing next to the wall no longer causes the item to fly to (0, 0)

throwing the item against a wall then standing next to the wall no longer causes the item to fly to (0, 0) [bugfix] giving Abilidus' Amulet to Ahsath no longer creates an "invisible item" in the sack

giving Abilidus' Amulet to Ahsath no longer creates an "invisible item" in the sack [bugfix] items no longer fail to generate in the random dungeons

items no longer fail to generate in the random dungeons [bugfix] chance of catching cold is no longer increased by using the wrong random number generator

chance of catching cold is no longer increased by using the wrong random number generator [bugfix] critically wounded monsters no longer appear as "slightly wounded" in the Look window

critically wounded monsters no longer appear as "slightly wounded" in the Look window [bugfix] the "Spells" window is no longer incorrectly entitled "Skills"

I hope you'll enjoy this version at least as much as I did!

Oh, one more thing - the Linux version will come a little late.