ADOM Release 51 now available for download

After a very long period of silence (due to complicated internal work that needed to be done for Steam, one vacation, a short period of work overload and many other factors) things now are moving much faster again.

We are proud to announce ADOM Release 51 (version 1.9.0). Here's the change log. This release still is work in progress as we are trying very hard to get ADOM ready for Steam (it would be a shame to miss Christmas time on Steam). Sadly there is still a ton of stuff to be done (and tax questions regarding the crowd funding campaign from the German tax offices don't really simplify my life...).

Happy Second Resurrection Day!

To me it's unbelievable but we already have the second anniversary of the ADOM Resurrection day. Today two years ago the unbelievable, incredible, breath-taking determination of the ADOM community allowed us to start an exciting journey that yet has to come to a conclusion: The complete resurrection of ADOM.

About the current ADOM development progress...

As many people have asked over the previous weeks I'd like to give a short summary regarding the progress of the promises given in the crowd funding campaign and what we actually are working on right now:

Currently we exclusively focus on getting ADOM to Steam. This task for us has highest priority for several reasons:

1. We have been greenlit and as long as the green lighting process still exists it is a very useful barrier against a threatening myriad of mediocre games. Or in other words: If we get ADOM to Steam before this barrier falls exposure will be much more effective and we have a much better chance to be noticed by tons of potential new players. 
2. Being very successful on Steam might mean immortality for ADOM as the possible funding gained might help us to continue developing ADOM for a very long time (far beyond what was achieved in the crowd funding campaign).
3. Tuning ADOM for Steam makes it a much more modern and accessible game and this is good to entice a much larger community. Which in turn is good for ADOM.

Thus all our current work focusses on the milestones laid out for the Steam release.

Specifically

• I am currently working on the new game options settings and next will be tacking lots of internal additions in order to allow for a graphical inventory (and much more - what we call 'the tome of knowledge').
• Jochen is transforming our save file structures. In the future we will be able to have compatible save files, even if this will slow development somewhat. But very important for Steam.
• Zeno and Krys are refining the interface and adding tons of graphical bells and whistles.
• Lucas is churning out scores of sound effects to enriched the game experience tremendously.

Many of the things we right now are doing are far beyond the scope of what was promised in the crowd funding campaign. And this comes at a temporary price: The other important activities (like finally finishing the RPG) currently rest. Not indefinitely but they rest. I have to ask and hope for your continuing patience. You all will receive the physical rewards and I want to have them out before Christmas but as long as we are not yet on Steam we'll focus all energy on that endeavor. Even at the price of delaying other promises more.

As explained above we do this in the hope of being able to work on ADOM far beyond the budget of the crowd funding campaign which should be beneficial and fun for all of us.

Comments welcome, but that's how it is right now.

(BTW, if you are one of the donors receiving physical goods - fear not. I will ask for a confirmation of your current shipping address well in advance of beginning the shipping process, so you are safe, even if you have moved in the meantime).

Below you find a quick teaser to the new ASCII game options menu for ADOM Deluxe to your enjoyment (hopefully ;-) ):