Author Topic: Looking for a roguelike to play with  (Read 15825 times)

Atreides

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Looking for a roguelike to play with
« on: April 28, 2014, 05:12:45 AM »
I want a roguelike that:
* Is small - by which I mean it doesn't have a lot of source files,
* Is stable,
* Is open source, and
* Runs on linux.
* BONUS: Code is well-documented/commented and is easily maintainable.
* BONUS: I prefer CLI roguelikes (Command Line Interface, for the uninitiated.  Also known as ASCII graphics.)
* BONUS: Everything is editable via the source code only.  No JSONs, not *.dat files.
* BONUS: Ideally C or C++.

I want something that is easily modifiable, with minimal effort or knowledge.  I'm okay with either the traditional dungeon-crawl roguelikes or modern free-roaming open world ones.
« Last Edit: April 28, 2014, 05:58:16 AM by Vimes »

reaver

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Re: Looking for a roguelike to play with
« Reply #1 on: April 28, 2014, 09:45:51 AM »
* BONUS: Everything is editable via the source code only.  No JSONs, not *.dat files.

You lost me at this. Why on earth would you want your source code mixed with data?

Zireael

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Re: Looking for a roguelike to play with
« Reply #2 on: April 28, 2014, 12:27:13 PM »
Veins of the Earth fits most of these criteria. If you grab T-Engine for Linux, it runs under it.
It's not C, however, it's Lua. ASCII graphics are an option.


... the only point I'm not sure about is stable :P because I work on it almost every day.

mushroom patch

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Re: Looking for a roguelike to play with
« Reply #3 on: April 28, 2014, 01:26:58 PM »
You can write something fitting this description in about two hours of coding. I don't get it.

[Edit:] Oh sorry, you said C. 10 hours of coding.
« Last Edit: April 28, 2014, 01:30:05 PM by mushroom patch »

chooseusername

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Re: Looking for a roguelike to play with
« Reply #4 on: April 29, 2014, 12:27:41 AM »
You can write something fitting this description in about two hours of coding. I don't get it.

[Edit:] Oh sorry, you said C. 10 hours of coding.
*sigh*  I'm calling you out on this.  I don't think it's unreasonable for me to ask you to prove your claims, by spending two hours writing a new roguelike.  I'm looking forward to seeing what you come up with.

Atreides

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Re: Looking for a roguelike to play with
« Reply #5 on: April 29, 2014, 01:58:31 AM »
Not a programmer.  Will be reading and doing exercises from a book on C this summer, then starting university this fall.  I like roguelikes, but I dislike how all roguelikes quickly become way to complex to quickly and easily modify.

I know how to use terminal commands (cd, ls, make, grep if I have a guide handy), I know how to read and follow instructions, I run Linux (granted it's Mint Debian), I've screwed around with other roguelikes in the past.  I have a good idea of how to use grep to puzzle through code, but the codebases of most roguelikes are way too huge to easily make something fun.

I want code mixed with data because I'm easily confused when I have to edit stuff in JSONs and in the *.c and *.h files too.  I'd rather keep it on one place.

I initially tried a bunch of very old games, but I couldn't get them to compile.  I'm happy with something very old as long as it compiles, is small, isn't too buggy, source if available, and it runs on linux.  Ideally I want something that is CLI, written in C or C++, and keeps the data and code together.

EDIT

How long until the captcha is no longer mandatory?

Atreides

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Re: Looking for a roguelike to play with
« Reply #6 on: April 29, 2014, 02:10:33 AM »
Can't edit my old message, here's my edited reply:

http://pastebin.com/TQYTua83

Rickton

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Re: Looking for a roguelike to play with
« Reply #7 on: April 29, 2014, 04:43:10 AM »
Not a programmer.  Will be reading and doing exercises from a book on C this summer, then starting university this fall.  I like roguelikes, but I dislike how all roguelikes quickly become way to complex to quickly and easily modify.
Having the data in the code is kind of the textbook definition of not being able to quickly and easily modify.
Creator of the 7DRL Possession: Escape from the Nether Regions
And its sequel, simply titled Possession

Atreides

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Re: Looking for a roguelike to play with
« Reply #8 on: April 29, 2014, 05:14:11 AM »
Having the data in the code is kind of the textbook definition of not being able to quickly and easily modify.
It is if I'm not sure how to create new data files, or how and where my modifications to the data are stored, or how to add new things to the data (like a durability byte that has a chance to decrease when the item is used, eventually causing the item to break when it reaches 0 durability).

Besides that, I'm used to reverse engineering console video games.  Editing data tables in compiled executables is easy for me, if that data table is always x bytes per entry and y entries total.  I use spreadsheets and a python script to write changes to files.

tl;dr

Due to my admittedly niche background, I'm comfortable mixing my data with my code.  When I'm bored I locate data tables in my compiled executables and screw around with them to see what happens.

EDIT

I feel like Doctor Evil upon rereading that last sentence.  I hereby disclose that meat helmets were not a substantial part of my childhood, but I have shorn my testicles on occasion.
« Last Edit: April 29, 2014, 05:26:10 AM by Vimes »

Krice

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Re: Looking for a roguelike to play with
« Reply #9 on: April 29, 2014, 09:37:12 AM »
Having the data in the code is kind of the textbook definition of not being able to quickly and easily modify.

Unless the code is data-driven. Teemu has data mixed in code, although the current release version is not that data-driven as the development version (1.3). Still it could be something to check out. The source code compiles on Linux and Windows, and I remember it was ok in Mac too with minor changes. SDL 1.2 is the only thing it needs. It has theoretical zero bugs, but there is one gameplay bug in the platform where the statue is needed...

http://koti.mbnet.fi/paulkp/teemu/teemu.htm

CaptainKraft

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Re: Looking for a roguelike to play with
« Reply #10 on: April 29, 2014, 03:37:08 PM »
This thread turned into an argument instead of just giving someone recommendations on a simple request.

I don't know if these two games fit your needs but I would recommend looking at Brogue because the code is very well written. You can learn a lot from the source. Also, check out Rogue. Might as well see what it was like in the beginning right?

If you can't find anything that fits your needs, try something new. You'll learn a lot from the source of any game that you can slog through. Good luck
Build a man a fire, and he'll be warm for a day.
Set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life.

Eben

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Re: Looking for a roguelike to play with
« Reply #11 on: May 01, 2014, 07:57:17 AM »
Several of my 7dRLs fit this description, except in Java.

Also I don't really get what your goal is. Sounds like you're looking for something that's so simple it'd be easy to modify for your own purposes and yet you're not up for the first steps of making the @ on the screen... Like you're looking to cut a couple days of work of an unknown size project, which isn't much to save if you're doing a serious thing.

Maybe instead you should check out some of the tutorials (especially the libtcod ones) and just start from scratch. Or use an engine like ToME and start with all the hard fiddly UI things done.

mushroom patch

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Re: Looking for a roguelike to play with
« Reply #12 on: May 21, 2014, 12:32:33 AM »
You can write something fitting this description in about two hours of coding. I don't get it.

[Edit:] Oh sorry, you said C. 10 hours of coding.
*sigh*  I'm calling you out on this.  I don't think it's unreasonable for me to ask you to prove your claims, by spending two hours writing a new roguelike.  I'm looking forward to seeing what you come up with.

Your challenge caught me in the middle of grading finals, followed by moving out of my old apartment, but I agree, it's reasonable to ask for proof of such a claim, if it only takes two hours.

I managed to work a few 20 to 30 minute coding sessions into the first week of May, but I lost interest after it became clear I wouldn't be able to finish in two hours (it would take another two or three hours, plus time to debug). So you're right, it's an exaggeration. Along the way, I decided I wouldn't want to post source anyway, so there was no point in continuing for the purpose of your challenge.

I think the point that the OP would be better served by either writing something himself, getting involved with an established project, or finding another hobby still stands, though.