Author Topic: What is good in roguelike gameplay?  (Read 48165 times)

Krice

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Re: What is good in roguelike gameplay?
« Reply #30 on: January 26, 2011, 02:43:24 PM »
I think it's the non-linear gameplay. Problems can have more than one solution and you can create different kind of strategies in combat. There are no artificial limits to stop you trying crazy stuff like stealing from a shop or killing the shopkeeper.

Darknoon

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Re: What is good in roguelike gameplay?
« Reply #31 on: February 01, 2011, 08:43:56 AM »
I think if your trying to program something, try making an incredibly small game first that isolates something that is fun. I'm pretty sure most roguelikes are actually accumlations of lots of things that would be fun on their own, but gathered together are either as fun as all those parts or more fun.

mariodonick

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Re: What is good in roguelike gameplay?
« Reply #32 on: February 01, 2011, 10:46:01 AM »
Quote
I'm pretty sure most roguelikes are actually accumlations of lots of things that would be fun on their own, but gathered together are either as fun as all those parts or more fun.

Sometimes. You need to be consistent, though, otherwise all the funny things don't fit together and feel strange.
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-- LR: The Book of Stars graphical roguelike RPG

jim

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Re: What is good in roguelike gameplay?
« Reply #33 on: February 03, 2011, 08:04:58 PM »
Sometimes. You need to be consistent, though, otherwise all the funny things don't fit together and feel strange.

EXACTLY. There needs to be a thematic feel of some kind.

wire_hall_medic

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Re: What is good in roguelike gameplay?
« Reply #34 on: March 12, 2011, 09:40:57 PM »
I find that, while I've tried a few rougelikes, far and away the most time I've spent playing is Diablo II and DoomRL.  So this reply is mostly about them.

Items:  In my preferred rougelikes, items are relatively simple.  Often, they can be modified (slotted items, upgrade packs), but they do little other than their intended function.

NPC Behavior:  I like 'em simple.  I don't much care for exploitable behavior, but I do like the old-school black-and-white morality.  I'm not here to understand what motivates my NPCs, I'm here to separate them from their tasty, tasty EPs and swag.

Interface:  I like a simple interface.  I prefer games which are designed to enable ease of control, rather than depth of control.  I'm not going to quaff a wand, nor fire a helmet.  I've never enjoyed fighting with the computer to try and word a simple action completely.  Any one who's played the text adventure games of the 80s knows what I mean.
     I'm totally happy with "equip," "use," "alternate use," "combine," etc. 

Equipment Upgrade Path:  I'm pretty flexible on this one.  As long as it's easy to tell if the swag I find is better than what I've got, I'm fairly good.  Oh, and I should be improving fairly often.  This can be leveling, new gear, or whatever, but there should be a definite feeling of progression.  Infrequently enough to be satisfying, but frequently enough to be fun.

Power Curve:  Again, it can be steep or shallow.  As long as the game is consistently challenging, without being overpowering, I'm happy.  Of course, without some power progression the game gets boring, but I don't care whether I get large or small power boosts when I level (or whatever).