Infra Arcana, a horror/Lovecraft roguelike (now at v22.1.0!).

[NON]

Was just thinking that if you do ever decide to add a "sawtooth" (quake inspired nail gun) weapon, you could use the door nails/spikes as ammo.

Nice idea. Multiple use of items is good.

Is there eventually going to be weapon/armor identification too? All weapons state if they are "+1" so far. Not that I really mind, but just curious

The pluses on weapons are not supposed to be enchantments, it's just the quality and condition of the weapon. Same with armor, the character can see at a glance how torn it is, there is nothing magical or hidden about it.

There will be item identifiaction though, in the form of learning about weird/alien artifacts before you can use them.

Cursed/normal/blessed is something I'm undecided about. I don't think those will be things that items can be, but I haven't thought much about it.

[Legend]

Flares could be another possible multi-use item. They could be used to toss into dark rooms to light the whole room up for a certain number of turns. They would be thrown in the same manner as the dynamite, cocktails, and potions, only not be damaging to enemies except for maybe small creatures like spiders and rats. 

They could also be used as ammo for a flare gun like in Blood. It would work similar to the Molotov cocktail, only longer range and would only initially light one enemy on fire. Possibly any other enemies that are directly next to the one it hits.

[NON]

Neat ideas, and pretty easy to do.

I think the flare should burrow inside and cause fire damage each turn, and if the target dies during this time, a fire explosion is made from the victim. This would be tactically interesting. If you shoot the zombie with a flare it might run up to you and explode, but you may also take out all his buddies if you time it right.

[Legend]

Neat ideas, and pretty easy to do.

I think the flare should burrow inside and cause fire damage each turn, and if the target dies during this time, a fire explosion is made from the victim. This would be tactically interesting. If you shoot the zombie with a flare it might run up to you and explode, but you may also take out all his buddies if you time it right.

That does sound tactically interesting. It should have quite a long range though so the player can use it most effectively. Would it explode only when they die by taking enough damage with it? Or after a certain number of turns?

If it's when they die, then it makes it interesting to shoot one with the flare, then switch to another weapon like a shotgun, to try and make him die quicker so he explodes further away and hopefully next to other enemies.  This would especially be useful if the fast switching of prepared weapons skill was brought back in some way or another.

Spiked mace?

[NON]

Easiest would be if they exploded when they died with a flare in them.

This would especially be useful if the fast switching of prepared weapons skill was brought back in some way or another.

That does sound fun, to have better chance with this tactic by getting that trait.

I wonder how the trait would be brought in though. Maybe you get it for free if both firearms and melee goes above a certain value.

[Legend]

I wonder how the trait would be brought in though. Maybe you get it for free if both firearms and melee goes above a certain value.

Perhaps that could be a good way. Or it could be a one time selectable trait like before?

Fitting with the way the skills work now, maybe it could be it's own trait that decreases the amount of time it takes to switch weapons, and when you get good enough (put enough points into it) you will be able to switch weapons without taking up a turn at all.

Or, if there is no real  timing system in the game, each point put into the trait, makes it so there is a possibility of switching weapons without taking a turn? The more points you have in the trait, the more likely the free turn may occur until you have maxed it out and you always get to switch without taking a turn. I think this way might work best if it's not a one time trait or a freebie when firearms + melee reach a certain point like you suggested.

Maybe a spiked mace could be a weapon that when it hits a "living" enemy, gives it a bleeding effect which slowly drains it of life? Kinda like the flares but to a lesser extent, no explosion, and is melee. And maybe a better chance at a critical hit when sneaking? Just an idea for another weapon that can stand out a bit. Or a spiked mace launcher? that would be a brutal and gory death.  

[NON]

I do have such a time system now, that could make the round take 42% less time or something. But I'm about to change this for a more predictable system (one monster may for example have 3 moves for every 5 you have, a nice steady ratio). I don't like the way it is now, it's too chaotic, and that eliminates a big tactical aspect of the game. I'd rather have the player look at the patterns and be able to plan their moves.

Or it could be a one time selectable trait like before?

I could just throw it in as its own category I guess, an ability that goes from 0 to 100% in one pick, but it feels ugly. Hm, maybe I should go back to having abilities be measured in ranks again, it's easier to add little fun traits like this then...

Maybe a spiked mace could be a weapon that when it hits a "living" enemy, gives it a bleeding effect which slowly drains it of life?

Man you've been advocating the mace for months, now I'll have to add it soon. 

[Legend]

I do have such a time system now, that could make the round take 42% less time or something. But I'm about to change this for a more predictable system (one monster may for example have 3 moves for every 5 you have, a nice steady ratio). I don't like the way it is now, it's too chaotic, and that eliminates a big tactical aspect of the game. I'd rather have the player look at the patterns and be able to plan their moves.

I think the new way you are about to change it too sounds good.

I could just throw it in as its own category I guess, an ability that goes from 0 to 100% in one pick, but it feels ugly. Hm, maybe I should go back to having abilities be measured in ranks again, it's easier to add little fun traits like this then...

I did like the ranks system, And I do like being able to have traits like this. The recent system has grown on me a bit though. Kinda hard to say which I like better personally so far. If it does remain the same, then I think the "each point put into the trait, makes it so there is a possibility of switching weapons without taking a turn? The more points you have in the trait, the more likely the free turn may occur until you have maxed it out and you always get to switch without taking a turn. " might work with the way you are about to change the timing.

Man you've been advocating the mace for months, now I'll have to add it soon.  

I think it's been a while since I mentioned it last. :p And yes you should.

For some reason I just think the spiked mace and the sawtooth/nail gun would go really nicely with your game. The nail gun could possibly knock enemies back to the wall and pin them too it temporarily. Or have a chance of doing that. Or just rip them to shreds with rusty nails.  

They fit with the somewhat bizarre and strange/mystical horror feel of the game in my opinion. The flare gun is sounding fun too.

This game and hydra slayer are the only two roguelikes I liked enough to want to take such an interest in and give my opinions/ideas for. (the guys over at doomrl either ignored me or flamed me so I gave up trying. )

anyways, mace or no mace, nail gun or no nail gun, I will keep playing Infra Arcana and love doing so.

p.s. I do still really want the spiked mace and nail gun. :p

p.p.s. my birthday is March 1st

Thanks for considering and responding to my input btw.

[NON]

If it does remain the same, then I think the "each point put into the trait, makes it so there is a possibility of switching weapons without taking a turn?

That would be consistent with how the reloading trait and swift strikes work, which is good.

Hmm... what I could do is group all firearms and melee traits under "Weapons", and also have the swapping trait under that category. That makes more sense to me than to have a weird extra category that weapon swapping would go in. Also, If they are all grouped under "Weapons", then swapping would benefit passively if you pick either melee or firearms which seems reasonable.

For some reason I just think the spiked mace and the sawtooth/nail gun would go really nicely with your game.

On the topic of the nail gun; I was sold on it when you came up with the idea of using the iron spikes as ammo (I'm also going to make the spikes a thrown weapons, so many possibilities for one item ). I need an explanation for the name "sawtooth" though, I don't get it.

The nail gun could possibly knock enemies back to the wall and pin them too it temporarily.

I was already thinking that. It seems like a requirement for it to be worth implementing at all, otherwise it'd just be another firearm. If it has knock-back though, it should be a one-shot weapon. A machine gun with knock-back could knock them away 10 cells.

The flare gun is sounding fun too.

It sounds hilarious.

anyways, mace or no mace, nail gun or no nail gun, I will keep playing Infra Arcana and love doing so.

Thanks for considering and responding to my input btw.

Well I think it makes the game richer if ideas are coming from more than one person. Plus it challenges me to adapt and improve the code to accommodate far goals, instead of just picking the lowest hanging fruit all the time.

[Legend]

Hmm... what I could do is group all firearms and melee traits under "Weapons", and also have the swapping trait under that category. That makes more sense to me than to have a weird extra category that weapon swapping would go in. Also, If they are all grouped under "Weapons", then swapping would benefit passively if you pick either melee or firearms which seems reasonable.

You could do that and it sounds interesting and makes sense. Alternately, if you still want to keep firearms and melee separate, it might make sense to put the swapping of weapons into the agility section?

I need an explanation for the name "sawtooth"

Just a kinda abstract name I think that sounded a bit better than simply "nail gun." I thought of it as kinda like the nails being the teeth on a saw that rips through the enemies. "Perforator might work too. I always like to picture it as an archaic sort of firearm technology.

If it has knock-back though, it should be a one-shot weapon. A machine gun with knock-back could knock them away 10 cells.

I think the nail gun as a rapid-fire weapon makes sense to nail an enemy to the wall a bit more than single shot since it would most likely take multiple nails to pin someone to a wall. Maybe the enemy would have to be at least one space away from the wall but no further? That way it would add more strategy to the weapon and keep it from being too powerful? Or both? One as an alt-fire?

I was also thinking about being able to throw the nails as well. 

[NON]

Meh, I'm going back to ranks for skills. I'm tired of trying to puzzle out which traits belong in what categories.

Hypothetical thought process: "Should weapon swapping be in 'Weapons' or in in 'Agility'? Probably weapons. But Swapping should increase faster than the aiming skills, so they can't go together ... bla bla".

And I don't see the point any more in restricting the player from picking two traits from the same category.

And the percentage values that don't even mean anything - Firearms skill level at 60%... 60% of what?

[Legend]

The tile set looks pretty cool. Is it going to be purely black and white or will it be color too like the ascii? Is ascii still going to be an option?

[NON]

The tile set looks pretty cool. Is it going to be purely black and white or will it be color too like the ascii?

It will be colored just like the ascii.

Is ascii still going to be an option?

Of course.

[NON]

Yeah I won't even bother pretending there won't be a "11.1" fix soon.

http://infraarcana.wikispaces.com/Downloads

Anyway, now it has a gorgeous tile set thanks to Oryx.

New stuff:
*Tile set
*New font (16x24)
*New time system (easier to predict how much the monsters will move between your turns)
*New item: Flares - can be used to light up dark rooms
*The skill system uses ranks again (instead of percentages)
*Renamed the "Reloading" trait to "Weapon handling" and included chance for instant wield or swap
*Merged the traits "Spot traps" and "Spot secret doors" into "Spot constructions"
*New ability: "Spot items" - you find more items
*Merged the traits "Evade melee" and "Evade traps" into "Dodge"
*Removed the "Alchemy" trait and included potion identifying in "Arcana" instead
*Removed the trait "Composure" and included shock resistance in "Fortitude" instead
*Better formula for chances to study scrolls (smoother increase)
*Fixed a bug that caused the 'get' command to crash the game after loading a save file
*Decreased the HP of all monsters

[getter77]

Hahaha----excellent!  

I hope to see more projects bang out a nice, timely release during the duration of the big yearly ASCII Dreams Roguelike Poll to keep it lively and everybody guessing right up to the finish line.  

I recommend putting some fresh screenshots on the Roguebasin page and the game's homepage for best effect.