Poll

How do you like lore and fluff in your roguelikes?

Concise and informative gameplay-wise.
7 (46.7%)
Full of quotes from reputable sources.
0 (0%)
Basically original content.
8 (53.3%)
I'm not interested in lore, I just want the amulet of Yendor!
0 (0%)
None of the above - elaborate below
0 (0%)

Total Members Voted: 13

Author Topic: Lore and Fluff in Roguelikes  (Read 12723 times)

Psiweapon

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Lore and Fluff in Roguelikes
« on: February 16, 2012, 01:39:22 PM »
So, Ancient and I are working hard on PRIME... Okay, you can say he's working harder if you want  ;D

In any case, we have to collect and come up with BUCKETLOADS of lore entries, and we already have three or so styles all set up, but I could very well do with some thoughts about the matter if any one of you is kind enough to share them.

Another thing I'm interested in knowing is how much of a turn on/off is a humorous bent in fluff, and which other "tones" the people around here like in their games (tragic, epic, plain scary, abstract and cold, etc.)
The invisible hand is a lie, the fiendish dogma of the market cultists. Lest the apostasy grows strong, their blood god will devour each and everyone, pious and infidel alike.

jim

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Re: Lore and Fluff in Roguelikes
« Reply #1 on: February 16, 2012, 10:13:09 PM »
I always appreciate it when the lore within a setting is delivered with sincerity and intelligence. Too much winking and mugging for the camera takes away from the immediacy of what I am experiencing as a player.

guest509

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Re: Lore and Fluff in Roguelikes
« Reply #2 on: February 16, 2012, 11:05:41 PM »
  I have very little patience for scrolling through text. And I rarely read it. But I find I am very singular in that.

Pueo

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Re: Lore and Fluff in Roguelikes
« Reply #3 on: February 16, 2012, 11:54:42 PM »
I think concise information.  A little like Brogue, but not so so precise (You can defeat it in x hits).  Something like "This is a witch.  They use magic, etc, etc.  They flee when they reach low health."
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Psiweapon

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Re: Lore and Fluff in Roguelikes
« Reply #4 on: February 17, 2012, 12:56:36 AM »
  I have very little patience for scrolling through text. And I rarely read it. But I find I am very singular in that.

Well, some entries are indeed long-winded, but there isn't scrolling of any sort X_D
The invisible hand is a lie, the fiendish dogma of the market cultists. Lest the apostasy grows strong, their blood god will devour each and everyone, pious and infidel alike.

Z

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Re: Lore and Fluff in Roguelikes
« Reply #5 on: February 17, 2012, 01:40:01 AM »
Another choice is to make it clear which information is actually relevant to gameplay, and which is just flavor. Kind of like Magic the Gathering does: normal text is rules, and italics is flavor. Or like Wikipedia does: a short text to get an general idea about the topic, and then more detailed iterations. Should be good both for people who like conciseness and stories. You could even accomodate an influence section, including NetHack-style quotes (I always wanted to know where the idea for a particular thing came from), but maybe that would be too far.

Psiweapon

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Re: Lore and Fluff in Roguelikes
« Reply #6 on: February 18, 2012, 01:02:03 AM »
There *are* nethack style quotes.
The invisible hand is a lie, the fiendish dogma of the market cultists. Lest the apostasy grows strong, their blood god will devour each and everyone, pious and infidel alike.

Ancient

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Re: Lore and Fluff in Roguelikes
« Reply #7 on: February 24, 2012, 09:18:04 PM »
Thanks everyone who replied. We owe you some pictures how it actually looks in practice.

When you request your character to closely examine an item a short and to the point data is presented for weapons and armor. You can then press escape and be done with it or advance to next page.



Other items (or objects of aforementioned types too if the player character has no clue about them) go right to this stage. Lore is presented. Usually it is a quote of varying size from source material. As much as almost whole page or only a single line depending on item. It may be followed by original text as is the case with phaser. Our additions generally contain hints at game relevant mechanics but reading this text is never the only way to get to know about a feature.



In PRIME, objects have a hierarchy. A phaser is an energy handgun which is an energy weapon, which is a subclass of guns and finally a subclass abstract general weapon category. You won't see this but it allows us to provide a lore entry for these in-between concepts. Here is how energy weapon information reads. It is strictly technical stuff.



Even further, there is weapon entry. It explains the nitty-gritty stuff behind the scenes. It is last because most probably you will like to read it at most once or even not at all. After you do it is best dismissed. The hierarchy allows us to introduce mechanics one by another.



I have to admit we included few barely serious entries. These might diminish the suspension of disbelief somewhat but both of us count on humor factor saving us.
Michał Bieliński, reviewer for Temple of the Roguelike

guest509

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Re: Lore and Fluff in Roguelikes
« Reply #8 on: February 26, 2012, 09:34:55 AM »
  Daddy likes. If you'd like me to proofread any of your text files I could do that. I'm a bit of an amateur sci fi writer and have a doctorate in bullshitting (Law). So I'd say I'm qualified.
 
  Lemme know. No credit needed or anything. There were just a couple of things above with tense and what not and I enjoy your project.

Ancient

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Re: Lore and Fluff in Roguelikes
« Reply #9 on: February 26, 2012, 11:39:17 PM »
Any help with development is deeply appreciated. Psiweapon also has nothing against it so I have prepared lore files for you to download. Since this is full of spoiler stuff exact link is given by private message.

Feel free to edit anything you think would sound better if rephrased in another way. For your information the release of 1.8 is scheduled for evening of 28th February so there is not so much time to make adjustments left. We decided there is no point in waiting much longer with all the good stuff that was written and implemented.
Michał Bieliński, reviewer for Temple of the Roguelike

Psiweapon

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Re: Lore and Fluff in Roguelikes
« Reply #10 on: February 26, 2012, 11:59:32 PM »
Thanks a lot for chiming in, Jo :)

We sure try to keep good language standards - but if you can help us keep *better* standards, you're a scholar and a gentleman.
The invisible hand is a lie, the fiendish dogma of the market cultists. Lest the apostasy grows strong, their blood god will devour each and everyone, pious and infidel alike.

guest509

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Re: Lore and Fluff in Roguelikes
« Reply #11 on: February 27, 2012, 02:44:12 AM »
  What. Only 30 pages? :-)

  I'll have it back to you this evening.

EDIT: Can I send it back in an email attachment? Send me your email. Ancient or PSI.

guest509

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Re: Lore and Fluff in Roguelikes
« Reply #12 on: February 27, 2012, 05:23:05 AM »
Lol this is my favorite so far you guys.

    "Happiness multitool. You not need more anything anymore. Fifteen
    power levels, more good than of other companies. Arcturian Wife
    no longer go menhouse. Lonely weekend boring no more."

I was thinking whoever wrote this was going for a translation joke. Like a bad translation from Japanese. I left it like this after removing copious commas. I find it hilarious.



Ancient

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Re: Lore and Fluff in Roguelikes
« Reply #13 on: February 27, 2012, 09:09:30 AM »
The fake orgasmatron quote is Psiweapon's work. The lore style is a hint you found a fake.

Please send the file to me. My email is michal (rogue) kast.net.pl . I thought you would lift the addresses from PRIME. Both are specified there.

Edit: Should have read private messages first.
« Last Edit: February 27, 2012, 09:11:19 AM by Ancient »
Michał Bieliński, reviewer for Temple of the Roguelike

Psiweapon

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Re: Lore and Fluff in Roguelikes
« Reply #14 on: February 27, 2012, 04:27:43 PM »
Lol this is my favorite so far you guys.

    "Happiness multitool. You not need more anything anymore. Fifteen
    power levels, more good than of other companies. Arcturian Wife
    no longer go menhouse. Lonely weekend boring no more."

I was thinking whoever wrote this was going for a translation joke. Like a bad translation from Japanese. I left it like this after removing copious commas. I find it hilarious.




Pretty much. Like it was a cheap chinese knockoff.
The invisible hand is a lie, the fiendish dogma of the market cultists. Lest the apostasy grows strong, their blood god will devour each and everyone, pious and infidel alike.