LambdaRogue 1.6.3 released

[mariodonick]

Update 1.6.3 is here

Download patch archive for Windows, Linux, MacOS

Donate money for further developments (PayPal link)

The patch also includes the contents of the previous patches 1.6.1-X and 1.6.2.


New Features:

- new items for dungeon levels 6, 9, 11 to 14, and 16 to 19. In total, 39 new items. More new items (for the Halls of Eris, Noldarur, the Forgotten Realm, and the Valeri) will be added in patch 1.6.5.
- most weapons, except those from resource workshops, can be combined with either a rune of Beithe, Muin, Ailm or hUath, to add a bonus to WP, GP or AP


Bug Fixes:
- story text file 37 was missing (Morning Star Conspiracy)
- the number of prayers was not reset to 0 when starting a new game after returning to main menu
- withdrawal treatments did cost X, but player had to have X+1 to buy one
- caveworms and worm mothers did generate separate hints in context help (-> removed.)
- minimap disappeared in Temple and Outskirts (and maybe in some other static levels)
- in console mode, other keys than SPACE and ENTER could be used to close text windows
- Santa's Cap was not wearable
- Santa's gear was not restricted to DLV 18
- the alternate (evil) ending did not work, because Eris dropped the Book of Stars instead of Meteor.
- after winning the game, the game did not return to the title screen, but was closed (like in versions < 1.6.2)
- corpses of dead creatures were flagged as unique
- long names of required items in resource workshop were exceeding available window space
- effect "ExtraEXP" was not available as temporary effect (only with equipment)
- screen was not darkened when showing long quest intro texts
- selecting an item to steal from trader could not be cancelled, because the window could not be closed
- in rare cases, unique monsters and staircases were created outside the visible area of the dungeons

Interface:

- items are color-coded (white = common items; green = special; yellow = rare; purple = unique)
- now both item info screen and spell info screen are closed by the same key (ESC)
- changed default use/action key to "a" (also in quest dialogs)
- changed key to close/advance story windows to SPACE (instead of "any key"

Balancing:
- reduced base cost for life insurance (i.e. saving the game) to 200
- potions are always identified, except rare and unique potions
- DLV of items in dungeons is between DLV-3 and DLV (i.e. if you are in DLV 8, you can find items whose level is between 5 and .
- disassembling items gives higher amount of resources
- increased Contus' WP to 16
- Eris doesn't freeze when attacked by ice
- Sheets are only available in shops
- traders always have full stock (no empty slots in their inventories anymore)

Misc:

- quickstart preset Thief started with 3 picklocks although only 1 is needed
- Eris key is not needed anymore to reach the Halls of Eris
- players can travel between Temple and Noldarur as often as desired, as long as the portal has been created and the Ordinator is still alive --> i.e. new reward for killing the ordinator
- Guardian Zealots use electricity for ranged attacks
- monsters react on potions with DecPP effect
- changed sound effect of effect "ExtraGold" to "coins.ogg"
- for ghosts (player bones), no corpses are created anymore

Savegames of previous versions and patches are NOT compatible with this update. Finish your current game before updating.

[getter77]

Nicely and speedily done!     Good assortment of general improvements and "personality" ones to further separate LambdaRogue from the pack and further shape the identity it has in the grand scheme of things.

[mariodonick]

to further separate LambdaRogue from the pack and further shape the identity it has in the grand scheme of things.

One could also say this in a negative way: "... and further make it less roguelike" Anyway, nicely said

[getter77]

Hahaha, I don't see it as any less Roguelike---just yet more distinctive within the ongoing grand melee of late especially.  It all ultimately comes down to Spirit, not a taxonomical checklist.   

[mariodonick]

Hehe, yeah. But I wonder what game genre LambdaRogue really is.

I like to call it roguelike RPG, but maybe, from the view of the hard roguelike core, it becomes more and more a game "inspired by roguelikes, Phantasy Star, Diablo and MMORPGs".

Hell, yesterday I even thought to add an option to make it real-time!

[getter77]

Real time mode would be.....interesting to say the least.  I guess it would "feel" moreso similar to PWMangband than, say, Treachery or Triangle Wizard?  Though animation decisions, framerate, etc would count for an awful lot alongside any special care taken, whether it freezes when in menus, etc.

Roguelike RPG seems fine, though historically the 2 terms came about pretty well in tandem.  In theory, the truly hardcore Roguelike folks should only seek out the utmost core Roguelike elements, which it has, and consider all else to be extras, flavor, or window dressing depending on their mood at the time.

[mariodonick]

only seek out the utmost core Roguelike elements, which it has

Well, that's the question: Does it really have?

Okay: It has random dungeons, is turn-based, has an ASCII mode, tactical gameplay.

But it is less complex, lacks permadeath (in hospitals, you can pay money to save), doesn't have random items, and it annoys the player with the need to solve quests / follow the story to win. I think the last one is the most important "problem": You NEED to follow the story to win, you can't ignore the quests and simply play.

I like it this way, very much indeed, but I know that this combination is for many people a turnoff.

[getter77]

As always, it is the Spirit of the thing that matters most as opposed to constructs brought about by hardware limitations of the time or mechanical quirks.  On the whole, most people don't "get" this yet as the general thinking on videogames is still rather muddled on account of it being such a young thing in general---even Roguelikes/RPGs being among the eldest still results in them being kids in the grand scheme.   It is the modern equivalent of debate about audio or video formats at a point where most options are good options, or some insane notion that either only Bitmap based or Vector based images can only be the "Real Art".

It has the core feel of elements---of which ASCII/turn based isn't even one so much as a hardware/"the times as they were" based artifact that people mistake for dogma....does have permadeath even if the hospital is there as an option(trust me, it tends to slip the mind to pay them heed/insurance if still in the habits of other Roguelikes)...has the random craftworks/chance of drops/encounters. etc.  Narrative is a non-starter, in both the pedantic and theoretical sense of Rogue's "why do I have to pursue this Item?  Why can't I explore outside the dungeon? etc" and the more obvious bit of it being a classically embraced element from the likes of Nethack and ADOM---and good luck telling folks that ADOM isn't a Roguelike.

A narrative in a Roguelike need not follow the sorts of notions that one would find in a novel, movie, etc---there's quite a range to it beget of the staple storytelling elements that tend to manifest in player trip reports.


Short version: Nah, LambdaRogue is good and getting better, stick to your guns/vision, is a Roguelike, with enough polish even those with a distaste for something on multiple levels can still respect and/or appreciate it if not be tempted to set aside and indulge---like good Bacon with Vegetarians or some such.  

[mariodonick]

Ah, thank you, dear Brian -- you just gave me a motivation boost