Category: Game Design

More Immersion

Around two years ago, I implemented an experimental game mode (as an option), on a whim. I didn’t finish all the details back then, but this mode has been staying in the code and now I have finally decided to include this game mode as an option in v2.5. I call it immersion mode. It […]

Healers

In the pursuit of creating more diverse playstyles, I have introduced yet another mechanic meant for healer/priest-like characters. I envision these characters as truly good chacters that are trying to survive by healing, restoring themselves from ailments and generally trying to minimize the damage they cause (except against the undead!). They have a whole new […]

Thievery

One aim of v2.5 is to enable more viable playstyles. One type of build I wanted to be made more interesting is the stealth/thief build. Short History In the earliest versions of TGGW (around Release #1-#4), stealth was one of the most powerful builds you could make, mostly because you could walk around the dungeon […]

Delayed Reward

I do think a lot about how exploring in regular RPGs (let’s say the elder scrolls for example) sometimes feel more exciting than in roguelikes. One thing that comes to mind is that in roguelikes you immediately know what an item is as soon as you see it lying on the floor. I like how […]

NPC Reform

All NPCs are Like Merchants I have done major changes to how NPCs work. In v2.3 I changed merchants: Essentially they got an amount of gold, an inventory that updates as they trade and a mood. I also added the possibility to pickpocket them. In v2.5, this will apply to all NPCs instead of just […]

Spells on Equipment

A new feature that I’m excited about is a new way of obtaining spells: from equipment! From v2.4 equipment may contain spells (just like wands) and lets you cast spells while wearing the equipment. Mechanics The spells from equipment work exactly like those from wands. They have a range, an Mp-cost, a target type and […]

Rest Preview

One of the most important strategic decisions that the player has to make is deciding when to rest. There are quite a lot of things that happen when you rest. Around midgame you typically have to go through a mental checklist before you decide to rest. You look over your remaining food, if you have […]