EUO dungeon crawler PD server

Moderator: EUO Moderators

Post Reply
Heniek
Here for the lesbians.
Posts: 404
Joined: Thu Jan 26, 2006 11:39 pm
Location: Gdansk, Poland

EUO dungeon crawler PD server

Post by Heniek »

Lobster on EUO main forum has posted interesing idea of creating additional PD server, which gameplay would be based on roguelike dungeon crawler games. I'm big fan of roguelike games, and really I'd love to be able to play on such server. Because Egg wrote that it's not worst idea, and it could be server #4, I thought that we can discuss it here.

One problem that has been posted, is that EUO real-time game, therefore it never will be as complicated and deep as NetHack, because NetHack(and other roguelike games) gameplay is heavily based on strategy(or rather strategies, because in such complicated game there is no one ultimate strategy). Of course I agree with that, but in my opinion it's only part of truth. Roguelike games are also about randomisation of gameplay(it's actually one of roguelikes essential attributes, and it forces players to develop and use various strategies), and EUO can meet this requirement(rank dungeon for example). This combined with some basic strategies which every EUO player needs to use, would make very interesing gameplay.

Please say what do you think about it(and does it have any real chances to ever happen Egg?), post your ideas here, and comment other people ideas(I'll post mine tomorrow, I'm a bit tired today and it's getting late).
It's always funny until someone gets hurt. Then it's just hilarious.

Heniek, Macros, Reptile [reg]
Undertow, Macros, Khelavaster, Reptile, Burn [PD]
Heniek
Here for the lesbians.
Posts: 404
Joined: Thu Jan 26, 2006 11:39 pm
Location: Gdansk, Poland

Post by Heniek »

Ok so here's mine basic concept how EUO dungeon crawler PD server could look like:

1. General information

In my opinion, it should be as much dungeon crawler/roguelike as possible. Most ideas are stolen from Adom, NetHack and other roguelike games - I don't consider it(stealing ideas) as something bad, most roguelikes are based on same ideas, with only few exceptions like Dwarf Fortress or Incursion. Player would have to achieve some goal(kill some uber monster, retrieve ancient artifact), if he would manage to do that, his char would land on special scoreboard on main page. Ideally you should be able to complete game in 7-8(maybe a bit more) hours of playing, but due to it's difficulty level it would take a lot more time(learning strategies etc.). Here are some features of new server:

* permanent death
* xp would be gained 15 times faster than on reg server - maybe that's bit too much(it'd require some testing), but xp gain has to be fast, because game itself will be pretty fast, and at end game player would have to kill high level monsters, so high level is necessary
* 8-10 times more faster skill gain(including crafting, more about it later)
* monster bosses more common - from 1/30 chance(or whatever it's now) to 1/15. Reason same as in point about faster xp
* no res stones(or maybe amulets of life saving in their place?)
* every time you find some item, it will be unidentified(even scrolls and potions!), unless you will somehow figure it out(scroll of identify for example)

2. Background story

Not really important. Most roguelikes are about "go to level xx and kill monster yy/retrieve item zz, return to surface", so complex story is not needed, it can be very simple. Example: your god/liege has sent you to ancient cavern system, your goal is to retrieve 8 virtue stones, use them to open portal at bottom of dungeon, and kill some uber monster(any ultima related char would be cool here - Guardian, Batlin, Lord Blackthorn?).

3. Dungeon features

Each level of dungeon would be randomly generated(like rank dungeon now), with few special levels which would always look the same. There might be few towns as well, where player will be able to buy food/equipment in shops, and maybe obtain some quests. To avoid boredom, every level would have chance to contain a special room(or even multiple special rooms), like(examples):

* tension room - from 3x3 up to 5x5 room filled with one type of monster. For character it could be either blessing(easy xp and loot), or horror(imagine tension room filled with balrons in deeper dungeons X-D )
* threaten room - room filled with traps, deadly for non rogue chars
* underground pool - room filled with water, you will need a raft to cross it, but you will be able to catch some fishes there also
* lava room - same as above, room filled with lava(and maybe some fire creatures as well)
* abandoned forge - room with anvil and brazier, it could be used to do some weapon/armorsmithing
* abandoned laboratory - room with alchemy bench
* abandoned temple - room with altar, you could use it to determine cursed/uncursed status of your items
* shop - room with merchant. Merchant would sell only specified items(for example only weapons, only tools). Also unlike on other EUO server, amount of merchant's stuff would be limited, and stuff would not be refilled, if you would buy all stuff(to prevent cheesing). Example: you've encountered a tool shop. Stuff avaible for sale: 2x quill, 1x alembic, 1x scissors, 1x blackrock saw.
* etc. lots of possibilities here

4. Crafting

Nothing really different from regular EUO server, but it would be much harder to train certain skill to higher value, because required materials would be much harder to find. I always liked how it worked in EFBD - rare items(avaible only from drop and shops - but those have limited amount of goods), skill harder to train, but gives you benefits. This means no buying tons of scrolls and quills in shop, and afk macro it up to 100%. Some crafting skills could be buffed up a bit, like adding scrolls of enchant armour and enchant weapon to inscription(very high skill required). It'd make other related skills(weaponsmith and armoursmith) more useful, and it wouldn't matter if char would have uber weapons and armours, because sooner or later it'd either die or win.

5. Why to do this?

Shouldn't be people happy just with reg and PD? Yeah, they should, and I think no one would complain if roguelike PD server would never happen, but I see few reasons why it's a good idea:

* some people(like me) are fans of roguelike games, and they really would appreciate it
* solved(well, at least I think it would be solved) problem of most multiplayer rpg games - endless grinding, endless item farming, without putting in restriction like level cap. Whole game from beginning to the end ideally should take 8-9 hours - in that time char will either die or win. No endless xp gaining, no farming and no boredom
* with such server EUO could be advertised on RGRA(roguelike announce Usenet group), and on roguelike web pages, which should bring new players to EUO
It's always funny until someone gets hurt. Then it's just hilarious.

Heniek, Macros, Reptile [reg]
Undertow, Macros, Khelavaster, Reptile, Burn [PD]
Post Reply