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Post by Variaz on Nov 20, 2008 1:48:57 GMT -5
This is an interesting discussion going on. I think Portralis is still a roguelike at heart, because you spend most of your time exploring random dungeons, fighting monsters and collecting items. But I try to make it more of a RPG/Roguelike hybrid by adding multiple towns, wilderness, quests, dialogs with NPC, and a story that gives you a purpose to play through all this. Originally, I wanted Portralis to be a very difficult variant. Now, however, I try to focus more on characters features and stuff like that for the game to be enjoyed by everyone. I still want the game to be difficult, and that's why there is a significant leap of difficulty from 40+(it gets worse in 50+ ), but compared to earlier versions, the early game is a LOT easier. And I think it's fine this way, because it allows everyone to get into the game and get familiar with Port's mechanics. I don't think anyone will take it bad if they get killed by a powerful ethereal ghost or a legendary phoenix on level 50. Getting owned by a Kobold Infantry on level 2, however, is another story. Nothing breaks your love for a character than a stupid death by a weak early game monster! I think the game is overall a lot more enjoyable than before. The difficulty setting will make that even better.
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Post by jarthak on Nov 20, 2008 7:57:47 GMT -5
I think jellyman's mild death penalty in Reply #5 provides a reasonable incentive to play smart as long as a level 1 item wouldn't be destroyed. Perhaps both the character and items would be protected from deleveling to cushion unlucky streaks.
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Post by junyortrakr on Nov 21, 2008 9:36:22 GMT -5
a) No penalty (have it marked in the dump as "Woose") b) Normal (marked in dump as "Standard") c) Expert - dying loses you experience in addition to gold and items. (Marked in Dump as "Expert") d) Masochist - dying loses you all experience, all items (eternal has no meaning) and you lose whatever is in your house. plus you don't get recalled to town, having to walk back unaided by Word of recall...and unable to pick anything up or fight until you speak to a priest who will want 20% of all future earnings. e) Ironman - death is permanent. (Marked in Dump as "Iron Man")
I rather like these suggestions of Gando's. It isn't bad the way it is, but giving the player more choice sounds good to me. I definitely have no problems with leaving it unchanged, though.
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Post by jellyman on Nov 22, 2008 21:55:51 GMT -5
Gando's masochist suggestion has given me these further ideas:
<semi serious> Dying sends your character to the 'halls of the dead' or something. Like Lost Souls in Tome. If you can find your way out you can continue playing that character.
<no resemlance to seriousness> Then an 'ultra masochist/ironman' mode. If you die you go to 'halls of dead'. No items, and first level. Until you fight your way out you can't start a new character. Attempts to reinstall Portralis on your hard drive shall be detected by some spyware type trickery and result in a complete wipe of your hard drive in punishment.
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Post by Variaz on Nov 22, 2008 23:18:04 GMT -5
This is it, I'm implementing this right away!
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Post by espeorb on Nov 23, 2008 8:15:54 GMT -5
This is it, I'm implementing this right away! I dearly hope that you are joking, Variaz. I don't play games that have spyware of any kind, nor do I play RLs that let me have one character at a time. Edit: I just noticed the "No resemblance to seriousness" thing XD whew, though as Gando said, humor does fall flat on the internet due to lack of tone.
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Post by Variaz on Nov 23, 2008 13:28:19 GMT -5
lol, of course I was joking! ;D
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Post by paulblay on Jan 25, 2009 10:08:39 GMT -5
I take it there isn't a death penalty of losing spell points / hit points?
I thought I had 10 SP, but now I seem to have 8 (maybe I'm imagining it ...)
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Post by Variaz on Jan 25, 2009 10:46:04 GMT -5
Were you wearing an items that gives extra sp? Rods, for example, gives sp bonus. If you died, you might not have the rod anymore, hence why you lost sp.
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Post by paulblay on Jan 25, 2009 11:41:59 GMT -5
Were you wearing an items that gives extra sp? I guess maybe I put on a different armour type the second time around. I didn't realise that normal armour affected SP values.
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Post by kingmonkey on Jan 26, 2009 1:06:21 GMT -5
I loled when I read masochist! You took all the most unfun things that had been suggested and rolled them into one option, it just had to be a joke! I do however support your suggestions for other death options even though I do not currently see much of a problem with the system the way it is.
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