Projects :: RogueLikeDesignDocument

RogueLikeDesignDocument

Core Gameplay
Real-time
Cyberpunk theme
It will borrow some elements from the *Hack's like random dungeons.
This game will also most likely implement some sort of sub-game in the form of interaction with "the network". I currently have no clue how this is going to work.

Storyline
Probably something sorta contrived like in the predecessors. Something along these lines: The player is a hacker looking to integrate his/her self fully with "the network". There is a legendary implant that can achieve this, but it is guarded in a vault deep in the undercity (or something like that). The player needs to descend into the undercity, and then escape upwards to the core node of "the network" where the integration can occur. So yeah, totally contrived. However, it's not really the story that matters in these sort of games. It's all about the journey.

Setting/Environment

Weapons
Weapons will be modernized. Crowbars, pipes, guns, etc...

Implants
These are a large departure from classic Rogue, but it's perfectly fitting with the cyberpunk theme. Basically, one can buy/find implants and this is what grants "spell-casting" and damage enhancement/reduction. The only items in the game that will possibly be "cursed", implants can have bugs/viruses that will negatively impact them until one can get a debugger and fix/remove the implant. The virused implants will resist attempts to remove them and have negative effects, whereas the buggy ones will just have negative effects (these effects can be permanent in some cases). Gameplay first, excuses later! The number of implants starts at x and can be increased to y.

Augmentation
Augmentations provide active, physical benefits. There are a limited number of slots available because they are physically much larger than implants. They provide what amounts to status upgrades. The slots are:

Left Arm
Right Arm
Legs
Head -> brain
Eyes
Torso (arbitrary number)

Combat
Three melee attacks, upper, middle, lower. Up to two held items. Hold button for an item and then press one of the three attack buttons to attack. Dual attacks will deal somewhat reduced damage per weapon.

Enemies
Uh, no idea yet. Probably need to read up on cyberpunk a bit more first.

Interface Notes