Roguelike Radio Episode 88: International Roguelike Development Conference 2014
Jun 23, 2014
Guest
Tom Ford
Guest
Christian Janssen (Christian Heller / Plum Lompom)
Guest
Rieger (Rieger Gehling / Rieger Jiménie)
Guest
Johannes Christmann
Johannes Christmann and Rieger Gehling, developers on Curious Expedition, share insights on game design and conference experiences. They discuss the importance of community and the unique atmosphere at IRDC. Tom Ford dives into procedural quest generation, highlighting innovative techniques for engaging gameplay. The panel debates the balance of permadeath in roguelikes and the need for modifiable game rules. Additionally, Christian Janssen explores embedding historical themes in design, making for a captivating conversation on roguelike development trends.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Roguelike Term Has Expanded, Community Stayed Rooted
- The term "roguelike" is broadening while the core roguelike community stays focused on traditional designs.
- Roguelike elements spread into mainstream indie games, but the dedicated community remains centered on classic values.
Leverage Existing Libraries To Prototype Fast
- Use rot.js or libtcod to skip low-level engine work and prototype quickly.
- Targeting the web with JavaScript makes playtesting and distribution far easier for jams.
Replace ASCII Incrementally To Ease Art Integration
- Collaborate with an artist and replace ASCII characters incrementally to avoid merge friction.
- Use simple asset pipelines (edit a sprite file and refresh) so artists and coders don't block each other.