Roguelike Radio Episode 146: Cinco Paus
Jun 19, 2018
Join Rob Parker, a seasoned voice from the roguelike community, Alex Chen (VivaFringe), a dedicated streamer and guide creator, and competitive player AppleS (Chaco_Marsh) for a deep dive into Michael Brough's Cinco Paus. They explore the challenges of its unique mechanics, including the tension of its small board and the thrill of uncovering secrets. From strategies for high scores to insights on artifact balancing, their discussion reveals both the game's complexity and its vibrant community. Plus, hear about Alex's Christmas Day discovery of the game!
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Randomness Shapes Early Skill Curve
- Randomness in wand-ability allocation strongly influences early runs and perceived difficulty.
- Mastery shifts from pure luck to learned heuristics and identifying high-value combos over many plays.
Practice Regularly And Use Community Data
- Play frequently to internalize wand precedence rules and positional cues; sporadic play degrades skill.
- Use community analyses (VivaFringe, Zom) to learn ability ordering and improve decisions faster.
Artifacts Drive Run Identity
- Artifacts create long-term progression by forcing binary choices from a randomized sublist, shaping run identity.
- Michael balanced weaker artifacts up so choices matter and runs diversify rather than funnel to a single optimal set.