Roguelike Radio

Episode 36: Coffeebreak Roguelikes

5 snips
May 26, 2012
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INSIGHT

The Coffee-Break Label Has Eroded

  • The label "coffee-break roguelike" lost precision as most modern roguelikes are short or vary widely in length.
  • Originally it meant games you could finish within an hour, but today the term is largely meaningless.
INSIGHT

Accretion Drove Roguelike Bloat

  • Open-source evolution led many roguelikes to grow by accretion rather than careful removal.
  • That accretion produced epic games like NetHack and Angband but also lots of design bloat.
ADVICE

Trim Features To Sharpen Core Play

  • Cut unnecessary mechanics to focus on core gameplay and improve clarity.
  • Design short games by removing chaff so each element becomes interesting and meaningful.
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