The Magic of Making Roguelikes and Video Games

Making games, especially working with procedural generation, feels like magic. Understanding the system allows you to make it do things, just like understanding the words of power in coding. Modifying games and seeing the changes show up in-game still feels magical. Roguelike games give players a taste of the magic of working with these systems, which is why many players end up trying to make their own games. Making roguelikes and video games is the most magical system to the speaker. However, working with code and procedural generation can also feel like playing with dark arts, where the behavior is uncertain and unpredictable. It can feel like taming a strange wild horse.