As I approach the release, I’ve been testing on iPhone, and it is going well. iPhone wasn’t a target. I hadn’t tried it yet, but it works amazingly well. So, it’s coming on iOS, and I need to finalise OS versions due to the LLM.

Now, a bit more about the game itself. As I mentioned in my previous post, it borrows concepts from various sources and combines them in a way I have been conceptualizing for years. In a setting that has always fascinated me as well.

Background

I remember playing D&D as a kid. A cousin had the boxed set that came with Keep of the Borderlands. I had an older edition of the red box. I had the first edition of Star Frontiers... So let’s say I’ve been interested in and playing role-playing games for around 40 years now. There is nothing like sitting down with friends, even new people you’ve just met, and playing one of these. I have more reading about than sitting down with experience, though I have played my fair share.

The megadungeon was one setting that always fascinated me. I’m not a game expert, but I think that concept translates easily to games that mostly take place in a single dungeon.

In computer games, you have Rogue (26 levels) and certain descendants that got deeper. Telengard (50 levels), Diablo 1 (16 levels), Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord (10 levels), etc.

Undermountain, Rappan Athuk, The Descent, and other books inspired me.

I could, and will, sit down one day and write down all the inspirations I have on a somewhat running list. But this isn't the credits post. I love games and have built several personal projects, experimenting with concepts. The idea of a good dungeon crawler has haunted me since I could boot up something to let me into that world. And not scattered dungeons, but a single dungeon environment. It can branch into other places. Stonekeep, for example, was a lot of fun. I’m trying to bring the experience of stepping into a megadungeon and trying to survive.

Player

You, the player, have no backstory. You have chosen to test your mettle for your own reasons. Your story is your own. I am just offering you a dungeon to step into. You come ill-prepared for the hazards that await, but hopefully you will find your way.

You choose your role through the gear you wear. There are no fixed classes. Wear the role has been a guiding principle. I can’t remember the specific fork of Diku MUD I played back in the 90s that was classless. There are classless RPG systems for tabletop and other computer games. The concept has intrigued me for a while.

One concept I am leaning heavily on is the “Theater of the Mind”. Where the game world is rendered primarily through descriptive text and player imagination, augmented by UI elements. You have your Character Sheet, a map, your wits, and hoards of loot, if you can survive. I’m trying to find a good balance of text length, information to convey, and staying out of your minds way and letting it fill in the picture.

Gameplay

It’s text-based. There are UI elements, but this is a text-based game. Reading is fundamental. If you have ever played a MUD or Inform-based game, you should be able to start the game and go. See ‘help’ in-game and the Player's Manual. If this is your first experience, the first level is easier, and you can farm it for a while. You will die. A lot. Getting started is quick and easy, but like a roguelike, once geared up, death is still final. Your goal is to obtain the signet ring of Dunil. That’s it. Good luck!

Development

This is my ongoing personal passion project. I am building this for me and you. I am reaching back, taking a piece of nostalgia and giving it a new interpretation. Including you allows me to hear feedback and bug reports. The specifics of the game and engine I leave out on purpose. A lot of magic comes from not knowing how the trick works. Development is my secondary focus in life, so please keep that in mind.