Comments on: A long history of dumbing down roguelikes http://www.cydeweys.com/blog/2007/09/02/a-long-history-of-dumbing-down-roguelikes/ Sat, 13 Mar 2010 18:27:12 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Jeff Lait http://www.cydeweys.com/blog/2007/09/02/a-long-history-of-dumbing-down-roguelikes/comment-page-1/#comment-30727 Jeff Lait Thu, 03 Jul 2008 17:17:46 +0000 http://www.cydeweys.com/blog/index.php/2007/09/02/a-long-history-of-dumbing-down-roguelikes/#comment-30727 Fortunately, the DS is not limited to commercial roguelikes. For lovers of Nethack, I must shamelessly promote my own endeavour, POWDER, in which I did not shy from trying to reach for Nethack's complexity. Since that was true when my target was the GBA rather than the DS, I don't think anyone can claim that the handheld form factor somehow reduces complexity. On that note, Nethack exists for the DS. For an overview of handheld roguelikes: http://roguebasin.roguelikedevelopment.org/index.php?title=List_of_handheld_roguelikes arensb's point is good explanation of the problem, however. Making a complicated roguelikes requires layers after layers of polish. This isn't something you can just throw more people at - you need to spend time. And then, if successful, and you make a game people can play for years, where is your revenue stream? The answer I think has to be to treat the roguelike more of a service and somehow get people subscribed to it. This then becomes like a single-player MMORPG where you pay a subscription fee to receive a constant stream of updates. Fortunately, the DS is not limited to commercial roguelikes. For lovers of Nethack, I must shamelessly promote my own endeavour, POWDER, in which I did not shy from trying to reach for Nethack’s complexity. Since that was true when my target was the GBA rather than the DS, I don’t think anyone can claim that the handheld form factor somehow reduces complexity.

On that note, Nethack exists for the DS.

For an overview of handheld roguelikes: http://roguebasin.roguelikedevelopment.org/index.php?title=List_of_handheld_roguelikes

arensb’s point is good explanation of the problem, however. Making a complicated roguelikes requires layers after layers of polish. This isn’t something you can just throw more people at – you need to spend time. And then, if successful, and you make a game people can play for years, where is your revenue stream? The answer I think has to be to treat the roguelike more of a service and somehow get people subscribed to it. This then becomes like a single-player MMORPG where you pay a subscription fee to receive a constant stream of updates.

]]> By: arensb http://www.cydeweys.com/blog/2007/09/02/a-long-history-of-dumbing-down-roguelikes/comment-page-1/#comment-9274 arensb Mon, 08 Oct 2007 16:54:50 +0000 http://www.cydeweys.com/blog/index.php/2007/09/02/a-long-history-of-dumbing-down-roguelikes/#comment-9274 One cynical explanation is that putting in complexity means added development and testing costs. And if your company or industry is built around releasing a new product every six months, you want people buying your latest product, not playing an old product for years and years. One cynical explanation is that putting in complexity means added development and testing costs. And if your company or industry is built around releasing a new product every six months, you want people buying your latest product, not playing an old product for years and years.

]]> By: Gordon http://www.cydeweys.com/blog/2007/09/02/a-long-history-of-dumbing-down-roguelikes/comment-page-1/#comment-8094 Gordon Fri, 07 Sep 2007 22:42:48 +0000 http://www.cydeweys.com/blog/index.php/2007/09/02/a-long-history-of-dumbing-down-roguelikes/#comment-8094 Real men log in to the nethack server on a Mac SE connected through a purple shoebox. Real men log in to the nethack server on a Mac SE connected through a purple shoebox.

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