Filed under: Programming | Tags: coding, different, games, original, Programming, role playing, rpg, turn based, video games, xna
So for the past few weeks, I’ve been keeping myself busy with a little project I have. Its where you play a knight character, who has to advance through a dungeon, descending levels, killing monsters, getting loot, defeating the end boss, and getting an overall score. The twist?
Its turn based. With a single character.
Now I know what you’re thinking. That its awfully slow, nothing really happens, and it takes an age to complete a level. Not true. Think about it. You’re advancing down a path, at 3 squares per turn. Then, a zombie comes within you’re light radius on its turn. All of a sudden, you’ve got a little cat and mouse game going on. Do you advance down a different path? Will the zombie turn away if you go round a corner? You get 2 action points per turn, do you use both to run away, hoping you might lose it, or one to advance, and one to take a chance attacking it? All of a sudden, its tactical.
Plus, think of the long term benefits. Players score is based on how much loot they got, how many monsters they killed, and how many turns it took them to do it. All of a sudden, speed running a level is actually an advantage!
Theres also the levels themseleves. Due to the game being turn based, its an obvious choice to make the levels a grid. The advantage of this, you ask? It makes them easier to make using an editor, which I’ll use to make the pre-set levels, and then release the game, so that players can swap levels in a text file.
All of a sudden, you’ve got a game with numerous more scoring options, can easily design the levels, has a clear defined goal, and all the levels are made by the players themselves!
Guy 1: “Dude, you need to try my new dungeon runner level I made last night! I bet you can’t beat it in under 125 turns!”
Guy2: “Haha, whatever man, you’re on!”
This is gonna be awesome.
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