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Encounters and events.


A special example of a narrative prefab.
 I did some more work on the prefab editor today, I think it's pretty much finished. The latest addition is special events and encounters. These allow me to create narrative sections of the dungeon, for example traps and puzzles. For now puzzles are simple things like find the lever that opens a portcullis gate (a type of door that can't be opened by hand but which does not block vision), or use a hidden door to avoid traps, or find a hidden door to get to a hidden room (which you can see through the bars of a portcullis) or just a simple find the key type puzzle.

Can you work out the puzzle above? It has two possible solutions. A narrative prefab like that might take up a big chunk of a level, and wouldn't be that common. Most prefabs will be quite simple and self contained.

I can also place guards at a level exit, or even a boss encounter in a treasure room. The events will still be procedurally generated, so that the boss encounter will be generated from a boss encounter table generating a monster (or group of monsters) appropriate to that level, while treasure will be randomized and placed in a suitable container (maybe a desk or a chest or maybe a corpse).

There are other events, such as graffiti which might give you some knowledge (increase one of your skills if you read it) or could even be a curse! Pages scattered on the floor could be a hint about how to defeat a tough monster (maybe even giving a bonus vs specific monster type), or they could yield a map or some general background info. Strange sounds, odors or monster tracks could reveal what type of monster lurks nearby, giving you an advantage in the next fight (If you found rust monster tracks, how would you prepare?) Can you think of any other kinds of events or encounters I could include? I've been thinking about secret stairs or ladders... or as some people on Rogue Temple suggested the other day perhaps some graves with restless inhabitants.
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Comments

  1. Anonymous26 July 2014 at 23:17

    I would change the colour of your text from red to (say) pale yellow, that way you could actually read it!
    Also consider color coding the buttons and using a square of (same) colour on the map as a locator next to the text. that way you see at a glance what is going on.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Pickledtezcat27 July 2014 at 09:22

      Thanks, I'll do that. The red text does look more readable on my computer screen, but yellow or white would be better.

      Color coding would be a good idea. I can build it in to the dictionary of events.

      Delete

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