Roguelike Radio Episode 111: Invisible Inc
Dec 17, 2015
Jason Dreger, lead designer who prototyped Invisible Inc., and James Lantz, designer focused on procedural stealth systems, talk design evolution and inspirations. They trace the pivot to turn-based stealth, talk procedural level generation and guard placement. They cover vision, camera hacking, UI clarity, the alarm clock tension mechanic, and the limited rewind safety net.
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Episode notes
Roguelike Stealth Fusion
- Invisible Inc blends roguelike systems with turn-based stealth to create sustained tension across runs.
- Procedural levels plus clear player information keep stealth meaningful across replays.
Origins From Syndicate And Netrunner
- Jamie Chang seeded the project with an idea inspired by Syndicate and Netrunner, not Jason's original pitch.
- Jason prototyped many directions and favoured an XCOM-like tactical approach before the team refined it.
Mark Of The Ninja's Stealth Legacy
- Mark of the Ninja directly influenced Invisible Inc's stealth fundamentals like vision cones and predictable guard behavior.
- The team doubled down on stealth, removing excess combat to focus gameplay on stealth interaction.
