Roguelike Radio

Thomas Biskup, the mastermind behind ADOM and ADOM II, shares insights from his decades-long journey in game development. He discusses the intricate balance of randomness and player choices that shapes roguelike experiences. Biskup highlights the immersive weapon skill system and the community's vibrant role in evolving ADOM, especially with its sequel. He reveals how enduring mysteries, like the Scroll of Omnipotence, enhance gameplay intrigue while reflecting on the challenges and excitement of juggling development alongside personal life.

This engaging discussion dives into the intricacies of combat mechanics in roguelikes. Highlights include the balance between realism and enjoyment, with insights on injury systems and damage types. The challenges of mapping movement to attacks are explored, alongside the strategic elements of charging attacks in Unang Band. A fascinating look at the balance between deterministic and RNG-based mechanics reveals their impact on player strategy. Finally, the excitement of critical misses and the need for clarity in combat dynamics are addressed, making for a thought-provoking conversation.

In this lively discussion, Glenn Wichman, co-creator of the original Rogue, shares fascinating insights into the game's birth at UC Santa Cruz. He discusses the early programming hurdles and how Dungeons & Dragons inspired key design elements. The chat highlights Rogue's evolution from Unix to IBM PCs and its lasting impact on the roguelike genre. Glenn also reflects on Japan's divergent roguelike scene and the importance of item identification. This conversation is a treasure trove for gaming enthusiasts!

Welcome to Roguelike Radio episode 30, where we discuss identification systems. Talking this episode are John Harris, Keith Burgun, Ido Yehieli and Andrew Doull. Read more »

Welcome to Roguelike Radio episode 29, where we talk again about the Seven Day Roguelikes released in 2012. Talking this episode are Darren Grey, Ido Yehieli and Todd Page. Read more »

Welcome to Roguelike Radio episode 28, where we talk about the Seven Day Roguelikes released in 2012. This is the first of a multipart as we try vainly to cover the highlights of 62 successes from this year's 7DRL challenge. Talking this episode are Darren Grey, Ido Yehieli and Jeff Lait. Read more »

Welcome to Roguelike Radio episode 27, where we talk about Seven Day Roguelikes of Yesteryear - a look back on the highlights of 7 years of 7DRLs. Talking this episode are Darren Grey, Ido Yehieli and Jeff Lait. Read more »

Darren Grey, Ido Yehieli, Jeff Lait, corremn, and Joe Bradshaw talk about creating a roguelike game in a week, defining success in the 7DRL challenge, the evolution of roguelike games, using LibTCOD for game development and the debate on color palettes, exploring aesthetics and game making programs, using T-Engine for game creation, focusing on game development without distractions, choosing one gimmick for a game, the importance of transparency in game design, providing instructions and bug fix releases, and making a successful game through uniqueness and planning.

Guests Darren Grey and Nicolas Casalini discuss the concept of permadeath in gaming, exploring its presence in roguelikes and comparing it to replaying story games. They delve into the balance between failure and interesting consequences, including the impact of permadeath on player investment. They also explore the challenges of multiplayer mode in games like StarCraft and the importance of good game design in creating engaging permadeath experiences.

Nicolas Casalini (DarkGod), roguelike developer and commentator, discusses how themes and settings shape design. They explore why fantasy dominated, how subverting tropes surprises players, alternative genres like Lovecraft, sci‑fi and steampunk, and ways mechanics, presentation and morality can reinforce setting.