PorkyThePaladin
Arcane
- Joined
- Dec 17, 2013
- Messages
- 5,174
No, not THAT Ultima.
This game has been mentioned in passing in the rogue-like section here, but it deserves its own thread. The vast majority of video games are fairly derivative. They take an already existing video game or genre, and do their own take on it, perhaps introduce some new mechanics if we are lucky. But every once in a while, a completely new game will come along and chart out new territory. This is one such game.
http://www.ultimaratioregum.co.uk/game/
Similar to Dwarf Fortress in certain ways, it defies simple categorization. I won't even attempt to describe it and simply quote from the website above:
"It’s a game which aims to integrate thematic content on historiography, philosophical idealism and the rise of modernist grand narratives, with the deep, complex and challenging gameplay one expects from a “classic” roguelike (and, of course, an ANSI display and permadeath). Set approximately around the Scientific Revolution, the player is tasked with discovering a conspiracy via identifying procedurally-generated clues hidden throughout the world’s cultures, religions and societies; the game features extensive procedural generation of everything from tombs and religious altars to (in the future) paintings and sculptures, any or all of which may contain the clues required in a given playthrough."
So essentially, a procedural detective rogue-like with philosophical overtones. Say what?
It is a 10 year project for a British PhD student, or their version of Tarn Adams. However, if you read about his ideas and plans for the game on that website, a lot of it is really fascinating stuff. Just the kind of thing gaming really needs. While most devs argue about simple combat mechanics and other low level things, this guy is exploring the potential in procedural generation to come up with truly amazing content. The website is also full of his ideas about gaming in general and is a good read.
This game has been mentioned in passing in the rogue-like section here, but it deserves its own thread. The vast majority of video games are fairly derivative. They take an already existing video game or genre, and do their own take on it, perhaps introduce some new mechanics if we are lucky. But every once in a while, a completely new game will come along and chart out new territory. This is one such game.
http://www.ultimaratioregum.co.uk/game/
Similar to Dwarf Fortress in certain ways, it defies simple categorization. I won't even attempt to describe it and simply quote from the website above:
"It’s a game which aims to integrate thematic content on historiography, philosophical idealism and the rise of modernist grand narratives, with the deep, complex and challenging gameplay one expects from a “classic” roguelike (and, of course, an ANSI display and permadeath). Set approximately around the Scientific Revolution, the player is tasked with discovering a conspiracy via identifying procedurally-generated clues hidden throughout the world’s cultures, religions and societies; the game features extensive procedural generation of everything from tombs and religious altars to (in the future) paintings and sculptures, any or all of which may contain the clues required in a given playthrough."
So essentially, a procedural detective rogue-like with philosophical overtones. Say what?
It is a 10 year project for a British PhD student, or their version of Tarn Adams. However, if you read about his ideas and plans for the game on that website, a lot of it is really fascinating stuff. Just the kind of thing gaming really needs. While most devs argue about simple combat mechanics and other low level things, this guy is exploring the potential in procedural generation to come up with truly amazing content. The website is also full of his ideas about gaming in general and is a good read.
