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The Codex of Roguelikes

The Red Knight

Erudite
Joined
Apr 18, 2017
Messages
485
PapaPetro There's a recent thread about it in the invisible corner of the Codex:
https://rpgcodex.net/forums/threads/approaching-infinity-early-access.134368/#post-6849664
I've played it for about 5 hours so far, and I have to say, I find it very charming, addictive, and enjoyable overall. I feel it has a bit of a deceptive simplicity to it - as in, the further you progress, the more the game opens up to you, revealing more and more complexity, customization, variety, and challenge the further you go. The basic gameplay loop is simple at it's core, but I struggle to think of a rogue-like where that isn't the case. I was worried about where I thought I saw the content going in the first two hours or so, but past that I'm continuing to find more and more to become invested in. It's definitely been a "one more turn" kind of experience for me, where I have to force myself to stop playing. I'm going to have some spare time tomorrow, so I'll probably devote a good several hours to it.

I'd recommend anyone trying it to make sure to play for at least a couple hours before you judge it. If that means a "test" whirl, then so be it. But if you end up liking it, give this guy some money. He's very passionate about his game, and has already implemented some features I suggested, like, a day ago.
And some comments on what it is not:
if stat juggling and immense crew management are your main concerns, this game would be a rather large dissapointment to you. It's very light on the simulation aspects, and while there is a fair amount of customization - with 10 ship components, 3 away team equipments, up to 6 officers on board at once (hero likes that boost crew stats through special skills), salvaging, crafting, and research - it's all very much so streamlined if compared to more simulationist approaches.
There's different ships, officer configurations, ship equipment configurations that can lead to different playstyles for sure, but nothing that is going to wildly deviate from the core gameplay loop that is based around sector exploration, away team planetary exploration, shipwreck exploration, ship combat, basic trading, questing, and faction/race interaction and main quest persuance. There could be more left for me to discover, but once you kind of choose your path a lot of upgrades are +number, but still feel like meaningful progression. The game will not satisfy number whores though. No spreadsheets of statistics or anything.

Also Latro reports that it requires Steam / isn't DRM-free portable - in case putting roguelikes on a USB stick to carry around is your thing.
 

The Red Knight

Erudite
Joined
Apr 18, 2017
Messages
485
this is clearly bait
6eoQ3ve.png
 

PapaPetro

Guest
this is clearly bait

Yeah tho... do other other roguelike players not also love roguelites? I assumed the strict Berlin Loyalists were a veeeeeery loud minority.
Identity, history, and genealogy are important to form.
I'm fine with the "rogue-lite" moniker though.

6i4Nvqv.jpg


While not perfect, I admire the attempt the Berlin Explanation aims in establishing genre taxonomy.
Else this stickied thread would look a lot different with Binding of Isaac and Enter the Gungeon discussions burying the beauty of ASCII graphics and byzantine keyboard commands.
 

Theodora

Arcane
Patron
Glory to Ukraine
Joined
Feb 19, 2020
Messages
4,620
Location
anima Bȳzantiī
I get the point, I just find it a bit ... alarmist to act like we need to protect the genre (as some do, with the whole Berlin purity schtick), when it's obviously fine and always going to be relatively niche. Personally, I found traditional roguelikes through roguelites like FTL and Isaac, so I have only fondness for them, even if I think @likes are ultimately a more interesting form overall.
 

The Red Knight

Erudite
Joined
Apr 18, 2017
Messages
485
To my knowledge, the issue is not with the existence of or disliking roguelites (though I'm not really into the more action-oriented ones myself), but with people labelling everything as a roguelike the moment it has some procedurally-generated content or permadeath - so on one hand you have much more popular -lites making it harder to look for new "hardcore" stuff (just like with some specific literary/movie subgenres, so far "roguelike" still means a more tight kind of experience) , and on the other hand there's a risk of the general population eventually stealing / watering down the term enough that it loses its meaning (just like everything is an RPG nowadays).

Or maybe it's just autism and wanting things to be precise and organized.
 

Latro

Arcane
Joined
Jun 5, 2013
Messages
7,347
Location
Vita umbratilis
there's a risk of the general population eventually stealing / watering down the term enough that it loses its meaning (just like everything is an RPG nowadays).
RPGs are all the proof you need. Roguelite/metroidvania, or whatever is already distinct from rogue likes, no need to muddy pure waters.
 

Theodora

Arcane
Patron
Glory to Ukraine
Joined
Feb 19, 2020
Messages
4,620
Location
anima Bȳzantiī
To my knowledge, the issue is not with the existence of or disliking roguelites (though I'm not really into the more action-oriented ones myself), but with people labelling everything as a roguelike the moment it has some procedurally-generated content or permadeath - so on one hand you have much more popular -lites making it harder to look for new "hardcore" stuff (just like with some specific literary/movie subgenres, so far "roguelike" still means a more tight kind of experience) , and on the other hand there's a risk of the general population eventually stealing / watering down the term enough that it loses its meaning (just like everything is an RPG nowadays).

I guess I just see it as unnecessary, the roguelike-roguelite thing is honestly more of a scale, and I feel like it draws more people into the genre. At the very least I don't think a bunch of devs have decided to casualise their roguelike development.

Or maybe it's just autism and wanting things to be precise and organized.

Seems more likely imo.

Sacrosanctity for me.
There's something magical about this genre that I hold dear and I hope others will also discover in their gaming lifetime.

It's unique and wonderful, and I'm all for proper naming (I'm not even saying that this thread should start including roguelites), I just find the general fuss you see to be a bit ... unfounded to say the least.
 

PapaPetro

Guest
It's unique and wonderful, and I'm all for proper naming (I'm not even saying that this thread should start including roguelites), I just find the general fuss you see to be a bit ... unfounded to say the least.
Nothing is sacred to people these days; you and I both know that.
Everything is deconstructed, redefined, repurposed, and/or exploited. This is just one of those last pearls that I wish to clutch in my fist very tightly.
 

KeighnMcDeath

RPG Codex Boomer
Joined
Nov 23, 2016
Messages
13,026
Eh, I don't care if the genre spreads to other definitions. There will still be rogue games as simple or as complex or mirroring the original concept.
 

Fedora Master

Arcane
Patron
Edgy
Joined
Jun 28, 2017
Messages
28,044
Blood Saint (level 27, 314/314 HPs)
Began as a Demonspawn Gladiator on Sept 7, 2020.
Was the Champion of Makhleb.
Escaped with the Orb
... and 3 runes on Sept 8, 2020!

The game lasted 02:16:42 (70695 turns).

:positive:
 

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