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Author Topic: Playing Multiple Roguelikes at the Same Time  (Read 11920 times)

CormacMccarthy91

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Playing Multiple Roguelikes at the Same Time
« on: September 02, 2015, 11:31:51 AM »

Totally off topic conversation I wanted to have with people that are playing more than one RL at the same time.
I was wondering how you guys were managing all the different controls, updates, enemies, and overall gameplay between different roguelikes.

I am currently obsessed with: TGGW, DCSS, Cogmind, and recently Caves of Qud.

The hard part for me is that CoQ, DCSS, and Cogmind are all getting frequent updates with long changelogs. Which is a good thing really, but I get the games mixed up frequently now haha.

Anyway, I was wondering if anyone else was jumping between multiple roguelikes, and if any two were similar enough to not be an issue switching between.

PS: This one is my favorite.
 :)  ;D
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jimmijamjams

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Re: Playing Multiple Roguelikes at the Same Time
« Reply #1 on: September 02, 2015, 07:43:20 PM »

Totally off topic conversation I wanted to have with people that are playing more than one RL at the same time.
I was wondering how you guys were managing all the different controls, updates, enemies, and overall gameplay between different roguelikes.

I am currently obsessed with: TGGW, DCSS, Cogmind, and recently Caves of Qud.

The hard part for me is that CoQ, DCSS, and Cogmind are all getting frequent updates with long changelogs. Which is a good thing really, but I get the games mixed up frequently now haha.

Anyway, I was wondering if anyone else was jumping between multiple roguelikes, and if any two were similar enough to not be an issue switching between.

PS: This one is my favorite.
 :)  ;D

Ahh, the perils of following and participating of games under development!

I know exactly what you mean.  I haven't gotten into DCSS, but I'm a big fan of TGGW and Cogmind (obviously!).  As you might already know TGGW and Cogmind share some similar mechanics which Kyzrati has also mentioned (if not here then definitely on reddit) and I find them the easiest to switch between. 

I picked up CoQ when it turned up on Steam, but due to time constraints have only managed to put a few hours into it.  The pace is also very different to TGGW and Cogmind.  Those games I feel like I can quickly play a few rounds to muck around in the game and serendipitously discover some new mechanic or item setups.  Whereas, CoQ feels like you need a goal in mind before you even start (unless you decide to create a random character).  This is only a personal opinion and I admittedly haven't dedicated enough time to CoQ to take in its intricacies.

I too find the frequent updates overwhelming and often that translates into my sloppy gameplay.  I quite like playing a little recklessly and relying on a 'feel' for the situations based on my many, many deaths.  Sometimes that 'feel' gets lost for a little while after an update, but I usually find it again :)

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zxc

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Re: Playing Multiple Roguelikes at the Same Time
« Reply #2 on: September 03, 2015, 05:13:56 AM »

The only thing that bugs me is the different hotkeys! In DCSS, viewing an enemy is 'v' but in Cogmind it's 'd'! And switching between targets is '+' or '-' in DCSS but 'Tab' in Cogmind! It just messes with muscle memory. And the different ways that run-move work. Same goes with Brogue: different control scheme, and like Cogmind, the controls can't be changed (IIRC), and the same goes for TGGW! Actually, unfortunately I can't even play TGGW because the controls are just too weird and can't be altered. I would consider configurable controls an essential, basic feature of all roguelikes (but many don't seem to share my view).

I have no idea how you can actually get the games mixed up though. DCSS doesn't get enormous changes on a day to day basis. Most of the commits that are made each day have a very minute effect on gameplay, and this is even more true if you don't already know the game inside out and wouldn't notice a great deal of the changes.
« Last Edit: September 03, 2015, 05:16:04 AM by zxc »
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Kyzrati

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Re: Playing Multiple Roguelikes at the Same Time
« Reply #3 on: September 03, 2015, 09:06:06 PM »

I am currently obsessed with: TGGW, DCSS, Cogmind, and recently Caves of Qud.
Ah, all good games, and I'm glad you're liking Cogmind a lot :D

I generally only focus on one roguelike at a time, so I have little experience with frequent swapping.

Actually, unfortunately I can't even play TGGW because the controls are just too weird and can't be altered.
It's so simple, though! The whole TGGW scheme isn't more than a handful of keys.

I would consider configurable controls an essential, basic feature of all roguelikes (but many don't seem to share my view).
I absolutely agree here. I would have already added it if I could, but implementation turns out to be extremely complex given Cogmind's UI and engine setup :/. Maybe one day... (I still have to address the different keyboard layout thing, so many it could be a part of that, I don't know.)
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boomblip

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Re: Playing Multiple Roguelikes at the Same Time
« Reply #4 on: September 10, 2015, 10:43:24 PM »

I play TOME4 a bunch, dabbled in tons of other ones, my biggest issue is that after playing Cogmind I really really am irked by the unintuitive UI's and really hope that developers up their game as far as that goes.
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Kyzrati

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Re: Playing Multiple Roguelikes at the Same Time
« Reply #5 on: September 11, 2015, 09:22:38 AM »

Well, I hang out with a lot of other developers on Reddit and Twitter and a number of them are starting to copy my ideas, so... eventually ;)
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Kasaris

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Re: Playing Multiple Roguelikes at the Same Time
« Reply #6 on: September 19, 2015, 06:42:21 AM »

I personally have an horrible disease : I play too much games at the same time at any given moment. Consequently, I have trouble concentrating on one game to finish it fair and square. This disease extends too to roguelikes : currently, I'm trying to limit myself to play "only" Cogmind, ADOM and Caves of Qud. It's hard and I switch frequently and way too much. As an exemple, since Alpha 3 of Cogmind (beginning of the tournament), I haven't been able to finish a single game of Cogmind as I switch between games too much...Of course, I don't play just roguelikes so it's even worse.

In conclusion, I'm really good at handling game switches but it's really a bad thing for me...

Help me  :'(
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Kyzrati

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Re: Playing Multiple Roguelikes at the Same Time
« Reply #7 on: September 19, 2015, 06:52:31 AM »

You should have some help on that right now with the Alpha Challenge, no?! I don't see your name on the list with any qualifying games yet--you should get in there. You know, prizes :). Plus you can get in on the statistics being collected to share with everyone.

I also understand that a good number of early Cogmind Alpha players have temporarily moved on to ADOM and Qud since both had major releases onto Steam after my own release, so that's normal ;)
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Kasaris

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Re: Playing Multiple Roguelikes at the Same Time
« Reply #8 on: September 19, 2015, 06:57:29 AM »

I know, as I said, I haven't finished a game since Alpha 3 tournament edition but I have one pending where I intend to go as far as I can. I'm currently at -6 and going for a really heavy build (threads+ much weapons+ much armor+ much everything). I want to blow up sh***.
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zxc

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Re: Playing Multiple Roguelikes at the Same Time
« Reply #9 on: September 19, 2015, 07:15:24 AM »

I'm currently at -6 and going for a really heavy build (threads+ much weapons+ much armor+ much everything). I want to blow up sh***.

Ah, what a unique build!  :P
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Kasaris

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Re: Playing Multiple Roguelikes at the Same Time
« Reply #10 on: September 19, 2015, 07:19:51 AM »

I'm currently at -6 and going for a really heavy build (threads+ much weapons+ much armor+ much everything). I want to blow up sh***.

Ah, what a unique build!  :P

I know, right?  :P
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Kyzrati

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Re: Playing Multiple Roguelikes at the Same Time
« Reply #11 on: September 19, 2015, 07:55:30 AM »

Ah, didn't know you had a single run in progress for so long! Good luck with that and finish it up over the weekend so we can see--something tells me you're getting close to running into heaps of trouble ;)
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Happylisk

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Re: Playing Multiple Roguelikes at the Same Time
« Reply #12 on: September 29, 2015, 11:25:57 AM »

I only play one RL at a time but I cycle through my stable every 3-4 weeks.  I'm currently taking a break from cogmind and playing a bit of ADOM.  It's kind of like going back to an abusive relationship, but I just can't say no (I had a 30 hour run that was going to be a gate closer end this weekend cause I fat fingered the keyboard and hit myself with a wand of death.  Cute.) 
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Kyzrati

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Re: Playing Multiple Roguelikes at the Same Time
« Reply #13 on: September 29, 2015, 05:54:36 PM »

That's quite a YASD! Imagine the care with which you'd treat such a device if you had one in real life--oh right, we have boomsticks and people still manage to shoot themselves with those ;)
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Dzlan

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Re: Playing Multiple Roguelikes at the Same Time
« Reply #14 on: October 11, 2015, 10:09:32 PM »

I think Roguelikes are the games I play most.
Plus the occasional runs in the other "Roguelikes" like FTL, Spelunky, Issac (Still annoys me when people call em Roguelikes)

But switching between DF, Nethack, Angband, DCSS, CataDDA (Mostly those games) I personally it find quite easy.
You play em for a good while, and really, if I havn't played it in a good couple of weeks, the '?' key basically works in every game for a list of controls.
Once glance at that and I dunno, it all comes back to me. Mostly, the only thing I need to remember with them all is the Look command.

I can't even remember what it is for Angband right now.
Nethack I think is 'v'
DCSS I can't remember (Been a good while since I played that)
DF is 'l' or 'k' and then in adventure mode I'm sure it's the other key.
CataDDA is 'x' which is pretty much what I always press instinctively at first.
And then Cogmind, I think was 'x' but I'm not sure, don't get to play it much yet.

It's that particular command though which annoys me, xD Cause it's different in every roguelike. Heck it might have even been something totally new for Caves of Qud. Can't remember that one either.
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