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Dungeon delving needs to involve way more than killing monsters and looting. It also needs to take some brains... So that means traps.

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So one big thing has been on my mind lately, and that is the in-game trap system. Dungeon delving needs to involve way more than killing monsters and looting. It also needs to take some brains... So that means traps. Dungeons will be full of them! Some of them will be physical traps (think Indiana Jones sort of nonsense) but others will be magical. Now, this won't always be just limited to the Dungeons. Players will also be able to lay down traps of their own for monsters to step on :D

It's only early days with the work on them, however, here's a bit of a quick preview of a magical fire-trap that the player may encounter:




So yeah, pretty hey! If they were working yet I definitely wouldn't be standing inside one, but you get the idea. If you step on a fire trap, it goes off, and you get roasted. Nasty way to go, too. However, all is not lost! The player will be able to find trap disarm spell books and scrolls that will eliminate magical traps in adjacent squares to them! If you don't have the spell though you'll either have to avoid them, or, if you can't avoid them, bear the brunt of their fury!

There will also be other magical trap types such as mana drain, poison, etc, which you will see later, as well as physical traps like falling rocks, dart launchers, spikes, pits, etc. Those will require special skills to either disarm or set off from a safe distance!

So yeah, this should make dungeon exploration just that little bit more... Deadly...

Oh, and once again, if you like the project, please join our Facebook fan page!

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letrompe
letrompe

will there be a stat check to see certain traps, or will they all be visible?

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Expack
Expack

I'm wondering the same thing. Also, what will you be doing to ensure the player knows what a magic trap does without over-explaining things and without getting it confused with health, magic, or gold? For example, a player could walk into a trap colored the same as their "Magic" meter (blue), thinking it will replenish their magic points, only to find it saps their magic points instead!

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CumQuaT Author
CumQuaT

Excellent questions, both of you :) the player does indeed use stats to detect physical traps. The right-hand gem at the bottom of the viewport will always tell you if a trap is close, but that is all the help the game will give you. After that, it comes down to stat checks and/or magical assistance to locate them. Magical traps will ALWAYS be visible whereas physical traps will not give any clue (unless magically assisted). As to identifying magical traps, the colour will show you what type of trap it is. As to learning which colour does what, that will come from reading (there will be lots of books in the game to read) or walking into one to see what it does! Once you've learned enough, you will also be able to place your own magical traps for monsters to walk into!

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letrompe
letrompe

i think what Expack was asking was how are you differentiating traps from other various pickups? what keeps the player from thinking this is a power up? adding a skull or an x to the design might dissuade new players from wanting to walk over it.

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CumQuaT Author
CumQuaT

Ah, well, it's going to be like most games where the player will learn by trying things! Unlike other RPGs, Malevolence will let you save your game anywhere and anytime! So people will find out very quickly what is bad for them and what is good for them!

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CumQuaT Author
CumQuaT

Also, there are no powerups in the game that just lie around on the floor. All items are picked up out of containers :)

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FoxFav
FoxFav

lol as long as they're not as frustrating as the traps in the original Phantasy Star :)

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CumQuaT Author
CumQuaT

Ahahaha never! The traps in Malevolence will be designed to be tricky and even a little scary, but not totally impeding!

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