NetHack is a Rogue-like hack and slash computer RPG. It is particularly notable because it has been in development reasonably recently, and the overall quality of the game is incredibly good. The game shares a heritage with Moria and Rogue along with other games from this era. It also has a large online following.
It looks not unlike this:
Continue reading Beginner’s Guide to NetHack
Of all the wonderful things you can do in Dwarf Fortress, one of the glaring omissions is the lack of a multi-player mode. Fortunately, the rabid Dwarf Fortress community has thought of a great way around this – the Succession Game! For those of you unfamiliar with Dwarf Fortress, check out this post. The game is a real-time simulation of a Dwarven colony. So each player takes over the running of the fortress for a single year, handing over the reigns to a new player, who must deal with the situation left behind as best they can.
One of the most well-known and best loved succession games tells the story of Boatmurdered. This town was beset by numerous problems, including a never-ending feud between the Dwarfs and the seemingly endless supply of rampaging killer elephants, a population of useless and lazy nobles, miasma, floods and criminals. The whole story can be read here. The game was played right the way through from embarkation until the fortress was finally abandoned by its 2 sole survivors, the mass murderer Guerilla Burialgears and a child, Dodok Sabrefrenzies. The tale is extremely funny, and even those completely unfamiliar with Dwarf Fortress should find it amusing.
“Welcome to F@#%ing Boatmurdered!”
One game has been sadly missing from iPhones – a Rogue style game. Well, better than getting ‘a’ Rogue style game, Gandreas Games (the same people who brought us the awesome RPG dice roller Dicenomicon…) have released ‘the’ Rogue game for the iPhone. Those of you who have played Moria (a game we are VERY fond of around here…) will immediately recognise the game (Moria was heavily influenced by Rogue). Each game is randomly generated with each dungeon level different from the last.
The iPhone port of the game is really well done. There are two views – in landscape you see the traditional ASCII generated levels, in portrait view you get a zoomed in look with graphics.
The developers have also been really clever with the commands, building in custom swipes for each command making control of the game quite simple (once you familiarise yourself with the commands…). They have also included the help manual in the game as well, preventing the need to open a browser or exit the game.
Feature list from the developer’s website:
The game is free in the App Store (iTunes link).
If you liked Moria, if you’ve ever enjoyed a Rogue-like game but were perhaps disappointed by the repetitious nature of the game and the limited gameplay, then chances are Dwarf Fortress is for you. This game – created single-handedly over a number of years by an individual known online as Toady One, is one of the many interesting products coming out of Bay 12 Games. It is truly a masterpiece.
The game requires some effort to learn, but it is definitely worth it. To begin with you must create a world. This is managed by an auto-generation method which creates a unique and random world in which to site your settlement, complete with historical civilisations, mythologies, wars etc. Once done, you are free to choose the site for your first fortress. Starting off with 7 dwarfs, you choose the training each one starts with and equip them as you see fit. These 7 dwarfs must then start mining, fishing, building, hauling, farming, training, smithing, fighting, hunting, cooking, brewing etc. in order to get your community prepared for your first winter. Should you survive (most water sources freeze and are undrinkable during the winter months – bring lots of beer – and food can also be scarce), then there is the trade caravan to look forward to in the spring. If you’re doing well, you can trade goods for what you don’t already have, and the caravan will take reports of your proceedings back to other Dwarven towns. Soon more dwarves with other skills will arrive, and before long (all going well) you will have a thriving little community.
One level of a sizable fortress
There are no “win” conditions – no Balrog to fight and win the thing (not that I ever actually killed the Balrog in Moria), just a lot of different losing conditions – but as the designer says, “Losing is fun!” And strangely enough, he’s right.
And when you abandon your fortress, or everyone starves to death, or are eaten by a Megabeast, or drown when you “accidentally” flood the fortress, or they burn to death, or all go insane and kill each other, then you can play in adventurer mode and see what has become of your fortresses over the years.
I heartily recommend this game. It’s available as a free download from here, and the thriving community of Dwarf Fortress fanatics can be accessed through the ever-useful Dwarf Fortress Wiki.
Strike the Earth!
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