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unmerged(314357)

Critical Studio Developer
May 11, 2011
132
0
Hello!

A few questions about Dungeonland were being asked in other threads, so I decided to move the answers to a single one. This should benefit everyone that might have the same questions and make the answers easier to find in the future.

I'll open with Kalelovil's inquiry about team builds:

Will the levels adapt depending on the ability make-up of the party? I.e more locked chests and traps if the party has more than one rogue (or mage/warrior geared to be rogue-like), more swarms if the party has more than one mage (or warrior/rogue geared to be mage-like), etc.

If any level can be accomplished by a team of three identical characters then won't it detract from the concept of team work? Class-specific specialisation and class-specific challenges encourage interdependence, which in turn makes co-operation essential.

Sorry if I sound overly critical. I am really looking forward to this game.

No need to be sorry, Kalelovil, these are very good questions!

And the answer is: no, the game will not recognize nor adapt to your team build. You should talk amongst yourselves and figure out what team build you want to take into the game. While it is absolutely possible to achieve success with 3 identical character loadouts, your team will surely lack flexibility. Since you don't really know what the game will throw at you, it's a gamble.

Even right now, as we're designing the Dungeon Master Mode, we are considering the idea of keeping both the heroes' and the DM's loadouts a secret so that no one is tempted to "counter" or adapt to each other before a PvP match.

Also, while skill combinations between the party are a huge part of the co-op gameplay of Dungeonland, there's still a LOT of teamwork needed to avoid death even if you are playing 3 identical characters. You will still need to position yourselves wisely, time your skill uses, prioritize targets, revive each other and communicate to win.

Our approach to co-op gameplay is much more organic than the usual "key and lock" mechanisms other games usually employ ("the Thief is the only one who can open chests" or "the Cleric is the only one who can heal"). This is something that we decided early on with Dungeonland because we want to estimulate planning and communication instead of "automatic" behaviour. If everyone has a clear and unambiguous job they have to perform, you lose that: everyone just focuses on doing their own part. We opted to treat the whole team as a single character instead: we don't just want you to cooperate, we want you to collaborate, to do something together.
 
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The classic:

Will there be an alpha/beta of any sort?

The second classic:

Where do I sign up?

I would agree with keeping the loadout screens hidden.

How long would an average level take to complete?
 
Are there any plans for a map editor?

Unfortunately we won't launch with a map editor. It's something we have considered, but we are a small team and we're already stretched too thin. If that's a feature that makes sense and if there's enough interest around it in the future, we would be happy to work on it post-release.

"Every time you play, Dungeon Master will place randomized monsters, traps and treasure for a different experience."
How are they randomized if the DM is placing them?

This is a reference to the Dungeon Master AI, not live human players.


Haha, actually LWQW is a very good way to describe Dungeon Master Mode as it is now. Heroes start off stronger but the DM may slowly overpower them over the course of the match. As we are focusing on the core design right now, the power relationship between them is one of our main concerns.

Will there be an alpha/beta of any sort? Where do I sign up?

We don't know that yet! Probably. We promise to let you all know here at the forums and at our Facebook and Twitter pages.


How long would an average level take to complete?

A full PvE Dungeon is comprised of two "regular" levels and a big Boss Fight, and it takes about an hour to complete. This of course varies a lot based on party skill, builds and difficulty levels. We've seen Dungeons beat in 30-ish minutes, and we've seen them beat in 1h30.

For Dungeon Master Mode, we are aiming for a sweet spot of around 15-20 minutes.
 
Is there a release date more precise than 2012?
(In the GDC videos, the game seems quite advanced)

It seems that the players can choose where they want to go in Dungeonland.
How do the players know if they have visited everything?
How does the progression work?
 
Is there a release date more precise than 2012?
(In the GDC videos, the game seems quite advanced)

Unfortunately we can't be more precise than "2012" right now because we still have some important features to nail down. We are glad you think the game looks advanced in the videos, but it's still early - we are Pre-Alpha right now. We'll probably be able to declare a more precise date when we reach Alpha.

It seems that the players can choose where they want to go in Dungeonland.
How do the players know if they have visited everything?

Actually Dungeonland is not so free-form at all. The game's structure is similar to the one in Left 4 Dead: we have regions of the park (called "Dungeons") and you can play on them as many times you want, in any order you want. We will launch with 3 of these Dungeons, alongside with the Pvp (Dungeon Master Mode) and an Infinite Dungeon mode - but expect much more to come afterwards.

How does the progression work?

Players have levels - not for their individual characters, but for their entire "profile". You gain XP by completing matches (you lose most of what you get if you leave in the middle of a match). XP is mainly a gate for new skills and items, and it has no effect by itself: a level 50 character with the same loadout as a level 1 character plays exactly the same.

You can also find and buy new items. We are not like Diablo - you are not going to get "better" gear that gives you 1% more damage than the last one you got. All items in Dungeonland give you unique and interesting skills and passive bonuses that meaningfully affect your playstyle. It's a lot more like Team Fortress 2 than an Action RPG.

These decisions were all made in a conscient effort to avoid dividing the community: if a group of friends has a level 1, a level 25 and a level 80 characters, they'll still be able to play together and have fun. Dungeonland is a skill-based game: the more experienced players only get more options.

As we head into Alpha, we'll be able to test and iterate more on progression and persistence. As soon as these more advanced systems are in place, we'll let you know!
 
I don't see any recent questions so I'll go ahead and ask the two that I have!

1. The FAQ says there will be mac release, will it be simultaneous with the PC release date, or ported to mac sometime post release?

2. Still aiming for a 2012 release date or any updated estimate on that?
 
Has any thought been given to the possibility of porting the game to the Nintendo Wii U?
I'm not a console gamer myself, and I realise Paradox generally does not publish on console platforms, but the Wii U's asymmetrical multiplayer control scheme would appear to be an excellent fit with Dungeonland's Dungeon Master Mode.
 
@Kalelovil

Wii U does seem like the perfect fit for the game, but we don't have any plans right now due to all the reasons you just stated yourself. Would love to do it, though!

@chsignal

Windows XP also, yes =)
 
It will be quiet for a few more weeks. But after that I know there are some plans for cool stuff to be presented :)
 
How does the game handle disconnections? e.g. if the dungeon master loses connection in the middle of the match, will he be able to reconnect? will someone else be able to connect to the game and take his place? or will the game just finish early?
 
Dungeonland is the game I am looking forward to playing the most 2013. I have a few questions.

Will I need to purchase two copies of the game in order to play a 4-player game using two computers in my house?
On Twitter it says that the game will release in January, when will you set the actual date?
Can you list the system requirements for Mac? I might have to buy a second PC in order to fully enjoy multiplayer if My Mac can't run the game. :)

Lastly, having played around with the Wii U for a couple of weeks I must mention how great fit this would be on the Nintendo console. Really hope to see a special edition with all content released on Wii U later down the road.
 
Soooo is this game going to end up on Steam any time soon? I mean according to the DungeonLand Twitter the game is being released this month and there's just no news on the game at all! No pre-order, no forum updates, nothing... Promote your game a bit maybe?
 
I am VERY patient, I've waited on Grim Dawn for 3 years now :p. All I'm saying is that, in general, this game could use a hell of a lot more promotion than it has received. Feels a bit as if the game is just one of those titles that's bubbling right at the surface but never quite bursts out and shouts "Look at me!". I really, REALLY want this game to succeed because it has been quite some time since there was a proper co-op based game like this that could make a difference.