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Mega Dungeon Level Ideas


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1) Random Themes. Let me explain. I didn't really like Watcher's Keep that much. It was fun, in that munchkin kind of way, but overall it was rather poorly designed as far as Mega dungeons go. It lacked that special *something* that made Durlag's tower so great. WK was a revolving door of themes that nether mixed well with each other, nor make sense on their own. Top level was about Undead and....petrified enemy things that came to life. Second level was about Fire giants, Slimes, wind, electricity, mages and a Demon. Third level was a Githyanki vs. Mindflayer war, 4th level was Demons vs. Devils, 5th level was... nothing. it had no theme, it was just a "character test level" that didn't really make sense from the main narrative's perspective. And of course, the last level was just the boss. I'm not a fan of this design, if you can even call it that. If a dungeon is going to shift themes every level, it should be logical within greater narrative of the story... and it should be a gradual shift, not sudden wild, almost random theme changes, like we saw in Watcher's Keep.

 

The dungeon designer was mad, so I'd expect the theme to include a certain irrationality. Like a Winchester Mystery House craziness, but with traps and monsters.

"It has just been discovered that research causes cancer in rats."

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hmm, a randomized layout? Seeing that Obsidian is building the game from the ground up (more or less) will they consider coming up with code to make it generate a new dungeon every game? To make it believable, perhaps a few rooms use pre-designed layouts while some other rooms are randomly generated or the loot table is randomized?

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hmm, a randomized layout? Seeing that Obsidian is building the game from the ground up (more or less) will they consider coming up with code to make it generate a new dungeon every game? To make it believable, perhaps a few rooms use pre-designed layouts while some other rooms are randomly generated or the loot table is randomized?

 

No please, no geographical randomness.

 

(Please, no cults, those are done to death...)

 

Hmpf. Party pooper.

Edited by DocDoomII
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I'd like to see undead spirits breeding magical diseases in a portion of a level. Also, I'd like to see a pool in a cavern filled with an aquatic fungi that spreads water-borne poisonous spores (the spores are psychedelic and cause hour long confusion in any poisoned by its spores). Also, a homeless shelter.

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Next level is only 32 backers away...

 

Let there be sub-terranean swamps!!! (Pretty please?)

“He who joyfully marches to music in rank and file has already earned my contempt. He has been given a large brain by mistake, since for him the spinal cord would surely suffice.” - Albert Einstein
 

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I still like my idea of a dedicated rat level. Rats of all types, from tiny rodents over were-rats to the huge rattosaurus. All wanting to sacrifice you to the Great Horned One at some rat god effigy.

“He who joyfully marches to music in rank and file has already earned my contempt. He has been given a large brain by mistake, since for him the spinal cord would surely suffice.” - Albert Einstein
 

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I still like my idea of a dedicated rat level. Rats of all types, from tiny rodents over were-rats to the huge rattosaurus. All wanting to sacrifice you to the Great Horned One at some rat god effigy.

 

If they'd look like these I'd be totally for it.

 

skaven7.jpg

431px-Skaven.jpg

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New mega Dungeon picture looks interesting. A big statue of a guy and we can only see his head, shoulder and part of his arm.

 

Be funny if that was the mega boss. A Giant statue as tall as a few levels of dungeon and you had to try and beat him with the dungeon above caving in around you.

 

Oh sheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee....

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It would be great if the baddies didn't come in waves of same from to level. I'd like to see lots of well-composed combinations of monsters/NPCs that also make sense storywise, including habitat and all (without too much realism, but you know what I mean). This point goes for all encounters, but it has rarely been used down in dungeons. For some reason, dungeons are often sadly a carte blanche for sorting a few monster categories per level.

*** "The words of someone who feels ever more the ent among saplings when playing CRPGs" ***

 

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3) 1 million & 1 keys. Even Durlag's tower lost points for this. You're 3 levels down and at least one of your characters is basically forced to *disable* use of his inventory because it's filled to capacity with all the keys, journals, wardstones etc. that the dungeon "requires" you to have if you wish to advance. This is unnecessary for a decent dungeon-crawling experience, and while I actually enjoy a good inventory management mini-game in my RPGs, I dislike those occasions when the mini-game turns into the main struggle of the dungeon. Devs need to be mindful of this.

 

 

NOW.... Stuff I do want to see.

 

3) Do puzzles/obstacles, but don't overdo them. 1 per level is a good rule of thumb

 

Different topic really, just wanted to reply to and agree with this and highlight it:

* Key chains for keys in P:E please, a separate inventory/thing

* Codex for Books, I want to pick them up, read them and keep them, which just fills my inventory up too fast.

 

Also on "3) want to see": I don't know if 1 per level is too good either, sounds like a routine. 1 puzzle on the first level, no puzzle on the second level, suddenly 3 puzzles on the third level, 1 on the fourth level, none on the 5th etc. etc. something out of the blue to keep the unexpected unexpected. 1 per level can get very much "I'm expecting a puzzle" when you click them stairs to get to the next level.

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I'm gonna focus on end level and link this dungeon story to 2nd big city in way, maybe a silly way but here we go:

 

We fight a challenging, though demon-like or fallen type enemy in the last level and rescue a character of god-like race, which we have never seen but only heard from ancient legends and chanter's songs, from imprisonment or a spell like that. And this character tells us about hidden city (the other big city) where he is originally from and joins our group if we want, to take us there.

 

Yeah, sounds silly but just a thought afterall. ;)

Edited by nerevar
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* Key chains for keys in P:E please, a separate inventory/thing

a party Keychain is a great idea.

 

Another good idea is how Temple of Elemental Evil did it. When you pick up a key, it instantly goes into your journal (there's actually a section in the journal called "keys", and when you pick up a key, it instantly goes there, along with information on who you got it from and what it opens, thus bypassing your inventory all together.

 

 

Name that module....

 

caves_of_chaos_example.jpg

Aah, That's an easy one. Keep on the Borderlands.

Edited by Stun
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