Endless dungeons GREEDY QUESTION

[phimseto]

So however many levels of the dungeon we end up with, I know there's a keep/castle on top! Will the castle itself be fully explorable and with multiple floors? Won't lie: trying to greed as much out of this as possible. I want the endless dungeons to be this amazing, self-contained story experience. I know the levels will get more and more difficult as we delve, but my true hope is that the story gets even more compelling as you go deeper, too. Hell, add in some base camps and followers as you make your way through. I don't want to just explore this dungeon. I want to conquer it.

[Loranc]

So however many levels of the dungeon we end up with, I know there's a keep/castle on top! Will the castle itself be fully explorable and with multiple floors? Won't lie: trying to greed as much out of this as possible. I want the endless dungeons to be this amazing, self-contained story experience. I know the levels will get more and more difficult as we delve, but my true hope is that the story gets even more compelling as you go deeper, too. Hell, add in some base camps and followers as you make your way through. I don't want to just explore this dungeon. I want to conquer it.

 

Hmmm, thought he was talking about the stronghold, guess that's what I get for quickly skimming through the post.

Edited October 15, 2012 by Loranc

[Rabain]

Feargus said in some Kickstart comment that the castle on top was added by the artist doing the artwork because he though it suited visually, it wasn't meant to be a level in itself though Feargus did go to say slyly that perhaps they had just created more work for themselves...

[Loranc]

"The Endless Paths of Od Nua" is a multi-level dungeon that will get bigger as the number of backers continues to grow.

 

Most Kickstarter "stretch goals," at least as I understand them, are based on money: the more people pledge, the more stuff they get. But for "The Endless Paths of Od Nua," Obsidian took a bit of a different approach, adding it to the Project Eternity RPG as a reward for hitting 50,000 backers.

 

"Most that is said and written of the place is fiction or conjecture, more likely to have sprouted from the svef-enhanced imaginations of bored and boasting mercenaries than from any seed of truth. Hosts of lost souls that relentlessly stalk the living, cathedral-sized tombs overflowing with the restless victims of a horrific plague, lightless chambers sealing in the remnants of Od Nua's failed experiments," the dungeon's description reads. "Most legends converge on a common theme: that under the castle rest myriad forgotten vaults of death and darkness glittering with Od Nua's enchanted creations and the abandoned treasure of ill-fated interlopers. So great is the fear of the castle's denizens that even drunken and drug-cheered adventurers do not joke of setting foot on the paths, lest their souls join the eternal ranks of those that have gone before them."

 

All I know is it sounds awesome.

[rjshae]

If it's a ruined castle then there might not be much to explore. Although perhaps it may be like the Moathouse in ToEE and have some encounters before reaching the dungeon entrance?

[phimseto]

Admittedly, all of it would take extra time and effort, but then that's what would make it astounding: a traditional "bonus dungeon" but with enhanced roleplaying elements including a carefully crafted narrative that sustains itself all the way down to the bottom, along with other roleplaying opportunities when you aren't expecting anything more than an average monster slog.

 

As for the keep on top, what would be interesting is if you did something with it - explore it at first and then occupy it (like the HQs in the Suikoden games). Heck, make it your stronghold or the player house (or something new) and tie its strength into your ability to explore the endless paths. Heck, with a settlement on top, you could give the endless paths a real "Dwarf Fortress" feel, right down to the "they delved too greedily and too deep" part. :-D

 

Really, though, my personal preference isn't for just another bonus dungeon, but to make this something unique that we haven't seen before. You can have all the great dungeon delving that we're expecting, but at the same time provide it with something more than "because it's there" to get you driving down into it.

[descalabro]

I just hope they don't show us the whole dungeon, because they're already showing too much as it is.

[comport9]

That's just an artists representation. The pic has nothing to do with what the actual dungeon will look like.

[Swells]

First thought that came to me when I heard endless dungeon was a post-game dungeon crawl that you can't really win, you just see how far you and your party can get before having to evacuate. Since there's a set number of floors, I'm in agreement with the idea it should be a self contained experience.

Could also work as a loot fest if that's the sort of endgame PE will have. Given that it was a lootfest, I'd be greatly amused, and irritated, if instead of any closure or reward we're greeted with a humble reset dungeon button.

[Hassat Hunter]

if instead of any closure or reward we're greeted with a humble reset dungeon button.

If OE did that they forever lost hope from me of ever making a proper game again.

[Tocath]

I wouldn't mind at all if the Stronghold and the Endless Paths were somehow connected.

 

IE, The Stronghold sits atop the Endless Paths. In order to take hold of the Stronghold, you must clear the first few levels of the endless paths. Then, as you improve the Stronghold, you find that more and more wicked creatures are finding their way into your fortress. You move deeper into the Paths and defeat them.

 

As you improve your fortress, you can research ways to open sealed passages in the Paths and ways to unlock previously locked doors. The final level in the Paths opens up the ultimate upgrades for your fortress.

 

Shiny.

Edited October 16, 2012 by Tocath

[phimseto]

I wouldn't mind at all if the Stronghold and the Endless Paths were somehow connected.

 

IE, The Stronghold sits atop the Endless Paths. In order to take hold of the Stronghold, you must clear the first few levels of the endless paths. Then, as you improve the Stronghold, you find that more and more wicked creatures are finding their way into your fortress. You move deeper into the Paths and defeat them.

 

As you improve your fortress, you can research ways to open sealed passages in the Paths and ways to unlock previously locked doors. The final level in the Paths opens up the ultimate upgrades for your fortress.

 

Shiny.

 

With all the endless dungeon threads popping up, I went back to read this one and I do think this is a really good idea. Make it so that you can fully upgrade your stronghold without having to conquer the whole dungeon, but *if you do* then there are some bonus/ultimate-level upgrades, characters, areas, whatever to unlock for it. It's kind of like questing in FF7 for "Knights of the Round" or doing Watcher's Keep for BG2 - you don't need to do it to complete the game, but if you invest the time and effort, you are rewarded.

[Shantarna]

Heck, make it your stronghold or the player house (or something new) and tie its strength into your ability to explore the endless paths. Heck, with a settlement on top, you could give the endless paths a real "Dwarf Fortress" feel, right down to the "they delved too greedily and too deep" part. :-D

 

I wouldn't mind at all if the Stronghold and the Endless Paths were somehow connected.

 

IE, The Stronghold sits atop the Endless Paths. In order to take hold of the Stronghold, you must clear the first few levels of the endless paths. Then, as you improve the Stronghold, you find that more and more wicked creatures are finding their way into your fortress. You move deeper into the Paths and defeat them.

 

As you improve your fortress, you can research ways to open sealed passages in the Paths and ways to unlock previously locked doors. The final level in the Paths opens up the ultimate upgrades for your fortress.

 

Shiny.

 

I also think these ideas of linking the stronghold and the dungeon is very cool. It's like discovering new parts to your own place.

Edited October 19, 2012 by Shantarna

[Shantarna]

This whole topic just brings back awesomely fond memories of Lufia 2 and the ancient dungeon, which I was totally addicted to.

 

They had a game on Kongregate that was nearly identical to the Lufia 2 dungeon and I loved it.

[chisled2bone]

i too think this idea sounds interesting enough to explore it

[rjshae]

I also think these ideas of linking the stronghold and the dungeon is very cool. It's like discovering new parts to your own place.

You could give tours. Feed the undead the occasional stray visitor. Start a school of necromancy.