Tome of Knowledge: Roguelike Encyclopedia

[Funkytrix]

Looking for something totally different from most games? Something with immense depth to it? RPG with various flavors to it? Roguelikes might be the thing for you!

Good roguelike page:
http://roguebasin.roguelikedevelopment.org/index.php?title=Main_Page
"Of course, the best way to understand what Roguelikes are is to download and play one."

Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roguelike

Oh for gnome's sake, what the heck does roguelike mean?
This pretty much sums it up (quote taken from http://www.adom.de/adom/roguelike.php3):

Spoiler: Roguelikes in a nutshell

Ancient Domains of Mystery (ADOM for short) is a roguelike game which means that it is a single-user game featuring the exploration of a dungeon complex (and in the case of ADOM a few other games of this genre: the exploration of a large wilderness area with villages and many special locations). You control a fictional character described by race, class, attributes, skills, and equipment. This fictional character is trying to achieve a specific goal (see below) and succeed in a difficult quest. To fulfill the quest, you have to explore previously undiscovered tunnels and dungeons, fight hideous monsters, uncover long forgotten secrets, and find treasures of all kind.

So far this might sound like many other computer roleplaying games like Diablo, The Bard's Tale or Ultima.

1. There are two major differences to roguelike games though: most roguelike games do not use any graphics but rather rely on the ASCII character set to display their surroundings.
While this might sound horrible to you, you will be surprised how quickly you start to enjoy this "primitive" type of display. Your imagination quickly will take over and you'll no longer miss those ugly hand-drawn graphical tiles that do not resemble your picture of a dragon at all. But in your imagination, that blue D will soon become the most horrible and frightening ice wyrm you can imagine. Try it out. You won't be disappointed.
A side effect of this "graphical style" is that you won't need to download much. Roguelike games are pretty small because most of their code is concerned with a very intense sort of gameplay and not some ugly graphics quickly becoming out of date. In that respect many roguelike games are far superior to commercial roleplaying games (did I forget to mention that? Most roguelike games are available for free!)
2. Roguelike games are very random. While almost all of them have a background for the gameplay, the dungeons, villages and other locations in the game are randomly created anew for each game. This offers a never-ending challenge as each dungeon will be different and there (almost) is no tedious "Let's try this dungeon for the twentieth time... how boring since I know all the tunnels".
3. Roguelike games usually do not allow you to save your character past his/her death. While this might seem overly harsh at first, you will quickly discover that this provides a level of tension unheard of in commercial games. Every decision is importand and it's a lot more exciting to explore unknown terrain, if you know that death is final.

If you've never tried a roguelike game, you should do now. You most probably will never regret it!

My aim to gather some fast info and useful links for any Roguelike games you (and me) might like and enjoy. I will try to include at least homepage, download page and quick crackdown for each game in this original message of the topic. Feel free to give some info about roguelikes you've tried more or less and I'll add them into this list some time. Example copy&paste material could be like this:

Spoiler: EXAMPLE STUFF

Doom Roguelike

Thanks to everyone interested!

DoomRL (Doom, the Roguelike) is a fast and furious coffee-break Roguelike game, that is heavily inspired by the popular FPS game Doom by ID Software.

Now this is what happens if you turn Doom into a roguelike game! Got me surprised how well it is made. Great one to start if you have little to no experience from roguelikes.

Homepage: http://doom.chaosforge.org/
Download page: http://doom.chaosforge.org/index.php?module=downloads

Any kind of (on-topic) discussion is welcome too!

*WORD OF WARNING* Roguelike games may emit demonic influence upon people who delve deep into them!

Spoiler: Possible outcome for playing Roguelike games

You have been warned! Here we go:

COFFEE-BREAK ROGUELIKES

Doom Roguelike

DoomRL (Doom, the Roguelike) is a fast and furious coffee-break Roguelike game, that is heavily inspired by the popular FPS game Doom by ID Software.

Now this is what happens if you turn Doom into a roguelike game! Got me surprised how well it is made. Great one to start if you have little to no experience from roguelikes.

Homepage: http://doom.chaosforge.org/
Download page: http://doom.chaosforge.org/index.php?module=downloads

ANY BRAIN WRECKER SIZED ROGUELIKE

Nethack

One of my favorite roguelikes. World-record class amount of ways to meet your end. Your aim is to retrieve Amulet of Yendor found at the lowest level of the dungeon and offer it to your god in exchange for immortality.

Homepage: http://www.nethack.org
Download page: http://www.nethack.org/v343/downloads.html
Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nethack

Linley's Dungeon Crawl

Another insanely powerful time waster. Get the Orb of Zot or die trying (I've never even touched it, d'oh)!

Dungeon Crawl has superb, deep tactical gameplay, innovative magic and religion systems, and a grand variety of monsters to fight. Crawl is also one of the hardest roguelikes to beat.

Homepage (not updated for a long time): http://www.dungeoncrawl.org/
Download page: http://www.dungeoncrawl.org/?d
Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dungeon_Crawl_Stone_Soup


Dwarf Fortress

I'll just start by saying that there's no way to 'win' in this game. I've never gotten very far because it's a difficult game, but that's what makes roguelikes fun for me. The hundreds of deaths until I get the perfect fortress or adventurer that can survive for a very long time.

Spoiler: Not really a dungeon crawler like most roguelikes, the main game of DF is it's fortress mode.(huge picture in this spoiler box)

Since Boatmurdered [http://lparchive.org/LetsPlay/Boatmurdered/] got me to start playing DF, I'll use it's last large map from the archive to show what an old fortress looks like.

There is an adventurer mode, which behaves like any other roguelike. I'm not going to add a lot about this mode because it's like every other roguelike dungeon crawler.

Main and download page: http://www.bay12games.com/dwarves/
Dwarf Fortress wiki: http://dwarf.lendemaindeveille.com/index.php/Main_Page

-by Flour

ToME: Tales of Middle Earth
AKA Troubles of Middle Earth

This thing is huge. Derived from Angband, they say.

Tales of Middle Earth (ToME) is a fantasy adventure game, based on the works of J.R.R. Tolkien. It is a game that emphasizes intricate, challenging, and varied gameplay over graphics. Hundreds of different monsters in randomly-generated, unpredictable dungeons will strive to slay you by various means, and you counter - if you survive - by developing the skills of your choice and wielding mighty artifacts. ToME's races from Hobbit to Troll and classes from Swordmaster to Summoner allow for many different playing styles and a replay value that extends through years.

Download page is kinda messy, read the news which is newest version.
Homepage: http://www.t-o-m-e.net/main.php?tome_current=0
Download page: http://www.t-o-m-e.net/download.php?tome_current=0

ADOM: Ancient Domains of Mystery

It's a mystery to me how to play this game. Never got into it. Anyone interested writing about it? Appreciated.

Ancient Domains of Mystery (ADOM for short) is a roguelike game which means that it is a single-user game featuring the exploration of a dungeon complex (and in the case of ADOM a few other games of this genre: the exploration of a large wilderness area with villages and many special locations). You control a fictional character described by race, class, attributes, skills, and equipment. This fictional character is trying to achieve a specific goal (see below) and succeed in a difficult quest. To fulfill the quest, you have to explore previously undiscovered tunnels and dungeons, fight hideous monsters, uncover long forgotten secrets, and find treasures of all kind.

Homepage: http://www.adom.de
Download page: http://www.adom.de/adom/download.php3

IVAN: Iter Vehemens ad Necem

Wacky roguelike that might make you go bananas!

Fellow adventurer, turn back while you can! For here begins the roguelike Iter Vehemens ad Necem, a Violent Road to Death. If you choose to travel along it, you will dive into countless exciting adventures to gain items of great magic, attain powerful equipment made of mysterious materials, bathe in the blessings of mighty gods and recruit loyal allies of various shapes and sizes. Unfortunately, along the way you will also often be dangerously injured, poisoned, catch numerous diseases, lose several limbs and transform into manifold different kinds of pitiful creatures in the darkest depths of hostile dungeons. And, at the end of the road, you are bound to perish in a most gruesome and painful way. Don't say we didn't warn you.

Homepage: http://ivan.sourceforge.net/
Download page: http://ivan.sourceforge.net/download.html

Ragnarok

Ragnarok is a freeware roguelike video game for DOS, created by Norsehelm Productions from 1992 to 1995, also going by the name Valhalla. It is distinct from many other roguelikes in having a graphical interface, a historical/mythological setting, set quests, the ability to change classes, and the ability to permanently change one's race by polymorphing.

Not much to say yet, trying it out. DosBOX is a great DOS emulator that you'll probably need for running Ragnarok.

Homepage: ?!
Download page: http://www.arbay.com/ragnarok/ragnarok.htm
DosBOX download page: http://www.dosbox.com/download.php?main=1

 

[Pimppeter2]

My brain hurts

 

[duchaked]

whoa, that's a new one

 

[Funkytrix]

Some degree of insanity might develop playing Linley's Dungeon Crawl... Ugh

You can literally GO TO HELL! But getting there is easier than enjoying your stay.

 

[Pots]

I played a roguelike game about 15 years ago that I have never been able to find again. You look sorta look like Conan and your town was just slaughtered. You have to head into this dungeon to find some such thing so you can get revenge. Anyone know what i'm talking about?

 

[Funkytrix]

I played a roguelike game about 15 years ago that I have never been able to find again. You look sorta look like Conan and your town was just slaughtered. You have to head into this dungeon to find some such thing so you can get revenge. Anyone know what i'm talking about?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castle_of_the_Winds

Same game?

 

[Flour]

No Dwarf Fortress? But I have to agree with Doom being a great one to start with.

 

[NeutralDrow]

You know, no discussion on roguelikes is complete without Ragnarok/Vahalla.

Spoiler

It's seriously fun once you get the hang of it (allow 100 or so deaths before this happens).

I played a roguelike game about 15 years ago that I have never been able to find again. You look sorta look like Conan and your town was just slaughtered. You have to head into this dungeon to find some such thing so you can get revenge. Anyone know what i'm talking about?

Yep, sounds like Castle of the Winds.

 

[Funkytrix]

No Dwarf Fortress? But I have to agree with Doom being a great one to start with.

As my own knowledge of roguelikes is not very wide I hope other people have some more of it, feel free to give a little info and preferably links / images too so I'll add them on the list! Info may be anything from a very short description to a more detailed explanation. '

Dwarf Fortress, I think I'll check that out some time... Found this wiki for it: http://dwarf.lendemaindeveille.com/index.php/Main_Page

You know, no discussion on roguelikes is complete without Ragnarok/Vahalla.

Spoiler

It's seriously fun once you get the hang of it (allow 100 or so deaths before this happens).

I read something about Ragnarok/Valhalla, sounds and looks quite intriguing. Maybe I'll have to check it out. Do 1000s of deaths from other roguelikes give any bonus for starting it :S?

 

[NeutralDrow]

You know, no discussion on roguelikes is complete without Ragnarok/Vahalla.

Spoiler

It's seriously fun once you get the hang of it (allow 100 or so deaths before this happens).

I read something about Ragnarok/Valhalla, sounds and looks quite intriguing. Maybe I'll have to check it out. Do 1000s of deaths from other roguelikes give any bonus for starting it :S?

I'm not sure, since, to tell the truth, I haven't actually played any other roguelikes. ^^;

Probably not, though. It takes some trial and error to figure out such vital facts as...

When starting out a character, remember that Sages rock the world, and Conjurers are completely, totally useless.
Writing is the single greatest skill in the game. Alchemy is the second.
When you're first or second level, don't fight bears in melee combat.
When in doubt, don't eat it. Unless you're starving, in which case what do you have to lose?
Don't mix potions until fourth level, when a possible explosion won't kill you outright.
Eat the contents of any urn you find.
Wands of Wishing are the single greatest item in the game. Red Bags are a very close second. Scrolls of Transport are third.
It's bad to attack the shopkeeper unless you're fast enough to run away (and rob the store while he's gone) or kill him.
Remember to turn off auto-pickup. You don't want to be accidentally lugging around heavy gnome corpses.
When transforming yourself, the two best possibilities are Swordsman and Borgon Vile.

And many more.

 

[Altorin]

Nethack? no thanks. I tried it a while ago and it's not for me.

Dying over and over and over again for stupid reasons and having to read an encyclopedia to know how to do anything isn't my cup of tea.

 

[Erana]

The mystery dungeon series (Mostly Pokemon mystery dungeon) has created a generation of roguelike gamers who don't even know what the genre they're investing hours upon hours in.

The thing about nethack is that its kinda weird when you're stuck in a room filled with foocubi while having polymorphitis...

Oh, and is it possible to eat petrified kittens while you're an umber hulk?

 

[Flour]

No Dwarf Fortress? But I have to agree with Doom being a great one to start with.

As my own knowledge of roguelikes is not very wide I hope other people have some more of it, feel free to give a little info and preferably links / images too so I'll add them on the list! Info may be anything from a very short description to a more detailed explanation. '

Dwarf Fortress, I think I'll check that out some time... Found this wiki for it: http://dwarf.lendemaindeveille.com/index.php/Main_Page

Ah, missed that part in the original post.

I'll just add Dwarf Fortress then.

Dwarf Fortress

I'll just start by saying that there's no way to 'win' in this game. I've never gotten very far because it's a difficult game, but that's what makes roguelikes fun for me. The hundreds of deaths until I get the perfect fortress or adventurer that can survive for a very long time.

Spoiler: Not really a dungeon crawler like most roguelikes, the main game of DF is it's fortress mode.(huge picture in this spoiler box)

Since Boatmurdered [http://lparchive.org/LetsPlay/Boatmurdered/] got me to start playing DF, I'll use it's last large map from the archive to show what an old fortress looks like.

There is an adventurer mode, which behaves like any other roguelike. I'm not going to add a lot about this mode because it's like every other roguelike dungeon crawler.

Main and download page: http://www.bay12games.com/dwarves/
Dwarf Fortress wiki: http://dwarf.lendemaindeveille.com/index.php/Main_Page

 

[xenxander]

Ancient domains of mystery:
ADOM: www.adom.de

 

[Pots]

I played a roguelike game about 15 years ago that I have never been able to find again. You look sorta look like Conan and your town was just slaughtered. You have to head into this dungeon to find some such thing so you can get revenge. Anyone know what i'm talking about?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castle_of_the_Winds

Same game?

You are the man! Thats the game alright.

 

[Tehpwnsauce]

My brain hurts

Mine's just parachuted out of my ear to escape from this pain.

 

[Funkytrix]

Added stuff to keep up messing unfamiliar brains. Dwarf fortress really wrecked mine but I'm starting to get a hang of it . Thanks to Flour for writing about it!

Trying to check out Valhalla/Ragnarok some time soon. Or NeutralDrow if you wanna add a quick shot it's much appreciated!

 

[Funkytrix]

After nuking myself in DoomRL I finally decided to give Ragnarok a try... Added Ragnarok links into first post.