red_kangaroo wrote
What if ToX had a special level with an enemy wielding Eptyron from CLIVAN? It's an artifact axe that softens material of whatever it strikes. This would have several positive effects:
a) ToX would have a completely unique threat; it needs special levels like GC, but with dangers and enemies distinct enough to make the dungeons feel different,
b) material softening is very cool mechanic, but wouldn't work on regular enemy because of frustration; on unique enemy, it would make him interesting and dangerous,
c) there would be an artifact axe which IVAN now sorely lacks.
I remember there was some controversy around the material softening mechanic. There was a low-level magic user character which would go about the dungeon performing material softening spells at quite a rapid rate, which frustrated some players. Eptyron was pretty crazy. I worked on that artefact before I thought of using a generic material softening algorithm, and I never went back to reintegrate the newer behaviour into the axe. At the moment I don't plan to introduce it into the code, but someone who likes to do some code archaeology might like to do so? I imagine such an artifact might appear in another dungeon. The source is
here.
red_kangaroo wrote
Also, what about making one of the maze rooms a whole special maze floor floor instead? Just as GC has zombie level, ToX could have maze level. That would quite break the similar room-and-corridor level stereotype and hopefully make it a challenge with strong walls and several guaranteed strong enemies (like the dwarf on zombie level).
Could do. As Serin alludes to, IVAN might need to offer a better 'go' function. I'm pretty sure someone tried it
here (I was a bit of a n00b in that thread). Whether it was an optimal method beats me. You can make a maze room the size of a level. It has to have odd numbered dimensions, and the room always generates a door(?) so there needs to be room around the sides for a door. EDIT: reminds me I need to put some more work into the maze generator to make it more elegant.