Desktop Dungeons "Full Version" Preorder
 

Many of you will know Desktop Dungeons, the popular coffee-break graphical roguelike. It seems they are developing an improved version with new graphics and more content, which you can now preorder for a discount on the release price:

• No more getting stuck. That’s right. Changes to the random generation code mean that you’re far less likely to be hemmed in by high level monsters right off the bat. Yes, you might still play your way into a dead end, but the game’s a lot fairer now. At first.
• Re-balanced glyphs. No more instant conversions of WEYTWUT or IMAWAL… Wait till you see what we’ve done with PISORF, you’ll love it.
• Gods are, well, still gods. Some of the gods needed attention, although probably not in many of the ways you’d all expect. We’ve re-balanced god boons and are working to make them more fun to mess with. They’re still just as fickle though.
• Unlock via the Kingdom, use via the Inventory! You get to grow your Kingdom the way you want to: Really enjoy the Fighter classes? Upgrade your Adventurers Guild, buy Really Big Swords™ from the Blacksmith, convert them when they’re old and worn out! Oh right, the Inventory lets you convert items now. It’s the only way to get enough space to… Wait. That would be telling.
• SO. MUCH. CONTENT. Sub-dungeons filled with mystery and dangerous scripted sequences! Quests that send you to far off lands! New dungeon types to explore! New monsters to get killed by! There isn’t nearly enough emphasis on how much new stuff there is… MORE EMPHASIS ON NEW STUFF!

More information.

Oh well, $10/$20 for a simple roguelike… yet I love this game and admire its design.
To buy or not to buy?

What is it with these "coffee-break" games…

Are people really so pressed for time that they can enjoy these pointless superficial games so much?

Something seems very wrong with how people divide their time, from my point of view. But, to each his own.

This game at least is great for work ;)

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I played this one a lot some months ago and I would have gladly payed $10 for it back then but I'm not sure if these new features will be enough to rekindle my interest now.

The game is pretty exceptional for what it is. It's hard to find a game with such a devious balance. I think I'll be joining the preorder list.

:)) Trolling, are we?

This game is as pointless as any other game (or other form of killing time) and brilliant in its small scope. Is Tetris superficial?

I'm the resident trolling non-troll ;)

Tetris superficial? I can't think of a more superficial game, so yes :)

I'm just expressing my lack of understanding out loud. Of course people have a reason to play these games, just like there are people who enjoy high-level math.

I just don't get it.

Actually it's not that superficial. It gets more and more complicated as you play and unlock stuff like classes, monsters and dungeons. After you've played for a while it's simple mostly because everything was presented to you gradually so you know what you're doing. It still has more gameplay depth and complexity than something like Mass Effect 2.

Ha, I enjoy playing this game and love higher math (and have university diploma to prove it ;) ).
What does say it about me/this game?

For me, this game is fascinating in demonstrating how simple changes in simple game-play (various class/race/challenge combinations this game offers) can result in completely different emergent experience. Because, just as in Tetris' case, the rules are simple, but solid and the result is much richer than you would expect.

I'm sure the mechanics are complex and the gameplay varied - but without a meaty story/underpinning, such games are nothing more than mental excersises. Nothing wrong with that, and that was always the case with Rogue-likes.

It's just that I see games like this becoming the norm, rather than a quaint way to pass the time.

It's almost as if these "coffee-break" games will be the future. Just look at the "Apps" smartphone market or Facebook stuff.

I have to wonder if people really prefer these cute little "timewasters" to deep/meaty games - or if they simply don't have the time for anything else.

You know?

Maybe it's because I find such "emergent gameplay" incredibly bland and limited without immersive qualities. I like solving puzzles as much as the next guy, and I'm not a complete moron when it comes to math - but I've never been able to entertain myself through puzzles or math alone. There needs to be something "bigger" to give meaning to me spending my limited time on it.

Oh well, such is the way in which we all differ.

Maybe 'mental exercises' is an appropriate term, but as I see it the real point is they are pure gameplay without distractions of any other kind.

That's why people like them… sometimes you just want to kill some bad guys without going through a series of emotional speeches. They are also very 'honest' in a way, since they can't hide anything from you.

Well, amen to that. I guess I'm exactly opposite type of beast: I need mental challenge. Story and immersion are all great (and of course, I love great stories in games), but without serious challenging math beneath, game means nothing to me.

I like meaty games when I have at least an hour session to devote to them. Quite often though, I don't have that sort of time.

I also like to challenge myself with logic games as well. I don't think of them as math games as they aren't complex or challenging math wise.

That said, I only appreciate these smaller games if they have a solid design, which is a rare find for me.

I get it, it's just a matter of - shall we say - being puzzled as to the extent of enjoyment other people derive from such games.

I'm not sure you understand what I mean by underpinning, but it's not about "emotional speeches" - it's more about me needing some kind of overarching goal or "point" to what I do with my time.

You see, I consider the world SHOCK-FULL of distractions of all kinds - and I wouldn't need but a few seconds to find myself something to spend time on.

But seeing as how my time on Earth is so very limited, I generally need to feel that when I spend a significant amount of time on something (merely) entertaining - it also needs to "accomplish" something, whether big or small. This something can be the telling of a wholesome story, or it could be a shared experience between friends. Anything, really - that will go down in my memory as a "moment". I can't get that from puzzlers or rogue-likes.

I feel the same about MMOs - which is why I've all but given up on the genre.

I know the argument that some people watch TV, and so it's the same thing to play these timewasters. But I don't watch TV either.

I actually spend an unhealthy amount of time considering what I should be doing, and maybe it's because I'm just incapable of "letting go" and just be distracted.

There are times when I truly envy people who can just sit down for an hour and play Tetris and feel fulfilled somehow.

You don't seem to get me. I need BOTH :)

Oh. But doesn't it mean you have no games to play? ;) Seriously, name three recent games that provide you with enough quality in both fields. I will be glad to play them!

This one scratches just the puzzle/math itch, but does it with admirable efficacy - by its definition, it consumes only small portions of your time and provides you with so much in high doses.

I have ALMOST no games to play, true. Not preferable, just the way it is.

My kind of challenge has less to do with actual math - and more to do with interesting and varied cerebral challenges.

The best recent example would be The Witcher 2 on hard. Not a math-test, but it took quite a bit of effort to get comfortable with combat and master the system.

Other games… Hmmm… Fallout: NV is a strong title. I wouldn't call it challenging in a simplistic sense. But it's full of interesting mechanics and fantastic exploration.

I'm a huge fan of exploration, by the way.

Fantastic game, really :)

And to think I turned down offer to do the graphic for this game (i mean original non retail version)

Hehe

For the amount of time I've played DD $20 is well worth it. I still haven't unlocked all the 3rd tier characters.