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Teasel · Dec 30, 2008

so i've stumbled upon this little freeware gem
http://forums.tigsource.com/index.php?topic=4017.0
the game is basicaly a platform but the catch is that levels are randomly generated,you start with 4 ropes and 4 bombs,you can bomb walls and platform to make shortcuts and you can use ropes in case you find places that are too high to reach with a jump... treasures and enemies are littered all over the level,you can also find girls which if you bring safely to the exit give you extra health and

idols which when taken will trigger an indiana jones style trap like giant boulders... there is also a shopkeeper from which you can buy supplies + extra items like parachutes and a compass that tell you where is the exit... you can try to steal but if you do he'll take a shotgun and start chasing all over the level while trying to take your head

the enemies also seems to change every 5 level

to make the game feel less repetitive there is a shortcut man you can pay so you aren't forced to start the game from the begining again everytime you die... i reached a level 8 and then got mauled to death by a yeti

here is a video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5IRc9uPANo&fmt=18

ElectricThunder · Dec 30, 2008

You know damn well you had me at Roguelike Teasel...:high fives while bookmarking:

Seems like there's still some tweaking and bug hunting to do on it but that'll just be par for the course. Thanks for the great find.

Johnas · Dec 30, 2008

I just watched about a third of the vid, it looks like fun.

I'll definitely check this out later.

ElFly · Dec 30, 2008

Bookmark'd.

rohlfinator · Dec 30, 2008

More people should check this out.

I played it a bit last night.
It's hard.
I guess I should have expected that, given its roguelike nature, but it can be really easy to die at times. And sometimes the control system feels like it crams too many functions onto too few buttons.

It's a lot of fun, though... I've been repeatedly impressed with the way everything interacts so cohesively. The art style fools you into thinking it'll be pure old-school, but the overall consistency of the world outdoes a lot of modern games. It kind of reminds me of Gamma Bros with the way it adds unexpected twists to well-established genre conventions.

I'm excited to give it another go -- there's such a remarkable amount of variety in the level "designs" that I'm really interested in seeing what else the game will throw at me.

Really charming game, and definitely worth a look, even though it's not for everyone.

Prime crotch · Dec 30, 2008

This game is insanely good, hope someone has the idea to pick it up for a retail version, maybe even for the DS? But roguelikes don't tend to do well, hmm...

platypotamus · Dec 30, 2008

This looks awesome enough that I'm going to subscribe to a thread for the very first time to make sure I try it when I get back home.

Night_Trekker · Dec 30, 2008

Downloading now.

Monroeski · Dec 30, 2008

I think I'll download this later and play it instead of any of the games I just dropped ~$75 for on Steam. :lol

ctalamode · Dec 30, 2008

Awesome game. Totally hard but even more addicting.

{Mike} · Dec 30, 2008

Don't miss this. It's awesome.

Enoch · Dec 30, 2008

This game is awesome!
It's pretty hard and I had to get used to the controls but I just can't stop playing. I've only gotten out of the first area once so far :lol

Usually I get frustrated by games that make me continually die over and over but I am able to just jump right back into this one. maybe it's because of the random levels, they are always new and exciting.

Oh, and don't mess with the shopkeeper. I learned that the hard way...

Zuhzuhzombie!! · Dec 30, 2008

What do you do with the blonds that you find in the cave? If I pick them up, they freak out. No other buttons work.

rohlfinator · Dec 30, 2008

kyle (in stereo) said:
What do you do with the blonds that you find in the cave? If I pick them up, they freak out. No other buttons work.

Take them to the exit at the end of the level.

Or

use them as a weapon by throwing them at enemies.

ElFly · Dec 31, 2008

This game is pretty great.

Wish there was a little more variety with the cave graphics (maybe on deeper levels?), and not so many block that shoot arrows :lol

BobJustBob · Dec 31, 2008

Thanks! This is great. I got to the second area with the frogs and monkeys, and I saw a monkey get incapacitated and fall into a pit of water. I wondered what did that. When I got up there the monkey was roaming about again inside the pit so I did a running jump across it... right into a spiked idol that killed me. So that's what did it.

Edit: Damn. Was just doing great, got over 21k on the first two levels, had 5 health points, and then I jumped into a bat which knocked me straight down onto some spikes. Game over.

ampere · Dec 31, 2008

ElFly said:
Bookmark'd.

I did the same. The youtube video made it look extremely interesting. I don't have time for it at the moment, but I will check it out.

Flynn · Dec 31, 2008

If I'm not careful I could wind up playing this game all night.

Took me a minute to figure out how the girls work.

Teknopathetic · Dec 31, 2008

This game is amazing. Especially your first few times playing through when you have *no* idea what you're doing or what anything does. The first time I picked up an idol I was laughing *very* hard.

Jackson · Dec 31, 2008

This game is great!

Derek Yu of Aquaria fame made this.

Very awesome.

sprsk · Dec 31, 2008

The controls are terrible though.

syllogism · Dec 31, 2008

This game is indeed very good. Just found a teleporter on level 1, now I'm tempted to try steal from the shop on level 2

e: managed to steal it empty, but then the shopkeeper guarding the exit managed to kill me on the next level

e2: oh my god i had 7 health and a mattock on level 3 and boulder smashed into a shop and the shopkeeper killed me for that

Night_Trekker · Dec 31, 2008

Flynn said:
Took me a minute to figure out how the girls work.

You've got a leg up on most GAFfers! *ba-dum-ching*

:|

Anyway, I'm really enjoying the game. Thanks for the link, Teasel.

badrockjones · Dec 31, 2008

Vid looks really cool, I'll definitely have to try this when I get home.

Shatai · Dec 31, 2008

I really don't have any problems with the controls. This game is an incredible piece of work. There goes my afternoon.

rohlfinator · Dec 31, 2008

Teknopathetic said:
This game is amazing. Especially your first few times playing through when you have *no* idea what you're doing or what anything does. The first time I picked up an idol I was laughing *very* hard.

Yeah, that aspect is hilarious. I had a run of four games in a row where I died within ~15 seconds of starting the level, each in a completely different way.

sp0rsk said:
The controls are terrible though.

There's a definite learning curve, but after playing it a bit more I'm starting to like them better. They're really not too bad, considering how broad your moveset is in comparison to the average platformer.

syllogism · Dec 31, 2008

Ugh, ran out of bombs on level 10 and couldn't proceed. I had pretty much every useful item in the game, including shotgun.

ElFly · Dec 31, 2008

sp0rsk said:
The controls are terrible though.

Really? I played with a dualshock and had no problem whatsoever.

M3d10n · Dec 31, 2008

Died from teleporter misuse :lol

Median · Dec 31, 2008

Tried to steal an item at the store :lol

EDIT: Just died by means of bomb-lined treasure chest. I think I love this game. I demand a DS port, or a homebrew version at the very least.

Shatai · Dec 31, 2008

I have to say, taking a personal challenge on to rob every shop you come across is fun. Love pulling off a successful heist and running through the next 3 levels with the shopkeeper's own shotgun, a cape, climbing mitts, and pitching mitts.

sazabirules · Dec 31, 2008

Is there a way to save?

rohlfinator · Dec 31, 2008

sazabirules said:
Is there a way to save?

Nope.

There is something that carries over to later games, though:

You can pay a guy to dig shortcuts from the start menu to later areas of the game.

BobJustBob · Dec 31, 2008

Median said:
Tried to steal an item at the store :lol

EDIT: Just died by means of bomb-lined treasure chest. I think I love this game. I demand a DS port, or a homebrew version at the very least.

Haha, I died like that too. Dragged a key all the way across the level, stuck it in the treasure chest and a flashing red gem larger than any I'd seen pops out. I was like "I'm rich! Wait a second... oh shit!" and then I was dead.

And then I did many other cool things that I don't want to spoil for everyone else. God this is great.

Flynn · Jan 1, 2009

sp0rsk said:
The controls are terrible though.

It's like the game has one too many items or something. I'm glad this isn't a final version -- could use a little refining in that way. Maybe a more sensible way to switch items. I hate how you can just fucking throw your rope or drop your bomb. Though I think to stick true to the spirit of rogue-likes that should stay.

I think my one big gripe is that the blocks don't always do that much. I'd like to see the ability to stomp or whack them down through the floor. Some awesome cause and effect disasters could happen that way.

Daigoro · Jan 1, 2009

wow. really cool game.

TxdoHawk · Jan 1, 2009

Played a quick game of this, I definitely enjoy it.

sprsk · Jan 1, 2009

Flynn said:
It's like the game has one too many items or something. I'm glad this isn't a final version -- could use a little refining in that way. Maybe a more sensible way to switch items. I hate how you can just fucking throw your rope or drop your bomb. Though I think to stick true to the spirit of rogue-likes that should stay.

I think my one big gripe is that the blocks don't always do that much. I'd like to see the ability to stomp or whack them down through the floor. Some awesome cause and effect disasters could happen that way.

I just wish it was set up like a real roguelike -- turn based.

Just assign items to letters like in nethack, would help the swapping confusion. Though, the game would prolly require a lot more itemization for that to be fun.

Flynn · Jan 1, 2009

sp0rsk said:
I just wish it was set up like a real roguelike -- turn based.

Just assign items to letters like in nethack, would help the swapping confusion. Though, the game would prolly require a lot more itemization for that to be fun.

I appreciate turn-based in situations like Nethack and Shiren/Mystery Dungeon, but what I really dig here is the way it's melded with Loderunner -- old, old school platforming. I've had tons of funny shit and happy accidents happen thanks to that kind of play.

Daigoro · Jan 1, 2009

this game is pretty much the best thing EVER. i want it on my DS like now.

Flynn · Jan 1, 2009

I finally got to the fourth level.

Just as soon as I get the hang of all those enemies and traps the game changes things up.

ZealousD · Jan 1, 2009

Jackson said:
This game is great!

Derek Yu of Aquaria fame made this.

Very awesome.

He also did "I'm OK", which was the Jack Thompson "A Modest Proposal" game.

Wanace · Jan 1, 2009

This game is incredible!

Everyone has to download this. The last independently developed free game I got excited for was Dwarf Fortress, this is tons of fun on a different level.

Rayven · Jan 2, 2009

getting the bug where up is always pressed

using a saturn usb pad.

sonicmj1 · Jan 2, 2009

Wow, this is really fun.

I could play this for hours.

crowphoenix · Jan 3, 2009

Thanks for pointing this game out, Teasel. It's really fun. I've logged about 20 tries and still haven't survived once.

MrDaravon · Jan 3, 2009

Seems pretty nifty, but I'm really going to need to play this with a gamepad or something, I just cannot use a keyboard for any kind of platforming game.

Remy · Jan 3, 2009

I've been playing this a lot in the last two days. So damn good.

rohlfinator · Jan 3, 2009

Guh, I got to (what I assume is) the last level yesterday, and now I can't get back there for the life of me. I think my spelunking skills are deteriorating.

I kinda feel bad since I bought Aquaria a couple weeks ago, but I've put way more time into this.

dock · Jan 3, 2009

HeartAttackJones said:
getting the bug where up is always pressed
using a saturn usb pad.

That bug has now been fixed, check the "spelunky_joytest2.exe" release later in the thread.
I highly recommend assigning the run button to the left (or right) trigger, it helps the controls a lot. The controls on keyboard are a bit awkward, but I think they'll be improved a little before too long.

I love Spelunky, it's one of my favourite games of 2008, and had great time over the christmas break playing it. !

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