Welcome to my first post of the Mythway Dev Log, which will follow the format of the Heropath Dev Logs I wrote previously. Each post will be a version update of the game. This post will differ being a pathway and introduction to the game I plan to make.
As I wrote here, I needed to switch from Heropath to Mythway because my design ambitions were beyond my beginner coding skills. When I originally conceived of Mythway, I was going to build a Visual novel with a skill-based resolution sub-game, but I later decided to go with a Roguelike game. Roguelikes are a modular genre which is easier to modify and having an abstract presentation allows me to focus on narrative design instead of story telling.
The code bases I will use are:
I’ve play-tested the Python code and am impressed with it. It provides a well-constructed, tight gameplay loop that is well balanced and fun. The challenge for me will be to capture that same fun in Mythway but still introduce new game motifs.
Some of the benefits and challenges of using a Roguelike include:
- Heropath was a Heroic Strategy-Adventure (link), inspired by Adventure (1979) and Paradroid (1985). Mythway will also be share those two games. In addition, there are two more games that provide inspiration. The first is obviously the original Rogue (1980) and the second is War of Nerves (1979). The latter is an interesting obscure game as it was a war game with indirect player involvement. That indirect player activity has always fascinated me (just like it did with Adventure)
- Roguelikes are graphically abstract with a bigger focus on game mechanics. One of my lessons about Heropath was when I adopted fantasy graphics for the game it became harder to integrated it with my 19th century proto-cyberpunk concept. Having a more abstract graphic system will allow me to easily create a setting/narrative layer that fits.
- Mythway is not a fantasy dungeon dive as it takes place in a 19th century town on an Alt-Earth. The map needs to be big enough to accommodate different kinds of buildings. I won’t have dungeon levels to delve down into so instead I will use a larger single level map where progression will be about advancing in neighborhoods. It will be about breadth instead of depth.
- Because the player is in a town, I can’t use the standard killing baddies game mechanic. This would not be very civilized and ludo-narratively dissonant so I will build a recruitment mechanic where NPCs you recruit can work for you and help fight the enemies.
- Then there is core narrative mechanic of the player being tasked to help build the Mythway Engine that advances the game. This device will be built by the items you collect.
Here is my development path to coding Mythway:
- Version 0.10 – Procedural Maps. The existing Roguelike code already includes some nice procedural logic and field of vision. I need to expand the map in breadth and not depth and have it generate a town with buildings instead of a dungeon.
- Version 0.30 – NPC Creation. The existing Roguelike introduces a couple of enemy NPCs so I need to edit those to fit my setting and modify the AI with neutral folk that move around. The NPCs will need to move around the town with some purpose.
- Version 0.50 – Combat and Recruitment. The existing Roguelike has a strong combat system and I will edit this to also function as a Recruitment system. The player can either attack or recruit depending or a disposition toggle the player sets. The options will be Agon (contest) or Peitho (persuade). I also want the enemy AI to also recruit NPCs and then allow for combat to take place between the player’s forces and the enemy’s forces.
- Version 0.60 – Items. The existing Roguelike has a decent inventory system and some diversity of items to get started with. I will edit these items to fit the setting and some new items will be used to enhance abilities and be keys that unlock game features.
- Version 0.80 – Buildings. As Mythway takes place in a town there needs to be some different buildings that have functions for the AI. The plan is to have the following: Home Place, Work Place, Social Place, Player Base, Enemy Base, Mystic Base, Recovery Base.
- Version 0.90 – Player Base / Mythway Engine. As the player brings items to the Player Base they begin to build the Mythway Engine, a 19th century proto-computer. The Mythway Engine will be enhanced as the player adds more technology to it. Leveling the Mythway Engine will introduce mechanics that strengthens your friendly NPCs, weakens the enemy NPCs, and other to-be determined features.
- Version 0.95 – Win and Lose States. The game will culminate in a final battle between the you and your forces against the enemy. Permadeath will be a consequence and game length will be less than one hour and should be re-playable.
- Version 1.xx – Polished Release. The gameplay should be well established and balanced and the remaining polishing will be the graphics, sound, and music.
Here is my planned game play loop:
Micro-loop
- Objective – move around, explore the map.
- Challenge – recruit neutral NPCs.
- Reward – gain items for tactical benefit and NPC loyalty.
- Time to complete will be < 180 seconds.
Medium-loop
- Objective – build up enough followers to take over a town area.
- Challenge – enemy followers will resist and must be defeated.
- Reward – items that enhance the Mythway Engine will help with friendly NPC loyalty and strength.
- Time to complete will be < 6 minutes.
Macro-loop
- Objective – build the Mythway Engine by collective parts and followers.
- Challenge – followers can be lured away and killed and must be replaced; Player Base can be destroyed.
- Reward – playing and preparing well can allow the Player Base to withstand the enemy NPC assault creating a win state, otherwise the player suffers a lose state.
- Time to complete will be <60 minutes.
Thank you so much for reading to the very end. If you would like to keep posted about Mythway development, please consider joining the newsletter. Thanks!