This is content update pushing toward full release.
0.12.1518 or simply "1518"
New Stuffs
New class: Rogue
A class specialized in daggers and can even dual-wield them!
- They have a 6-combo attack! Backstab for maximum damage!
Who needs guarding? Dodge roll FOR THE WIN!
- Rogue's guard action is replaced by a dodge roll which completely nullifies damage! But there's a catch though.
And 3 skills to help rogue dodge the dodgy situations!
- Sonic Slash: A fast long reach 8-hit attack. Since dagger's reach is short, this extra range offer is very much welcome.
- Smoke Bomb: Got dozen of enemies on hot pursuit? This ninja tech is the way to go.
- Place Decoy: Let the folks become busy, open your way out or an opportunity to backstab.
New theme: Sewer
The new dungeon coordinate points you to this monster-infested stinking water territory!
Water area will slow you down
Not a great place to start a brawl...
Something might be lurking underwater
Beware the new enemies who will ambush!
The new boss awaits
No spoiler, but make sure to have a weapon or AoE skill that can deal with multiple targets!
Fixes and Tuning
- Database: Make some existing elite enemies and boss a bit stronger
- Database: Tune LP shop item listing because item offered there was too OP
- Database: Tune later floor to have more enemy credit, early floor stays the same
- Final Boss: Fix object error that could happen in final boss minigame room such as teleport pad that was not cleaned up
- Final Boss: Each wave of "stun wave" (where you deal enough damage to the boss) will increase in number each time
- Item: Fix glove should not reduce its durability on using throwing knives
- System: Fix hot join player which receive initial starting level, to get to pick their perk right on that floor instead of having to play next floor without perk then pick the perk
- System: Fix client does not offer to reconnect to the the same lobby if player was disconnected
Dev Talk Corner
- What took this update so long?
The new class (rogue) really added a lot of new stuff in technical aspect, like dual weapons system or dodge roll. Including several new mechanism in new theme like water terrain. There was a lot going on in the code level for these.
- A bit of fun fact: I took liberty to compose all dungeon theme song by myself
I happened to compose the very first one (prison theme) on the whim because I did not want to use stock music and it's now become my self-imposed challenge to do all of them since. It was nothing to brag as I'm not from music background but if you did not noticed that it sucked that's already a compliment to me!
- I was really reluctant about difficulty tuning in the previous release
For the fear that it will turn people off (exactly this happened in very first demo pre-release), like imagine being gang-up and dying in the first floor, that would be instant frustration. (plus the control was still kinda bad back then)
It result in Dungeon Looter was tuned to be easier than intended, this decision had also backfired a bit that some power players can just finish it on their very first run, so it will be like "Huh? was that all of it?" Compare to similar genre like in 'Risk of Rain', 'Heroes of Hammerwatch', 'Gunfire Reborn' or alike where you are less likely to finish a first zero-upgraded run, so that's not a good design in my view. So I decided to ramp up difficulty in the late floor a bit in this update.
- Dungeon Looter had sold 500 copies! (as of Jan 2023)
Thank you everyone for the warm support, very much welcome.
As my first release on Steam and since then I have learned more about visibility mechanism behind Steam.
I do have regrets though, participating in Steam event is very good way to boost said visibility, but sadly Dungeon Looter did not have a chance to do any, one was my fault, the Steam NEXT fest where they show upcoming games's demo, but I failed to submit in time. Another was bigger BASHBASH event (Nov 2022) featuring action games which I'm positive that Dungeon Looter could fit for its theme but was denied boarding at discretion from event staff.
To rub salt to the wound, on actual day, there were many games similar to mine that allowed to participate, even unrelated genre like freaking typing game! I was stupefied but no use in crying over spilled milk, let's move on...
Next plan
Since this update is content update which add a new class and a new theme. Next update will be alternate to feature update.
- I'm expecting to add HARD MODE (finally!) to the game since current content is very limited of what can be done after beating normal mode. This will also unlock more town upgrades which tied to new rewards dropped in hard mode.
- I want to revisit item modifier and perk, since current system is very monotonous, you see good perk you select it, etc, etc. Maybe adding new variants or some twist to it.
For the ETA of this update, since HARD mode alone will be a big addition, like adding extra type of enemy to EVERY themes, even add new moves to EVERY existing bosses or some enemies. On very rough ETA I'd expected to be around August+.
State of the Early Access
Currently I would evaluate it to be around at 20% progress toward full release.
As of this update Dungeon Looter now have:
- 4 player classes, out of 5 planned.
- 5 dungeon theme, out of 7 planned.
- only 1 game mode, out of ?
There are more essential feature that I planned to add into the game along the way such as
(sorted from most important)
- AI players (BOT)
- Late game mechanism (after all difficulties are done)
- Achievement
- Language localization
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That's all for now,
If you found any bugs, please report them in the forum!
ːsteamhappyː