Hi everyone,
This one will be quick. Initially, I wanted to discuss the exploration and the battle system in a single post but later realized that the post would get a bit too long, so I decided to split the two, even though both systems are intertwined.
Dungeon Design
The dungeon in the original was abstract and labyrinthine, while in the sequel I tried a few different approaches to diversify the available areas and ease in newcomers to the genre, so by the time they get to sprawling labyrinths of the late game, they are more or less prepared, while genre veterans get to enjoy a variety of dungeons in a neat single package.
Most dungeons are designed to have at least two paths to the boss room, so if you reach the boss and realize that the party needs more muscle on their bones, there’s just enough space to grind some more.
Warp Scrolls (Teleporter Scrolls in the original) are still present, so be sure to take one with you when you’re done with Novice quests.
Treasure Chests
One of the main new attractions is the addition of treasure chests, which may contain gold or new items. Of course, I can already see you imagining how you’re going to sneak into rooms, grab their contents, and then run away giggling while enemies are still figuring out what happened.
Except there’s a catch — they have to be unlocked first.
Unlocking is fairly straightforward — just press a button and the most competent character alive (determined by Dexterity and corresponding skills) will work their magic. Some chests may be trapped, so failing to unlock them can cause extra pain.
If you’re in battle, it might take a few moments to unlock the chest while the battle goes on, locking you in place, so evaluate the risks before reaching for the rewards.
However, you can avoid all this by buying or finding a Master Key, which instantly bypasses the lock and traps, but breaks the key in the process.
Traps
Dungeon floors are no longer 100% safe, so watch your step.
Traps come in three varieties: spikes (physical damage), pentagrams (magic damage), and pits (physical damage to the entire party).
Unlike the devilish minefields found in my older work, here the traps are always visible, so you can avoid them easily by finding alternate paths, or power through if you think you can handle the pain.
Teleporters
If you remember the teleporters from the original, they’ve found their way here too as a means to make it easier to return home or access isolated areas. Unlike the original, you will be prompted to use the teleporter before it’s activated, so you don’t have to worry about backtracking if you accidentally step on one.
Other News
The main content of Dragon Ruins II is finished, so I can focus more on playtesting and polishing. The game ended up having 15 areas instead of the initially planned 5, as I couldn’t stop adding content and making new maps.
Each area has 3 quests assigned to them (or more), so if you decide to revisit an area to grind levels or seek treasure, you’ll be presented with a new excuse to go there, a different boss, and monsters appropriate for that quest.
I’m taking a few days off to celebrate the New Year and hopefully, I’ll clear my head by the time the celebrations are over. In the next DevLog, I'll talk about the battle system and other details related to the game.