My Game's Biggest Design Problems, Solved(?)

[@cordeliawinterdwyer]

Gimme money gimme gimme money

[@LighthoofDryden]

The true shopkeeper design

[@vcdgamer]

That was an excellent design.😁

[@DualWielded]

Now I kinda want to see a relic that's just a bead bag/necklace. You'd basically sacrifice a relic slot to gain the max amount of beads possible on it. Or maybe it would increase the bead-slot amount for every other relic equipped 🤔

[@LighthoofDryden]

Oooh he's *cookin.*

[@supermysterious66]

Or maybe, have a relic that gives a penalty, but give even MORE bead slots...

[@pijus1474]

Been missing these dev logs so much, hope one day the game gets so big, I can watch many content creators experience it.

[@LighthoofDryden]

Me too-the couple streamers I’ve seen play it even in early stages was the most exciting thing

[@yaksher]

I definitely like this idea. I think a core part of modern roguelikes is build composition and synergies and actually having some amount of player choice over your build. Some questions I have are - can you carry an unlimited number of beads not attached to relics or do you have a limited amount? (I would lean towards unlimited, it could be fun to accumulate a massive pile of beads over the course of a run and you already have a limited number of relic slots to force "leave it behind" choices there) - can you freely swap out what beads are attached to relics? Some options I see are • removed beads are always destroyed • removed beads are destroyed with some probability • if either of the above, there exists an NPC that lets you remove beads safely • beads can be swapped whenever you want • beads can be swapped infinitely, but doing so takes "time" (your lantern burns down) I think I would go with options 1 + 3 or just option 4 - when you swap out a relic, is the previous relic dropped? How does this interact with attached beads? • if option 4 above, I think dropped a relic should automatically unequip all beads from it but remember which beads were attached to it and reattach them when you pick it back up if you haven't already used them for something else (this is a pure QOL) • if option 1 or 2, beads should stay attached to the relic when dropped. This would implicitly also discourage swapping out relics in the early game, but if you get plenty more beads than you can equip on your relics at any given time, it could work.

[@knightofthenorth926]

Yesss this system sounds like so much fun, Im surprised no other roguelike has done something similar! The polishing system is genius! Btw the new darkness effect looks amazing

[@LighthoofDryden]

Thank you!! I've been playing a lot of roguelikes and trying to hammer out something that feels different and fun, and makes you have raging internal debates over what to do!

[@LighthoofDryden]

Also thank you abt the darkness effect! I snuck that one in 🤭

[@Matute08]

​@@LighthoofDryden it reminds me of dont starve, love it

[@unstablesoup5638]

The polishing system reminds me of vampire survivors

[@Swypn]

"I'm going to play the game when it releases because I want to support you, but also because I find the game interesting. I haven’t tested any demo or previous version, but I’m still interested. I don’t watch your channel much, even though I want to be a game developer. So even if it would help me on my journey to watch all your videos, I still skip them because I usually watch gaming videos just to entertain myself and escape from the world-I still think the game looks fun, and I’d love to play it. But I’m saving it for when it’s finished. I can't promise that I’ll buy it right at release, but I do want to buy it one day. Good luck on your journey, and maybe I’ll watch your videos later for inspiration! So don’t think about giving up! I want you to succeed. :)

[@NathanHarrison-w8q]

Always excited for a new dev log, needs more bones though

[@LighthoofDryden]

It really does

[@iron-Tamarin]

i think samuel has found his way of immortality and i think mister crabs would approve

[@slakkie_]

Can't wait to watch this!

[@calizard]

This was great.

[@DanielAlix-wi4et]

I realize now that the comments section probably isn’t the right place to put this much information, but I wasn’t sure where else to put it. Here are a few ideas for disinherited that I think would be cool to implement. I understand that most, if not all of this won’t make the final cut because of all the other amazing ideas. Harpehelia/Harpemena Relics that would increase the damage of Samuel’s cane depending on the different levels of light, similar to Aegishelia and Aegismena. Like the shields, Harpehelia and Harpemena could fuse into Harpecosmia. The Loom A new area based on spider dens/webs and a weaver’s cottage. The area would be cramped, requiring lots of crouching and climbing, which would put Samuel in more danger as he couldn’t fight while doing this. It would also have very low visibility (the enemies don’t drop as much lantern oil and Samuel can’t see past the many walls), and it would be full of a bunch of new dangers: Web Trap A trap blocking tunnels that would immobilize Samuel if he came into contact with it. The traps could be destroyed by using an item found in The Loom, similar to the connection between scythes and boneweed from the catacombs. Egg Sacs A sac full of baby spiders that would burst open on contact. The baby spiders would be very weak on their own but dangerous in large numbers. Stalker An enemy in The Loom that hides in the corners until Samuel comes near. When Samuel does come within range it hisses and then launches itself at Samuel’s previous location. The Stalker would then follow him like a normal enemy Pit Spider More of a trap than an enemy, the Pit Spider resides in a web-covered hole. If Samuel steps on the web he falls in and must kill the Pit Spider (Or wall jump?) to escape. Spitter A Spider that spits venom laced web at its prey (Samuel). The webs immobilize Samuel and deal damage to him as long as he’s in them. The Spitter’s and other spiders could drop venom glands, but I’m not sure how to implement those yet. Jumper Other than a jump mechanic similar to the Robot Frogs from the infinite machine, these spiders would follow you around and attack like normal enemies. Arachne, The Broodmother Having a story very similar if not exactly the same as Arachne from Greek mythology, Arachne, The Broodmother would have sought immortality through her work, reasoning that if her artwork survived forever, then at least a piece of herself would always remain. As for the bossfight, it would contain four main elements: Body She would have few common attacks like those from the Stalker and would also activate a few special attacks as she crawled about the floors, walls, and ceiling. Websacs When Arachne is on the floor she would lay a few egg sacs similar to those from The Loom. How these sacs would differ is the way that they wouldn’t just spawn baby spiders, but also have a chance to spawn all the other types of spiders from the loom (not the pit spider). Venomous Webs When on the ceiling, Arachne would shoot venomous webs at Samuel. The Webs would have all the same mechanics as those from the spitters. Light Levels Either throughout the entire Bossfight or only at certain times, There would be no Illumination other than Samuel’s lantern. This would give Samuel incentive to purposefully open the web sacs and kill the spiders to gain lantern oil. P.S. the formatting was much better in the google doc

[@LighthoofDryden]

This is amazing! You should totally email me that doc or post it up in Discord if you’re in there-there’s a forum for ideas. I’m sure others would love to read too! Even as an arachnophobe, I’m a fan

[@DanielAlix-wi4et]

@@LighthoofDryden That sounds great! I'm not sure how to set up discord so where should I send the email?

[@LighthoofDryden]

@DanielAlix-wi4et dryden at dryden Thomas games dot com ! (Spelling it out because KZbin sometimes strips stuff

[@DanielAlix-wi4et]

@@LighthoofDryden Okay, you should get it pretty soon

[@knightofthenorth926]

@DanielAlix-wi4et a spider themed area is my favorite idea I've heard so far, I especially love the connection of immortality through art

[@tristannothere]

YIPPERS, DEVLOG! Curious what dryden has been cooking recently!

[@LighthoofDryden]

Woooo hope you enjoy(ed)!!

[@RafaMartinelli]

2:36 - It makes sense that you’d be able to wear two pairs of shoes… cause of you know… um… your two pairs of feet? 😂

[@ipex08]

Synergies are gonna go crazy

[@LighthoofDryden]

I sure hope so!

[@PrimeTime0]

:D Yay Devlog Day

[@danieldaza2141]

I do believe that it is nescessary that some beads or bead types, even bead combinations or merging builds with items generate some sort of "negative" effect or even simply cancel out. So far everything builds up, and rarity will, of course have to play into that

[@Duckrabbit_Forging]

1:03 someone make some prayer bead candies Shaped and colored like the different beads obviously

[@mrblooper1994]

I needed more disinherited in my life, thank you mate.

[@LighthoofDryden]

thank *you* for the support

[@pauleastlund4243]

Hello Mr. Dryden Sir Mister Sir

[@LighthoofDryden]

Hello Hon. Dr. Mr. Paul Sir

[@oliverjacobs6639]

Omg the Polisher has such a good design!!!

[@LighthoofDryden]

Thank you!! I’m really pleased with it :D

[@ntPingu]

Finally we got some new devlog 🎉 New system looks dope!

[@aidanherbert6614]

Cool update, in a sense does this just soft-lock the power any/all builds can achieve? In my experience some of the fun of roguelikes is finding the sort of game-breaking combinations of items.

[@LighthoofDryden]

Exactly the right question, and basically, yes. At the moment, what I wanna do is push Disinherited in the direction of being more about mastering nuanced core mechanics than about maximizing DPS, since I think the current space has a lot of side-scrolling roguelikes that already do that well and have more content than I could possibly hope to produce on my own. In this vision, the relics system should be there to offer you interesting tools, but not get to the point where you're three-shotting a boss. However, if this admittedly risky vision totally falls apart, I think having some limitations are still great if I wanted to pivot to a more "breakable" game design.

[@InfinityBladeRecollection]

The what I think is new art looks great. The beads are all different shapes now and the health and lamp bars look super nice. Also that new NPCs mask looks like Siris’s mask from Infinity Blade

[@erpirat9577]

Love these devlogs

[@LighthoofDryden]

Thank you :D

[@cheddar500]

Looking good

[@Purplinessky]

Heck yeah!!!❤

[@senioralexander0]

Yay he is back! The hero is back when most needed!!!

[@nerdchomp]

Strange, I've been thinking a lot about similar game design topics recently too 🤔

[@14Ghost14]

Cool system, it remind me of the way tha vampire survivors or holocure deal with their weapons and itens.

[@LighthoofDryden]

Ooh, I’m not familiar with holocure! Should I check it out?

[@14Ghost14]

@LighthoofDryden It's a pretty fun game, which is based on Vampire Survivors and vtubers. If you like VS, it's a very competent and comedy-oriented fangame and its free :D

[@butterscorch9591]

couldnt you wear shoes on your hands?

[@LighthoofDryden]

I see now that I wasn't thinking laterally enough about this

[@Ohkuram]

I can't wait for the next demo 😭

[@Stanisaw1z34t]

Maby some relics can not use a certin type of bead

[@holtsdav-yt]

Are there plans for the game to launch on switch? I prefer playing roguelikes on the go and not on my main gaming pc

[@LighthoofDryden]

Totally agree. Switch is the first platform I’ll try to get on after the PC/Steam launch!

[@Monkkie]

Um ok but the lack of bones is appalling

[@kaigrah]

It's different from Noita cause that's just pixel hell

[@LighthoofDryden]

My average noita run is probably 47 seconds, pixel hell tracks

[@kaigrah]

@LighthoofDryden and then you go back in for another 10 more without realising

[@GodofChookie]

Really like the idea , but it seems kinda endgamey?

[@Kanzen2007]

Pls add mobile support to this game too. That is all I ask

[@LighthoofDryden]

I’d love to but there are so many buttons in this game-it’s gonna be a challenge!

[@Kanzen2007]

@ U can add the option to change button size and the beads could be concentrated as a small circle and expand when we tap them. For movement a joystick would be good enough or just 3 buttons for movement left right and jump

[@Terryotes]

I want to know why does this game look like 5 times better than you main game, no offense

[@LighthoofDryden]

None taken! Simple answer is Lighthoof was started when I knew almost nothing about art, programming, or game design, and Disinherited was started with all the experience from 2 years of Lighthoof.

[@Taaemon]

🙊

[@Cat-astr0phe]

comment for u

[@LighthoofDryden]

🫡

[@FabulousSpork]

DRYDEN. You must add more little tiny references to the cat please I beg of you we need to be able to find little cat hairs or something that are completely useless but you can just collect them for no reason please 🙏