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Author Topic: Call of Cthulhu RL?  (Read 7559 times)

Potman

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Call of Cthulhu RL?
« on: November 30, 2007, 08:34 »

In 7 days?

Y'know, something where the main character would be really weak, kinda like the tourist class from Nethack, and he'd regardless have to fight unspeakable horrors from other worlds. An old professor of some university, a journalist, a common civilian, totally not a soldier or anything. There'd be sucky weapons - knives, pistols, bare hands, running away - some ancient evil magic and other kinds of information, and a sanity value: Each time the main character would face some new terror or learn something from them books of magic and arcane, he'd lose a bit of his mind, and too much of the nasty stuff would mean that he'd go totally mad, collapse under the pressure, and commit a suicide. Something, like, a adventure/horror/RPG roguelike.

I'd play it.
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BDR

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Re: Call of Cthulhu RL?
« Reply #1 on: November 30, 2007, 20:18 »

Couple issues with the idea:

1. Seems like it'd be difficult to keep from 'dying' without some ways to increase your sanity, and I'm not sure how fun it'd be if the only other way to preserve it would be to avoid the horrors for a time (it could be a strategic decision if you have a time limit to actually 'win', sure, but I'm not sure it'd feel more fun than tedious/chancy).

2. Suicide?  Psh; there's far worse fates for those who interact with the evils in Lovecraft's stuff.  Going insane would be a common theme, sure, but the circumstances of your final strand of sanity being lost would almost certainly affect what you did with your newfound insanity, or what was next done to you (perhaps instead of taking your life you become a disciple or are eaten/killed by a demon).
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Potman

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Re: Call of Cthulhu RL?
« Reply #2 on: December 01, 2007, 01:45 »

Couple issues with the idea:

1. Seems like it'd be difficult to keep from 'dying' without some ways to increase your sanity, and I'm not sure how fun it'd be if the only other way to preserve it would be to avoid the horrors for a time (it could be a strategic decision if you have a time limit to actually 'win', sure, but I'm not sure it'd feel more fun than tedious/chancy).

Well it doesn't need to be a mighty big number, the amount of mind he loses when learning about stuff. Like, if it started in 100%, he could lose only maybe a 0,5-2% or so when he learns of new things from a book, depending on how horrible thing it is he just read. He could have a fear value as well: Unlike sanity, it'd regenerate, but it'd also be a smaller number, and if it goes to zero, the character would go in panic and flee, or just pass out where he is.

Meeting a Deep One for the first time would result in a 3% fear and 0,6% loss of sanity, while facing a mighty Shoggoth would instantly pay some 5% sanity and 80% fear (there wouldn't be too many Shoggoths). And the character could have traits to increase the maximum numbers of both.

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2. Suicide?  Psh; there's far worse fates for those who interact with the evils in Lovecraft's stuff.  Going insane would be a common theme, sure, but the circumstances of your final strand of sanity being lost would almost certainly affect what you did with your newfound insanity, or what was next done to you (perhaps instead of taking your life you become a disciple or are eaten/killed by a demon).

Well yeah, the point is, that if he loses his mind, the game's over.
« Last Edit: December 01, 2007, 02:06 by Potman »
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Kornel Kisielewicz

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Re: Call of Cthulhu RL?
« Reply #3 on: December 01, 2007, 09:23 »

Well, my next 7DRL entry theme is already chosen, but CoCRL could be fun too :). I'd especialy like to play around with sanity rules -- maybe I'll include some of the ideas of that field into Darkness.
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Kornel Kisielewicz

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Re: Call of Cthulhu RL?
« Reply #4 on: December 01, 2007, 11:56 »

Well I'd play it.  However it'd be hard to really get the major themes of Call of Cthulhu into a roguelike.  The actual role-playing game and the stories it's based upon really don't fit the mold.  You investigate, find clues to what's going on, investigate more, find clues to on how to stop whatever horrible fate might happen, then use the clues to put a stop to the threat.  Assuming you don't go insane or get eaten first (and in the role-playing game there are always casualties).  It works great for an adventure game but the kill things and take their stuff theme of most roguelikes gets in the way.

One thing you could do is add interesting allies.  You hire them or get them to join in some other way.  They level up just like your main character, have a personality and back story, have certain useful skills.  It helps to forge an emotional bond to the characters by making them work like your character.  So when they get offed, end up in a mental institution, or join the bad guys it's almost as bad as if it'd been you.

I'm not yet sure what to do for the actual investigation part of the game.
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Madrik Rimesorrow

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Re: Call of Cthulhu RL?
« Reply #5 on: January 03, 2008, 05:46 »

Maybe it could be bit like Angband. Using the upper level (the town) as base of operations and probably an old crypt or castle as the domain of madness. You talk to the locals and they tell you that the priest has gone missing and that eerie music comes from the crypt. Then you decide to investigate and descend down. After that it gets a bit difficult.
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Zeb

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Re: Call of Cthulhu RL?
« Reply #6 on: January 03, 2008, 07:20 »

So like an Eternal Darkness roguelike? Hmm.
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Karry

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Re: Call of Cthulhu RL?
« Reply #7 on: January 04, 2008, 01:21 »

Quote
It works great for an adventure game but the kill things and take their stuff theme of most roguelikes gets in the way.
I agree. It kind of breaks the horror mood when you can just kill whatever is chasing you. You can _occasionally_ kill someone who was driven insane, or several smaller servants of darkness, or something like that, but surely not on a regular basis. Just isnt gonna work.
I recommend to those who are interested, to play probably the best Lovecraftian-esque game there is - Anchorhead. And as expected - its an adventure game. Scary shit.
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