Ok, now that things are done, it’s time to write some words to introduce you my 7DRL 2016 entry: Doomed Looters. A 2D action roguelike game that tries to improve my 2015 experience, not expanding Down There, but “recreating” it from scratch, with new specifically-made graphic (at least, most of it), and above all with new game mechanisms. This time you’ll be able to play with four different heroes: a Thief (average, able to use defensive magic, and to easily unlock chests), a Knight (strong enough), a Wizard (weak, but able to use magic for attack and defense, and able to magically unlock chests, doors and gates) and a Barbarian (stronger, even if less protected than the Knight). Different players, for an endless dungeon in which each level has a gate to the next one, locked. So, if you’re not playing with a Wizard, you’ll have to find a Golden Key to open it. A key hidden inside some closed or locked loots, maybe placed behind locked doors. Yes, you can open doors with silver keys you’ll find around, but you can also open them smashing them with your sword. Problem is that the place is filled with enemies (spiders, snakes and other creatures) and wasting time opening items and doors won’t be good all the time. So, who you decide to be, will force you to play in a different way – or at least this is my idea. Did I succeed in making all this fuss, fun? It’s up to you to decide that, if you want to give it a try .-). If you’re curious, well you can download the game here. (Windows executable only, at least so far – game will be played inside a fixed size windows, not need to install anything – it just write config and scores files in the executable folder).
Quick instructions: use arrow to move around, space to attack with sword. If you got mana you can use X and V to attack/defend yourself with magic.

What can I add? well, I loved to made it. And proud of  lot of things in this game (even about some of the spritesheets – even if I can clearly see errors and limits) but I would like to add more elements in game, and I’ve coded till the end, adding and changing things so my main doubt is to have everything not well balanced.  Even this time I didn’t plan well enough – I worked a lot of night hours and I’m aware I could have decided to do A instead of B and I guess now I’d have a better game. Or not.

One final note: big part of the graphic is mine, but some specific elements are by Calciumtrice  (http://calciumtrice.tumblr.com/). This artist is surely a lot better than me, and released wonderful pixel art as CC-BY-3.0. From available art I just picked flags, loots (chest, sacks and barrels) and one frame of snake spritesheet. I changed colors a little in some cases, and I re-animated the snake. Soundtrack (Whoozer and DrumLoop_1_64BPM) has been written and produced by Ove Melaa (Omsofware@hotmail.com)

P.S. ah, one more note about gameplay – to restore health you’ll be able to use healing potions (once you found them) or food (that will be eaten when you stop for a while).