New dungeon generation system with cards

[Maike05]

Hi guys ! I'm on a new project that will allow you to randomly generate a dungeons based on a deck of cards. Here are some of the current cards I made :

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Basicly, you'll draw one card when you pass a door. There are different dungeon sections : corridors, small room, big room, dungeon room. This system will generate approximately 10 rooms.

When you'll enter a room, you'll have another deck of cards telling you what in the room (furnitures) : nothing, table, etc.

Then for monsters, I have made a nice random monsters encounter table. You draw 2D6 to know which monster category (undead, green skin, etc), then 1D6 to know how much monster there are.

[Ethica]

Whats the point of a random dungeon with random monsters? How does that compare to a well considered dungeon layout with situation specific threats and rewards?

[torilen]

I think this is meant to be a replacement for the random dungeon generator found here/old aginn's inn site - this allows people
to play on their own, without an evil wizard.

[Maike05]

The interests of such a system are legions:

1/ the system is capatible with the current system of Quest, but will add variety to your dungeon because the layout won't never be the same. You'll be able to play a Quest an infinite times, because the layout will always change, sometimes making a quest that was prior easy, then it would turn up to be more difficult.
2/ You'll be able to play by yourself if you have difficulties to find players.
3/ you'll be able to play WITH players but WITHOUT an evil wizard.
4/ you'll be able to play WITH players AND and a player playing the monsters.
5/ you can create your own tiles and make them compatible with this system.
6/ You don't have to use a computer to generate random dungeon.
7/ .....

[Ethica]

Basically what I'm saying there's no soul in a randomly generated dungeon. Without a plan you're just rolling dice.

Sorry about the negativity. I'm just annoyed because I have no one to play with at the moment and considering solo play is like eating a carrot cake when what I really wanted was a chocolate chip muffin

[Maike05]

No problem I understand your point of view but I really want to be able to play solo because my players aren't really in the thing, it's always me that ask to play :s but on the other side, this system brings something new to the game play for people who are interested in it !

[SexyToes]

This sounds like a good idea, as long as you have plenty of variety for cards to choose from. It sounds similar to a game we like to play called Betrayal at House on the Hill, where players build a haunted house as they go by drawing room tiles. The play style and experience is a little different than when you have a fully designed dungeon to explore, but it is just as much fun and it can get very addictive! Like you say, because it's random, the same quest could become very easy or very difficult, so you always have to be on your toes.

I don't think solo play would be nearly as fun as playing with others, but it's nice that this system gives you the option if you just really want to play and can't find anyone else. It also sounds like a great option when there are only two players, because it lets them both explore with heroes and have the experience of working together and strategizing.

It looks like you are off to a good start on the system. How many cards do you plan on making? And what are your ideas for implementing quest objectives? For example, say the objective is to recover some artifact from the throne room, but what happens if the throne room is never drawn? Could make for some interesting scenarios!

[Maike05]

Hi sexyToes, thanks for your interest

I finished the deck this Saturday. You have :
5x small room (3x4) with 2 doors.
5x big room (4x5) with 1 door.
5x squared (4x4) room with 3 doors.
5x Quest room (5x6).
1x corridor
1x crossroad shape in "x"
1x 'T' junction
3x dead ends.

The system is based on the size of dungeon you want : small (+/- 6 sections), medium (10) or large (18).
Basically, you have to build your deck considering the size you want and keep in mind that the dungeon has to finish one way or an other by a room with only one door like a dead end or a big room (because it has only one door).

For example, you could build a very small dungeon with only 4 cards : 2 big rooms (1 door), 1 'T' shape corridor, 1 Quest Room.
When shuffling your deck, you always have to put the Quest Room at the back of the deck or at 3/4 because you want to find it at the end of the dungeon.

When passing a door, you draw a new card. It reveals you which type of room it is. Then from an other deck you'll be provided with the furniture type. Finally, with Two 6-sided dice, you'll generate the monsters using my 'random encounters table'.

Here is a sample of my finished work :

[Maike05]

I've made a huge set of tiles that I want to share, but I don't know how apart from my blog.

[Maike05]

Hi again, I've just made two small video in order to explain it better to you Am I not kind ?

Explanation of the cards :


Explanation of the system using an example :