Random generation

[Nephew of Mentor]

I saw the "sunset" timer for the game Dungeon Quest, and the dragon timer for Dragon strike, and I thought it might be interesting to come up with some time sensitive quests. The one that I am especially interested in is the concept of random generation of dungeon content and paths. I haven't played Dungeon Quest, but maybe that could serve as a model for randomizing. I wouldn't make a dungeon where you must exit before the timer runs out or die because it would be a real shame for the team to survive the system, kellar's keep, etc, and then to die all at once just because they weren't fast enough.

Back to the point. Do you know an effective means of randomizing your HQ dungeons? Let me know what you think.

[Sjeng]

Try the Advanced Heroquest rules. Haven't looked at those myself yet, but they have random dungeons as well I think... Or at least I read an adaptation on this forum for solo play where no DM was needed, and random generation was implemented.

[Nephew of Mentor]

I think it would be interesting to base a campaign in a tomb or in catacombs that border the "chaos realm". The heroes enter into a dungeon, or dungeons, with specific goals in mind. The dungeons start off pretty standard, and maybe the first few dungeons don't have timers or have timers that last longer. If the timer runs out(sunset maybe) then the entire dungeon is drawn into the chaos realm. The path the heroes have taken so far is completely wiped away and the way out is randomized, monsters increase in difficulty and number, and things just become wacky. I can't help but imagine Castlevania II: Simon's quest, where zombies in the city only come out at night and regenerate. It could also be that exiting the dungeon is impossible until the sun rises again(also determined by a timer) and the heroes need to work extra hard to survive until then.

[Nephew of Mentor]

By the way, I can't help but imagine playing the game under white lights that go out when the sun sets, and dimmer red lights that come on to replace them, just to give the proper feeling to the game.

[Ethica]

An idea I toyed with was to have a succession of falling block traps that start once some objective is complete (like what happens in movies like Krull). On the first turn the falling block traps labelled "1" in the quest book fall, on the second block traps "2" fall..etc. Until the heroes either get out, die from falling blocks or are trapped inside.

[Nephew of Mentor]

I fear I'm too much of a softie to do that. I always hated the parts in some Final Fantasy games where the level was timed, and I sometimes didn't make it out on time.

[cynthialee]

I never liked timed encounters in a video game. In a RPG or board game like HG it is completely uncool. There is no way to acuratly track time between the real realm and the fantasy realm.

[Ethica]

I never liked timed encounters in a video game. In a RPG or board game like HG it is completely uncool. There is no way to acuratly track time between the real realm and the fantasy realm.

Yeah there is- turns.

[Goblin-King]

Making a system for generating rooms, doors, monsters and treasure is (relatively) easy.

The main problem is secret doors and traps. Those doesn't really work without a gamemaster managing them. At least I can't see a way to implement those in a way that would make sense.
I do however feel they are too important concepts of the game to be left out.

[Nephew of Mentor]

I understand what you mean. So, would it be sufficient to not tie the change to any real world intervals of time that can't be measured in turns? Or do you just not like the concept at all? No problem if you don't, to each their own. I understand entirely.