| Welcome to Roguelike Radio episode 35,where we discuss the Diablo series. Talking this episode are Darren Grey,Andrew Doull,Ido Yehieli and Keith Burgun. You can download the mp3 of the podcast,play it in the embedded player below,or you can follow us on iTunes. Topics discussed this week include:
–Is Diablo:A single unit RTS? A roguelike? An opiate of the people? A slot machine? A pool table? Coke(tm)? –What makes a game memorable? –Diablo-likes,including Torchlight I and II,Sacred and Sacred 2,the Sacred auto-updater,and Borderlands –Loot,hardcore mode,and the music –Click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click,click…. Source and comments at Roguelike Radio   
swords! Source and comments at Deko dungeons DF Version 0.34.09 has been released. Source and comments at Dwarf Fortress Development Log (Toady One) Second bit of bugfixes. added furniture stockpile options for the new tools made rollers get objects up to speed faster fixed minecart premature stoppage after coming up a ramp made fresh water kill stagnant water,salt no longer spreads into fresh properly restricted materials for embark tools stopped fast travel from minecarts disallowed picking up of unit-occupied minecarts and fast-moving minecarts increased coke reaction output Source and comments at Dwarf Fortress Development Log (Toady One) First bit of bugfixes. I’ll probably do a day or two more of this to let some issues come in and then get another version up. fixed various bucket jobs stopped wheelbarrows from getting stuck on obstacles built in their path stopped rollers from working when powered off channeling moves objects downward and moves the dwarf downward if the dwarf is in the square (ending injuries from what should be a non-jarring activity) fixed look mode strings for rollers when they share the tile with something fixed scrolling of routes/stops in resized screens fixed vehicle id init problem in old saves typo in white sand density fixed Source and comments at Dwarf Fortress Development Log New version of my hobby project,Solstice,is up (v0.0.23).
[link]
Lots of undocumented changes and refinements,including a relatively
big hurdle of the merchant interface (which allows trading in addition
to simply buying with gold).
Spring semester is finally over,and I only have 1 class over the Source and comments at rec.games.roguelike.announce Google Group Back in the dim mists of time,I named my top 5 games journalists:which in a field notorious for attrition now only has 2 survivors (the rest consumed by PR,consulting and comics). Since I’ve not been able to do much long form writing recently,I figure I should link to my personal top 5 game design blogs,so you can slake your thirst elsewhere. Putting together a top 5 of game design blogs is challenging,to say the least. To qualify,you have to write regularly and you have to write specifically about game design. This simple criteria excludes the most well known video game designers who blog,people like Soren Johnson,Clint Hocking and Dan Kline,because the industry is so notoriously secretive and full of NDAs,that they simply cannot talk about what they are working on,except for brief bursts during the press period of their latest game. Then there are promising bloggers like Jon Shafer,who has recently appeared on the scene,but hasn’t written enough to develop his own distinct voice. So my list is full of brilliant mavericks,outside geniuses (genii?),and crosses plenty of boundaries. You also don’t have to agree with them to love what they write about and the passion they write with. Without further ado: 1. David Sirlin
2. Anna Anthropy
3. Zak S. I would say more,but I’m confident each of these three’s (possibly NSFW) writing will win you over. Source and comments at Ascii Dreams 
Yes,finally,Realm of the Diggle Gods is now available on Desura. Linux users,bask in the powerful new Desura Expansion Technology! (Many thanks to Tim Jung at Desura for patiently poking things with sharp pointy sticks.) Buy it here:http://www.desura.com/games/realm-of-the-diggle-gods 
Source and comments at Gaslamp Games » Blog (Toady One) Here is a hauling release. New stuff
Minecarts can be used to haul things around on carved/constructed tracks/bridges (‘h’auling to set up routes) Dwarves can be set to guide,push off,or ride carts that are ready to move to the next stop Track stops used to slow/stop cart and/or dump the contents on vehicle entry,can be disengaged with lever/plate Pressure plates can be triggered by carts Rollers can be used to push cart along when powered Minecarts limited to one per tile in general,various collisions can occur Wheelbarrows can be linked to stockpiles in order to move heavy objects (it’ll auto-request one for stone stockpiles) Falling objects can collide with critters Camera can be attached to unit or item,can be linked to hotkeys from the unit/item screens Other bug fixes/tweaks
Stockpiles can be linked to workshops,can be set to give to multiple piles,can be set to accept items from links only Hauling jobs will often be combined,using one container Heavy items harder to haul Densities/colors updated,based on Uristocrat’s data collection thread Can filter creature names in arena Mine drop rates tweaked,no longer skill-based Puzzleboxes/drum makeable Stopped blinking on bridges Projectiles using new code (most non-shot/thrown projectiles) can skip/skid on liquid/ground All flying units use new minecart parabolic flight paths Many projectiles do not resolve in adventure mode before your turn (so you can dodge a flying cart by moving away) Can create/assign to squads from v-p Squads can be given nicknames from v-p or the military screen Fixed broken clay stockpile option Source and comments at Dwarf Fortress Development Log DF Version 0.34.08 has been released. Source and comments at Dwarf Fortress Release Log | |
