I'm Mysterarts, Game Designer of Dungeon of the Endless. Today, I want to share you some information about the multiple changes that we have made for the next build.
Because there are a lot of balancing modifiers, we know that this version may appear unbalanced. And that’s why your help is very welcome to recalibrate the game.
DUNGEON GENERATION ALGORITHM
Variables in the level configuration
We have completely refactored how we configure the game. Instead of fixed values for each floor, we now describe curves with different abscissas (number of players, levels, difficulty, spaceship, number of open doors, depth…). We need it for a more modular configuration, for the multiplayer and to prepare other game modes (like endless mode).
Because it’s a new way to express the variables and their evolutions, we are trying to stay close to the previous version, but there are necessarily some differences. There are also some changes that we wanted to make and are now easier to achieve! Some examples:
- Reduced the amount of mobs in room in floors 2-4 but increased afterwards
- Reduced difficulty of waves in floors 2-4
- Smoothed the exit waves difficulty
- Reduced number of rooms by level (but there are 2 new levels in the build)
- And all the other things evoked below
Thanks to the remarks and proposals from the community, and particularly Ail, which help us in this process!
Dynamic and Static Events
In the previous version, there were only dynamic events: what you found behind a door was generated when the door was opened and allowed us to control the floor difficulty.
In the next update, we are keeping the dynamic events and the difficulty variable but we are also adding static events, which are placed at the generation of the level to control the number and the depth position. That means for example that we can be sure that there are exactly 2 or 3 artifacts in level 7, placed mostly not too far from the first room. These static events are currently used for the exits, merchants, heroes and artifacts.
Control of the Dust
The Dust
found in the room is now placed at the generation of the level to control its quantity. There is a minimum and a maximum amount of Dust placed in the dungeon based on the number of rooms. We also increased the global quantity of Dust .
Exit
Like I said, the exit is now a static event. It can be found sooner in the dungeon if you take the right path. But the difficulty level increases when you find it: you have the choice to leave quickly the level or not, but taking the shorter path may be not the best solution to reach the surface.
Spawn of mobs
In the previous version, there was a list of mobs set by floors. At each run, you would encounter the same mobs at each floor. It was good to plan your progression but not really surprising!
In the next update, each mob has a curve of spawn in the floors. At the generation of a floor, a number of mobs is picked between a minimum and a maximum set in the configuration. We have reduced the number of mobs by level to improve the particularity of each floor and give the opportunity to the player to adapt his/her strategy. At each floor, a number of mobs is kept from the previous level. The aim is to create a more logical and readable progression for each game.
The new algorithm also sets several new variables for each mob like minimal open door before its spawn, a maximum per wave, probability weight to spawn etc…
ENTITIES BEHAVIORS
Targeting
Mobs are now distributed in 4 categories: basic, anti-module, anti-hero and special (targets the Crystal, door or populated room for example). Some mobs see their priority targeting change, in order to clarify some behaviors or favor « tower defense strategy » by reducing the attacks on minor modules for example.
Offense modules now have a priority target among the new mobs categories (specified in tooltip). That creates a new particularity for each module and improves the strategies without having to add a new interface.
Priority targets of:
- Prisoner pods are anti-heroes mobs
- Tesla are anti-modules mobs
- Claymoars are basic mobs
- Smoking guns are special mobs
Then the priorities are special, anti-module, anti-hero and basic mob.
These changes are inspired by several posts of the community and particularly melkathi for the module targeting.
Zone control
We added a system of « zone control » on mobs and heroes. If a mob enters a room with heroes or modules, its movement speed will be reduced. If a hero enters a room with mobs thus. To avoid reducing the rhythm of the game, the global movement speed of the game is also increased. That means the game is faster during strategic phase and when the mobs are still in dark rooms but slower during battle or crystal phase. Some mobs and heroes are not affected by zone control (heroes have a new passive called “Dodge”).
HEROES AND SKILLS
Hero Levels
Heroes now have 15 levels (max for the release). The previous version level 8 is approximately the new level 11-12 in terms of Food
cost and stats. (That means the level 1-8 are cheaper than before).
Skill levels
To complete the new levels, the hero now unlocks skills level 2 and some heroes can unlock a skill level 3 at level 15. These are the same skills with a more powerful effect (+50 to +100% for level 2).
Heroes’ team
We created small distinctions between the different teams of heroes:
- Prisoners are slightly more expensive to hire (you need to greasing the palms), have a better increase of their attacks but stop to gain defense in levels 10 to 15 (with their reckless approach)
- Crew members are slightly more expensive to level up (all the social costs…) but have a better increase of their defense (there are more disciplined. Mostly)
- Auriga Natives are cheaper to hire and level up but weaker in first levels (not easy to work with this kind of people at first…)
Operating
We tried to improve the operating system which was redundant and uninteresting. We are not sure of these changes so we’re particularly listening to your feedback on this. The operating bonus is now only active when the hero stays at least one turn in the room (s/he can fight or repair but must not exit the room). That means there is no longer interest to place heroes on production modules, open door, place them in chokepoint then restart: if you want to obtain a bonus, the hero needs to be locked in the room.
We also increased the importance of the operating bonus (+50%), reduced the number of heroes with the operating skill (stays Opbot, Max, Deena, Golgy, Hikensha, Rakya and Mormish) and moved the acquisition of the skill in later level (3 or 4).
Heal and rest
The heal is now a life percentage (30%) and the cost is proportional to the number of healed HP (same cost than before: 5 Food
for 200 HP). You can also “Restore” to reset the cooldown of skills of a hero by spending Science 
. The cost is proportional to the number of remaining turns and the level of the skills (3 Science / turn / level).
We added also several improvements on the interface / controls that you will be able to read in the changelog tomorrow. And as usual, there is also new content like the “door opener” mobs, which are pretty friendly creatures
