One of the things that the alpha could really use is someway to moderate the difficulty in specific ways. A few recent games in the rogue-like genre such as Rogue Legacy and Desktop Dungeons allow you to choose different options before you start the game that can make the game easier or more difficult. I think Dungeon of the Endless could really benefit from a system such as this. Even Endless Space has this with the unique starting characteristics that your race begins with.



Now starting with all of the options would be interesting but more fulfilling to the players might be someway of unlocking these parameters through playing the game. Beat the game once and unlocking a set of options that reduce the base FIDS rewards for opening new doors, or starting off with weaker heroes would introduce new challenges to experienced players by only altering a few of the numbers in the game. Unlocking new parameters to fiddle with by achieving some predetermined in game goals such as accumulating a specific amount of dust before particular levels end or doing a "solo" run would offer new challenges and obstacles for players as they play it more and more.



This could even be set up as a point based system similar to Endless Space where you can take negative modifiers to add cool positive modifiers. Or a players end score on complete games could be converted into "meta-game" FIDS that they could spend at the beginning of subsequent games for one time bonuses.



Just off the top of my head here are some sample parameters to be set before the beginning of the game. (positive points indicate an increase would be given at end of game score while negative numbers would indicate a decrease of end game score, which is just one of many ways this could be implemented



Increased FIDS cost for minor modules = +2%

Increased FIDS cost for major modules = +10%

Decreased FIDS cost for minor modules = -5%

Decreased FIDS cost for major modules = -15%

Start with only 1 Hero = +10%

Start with an extra Hero = -20%

Heroes have worse base stats = +5%

Heroes have worse stat progression = +10%

Heroes require more food to level-up = +7%

Increased chance of spawning merchants = -10%

etc...



If you did the one-time use options you could have things like



Start with a random item = 5 Endless Artifacts (or whatever the currencies would be)

Start with a particular minor module = 5 - 20 EAs depending on the module

Start with 10 more dust = 6 EAs

Carry 3% of dust between levels = 10EAs

Start with a specific Hero = 3 EAs

etc...



Well that is my big idea. Perhaps I've missed this suggestion elsewhere or it has already been shot down. Anyway let me know what you guys think of this idea.

Love it would love to have stuff like this

Certain with possible future endless playstyle this could be great to showoff most points and what modifiers you used

So I see they've decided to add more difficulties to the game, which is great, but I think having a way to specifically customize the difficulty would be really cool.

well i would love to see a option like that beside the the normal difficulties options (too easy and easy right now)

Very good idea.

phlip45 wrote:
...

Very good idea, you stole it from me :O



I was thinking about a thing that is missing in DOTE: a bond between every game you play. Like you said, in rogue legacy for example, you can unlock things (so as for FTL and others). That's a really important thing to add for DOTE.

It keeps the player trying and trying dungeons. The player will suffer but he hopes to unlock bonuses or something like that. It keeps the player into the game and not only playing 'cause the game is fun.



DOTE need to have this, in my opinion.