LambdaHack

LambdaHack
Library project
Developer	Andres Löh, Mikolaj Konarski
Released	Apr 12, 2008 (v1.20080412)
Updated	Dec 17, 2021 (v0.11.0.0)
Status	Beta
Licensing	BSD3 (Free Software)
P. Language	Haskell
Platforms	Browser, Linux, Screen Reader, OSX, Windows
Dependencies	source dependencies are as specified on the Hackage page
Official site of LambdaHack

Play it in the browser! https://lambdahack.github.io

LambdaHack is a Haskell game engine library for ASCII roguelike games of arbitrary theme, size and complexity, with optional tactical squad combat. It's packaged together with a little example dungeon crawler in fantasy setting that can be tried out in the browser. (http://lambdahack.github.io --- It runs fastest on Chrome. Keyboard commands and savefiles are supported only on recent enough versions of browsers. Mouse should work everywhere.)

To use the engine, you need to specify the content to be procedurally generated. You specify what the game world is made of (entities, their relations, physics and lore) and the engine builds the world and runs it. The library lets you compile a ready-to-play game binary, using either the supplied or a custom-made main loop. Several frontends are available (SDL2 is the default for desktop and there is a JavaScript browser frontend) and many other generic engine components are easily overridden, but the fundamental source of flexibility lies in the strict and type-safe separation of code from the content and of clients (human and AI-controlled) from the server.

Please see the changelog file for recent improvements and the issue tracker for short-term plans. Long term goals include multiplayer tactical squad combat, in-game content creation, auto-balancing and persistent content modification based on player behaviour. Contributions are welcome.

Other games known to use the LambdaHack library:

• Allure of the Stars, a near-future Sci-Fi game
• Space Privateers, an adventure game set in far future

Please offer your feedback.

Screenshots

A showcase of shooting down explosives. A couple were shot down close enough to enemies to harm them. Others exploded closer to our party members and took out of the air projectiles that would otherwise harm them.

This is a semi-automatic stealthy speedrun of the escape scenario. The enemy gang has a huge numerical and equipment superiority. Our team loots the area on auto-pilot until the first foe is spotted. Then they scout out enemy positions. Then hero 1 draws enemies and unfortunately enemy fire as well, which is when he valiantly shoots down explosives to avoid the worst damage. Then heroine 2 sneaks behind enemy lines to reach the remaining treasure. That accomplished, the captain signals retreat and leaves for the next area (the zoo).

Examples of in-game messages, in colour, with the new font:

Old screenshots

Trying out explosives and firecrackers in a nearby cave, with friends:

Ancient screenshots