Difference between revisions of "Caves of Qud"

Caves of Qud
Beta Project
Developer	Freehold Entertainment
Theme	Post-Apocalyptic
Influences	ADOM, Omega, Dune, Gamma World, and Gene Wolfe
Released	May 5th, 2010
Updated	Feb 10, 2023 (204.58)
Licensing	Closed Source
P. Language	.NET 2.0
Platforms	Windows, Linux, Mac
Interface	ASCII, Keyboard, Mouse, Graphical Tiles
Game Length	Long to Very Long
	Official site of Caves of Qud

Latest revision as of 04:26, 12 February 2023

Caves of Qud has been in development since 2007, developed by Freehold Games LLC. It focuses on exploration, in-depth character building, and the discovery of a dense history that is parts static, parts procedurally generated.

Features

Character Creation

Genotypes

Caves of Qud has a two-part character creation system that allows the player to be a Mutated Human or True Kin, each with their own quirks and mechanics. Each genotype also has 12 callings or castes respectively, which influence starting skills, stats, and gear.

Mutated Humans have access to over 70 mutations which can be acquired through leveling, providing passive stat bonuses and activated abilities, among other things.

True Kin have access to cybernetics, which function much the same as mutations except they are somewhat more powerful, but must be found and installed. They also have higher starting stats and skill points per level than mutants.

Skills

Caves of Qud currently has 19 sets of skills that range from traditional combat skills, such as axe or pistol, and less traditional, specialized skills such as wayfaring and folklore. Skills may be gated behind prerequisite skills or stat values, and each set of skills may have as many as 8 sub-skills that cannot be purchased until the set has been purchased as well.

Exploration

Caves of Qud treats exploration similarly to ADOM, with (currently) 7 static settlements, 3 world-map dungeons (the contents of which vary between runs, and many procedurally generated ruins, villages, and features such as peculiar plant life and trader caravans. The map is also completely static, regions getting progressively more difficult as the player travels west.

Of note is the game's large underground, which functions as one large dungeon. It is as large as the surface map, and of indeterminate depth, getting harder as you descend.

Quests

The game's static and procedural settlements offer written and generated quests specifically. The written quests follow a storyline and serve the purpose of uncovering Qud's lore and setting, although nearly no content in the game beyond lore and unique items is locked behind the main story.

Miscelleneous

Hunger and thirst
Artifacts, powerful technological items that must be identified before use
History generated for Qud's past and villages, the former of which generates accompanying holy relics

Other

Developers and expert players of Caves of Qud interviewed with Andrew Doull for Episode 45 of Roguelike Radio.

This game is now on Steam Early Access and GOG Games in development

@@ Line 4: / Line 4: @@
 |influences = [[ADOM]], [[Omega]], Dune, Gamma World, and Gene Wolfe
 |released = May 5th, 2010
-|updated = Jul 18, 2020 (200.71)
+|updated = Feb 10, 2023 (204.58)
 |licensing = [[Closed Source]]
 |language = .NET 2.0
-|platforms = [[Windows]], [[Linux]], [[OS-X]]
+|platforms = [[Windows]], [[Linux]], [[Mac]]
-|interface = [[ASCII]], [[Keyboard]]
+|interface = [[ASCII]], [[Keyboard]], [[Mouse]], [[Graphical Tiles]]
-|length = ?
+|length = Long to Very Long
 |site = http://www.cavesofqud.com/
 }}
+Caves of Qud has been in development since 2007, developed by Freehold Games LLC. It focuses on exploration, in-depth character building, and the discovery of a dense history that is parts static, parts procedurally generated.
 == Features ==
-- Procedurally generated world with static and random elements.  Static elements include towns, quest objectives, and the world map.  Random elements include legendary monster lairs and the zoomed-in map.
+===Character Creation===
+====Genotypes====
+Caves of Qud has a two-part character creation system that allows the player to be a '''Mutated Human''' or '''True Kin''', each with their own quirks and mechanics. Each genotype also has 12 callings or castes respectively, which influence starting skills, stats, and gear.
+'''Mutated Humans''' have access to over 70 mutations which can be acquired through leveling, providing passive stat bonuses and activated abilities, among other things.
+'''True Kin''' have access to cybernetics, which function much the same as mutations except they are somewhat more powerful, but must be found and installed. They also have higher starting stats and skill points per level than mutants.
+====Skills====
+Caves of Qud currently has 19 sets of skills that range from traditional combat skills, such as axe or pistol, and less traditional, specialized skills such as wayfaring and folklore. Skills may be gated behind prerequisite skills or stat values, and each set of skills may have as many as 8 sub-skills that cannot be purchased until the set has been purchased as well.
+===Exploration===
-- Fully contiguous world with multi-level underground, similar to [[Dwarf Fortress]]
+Caves  of Qud treats exploration similarly to [[ADOM]], with (currently) 7 static settlements, 3 world-map dungeons (the contents of which vary between runs, and many procedurally generated ruins, villages, and features such as peculiar plant life and trader caravans. The map is also completely static, regions getting progressively more difficult as the player travels west.
-- Hand written and procedural quest lines
+Of note is the game's large underground, which functions as one large dungeon. It is as large as the surface map, and of indeterminate depth, getting harder as you descend.
-- No time limit, but characters must eat food and drink uncontaminated water regularly to stay alive.
+====Quests====
-- Two-tiered character creation system.  "True Kin" start with better equipment, extra attribute points, and gain more skill points each experience level.  "Mutants" have fewer attributes and skill points but have access to physical and mental mutations.  Physical mutations include claws, multiple arms, and photosynthetic skin.  Mental mutations include teleportation, psychic attacks, and time manipulation.
+The game's static and procedural settlements offer written and generated quests specifically. The written quests follow a storyline and serve the purpose of uncovering Qud's lore and setting, although nearly no content in the game beyond lore and unique items is locked behind the main story.
-- Characters trade with merchants using a barter system.  The currency is 'drams' of fresh, drinkable water.  For reference, a character must drink a dram of water about every hour or become thirsty.  A laser pistol without the battery might cost a few thousand drams of water, and a simple copper sword would be about fifty drams of water.
+===Miscelleneous===
+* Hunger and thirst
+* Artifacts, powerful technological items that must be identified before use
+* History generated for Qud's past and villages, the former of which generates accompanying holy relics
 == Other ==