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intro-to-rogue.gmi
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Rogue is one of my favorite video games, and the original reference game for later 'roguelike' games. It's a classic 'dungeon crawler' game, created originally in 1980 by Michael Toy and Glenn Wichman, with later contributions by Ken Arnold. In Rogue you descend through a dungeon, collect gold, fight monsters, and retrieve the amulet of Yendor before returning up to the surface. As the player you wield weapons, wear defensive armor, don rings, and carry magical staffs, but this description evades the sense of puzzle-solving that pervades. It's a unique combination of combat, magic, resource managing, and a good dose of randomness that make for a compelling game.
Rogue is the quintessential oldschool roguelike. It is turn-based, so actions only happen when you move, one square at a time. Rogue is inspired by Dungeons and Dragons and can be thought of as one attempt at making a single player D'n'D game. It's especially noteable for its different-every-time dungeon, which is also why the game continues to be enjoyable for its fans play after play. Each dungeon presents new mystery and challenges, requiring new strategy. Also of note is 'permadeath'. When you die, no progress is saved. Each attempt at a dungeon is unique, standing on its own, without any resources saved from previous attempts.
Rogue is the quintessential oldschool roguelike. All actions by the player are triggered by a key press, and there are a lot of keys you can press. The game is turn-based, so actions only happen when you press a key, such as to move, one square at a time. Rogue is inspired by Dungeons and Dragons and can be thought of as one attempt at making a single player D'n'D game. It's especially noteable for its different-every-time dungeon, which is also why the game continues to be enjoyable for its fans play after play. Each dungeon presents new mystery and challenges, requiring new strategy. Also of note is 'permadeath'. When you die, no progress is saved. Each attempt at a dungeon is unique, standing on its own, without any resources saved from previous attempts.
This guide is intended to help you get started with just enough information. I have been playing the game off and on for about 7 years. I'm okay, but I have yet to beat the game (aka 'ascend'). After reading this, dive in and give it a shot. Try playing a few times. Each time you will (probably) get better. After you've played through half a dozen times or so and are starting to get the feel for it, and wanting to learn more, try out one of the more advanced or comprehensive guides listed at the end.
@ -24,6 +24,26 @@ As you walk around you consume energy. After walking around for a good while the
Doorways are '+' signs. Walk through them into the hallway. Some hallways twist and turn into little mazes. Sometimes a hallway deadends or you can't figure out how to get out of a room (most have 2 exits). Use 's' to search the area around you. You have a 1/5th chance of finding traps and hidden doorways. You will usually need to type 's' a few times to find hidden doorways and traps.
## Get help / see all options
Press the question mark key '?' to get to the help prompt. It will ask what key you want help with. Type '*' to list all the keys. This is the full display of all actions you can take in the game.
## Major Items
Monsters are one of various letters of the alphabet. In the early levels, you usually see hobgoblins (h), emus (e), ice monsters (I), bats (b) and kobolds (k). They each have their own behaviors and stats.
'%' is the staircase. Move onto it and type '>' to go down a level. I usually try to clear most of a level before descending.
'?' is a scroll, a type of magic item you can use. To use a scroll's magic, press 'r' to read, and then the letter for the scroll you want to use. If you don't know what scrolls you have, press '*' to list them all, then type the letter for one of them and see what happens. It could be a map of the current dungeon level, a teleportation scroll, or many other things could happen. Scroll names have absurd titles, and you'll only know what a scroll does by trying it out to see its effect.
'!' is a potion. Like scrolls, you can cast them. To use a potion press 'q' to quaff it. To 'quaff' means to drink with gusto. A potion could poison you, bring you health, temporary strength, or cause you to dissolve through the floor and crash at a lower depth, among many other things that could happen. Like scrolls, their names are randomly chosen each time the dungeon is generated, and you'll have to figure out their effects through trying them out.
`/` is a staff, occasionally present in the lower depths of the dungeon. You can 'zap' them.
`]` is armor. `W` to wear armor. It will prompt you to select one to wear, if you have any. The number next to the armor indicates its protection, and whether it's been affected by a curse, charm or magic, for example.
`=` is a ring. Press 'P' to 'put on' a ring. It will ask you to specify a hand. These have magic properties that affect your health, weapon, visibility, etc.
## Anatomy of a level
```
@ -48,23 +68,6 @@ Above is a moment not too long after beginning the game. I started in the bottom
Should I attack the hobgoblin and take the gold? Head down the stairs? Or go through the doorway to the right? I'll probably do all three, but not in that order.
## Get help / see all options
From the normal game screen press the question mark key '?' to get to the help prompt. It will ask what key you want help with. Type '*' to list all the keys. This is the full display of all actions you can take in the game.
## Major Items
'%' is the staircase. Move onto it and type '>' to go down a level. I usually try to clear most of a level before descending.
'?' is a scroll, a type of magic item you can use. To use a scroll's magic, press 'r' to read, and then the letter for the scroll you want to use. If you don't know what scrolls you have, press '*' to list them all, then type the letter for one of them and see what happens. It could be a map of the current dungeon level, a teleportation scroll, or many other things could happen. Scroll names have absurd titles, and you'll only know what a scroll does by trying it out to see its effect.
'!' is a potion. Like scrolls, you can cast them. To use a potion press 'q' to quaff it. To 'quaff' means to drink with gusto. A potion could poison you, bring you health, temporary strength, or cause you to dissolve through the floor and crash at a lower depth, among many other things that could happen. Like scrolls, their names are randomly chosen each time the dungeon is generated, and you'll have to figure out their effects through trying them out.
`/` is a staff, occasionally present in the lower depths of the dungeon. You can 'zap' them.
`]` is armor. `W` to wear armor. It will prompt you to select one to wear, if you have any. The number next to the armor indicates its protection, and whether it's been affected by a curse, charm or magic, for example.
`=` is a ring. Press 'P' to 'put on' a ring. It will ask you to specify a hand. These have magic properties that affect your health, weapon, visibility, etc.
### Weapons and armor