DGC Ep 435: Spelunky (part one)

Dev Game Club

Welcome to Dev Game Club, where this week we continue our major series on various indie games, now looking at some 2D action games with Spelunky. We talk very briefly about its director and then Tim marvels over a dynamic level design that nonetheless feels just right. Dev Game Club looks at classic video games and plays through them over several episodes, providing commentary.

Sections played: Into the Jungle (Tim)

Issues covered: walking over the sands, a little history of the game, a legendary game, precise platforming, procedural and dynamic, how the level generation works, rules-based generation, eschewing precise level design, not being able to know the level, having many verbs, having to learn the skills, the wind-up of the whip, a game where you have to be focused, not seeing an obstacle due to focusing, focus meditation, the Spelunky daily challenge, similarities to theater, taking a risk with design, not knowing what other players will do, opponents dictating skill ceilings, matchmaking as the balancing feature, consistency of behaviors, not rushing, gaining knowledge in games, the ghost and fear, practicing via the tunnel man, whether it's helpful to skip ahead, the speed-run achievement, spending time on each level, getting abilities in the stores vs equippables, the eggplant and the ball-and-chain, Derek's book, learning by death.

Games, people, and influences mentioned or discussed: Tiny Subversions/Darius Kazemi, Fez, Derek Yu/mossmouth, Andy Hall, UFO 50, PS Vita, World of Warcraft, Cave Story, Diablo, Dead Cells, Minecraft, Kaeon, MegaMan, Contra, Super Mario Bros., Hunt: Showdown, Overwatch, Fortnite, Halo (series), Dark Souls, Andy Nealen, Zelda (series), Elden Ring, Bloodborne, Olmecorox, Half-Life 2, TIGSource, Demons's Souls, Dark Souls 2, Outer Wilds, Kirk Hamilton, Aaron Evers, Mark Garcia. Next time: More Spelunky!

Twitch: timlongojr Discord [email protected]