Dungeon Design Documentation

Such Life

Table of Contents

1. Overview 
2. Dungeon Types 
3. Layout 
4. Enemies 
5. Rewards 
6. Bosses 
7. Tips 
8. Repeating Dungeons 
9. Environmental Hazards 

Dungeon Design Documentation

Overview

Dungeons are challenging PvE areas filled with enemies and rewards. Players must defeat dungeons to progress in the game. These dungeons can be conquered multiple times for leveling up and finding gear.

Dungeon Types

• Caverns of Darkness: A dark cave with underworld creatures. 
• Enchanted Forest: A mystical forest with magical creatures.
• Crypt of Shadows: An underground crypt filled with undead.
• Volcanic Abyss: A volcanic cavern with fire creatures.
• Frozen Tundra: A frigid wasteland with ice hazards.
• Sky Tower: A towering cloud fortress with flying enemies.
• Abandoned Mine: A destructible building with cave creatures.

Layout

Dungeons have multiple rooms connected by corridors. Room types:

• Entry: Starting room.
• Combat: Filled with enemies.
• Treasure: Holds valuable loot.
• Boss: Final room with boss enemy.

Enemies

• Basic: Common foes with predictable attacks.
• Elite: Stronger versions of basic enemies. 
• Ranged: Attack from a distance.
• Bosses: Unique powerful enemies with phases.

A lot of these enemies should be unique for each dungeon, but there will be common enemies too.

Requires strategic use of skills, positioning, and gear.

Rewards

Defeating enemies and rooms provides:

• Gold: Used to purchase gear and items.
• Gear: Weapons, armor, accessories to equip.
• Consumables: Potions, scrolls for buffs/healing. 
• EXP: Earned by defeating enemies. Levels up character.

Bosses

• Study Moves: Learn attack patterns and telegraphed moves. 
• Dodge: Avoid damage by dodging attacks.
• Openings: Identify windows to safely deal damage.
• Phases: Adapt to mechanics changes between phases.

Tips

• Party Up: Play co-op for combined strength.
• Prepare: Stock up on consumables beforehand.
• Explore: Search for hidden rooms and shortcuts.
• Level Up: Grind if a dungeon is too hard.
• Communicate: Coordinate strategies with team.

Repeating Dungeons

Dungeons will have increasing difficulty and variation each time a player completes them. This keeps the challenges fresh and rewards revisiting dungeons. • Enemy Levels: Enemies get stronger by gaining levels each time the dungeon is cleared. Provides greater combat challenge. • Elite Spawns: The chance for elite enemy variants to spawn is increased with each completion. Makes foes more dangerous. • Room Remix: The layout and order of rooms is randomly remixed. Keeps navigation unpredictable. • Trap Respawn: Traps like spike pits reset after each run, requiring players to relearn safe paths. • Item Randomization: The location and selection of treasures and loot changes with each visit. Incentivizes re-exploration. • Boss Mutations: Bosses evolve new abilities, attack patterns, and phases to throw off veterans. By continuously upping the ante, dungeons stay dynamic and difficult even after players become experienced. The randomization and mutations keep dungeon delving feeling fresh.

##Environmental Hazards In addition to enemies, dungeons will contain dangerous environmental hazards that players must watch out for. These obstacles will test player awareness and platforming skills. • Spike Traps: Retractable spikes pop out of walls and floors, damaging players on contact. Requires timing movements carefully. • Pendulum Traps: Large deadly pendulums swing in patterns through rooms. Players must weave through safe gaps. • Poison Gas Vents: Green gas vents on walls and floors release deadly clouds sporadically. Players cannot linger in the fumes. • Lava Floors: Pools and streams of lava that damage players rapidly if contact is made. Requires carefully jumping between safe platforms. • Icicle Fall: Massive sharp icicles crash down from ceilings intermittently. Players need to dodge out of their shadowy impact zones. • Slime Pools: Puddles of slime on floors slow player movement speed drastically. Good positioning is key to avoid getting bogged down. Navigating these dungeon tricks and traps requires spatial awareness and quick reflexes. The hazards add exciting platforming elements beyond just combat.