Some quick snaps of sketches for this game. The first three or so are back from when it was called Totally Unoriginal Roguelike Dungeon (I know, juvenile acronym). That was maybe about two or three years ago. However, I already had the basic concept - even the design of the playfield! What was bogging me down was the level progression: where the player and his eventually unlockable companions (who unlock special attacks, power-ups etc.) end up going.

The core of the game is combat on what I now intend to be a 9x9 grid of tiles. So the big stumbling block is writing AI that can be set from "thick as two short planks" to "cunning b'stard".

Each tile (token) on the board fills up your score, inflicts damage, or fills up charge bars to do things that are either a) very good for you (if you do them) or b) very bad for you (if the enemy does them). I was also considering the possibility of using a similar mechanic for looting a treasure chest (limited moves, I expect), dodging traps, and navigating the dungeon. After all, back then I called it Totally Unoriginal Roguelike Dungeon.

Early character designs. Already I had the notion that each companion would be uniquely shaped, and Roger Ramjet's influence is already showing in the hero at left.

Years later, and I drew up this concept for the throne room, the location of the first gag-filled and gag-inducing cutscene and gameplay introduction.

KING: Now, oh Handsome Hero, you know why you are here.

HERO: Yes, these two guardsmen marched me here at spear-point.

The idea is that cutscenes are like Roger Ramjet: very limited animation cut to quick-fire dialogue.

Meet Guard #1. He's the dumber of the two guards who marched you in at sp - er, halberd-point. And he won't let you leave because he wasn't told at the start you were allowed to leave when finished, so up comes the playfield and fight!

If you're all very good, I'll stop right here and not threaten to continue working on this, i.e. scripting, writing the cutscenes, drawing art assets etc. Otherwise expect even more concept arts, cutscene excerpts, and getting sent off to rescue the lovely Princess Andertits (all three of her) from the wicked Count Whocares.