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2d game in development!
I've been working towards a new game, using dialogue system and npc awareness in a 2d world, instead of the visual novel approach in Gates and Gossip.
If you played Gates and Gossip, you know I love deep, character-driven games.
Welcome to my new 2D systemic RPG—a “Social Roguelike.”
Like Gates and Gossip the narrative emerges organically from the simulation itself. To do this, two highly dynamic, interconnected systems:
- NPC Awareness & Memory: Characters in this 2D world actually observe their surroundings. They notice if you drop a strange item, remember if you helped them with a task, and form real mechanical opinions based on your actions. If you chase the farm’s chickens they’ll react, and even spread rumors.
- A Living Dialogue System: Instead of picking from a pre-written list of responses, conversations are generated on the fly. When you talk to an NPC, the dialogue system reads the raw mechanical state of the game—what the NPC recently witnessed, their current mood, the time of day, and their relationship with you—to generate completely natural, unscripted conversations that reflect the physical reality of the world.
You aren’t just clicking through a story anymore; your physical actions in the world constantly ripple through the social fabric of the town. It’s a massive technical leap, and I can’t wait to share more about how it plays!