ROGUELIKE Meaning and
Definition
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Roguelike refers to a specific genre of video games that draws its characteristics from the classic game called Rogue, released in 1980. Roguelike games are distinguished by a set of defining features and gameplay elements. Primarily, they are typified by procedurally generated levels and permanent death, meaning that once the player's character dies, they have to start the game from the very beginning.
Furthermore, roguelike games often exhibit turn-based gameplay mechanics, where players make strategic decisions during their turns, while the game state only progresses when actions are taken. This turn-based aspect offers a tactical element to the gameplay, allowing players to carefully plan their moves in order to proceed further into the procedurally generated dungeons or environments.
Another notable aspect of roguelikes is the presence of randomization or randomness in various elements such as item locations, enemy placement, or treasure spawns. This randomness results in high replayability, as each playthrough offers a unique experience. Additionally, roguelikes frequently employ complex and intricate rule systems, encompassing features like character progression, permadeath consequences, and grid-based movements or combat.
Overall, roguelike games are characterized by elements such as permanent death, procedural generation, turn-based gameplay, randomness, and intricate rule systems. These features collectively contribute to the genre's challenging and unpredictable nature, requiring players to strategize, adapt, and persevere through each playthrough.
Etymology of ROGUELIKE
The word "roguelike" originates from the video game genre called "Rogue". Rogue is a dungeon crawling game developed by Michael Toy, Glenn Wichman, and Ken Arnold in the late 1970s. Rogue was known for its procedurally generated dungeons, turn-based gameplay, permadeath (the permanent death of a player character), and a wide array of items and creatures.
As a result of Rogue's success, similar games began to emerge, following a similar style and gameplay mechanics. These games were often referred to as "Rogue-like", indicating their resemblance to Rogue. Over time, the hyphen in "Rogue-like" was dropped, and the term "roguelike" became the standard way to describe this genre of games.
