Randomized Dungeons :)

[Nektulos-Tuor]

Yes! This is a great example of the kind of thing that could be done. The passages under Balandor were similarly complex, and had multiple paths. There was one random element - as you described, because the doors were locked differently depending on which quest was being run there, and different keys were available, so each use of the location differed, not to mention the placement of keys in rooms guarded (as you said) that could have been far across the map in an unrelated room, or required the solving of a puzzle to enter the room where the key was guarded.

You could also toss in maps with multiple teleport points and alternate paths, along with respawning enemies; I'm thinking of the Faria map and the Free Monster Quest there.

I don't remember Vellgander getting tired, even though the main levels followed the same template, each was different and difficult in it's own way - along with obtaining keys and operating switches to enable travel to the main room, before moving on up...

The issue with that is the same one that was in SWTOR. People will always run the "path" of least resistance if its not random and they have control. There will always be patterns, thus it is no longer random anymore.

It has to be true random. Otherwise people will just pick the easiest path.

SWTOR made a 3 path system to dungeons, and guess what? I did the same path 1000x. It ended up just being a waste of development time.

You have to make it entirely random and remove all story elements from it. It needs to have a small story that ties it to lore. No cutscenes or anything that can make it too complicated.

Randomized Dungeons CANNOT be part of the story, they are just a side-story of the original dungeons. Simplified but random versions with clips and floors.


Even though it sounds silly. It is much easier to design a completely random dungeon then one with randomized split up paths. The thing is, once you do the former one once you can just redo the textures of it all, and add furniture and everything.