Ultima Ratio Regum (video game)

Last updated

Ultima Ratio Regum
URR video game.png
Title screen of Ultima Ratio Regum
Designer(s) Mark R Johnson
Platform(s) Microsoft Windows
Release9 July 2012
Genre(s) Roguelike, puzzle
Mode(s) Single-player

Ultima Ratio Regum ( Latin for ' the last argument of kings ') is a roguelike created by Mark R Johnson. It was started in 2011 and was intended to be a ten-year project, [1] and has returned to active development since December 2020 after several years without a release. [2] The game takes place in a procedurally generated world around the time of the Scientific Revolution. [1] It tasks the player with trying to "uncover a procedurally-generated mystery in the most culturally, religiously and socially detailed procedural world ever generated", [3] and the game's core technical objective is "nothing short of the procedural generation of culture". [4] The next planned release is the 0.11 version, which will for the first time include a fully procedurally generated path of riddles and clues to be followed. [5]

Contents

Gameplay

A generated map for a currently unvisited part of the game world URR video game, play.png
A generated map for a currently unvisited part of the game world

Ultima Ratio Regum is presented in a roguelike manner with ANSI characters and features permadeath. Unlike most roguelikes, Johnson has stated that combat itself will not be the main source of difficulty, and the game is instead focused around a kind of cultural detective-work [6] wherein the player pieces together clues [7] from the world's generated culture, history, religions, social norms, etc., [8] [9] to decipher procedurally generated riddles and mysteries similar in nature to those found in games like La-Mulana and Outer Wilds. This requires the procedural generation of many types of clues, both visual and textual. [1] [5] The whole world is procedurally generated, from solar systems [10] [11] (the macro scale) to small details like tombstone engravings which are displayed with generated ANSI graphics (the micro scale). [10] [12] Puzzles are generated anew each game and scattered around the world, [13] to ensure that they are "not so easily spoiled by a wiki". [10] The game does extensive procedural generation of aesthetics and graphics, ranging from tables and chairs to ornate vases and religious altars. [14]

Civilizations have different policies that affect the player to varying degrees. NPCs have their faces generated in ANSI according to their civilization's genetic features and social norms (earrings, tattoos), and can be viewed ingame so the player may figure out the social class or origin of an NPC. There is no consistent cultural style, so in one game tattoos might be worn by people in lower-class districts, while in another one they might be a distinct feature of the ruling class. [3] [15]

Development

Developer

Mark R Johnson is currently a Senior Lecturer in game studies at the University of Sydney. After his undergraduate degree in politics and sociology, he studied for a PhD in science and technology studies from 2011 to 2014. He is also an ex-professional poker player. [16]

Influence

According to Johnson, Jorge Luis Borges, who "wrote a lot about themes which resonate with roguelikes but haven't been fully explored", Umberto Eco and Neal Stephenson were all inspirations for Ultima Ratio Regum. [3] [10] [16]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roguelike</span> Subgenre of role-playing video games

Roguelike is a style of role-playing game traditionally characterized by a dungeon crawl through procedurally generated levels, turn-based gameplay, grid-based movement, and permanent death of the player character. Most roguelikes are based on a high fantasy narrative, reflecting the influence of tabletop role-playing games such as Dungeons & Dragons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Procedural generation</span> Method in which data is created algorithmically as opposed to manually

In computing, procedural generation is a method of creating data algorithmically as opposed to manually, typically through a combination of human-generated content and algorithms coupled with computer-generated randomness and processing power. In computer graphics, it is commonly used to create textures and 3D models. In video games, it is used to automatically create large amounts of content in a game. Depending on the implementation, advantages of procedural generation can include smaller file sizes, larger amounts of content, and randomness for less predictable gameplay.

Dwarf Fortress is a construction and management simulation and roguelike indie video game created by Bay 12 Games. Available as freeware and in development since 2002, its first alpha version was released in 2006 and received attention for being a two-member project surviving solely on donations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Open world</span> Type of video game design

In video games, an open world is a virtual world in which the player can approach objectives freely, as opposed to a world with more linear and structured gameplay. Notable games in this category include The Legend of Zelda (1986), Grand Theft Auto V (2013) and Minecraft (2011).

<i>Spelunky</i> 2008 video game

Spelunky is a 2008 source-available 2D platform game created by independent developer Derek Yu and released as freeware for Microsoft Windows. It was remade for the Xbox 360 in 2012, with ports of the new version following for various platforms, including back to Microsoft Windows. The player controls a spelunker who explores a series of caves while collecting treasure, saving damsels, fighting enemies, and dodging traps. The caves are procedurally generated, making each run-through of the game unique.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tarn Adams</span> American computer game programmer

Tarn Adams is an American computer game programmer, best known for his work on Dwarf Fortress. He has been working on the game since 2002 together with his older brother Zach. He learned programming in his childhood, and took up designing computer games as a hobby. In 2006, he quit during his first year of a mathematics post doctorate at Texas A&M University to focus on game development.

<i>UnReal World</i> 1992 roguelike survival video game

UnReal World is a roguelike survival freeware video game set in a fictionalisation of Iron Age Finland. The game was first released in 1992 and continues to receive regular updates as of 2024. The game was released on Steam on 26 February 2016.

Malevolence: The Sword of Ahkranox is an action role-playing game from Australian indie developer "Visual Outbreak". The game is a turn-based, grid-based, first-person dungeon crawler inspired by classic 1980s and 1990s first person role-playing games. It was released to open beta on February 3, 2013 for Windows.

<i>Dragon Fin Soup</i> 2015 video game

Dragon Fin Soup is a role-playing video game created by the independent development studio Grimm Bros. It is the studio's first title and was released on Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, and PlayStation Vita. It is influenced by roguelike games and uses procedural generation. The game has two modes: Story mode follows a story and is more like a typical role-playing game, while Survival mode skips the story and focuses on the surviving within the game and constrains players with permadeath—once the player character dies, the game must be restarted from the beginning.

<i>Brogue</i> (video game) Roguelike video game

Brogue is a free and open-source roguelike computer video game created by Brian Walker. As in its predecessor Rogue, the goal of Brogue is for the player to descend to the 26th floor of the Dungeons of Doom, retrieve the Amulet of Yendor, and return to the surface. Players also have the option of delving deeper into the dungeon to obtain a higher score. This task is complicated by the presence of monsters and traps in a procedurally generated dungeon.

Okhlos is an action and roguelike video game developed by Coffee Powered Machine and published by Devolver Digital. It was released on 18 August 2016.

Enter the Gungeon is a 2016 bullet hell roguelike game developed by Dodge Roll and published by Devolver Digital. Set in the firearms-themed Gungeon, gameplay follows several player characters called Gungeoneers as they traverse procedurally generated rooms to find a gun that can "kill the past". The Gungeoneers fight against bullet-shaped enemies, which are fought using both conventional and exotic weapons. Enter the Gungeon features a permadeath system, causing the Gungeoneers to lose all obtained items and start again from the first level upon death. Between playthroughs, players can travel to an area called the Breach, where they can converse with non-player characters and unlock new items randomly encountered while playing.

<i>Flinthook</i> 2017 action platformer and roguelike indie video game by Tribute Games

Flinthook is platform game roguelike by Tribute Games in which the player's character uses a grappling hook to traverse procedurally generated spaceships for treasure. The developers were inspired by "rogue-lites" including Spelunky and Rogue Legacy. They said that the grappling hook game mechanic was their hardest design challenge. The game was released in April 2017 for Windows, macOS, Linux, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One, followed by a release for Nintendo Switch in March 2018. Early previews of Flinthook noted the accessibility and tightness of the controls. Digital Trends and Kotaku listed the game among the best in show at the June 2016 Electronic Entertainment Expo.

<i>Wizard of Legend</i> 2018 roguelike video game

Wizard of Legend is an indie roguelike video game released by American studio Contingent99 and Humble Bundle in May 2018. Funded through Kickstarter in 2016, players take control of a wizard as they traverse a procedurally generated dungeon, using a wide variety of spells to defeat mobs, three major bosses, and a final boss to earn the title "Wizard of Legend". The game received generally favourable reviews. A sequel, titled Wizard of Legend II, is in the works by Dead Mage.

A roguelike deck-building game is a hybrid genre of video games that combines the nature of deck-building card games with procedural-generated randomness from roguelike games.

<i>Caves of Qud</i> 2015 roguelike role-playing video game

Caves of Qud is an early access roguelike role-playing video game developed by American studio Freehold Games set in an open world that is partially pre-made and partially randomly generated. The game takes place in a post-apocalyptic science fantasy setting and is inspired by the pen-and-paper role-playing games Gamma World and Dungeons & Dragons.

<i>UnderMine</i> 2019 video game

UnderMine is a roguelike action dungeon crawler video game developed and published by Thorium. It was released for Microsoft Windows and Xbox One on August 6, 2020, which followed an early access release one year earlier. Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 versions were released in February and March 2021, respectively.

<i>Curious Expedition</i> 2016 video game

Curious Expedition is a 2016 roguelike-adventure video game developed by Maschinen-Mensch for Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. The player takes control of a party who attempts to navigate through several lost locations on Earth, each one created through procedural generation. Reviewers have praised the game as charming and challenging, but others have criticized it as repetitive.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "About Ultima Ratio Regum". markrjohnsongames.com. Retrieved 9 April 2015.
  2. ↑ "2018 Year in Review | Dr Mark R Johnson". January 2019. Retrieved 31 January 2019.
  3. 1 2 3 ""Massive Environmental Storytelling": An Interview with Mark Johnson". videogametourism.at. 8 May 2015. Retrieved 10 May 2015.
  4. ↑ "Norwich Gaming Festival 2015". ready-up.net. Archived from the original on 27 September 2015. Retrieved 9 June 2015.
  5. 1 2 "Ultima Ratio Regum 0.11 Update #25: Riddle Generation 2". markrjohnsongames.com. 2 November 2024. Retrieved 25 November 2024.
  6. ↑ "Ultima Ratio Regum (v 0.6 released, 13th December!)". Temple of the Roguelike. 13 December 2014. Retrieved 17 April 2015.
  7. ↑ "Mark Johnson - Generating Riddles for a Generated World". Youtube . 16 November 2023. Retrieved 25 November 2024.
  8. ↑ "Why Proc Gen Poetry Matters in Dwarf Fortress". Rock, Paper, Shotgun . 19 March 2015. Retrieved 17 April 2015.
  9. ↑ "Roguelike Radio: Ultima Ratio Regum". Roguelike Radio. 18 January 2015. Retrieved 9 April 2015.
  10. 1 2 3 4 "Interview: Ultima Ratio Regum, A Generated 4X Roguelike". Rock, Paper, Shotgun . 18 October 2013. Retrieved 9 April 2015.
  11. ↑ "ProcJam Talks Schedule". procjam.com. 3 November 2014. Retrieved 17 April 2015.
  12. ↑ "ProcJam and the Future of Procedural Generation". PC Gamer . 9 February 2015. Retrieved 17 April 2015.
  13. ↑ ""Ultima Ratio Regum": Wie das Spiel eines 25-Jährigen komplette Welten simuliert". derstandard.at (in German). 10 May 2015. Retrieved 10 May 2015.
  14. ↑ "Norwich Gaming Festival Industry Days". norwichgamingfestival.com. Retrieved 17 April 2015.
  15. ↑ "The world is a found object, and we are imperfect archeologists". james-patton.net. 29 May 2015. Retrieved 1 August 2015.
  16. 1 2 "About Dr Mark R Johnson". markrjohnsongames.com. Retrieved 25 November 2024.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.