loren schmidt
@lorenschmidt.bsky.social
i make art, mostly with computers. currently working on an open world RPG with roguelike roots and an experimental bent. cat mom. she / her or they / them.
then through a table like the above, or like this one in poschengband, we incrementally gain knowledge of, eventually, /all/ the potions and scrolls in the cipher. at which point there's no real feeling of mystery or magic at all, it's just "drink potion of speed".
January 16, 2026 at 11:07 PM
then through a table like the above, or like this one in poschengband, we incrementally gain knowledge of, eventually, /all/ the potions and scrolls in the cipher. at which point there's no real feeling of mystery or magic at all, it's just "drink potion of speed".
i've been incrementally working on a system which is a replacement for the potion / scroll system which is standard in roguelikes.
i like the idea of mysterious items which one can, through learning and craftiness, grow to understand.
i like the idea of mysterious items which one can, through learning and craftiness, grow to understand.
January 16, 2026 at 11:07 PM
i've been incrementally working on a system which is a replacement for the potion / scroll system which is standard in roguelikes.
i like the idea of mysterious items which one can, through learning and craftiness, grow to understand.
i like the idea of mysterious items which one can, through learning and craftiness, grow to understand.
i ended up with some good magical arrows and bolts, which are worth a lot, and the store has this beautiful enchanted longsword on deep discount. i may blow it all on this. that's a good weapon for a low level character.
January 16, 2026 at 7:34 PM
i ended up with some good magical arrows and bolts, which are worth a lot, and the store has this beautiful enchanted longsword on deep discount. i may blow it all on this. that's a good weapon for a low level character.
this is borne out in the actual spells for necromancy too. this has some which are more typical for other angband variants, but it adds 'break curse'. i like this. it's as if your knowledge or innate connection to curses gives you some capacity to evade or dispell them.
January 16, 2026 at 7:29 PM
this is borne out in the actual spells for necromancy too. this has some which are more typical for other angband variants, but it adds 'break curse'. i like this. it's as if your knowledge or innate connection to curses gives you some capacity to evade or dispell them.
they are doing something i really like with the domain-specific magic skills. if you learn, say, the skill for necromancy you get associated resistances, certain detection abilities and it /also/ grants you skill when you use it off-focus (eg if you were a sorcerer).
January 16, 2026 at 7:29 PM
they are doing something i really like with the domain-specific magic skills. if you learn, say, the skill for necromancy you get associated resistances, certain detection abilities and it /also/ grants you skill when you use it off-focus (eg if you were a sorcerer).
day 2 of SAngband.
i made it back to town (from level 2, ha). i have a slightly higher level character now, though i'm still very mana constrained.
i made it back to town (from level 2, ha). i have a slightly higher level character now, though i'm still very mana constrained.
January 16, 2026 at 7:29 PM
day 2 of SAngband.
i made it back to town (from level 2, ha). i have a slightly higher level character now, though i'm still very mana constrained.
i made it back to town (from level 2, ha). i have a slightly higher level character now, though i'm still very mana constrained.
inspired by historical usage of cloaks in dueling. i don't know what's going on with the lantern though, that's new to me as of 30 seconds ago and now i am curious.
January 16, 2026 at 2:10 AM
inspired by historical usage of cloaks in dueling. i don't know what's going on with the lantern though, that's new to me as of 30 seconds ago and now i am curious.
it's not done yet, but it's nice to have part of the cyrillic block in the game! a lot of these are really useful
January 15, 2026 at 11:46 PM
it's not done yet, but it's nice to have part of the cyrillic block in the game! a lot of these are really useful
my tentative proposed plans for the next little while are:
item system, first pass
tidy up the vertical connection work a little (not too much)
"historic event window" based villages
apply the above to other areas like subterranean structures.
item system, first pass
tidy up the vertical connection work a little (not too much)
"historic event window" based villages
apply the above to other areas like subterranean structures.
January 15, 2026 at 6:46 PM
my tentative proposed plans for the next little while are:
item system, first pass
tidy up the vertical connection work a little (not too much)
"historic event window" based villages
apply the above to other areas like subterranean structures.
item system, first pass
tidy up the vertical connection work a little (not too much)
"historic event window" based villages
apply the above to other areas like subterranean structures.
i managed to kill the first of the uniques but not the second. i am going to stop for now, but i am very excited to play more SAngband soon! how stimulating to play something so well crafted and different from, but aligned with, my project. i'm going to go work on my own game now.
January 15, 2026 at 5:37 PM
i managed to kill the first of the uniques but not the second. i am going to stop for now, but i am very excited to play more SAngband soon! how stimulating to play something so well crafted and different from, but aligned with, my project. i'm going to go work on my own game now.
...and we're 3 for 3 with parity aligned pillar rooms /and/ they have a variant with grids aligned such that the gaps run along the walls. i'm so pleased by these rooms.
there is a game design lesson here. i think people underestimate the value of showing players they can trust your generation!
there is a game design lesson here. i think people underestimate the value of showing players they can trust your generation!
January 15, 2026 at 5:14 PM
...and we're 3 for 3 with parity aligned pillar rooms /and/ they have a variant with grids aligned such that the gaps run along the walls. i'm so pleased by these rooms.
there is a game design lesson here. i think people underestimate the value of showing players they can trust your generation!
there is a game design lesson here. i think people underestimate the value of showing players they can trust your generation!
oh! that's really interesting. a second point into polearms (called jousting, oddly) yields points in swords and blunt weapons! this is so aligned with my thinking. i was just looking at that very thing in my notes yesterday.
January 15, 2026 at 5:09 PM
oh! that's really interesting. a second point into polearms (called jousting, oddly) yields points in swords and blunt weapons! this is so aligned with my thinking. i was just looking at that very thing in my notes yesterday.
oh this is curious! blank parchment. i found an empty bottle earlier. can one make potions or scrolls?
January 15, 2026 at 5:06 PM
oh this is curious! blank parchment. i found an empty bottle earlier. can one make potions or scrolls?
weapons are expensive to learn and set me back by a few SP so i can cast one (1) magic missile. it's possible that's worth it to be less squishy at low levels.
look at this! a parity aligned pillar room. i've seen two of these and they have both been this way. how pleasing. i'm going to like this.
look at this! a parity aligned pillar room. i've seen two of these and they have both been this way. how pleasing. i'm going to like this.
January 15, 2026 at 5:01 PM
weapons are expensive to learn and set me back by a few SP so i can cast one (1) magic missile. it's possible that's worth it to be less squishy at low levels.
look at this! a parity aligned pillar room. i've seen two of these and they have both been this way. how pleasing. i'm going to like this.
look at this! a parity aligned pillar room. i've seen two of these and they have both been this way. how pleasing. i'm going to like this.
ok i figured out why i couldn't learn a spell. you have to go into the skill menu and put skill points into magic first! $.
this could use better tutorialization or references but also it's a traditional roguelike from the days of yore so it is the Wilderness.
this could use better tutorialization or references but also it's a traditional roguelike from the days of yore so it is the Wilderness.
January 15, 2026 at 4:27 PM
ok i figured out why i couldn't learn a spell. you have to go into the skill menu and put skill points into magic first! $.
this could use better tutorialization or references but also it's a traditional roguelike from the days of yore so it is the Wilderness.
this could use better tutorialization or references but also it's a traditional roguelike from the days of yore so it is the Wilderness.
first death. i wonder if there are any tricks for low level characters, the kobolds @ 50' are pretty tough. i meant to try throwing oil, that works (think molotov cocktail) in some variants.
they made the tombstones fancy, look at the beautiful sparkly ASCII shimmer in the upper right.
they made the tombstones fancy, look at the beautiful sparkly ASCII shimmer in the upper right.
January 15, 2026 at 4:16 PM
first death. i wonder if there are any tricks for low level characters, the kobolds @ 50' are pretty tough. i meant to try throwing oil, that works (think molotov cocktail) in some variants.
they made the tombstones fancy, look at the beautiful sparkly ASCII shimmer in the upper right.
they made the tombstones fancy, look at the beautiful sparkly ASCII shimmer in the upper right.
more than a few! i like that they're carefully matched with the texture of the font. i couldn't figure out what the little white... pile of debris was. it wouldn't let me look at it or pick it up.
January 15, 2026 at 4:09 PM
more than a few! i like that they're carefully matched with the texture of the font. i couldn't figure out what the little white... pile of debris was. it wouldn't let me look at it or pick it up.
it looks like maybe you have one school of magic but you don't start with spell points? i got a spellbook and am going to see if it gives me a spell point @ level 2.
and we're in the underearth... looks like there are a few graphical tiles!
and we're in the underearth... looks like there are a few graphical tiles!
January 15, 2026 at 4:07 PM
it looks like maybe you have one school of magic but you don't start with spell points? i got a spellbook and am going to see if it gives me a spell point @ level 2.
and we're in the underearth... looks like there are a few graphical tiles!
and we're in the underearth... looks like there are a few graphical tiles!
i got sangband working for the first time! a few folks have pointed me at this variant and it sounds really interesting. i'm excited. i'm going in cold, here is my sleuthing / design notes!
January 15, 2026 at 4:07 PM
i got sangband working for the first time! a few folks have pointed me at this variant and it sounds really interesting. i'm excited. i'm going in cold, here is my sleuthing / design notes!
i am quite sure that you could forego all physical food and subsist purely on the color ramps in quake 1
January 15, 2026 at 2:59 AM
i am quite sure that you could forego all physical food and subsist purely on the color ramps in quake 1
