A Dark Room - minimalist browser game

UncleSporky

Did you ever play Candy Box?

If you enjoyed it, you might like A Dark Room.

I have no idea whether it's by the same people or not, but I must say I like this trend of work-friendly browser games.

This game is heavily inspired by Candy Box, but it's a much tighter experience, better designed all around. And it's got more of a story.

I just recently started on it so I don't know how far it goes, but it's pretty cool so far. The writing reminds me a lot of Bastion.

Hedgethorn

Damn you Sporky, I'm going to be playing this all day, aren't I?

Machismo

Intrigued.
A little less chill out and wait than candy box, it seems.

TychoCelchuuu

Welp now I'm playing this. TIME TO BE ON A JOURNEY.

TychoCelchuuu

Very minor spoiler:

Compasses are expensive.

Cobell

WHY did I look at this post! WHY!

Wanderer asking for goods:

Any see any return from these people? No luck here so far

Hedgethorn

TychoCelchuuu wrote: »

Very minor spoiler:

Compasses are expensive.

A wandering stranger offered me one for 25% off.

Slightly less minor spoiler about the very minor spoiler:

But the compass opens up the next phase of the game.

TychoCelchuuu

Minor (?) spoiler about something I caught in my trap:

"the trap contains a crudely made charm, tattered cloth and scattered teeth"

Did I catch a person?

darleysam

I presume this saves and I can resume, say, tomorrow?

UncleSporky

Yeah, every so often a little "saved" appears in the top right.

SyphonBlue

TychoCelchuuu wrote: »

Very minor spoiler:

Compasses are expensive.

You want to talk about "expensive" lets talk about fucking armor.

darleysam

Good good, would hate to lose my 'modest village' because I have to go home.

Machismo

SyphonBlue wrote: »

TychoCelchuuu wrote: »

Very minor spoiler:

Compasses are expensive.

You want to talk about "expensive" lets talk about fucking armor.

They even feature prophylactics?

Machismo

Is there a trick to attracting more villagers? I still have open slots and need some more gatherers.

TychoCelchuuu

I think it just happens automatically, it shouldn't take too long.

Machismo

TychoCelchuuu wrote: »

I think it just happens automatically, it shouldn't take too long.

Ya. I see now. I just had to wait a bit longer. It just seems to be random, possibly weighted by some other things.

I like these random events though. Thoroughly destructive(sometimes) and interesting.

UncleSporky

I got stuck pretty well for a while there...then I found

some iron at the end of a cave and successfully took it home with me

and more has opened up again.

TychoCelchuuu

About the people who come every once and a while and ask for stuff, promising to return with more stuff:

I'm pretty sure none of them have come back with anything, so maybe they never do, or maybe I'm unlucky.

Cobell

TychoCelchuuu wrote: »

About the people who come every once and a while and ask for stuff, promising to return with more stuff:

I'm pretty sure none of them have come back with anything, so maybe they never do, or maybe I'm unlucky.

I've had about 1 out of 4 return. She had about 3-400 furs (from an initial 100). She came back very quickly. Not an amazing sample size, but I do have the feeling most don't come back.

UncleSporky

Whoa. I've come across some awesome stuff for free, out there.

Brew

Any point to taking more than one of each kind of a weapon with you?

TychoCelchuuu

Does anyone know what happens if you let the fire go down, or out (can it go out?)? I don't want to let it happen but I'm curious.

UncleSporky

Brew wrote: »

Any point to taking more than one of each kind of a weapon with you?

There are ranged weapons with ammo and one-time-use consumables that you might want to use. I don't think there's a reason to take multiple melee weapons.

Hedgethorn

UncleSporky wrote: »

Brew wrote: »

Any point to taking more than one of each kind of a weapon with you?

There are ranged weapons with ammo and one-time-use consumables that you might want to use. I don't think there's a reason to take multiple melee weapons.

You can wield both the steel sword and the bayonet. I don't know whether any other melee weapons stack.

Hedgethorn

Woah, woah, woah. I just found something incredibly wild in the desert.

An old spaceship.

Wydrion

I'm playing this at work and it seems like they ditched the password system from Candy Box. Kind of shame because that means I'll definitely be starting over when I get home...

vegeta_666

TychoCelchuuu wrote: »

Does anyone know what happens if you let the fire go down, or out (can it go out?)? I don't want to let it happen but I'm curious.

The builder stokes it if it's about to go out. So it can't go out unless you run out of wood.

Aistan

This isn't a bad game. I didn't know anything about it going in, so it was a pretty nice surprise.

The amount of resources you need later on is just silly, though. I guess it's designed for you to set up an efficient layout then just leave it running all night while you sleep.

BronzeKoopa

Welp I had this game going on for a long time,

and just discovered and secured an iron mine

, until I realized I had my browser in private browsing mode...

TychoCelchuuu

Beat the game just now. Pretty fun.

Machismo

I can't seem to get any more than a few iron from my mine per tick. I need too many people for the other resources.
How do I get steel aside from trade and finds.

Also, trading sucks. One resource for all that crap? Really?

EDIT:
N/m

Just found the coal and other consequential stuff.


But seriously, half my village is out hunting!

TubularLuggage

Beat it. It was pretty great.

Seriously, big spoiler.

When you realize that it's the aftermath of an alien invasion, and then;

When you realize you're one of the aliens. Mind. Blown.

Hedgethorn

Wait, when does that last spoiler get revealed? I thought I played through the whole thing, but I didn't catch that.

Zephiran

After mapping out the entire gameworld, I've decided to lean back for a smidge and explore the different encounters you can have.

They're all mostly good, though it's hard to tell just what you're supposed to do to get a positive outcome sometimes.

Theory:

Events might be dependent on level of heat and flame in your Room.

Not sure though.

Dalantia

Hedgethorn wrote: »

Wait, when does that last spoiler get revealed? I thought I played through the whole thing, but I didn't catch that.

When you find the Wanderer ship, it quickly mentions that the natives have no clue how to work it. They're pretty subtle about the storytelling here.

Dangerbird

Arggg... I've been infected with "one-more-click-itis".

Are there any other games out there that follow a similar progression?

Magic Pink

I pressed light fire seven times. Nothing ever happened. This game is dumb.

Otaking

I pressed light fire roughly 3,600 times and beat the game. This game was amazing.

Magic Pink

How many times are you supposed to press it? I mean literally NOTHING was happening. Is that what it's supposed to do?

edit: Pressed it 15 more times. Nothing. Pretty lame.

Ormuss

Beat it, very cool. I definitely missed out on some stuff, like

the sulphur mine I found, but couldn't capture (damn soldiers kicked my ass repeatedly). What does sulphur open up? And what else is there on the map?

UncleSporky

Magic Pink wrote: »

How many times are you supposed to press it? I mean literally NOTHING was happening. Is that what it's supposed to do?

edit: Pressed it 15 more times. Nothing. Pretty lame.

You didn't notice that a clickable word popped up next to "A Firelit Room."

Also you probably didn't notice the stranger coming into the room and being warmed by the fire you created.