Today, we introduce developing ChallengIng DEck-building Roguelike CIDER (This is project phase name. Release name may changes.)
1. The Joy of "Hunting" Weaknesses
As you can see in the video, icons appear next to the Goblin. These represent the enemy's "Weaknesses." In CIDER, you can efficiently shred enemy shields by matching the weapon attributes of your cards (Slash, Blunt, Pierce, etc.) to these weaknesses.
When an encounter begins, weaknesses are hidden. They are revealed only after you land an attack, turning the opening turns into a tactical reconnaissance phase.
Development Insight: We focused on the "intellectual satisfaction" of analyzing which cards are effective—much like finding the perfect fit for a puzzle piece—to build your strategy.
2. The Overwhelming Advantage of a "Break"
Watch the mid-section of the video: the moment the enemy's shield hits zero, a "Break!" effect triggers. Breaking an enemy doesn't just increase damage; it triggers an Interrupt:
Action Cancel: It thwarts the enemy’s intent, forcing them to cancel powerful incoming attacks.
Resource Refund: As shown in the footage, breaking an enemy can trigger energy restoration or card draws, allowing you to maintain your momentum.
We’ve condensed the ultimate "catharsis" of battle—denying the enemy’s turn and launching a relentless one-sided assault—into this Break system.
Why start with "Weapon Attributes"?
While our cycle includes "Magical Elemental Attributes," we established physical "Weapon Attributes" as the fundamental framework. The direct feedback of a card choice physically stopping an enemy’s movement is the first step toward the challenging, logic-driven experience CIDER aims to deliver.
Coming Soon
In the next update, we’ll dig deeper into "Attribute Collection and Infusion," where you turn enemy attacks into your own resources. Stay tuned to see how "Counter-based Breaks" can completely flip the tides of battle.
Play the Alpha
You can download the current build on itch.io. It’s currently combat-only, but I believe it captures the core loop we're building.
https://game-decision-diagram.itch.io/cider-v0-2-10
We are also looking for feedback from deck-builder veterans on our Discord server regarding the "feel" of this combat system.
[Devlog] A Wake-Up Call: The Blind Spot in My Perspective
Recently, I hit a major milestone: completing the basic structure of the core combat system. Feeling confident, I asked a group of friends to playtest it and sent out a feedback survey. Days passed. Not a single response.
Panicked that there was a technical bug, I followed up individually. The truth was something I hadn't expected.
The "Wall" of the First Question
The culprit was the very first question: "Have you ever played a Roguelike Deck-builder?"
To me, this genre is second nature. I assumed everyone knew it. But my friends—all of whom are regular gamers—all answered "No."
The moment they saw that question, they felt: "I am not the target audience for this game," or "I don't have the expertise to provide valid feedback." They felt excluded before they even started.
What Comes Before "High Difficulty"
CIDER was originally conceived as a "high-difficulty challenge" for fans of the genre. However, this incident made me realize I was narrowing the entrance to the market far more than intended.
I want to maintain the depth for hardcore fans, but I don't want new players to walk away thinking the game "isn't for them."
Shifting Development Focus
Based on this feedback, I've added two key priorities to our roadmap:
Redesigning Intuitive Onboarding (Tutorial): Removing jargon and creating a flow where players learn the rules naturally through play.
Redefining "Difficulty": Moving away from "difficulty as a barrier" toward a learning curve where trial and error feels rewarding, even for beginners.
I’m moving past the self-centered idea that "only those in the know should play" and working to ensure more people can discover the incredible depth of this genre.
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