Made for Game Off 2018, but has been an idea brewing for awhile now.

The Volcano Game is an adventure game, inspired by ADVENT, with single-life and turn-based combat, inspired by Rouge, and is built for a web page interface. The unique feature is the procedurally generated Graph-based game world.

I wanted to create a game that was built around a non-linear world, where you have to piece together it’s structure as you go. Using a Graph gave me creative freedom in how to generate this world. Paths from start to finish allow players to complete the level, and Cycles be used to create the effect of accidently looping back on yourself.

The idea of a “volcano” came from these random graphs. Nodes are like rooms or chambers, and Edges are like tunnels and passageways. Without a compass, it would be easy to become lost. However, but I didn’t want players to be forced to draw their own map just to find their way around. I think it’s fun to see the map as you explore it.

It’s not just a maze. When you walk into a room, there’s something you have to solve before you unlock its secrets and gain access to its other passageways. I added a simple combat system so that the player had to “survive” their way through the volcano. Currently, the game can be thought of as a variation of the Shortest path problem, because there is a cost to solve room. You only have a finite amount of health, and each room will a take its toll.