My third playthough of Caves of Qud I threw a potion of animation at a door I couldn't open, just to get it out of the way. Turns out the newly sentient door was now my friend and then proceeded to ABSOLUTELY STOMP every other creature in the dungeon. Live and Drink, Waterbrother!
I have over 700 hours in this game. What the hell is an "animation potion"?! Did you mean to say you applied 'spray-a-brain' from a maximum distance of 1 tile?
Also, it's pretty awesome just reading the weekly patch notes. "Boulders are now less flammable." "Fixed bugs that prevented NPCs from equipping phylacteries and pickaxes." "Creatures who are lost can no longer give directions to other creatures who are lost." "Fixed a bug that made initial cryokinesis field deployment use colors appropriate to pyrokinesis." "Gave fire ant queens wings."
@@snakeofminthumbugs330 Roguelike players are another breed of humans, lol. I worked on an indie game similar to this, and the bugfixes and patch notes I did were all kinds of insane. Discord players would report most of the bugs, or we'd find them while adding new features and testing the game.
A tip for new players: this game is one of those that is highly cheese-able but the cheese is the kind that doesn't feel so much like you're breaking the game or exploiting poor balance, it feels more like you've cracked the code and you can see through the matrix. When you're just getting your footing in the game don't be afraid to lean hard into whatever cheesey loops you might find, you can always experiment with more generalized, balance-focused builds later with your next character after this one dies, which it will, I promise.
Also: The more you cheese it, the more the universe will actively seek to snuff you out so even if you get OP you will still be hounded by enemies even stronger.
Seems like the devs create these interactions to be exploited and so far I haven't really found a true, "cheese" build. Just builds that aren't fun, like duping cloning draught, but even the more OP builds hit a wall where the game tends to balance itself. For example the water kin/proselytize/beguile ego build works great... 'til you learn your glimmer assassin minion knows temporal fugue and starts casting burgeon 5x the second they see a snap jaw, or your beguiled troll friend from Bethesda Susa starts budding troll-lings which become hostile to the player when you navigate from one screen to another. My point is I've never, "finished" the game and eventually all characters were killed, some spectacularly, but most by something like being beaned in the head by a rock thrown by a baboon.
One I discovered is that Magma Crabs are a horrendous nuclear weapon; become one permanently, and carry blaze injectors. Overdose on blaze. Your temperature is now hot enough for quite a long time that anything near you instantly evaporates. How it works: Blaze overdose sets your body temperature to . The Magma Crab's ignition temperature is very very very high, so high in fact that it's above the maximum body temperature. Your body temperature is set to the maximum temperature, which is like 6 million. You radiate that heat every tick, and pretty much everything other than Magma Crabs has an evaporation temperature (read: cease to exist temp) far far lower. You can literally just OD on blaze, and every turn for a few minutes everything within like 3 tiles of you ceases to exist. (this was discovered more than a year ago maybe it's changed)
One of my first characters wound up being an 8-armed monk with hydrokinesis. If i couldn't chain-stun something to death, I'd drown it then chain-stun it to death ;D
The thing I like about Caves of Qud is despite having a minimal visual style it's FAAAR more approachable, streamlined, & optimized than Dwarf Fortress. It's the only old school rougelike (i.e. minimal graphics, permadeath, procedurally generated environments, etc.) I've sunk more than 100 hours into. No requirement to peruse the game wiki for hours to get started here - pretty much anyone can pick it up, play, & have fun almost immediately.
Agreed. I think it's a little more approachable than Cataclysm DDA, too. It's a complicated game and it's merciless, but the menu system is a lot more forgiving than similar games I've played.
Caves of Qud is one of those games that I look at and kind of marvel at the fact that it has managed to exist and continue existing long enough to get to the point it's at in today's gaming ecosystem. It's the sort of game that required a lot of faith from both the developers and prospective players to invest time and money into, especially because the scope and scale of what it promised was so very large. Faith is not something there's a lot of in modern gaming, for good reason what with all the big name studios and publishers rolling out blatantly unfinished titles and having the gall to weave microtransactions into games we already payed upfront for at such a foundational level that removing those monetization systems would require a rework of the entire game. This one was worth placing faith in, though, and I'm glad I bought it all those years ago, because watching it grow and mature into the game it has become has been a fascinating experience, and I'm so glad it has made it to where it is now.
Its so interesting for me as someone on the outside who doesn't typically play these games. I can see why people like it though, because its just so fucking crazy and huge, and people love the game despite the weird, cursed nature of the dev of the game.
@@mrjtfang2 It's interesting really, I bought the game years ago on a whim purely because it looked cool on the store page, and at that time I had little experience or interest in the majority of the traditional roguelike/rpg genre but got the game nonetheless. I played it for a while and enjoyed it, I was very impressed with the scope of the game and the sheer variety of experiences to be found within and the huge amount of agency it allows the player even in those relatively early days when the game was much smaller and less polished than it is now. Nonetheless, as always happens eventually, I ended up putting the game down for several years, though I did regularly check in on the progress it was making. Several years went by, it was around this time last year that I got really into the traditional roguelike/rpg scene, and by playing a number of other similar games I learned a lot about the history of roguelikes and what makes a good one good. This led me to a realization that was almost disappointing: while there are others that have a similar scope and scale and player agency/build diversity are staples of the genre, there really are no other games like Caves of Qud. It's a very unique blend of thematic and gameplay elements, and after realizing this my appreciation for it has only grown more. All of this is to say, I've owned this game so long (and during a period of my life where I was a young person and so my preferences in games and other media have developed over time) that I've managed to experience approaching the game as both someone who is on the outside of the traditional roguelike scene and later as someone with a lot more comprehensive knowledge and experience on that topic, so I feel positioned to say that Caves of Qud, with how vast and varied it is, is kind of like a partner/spouse/significant other - the relationship starts out good already, but with time, age, and most of all familiarity it gets drastically better.
indeed. they decide to combine the procedural generation and world development and open RPG aspects of both those games... the bar for rpg's are going to just get destroyed.
RIGHT?! Crazy combo, I would have figured those kind of devs could never compromise their vision and work together like that.. glad to know I'm wrong 😂
If you've watched Splatt's videos over the years, this is one he often mentions in revered tones. Even before this, he often uses it as an example of these kinds of games done right. I haven't played the game yet, but I know I will at some point.
He is constantly referencing CoQ as an icon, yet also an iconoclast, in a world of high-budget, AAA bullshit. I've never once heard him bad mouth CoQ. And so far not one of the games he's recommended has let me down.
@@Ninja40K C:DDA has come a long way recentlyin terms of becoming way more user friendly. Catapult launcher's been the best version so far for all the included mods and scenarios.
@@BockwinkleB of fucking snap!!! you must be ancient !!!! I'm not worthy.. im not worthy.. .. yea man Ultima III, and Bards Tale for me.. I can't even remember Ultima lol.. Oh yea playted alot of Kings Quest and Space Quest and Leisure Suit Larry lol
I started playing this game a week ago after getting comfortable with traditional roguelikes through Path of Achra. Man, Caves of Qud is probably, no joke and I mean it that way, the best gaming experience I ever had. The random generation is so good in this game. Every plathrough feels different even with the same charackter. Random stuff that surpises you happens all the time. That creates a real adventure atmosphere and you never know what you will encounter around the next corner. And there is so much depth. Only played melee charackters for now but I found already so many ways to play them. If you would like to delve into this game but are scared because of the difficulty let me tell you that it is a hard game, but it is more accessible than you think. You may won't come far for a long time but you will have the time of your life if you like RPGs like I do. And the biggest surprise for me was how atmospheric this game is. The Soundtrack is top notch and the world building and lore really is on par with fallout 1+2 but it is portrayed a bit differently. If you love to explore vast and interesting open worlds and you are interested in random generation this is the game for you.
Splat in my entire career in the sales industry I've never heard anyone pitch anything so perfectly as you did this game in the opening of this video. That was sell me this pen Wolf of Wallstreet sell me this pen level of identifying a need, communicating a solution, and your tonality captured my attention so well that I forgot what I was supposed to be doing and started writing this.
I have yet to find a game that Sseth has reviewed that I haven't already fallen in love with or found to be enjoyable. Except for the lizard vore game. I can only handle so much schizo.
Fun Fact: when Sseth reviewed this game, he mentioned that the devs got assmad that he suggested they implement Templar starts and that he made fun of their deviantart oc, QGirl. He had nothing but praise for the game, saying it's one of his favorites, but they ended up banning him from their discord and accusing half of their new customers, Sseth included, on being cryptofascists. Sseth is literally an Asheknazi jew with a pharmaceuticals degree who shitposts on the internet.
I absolutely love CoQ! I have lived out many generations of fathers sons & daughters within the worlds of Qud. Each child taking the best attributes of their parents into the new world that is before them. And I have not even scratched the surface.
My shameful admission is that I've been playing a lot more Qud lately than I have DF. I do really appreciate the relatively new "save at villages" mode so that I don't have to start completely over in the rust pits every time I'm brutally slain by some new horrifying foe. I've taken the Wardens Esther to the Spindle, saved the Barathrumites, murdered the Barathrumites, cured glotrot wit the Flaming Ick, found the Ruin of House Isner, pawned the Ruin of House Isner to a Dromad Merchant, been stoned to death by apes, been an ape, cooked neutron flux, and generally had an amazing time in this twiested twisted world. Live and Drink Friend. And may you remain ever rustless. (Steam claims I'm now over 500 hours in Qud...)
It was no surprise at all to learn Kitfox picked this one up. If there is ANY game that has the legacy and quality of improvement for many, MANY years that Dwarf Fortress does, it's Caves of Qud. Think more sci-fi/fantasy adventure and less fortress building. I LOVE this game. The story generation and unique adventure crafting is second to NONE. I'm only at 44 hours in but I know this title will get better and better and better for MANY years to come.
WIth the possible exception of Nethack 3, Qud is the greatest 'true roguelike' that has ever existed. Every year or so i spend a couple of months obsessed with it. If you kite the irritated tortoises, they're much easier to kill. They get a +3 defensive bonus when they haven't moved in the last turn. So step away, let it come to you and whack it. Then step away again.
I had to check at first at the start of the video as I thought that I was on a different stream, because I wasn’t sure if I was in the nerd castle. Has to be the first time that Splat hasn’t said “What’s up guys and gals welcome back to the nerd castle”.
What a rousing rendition for an amazing game. Sounded like a completely different Splatt at the beginning of the video, and I loved every second. Apparently I've got 410 hours on this game so far, and I completely agree with your assessment. It's a masterpiece
I couldn't get into CoQ or DF at all. I do enjoy TOME4 and Rimworld a lot though. The creativity is great of bizarre interactions and depth, but even for growing up with an Atari 2600, the combat and graphics are a scratch too basic for me for 2023. Usually SNES graphics is my limit (maybe TOME4 being the exception but it is around SNES graphics).
Sometimes this game makes you feel like sci fi conan the barbarian. Ambushed by 50 or so snapjaws in a narrow canyon, Nimjasakha Oli-Omonur stood her ground armed only with a knife and a combination of Psionic barriers and hand made acid grenades turned the whole army of snapjaws to fresh meat. Then their leader, a legendary warlord appeared and we fought a brutal and bloody battle on the butcher corpses of his fellows. After a long back and forth, he lobbed off my left arm, but i finally got his heart with the knife in my right. After flopping to the ground for a quick breather, i stuck my arm with a salve that regenerated my arm, and my adventure coninued
what mod makes the inventory or lootable list categorized and also makes the equipment screen visualized like any modern rpg helmet/body/left right hands etc???
My favorite moment was playing a 20+ hour character that I got to level 30+. I was scouring the underground for hidden ruins in search of cybernetics, or at least credits to install the cybernetics I already had or books to turn in for experience up at the Stilt. I came upon a salt kraken, noting that the hulking beast excreted scrap that I could scavenge for parts to make into weapons and ammo. I got a little to overzealous in searching through its excrement that I ended up on the wrong side of the salt kraken, who promptly ate me and the ground beneath me as he moved on with his day. My character survived getting trapped by magma slimes while being pelted with guns from desert bandits. From diseases that would make even the most brave of men tremble and quiver. From unspeakable horrors the likes of which would not be believed by those who have not traversed through the world of Qud. Only to end up in some beasts excrement without even putting up a fight.
I've never even heard of Caves of Qud, but I played the original Rogue and NetHack (and various ASCII/sprite forks). This was a fascinating bit of gaming history and anthropology!
Played Nethack with Vulture's Eye graphics. I think it is still the best dungeon crawler RPG ever. What you can do, the NPCs can do, what items you can use, they can use, you drop an item, they can pick it up. Helluva challenging.
It's been a little while since I played with CoQ, that UI looks different than I remember. Is it some sort of mod, or did the dev team finally update the GUI to make it more appealing?
That's a straight-up update they did a while back. Not only with that, but they've updated the graphics across the board for most abilities as well, making them much more appealing and actually understandable. The current beta branch looks awesome and 1.0 is supposed to have even more.
This reminds me of my days in Moria, Boss, and Omega. *Thousands* of hours were spent in those games, usually at night when my mother thought I was sleeping... thus my exemplary grades in school...
Hey splat, I would Love to see you do another video on song of syx. I think its had many updates since your last playthrough and I would love to know what its like before I sink many hours in trying to learn it myself
I wanted to point out that in the first 2 minutes of the video you said they are under the same roof as the creators of dwarf fortress. I want to point out that Kitfox games is a publishing company, they are not bay 12 games (the company that made dwarf fortress). Kitfox games is its own entity. Both Caves of qud and dwarf fortress is being published BY kitfox games... hope this clears up any confusion. Have a great day!
You don't "play" Qud. You visit. It's my favorite game of all time. I passed on this game for a long time because of the "graphics," and I couldn't have been more fucking wrong in my entire life. After I played it for a few hours, I realized that I'd been missing out on one of the best gaming experiences for way, way too long. I no longer give a shit about graphics in games. If the game's good, the game's good. Fighting off your own evil clone who's capable of spawning more clones who also clone themselves, and then stealing his body _mid-combat_ and _killing your old body_ while you live on _Scanners_-style is still unreal to me. Love, love, love this game.
i have 200 hours in cod and was playing one day and was told by an on-looker that the game looked easy and dumb. I started them up a new character and let them play. they walked south from joppa. i seen an aligator and surely thought well this is gonna be the end of their run...they didnt even notice it lol seconds later they find a stairway and climb down it and walk right next to a slumberling.....game over. they died with 0 exp points earned. i was so proud of caves of qud.
Just to clarify , Kitfox games did not create Dwarf Fortress, they just publish it, and managed to make the Adams brothers loaded in the process (well deserved after 20+ years of developing DF in near poverty).. They seem to be decent people who have let DF flourish under their new arangement, so I strongly suspect they'll be good to Qud's creators.
It's nowhere near as deep or as heavy in lore as Qud, but Infra Arcana is another great passion project rogue-like with a Call of Cthulhu/cosmic horror theme and it's free. I'd love to see even a short video from Splatty on it, give the guy some love. Good to sink some time into when 5 or 10 free minutes are available.
Fun fact about glowspheres... they are not a mysterious artifact of a prior era. Instead these are the useful litter box scrapings of the humble glowcat. You'll always find some in the inventory of any glowcat farmer. Live and drink.
This game is very pretty. It’s obviously designed that way and I love it. Color choice is also very good. You can easily tell there’s someone with artistic taste and talent behind it.
Yeah, with so few pixels and colors per sprite they still manage to create incredibly evocative artwork of creatures and locations and items. Plus I feel like the lack of detail works in the game's favor because the wonderful descriptive text would be very tough to accurately portray with higher fidelity sprites, so the lofi ones let you fill in the blanks with your imagination.
I love this game. I have played it every few months since 2015 and discover new things every run. I have to say, I play RPG mode almost exclusively, and have never looked back. There's a lot of what folks will call, "artificial difficulty" as a rogue like, because a single mistake will often result in your death, slow or immediate. As a rogue that can be frustrating but if that decision only sets you back a few steps, it stings less and becomes part of a learning experience. Plus the majority of the game's content lies beyond the 10 hour mark of a run. My recommendation is to play the campfire saving mod or at the very least RPG mode if you're new to Qud.
I'm really not a fan of how Qud looks, the Dwarf Fortress steam release i think looks much better now, and there are many tilesets for CDDA that looks just as good, but Qud, something about the tileset/graphics really puts me off :D
It's funny because I was trying to remember who you were but also this game and when I found out the game and searched it, it brought me back to YOU. 😂 HOPEFULLY can get your videos back into my daily rotation now.
my best death so far, by far was a mutant run, I had the Burgeoning mutation (spawns a 3x3 square of random friendly plants) and concussive force, (AoE damage and knock back) turns out knocking a person through 3 Aloe pyra (causes a blast of fire when agitated) then also sets off the Aloe pyra again. anyway. i took like 200 damage in 3 turns and caused a rave. Good times
A couple days ago I got poked by a cloneling robot, which cloned me. My evil clone had all of my items and abilities, including my Temporal Fugue mutation, so he immediately summoned 6 copies of himself and I got set on fire, shot, stabbed, feared, slowed, and shamed in the next turn. I died very quickly 😂
