Yes, most secret doors have debris on front of them (usually bones or rocks differing from rest of the cave theme) Next update is coming at some point of february, currently I'm in a middle of a move so Cavern has been on a backburner lately. Again, thank you for all the great feedback and support!
Can you share any news of what might be included in the next update? Thanks for all your work on Cavern!
Next version will be relatively minor update, main features will be weekly high scores, more diverse audio controls and slight game balance adjustments. Highscores will be also available on the cavern website at www.cavern2.com. Hopefully alternative movement schemes will finally make it to next version too. Beyond that, I'm eager to introduce new gameplay elements that would make previous / other players games to affect game more that they do now with ghosts. Also, I've been toying with idea to add permanent "home" to surface town you could decorate, expand and maybe stash some items for next game using excess gold.
This game has gotten so many updates over the years, it's amazing. Just a stated playing again since being away from ios gaming and it's like a different game. At this point I must say it's taken the crown for best roguelike on the platform. One minor gripe - occasionally I'll miss-tap and my dude ends up going all the way around a given spot. Maybe it's my big fingers, not sure if it happens to anyone else? An easy way to correct it might be that once on a movement course, another tap halts the character in his tracks. This game is awesome and I can't believe how much work has gone in this since release. It's basically like a hardcore version of Diablo, complete with the prefix/suffix on the loot, which gives loot so much variety. This is the kind of game that would make me buy an iDevice if I didn't already have one. It was awesome back when I first played it, and now it's just crazy good.
It's silly how insanely good apps like Cavern sometimes get overlooked just by virtue of not being a newer release. I don't think anyone should be allowed to get excited about something like Cardinal Quest 2 until they've played Cavern. The Dungeon is another legacy roguelike that still gets attention. I noticed people sometimes ask for recommendations on good roguelikes and mostly responses are just whatever fluff came out the past month. I like this idea.
Yeah, I'm so glad I fired it back up after all these years. First of all I noticed he had made it universal (now using ipad and not iphone) and then when I started playing I noticed all the other improvements over the years. I think the idea to have a stash for next character is brilliant too! BTW - What is your statue doing in my game lol. I noticed it last night and I recalled your TA username. Sami - you should port this game to PC and go on steam greenlight. Your roguelike would compete with some of the best on the PC market and there's a growing crowd who seek them out!
Portcullis locked? I stumbled across this forum after searching google for some hints about this game. I am on the "Gazer's Lair" level and I'm stuck because the portcullis is locked. I'm assuming that I just missed a switch or something on a previous level, but I've gone back up 5 or 6 levels and scoured them all with no results. Can anyone give me a hint as to what I need to do? Do I need to find a secret door or an item? I noticed another guy left a message with the same question (that's how I found this forum) but he resolved it himself without getting an answer. Unfortunately, I apparently don't have the wherewithal of that guy. Anyway, this is a fantastic game and probably the best one I've played on an iDevice. Glad to see so many others enjoying it too.
zim4mayor, There is a secret door on right side of tunnel leading to portcullis (there is lever to open portcullis). Secret door is marked with some debris on front of it. bluewomble88, Levels are randomly generated, but some levels contain fixed elements. Surface town and Gazers Lair mentioned are not generated but remain the same in every game. Jorlen, Steam might be an option but currently Cavern is very tied to iOS platform due to quite heavy iOS sdk usage. OS X port would be relatively easy but Windows or Android port would require quite a lot of rewriting of code.
Stuck on the town guardsmen fort on Level 14 (spoilers) It's the fort at level 14 or whatever staffed w/ town guardsmen. I've cleared the level and used a magic map. When I saw the guard I just assumed he was another bad guy. Hung back because I was an archer and was puzzled when the bow wouldn't shoot. A second later another guard opens the gate, stands there, now they won't move. I've tried to drop food, gems for bribes, tried charm spells, tried to get the ghost of bee to go first, they don't respond (except the usual lines) and you can't fight them. Can someone who's beaten it tell me how to get through? If the answer was to rush in before the second guard came, and now you have to retire and start over, that seems incredibly unfair...there's no way you could expect that, especially as an archer, where the whole thing is to hang back, and they don't look any different than some of the villains I'd been killing. It took me hours of play to get down there. Is this a puzzle or a bug or just incredibly unfair (and, therefore, bad) game design? The game had been great until this. PS- Thanks in advance to anyone who replies.
Sounds like a bug - will look into that. Gates open when you get close to them and are not controlled by guards. Also, guards should return to their default position if they do not see an enemy. You can switch places with friendly creatures by tapping and holding a while you stand next to them - have you tried it?
Would a magic map actually show secret doors on a level? Might be a good way to find secrets if so. I've never actually used one myself, I keep stock piling them near the teleport stone, so they can sit there until I die lol. I love this game. That gazer killed me last time though. For the next time, I shall be prepared for this cycloptian atrocity!
Yeah, it just gives the standard guard lines. But I'm ok w/ it if it's a bug, I was just annoyed if it were deliberate...that would've been unfair and bogus. I'll just start over again. With the different maps and items it shouldn't be boring. This character was cool, but any character that makes it this far should be about as powerful. The thing I figured out (this was my third game) is that int is more important than vitality, so you can use magic, and you'll have enough money later for a lot of healing potions. Thanks for responding, it's a cool game, not too hard but also not too easy...a good balance.
Will fix this in next update. Also, to celebrate Valentines Day, Cavern is now on $0.99 sale until Monday!
It was a bug. I made it down there again and the guards didn't act that way again. I beat the game. Fighting to the surface was pretty tense, because of the limited supplies. I could see playing this game again, maybe give the wizard a try. A good game.
I noticed that if I move the attack button in the options menu it will return to the default position when I close and reload the game. Might be a bug.
