We've already reported on how Notch is planning on evolving Minecraft by including XP, levelling, and permadeath-style features. But there's more...
Notch has also been talking to PC Gamer about how Minecraft has been inspired by roguelikes and other indies, describing Terraria as "really, really good." We liked the Minecraft-inspired dig 'em up too, saying it "offers dozens and dozens of hours of rewarding exploration."
Read on for the details.
"I tend to get influenced by lots of things," admitted Notch. "The way they handle the boss fights is very interesting. Where you kind of cause the boss to appear so you can kind of battle the boss on your own terms.
"That might end up somehow in Minecraft I guess. Perhaps not the same kind of ritual or whatever, but I really like that idea."
Notch also appreciates the different way that Re-Logic have dealt with variation in Terraria's landscape: "I like the more separate areas of terrain, instead of our [Minecraft's] biomes that kind-of blend into each other. I think it works very well. Because mentally you know where the boundaries are. I haven't even thought about it this clearly but yeah, I think I got inspired by Terraria. I get inspired by all the games I play."
I asked Notch if there were other ways that Minecraft has been inspired by specific genres. The developer is passionate about the trappings of roguelikes such as Nethack, or Dwarf Fortress.
"The random level generation of course. And, to some extent, the lack of a goal. In most roguelikes you never win the game because it's too difficult. But that's not why you play. You have the goal – you know it's winnable as a driving motivator," says Notch.
"I think Minecraft is lacking that, which is why I want to add some kind of way to win. But I don't expect people to actually win the game when they play. It's going to be some kind of guiding purpose."
