Tangaria

Hey folks! We recently launched a new default mode — Deeptown — and it made quite a splash! Players really loved the idea of a smaller, more focused world. We’re happy to see this direction resonate with so many of you. Tangaria continues to evolve — and this update brings even more improvements to that cozy roguelike experience.

Back in the day, we chased the most brutal challenges — but let’s be honest, we’re not getting any younger. Reactions are slower, life is faster, and sometimes you just want to relax and enjoy the game… without feeling like every run is a full-time job.

Most of our long-time players feel the same. And newer players — many of them never played classic roguelikes at all — so hardcore modes can be nearly impossible (with rare exceptions). That’s why we’re keeping the good old HC mode (for the brave ones), but also developing more accessible and forgiving ways to play, without losing that authentic roguelike charm.

Personally, I’m currently enjoying one of the new “turbo mode” — it disables slow-time and speeds things up. I’m not great at it, but it brings back memories of the old days when I could dodge like a squirrel on espresso 😄

So — here we go. Another step forward. Check out the full patchnotes below, and Continue reading →

We have a huge wave of updates. The most important one: we now officially have 4 main modes:

• Deeptown – this mode is now enabled by default. Simple to start with, but full of neat features. It features a single town with the deepest dungeon. You can build houses there. There are no strict dungeon brackets, but there are some special rules (see the “Modes” guide section).
• No-mode – the classic Tangaria exploration experience with a vast world. To enable it, simply disable Deeptown mode.
• Zeitnot – time-attack mode.
• Ironman – traditional force_depth mode.

Now in these modes, bosses also appear, which makes getting food much easier.

On top of these modes, you can also apply Hardcore, Turbo, and some others.

Also, added: Continue reading →

The servers have just been wiped, so everyone is starting from square one – but all your Account Points are safe and sound. Update your client to the latest build and jump back in.

We have two new modes:

• Deeptown for a single, sprawling VERY NEWBIE-FRIENDLY dungeon-town
• Turbo for extremely fast-paced game without slow-time bubble

All other modes were changed and rebalanced too; some make the game easier, others crank up the challenge. Full guide here: https://tangaria.com/guide/modes/

There’s loads of new stuff — a new race, new classes, a reworked resistance system, and more.

A detailed changelog is on the way, but you can already dive in and explore. Good luck, adventurers, and may your drops be legendary! ⚔️

Angband 4.2.x

– SDL2 client up to date with V
– Scan full pile for detecting objects
– Improve the show_damage option
– Tweak edges of the Cracks Of Doom
– Rename square_isnotknown()
– Have player calculations use resist and flag-synonym from player-timed.txt
– SDL: plug potential leak of directory handle
– Correct path_normalize() for Windows
– For exits due to a signal, use non-zero exit code
– Avoid assert failure for negative bash damage
– Prevent out-of-bounds write to stack array in earthquake handler
– Set an object to assessed that has all its runes known
– Allow glowing terrain that’s not in a room or on the surface to light a wall
– Avoid crash when locking file for high scores could not be opened
– Account for empty object groups in ego knowledge display
– Windows: set both WINVER and _WIN32_WINNT to enforce minimum version
– Document v parameter for player_set_timed()
– Apply purple_uniques to monster list glyphs
– SDL2: provide ways to summarize details about the SDL2 installation
– Add GameController support to SDL2 backend
– Autorepeat using a wand/staff/rod/activatable item on failure
– Increase the curse removal power of a staff of remove curse
– Rebalance activation difficulty for standard items
– Configure activation difficulty for randarts from activation.txt
– Change target handling for Lightning Strike
– Remove some warnings

Gameplay changes
Continue reading →

We are all very serious about roguelike games and its hardcore gameplay.
But… sometimes it’s fun just to grab a tankard of miruvor and relax 😀

Now Tangaria has a place for that — a new Races section:
👉 https://tangaria.com/guide/races/

There you’ll find fun, comic-style descriptions for all 58 *hic* races.
Plenty of these descriptions fit well with other *bands too. I’ll keep updating this little funbook, so don’t forget to visit it from time to time 🙂

See you in the tavern — first round’s on our Discord’ warlock

Almost all sections of the website have been updated and refreshed. Plus, we’ve added some new pages:

• Race and class stat tables — perfect for diving deep into theorycrafting 🙂
• Player housing guide — from a humble hut to a full-on castle
• Combat tactics — useful not only for Tangaria but for roguelikes in general
• Video guides — for those who learn best by watching
• Lore debates — quirky and controversial moments from the game world

Take a look, explore, and feel free to leave comments. If you notice anything missing — let us know and we’ll add it!

Tangaria stays as tough as ever but now rewards you a bit more generously for your persistence. We’ve introduced a new optional progression system inspired by MMORPGs: now, by default, each time your character advances in level, you gain extra gold based on your Account Points and current maximum level.

This means: the more you play and the further your previous characters get, the more Account Points you earn — and the more gold your future characters will receive as they level up. It’s a small but meaningful way to reflect your overall progress.

Prefer the original, no-handholding challenge? No problem! You can activate the oldschool Hardcore mode by pressing = during character creation and changing the birth_hardcore option to yes. Hardcore characters do not receive these extra rewards and retain the original, tough-as-nails Tangaria gameplay. Additionally, Hardcore characters are also tracked separately on the ladder (currently indicated in the hero dump).

Choose your path: build up a legacy — or go old-school. The adventure continues!

And of course, we have plenty of great PWMAngband updates. Full details in the next post!

Recently, PWMA introduced a new system to enhance the Rings of Power (RoP), incorporating new curses over time to replace old AGGRO flag. I agree that having simple, predefined AGGRO on RoP can be somewhat monotonous. However, it may also be overly severe to impose many curses on rings that are currently already unpopular. Some curses, such as NO_TELEPORT, significantly detract from the user experience. Conversely, some curse effects are too weak or easily avoided (e.g., no TIMED_INC_NO_RES), making the rings too reliant on RNG and challenging to balance.

Therefore, I’ve designed a special multi-curse for the Nazgul ring. Each ring has a (quite low) chance of triggering some malicious effects, but these effects are not fatal and are quite bearable, such as a rare negative effect for 2-3 turns once in a while or occasional teleportation. This makes using the ring more interesting as it leads to varied situations. It’s a balance of Risk vs Reward.

In Tangaria, it’s also not possible to take off a cursed item on the first attempt (it requires several tries), which adds additional challenge. To encourage players to wear the Ring (as Nazgul rings, according to the lore, should gradually take control over time), I’m utilizing PWMA’s worn system to reduce the nourishment penalty (I’ve also refactored it to use less server CPU). This means that when you wear the Ring, it initially causes hunger (an additional requirement for nourishment), but over time, you will become resistant to it.

Later on, we can further enhance the appeal of the worn system for rings. It could be interesting to assign more predefined characteristics to each Nazgul’s Ring. For example, a ring from the Witch-King or other magically adept Nazguls could be better suited for mages (with some predefined stats and some RNG ones). Deviating slightly from the lore to make the game more engaging could be fun, giving Nazguls more personality and each of their Rings some predefined stats. As players wear the rings, we could develop different side effects and increase certain bonuses while reducing others through the worn system. But that’s a task for another day.

To introduce the new Rings of Power system, a wipe has been performed. Please update your client.

Added vanilla modes from PWMAngband, which were previously inaccessible in Tangaria:

• Force Descent mode (diving title)
  You start in the regular Tangaria world. This mode forces player descent – upward staircases do not work. All downward staircases, including the one in town, transport the character one level below their previous maximum depth. Recalling from the dungeon works and brings the character to town. However, recalling from town sends the character one level below their previous maximum depth. The character cannot recall from quest levels until the quest is complete, but a warning is given before descending into a quest level. Any status effects that teleport the character up or down will always choose down.
• No Recall mode (ironfoot title)
  You start in the regular Tangaria world. Word of Recall scrolls and spells do not work.

Based on these two mini-modes, we now also have two new major ‘diehard’ modes – Zeitnot and Ironman. Both includes both Force Descent and No Recall options with additional features.

Ironman mode (Ironman title)
You appear in Carn Dûm and can explore the Angmar dungeon without the possibility to go back upstairs. You can buy items in shops before beginning your journey and even receive additional gold at the start. After entering the dungeon, you cannot go back to the starting town; you can only go deeper. However, in Ironman mode, you can find new towns every 1000 ft where you can renew your supplies and rest.

To create a Ironman character, press = during character creation and change both the birth_no_recall and birth_force_descend options to yes.

Zeitnot mode (Zeitnot title)
You are kidnapped from Gondolin and taken to Morgoth’s jail. Before being delivered to the jail cell, you manage to escape and find yourself in the middle of Thangorodrim with minimal supplies. You are marked with a magical curse that draws you closer to the jailers, but you can resist it for a certain amount of time. Your goal is to find your way out and seek revenge.

In this daunting place, the adventure begins beneath the ominous shadow of Thangorodrim, in the very dungeons of Morgoth. Entrapped within these ancient, foreboding walls, the ultimate quest is to navigate a path to freedom. Adventurers face a tough challenge in an (almost) endless dungeon. It’s hard to leave once you’re in, and if you fail, there’s no coming back. Each corridor and chamber, a labyrinthine weave of peril, brings the heroes closer to escape, challenging their resolve at every turn. This escape from Morgoth’s stronghold is not just a journey of skill and courage, but also a race against time. As adventurers linger on each level, the ground beneath them trembles, and inevitably, they are plunged deeper into the abyss, into even more treacherous depths, adding a relentless urgency to their quest.

• On each dungeon level, you have a time limit before being thrown down. This timer decreases every turn and decreases twice as fast when moving. It leads to strategic thinking – planning your route for dungeon exploration. When you use stairs or are thrown down, the timer resets. The deeper you go, the longer the timer you have.
• You start without gold and there are no shops, but you receive additional supplies at the start.
• Every time you heal yourself with a potion, scroll or food, it restores a minimum of 30% of your HP.
• You have a high chance not to consume Phase Door scrolls (starting at 2/3, increasing towards the endgame).

To create an Zeitnot character, press = during character creation and change the ‘birth_Zeitnot‘ option to yes.

Both Zeitnot and Ironman modes have the following features:

• Zeitnot and Ironman heroes cannot leave their locations, and players from regular Tangaria world cannot enter (to prevent cheating).
• Word of Recall scrolls function like Teleportation scrolls.
• Dungeons spawn only stairs leading down (no upstairs).
• Players restore plenty of satiation when drinking from fountains.
• Golem race can restore satiation by digging tunnels (more effective in the regular world).
• You can drop cursed items on the ground, not only on daylight surfaces (after a few attempts).
• You get additional Account points from playing Zeitnot or Ironman modes.

As you may understand, playing in Zeitnot and Ironman modes requires totally different playstyles. To play effectively as a Ironman hero, you should explore each level thoroughly and take your time to gather gear in town. In contrast, Zeitnot is a fast-paced mode where you have to plan your journey with limited time and make decisions on where to spend your resources, the most valuable of which is time. Zeitnot mode might be interesting to players who are a bit tired of intensive item management and spending a lot of time in shops to find suitable items, as it swaps these for additional bonuses like more effective healing.

Hardcore mode (hardcore title)
In this mode, it is possible to play in the old ways, without Second Chance and extra low-HP heal. If you play a hardcore character, for every 10 levels up to 50, you will receive an extra account point.

To create hardcore character – on character creation press = and change birth_hardcore option to yes. This mode can be applied on top of all other modes.

Fruit bat (batty title)
Play as a fruit bat – this turns you into a fruit bat at birth, giving you up to +15 speed (gradually, starting with +2 speed at level 1 and +15 at level 50) at the cost of 40% of your maximum HPs. Also, now you can “run” as a batty without staggering. This mode can also be applied on top of all other modes.

Information about these modes can be found in the modes guide.

Other gameplay changes Continue reading →

Tangaria has successfully mitigated many of the common exploits found in roguelikes, which makes our game uniquely challenging. As a result, many of our players find it tough to surpass level 30 or even 20. To honor your efforts and dedication, a new feature has been introduced to support your adventure: Second Chance – giving you a helping hand while preserving the spirit of challenge that defines Tangaria..

1. If you on the verge of death, your chance will be consumed, and you will be patched up and teleported to a random place, generally more likely to be safer than the place where you were close to death.
2. The chance that has been consumed is replenished upon reaching certain level milestones: 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50. Importantly, these chances are not cumulative; at any given moment, you can possess no more than one chance.
3. Every time you invoke your chance, all of your gold will be lost. However, this loss is a minor trade-off for the considerable benefit of continuing your progress without having to start over.
4. To check if you have a second chance or not: see the login message (if you have it – it will be noted right after the account points number).

This feature aims to balance the difficulty and provide a slightly more forgiving experience while maintaining the challenge.

Gameplay changes

• To make it harder to exploit the chance mechanics and to avoid thieves, you can no longer drop gold inside buildings in town (eg placing it inside your house); however, you can still drop gold outside (eg for hand-to-hand trading with other players);
• Another helpful feature: when you heal on low HPs (<10%) – you will restore up to 30% HP even if healing was weak;
• The Staff of Cure Light Wounds is gone; added new Staff of Phase Door (teleport to medium distance, breaks after one use);
• Some food items no longer heal;
• The floor capacity cap increased from 8 to 10 (it means that players will be able to store up to 10 items on each floor tile of their house);
• Trader class rebalance;
• ENCHANT effects now have an additional delay. Trader class enchant skills also have cooldowns (note: cooldowns restore ONLY while inside the dungeon).

Animation and sound

• Improved combat animation (slash fx: determine direction);
• Fixed audio_rate, loop file.0.ogg file.0.mp3, sounds sewers (music looped playback);
• Updated main-sdl2.c;
• Updated – do_animations(): animate entire screen, check foreground/background, animate asynchronously;
• Fixed animation options for dungeon/wilderness, removed check for player;
• Fixed animation for NPCs;
• Weather fix (uint8_t);
• Added more animations (NPCs in 1st location, lava, water);
• Dubtrain sounds have a new license (CC By 4.0).