Level

This article is about physical dungeon levels. For “level” as it relates to experience and character advancement, see experience.

A dungeon level is like a level in a building. However, they are below ground (!). In roguelikes, they can be either persistent or non-persistent. Persistent levels are levels that the game remembers from your previous visit(s) and recalls the state you left it in (possibly with some updating for time you have been absent from that level). Sometimes games have semi-persistent levels where the layout is remembered but the monsters and items are generated afresh upon each visit to the level. Non-persistent levels get generated again once it is requested again.

Traditional levels are always visible whole. The most common level size is 80x20. Sometimes higher text mode resolution is used, increasing size to 80x45 (Xenocide). Angband and its descendants have very large areas to explore but suffers from off-screen attacks. Crawl has 80x80 levels and displays a much smaller portion than bands do, but centers the view on the player character every move and ensures no attacks from off screen are made.

ADOM is known to adjust its level size to terminal but without changing other factors. It unbalances the game in several ways. Trolls have problems with finding enough food to sustain their stomach, there is more space to hide and exploration of somewhat empty places is boring. It is especially visible in small settlements like Terinyo or Lawenilothehl where a lot of barren ground is surrounding a few concentrated buildings.