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RPG98 › Design Docs › Vision — Design Guardrails & Future Vision

RPG98 Design Document

Page 7: Design Guardrails & Future Vision

Design Guardrails

These non-negotiable principles will guide all future development of RPG98:

  1. Risk & Reward Above All Every major system must reinforce the central tension: the thrill of pushing deeper versus the fear of losing equipped gear and abilities. Progression must feel earned through successful extractions, never through safe, repetitive grinding.

  2. Performance First The game must run smoothly on real Miyoo Mini Plus hardware (stable 30+ FPS, reasonable battery life). This means strict limits on visible entities, particles, and network traffic. Chunk loading and efficient packet design are mandatory.

  3. Gear & Loot-Driven Progression No character levels, no traditional skill trees, and no permanent power outside of extracted items and abilities. All meaningful upgrades (stats, affixes, augment slots, Ability Tomes) must come from successful extractions and can be lost on death.

  4. Emergent Stories Over Scripted Content Prioritize player-driven moments from PvPvE interactions, desperate extractions, and lucky god-roll finds over heavy lore or linear quests. NPCs provide flavor and utility, not long exposition.

  5. Respect the Miyoo Experience Sessions should be rewarding in short bursts (15–40 minutes). The game must feel good to pick up quickly. Complex menus, long loading times, or heavy reading are to be avoided. All UI must remain clean and glanceable on the small screen.

  6. Asset Cohesion & Restraint When mixing Super Retro Roguelike base assets with ELV Rogue Adventure elements, maintain a consistent gritty fantasy tone. Recoloring and selective replacement are allowed, but visual clashes must be avoided.

Future Vision (Post-MVP)

After the initial release and first few seasons, the long-term vision includes these potential expansions (all subject to performance testing and community feedback):

  • New dungeon themes and biomes (e.g., flooded ruins, corrupted crystal caverns, ancient battlefields).
  • Expanded town hub in Blackthorn Hollow (small additions like training areas or cosmetic options earned through extractions).
  • More powerful and thematic augments and Ability Tomes.
  • Optional new classes added in later seasons (each with unique starter abilities that complement the existing trio).
  • Limited-time opt-in PvP events or arena-style modes for players who enjoy the rival team dynamic.
  • Quality-of-life improvements (better stash organization, improved tooltip comparisons, seasonal leaderboards for most successful extractions).

What We Will NOT Do

  • Never add permanent character levels or experience grinding.
  • Never compromise performance for visual fidelity. If a new feature causes drops below 30 FPS on real hardware, it will be simplified or removed.
  • Never turn the game into a heavy story-driven experience. Emergent player stories from runs are the priority.
  • Never bloat the town or add excessive menus. The Miyoo screen and quick-play nature must always be respected.
  • Never make tasks or crafting mandatory. They exist only to support the core extraction loop.

Closing Statement

RPG98 is designed to be a focused, tense, and rewarding extraction roguelike that feels at home on the Miyoo Mini Plus. By staying true to these guardrails and building incrementally through seasons, we can create a game that players return to for years — one successful (or heartbreaking) extraction at a time.

Version 0.2 • April 2026