Joris Dormans
@jorisdormans.bsky.social
Game designer. Lead dev for Bane, Unexplored 2, and Unexplored. Also dabbles with board game design.
Teaches game studies, generative narratology, and game design at Leiden University.
Teaches game studies, generative narratology, and game design at Leiden University.
Pinned
I am very proud to finally be officially announcing our new game Bane:
- Turn-based, generative, sandbox RPG
- Brief quest you can easily finish in an hour or so
- Single player, or online multiplayer
The Steam page is up. So wishlist now!
#gamedev #indiedev
store.steampowered.com/app/3194460/...
- Turn-based, generative, sandbox RPG
- Brief quest you can easily finish in an hour or so
- Single player, or online multiplayer
The Steam page is up. So wishlist now!
#gamedev #indiedev
store.steampowered.com/app/3194460/...
Sersa Victory posted a free, small, simple dungeon crawling game that will have you exploring like it is 1981. Pencils and graph paper not included... #indiedev
sersavictory.itch.io/catacombs-of...
sersavictory.itch.io/catacombs-of...
Catacombs of the Black Dragon by Sersa Victory
Dark fantasy reimagining of Hunt the Wumpus and the D&D handheld game
sersavictory.itch.io
October 5, 2025 at 10:40 AM
Sersa Victory posted a free, small, simple dungeon crawling game that will have you exploring like it is 1981. Pencils and graph paper not included... #indiedev
sersavictory.itch.io/catacombs-of...
sersavictory.itch.io/catacombs-of...
Sometimes bugs are hilarious. I added 'slug meat', and edible item to the inventory of a big slug so they would drop it when you defeat them. This one decided to have a nibble during the fight and it "Tasted much better then you expected." lol
September 26, 2025 at 1:15 PM
Sometimes bugs are hilarious. I added 'slug meat', and edible item to the inventory of a big slug so they would drop it when you defeat them. This one decided to have a nibble during the fight and it "Tasted much better then you expected." lol
Today I fell into the rabbit hole of making the rumor system. More control over enemies gives you better opportunities to provide rumors even before the levels are generated. Here's me doing a bit of adventure crafting and learning finding out about those levels. #gamedev #procgen #indiedev
September 5, 2025 at 6:25 PM
I am always looking for ways to improve my #procgen. Bane is no exception. Today I found myself rethinking enemy placement. Previously I using enemies mostly as hazards: a room needs content, a specific type of enemy is present so the generator is allowed to place them there. #gamedev #indiedev 1/8
September 4, 2025 at 1:14 PM
September 3, 2025 at 5:32 PM
Well look at that! I did manage to finish the whole thing. Now I'm itching to find a moment to run it. Might be doable as a one-shot in a lean #ttrpg system. A few details still only exist in my head, though. Such as the chasm is filled with ice cold water that somehow always reflects the nightsky.
August 24, 2025 at 8:25 PM
Well look at that! I did manage to finish the whole thing. Now I'm itching to find a moment to run it. Might be doable as a one-shot in a lean #ttrpg system. A few details still only exist in my head, though. Such as the chasm is filled with ice cold water that somehow always reflects the nightsky.
Not completely finished yet. But made good progress in creating this adventure I called 'The Hall of Midnight'. The cards really helped fleshing things out and generating ideas. So I am pretty happy with that! But now I have to rest my poor hand. Not used to draw this much. #ttrpg #gamedev
August 24, 2025 at 2:30 PM
Printed myself a set of adventure idea cards based on videos by The Red Quills. Gonna use them to flesh out an idea for a #ttrpg adventure set in the Hall of Midnight that I rolled up earlier using my offline generator 'Places of Adventure' If it looks like something I'll share some pics tomorrow!
August 23, 2025 at 7:43 PM
Printed myself a set of adventure idea cards based on videos by The Red Quills. Gonna use them to flesh out an idea for a #ttrpg adventure set in the Hall of Midnight that I rolled up earlier using my offline generator 'Places of Adventure' If it looks like something I'll share some pics tomorrow!
Do I know somebody nearby that owns a 8bitdo Ultimate controller that I can borrow for an afternoon?
August 22, 2025 at 11:30 AM
Do I know somebody nearby that owns a 8bitdo Ultimate controller that I can borrow for an afternoon?
Introducing Bane's version of snap root trees. A staple from Unexplored 2. The challenge was to translate UE2's real-time mechanics to fit the turn-based systems. This could work? Especially when the trees are combined with with other hazards you don't want to stumble into. #gamedev #indiedev
August 20, 2025 at 1:21 PM
Today I started on cave levels for Bane. I quickly discovered that a minimalist approach works best. The walls are mostly suggested by the few details that light up from you torch.
#gamedev #indiedev #procgen
You can wishlist Bane on Steam or discuss its development on our discord server!
#gamedev #indiedev #procgen
You can wishlist Bane on Steam or discuss its development on our discord server!
August 19, 2025 at 2:27 PM
So I updated the whole menu flow to accommodate for the new Dungeon Crafting mechanics. Turns out that I only needed to disable 2 buttons and prevent 1 refresh to support multiplayer as well! You cannot imagine how rare it is for the required multiplayer changes to be this easy! #gamedev #indiedev
August 15, 2025 at 3:14 PM
Reposted by Joris Dormans
Hidden Folks is this week's ✨ Free Game ✨ on the Epic Games Store!
It's a beautiful & silly game I'm very proud of! You search for hidden folks in hand-drawn, interactive, miniature landscapes.
store.epicgames.com/en-US/p/hidd...
For Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS (!!) (in the EU).
It's a beautiful & silly game I'm very proud of! You search for hidden folks in hand-drawn, interactive, miniature landscapes.
store.epicgames.com/en-US/p/hidd...
For Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS (!!) (in the EU).
August 14, 2025 at 7:42 PM
Hidden Folks is this week's ✨ Free Game ✨ on the Epic Games Store!
It's a beautiful & silly game I'm very proud of! You search for hidden folks in hand-drawn, interactive, miniature landscapes.
store.epicgames.com/en-US/p/hidd...
For Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS (!!) (in the EU).
It's a beautiful & silly game I'm very proud of! You search for hidden folks in hand-drawn, interactive, miniature landscapes.
store.epicgames.com/en-US/p/hidd...
For Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS (!!) (in the EU).
In our game Bane you'll be able 'craft dungeons' using maps and leads you found during previous adventures. Combine them to generate new quests. Behind the scenes the game spices things up with 'grudges' which you were also secretly 'awarded'. #procgen #indiedev #gamedev
Wishlist Bane on Steam now!
Wishlist Bane on Steam now!
August 14, 2025 at 3:43 PM
Reposted by Joris Dormans
what if caves of qud was on nintendo switch
no but for real can you imagine
no but for real can you imagine
The award-winning Caves of Qud is coming to Nintendo Switch in Q4 2025!
August 7, 2025 at 1:16 PM
what if caves of qud was on nintendo switch
no but for real can you imagine
no but for real can you imagine
For our upcoming game Bane (wishlist on Steam now!) we want to keep combat brief and we are doing so by limiting the number of rounds. After 3 or 4 rounds the combat ends. If you haven't achieved the combat objectives by then you are forced to retreat. #screenshotsaturday #gamedev #indiedev 1/4
August 2, 2025 at 8:36 AM
For our upcoming game Bane (wishlist on Steam now!) we want to keep combat brief and we are doing so by limiting the number of rounds. After 3 or 4 rounds the combat ends. If you haven't achieved the combat objectives by then you are forced to retreat. #screenshotsaturday #gamedev #indiedev 1/4
I am very proud to finally be officially announcing our new game Bane:
- Turn-based, generative, sandbox RPG
- Brief quest you can easily finish in an hour or so
- Single player, or online multiplayer
The Steam page is up. So wishlist now!
#gamedev #indiedev
store.steampowered.com/app/3194460/...
- Turn-based, generative, sandbox RPG
- Brief quest you can easily finish in an hour or so
- Single player, or online multiplayer
The Steam page is up. So wishlist now!
#gamedev #indiedev
store.steampowered.com/app/3194460/...
August 1, 2025 at 5:03 PM
I am very proud to finally be officially announcing our new game Bane:
- Turn-based, generative, sandbox RPG
- Brief quest you can easily finish in an hour or so
- Single player, or online multiplayer
The Steam page is up. So wishlist now!
#gamedev #indiedev
store.steampowered.com/app/3194460/...
- Turn-based, generative, sandbox RPG
- Brief quest you can easily finish in an hour or so
- Single player, or online multiplayer
The Steam page is up. So wishlist now!
#gamedev #indiedev
store.steampowered.com/app/3194460/...
July 13, 2025 at 5:31 PM
Dancing with fireflies. The shy creatures are just a little bit of subtle eye candy for now. But they will be a useful tool to leave subtle clues when I will add more generative puzzles to the mix. #gamedev #indiedev #screenshotsaturday
July 12, 2025 at 3:41 PM
Dancing with fireflies. The shy creatures are just a little bit of subtle eye candy for now. But they will be a useful tool to leave subtle clues when I will add more generative puzzles to the mix. #gamedev #indiedev #screenshotsaturday