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[voodoomaster]

Lethal Running is a 2D action rogue lite about a deadly game show held in a futuristic dysoptian society.
The main gameplay consists of exploring, looting, fighting hunters in the battle areas as well as surving the outer wastelands.

A level is one procedurally generated battle ground.
Now, how should the player proceed from level to level ?

1. Only linear. He must play through level n to reach n+1 where the enemies are stronger and meaner, where better loot can be found, etc. In the context of the game one level is one game show.

2. Free access. Any time he can jump from level n to level n+x where enemies can either be stronger or weaker. Fighting stronger opponents results in better rewards - fighting weaklings in less to nothing. The wasteland will stay the same and be the return point from each battle area. In the context of the game there is only one game show with various battle areas.

I kinda favor #2 but am still not sure if its a good idea.
What do you think ?

[ANtY]

I'd go with the option number 2. Though I'd like to see on the level selection scree / map screen what difficulty / average enemy level there is on that certain map.

[-Ross]

I don't see any reason not to do #2.

A lot of linear roguelikes (like Nuclear Throne) offer ways to skip certain levels - usually trading increased difficulty for the shortcut. That could be an option #3.

[s0]

#2 sounds better to me as well

[darkhog]

Why not doing both in different parts of the game? This way players who prefer either will have something to do and if a player gets bored with one or another he'll be able to break things up by doing more linear or open level. Having a mission select where you could choose any level would help or just open 1 linear and 1 open level after completing each stage (different set of levels) and arrange unlock progression is a tree-like structure with "root" being the first level player completed.

This would also increase replay and completionist value of the game - player would be able to either do different playthroughs by choosing different levels or steadily complete each and every one of them in a single go for that sweet 100%.