Preview
  • Dungeon Hacks

  • How NetHack, Angband, and Other Roguelikes Changed the Course of Video Games
  • By: David L. Craddock
  • Narrated by: Mike Rylander
  • Length: 6 hrs and 22 mins
  • 4.4 out of 5 stars (96 ratings)

Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Dungeon Hacks

By: David L. Craddock
Narrated by: Mike Rylander
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $15.56

Buy for $15.56

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

In 1980, computers were instruments of science and mathematics, military secrets and academia. Stern administrators lorded over sterile university laboratories and stressed one point to the wide-eyed students privileged enough to set foot within them: Computers were not toys.

Defying authority, hackers seized control of monolithic mainframes to create a new breed of computer game: the roguelike, cryptic, and tough-as-nails adventures drawn from text-based symbols instead of state-of-the-art 3-D graphics.

Despite their visual simplicity, roguelike games captivate thousands of players around the world. From the author of the best-selling Stay Awhile and Listen series, Dungeon Hacks introduces you to the visionaries behind some of the most popular roguelikes of all time and shows how their creations paved the way for the blockbuster video games of today - and beyond.

©2015 David Craddock (P)2015 Audiobooks.com
  • Unabridged Audiobook
activate_Holiday_promo_in_buybox_DT_T2

What listeners say about Dungeon Hacks

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    51
  • 4 Stars
    38
  • 3 Stars
    6
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    0
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    43
  • 4 Stars
    27
  • 3 Stars
    11
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    45
  • 4 Stars
    29
  • 3 Stars
    7
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Interesting history of Rogue and other roguelikes

There's good research in this book, though the chapters feel inconsistent. I often felt like I was reading filler, and other areas felt underdeveloped. When Craddock got good anecdotes from his interviews with the original developers, he included them. The rest of the time, he filled the pages with descriptions of how the games played. Some of it was interesting, other parts felt unnecessary.

I would have loved to read more about what became of these developers. Where did they work after that? Did their formative years working on Rogue, Hack, NetHack, Moria, Angband, and such have much influence on their professional careers? I think the book could have explored more of the modern Roguelike games beyond ADOM, not from listing games after games, but how Rogue and its successors influenced more titles beyond just Diablo or FTL.

Overall I still enjoyed the book. It's an interesting account of a niche segment of computer and gamedev history and definitely a recommended read for anyone involved in RPG or Roguelike/lite game development.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

awesome!

great topic, well narrated. love Angband and this book reminded me why! definitely worth a listen.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A nostalgic look at an accidental classic

Simply amazing. I've loved these games for many years, but had no idea how interesting the history of their creation would be. Any person calling themselves a gamer should listen to this book and try these games.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent

I enjoyed it. I'm a big NetHack, FTL, Rogue Legacy fan and if you know what those things are you'll probably enjoy it too.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Awesome insight into the history of Roguelikes.

I still have a few chapters left but loving this book and the narration is very well done. Will update with full review once done.

Avid Dungeon Crawl Stone Soup, Nethack and Angband player.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!