The Wheel - Sci-fi Browser Based RPG [Under Development]

[Rapacious]

Hey folks!​

https://the-wheel.eldritchvault.com/

I've been working on a persistent browser RPG with a focus on exploration, combat, character builds, weird encounters, and adult content.

The easiest way I can describe it is as a Kingdom of Loathing-style persistent game mixed with Trials in Tainted Space, but with my own combat and progression systems.

You make a character, explore different locations, fight things, pick up gear, unlock abilities and kits, find encounters, and gradually open up more of the world. The adult content is part of the game, but it isn't mandatory. You can skip or avoid most of it if something isn't your thing.

I've just pushed a fairly big content update, which seemed like a good excuse to finally start showing the game around a bit more.

Some of what's currently in there:

• Turn-based combat with different builds, abilities, weapons and status effects
• Swappable character kits rather than permanent classes
• Exploration and story encounters
• Equipment, loot, shops and progression
• Multiple districts and areas to explore
• Adult encounters with different themes and preferences
• A persistent account and character, so it's something you can come back to rather than finish in one sitting

It's still actively being developed, and I'm adding new encounters, enemies, locations and systems pretty regularly.

There's also an itch.io page if you'd rather follow development and update posts there.

I'd genuinely be interested to hear what people think, particularly where the game feels confusing, slow, unbalanced, or just needs more content. I've been staring at the thing for long enough that my ability to judge the onboarding like a new player is basically gone.

Hope some of you enjoy it!

Socials:​

Discord: https://discord.gg/SzDEBkr
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/the_wheel
Itch IO Page: https://naughty-niche.itch.io/the-wheel

 

[Diarmait]

While it seems like a decent start, based on change logs, I appeared to not be able to progress any further than Kade's "Tell Kade It's Done" part of the journal page. Can't seem to get the crane, or whatever it is in the far northeast to work at all, although going through the itch page definitely seems like this one has some weird bugs to it that are per account. Honestly might skip out on this if nothing changes.

 

[Rapacious]

Sorry, that one was on me. I accidentally removed the journal update from the encounter causing a soft lock. A few other people reported the issue as well. You should now have the 'Scout the E-Core Building' journal entry in Kade's Tasks, so you can continue scouting the E-Core building.

The crane in the far northeast is later in that same quest chain.

 

[Animefan666]

Considering that was the only bug I encountered, I'd say it turned out alright, thus far. More character customization would go a long way, which I can only assume is something already been considered/planned. Having spent much time tinkering with such formats, I know it can go further and if there's one thing people like, it's making their character their own.

 

[Diarmait]

Sorry, that one was on me. I accidentally removed the journal update from the encounter causing a soft lock. A few other people reported the issue as well. You should now have the 'Scout the E-Core Building' journal entry in Kade's Tasks, so you can continue scouting the E-Core building.

The crane in the far northeast is later in that same quest chain.

That would definitely explain that. As Animefan666 said, that was definitely the only issue I encountered as well. Was a big issue, but glad it's resolved as this one does have potential.

 

[Rapacious]

Patch notes (Sep 06 '26)​

Busy RL week so only a small update today.

New Stuff

• Comms; In-game communication system. Wasn't actually planned yet, but since people were sending in bug reports and I had no way to communicate with them in-game I bumped this up. Will become more useful once the business management and player interaction elements get implemented.
• Some more backend stuff; unlockable image collections and the foundations of the player base are in though since these have no practical use yet they're still hidden.

Fixes

• Speaking of bug reports; Fixed a very strange bug where a combat lust due to lust didn't end properly and locked the player in, is fixed.
• Fixed some minor UI issues on Firefox
• Fixed an issue where Glimmer's shop would only open once every encounter

Planned updates (no ETA):

• An revamp of the Maintenance Tunnels in the tutorial dungeon. The map is to big for what it is, and it's just rather boring at the moment. I plan to do a similar update for the E-Core building at some point
• Story quest line with Lira, which leads to unlocking a new sector
• And the above mentioned player-base / business management!

 

[Rapacious]

Update (Sep 13 '26)​

No content updates this week unfortunately. On the plus side, no bug reports either.

I ended up working on player bases and business management the entire week. It's coming along nicely, though not in a shape to go public yet. On the plus side, I have screenshots!

What works now

• Your own building
  A quest hands you a base with a lobby and some rooms, depending on what kind of business you want to run. You draw the floor of each room tile by tile, so rooms have whatever shape you want, and you buy and place furniture on a grid. Pieces have footprints, they rotate, and the game checks whether a customer can actually walk up to them, so a bar nobody can reach earns nothing. A base has four stats;
  • Fame: The stat that competes with other player's bases, higher fame means more visitors and customers
  • Prestige: The kind of crowd you attract. Higher prestige means wealthier clients
  • Security: Some of the visitors are thieves or vandals, or just get in a bad mood. Security is your defense against these
  • Hygiene: Pretty straightfoward. Keep your base clean to not piss off your visitors and customers
    
• Real customers
  Visitors aren't just a number. They are NPCs with the same stats as player characters who look at what is open, pick a place, walk over, take a machine or a booth, pay for it, get bored, and leave.
  
  
• Staff
  You hire people and put them on a post: behind the bar, on the stage, on the stripper pole or put them to work as prostitutes. Every worker needs a bed, so rooms decide how many you can employ. They get tired, take breaks and their skills increase, so they better at the job they are actually doing.
  
  
• Customization
  Room themes, floor materials, per-furniture paint colors on every part that can take it, coloured and labelled doors, etc.
  

Planned stuff

• Crafting stations, so the workbench does something, and drones that carry what they make to storage
• Scenes you write onto your own furniture, once there is a simple editor for it
• Selling a trained worker's contract on the auction, and buying one, bed permitting
• Temporary conditions on a base, so a run of bad nights costs you reputation you can win back
• Other players visiting your base (more details on this later!)

Till next week!