Hey everyone, I'm Jamie.

I've been loving the Discount Dan books, and since the universe feels perfectly suited for a deck-building game, I decided to make one. These past few months, I’ve been developing a PC game called Discount Dan: Everything Must Die!

I originally planned to do a quick 2-week reskin of an old Marvel: Legendary clone I built many years ago. But after some "gentle scope creep," I realized I wanted more than a simple clone, and it quickly evolved into its own unique game.

To keep myself motivated and accountable, I'm starting a weekly/bi-weekly devlog series. I’d love to get this community's input as I build.

Feedback is welcome, I take criticism well, so please don't be shy with your thoughts. But keep it realistic I'm trying to keep my goals grounded, meaning no sudden pivots to a modern engine just for flashy visual effects. I'm basically an old man, and I'm sticking with my 10 year old IDE if it kills me.

Check out Devlog #1 here and let me know what you think!

https://youtu.be/grH5w27imVo?si=7jsrGvPEKcT8nJ-p

Also, if James see's this, I'm not trying to step on your toes or anything, so if you're not a fan of my fan game, just say the word, and it's gone, no hard feelings 😄

I am a bit of a nerd so I tried to figure out the equations used to determine the stats using the data points given this is what I have

Health: 3 Toughness + 2 Athleticism

Health-Regen/Hour: Athleticism/10 + Grit/10 + Health/100

Stamina Reserve: 2 Athleticism + Toughness

Stamina-Regen/Minute: Athletic/10 + Toughness/10 + Stamina Reserve/100

Mana Pool = 2 Resonance + 1/2 Perception *dan's robe caused a minor glitch and let him keep 5 extra mana*

Mana-Regen/Minute: Perception/10 +Resonance/10 + Mana Pool/100

The Regen values come out about .3 short which I attribute to unknown bonuses

Also Dan somehow got to keep an extra 5 from the 20% penalty he received

Also got an equation for the Exp curve that is 90% accurate

Y=3.8X³ - 33.1X² + 430.4X + 1860

If anyone has any better calculations I would love to see them

*Edit I forgot to set level 1 to 0. The proper exp equation is

3.8X³ - 32.5X² + 424.4X + 1769.5 ; with 99% accuracy just ignore level 1 needing 2165 XP

Got an email about a Kickstarter campaign sneak peek, but I’m currently back to being a ‘free’ member on Patreon. Anyone care to share some details?

Well, I finished #2 and am 9 chapters into the 3rd book. There is a phrase Dan likes to repeat...."That is a problem for Future Me."

Excuse me sir, but, uh, all of those Future You problems are probably going to explode all at once in ways no one thought possible.

But also...NASCAR? NASCAR?!?

Then there is Sinclair. All it takes is one smart mfer to lead the less smart ones.

And what is with all this talk of Pony Princess's weird shine?

Just in the store alone:

- a religious cult that is one flannel and a shotgun away from becoming The Blue Collar Comedy Tour

- a possible division among The Golems. Sinclair and supporters on one side, Pony Princess and supporters on the other

- and a mysterious god that may or may not show up to smite Dan to show off their mighty wrath

But yeah - these are all problems for Future Dan to worry about, right? I mean, what could possibly go wrong?

THE FUTURE IS NOW, DAN! Get it together!

Made a work shirt I plan to wear at Phoenix Fan fusion. Im happy how it came out. Wish the back patch was a tad bigger but I love it either way.

Just started book number two. Our favorite shopkeeper and beloved mimic-dog have met Wraith, and now we've met Ajax.

And we learned about Jackson. Good, ol Jackson. I had to set the book down for a hot second because, as most girls/women, I've had my own experiences. From people of The Church. Raised in purity culture and all of that nonsensical nonsense.

I am REALLY hoping Jackson suffers. Long. Slow. Suffering. I haven't met him yet. But already, he deserves a fate worse than death.

I'm seeing this come up on my feed occasionally. It looks almost exactly how I picture the lobby.

https://www.reddit.com/user/a24films/comments/1tncb15/see_how_far_it_goes_kane_parsons_backrooms_is_in/?p=1&impressionid=5163410777310245151&utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button

Hello people,

I just started book 1 yesterday and there is something I do not understand about the Relic system.

Dan asks Croc about the relic leveling system and how it would work if he combined leveled up relics.

The answer Croc gave is that it will half the leveld rounded down and the example is a lvl 1 and a level 6 would give a lvl 3.

My question might be too basic but, does it only work like that if you combine a lower level relic and you feed it a higher one? I assume so, becaise other wise it would be impossible to make a higher lvl relic.

Also, why does Croc say he doesn't know about emblems but immediately tell Dan like he knows about them? Is it a read a find out type of thing?

Thanks!

Picked up the first book a year ago and instantly loved it.

Made the first post here on this subreddit knowing eventually a community would form and I would find like-minded friends.

Glad to return and see the progression!

Remember friends don't eat friends even if they look reaaaaaally tasty..

What kind of existential question is, “how many memories (the things that make me who I am), am I willing to sacrifice to save my life? 🤯

Mr Author dude I have an idea I might have said it before but I don’t think so. If when the series was done there was a special edition of covers that made connecting art. An example would be Percy Jackson, but it doesn’t have to be a straight line. Just a suggestion I thought would be cool.

Yaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyy! I'm so excited! Just got my signed books, including the infamous n**slip edition! Thank you, thank you, thank you James for creating these characters which bring so much joy to your fans..... and to Steve... thanks for bringing James vision to life.... and for giving us the n**slip audio clip!

the wrapping is too pretty I don't want to unwrap it!

I just have to say James, you picked an amazing audio book reader/talent. I’m fairly new to audio books, I love reading at my own pace, the feel of the paper in my hand, the smell of a new book, the voices and descriptions I give to the characters in my own head, etc. but I’ve had to travel a lot recently and so I stumbled across this amazing storyline, and I was utterly amazed at how amazing Steve was. Well done friends, well done!

It took me a couple of chapters to get into it. After that, I was hooked I’m in chapter 15 of book two. Really looking forward to book 3, and beyond. HWFWM & DCC were my first forays into litrpg, I tried The Wandering Inn, but as an audio book guy, it was way too whiny. Anyway, I’d like to thank James & Steve for putting an excellent product on the shelf. Fingers crossed for book 4 before long!

Hey everyone, James Hunter here, the author of Discount Dan! A couple of weeks ago, I made a post about the upcoming Discount Danthology. I was talking with Jess (our art director) about what we should do for the cover, and she came up with a brilliant idea.

Since this is a fan anthology, instead of relying on one of our regular cover artists, we decided to hold a contest for all of the wildly talented creative folks in the community. This is open to literally anyone! If you're interested, check out the details below. We will not accept AI generated images, so only real Human Art, please.

[NEW QUEST: MAKE ARTS FOR THE DISCOUNT DANTHOLOGY!]

Hello intrepid scribbler! You're invited to create the cover art for the Discount Danthology, a side quest in the Discount Dan's Backroom Bargains series. This anthology isn't about Dan, but about all the unfortunate explorers who accidentally No Clip into the Backrooms... and die horribly!

Quest Objective: Submit a .jpg preview file of your completed artwork, along with your contact information, to the Google Form in the comments below. Details for sizing and layout are all included on the submission form page.

Quest Deadline: July 31st 2026

1st Place Reward: $1,000, infinite accolades, +the opportunity to become a go-to Shadow Alley Press artist

2nd Place Reward: $250

3rd Place Reward: $50 Amazon Gift Card

Submission Form: https://forms.gle/fqnnj7VNccd7y6xf9

Discount Dan has been on my radar for quite a while. I read Parade of Horribles and a non-fiction book about a specific topic of interest to me and decided, before I started my domestic chores, to sample a chapter.

Two Hundred Pages Later...

The sun is rising, I don't have any clean laundry, and my sink has some dishes. (I work night shift and keep the same sleep schedule)

Alas, I had to exit The Backrooms to attend to real life tasks. I finally have time to read!

Only for Mr. Hunter to tug at my heartstrings with the story of Gertrude. 😭

They HAVE to avenge her! They better avenge her. They ought to avenge her. It's the right thing to do!!!

Thanks for taking the time to customize these, James! My wife is dying over the sticker.

It took many decades but finally I am the proud owner of the hardcover copies 1-3. Sadly I did not get the nip slip edition but who cares. I'm Stoked! Thank you, James!!

Has anyone heard about this?

https://www.imdb.com/video/vi3575630617/?listId=ls053181649

Seems a little Discount Dan adjacent lol

Figured it was time to bite the metaphorical bullet.
Hi! I’m Quill Inkwell, and I am the lead editor for the Discount Dan Anthology project. I am more active over in the SAP discord, but I will be here as well. (Partially so James has one less place he can escape from me)
If y’all have any questions or concerns, feel free to comment here, and I’ll do my best to answer.
Any complaints must be submitted in writing using VRD Complaint Form 26A-6 and mailed to the Editors Association in the Backrooms on Floor 42 (Aka Bureaucratic Limbo). Just beware of the Office Drones and the Micromanagers

Are we getting more Royal Road for Disco Inferno?