Naturally, the monsters and drops within the dungeons will also be randomised. "The loot game is so deep on this," Schaefer says, practically giggling with happiness. "We've got set items, magic items, unique items, socketed items, you name it. And we got a lot of experience on Diablo - and Hellgate, to a certain extent - on making the most of monsters, too. They can wield weapons, and they'll feel different to fight as various combinations come together. We've just got really efficient at making this stuff."

Torchlight is a beautiful game to watch: its mines are spangly turquoise grottoes one minute, and sulphur-choked underground fortresses the next. The colours are bright and sharp, and the game has a cartoon look that will presumably scale well, while managing to incorporate elements from dark fantasy, frontier culture, and even a touch of steampunk. It's an aesthetic that should quickly draw a community in, and once they're there, Runic hopes they'll get to work themselves. "We're shipping the development tools with the game," says Schaefer. "You can do that with single-player titles, because who cares if they hack it? We're hoping that the modding community goes crazy. There are a lot of really sharp guys out there - they'll do some cool things we've never thought of, and hopefully build a lot of content."

While the community's working on DLC, then, the Torchlight team will be busy on the MMO. Developed in partnership with the Chinese company Perfect World, Torchlight's online incarnation will follow the free-to-play model, supporting itself with virtual asset purchases. In Asia, this is steadily becoming an exact science, and Runic's plan seems solid and safe - selling you items that lean towards customisation and convenience rather than anything which would give you an unfair advantage against players who aren't spending money.