CSB and Hand Mapping

Discuss Chaos Strikes Back, the "expansion pack" for Dungeon Master.
This forum may contain spoilers.
Forum rules
Please read the Forum rules and policies before posting.
Post Reply
User avatar
Erik Bauer
Adept
Posts: 252
Joined: Thu Jan 11, 2007 1:44 pm

CSB and Hand Mapping

Post by Erik Bauer »

Hi there, since my Dungeon Master walktrough videos are coming to an end I'm starting to prepare the obvious sequel.
Differently from Dungeon Master, I finished Chaos Strikes back only once so my memories are very, very vague.
I have a question for you, if anybody has ever tried doing that: is CSB hand mappable? Or is it going to drive me completely insane if I try?
I'm asking because, when a kid, I played it basing my steps only on the magical map you can find near the beginning, thus never trying to handmap it myself.

Thank you in advance
Don't let a closed door stop you
User avatar
Paul Stevens
CSBwin Guru
Posts: 4318
Joined: Sun Apr 08, 2001 6:00 pm
Location: Madison, Wisconsin, USA

Re: CSB and Hand Mapping

Post by Paul Stevens »

I hand-mapped much of Chaos Strikes Back while playing
the Atari version (The computer died before I finished).
But you can only map small segments directly. Eventually
you will discover how to put the segments together into
a whole. So come prepared with an eraser or be prepared
to remap several times as you begin assembling the pieces.

Unless you really enjoy the challenge of hand-mapping, I think
you should cheat.
User avatar
JETENGINE
Journeyman
Posts: 94
Joined: Wed Aug 23, 2017 2:17 am
Location: South of the 46th parallel.

Re: CSB and Hand Mapping

Post by JETENGINE »

If you played the ST version, the only recourse you would have is to handmap, a nigh-impossible process. In short, it would put you in the looney bin for six hundred sixty five lifetimes.
Me? I only ever played the ST version via CSBWin, (Thank you, Paul Stevens!). My mapping system was to cheat with CSBuild.

PS: If you do decide to handmap, my advice would be to use MS-Paint or something similar, that way you don't waste graphite and rubber with pencils and erasers. Keep a backup at all times. Edit-posted in response to Paul Stevens' recommendation above.

Have a Merry Christmas in advance,
Jay.
Hanging by a thread.
User avatar
terkio
Mon Master
Posts: 937
Joined: Tue Jul 10, 2012 8:24 pm

Re: CSB and Hand Mapping

Post by terkio »

I hand mapped all of Chaos Strikes Back Atari version.
As said by Paul Stevens, at the beginning you can only map small parts of it.
It takes a lot of time to gather enough small pieces and clues to start putting them together.
To do so you will learn all the tricks with the magic map and the spell to see through walls.
Here is the reason for this many parts you cannot easily put together.
Spoiler
At the cross of the ways where you can choose Ku, Dain, Ross orNeta there are actually 3 of them on top of each other, at 3 different floor levels. When you enter one the ways depending of timers you are silently teleported into one of the 3 floor levels.
So, you have 12 small pieces of dungeon, you will have a hard time to paste together
"You can be on the right track and still get hit by a train!" Alfred E. Neuman
User avatar
Erik Bauer
Adept
Posts: 252
Joined: Thu Jan 11, 2007 1:44 pm

Re: CSB and Hand Mapping

Post by Erik Bauer »

Sounds like a good challenge :P
Maybe I can find some "Mapping" tool that lets me to easily cut&paste map parts like a jigsaw. Or... I could jigsaw my own pencil&paper map parts together... could be fun if done right :D
Don't let a closed door stop you
User avatar
Ameena
Wordweaver, Murafu Maker
Posts: 7515
Joined: Mon Mar 24, 2003 6:25 pm
Location: Here, where I am sitting!
Contact:

Re: CSB and Hand Mapping

Post by Ameena »

When we (my dad and I) played it back on the Atari (back when I was about six), we had the handbook thingy for DM so had maps for that, but we never had the same for CSB so played that entirely withoug any kind of maps and made no attempt at making our own. And we were both able to finish it, so it's fine :D.
______________________________________________
Ameena, self-declared Wordweaver, Beastmaker, Thoughtbringer, and great smegger of dungeon editing!
Post Reply