The Tree Gorgon

Chat about "The Legend of Skullkeep", the true sequel to the original Dungeon Master.
This forum may contain spoilers.
Forum rules
Please read the Forum rules and policies before posting.
Post Reply
User avatar
Sphenx
On Master
Posts: 566
Joined: Sun Sep 09, 2001 11:23 am
Contact:

The Tree Gorgon

Post by Sphenx »

You certainly know the Tree creature from the marsh after the cemetery .. I would have rather called this creature a "Treant". But it is called a "Tree Gorgon". So ... where is this Tree Gorgon ? Do you have a picture of it ? :wink:
User avatar
Ameena
Wordweaver, Murafu Maker
Posts: 7515
Joined: Mon Mar 24, 2003 6:25 pm
Location: Here, where I am sitting!
Contact:

Re: The Tree Gorgon

Post by Ameena »

Scroll down this page a bit...
http://dmweb.free.fr/?q=node/782
:)
______________________________________________
Ameena, self-declared Wordweaver, Beastmaker, Thoughtbringer, and great smegger of dungeon editing!
User avatar
Sphenx
On Master
Posts: 566
Joined: Sun Sep 09, 2001 11:23 am
Contact:

Re: The Tree Gorgon

Post by Sphenx »

Nope, that's not the one :) I am searching another picture for the Tree Gorgon which resembles a ... Tree Gorgon ;)
emetar
Novice
Posts: 29
Joined: Sat Jan 18, 2014 10:33 am

Re: The Tree Gorgon

Post by emetar »

In my version I will change its look, like the color but too cartoony 'face'. Need smth more evil. Gorgon is the creature with snakes instead of hair, I agree treant is a better word. No one has made a 'tree gorgon' art and it would make no sense, since they have a tail like a Medusa and are creatures not trees.
User avatar
Sphenx
On Master
Posts: 566
Joined: Sun Sep 09, 2001 11:23 am
Contact:

Re: The Tree Gorgon

Post by Sphenx »

emetar wrote:No one has made a 'tree gorgon' art and it would make no sense, since they have a tail like a Medusa and are creatures not trees.
Well, at least they tried ; in DM2 we often have 2 versions for creatures : classic vs cartoon, where the cartoon versions are widely used in PCDOS/MAC versions.
In the case of the "Tree Gorgon" creature, only the classic version is used in every DM2 systems. However it existed a cartoon version of that "Tree Gorgon" (need a picture? ;) )
What's surprising is why it finally wasn't used in the PCDOS game as for the others ? ...
User avatar
ChristopheF
Encyclopedist
Posts: 1537
Joined: Sun Oct 24, 1999 2:36 pm
Location: France
Contact:

Re: The Tree Gorgon

Post by ChristopheF »

You sound mysterious... What picture have you found?
User avatar
Chaos-Shaman
High Lord
Posts: 2642
Joined: Wed May 03, 2006 7:26 pm
Location: The Gates of Hell

Re: The Tree Gorgon

Post by Chaos-Shaman »

that's looks interesting. those branches could be replaced with snake heads, you've sparked an idea Sphenx :idea:
keep your gor coin handy
User avatar
Sphenx
On Master
Posts: 566
Joined: Sun Sep 09, 2001 11:23 am
Contact:

Re: The Tree Gorgon

Post by Sphenx »

ChristopheF wrote:What picture have you found?
One that is on DM Encyclopaedia ! :shock: :P
User avatar
ChristopheF
Encyclopedist
Posts: 1537
Joined: Sun Oct 24, 1999 2:36 pm
Location: France
Contact:

Re: The Tree Gorgon

Post by ChristopheF »

I guess you are refering to this one?
http://dmweb.free.fr/files/DMII-Scan-Re ... Page66.jpg
User avatar
Hexcon
Novice
Posts: 23
Joined: Thu Jan 16, 2014 4:25 am

Re: The Tree Gorgon

Post by Hexcon »

Frankly speaking, this creature looks like the somewhat mentally challenged offspring of a glop and what you'd call a Treant. I can see why they wouldn't use it in the final version. The idea to replace the braches with snakes is a neat one, though.

Do you intend to alter and use it in a mod or something?
User avatar
Sphenx
On Master
Posts: 566
Joined: Sun Sep 09, 2001 11:23 am
Contact:

Re: The Tree Gorgon

Post by Sphenx »

ChristopheF wrote:I guess you are refering to this one?
http://dmweb.free.fr/files/DMII-Scan-Re ... Page66.jpg
Yes, exactly.

It would looks like this:

Image

sprite alone:

Image
Hexcon wrote:
Frankly speaking, this creature looks like the somewhat mentally challenged offspring of a glop and what you'd call a Treant. I can see why they wouldn't use it in the final version. The idea to replace the braches with snakes is a neat one, though.
I don't see why this wouldn't be used in the final version. All creatures have been remade except 2 which use their 'classic' version : Vortex and Tree Gorgon. But we see that Tree Gorgon had its new version as well.

Personally, I don't find that new Tree Gorgon that bad, I think it has some style; I am more annoyed with the cartoon version of Thorn Demon, Dragoth, Dru Tan, Archer Guard ... which really impair their original looking ! (Thorn Demon might be the ugliest of all ...)
Hexcon wrote:Do you intend to alter and use it in a mod or something?
At the contrary, I would rather make all the classic versions available for the DM2-PCDOS version.
emetar
Novice
Posts: 29
Joined: Sat Jan 18, 2014 10:33 am

Re: The Tree Gorgon

Post by emetar »

This looks more like it but as mentioned above, to be a gorgon, would be nice to have some snakes in the branches (otherwise the branches look better than in DM2 (PC)'s version in order to be a 'gorgon', Also the eyes and face look bad.. one thing I may do for example in my modification is replacing the silly looking things with more evil, scary. The Thorn demon for example looks cool enough, the Giggler looks stupid and I'd change that any time. The treants there look more evil but still too cartoony and not scary face, the treant above looks worse meaning it needs more evil and scary face..
User avatar
Chaos-Shaman
High Lord
Posts: 2642
Joined: Wed May 03, 2006 7:26 pm
Location: The Gates of Hell

Re: The Tree Gorgon

Post by Chaos-Shaman »

the eyes don't belong on it, looks like flesh on wood. not as scary and more deranged. now if there was some clothing hanging out of its mouth with a foot or hand, that might be a little more scary. we'll call it Gorgon Jawseant :)
keep your gor coin handy
User avatar
Hexcon
Novice
Posts: 23
Joined: Thu Jan 16, 2014 4:25 am

Re: The Tree Gorgon

Post by Hexcon »

Chaos-Shaman wrote:not as scary and more deranged.
I didn't want to put it so bluntly, but yes. To me it looks like it has been hit in the head with a monkey wrench one too many times. The same impression may have crossed the designers' minds, so they probably decided not to replace the original treant with its redone version (which is more of a downgrade in my opinion). Who knows?
Sphenx wrote:I am more annoyed with the cartoon version of Thorn Demon, Dragoth, Dru Tan, Archer Guard ... which really impair their original looking ! (Thorn Demon might be the ugliest of all ...)
I actually like their cartoonish look. :P
I've only seen pictures of the original creatures on the encyclopedia, never encountered them in-game. Haven't the wall sets and other stuff also been redone? Wouldn't the originals look a bit off when embedded in that redone DM2-PC-version-background?
Sphenx wrote:So ... where is this Tree Gorgon ? Do you have a picture of it ?
How did you come up with this, btw.? You wrote something about having played the beta version of DM2 - are these weird looking tree creatures in that version?
User avatar
Sphenx
On Master
Posts: 566
Joined: Sun Sep 09, 2001 11:23 am
Contact:

Re: The Tree Gorgon

Post by Sphenx »

Hexcon wrote:I've only seen pictures of the original creatures on the encyclopedia, never encountered them in-game. Haven't the wall sets and other stuff also been redone? Wouldn't the originals look a bit off when embedded in that redone DM2-PC-version-background?
The main difference is that the original images are in 16 colors and the new use the possible 256 colors palette.
I think the originals would fit even in the redone background, but they should need some color enhancement for best effect.
Hexcon wrote: How did you come up with this, btw.? You wrote something about having played the beta version of DM2 - are these weird looking tree creatures in that version?
No the beta version has the 'classic' versions. This particular Tree Gorgon is only seen in the page Christophe pointed (a review from 'PC Gamer'), and never seen in any released version. Which makes me think that magazine got a demo/preview version we don't have. May someone possess it :?:
User avatar
Chaos-Shaman
High Lord
Posts: 2642
Joined: Wed May 03, 2006 7:26 pm
Location: The Gates of Hell

Re: The Tree Gorgon

Post by Chaos-Shaman »

Image

tasty
keep your gor coin handy
User avatar
Seriously Unserious
Master Superior
Posts: 1418
Joined: Sun May 11, 2008 11:53 am
Location: Wandering around aimlessly in Lynchgate Woods
Contact:

Re: The Tree Gorgon

Post by Seriously Unserious »

That just looks out of place amidst that cartoon tree background... :P
User avatar
ChristopheF
Encyclopedist
Posts: 1537
Joined: Sun Oct 24, 1999 2:36 pm
Location: France
Contact:

Re: The Tree Gorgon

Post by ChristopheF »

May someone possess it
Do you have this preview version???
How else did you get the sprite that you posted, unless you recreated it from the screenshot?
User avatar
Chaos-Shaman
High Lord
Posts: 2642
Joined: Wed May 03, 2006 7:26 pm
Location: The Gates of Hell

Re: The Tree Gorgon

Post by Chaos-Shaman »

That just looks out of place amidst that cartoon tree background...
i could put it in animation chewing :) i was trying to make him more dangerous... Arrrhhh , can you hear the tree bark teeth chewing splinters into the guy in blue :twisted:
keep your gor coin handy
User avatar
Sphenx
On Master
Posts: 566
Joined: Sun Sep 09, 2001 11:23 am
Contact:

Re: The Tree Gorgon

Post by Sphenx »

ChristopheF wrote: Do you have this preview version???
No, this is a real question. I don't know if it is still possible to find it somewhere ....
ChristopheF wrote:How else did you get the sprite that you posted, unless you recreated it from the screenshot?
That's it :)
User avatar
Hexcon
Novice
Posts: 23
Joined: Thu Jan 16, 2014 4:25 am

Re: The Tree Gorgon

Post by Hexcon »

Sphenx wrote: I think the originals would fit even in the redone background, but they should need some color enhancement for best effect.
Now that would be an interesting project ...
Chaos-Shaman wrote:tasty
Given the expression on its "face" i have a feeling this particular creature is not even capable of strategically ripping off limbs. I suspect it would just drag its massive treeman body across the swamp to sit on the heroes and wait until their life force got squeezed out of them, all the while grunting and slowly blowing spit bubbles. Dying as some deranged tree's bean bag chair must be #2 on the list of 50 Horrible Ways to Meet Your End Before Your Quest Does Feared by Every Adventurer.
Sphenx wrote: Which makes me think that magazine got a demo/preview version we don't have.
If it was an early demo version it probably never reached the hands of anyone who wasn't test playing the game.

But where did you find it, just browsing the encyclopedia page?
User avatar
Chaos-Shaman
High Lord
Posts: 2642
Joined: Wed May 03, 2006 7:26 pm
Location: The Gates of Hell

Re: The Tree Gorgon

Post by Chaos-Shaman »

authenticity may be in question, hmmm, spoof, joke, prank. i like your description Hexcon, maybe i should have had the guy in blue skewered on his teeth stuck staring into the demented eyes to die slowly over a few days of blood letting slowly until searing painful infection reaches his hearts last beat.
keep your gor coin handy
User avatar
Seriously Unserious
Master Superior
Posts: 1418
Joined: Sun May 11, 2008 11:53 am
Location: Wandering around aimlessly in Lynchgate Woods
Contact:

Re: The Tree Gorgon

Post by Seriously Unserious »

Hexcon wrote: Dying as some deranged tree's bean bag chair must be #2 on the list of 50 Horrible Ways to Meet Your End Before Your Quest Does Feared by Every Adventurer.
:lol: I'd hate to find out what the #1 most horrible way for an adventurer to die is then... Especially when that thing starts drooling sticky demented tree sap drool all over you. :P
User avatar
Hexcon
Novice
Posts: 23
Joined: Thu Jan 16, 2014 4:25 am

Re: The Tree Gorgon

Post by Hexcon »

Chaos-Shaman wrote:maybe i should have had the guy in blue skewered on his teeth stuck staring into the demented eyes to die slowly over a few days of blood letting slowly until searing painful infection reaches his hearts last beat.
That's a pretty nasty way to make someone kick the bucket, yet sadly realistic considering that, yes, gem-infested splinters can do that to you. You could add some challenge to the game and make them deal uncurable poison damage. And everyone hate you.
Seriously Unserious wrote: I'd hate to find out what the #1 most horrible way for an adventurer to die is then...
Probably stumbling backwards into the campfire turning yourself into a delicious kebab triggering your comrades' slumbering cannibalistic tendencies, and making them return to your quest givers to finish the quest in a most unheroic way.
I think the champions of Dungeon Master 2 even were described as a bunch of ill-mannered thugs. There. A turn of events so moronic it would make every Overdeity shut down the universe in which it occured. It's like intentionally scoring an own goal, frantically cheering with the opposing team, then headbutting your captain into unconsciousness and leaving the field with a friendly pat on your teammates' back. I think in the D&D universe this would qualify as chaotic neutral or just stark raving mad.
User avatar
Suule
On Master
Posts: 656
Joined: Tue Aug 09, 2005 11:42 pm
Location: Warsaw, Poland

Re: The Tree Gorgon

Post by Suule »

Interesting. I haven't seen it in the leaked alpha-beta (The DM 1.9). The Tree Gorgon there was more similar to the one that made it to the final game.
Personally, I don't find that new Tree Gorgon that bad, I think it has some style; I am more annoyed with the cartoon version of Thorn Demon, Dragoth, Dru Tan, Archer Guard ... which really impair their original looking ! (Thorn Demon might be the ugliest of all ...)
Sphenx, if you prefer the more 'classic' gritty look, you should take a look on the DM1.9 available http://dmweb.free.fr/?q=node/606 To extract the graphics I believe you need to join graphics.dat with graphic2.dat into one file and read it with the DM2 image viewer. Sadly all the art assets are in 16-colour glory.

Also hi gang, I'm back from my grave that is my PhD thesis for now.
User avatar
Sphenx
On Master
Posts: 566
Joined: Sun Sep 09, 2001 11:23 am
Contact:

Re: The Tree Gorgon

Post by Sphenx »

Suule wrote: Sphenx, if you prefer the more 'classic' gritty look, you should take a look on the DM1.9 available http://dmweb.free.fr/?q=node/606 To extract the graphics I believe you need to join graphics.dat with graphic2.dat into one file and read it with the DM2 image viewer.
Oh yes I did take a look at that version ! I've even refreshed some screenshots from a thread you opened years ago about monsters in DM2 beta :wink: :

http://www.dungeon-master.com/forum/vie ... 61#p126550
Suule wrote: Sadly all the art assets are in 16-colour glory.
Strangely, not only they are in 16-colour, but even the colours used seem somewhat degraded and not as bright as in DM1. For example, the poison cloud is not green but grey ... Even the colours were in beta state :?
User avatar
Suule
On Master
Posts: 656
Joined: Tue Aug 09, 2005 11:42 pm
Location: Warsaw, Poland

Re: The Tree Gorgon

Post by Suule »

Yeah the palette was weirdly washed out. Dunno why.

Funny thing is - most of the graphics would be good enough to replace skeletons, axemen and wolves - they have their respective actions all animated out. What's missing are the skeleton wraiths from that small crypt area with the mummies.
Post Reply

Return to “Dungeon Master II: The Legend of Skullkeep (DM2)”