So, tell us about yourself...

[cowsmanaut]

ahh but girl geeks are on the rise.. keep in mind the first computers were women, and the person who invented computer programming languages was a woman. Sure, she was in the navy, as were the first Computer women.. during the war.. but it's all the same.. they were women. Still... you are right.. more male gamers than female. According to surveys it's 60/40 for gamers and the average age is 35. 40% is still a good sized chunk I'm also noticing an increase in females in 3D animation.

[zoom]

As for Wu Tse:

The Empress of China from 624 to 705. Referred to as “Son of Heaven” because women were not officially recognised for the position of emperor at the time

In spoken mandarin chinese,(I don´t know for cantonese and other dialects, but should be similar)
there is no distinction between he and she!
It is simply "ta(1)" for both.
in written (non pinyiin)form there is indeed a difference. Just wanted to mention that...

- could be another reason perhaps why they refered to her as son..

[Edge]

Sup, I'm Edge.

Good, now that the obvious is out of the way... I'm 22, and have been gaming ever since my hands were strong enough to grasp a controller. I first played Dungeon Master on the SNES when I was around 7 years old and it's always had a special place in the back of my mind.

I recently had a resurgence of interest in dungeoncrawlers after having played Class of Heroes for PSP. After searching around for perhaps a new Dungeon Master or news of something similar, I ended up here. I'm very surprised that after all these years there are still so many fans interested in the genre. I'm honored to be a part of the group, even if I am one of the more noobish of the bunch. I never even had an Atari or Amiga...

Anyway, I guess I'll see you guys around.

[Trantor]

Welcome to the forums Edge! As a guy who grew up with a C64 and an Amiga, it's hard to imagine how playing DM with a joypad would evoke the same feeling and atmosphere, but it's cool to see that it obviously worked as well. Hope to see you around often, have fun playing DM, CSB, or the cool custom dungeons around here!

[Ameena]

Hey, groovy, yet another new member - welcome and have fun playing DM once again .

[Jan]

Welcome and hello, hello and welcome!

[beowuuf]

Welcome to the forums!

Be sure and check out CSBwin - it's lke having DM/CSB from the atari days! And RTC will give you DMII!

[Adamo]

welcome Edge!
So, you`ve played DM on SNES... I guess you haven`t played Chaos Strikes Back (a sequel), now running under Windows? You`d have to give it a try, it`s even better than Dungeon Master!

[beowuuf]

Nice to see you still around Adamo - you need me to host your avatar?

[MasterWuuf]

Hello Edge. I imagine DM was an intense experience for such a young boy.

RE: Adamo's avatar. And I was so impressed with it (just as it is).

I opted for a huggable (hmm, surely that is a word?) Wuuf avatar.

[beowuuf]

I'll file down the points of the ahnk shall I?

[Edge]

welcome Edge!
So, you`ve played DM on SNES... I guess you haven`t played Chaos Strikes Back (a sequel), now running under Windows? You`d have to give it a try, it`s even better than Dungeon Master!

I've actually tried CSB(win) already and it's beating me down relentlessly. ...The pain. I feel emasculated to be honest. There seems to be a lot of trial and error involved with this, and I'm stupid enough to repeat my mistakes over and over again. I don't know how many times I've fallen into an inescapable pit just because of that stupid treasure box and/or key... They're so shiny, I just can't resist.

It's a refreshing change of pace to be playing these games on a PC though. Getting around and doing pretty much anything on the SNES is a huge chore. You have to hit Select to enter 'move mode', which is disorienting when it comes time to fight. You have to turn it off so that you can manipulate the cursor. I don't have the patience for that anymore.

[beowuuf]

CSB is an insane dungeon, and there is certanly no shame - i think it might even be necessary - to pool knowledge and get some hints.

However, it's non-linear nature means you ca certainly jump away from puzzles and areas for a while to undertake others. And there is a certain logic to the dungeon that is satisfying to figure out and build upon.

[Jan]

Heh, CSB is really both terrific and terrifying.
It took me several years to finish it when I was a young boy - but I did it without any external help. And I'm still very proud of it.

You can watch Paul Stevens' video-walkthrough at
http://www.dianneandpaul.net/CSBwin/Gam ... tedCSB.zip
- it's great, he'll show you the way step-by-step, but it will also spoil you the game.

I don't know how many times I've fallen into an inescapable pit just because of that stupid treasure box and/or key... They're so shiny, I just can't resist.

*chuckles*
If you mean the same place as I... it happened to me all the time... and then I found... use the hint oracle at this place (hint 088), and everything will become clear!

[Sealtiel]

Amazingly enough, this is the first time I noticed this thread despite browsing this forum so many times. I'll go ahead & introduce myself too.

My real name is Chris. Well, it's Christopher, but please don't use that. I'm 25 years old, and I live in Texas. I currently work in the electrical field, but I can't say that I enjoy it. I intend to eventually attend school for veterinary medicine. I'm an animal person much more than I can express with text. This may bother some people, but I'm a very strong believer in animal rights. No, I don't go to rallies & protests; because I'm aware that they don't do any good.

I have lots of little quirks. They bother some people, others just think I'm weird. Fact is: I'm an abstinent, celibate, ambidextrous (but primarily left-handed) vegetarian. It's a bit much to take in to people who don't personally know me. Especially people just meeting me. Then again, I have a hard time meeting new people anyways. When I was 22, I was in a nasty car wreck. The cochlea (that snail-shaped bone deep in your ear) in my right ear was damaged, and I lost my hearing as a result. I had already lost hearing in my left ear, as it runs pretty bad in my family. Which sucks, because I really used to love singing. I like to think I was good at it, and the last public demonstration I did was being the singer at my best friend's wedding reception at his (and her's) request. I was honored to do it, and I think it was a great way to remember the days when I could hear.

Before I lost any hearing, I really got into everyone's favorite arrow-smashing pastime. I play Dance Dance Revolution, and any/all variations thereof. I still play it, too. It's that much fun. (Thanks Sophia, for the "Dance" section in Surgical Strike. Lots of memories knowing what song is playing there.)

Anyways, I got into DM when I was in 5th grade (1993). My dad had rented it for the SNES, and I got hooked. He really sucked at it, & never got far at it. He only made it to the "Choose your door" section, before the trolins had their way with him. When he put the controller down, I picked it up.

At the time, I wasn't very good either. The monsters scared me, but nothing did the trick like the ghost on level 4. Oh man. I screamed, dropped the controller, & almost died as a result. I didn't know what to do with it, so I ran. To this day, thinking about the SNES ghost bothers me a little. I can't help but want to look over my shoulder when I do.

In any event, I didn't beat the game until I was in high school; and it wasn't pretty either. Now, I know how the mechanics of the game work. I'm better at the game as a result, but I don't like how the game lost some of it's sense of mystery. Oh well, you can't un-learn it.

DM will always be a game I'll be interested in. I just really thought I was alone. Finding the community here was a breath of fresh air, and the custom dungeons are icing on the cake (figuratively speaking, I don't really eat cake either). I'm yet to play one I just don't like, so I'd like to extend a huge "thank you" to the fine people that spend their time creating these dungeons for the rest of us to explore. I truly appreciate it.


This post inspired an interesting set of discussions viewable here - b.

[Jan]

Thank you for sharing your interesting and moving story, Chris!
Regarding the school of veterinary medicine - don't hesitate and apply for it! It must be very nice and interesting study, and then the job very useful and rewarding.
Some of my friends are vats, actually. And I love the books by James Herriot like It Shouldn't Happen to a Vet.

I've realised I haven't introduced myself here too.
I'll do it in a couple of days, because on Thursday (this Thursday!) I'm going to defend my dissertation thesis (well, I hope I'll defend it), so there it'll be decided whether I will introduce myself here as Jan, MA - or Jan, PhD.

[Trantor]

Thanks for sharing Chris, it was an interesting read. And good luck Jan! I'm looking forward to your post here as well.

[Jan]

And good luck Jan!

Thanks a lot, Trant! I'm going to need luck more than anything else tomorrow. I'd need a rabbit foot. The nerves... I have to go out this evening and have a few beers just to calm myself down... but a few only.

[MasterWuuf]

Sealteal said...

The monsters scared me, but nothing did the trick like the ghost on level 4.
Oh man. I screamed, dropped the controller, & almost died as a result.

The lousy mummy that likes to hide in that alcove to the right (sometimes) holds a special place for me.

Still, nothing like a memory of the first real scare. Thanks for sharing.

I've mentioned this before, but the first time through (when it originally came out on the Atari ST)
I was resting my heroes (about 2-3 in the morning). A group of skeletons attacked me.
All my heroes aged 10 years (not really), while I nearly tore the mouse loose from the computer.

Still brings that silly smile to my face.

[Jan]

OK, so I'm PhD. Now I'm going to get so drunk that I won't be able to distinguish a dragon from a screamer (I hope I won't meet any... but you'll never know, for Prague is a magic place). I'll write later, as soon as I get so sober that I'll be able to distinguish a mouse from a keyboard - i.e. definitely not tomorrow.

[ian_scho]

Congratulations!.... Now make yourself USEFUL

[Gambit37]

Seconded! But only after you've enjoyed the moment!

[Trantor]

For an antisexual person, you have quite a filthy mind Ameena!

And congratulations Jan! I was briefly considering going for a PhD after university, but ultimately decided I had enough of academic mathematics. I haven't regretted it since, but I have to say I'm a tiny little bit jealous of your title.

[beowuuf]

Man, I keep being distracted to posting stuff on the forum and answering this thread! Stupid FILO opening of multiple tabs, that's what it is!

@Sealtiel. Hello! Obviously you've postd alot in the threads such as conflux etc, but, you know, officially hello (again)! Thanks for sharing, especially about the reason for your hearing loss. Is there no way you can use vibrations, etc to keep your voice tone consistent since you already developed singing skills?

It's funny how certain scares get in to your head as a kid - recall still being uncomfortable and gittery even at the start of uni about DM because of some of the memories of the creatures from earlier times playing!

And yep, it's amazing how there are still fans from all over after all this time. Which is cool! Pity america is just much further away (especially the texas side) to try another DM meet. I guess the power of the internet!


@Jan - congratulations! Sorry I didn't wish you luck earlier, but apparently you dind't need it. One of my best friends managed to graduate with her phD a couple of months ago too (defending the viva earlier in the year and finally submitting her corrections recently). So woohoo to all you graduated getting back to earning some money sort of people. So good luck with your future endeavours, whether further academically based or industry based (or a combination)!


@Masterwuuf - hello! I don't think I replied to you in any way shape or form in this thread So hey!

[beowuuf]

Aww, double posting

[Jan]

Thanks to everyone! You're so nice!

Today, still in the pub in the morning, I was informed that I was accepted to the university as a scientific "assistant" (i.e. they renewed my former contract for other 2 years) - so I had to walk out of the pub (don't ask me how), get more or less sober in ca 15 minutes and go to the office at the faculty to sign the agreement (or just some paper or what), they must have been really happy with me not able to squeeze through the door of the office and stinking like all the pubs in the city and smiling like a complete idiot, I signed the paper somehow to the place they showed me, and now I'm sitting here and don't know if I should go back to the pub or to the bed (I mean the sofa in my office). I'm surprisingly sober and fresh now. Strange...

I hope you'll give me an abstract of your sexual / animal rights conversation, I'm somehow disoriented.

@Trant: Geography is probably much easier than mathematics... I definitely wouldn't be able to get PhD in math.

[Giradius]

Hello There

This is my first post here, so be careful with me.

I remember DM from on an early age on my Dad's Atari ST.
I rediscovered DM (as well as chaos strikes back) in my teens when i got it for the Amiga, a brilliant game, ground-breaking even, but you all know this otherwise you wouldn't be here

Aside from gaming (retro or otherwise), I am also a part time physics student, as well as full time geek (that's modest, I am a super geek! I play D&D and watch Blakes 7, the only thing i am missing is computer programming skills).

I look forward to posting here, its nice to see the great old ones (not Cthulhu, but old games ) are kept alive, I have always liked Dungeon Master and its clones, from EOB, to the Ishar series, and more obscure ones like Bloodwych and Crystal dragon.

I am hoping to create quite a few dungeons, as well as lots of new graphics and monsters (my limited skill permitting).

So once again again, a great big hello,

[linflas]

Welcome to the forums !
hope to see your custom dungeons soon !

[beowuuf]

Welome to the forums, glad to see another retrogamer find this place!

[Jan]

Great! Hello and welcome! I'm looking forward to playing your dungeons!

"Full time geek", lol - me too, although I sometimes take my vacations and look quite normal for a while.