[Custom dungeon] Conflux I [DM PC] [Benjamin Prieu (a.k.a Zyx)]

[Zyx]

Version: 1.11
Platform: DM PC
Author: Benjamin Prieu (a.k.a Zyx)
Email address: bprieu@yahoo.com
Date published: 2001, October 25
Date last updated: 2002, July 12

Story:
Read the Sealed letter from the Council, then the Fragments of the annals of the Guilds.

Aim:
There are 6 different ends:
1. Recover the Crown of the Kings from the Archmaster of Mampang.
2. Discover the Spy in the Council and recover the Gem of the Dwarven Fortress.
3. Clean the Undercity and collect Objects of Power.
4. Find a Cure for the Curse of the Darc Armor
5. Lead the Balrogs against the Council.
6. Banish the Hordes of Demons from our Plane and return.

There are 4 special objects: Guild grades.
THROWING STARS grant access to the NINJAS
MACES grant access to the FIGHTERS
STAVES grant access to the PRIESTS
CORBAMITE grant access to the WIZARDS

Notes:
This is an old version. Current version here: Conflux III - The Undercity.

Instructions:
To play, make a copy of Dungeon Master, then put the Dungeon.dat into the Data folder.
All the files must NOT be in read-only.

History:

• Version 1.11 (2002-07-12)
  • Fixed: Cellar: the teleporter in the rats' nestle now only affect monsters.
    Fixed: Crypt: the access to an unfinished puzzle in the NW area was removed.
    Fixed: Temple: Inscriptions on walls now have a correct word wrapping.
• Version 1.1 (2002-07-09)
  • Done with Dmbuiler.
    Fixed: Sewers: the floor grates swallowing the water elementals are no longer fatal to party
    Fixed: Spider level: the SE pit fall has now an exit
    Fixed: Mines: Iaido now talks only when supposed to!
    Fixed: Temple: "Puny shrimps" glitch at least fixed.
    Added: two paths of wisdom in the temple and several tweaks for a better balance.
• Version 1.0 (2001-10-25)
  • Ran out of objects with Dmute.

Download:
Download this dungeon from this Shared OneDrive (in the 'Custom Dungeons' folder)

[Zyx]

Reviewer: Benjamin Prieu (a.k.a Zyx)
Gameplay: 8. Interesting but very hard to balance correctly, some parts may prove too difficult, maybe access to the guilds is granted too soon.
Originality: 9. A great effort has been done, but the next generation of dungeons could exploit better the idea of talking characters.
Difficulty: 7. Difficult with the 4 basic characters, but still doable. There is water and food, monsters are reasonably tough.
Puzzles: 8. Many puzzles but there could be many more with an editor like DMedit.
Size: 8. You won't make in one day.
Replayability: 8. Not too much linear, several different parties, several endings, you should play it 3 or 4 times before getting bored.
Craft: 9. Some complex devices, but Beowuuf has done some incredible miracles in unreleased dungeons. The 10 score will be for the day he releases them!
Game Ending: 9. Several different endings, but I'm sure someone (not me) could figure something better.
Atmosphere: 8. Lots of effort to create something coherent, but without the limitations of Dmute, many more texts could have been created. The story could be written in a better english, with more background.
Overall: 8. My best work, and the best score I could obtain anyway.
Best part: I like the Officers Canteen, the Dwarven Fortress, The Council part.
Worst part: Lack of furnitures in the Cellar, the Spiders Lair, the Crypt. Neta ending has a bad design because of its monster generators.
Review: I'll rate this one because I know it and because I'm giving much smaller scores than Beowuuf in my reviews. I hope you will understand my point of view thanks to this comparison!

[Fueaint]

Reviewer: Christopher (a.k.a Fueaint)
Gameplay: 8
Originality: 10
Difficulty: 8
Puzzles: 6
Size: 8
Replayability: 10
Craft: 10
Game Ending: 10
Overall: 8

[beowuuf]

Reviewer: Michael Hutton (a.ka. Beowuuf)
Gameplay: 10. Choose your path!
Originality: 10. Three great ideas combine here! 'schools', character choice mattering, and multiple quests/endings.
Difficulty: 9
Puzzles: 10
Size: 9
Replayability: 10. Multiple paths, character choice and party balance - come on!
Craft: 9
Game Ending: 10. Six endings! six! wait, or was it seven...
Atmosphere: 10. Story to the characters to justify the places you go to, it all feels and hangs together well.
Overall: 10
Best part: The mines (dunno why : ) ), the multiple endings, the characters 'talking'.
Worst part: Umm...the parts where I went 'dammit I wish I'd thought of that'