[Custom dungeon] Necromancer [RTC] [Zed5Duke]

Custom dungeons for RTC
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Zed5Duke
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[Custom dungeon] Necromancer [RTC] [Zed5Duke]

Post by Zed5Duke »

Version: V1.2 for RTC V0.49
Platform: RTC
Author: Zed5Duke
Date published: 2009, January 16
Date last updated: 2009, January 28

Notes:
Levels: 9
Difficulty: hard
GFX: DM2 + some new
Task: kill evil necromancer

I designed this dungeon to maximum difficulty, but possible to win
Many keys, switches, trigers, and tough monsters should keep player busy
In fact is more than 9 levels, because many labirynths at the same floor

-----

Version 1.2
Fixed switches
Fixed endgame

(now fully playable)

Download:
Download this dungeon from this Shared OneDrive (in the 'Custom Dungeons' folder)
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Trantor
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Post by Trantor »

First impression: This is much more to my liking than Gemstone.

Now I have a little bug report: I already have one Ruby Key, and now moved to the part with the floorpads that trigger fireballs. If you step on one of those that kill you instantly, the game exits with an error message.
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beowuuf
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Post by beowuuf »

Sorry to be late to the party, alternate download here:

http://dmweb.free.fr/Stuff/files/dun ... mancer.zip
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Trantor
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Post by Trantor »

Finished. Here's the review:

Gameplay: 4
Nothing new, really. You just run through a dungeon, fight DOZENS of monsters, and that's practically it. There is a lot of repetition, no real memorable places, and very little variety. For my taste, the focus lies way too much on the fighting, as there is little else of the classic DM elements.
I think that giving all characters almost exactly the same stats is a bad idea, because character selection doesn't matter then. What's much worse, though, is the gross lack of stamina. At the end, my characters had about 150 HP, but still only 30 stamina. I was constantly busy brewing stamina potions (183 total in 1:53 hours game time!), and that was decidedly unfun.

Originality: 3
You are in a dungeon, you have to kill monsters... Really, there's nothing original about this dungeon. However, the look of it with some new graphics are nice. Also, the final boss has an interesting attack method.

Difficulty: 4
I'm quite surprised you label the dungeon "hard", because I had very little trouble. Since there are no real puzzles (see below), you basically don't get stuck at all. The fights aren't really hard, either. The first room where you are thrown into is challenging, especially since your characters are so weak, but with War Cry it's not too much of a problem. Later on, you won't have trouble since there is always plenty of room to move around the monsters.

Puzzles: 3
The puzzles in this dungeon are basically all "kill monster X for key Y so you can take it to lock Z". No riddles, no evil traps, no trigger puzzles, no teleporters, no nothing. Ok, there are a few places where floor plates trigger fireballs you have to dodge, but they can hardly be described as puzzles, can they?

Size: 4
A rather small dungeon, it took me 1:53 hours to complete. It feels a bit dragged out with lots of labyrinthine structures with little to do (apart from killing monsters).

Replayability: 2
There are no secrets, no alternative routes or anything; also, the characters are all practically identical, so there really is no reason to replay the dungeon.

Craft: 5
The stuff that's in it works, but there are only really simple things going on. Sadly, there is quite a lot of backtracking to do; when you find a lock, you have to go a long way to a key and then travel back, which is really annoying with the lack of stamina.

Game Ending: 4
As I said, the boss has a funny attack method. It's quite weird that
Spoiler
you simply have to go around him and enter the teleporter...
Atmosphere: 4
The DM2 graphics plus the new interface are nice, but there is nothing in the game to enhance the atmosphere, no scrolls, no wall inscriptions, nothing.

Overall: 4
I have to admit I was kind of disappointed. It's basically just fighting, and the fights are both too many (I killed 60 mummies and 43 bats...) and too easy. The lack of puzzles was sad, and the lack of stamina just plain annoying.

Best part:
The very first room, the only place of the dungeon that really provides a challenge.

Worst part:
Constantly having to brew stamina potions.
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Zyx
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Post by Zyx »

Keep doing reviews Trantor! Fair, honnest and constructive, I appreciate them.
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Des
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Post by Des »

I agree - an honest review is the best thing a dungeon designer can receive. I never had a review of my (now rather old) dungeon Angel's Egg, though elsewhere on the forum Trant said he might do one.
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Trantor
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Post by Trantor »

Des, funnily enough, I started Angel's Egg today, but didn't get very far. I ended up in a corridor with some fireballs that I can't survive, and I just don't want to go down the pit to all the gigglers. I had a good laugh till then, though, and will hopefully play it and write a review about it.
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Zed5Duke
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Post by Zed5Duke »

Use keyboard for moving, its faster and probably only way to quickly avoid fireball traps.
I finished it in similar time, so maybe its not so hard at all (especially when use magic) Try Crusader and Gladiator, its pure fighting game without magic and just one character (which make game more dificulty)
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linflas
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Post by linflas »

almost finished it, but the final gold key does not open the door to the teleporter... :?
my review would approximately be the same as Trantor's but i haven't got bored so much : i just like killing monsters :)
i liked Ishar characters, first room quite challenging (dodge dodge because i never think about war crying at monsters).
i disliked the low stamina stats of course, i was fed up with creating stamina potions so i decided to sleep most of the time.

anyway, that one is the best of "litttle" dungeon you made.
"The only way out is another way in." Try Sukumvit's Labyrinth II
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Zed5Duke
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Post by Zed5Duke »

linflas wrote:the final gold key does not open the door to the teleporter...
Version 1.2 should have fixed this part, maybe you have played earlier relase? Anyway it was funny i tested everything during construction then play game and at really end of game found this key bug, hah! everything must be check twice.
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Joramun
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Re: [RTC] Necromancer

Post by Joramun »

I liked it too, however, I dodged the first room and the final boss, since I always play like a coward.

I'll try the boss again tonight.

I would rate it a 4/10, but with a bit more of "text" and puzzles it could be a good dungeon.

I disliked:
- looking for the exit toward next area. (ok, I was lost only once, for 2 minutes)
- always the same pattern: 2 locks, 2 areas, 2 keys. It's fun once, but come-on, 4 or 5 times in a row !?

I liked:
- killing monsters

NEXT: Nightkin !!
What Is Your Quest ?
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linflas
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Re: [RTC] Necromancer

Post by linflas »

Joramun wrote:NEXT: Nightkin !!
which is faaaar better than this one :)
"The only way out is another way in." Try Sukumvit's Labyrinth II
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