[RTC] Parallel Universe

[Ian Clark]

I'm still looking for the boat...anyone?

Just found the boat. It is in one of the wall-buildiungs in the "river-area"

Thanks, I have just looked and one of two of these doors contain scrolls and the other a dragon who drops only steaks when killed. I replayed this area to see if I had missed anything but definitely cannot see a boat.

[luke41]

Thanks, I have just looked and one of two of these doors contain scrolls and the other a dragon who drops only steaks when killed. I replayed this area to see if I had missed anything but definitely cannot see a boat.

There are 6 buildings in this first area (surrounded by water), including the one you come out.
The building I mean needs a blue-key (topaz or turqoise, dont remember) to unlock.

[Ian Clark]

Is the key found in this area? I have had another look around but can't find any keys.

[luke41]

Is the key found in this area? I have had another look around but can't find any keys.

No. During my journey I found 2 such keys in the "old dungeon", one on the "Skeleton-level" (with 4 riddles, wasps, etc.), another on the level where you can find the firestaff - and some more valueables Write me via privmessage, since I dont want to spoil too much...

[luke41]

OK, I did it! Finished!...

The final fight(s) were not easy, but some white boots and a weapon made it easier...

[Ian Clark]

Found it!

Spoiler

To get the boat without having to use the tourquoise key from the Firestaff level, you find a dart in one of the rooms (this looks exactly like a Poison Dart but is just called "Dart", throw this at the dartboard in the tavern in the small area across the water (accessible by cutting through some trees) then the key is in the cellar which will open up.

[Ian Clark]

Ok, so I have progressed to what I think is

Spoiler

the end. I killed the silver beast, grabbed the Hellion now I am confronted by Lord Chaos on speed. I notice that I can use the pistol against him but how do I get him in a fluxcage? I never did merge the original Firestaff with the power gem because the gem isn't there. Anyone?

[luke41]

Ok, so I have progressed to what I think is

Spoiler

the end. I killed the silver beast, grabbed the Hellion now I am confronted by Lord Chaos on speed. I notice that I can use the pistol against him but how do I get him in a fluxcage? I never did merge the original Firestaff with the power gem because the gem isn't there. Anyone?

You dont need any gem, but you have to activate the firestaff with a spell - remember DM-original?...
In my case it was very hard to get Chaos into a place/tile to fluxcage him and then fuse. So I managed to invite him out of the platform where I had to fight the silver-beast in the "vulcanic" area.
Then try to scare him so he goes to a place/tile surrounded from all sides - 3 walls and you. Then he cannot escape...

[Ian Clark]

I have tried the obvious spell (Zo Kath Ra) but that doesn't make any difference

[luke41]

I have tried the obvious spell (Zo Kath Ra) but that doesn't make any difference

Have you found the special rock? Here you have to spell ZoKathRa I guess, or maybe just stick the firestaff to it, dont remember... But I am sure once I was there it was enough that I have the firestaff, no other item was required.

[Ian Clark]

Special rock? Where is that?

[luke41]

Special rock? Where is that?

I mean the wall with a crack where you usually activate the firestaff. In orginal DM in was in the room behind the dragon. In DM PU it is west from the entrance to the platform where you fight the silver monster

[Ian Clark]

I must have missed that, I will check that area out again

[Ian Clark]

Finally done it

[PaulH]

Hello everyone! Sorry for the late reply, I must have missed the email.

Am glad you have figured it out. This was kind of a test dungeon for myself and RTC - would welcome any criticism (constructive ) Though I'll have to familiarise myself again with it! And check in more often for sure.

The silver beast - the alien?

[luke41]

Hi PaulH,

Let me start with criticism: The last completely new parts were a little too huge, especially the water-areas, but also the vulcanic area at the end etc. And the flames at the end were too strong - so one needed only patience and time to destroy them.
Moreover - I hadn't testet it - there may be some deadends there: What if you throw an important item far into the vulcanic area? You cant get it back...
Or what if you leave the boat somewhere there, and teleport back to the water-level without taking the boat?...

Now what I liked:
Of course the mix of "good old DM-levels" with changed maps and some new riddles! It was like coming home after 20 years, where a lot is similar or the same (like the coordinates to exits to lower levels), but a lot changed too. (like the place where one expects to use ZO KATH RA and gets a note...)
The riddle with the thief and the plate was great! - Simple, but took me half a day!
Generally I had the impression that you made the first 6-7 levels harder (new riddles, complicated maps), and then the really original riddles were less...

[Ian Clark]

Hello everyone! Sorry for the late reply, I must have missed the email.

Am glad you have figured it out. This was kind of a test dungeon for myself and RTC - would welcome any criticism (constructive ) Though I'll have to familiarise myself again with it! And check in more often for sure.

The silver beast - the alien?

Yes, that's what I meant

I'll start with the positives:
Overall it was great as a DM alternative; even the most seasoned player would have to think twice (or often longer). Couple that with the improved monster AI in RTC and it makes the game harder than what we are all used to. I also liked the way you combined the different paths (i.e. on levels 3 and 10) so the player did not have the opportunity to select them in the order that they wished. The knight level was much harder due to the increased amount of knights and I managed to get myself cornered a few times. I enjoyed the dragon level which was completely new and liked the new monsters. The sword was great too.

And the rest (mostly technical stuff):
It is possible to bypass the dragon level by taking the Firestaff from its usual place and going back up through the earlier levels; the dungeon entrance can be broken then you can go outside and finish the game (or you could go outside at any time and (subject to very hard battle) retrieve the sword then go through the rest of the dungeon practically invincible). Perhaps a second door or a pressure pad would solve this. Also, in this area I dismissed the dart as a standard poison dart so did not consider how I should use it, an alternative graphic may work here. Finally, towards the end, it may be best to have a pressure pad whereby the final door only opens if the party is carrying the activated Firestaff. I ended up in there with only the original one...

[PaulH]

Thank you for the comments, much appreciated! I'll have to have a good look at the editor and my maps, and replay some of the raised points.

Accidentally throwing items away is something that crops up in many dungeons, though I do recall that in the lava area there was a mechanism where they were teleported to a safe point.

I also recall that when testing I left an easy path outside in place so I could test the latter levels quickly - which you seem to have discovered . I'll look deeper into it!

I think there is some merit in my making some tweaks and maybe introducing a couple of new ideas an extra puzzles to improve gameplay. I've recently been looking over old unfinished dungeons I started making and would like to finish them some day.

[agarules]

It's a fantastic DM mod. The haze puzzle was very frustrating, as it's not the same sequence as in the original DM, where it was not essential to progress and I always avoided it. Took me quite a while to find the ruby key after a lot of wandering around, back-tracking and checking the walls for buttons. Just did the "zoom" part and killed lots of foes. I have found the stairs down to the "clockwise" area (where I am stuck, because I need a key for the keyhole in the wall), but didn't find a skeleton key for the above level. So I will have to go back again and search some more.
Talk about having your brain re-wired. It's very satisfying when you make progress, just as in the original game. But having played the original DM many times can be a good thing and a bad thing.
Thank you PaulH for the hours I've spent so far enjoying this DM mod. I am guessing that I am only half way through and hope to get unstuck.

[agarules]

I can't find the skeleton key on the corbamite level. If it was on the ground, then I probably wouldn't see it. They are easily missed.
Anyone help?

[agarules]

Found the skeleton key. I had missed a tiny wall button which opened up a new small area. Hate small wall buttons nearly as much as false walls. Carried on to the next level, which was a right pain in the ass. Reason...another small wall button which took me to get the needed key. Onwards to the "clockwise" level. Hated this in the original Dungeon Master because it was too much of trial and error. Mostly error.

[terkio]

With the spell to see through walls one can detect hidden areas.
Mapping does help too.

[agarules]

Never use the spell "see through walls" or "magic footprints". Mapping is such a chore. I try to remember the layout of a level, sometimes leaving things on the ground.
I'm assuming that you have played and finished "Parallel Universe". I'm not looking forward to this next level..."clockwise". It was very confusing when played over 30 years ago and an alternate version fills me with trepidation.
Good to see that some people still visit this site. Thank you.