[RTC] Return to Skullkeep, beta-tested version

[THEO]

Well, keep jumping (climbing)! A tip that could help you - why don't you mark a pits that you jumped into with a stick or a plank next to them? This way you can make sure you have really been everywhere.

[MasterWuuf]

Planks. Now that's something I haven't found a place for any reason, so far. I thought they might have something to do with that piece of machinery in the first cave. Looks like something that might belong on a ship galley for taking up slack on a large rope.

[MasterWuuf]

Well, I've jumped into every hole I seem to have found, at the first ladder up to the outside.

I did jump in the hole that allows me to turn on the lights with a button.

I also jumped into a hole that allowed me to go up a second ladder to the outside.
I'm fairly sure I jumped in every hole there, finding nothing.

Like the glowing hands option. Right now, I'm looking for a 'help' sign to go with it. Ha.

[THEO]

Did you know you can break collapsed rocks by attacking them?

[MasterWuuf]

Yes. I've broken a number of walls down.

I'm still curious as to the purpose of the round, light switch. The only purpose I've found is to get you out of a small room.
I tend to walk around caverns, hitting every section of wall with a spiked club.
If the wall takes damage, I realize the wall will eventually break down at that point.
Perhaps I missed one.

All the barred doorways, doors with locks and doors with no locks visible. And I only have a yellow, master key and one silver key.
I did (probably already mentioned it) purchase a key-holder (want to look professional, you know). So I'm carrying my keys in style.

[THEO]

There is an area behind bars (you need to get there by jumping into the pit), where there are breakable rocks. If you do break them, you release a flow of an underground stream that turns a waterwheel that unlocks adjacent iron doors.

[MasterWuuf]

I guess I need to be sure of something here.

I had a bomb saved earlier. I just found a second one, so I tried it on one of those columns and they started breaking.
These breakable rocks? Do you have to use a bomb to get them started, or can a spiked club eventually destroy them?

[THEO]

Yes, these rocks. You may use a bomb to break a pillar into the rocks, but any such rocks can be cleaned using spike club or any other weapon, in fact.

[MasterWuuf]

I did finally find a third ladder. The thief/scoundrels seem a bit stronger here.
They must be a poor bunch, since they don't seem to leave any coins. Cheapskates! I did find a green gem, so I'll get over it.

Picked up some poison darts. Look to do a bit more damage, but also more easily lost.

I like buying the shanks at the local grocery store, since they are a good food source, plus they leave behind a nice, light bone for marking.

[MasterWuuf]

I am glad you set this game up to allow a person to 'hide' a second champion behind the initial champion, while building up the second's numbers.
It keeps me from having to constantly restart, which is one of the small difficulties that come when adding members to the party.

[MasterWuuf]

Just realized there was a 'diminish' option, while using the glowing hands. And it does work from the second row.

I've jumped in every hole I can think is possible. Still, no water running. I must have missed something.

One of my discovered spells yields a short-lived Vorpal Blade, or whatever it is.

I have one bomb left. I have found two or three of those rock columns which haven't been removed.
I tried the bomb on each of those left (I believe), with no real benefit found.

I found a light, blue bomb. Sadly, it didn't crack up a rock beam.

I wonder how I got through DM the first time, with no hints or friends who played it in the area???

[THEO]

Can you see the closed iron door with switch, that does not open them?
There is a weird spiked mechanism next to them. If you look at the mechanism there is a wall behind it and behind the wall is the waterfall. Try walking around and there are bars. Behind the bars there is a torch holder, lever that opens the bars, pit and collapsed rocks. Fall into the pit, break the rocks by attacking them, pull the lever and walk outside. The mechanism is now turning and the doors can be opened.

[MasterWuuf]

THEO said, "Can you see the closed iron door with switch, that does not open them?
There is a weird spiked mechanism next to them. If you look at the mechanism there is a wall behind it and behind the wall is the waterfall. Try walking around and there are bars. Behind the bars there is a torch holder, lever that opens the bars, pit and collapsed rocks. Fall into the pit, break the rocks by attacking them, pull the lever and walk outside. The mechanism is now turning and the doors can be opened."

I finally counted paces from the place inside the grate (with the torch). Then went outside and figured where I had to be near, to fall in the right spot, then jumped in the correct hole the first time, if you can believe it.
I must have worn out two ropes, as much as I've gone down holes. And then, with your help, to get it the FIRST TIME???

I'm actually finding and doing new stuff now. I picked up a third person (Odo). Glad I tried smacking that column near the mechanism. I hate wasting a perfectly good bomb.

The first worm caught me by surprise (nice feeling). With Odo, I think I'll get along fairly well, if he doesn't hog all the food.

I enjoyed pulling/pushing the tables and stuff around. Was able to make good use of one of the better weapons of defense (stairway).

[hansblieb]

the tower of champions is indeed a very good mod.. https://youtu.be/E4f1YHcf6ZQ

[Leneas]

Great map! Finished it finally Final part on the top was hard because I killed golems which should keep fire burn so I dont had much time to open gate to dragon but i did it Got Torham, Seri, Anders and Uggo for whole game... (it was my first heroes i found) Thanks to creator! It was much fun drawing maps on paper oldschool

[THEO]

Hi Leneas, that is good to hear! I was afraid that the version currently uploaded on the ModDB is broken and can't be completed (particularly the puzzle , where you have to place items into each elemental altar at the boiler level to revive the gargoyles - how did you get past them?). Anyway, I am working on a new version of the map from an old source file (unfortunately the most recent one was lost during a HDD crash) and should have it ready before end of the year.

[THEO]

OK, new version is up in ModDB. Large sections of the maps were overhauled, so even if you played this mod before, it may be a slightly new experience to you. Be cautioned, though. This may still contain some bugs. I did an extensive playtesting, but will continue to test and update this version later.

[Leneas]

Hi Theo, just now returned to this forum. After placing items on altar they revived i think and then i killed them? I dont remember exactly but I had no troubles there. I know that somewhere there very helped me the "jump" skill from one of the heroes so I can jump through pits. I recommened mod to my brother who was big DM2 fan also. I try to tell about progress Thanks a lot for your work! Enjoyed this very much.

[jahmiann]

Hi theo

i am playing to your new version of "return to skullkeep", here my remarks.
- If you use special attack from anders "power dagger" the game crash
- There are several death end/bug:
1/ In the boiler level, the part with the plats and pits (to reach next level) near the stairs to access to the eye riddle, if you enter with levitate in the room, break the barrels, and launch on item on the plat, the wall closed and you have no issue cause the ladder need to be activate from lower level.
2/ In the last level where you need to kill the chess to get the Oh key, if you open the wrong door, you are stuck cause you cannot get other Oh key
3/ If you use all the pyros before enable all machines in levels, pyros disappear and you are unable to re-activate machines (cause no more pyros)
4/ some bombs are missing to access all secrets
5/ in the tower at the arena level, there is an empty alcove (may be a piece a fire armour is missing ?)
6/ at the first level of the the tower (where there are closed pit and Gargoyles), if you use the levert to fall down the ya key then you go down from the pit close to the levert you reach the end of the ligthing corridor. a minion appear to take the fallen ya key. If you kill the minon not in the front of void portal, the ya key does not drop from the minion and you cannot open ya door to progress in the tower

I cannot open some doors:
- In the Cemetery:
i need a master key to open a door where there are skelletons
i don't find the skull key
- A glue at the monks palce says a skull key hidden in the refectory (in the previous version the key was in the grill close to the fountain), with in this version i am unable to find the skullkey
- The elis's staff was need to open elis's tomb on the previous version, in this version this item become useless
- I am unable to open some green dragons doors in the tower, no lock or mecanism

[THEO]

Hi Jahmian, thanks for taking your time to report the issues.
Hree are my responses:

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If you use special attack from Anders "power dagger" the game crash

Issue fixed.

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In the boiler level, the part with the plats and pits (to reach next level) near the stairs to access to the eye riddle, if you enter with levitate in the room, break the barrels, and launch on item on the plat, the wall closed and you have no issue cause the ladder need to be activate from lower level.

Issue fixed.

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In the last level where you need to kill the chess to get the Oh key, if you open the wrong door, you are stuck cause you cannot get other Oh key.

Issue fixed.

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If you use all the pyros before enable all machines in levels, pyros disappear and you are unable to re-activate machines (cause no more pyros)

When pyro is used, another one should appear in an alcove in a Dragon pit or directly in the furnace room if the conveyor is active. Need to test.

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Some bombs are missing to access all secrets.

Not all secrets can be accessed. If you have Graen, you can create more bombs to access more secrets.

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In the tower at the arena level, there is an empty alcove (may be a piece a fire armour is missing ?)

Issue fixed.

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At the first level of the the tower (where there are closed pit and Gargoyles), if you use the lever to fall down the ya key then you go down from the pit close to the lever you reach the end of the ligthning corridor. a minion appear to take the fallen ya key. If you kill the minion not in the front of void portal, the ya key does not drop from the minion and you cannot open ya door to progress in the tower.

This is weird. That never happened to me. I need to retest it again.

There are now two skeleton keys. One of them should be in the grating, that was an issue I needed to fix. Eli's staff is now mostly useless. Could you be more specific about the dragon doors? Which level are they at?

[jahmiann]

Hi Theo

Thx for responses and quick fixes.

About the green dragon door let me check my save game to find the door

About the cimetery:
Is there a way to get a dungeon key to open the door with the skelletons
Could give some glue for :
- Find the second skull key need for the cemetery
- Solve riddle in the cemetery.

Spoiler

i tried combinaison below
For critters riddle => i put green gem
For cross riddle => i put the staff of neta
For gold riddle => i tried goldkey or gold coin (i have no lockpick)

[jahmiann]

Hi again Theo

The dragon door that a cannot open is after the ladder from the furnace near

Spoiler

the fake wall where you need to but the eye

When next version will available ?

[THEO]

Hi Jahmian,

sorry for not replying earlier. I am playtesting the new version now myself. I will upload as soon as I can confirm that there are indeed no dead ends. Ideally before Easter.

Spoiler

Cross riddle = Staff of Neta. Critters Riddle = Rabbit's foot. Gold Riddle = Gem of ages.

You can get a second key in a newer version now, I believe in the old one there is only one.

Spoiler

To open the dragon door, you need to use a dragon eye.

I would also like your feedback on what sections of the dungeon you consider the best and which ones the most boring. Where would you add more content and where you would remove a bloat. Do you have any recommendations regarding the difficulty? Thanks a lot.

[jahmiann]

Hi

Theo thx for the update, i did a new game with previous version and found some other minor issues.

1/ In the room upper to the numstaff a doorframe is missing
2/ The keyhole in the cemetary (where there are unkillable skelleton) don't have the property "store item"
3/ The keyhole in the tower where you need to close 3 consecutive doors with gear don't have "alterate state" property
4/ Cemetary if you break the necormancer tomb and move in the black cloud the game crash
5/ If you fall down in the monk temple where there are dancing flame you cannot move up (death end)
A green switch is present but does not open any wall, (should open the wall near the cells)
A tiny switch stop the spawn of dancing flame
6/ When you get the numstaff and get captured, if you want monks become friendly again (to access magic shop)
you need to

Spoiler

1/ Fall in the dancing flame pit and kill the monk with numstaff (i some case when you pushed the green switch beofre) a wall close the cell allow access)
2/ Go up (if you are no in death end) to blue hazes and chaudron and kill again the monk with numstaff

it's not really logic to kill 2 times the monk with numstaff, and there is no glue about this Walkthrough...

[jahmiann]

Other thing

I don't know if there is a special attack to kill the monk with numstaff at the cauldron, but the boss have to much HP.

It can take 15 to 20 minutes to kill him.

[THEO]

Hi Jahmian,I will fix the issue.
Thanks for the issues, I will fix them.,
The monk with the numenstaff heals each time he reaches the cauldron, you need to keep him away from it. It is an information worth mentioning somewhere, I guess.
The second time you fight the monk with the staff in the cauldron room is because your numenstaff gets stolen from you, when you enter the room. I think this also needs some information to be more clear.
I am finishin my tests soon, so expect new version of the game soon.

[THEO]

New version uploaded to ModDB. This may still contain small errors.

[jahmiann]

Thx, for this new version.

- Now thieves does not drop gold coin anymore, and there are less monsters.
So it could be more difficult to have some money to buy dungeon gears and start the tower with some blue gems.
-
I am stuck in the cave with the big worm , on previous version it easy to brain. Now it seems the goal is to survive a while waiting for its natural death. But when running i quickly finish in a deathend are a path blocked by fallen stone. On the lost version it was more natural to run worm in the trap.