I'm going to do it!

Selie · Post by **Selie** » Sun Nov 14, 2004 8:13 pm

I was thinking about just throwing up story bits here as I played through, but ... do you think I should keep this topic just to questions I have about the game itself, and put the story in a separate topic? I can do that if you want... I just didn't want to clutter up the board with more than one post about my voyage.

beowuuf · Post by **beowuuf** » Sun Nov 14, 2004 8:46 pm

lol, clutter away, it's probably easier to have the story seperate from any quiestions you may have about the game

The Journeyman · Post by **The Journeyman** » Sun Nov 14, 2004 9:40 pm

Selie wrote:I just didn't want to clutter up the board with more than one post about my voyage.

Hey...what's more important than a voyage to save the world from falling under the spell of a guy like Lord Chaos..

BTW..have you already read the dungeon master story that comes with the game?
I'm sure you are gonna like it, cause it also tells abit about 4 champions.
So put on the Elven's boots and rush over to the Encylopaedia http://dmweb.free.fr/DMManual.htm

Selie · Post by **Selie** » Fri Nov 19, 2004 10:27 pm

Yes, I've read the intro to the game - though I'd never read it until BFS started playing the game, because I made him read the instruction book to get his "how to play" from that (so I wouldn't give him any spoilers)

Wish me luck, guys - I'm about to descend into Creature Cavern!

Selie · Post by **Selie** » Sat Nov 20, 2004 12:37 am

Tiggy is leaving everyone in the dust. She just got a ninja level. Jeffrey gets points because he finally got another priest level, so the rest of the group can stop making fun of him now. And I'm proud of my people because we took on a group of blue meanies AND a group of mummies without pausing in between (this is unusual for me. I tend to fight a monster, run to the entrance, close the door, and de-panic myself). Still working on the whole "dance" thing ... I can move around just fine out of combat, but once you throw combat at me, I can't remember what button does what. Some blue meanies were totally destroying me at one point because I accidentally turned the wrong way and walked into the wall. I hate this. I think it wouldn't be so bad if I had the key setup the way it was on the ST, but I can't do that on the keyboard I'm using...

Still not done with Creature Cavern. I think this means there is something wrong with me. I was going to see if I could beat all of this level tonight, but it's not looking likely.

Selie · Post by **Selie** » Sat Nov 20, 2004 12:46 am

And there's my first death. Waaaaaaah. Blue meanies killed me and I couldn't figure out how to get away from them. I NEED to learn to dance, but it's so hard in twisty hallways and I can't even manage to walk backwards down the hall! I guess maybe I should lure them into that bigger room near the entrance of Creature Cavern, but I died before I could even get there. I don't have a very good concept of hallways, the layout of them, how my turns and button presses relate to the hallways ... argh!

I think part of the problem was also that I wasn't timing my attacks right. Stamm swung at empty air, Tiggy botched her fireball, and Jeffrey died while I was trying to force a VI potion down his throat.

Is this SUPPOSED to be so hard? Here I was thinking maybe this time through DM was going to be much easier than when I tried playing it before, since the second floor was SO easy and I managed to kill the first couple sets of monsters in CC, but I'm kind of discouraged by how badly I just died. I'm beginning to panic about food. I have a lot of it, but I don't think it's going to be enough. I guess I just have to press on until I get to the worms.

I'm beginning to think that I am not a good enough player to start with Creature Cavern. Maybe I will pick something with fewer monsters so I can maybe get another few levels in the other rooms before coming back here...

The Journeyman · Post by **The Journeyman** » Sat Nov 20, 2004 6:33 pm

awww, man..selie! :p

seems you got the real dungeon master atmosphere going on there....i remember how it was back in the day, when the trollin packs ( blue orc like dudes ) scared the hell out of me and i kept running..closing alot of doors behind me and i kept thinking: only good that they cant push the door buttons by bashing at it with their clubs ( thank god these buttons arent head-shaped..or i would have had to put helmets on those too )

the only other game in that i have felt like that was....system shock 2

P.S. are you playing RTC-DM or regular DM in RTC? ...cause with rtc-rules ( spellbook! ) the dancing is alot harder, cause the monsters wont stay in packs, but run around freely...so they are much better at cornering you

P.P.S. keep the potions flowing and find some jewellery for the gals

Post by **Ameena** » Sun Nov 21, 2004 3:05 am

Even in DM-Original, the mobs don't stay grouped. That's something I miss from the old Atari version, but I think there was a reason why they're different in this. After all, RTC is meant to be as close to the original as possible (though can't remember if it was based on Atari or Amiga version). But there are a couple of other differences as well. I won't mention them here, however, as it would give a couple of minor thigns away for Selie

.

beowuuf · Post by **beowuuf** » Sun Nov 21, 2004 10:33 pm

umm, i think it's actually CSBwin, right?

yeah, i think the keyboard thing is getting to you, combat panis will not help, but yes, if you can't have the keyboard set up how you want it (laptop keys, right?) then it's not so fun!

what you can do is reconfigure the keys to some nicer six lined up keys combination...

once you have three keys, there is some food...also, on the next level you can earn food...at least on level three water is just one stairwell away!

Selie · Post by **Selie** » Sun Nov 21, 2004 11:16 pm

Actually, I'm not playing on the laptop - I have a good 6(?) year old computer that I've got DM set up on. And yes, it's CSBwin. But because of the setup of the keyboard I have, I'm having to use the number pad for directions and turning. I just miss having two rows of 3 keys; you can't do that now, because there are always a ton of extra keys, and using the number pad means I have more rows to deal with. I keep accidentally hitting the wrong row when I'm in a hurry.

I think I might play some DM tonight. I've had a really, really, REALLY long weekend with work and stuff and I could use something fun.

It's funny, the computer I play DM on is still at the credits screen. I was so cranky about dying that I just turned the monitor off and left the computer, and forgot about it. Whoops.

beowuuf · Post by **beowuuf** » Sun Nov 21, 2004 11:22 pm

lol

and i see, i find i play DM with my fingers always on the keys, not even hovering. so i have the fingers on the first three, so i can always go forwards/turn quickly. it's easy enough to the slip index or ring finger quickly down to sidestep.

i guess it's all just practise!

Edit: made the above into english

Selie · Post by **Selie** » Sun Nov 21, 2004 11:33 pm

Yeah, practice would be good. I keep sidestepping when I mean to turn, and turning when I mean to sidestep. Oops.

BobR · Post by **BobR** » Mon Nov 22, 2004 2:33 am

Selie- you must be about the same age as my daughter- we used to wander the Dungeon together, just like you've described... your adventure is bringing back a lot of fun memories..!

It's interesting to hear you "thinking out loud" about the game, and realize that you're going through almost exactly the same process we all did "back in the day" when no one had finished the Dungeon yet, and many of us despaired of ever even getting close.

One thing I taught my daughter was the "Right Hand Rule", where you keep your right hand on the wall as you traverse a maze, and you're (almost) guaranteed to make it through... and here I am, back to Dungeon Master after having traversed the Internet maze, and find myself right back in the Dungeon again...

Here's a fighting tip: If you can't get the "Dungeon Master 2-Step" down, try backing up.

That is- face a monster, hit it, and immediately step backwards away from him while your weapon recovers. Don't turn away, just back up. Then when your weapon is ready again, step forward, hit him and back up again before he can hit you. When the monster steps forward toward you, step back another step and repeat this process until you kill him.

Be sure you've got room behind you to let you retreat this way long enough to kill the monster, and try not to back into any "dead ends"..!

Selie · Post by **Selie** » Mon Nov 22, 2004 3:28 am

I'm 20, going to be 21 in January ... which means I was quite a little thing when DM came out. But I still appreciated it for what it was! At least, I can remember thinking it was the best game ever, if a bit scary and way too difficult for me to play alone (the only games I could play alone were Populous, Rampage, and occasionally Mixed-up Mother Goose. No real theme there).

I've tried the hit-and-run technique and I think it's why I managed not to die on the first real floor... but in weird hallways I guess I get confused, because I step away, it steps forward, I try to attack and step away, bump into a wall, take 30 damage from the monster, etc! I tend to run into the walls when I can't see where I'm going.

Accidentally took a nap tonight, so I'm not sure how much DM time I'll get in. Rar. At this rate maybe I'll be halfway done by my birthday...

BobR · Post by **BobR** » Mon Nov 22, 2004 5:45 am

Ah... my "little girl" is a bit older than you. We used to play Mario Bros., M.U.L.E. and Bubble Bobble all the time, along with Dungeon Master of course!

The step forward and back technique is all about timing- if you do it right, you can keep the monster from moving toward you very much, and he just stands there getting hit.

A lot of it is luck, but if you can move back into the square right in front of him, just as he's about to move forward, he won't be able to move, and if you hit hit him fast and then move back away from him, he may not try to move again until your weapon has recovered, so you can step forware and hit him again.

Eventually of course, he'll move toward you and you have to fall back another step, but if you can avoid being right there when he tries to hit you, you can get in a lot more hits than he can.

The best technique is still the "2-step" because you can avoid being hit at all, even by monsters who throw magic, but there are times when alternative methods are almost as good.

beowuuf · Post by **beowuuf** » Mon Nov 22, 2004 9:18 am

the trouble with the stepping back is the ground you lose and on later levels or custom dungeons you don't know if where you retreat to might generate another creature ahead, or there might be one you missed behind you!

just to get used to the scare of loud monsters going 'RAR!' and hurting your champions, try staying still with as many heal potions ready as you can. especially with trolins (blue guys) you find they hit hard, but if you can kill even one of them, espeially with a four charatcer party, there is a chance of them runnign scared. keep your nerve! also, if you kill one, then there is nothign to stop you throwing their clubs at them too! (ok, i do sometimes throw stuff ninja style...also works with screamer slices to clean them up faster too)

since you are at level three, when you try practising the 'two square' dance, make it in a three by three grid for yourself! once you hit, retrat diagonally well away, giving yourself more time to recaover and check poeple

also, a small tip for weapons, try to get both fighters in sync - then pre-activate one weapon choice, then hover your mouse oever the position of the other's fightter option. when a monster comes in hitting distance, three quick clicks and you can unleash both fighter options. some critters are too fast to get in two attacks undamaged, but if you can sneak up behind the monster, or if they are relatively slow, you can get away with this too.

anywya, good luck building up your skills! have fun with the choose your fate - the combination of an open safe area with the monsters trapped, and also some goodies and a certain nice alcover beyond the doors, make it a good area to hone your skills just now. the level below is a bit scarier - it's where you will really start putting those skills into use

sucinum · Post by **sucinum** » Mon Nov 22, 2004 10:59 am

maybe you find that quite useful: http://www.dungeon-master.com/forum/vie ... hp?t=22605
it's some kind of strategy guide without any spoilers for the game itself.

Selie · Post by **Selie** » Mon Nov 22, 2004 3:43 pm

I picked up on the leave-weapon-active trick, and the leave-item-in-hand trick, and the throw-everything-available trick ... but I think it is really the movement and the panic I get that keeps killing me. I freak out and can't make such rational decisions.

As for standing there and taking the hits, that's why I died. I was putting healing potions into my characters' mouths when Jeffrey died, then I tried keeping Stamm alive but no good. I don't think I have the HP to stand there and take the hits, since I die in about two and a half hits (for Jeffrey) and three hits (for Stamm) and can't reliably make healing potions past level 1 or 2. But I'll work on it.

sucinum · Post by **sucinum** » Mon Nov 22, 2004 4:15 pm

you should have warcried more

this gives you some life/mana extra and this will maybe keep you staying cooler because you can take more blows. better don't kill monsters with ranged attacks, this gives you less experience - since they don't regenerate, you lose an opportunity to practise your skills.

The Journeyman · Post by **The Journeyman** » Mon Nov 22, 2004 7:07 pm

I'm doing the warcry alot on my latest RTC journey. On alot of monsters it gives you the opportunity to stay alot longer infront of a bad guy, especially when you have him cornered somewhere cause he's turning around and wasting time on that ( works great on the 1st mummy to appear in the dungeon after descending from the hall of mirrored champions ).
Has somehow the scent of a doing something differently after being used to dance around em and wait for the weapons to become active again.
The most enjoyable thing in RTC is for me to try 'n kill the baddies by the help of my trustworthy battle companion: the door

Looks so funny, cause when they get it on the head they turn around and walk away to the adjoining tile really fast...even the rock piles..so sweet

.and they naturally cant attack you while doing that ( ingenious feauture, GG )

hey..about turning 21.....does that mean you can drink booze in the dungeon then?

( might not help with the whole orientation thing, though )

beowuuf · Post by **beowuuf** » Mon Nov 22, 2004 7:21 pm

yeah, trolins are such cowards that war cry can give you both the experience and some breathing space

VI GOR SAR, place in cold place for a few days - dungeon moonshine

Selie · Post by **Selie** » Tue Nov 23, 2004 6:02 am

War cry - hey, that's a VERY good idea. It'll scare the monsters into not attacking me. Does it work from the back row?

Hahaha ... dungeon moonshine. Well, they've got to have something to party with down there, though I dunno how much they'd really want their abilities impaired in the dungeon. Possibly they could have a drunken party at the screamer regenerators - no fear there, lots of food, and some stupid monsters to laugh at. I imagine you get quite a taste for screamer slices going through this dungeon...

Hmm. Maybe Stamm is a drunken dwarven berserker. Or you could always have some kind of drunken kung fu master...

beowuuf · Post by **beowuuf** » Tue Nov 23, 2004 8:48 am

yup, war cry and other fear effects work just as well from the back

and you have no idea how boring screamer slices can get...probably why they maranade them in certain moonshine potions to make them taste less bland!

woohoo, two more trolins to go...oh no, halk's sobering up! cast more moonshine! hurry!

Selie · Post by **Selie** » Tue Dec 28, 2004 9:04 am

SOOOO today I decided to play with my laptop team again. Slightly different group - in the front we have Mophus and Hawk, and in the back we have Wu Tse and Chani. Cleared the end of the first level and started picking away at my doors. This time, I did NOT start with Creature Cavern. That was just too messy. Instead, I took care of the Matrix and Time is of the Essence. Started in on whatever's next - room of the gem? I don't even remember. But I died to those horrible blue meanies. Three times. I could have made it just fine, except that I refuse to let any party members turn into bones, so if someone dies, we all die. Ugggggh. I guess that's better than me actually managing to get my whole team wiped out while I was trying to save them all, which happened twice in CC in the last game.

My sister was watching while I was playing the first floor. She was like "why are you so worried about mummies? they're pushovers" ... I pointed out to her the number of times I died to mummies in the last game because they do so much damage - and, sure enough, while she was watching, the mummies killed me again. I'm trying! Honestly, I'm trying! Fortunately I'm a compulsive saver. Maybe I should start using BFS's shield of justice technique.

I'm going to beat this level, with one save or the other, and then I will be as far as I have ever been. Past this floor the actual dungeon starts and that scares me.

Selie · Post by **Selie** » Tue Dec 28, 2004 9:06 am

Oh. And I killed a mummy by tossing an empty flask at it. It was great, my front row was dying and I was pumping them full of my lame level-one vi potions trying to keep them alive, and panicking, and the mummy was all "RAH!" so I screamed and threw my flask at it after Hawk drank the potion. Poof - dust! Hee hee hee. I don't see why everyone discriminates against ninja levels. I sit there behind grated doors and throw stuff to kill as many things as I can. I imagine I will soon know everything that will fit through the door slots. If only Chani could manage to successfully toss her daggers more often...

Selie · Post by **Selie** » Tue Dec 28, 2004 9:08 am

OH AND. Advantage to really crappy fighters (at least, Hawk and Mophus aren't as good as Stamm is). When you fight screamers, it takes longer because you do less damage, so you get more levels. Or something. I'm looking forward to finding more screamers so I can pummel them with my fists. The girls are getting tired of being in the back row.

I need to go to bed now. Or I'll just keep adding more posts as I think of more things.

beowuuf · Post by **beowuuf** » Tue Dec 28, 2004 12:02 pm

i think therfe was a glitch in the matrix, i didn't see these posts comign up as new yesterday!

well, that's damn good you are getting back into it! The mummies do alot of damaage to starting characters and don't run, but i find the trolins more brutal. At least they are cowards and drop ammo, if health gets low then throwing clubs at them til runnign away is always a good plan.

If a fighter drops, just grab the bones and run to the main room - VI altar! I know you lose some health, but there can be fun in tryign to regain your stuff

The room of the gem, because of the multiple rock piles, i always rate as the toughest room

I think it goes matrix, time/essence, room of gem, creature cavern, vault, room/gem

yand it funny how when you think it's impossible a rouge blow or thrown item can save you - never surrender!

anyway, have fun, and don't be scared of the rest of the dungeon...you get used to them...afterwards : )