Favourite Level?

ADDF_Toxic · Post by **ADDF_Toxic** » Wed May 11, 2005 3:06 pm

Just wondering what your favourite level is in Dungeon Master Original Version(Not RTC,CSB,DMII,etc.). Please tell wether you are refering to the hall of champions as level 0 or 1.

(Hall of Champions is level 1) Mine is level 3. I like how you have to get a gold key from each chamber. Level 5 is similar, but it doesn't have a similar objective in each room. I also liked level 6 for a little while, because it was similar in the first part-solve a riddle and get a key, but it lost the point.

Trantor · Post by **Trantor** » Wed May 11, 2005 3:21 pm

In general, I love the whole design because every level seems to have a certain "identity". Level 7 only consists of long corridors, level 8 is one giant hall, the treasure troves in level 5 are mostly optional and so on...

As you can see, I refer to the HOC as level 1. That said, I always considered the levels 10-12 as the best. By that point, your character's are fairly strong, and the monsters and traps pose a reasonable challenge. In level 10, I like the scorpions as nasty monsters. The "Zoooom" area almost freaked me out the first time I was there, I just wasn't able to get to the other side for a long time. There are also quite a lot of secrets there, like the Hardcleave, the Torso Plate and especially the Boots of Speed (never found them before looking into CSBuild). The opportunity to take two paths in the beginning of the level was also very nice.

Level 11 features the very cool poison trap where you find the Diamond Edge. The first room of the level with all the invisible teleporters is one of the best crafted areas in the dungeon IMO. And once again, three routes you can choose from that are actually quite different. I also liked that you were finally rewarded for carrying so many coins so far in the end of the level.

Level 12 features some very interesting monsters, the Knights and the Materializers are very different to fight, forcing you to switch fighting style frequently. The "Oitu cave" with the Boots of Speed was also very nice.

Of course, level 14 will always hold a special place in my heart, as I just love the dragon!

Post by **linflas** » Wed May 11, 2005 3:30 pm

mine is level 6 (if hall of champions is 1) : riddle room, combinations room, non-syncronised blue hazes, 'prove your strength' puzzle...

Post by **PaulH** » Wed May 11, 2005 3:38 pm

The knight level. I still vividly remember encountering my first materializer and legging it back up the stairs. And level 8 (HoC is 1!)

Post by **Ameena** » Wed May 11, 2005 4:58 pm

Oooh where do I start...Progressively, I suppose...
Screamers are kinda cute...level 2 is generally easy anyway, as it's meant to be. Bit of a bugger to spot a grey iron key on a grey stone floor whilst running along at about 50 miles an hour but anyway...

.
I quite like the layout of level 3 - each part of the level is as a separate section through its own door and each is self-contained so you don't need to worry about getting something from one room in order to enter another. The Rock Monsters are a pain but I just use one of my trusty button-operated friends to deal with them

.
Level 4...hmm...Worms, blech. More Rock Monsters, blech. But again, not too hard. Erm...well, I'm doing this from memory so I can't remember offhand specifically what's on that level puzzle-wise, lol.
It can be a bit of a pain getting across the pit room on level 5. I can get across to the back-right corner easily enough, but getting to the other corner always takes several minutes of running around the room trying to get the right pit to close

.
I like the riddles (surprise

) on level 6. Beholders are a bloody pain - I hate caster mobs in any game

. The Grave of King...erm...it's Filias who's the Explorer of Combinations isn't it? Or Milias? Well, the room with the buttons...that's annoying

. But Skellies are fun to kill

.
Not much to say on level 7. Skip it, come back to it, do loads and loads of running, unlock a few doors, pick up some stuff, run some more, get the Firestaff, and run all the way back out again. And don't forget the Winged Key in that secret corridor in the corner...
Hmm now level 8...Ghosts are easy - one Des Ew is normally enough. Mummies and Skellies are wusses. Thieves are bastards but only if they manage to steal something and run away. And it's also a bugger if you get twatted by that Fireball trap thing. More manic running and pressing buttons and stuff, that level.
Ooh level 9...scary-sounding ratties, annoying Vexirks (well, that's what their names mean, isn't it?

), weird Generic Monsters...that very handy come-bkac-when-you're-knackered room with the button door and the fountain inside it right near the Rat Room. Endless food too (though I'm normally still working my way through the Screamer Slices from level 2/4..). Nice.
Level 10 - Giant Scorpions, EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEKKKK the terrifying noise

. And Beholders again, blech

. Hardcleave though, woo

. And lovely friendly doors for use on the plated, sting-wielding, pincer-waving, gleaming yellow arachnids

.
The start of level 11 is interesting, the running in circles thing. Quite a good little idea, as well as the "choose a path" thing. I always take the Blue Trolls path 'cause Giant Wasps are annoying 'cause they're so fast and they poison you, and Water Elementals are annoying 'cause they're kinda tough and rude by slipping under doors and being non-material and stuff

.
Ahh, now level 12. I can cope with the Black Knights (doors and monster barriers, hooray!) and the Giant Spiders (doors and monster barriers, woo!), but the Spell Vines, ick ick ick blech poooooooohy! Gawd. Yeah, I just kinda run away and hide round a corner, then peek out and chuck a spell at 'em. Bloody things. And at the end bit of the level...I never bother with the Spider Room, and I just kinda leg it the rest of the way from there since I can't be arsed to kill all those bloody Spell Vines. I normally make it out okay

.
Levels 13 and 14...well 13 is annoying if there's Fire Demons in my spot I use to build the Fluxcage. Level 14...Dragon, wheeee

. The noise is still scary, since dragons can still sneak up on you and blast your brains out from the side or behind, but fighting them is fun and easy. I normally don't bother to pick up the steaks since I'm kind of lacking in inventory space, plus I STILL usually have Screamer Slices left. I normally get the Fire Gem before I do the Dragon so I have a little extra spell power in blowing him up. Of course it doesn'e help much if the staff chucks an Open Door spell or a Harm Non-Material Being, but...well...maybe it will annoy him so much he runs into the wall and knocks himself out so I can jump on his head and laugh a lot /shrug.
Right, now how many pages did I write...and I still didn't answer the original question. Erm...I don't think I have a specific favourite level - they all have bits I enjoy and bits I'm less keen on

.

beowuuf · Post by **beowuuf** » Wed May 11, 2005 5:32 pm

There's soemthing satisfying about level four, I think...more than any other level it's just a straightforward progression of walking around corridors and building up your skills and charatcers (and hacking things)! Put some puzzles to bar your way and it would be a brillaintly balanced progression of a level. With everywhere else it's more areas and sections that I look forward to, rather than the level itself.

It was mroe a case of which levels scared you - used to be four when I first started...then it ewas five with the coatyls (even later - as they were tough monsters for a middle party at the time) then it was level 10 for ages....now I'm blaze about everywhere!

ADDF_Toxic · Post by **ADDF_Toxic** » Thu May 12, 2005 2:54 am

Wow! These came fast!

Toni Y · Post by **Toni Y** » Thu May 12, 2005 5:35 am

The firestaff level is the one I like most because it marks the turning point in the game. Twice.

First on the way down it's the halfway point. Prelude ends, and (on next level) you gain access to the skeleton stairs. The challenge increases.

The second time when you obtain the Firestaff and it marks the beginning of endgame. You can open the top of skeleton stairs, open the winged keyhole and obtain the powergem.

As for best level, I don't think there is one in the game. They're all good for various things. And each has some weak parts.

However, I nominate the skeleton stairs for the single best dungeon feature in the game!

Tom Hatfield · Post by **Tom Hatfield** » Sat May 21, 2005 10:21 pm

"Choose your door, choose your fate." - SNES version had all the game's best music in this level. I love being able to complete the puzzles in any order I want. You also fight a wide variety of monsters on this level.

Post by **Paul Stevens** » Sat May 21, 2005 11:23 pm

The 'Arena'. It is the only place you can really get disoriented
because of the lack of a hallway to follow and different types
of monsters pushing you around in every direction. Also the
puzzle of the fireballs (I'd never have figured it out completely
without an editor). It's also the beginning of the skeleton stairs,
a feature that was quite unexpected whien first discovered.
Like level zero of CSB, it is really difficult to "Master" without
some sort of cheating.

ADDF_Toxic · Post by **ADDF_Toxic** » Sun May 22, 2005 1:25 am

I like the skeleton stairs too(did I say that earlier?). I put them in my game and started them at level 1(HOC) in my game.

Selie · Post by **Selie** » Wed Jun 01, 2005 9:09 pm

From what I remember of the other levels (having never made it really past four myself, I believe), three - "choose your door, choose your fate" - is probably my favorite just because it's so well-done. It's so clever. It's a lot of mini-adventures that I can take on my own time, and if you've ever seen me play DM (which you haven't, unless you're BFS) you'll know that I can only handle about thirty seconds before I have to press the game frozen button and catch my breath. I also like how the different rooms have their own themes.

I also agree that the skeleton staircase is one of the coolest features of the game. It's kind of magical ... like, hey, where did that come from? When I was tiny and watched my dad play this game, I LOVED that part. I had a dream in which my friends and I were an adventuring party going down the skeleton staircase to fight the dragon. It was pretty exciting. I still remember it, even though it was probably about 15 years ago and I was, as said before, a very tiny little girl. Awesome dream. Definitely gives me good feelings about that place.

beowuuf · Post by **beowuuf** » Wed Jun 01, 2005 9:38 pm

Ah, one of the cooest sections of the game that...you have your party loaded up, got the firestaff in your hand - time to stomp down the stairs and face the big red one!

ADDF_Toxic · Post by **ADDF_Toxic** » Thu Jun 02, 2005 12:09 am

biiiiiii-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-g red one with no wings.

Post by **PaulH** » Thu Jun 02, 2005 12:16 am

naaaahh

ADDF_Toxic · Post by **ADDF_Toxic** » Thu Jun 02, 2005 12:17 am

tihahaha!

Dark · Post by **Dark** » Thu Jun 02, 2005 12:21 am

HALL OF CHAMPIONS! Just because thats the most memorable part of DM, atleast for me.

ADDF_Toxic · Post by **ADDF_Toxic** » Thu Jun 02, 2005 12:23 am

Interesting, first hall of champions here. I would have never thought of that. But choose your fate is still my fav

Post by **Ian Clark** » Thu Jun 02, 2005 2:10 am

My favourite is level 8 (The Arena. HOC=level 1). It is possibly the most simple level in the game (all you have to do is collect the Solid Key and exit) but it appears very complex and your party can easily be weakened by the monsters, fireballs and pits. The never-ending corridor is fantastic, it took me ages to figure it out.

ADDF_Toxic · Post by **ADDF_Toxic** » Thu Jun 02, 2005 2:11 am

Interesting

sucinum · Post by **sucinum** » Fri Jun 03, 2005 6:36 pm

i like "prepare to meet your doom" aka worm level best. very fighty

ADDF_Toxic · Post by **ADDF_Toxic** » Sat Jun 04, 2005 2:41 am

Very confusing when there are creatures where they weren't before. I didn't take my handbook that critically. Then I go and see that where I'm fighting worms from generates more worms(luckily it only did it once)

Tom Hatfield · Post by **Tom Hatfield** » Sat Jun 11, 2005 4:16 pm

Skeleton staircase? I don't remember that. Please refresh me on what it is/does.

beowuuf · Post by **beowuuf** » Sat Jun 11, 2005 4:43 pm

The stairwell that requires the skeleton keys to enter.

Post by **PaulH** » Sat Jun 11, 2005 5:48 pm

I used to call it the 'eternal staircase' when I was a wee nipper. A fantastic name really, apart from it wasn't eternal. I got the staircase bit right.

beowuuf · Post by **beowuuf** » Sat Jun 11, 2005 6:36 pm

Well, I checked and it's still there, so, you know, it's on track to being eternal

ADDF_Toxic · Post by **ADDF_Toxic** » Sat Jun 11, 2005 7:06 pm

Usually at the end of each level. The wall opens and it runs from level 8 to level 14 (HOC=1)

beowuuf · Post by **beowuuf** » Sat Jun 11, 2005 7:14 pm

I always prefer the winged one that links level 7 to 14, especially as it touches 13 and 8 so allowing access to the skeleton stairs too

ADDF_Toxic · Post by **ADDF_Toxic** » Sat Jun 11, 2005 7:16 pm

Isn't that the same thing, only you unlock it from the inside?

beowuuf · Post by **beowuuf** » Sat Jun 11, 2005 7:54 pm

There are two connected sets of stairs, the one opened by skeleton keys running from level 8 - 14, and the one running from level 7 to 13 that opens with push buttons. Forgot it is the skeleton stairs that open with the winged key at the bottom...just ignore me...