The Original Dungeon Master (Amiga)

[CerebroDragon]

Hello Ironworkers

A friend of mine recently give me his Amiga 500 to play around with and thus I've been transported into a retro-heaven of sorts lately with some great games. One of the first that really appealed to me in his box of disks was Dungeon Master. I was just wondering how many of the old school dungeon crawler and RPG fans out there on IW have played this classic grand daddy of the genre. Perhaps you could share a tale or two (without spoilers) and reminisce a little.

Strangely enough I'd never really gotten into it before on PC, though I'd taken a look once or twice over the years. There was something awkward about it after playing the likes of Eye of the Beholder and Lands of Lore.

At this time on the Amiga however, I feel ready to finally get immersed in it and hopefully beat it. There's no in-game music only SFX, so it has a tense atmosphere, with sometimes only monsters footfalls being audible.

In the Hall of Champions, I decided to go for characters who were straight classed and more concentrated rather than going for the multi-class option.

Stamm Bladecaster: Journeyman Fighter
Leyla: Journeyman Ninja
Mophus: Journeyman Priest
Gothmog! Journeyman Wizard

I really like the magic system and I'm quite certain that I'll be getting the ol' graph paper out at some point on the adventure!

I've just hit the second level and have survived numerous onslaughts against mummies, screamers, trolin and a...rockpile!

At the moment, I'm at a corridor with a pit fall trap, with a wall nearby displaying the cryptic message "cast your influence, cast your might".

One amusing thing I discovered is that you can use doors as a trap to creatures by luring them to an entrance and closing it on them as they try to move through!

I might try and update this thread as I progress....(if there's any interest!)

Cheers!
CD

[ElfBane]

I started it, liked it, but didn't finish it. There was a door on the 1st or second level I just couldn't figure out how to open,,,,then some other game came out and it got left behind. I did play and finish DM2, with a LOT of help from the cluebook!

[Variol (Farseer) Elmwood]

Post a nice screen shot for us!

[CerebroDragon]

That could prove somewhat awkward Variol, considering that I'm playing playing it on an Amiga...

A minor bit of progress:

I figured out that to pass the cryptic door I had to first cast an open door spell (cast your influence) and then heft a mighty club over the pit and on to the platform to make the pit disappear.

So I'm still wandering around the doors of level two - having solved four of six, picking up gold keys on the way. (chambers of the guardian, the vault the matrix and a creatures lair.)
I'm getting ambushed regularly by mummies in packs of four and slow-moving poisonous rockpiles, who I've managed to lure into pitfall traps a couple of times.
That's a really fun thing to do, as they're hard to kill at this stage.

[Variol (Farseer) Elmwood]

Is that the one that you have eat all time? and you keep having to go back to this room where they regenerate?

[CerebroDragon]

Yes, eating and drinking is implemented as a game mechanic just like in many of the Ultima games, which I quite like. Whilst it hasn't become a serious issue in DM yet due to the sheer amount of screamers and purple worms around, I have had to retreat back to the end of level one for water a few times to refill waterskins.

I'm currently deep into level 3 now, having scampered back to a rebirth alcove for my ninja, who has been unluckily killed now a couple of times. I wonder if the lucky rabbit's foot I picked up is having the reverse effect on her, or more importantly - what the precise punishments for death are?

I think I may have found the room of screamers you mentioned Variol - I've been using it as sanctuary of sorts, not only because of the food source, but because of the presence of the door which I've been using as a dastardly weapon against the purple worms, who I'm still not able to take out in toe to toe fights.

I've also avoided getting too close to a particular ghost that is still wandering around the end of the third level. Hopefully I don't have to kill him for some kind of hidden item or something!

There's still so much more for me to learn yet about this game, especially with the use of spells in combat. I really need to experiment more with Gothmog to get the most use of his abilities. Instead, I seem to be using him as a priest more!

Shouldn't be too far off level 4 now...
Cheers,
CD

[Variol (Farseer) Elmwood]

I do recall the food thing becoming too much of a hindrance. I think that's what turned me off the most.


Spoiler:




You can actually swing at the wall, or the air and increase your combat skill.

[Bungleau]

Ah, the excitement of playing a game for the first time, even if it's an ancient one...

I envy you.

[CerebroDragon]

Sounds like you've played it then, Bungleau - what'd you think? Any stories you can remember about your experiences with it?

For this update, I decided to do some amateur dramatisation:

The party of Stamm Bladecaster, Leyla Shadowseeker, Mophus the Healer and Gothmog have fought valiantly (and sometimes not so valiantly - using dastardly doors and fleet of foot as weapons) but have nontheless managed to defeat the hordes of creatures and devious traps found on levels 1-4, acquiring many fine items/weapons and keys for later use in this claustrophobic place.
After resting to regain their strength and mana in a small room with double doors that had been hurriedly locked in defense from a rampaging pack of lightning throwing swamp slime, the party decide to climb down the nearest stairway and head to the fifth level, vowing to
clean up the slime when they need to retreat back to Screamer Sanctuary for food.

Holding a torch with an unerring hand, Stamm lead the party down to a door way marked with the cryptic lettering they'd begun to get used to
seeing. Gothmog snarked his lip wryly as he ran his fingers over the lettering as he whispered "Riddle Room".
The party opened the door and walked into a large spacious room with four alcoves in the corners, each with a cryptic piece of writing beside it.

"They obviously require an item of some kind", deduced the ever cheerful Mophus - "otherwise the door leading onward will not open".
"Hmmm..Alright, read them out one by one won't you, mageling?" said Stamm gruffly, hovering over the first alcove with his fast dying torch.
Gothmog's eyes gleamed from within the confines of his dark hood and went to the left hand alcove, reciting the first riddle:

"I am All, I am None".

"How terribly vague", sighed Leyla haughtily, twirling her poisonous darts in her hands and walking up and down the room with anxious petulance.
The party members exchanged uncertain glances and moved on to the next alcove, hoping to deduce the more easier riddles first. Gothmog again hissed as he traced the words:

"A golden head and tail, but no body".

"Mwaha! That's easy!" exclaimed Mophus grinning with delight as he started searching his pockets and produced a golden coin. Flipping it over on to its head side with a deft toss of his thumb it landed and bounced on to its tail side into the alcove. Stamm grunted and sniffed
the air. "Next!" They moved to the right rear of the room.

"I arch, yet have no back".

Leyla started sommersaulting around the room as Mophus and Gothmog looked at each other with blank stares. "Arghh - it's got to be this little beauty!" chimed in Stamm, pulling the bow from his back, a treasure the party had gained deep in the lair of the deadly Couatl,
above. Reverently he placed it in the alcove and the party moved on.

"Hard as rocks, blue as sky, twinkle in woman's eye".

Leyla again sighed remarking "Oh why do we always end up the subject of such feeble toffy-nosed romanticism? How positively tedious!" Leyla then as quick as a flash, picked Mophus' pocket and placed a sparkling
blue gem into the alcove, one of the treasures the party had found during their battles with the Magenta Worms. Mophus grinned again with blissful ignorance, but only because that's what he always does...

The party moved back to the first riddle which had seemed much too profound for them initially.

"We could always try every single treasure in our backpacks that's remarkable - it might work eventually" suggested Mophus in his usual optimistic style.
"I don't want to be here forever, geeeez!" mocked Leyla, who had resumed her dextrous sense of urgency.
"I am all, I am none? Sounds a bit religious-like, if you know what I mean", offered Stamm helpfully.
"Yes, it's a paradox, stunty!" muttered Gothmog with derision.
From his robes, the mage drew forth the Mirror of Dawn, one of the first treasures found by the party on the first level of the dungeon, which was used to reflect a light into an eye and open a long closed
doorway.
"Tell me, what do you all perceive here?" said Gothmog as he held the
bejeweled Mirror out to the party.

Mophus, Leyla and Stamm all hovered close and stared into the Mirror.

"My reflection...what's your point mageling?" bellowed Stamm.
"Perfection", crooned Leyla with sterotypical coquettishness.
Mophus grinned widely as he stared back at his reflection.
"I think I got what you mean, Gothboy!"
"Yes", hissed Gothmog, holding his hand up to explain.

All is what you perceive that is here and yet...when the reflection is gone, there is nothing. Both must exist simultaneously for the other to exist. And thus, it is all and nothing at the same time".
Leyla clapped slowly at the exposition, rolling her eyes. "Can we go now?"

Slowly and gently, Gothmog placed the Mirror of Dawn into the alcove. As he did so, the assuring and familiar sound of a portcullis grinding and lifting was heard. Mophus grinned, Stamm cheered, Leyla hooted and
Gothmog smiled wryly. And so the party continued on their explorations of the fifth level...