KDD really isn't that great of a hold. But if you want to play it, I would recommend just getting Architect's Edition (which has the original KDD) for free
on this page. Then you can play it in all its 256-color glory.
KDD and JtRH both use the DROD 2.0 engine, so you don't need to get both separately. Get JtRH. AFAIK, if you want to play KDD2.0, you can just purchase the hold on CaravelNet and import it into JtRH or TCB. Or do as I suggested and play the original KDD in AE.
But I would recommend TCB if you want to buy a game. Here's why:
1. Backwards compatibility is a key component in DROD. Each game in DROD builds upon the last. Each DROD game can play holds made in any version of DROD before it. Other than the built-in title hold (KDD, JtRH, or TCB) and slight discrepancies in the experience of a hold (AE's numerous 8-bit styles are only on AE, and all songs are exclusive to their respective games), there is no reason to get an old DROD game.
With AE, a demo JtRH, and a full TCB, all you're missing out on JtRH is floors 4-25 and the music.
2. You don't
need to know the cannon up through JtRH to understand the story of TCB. There are some allusions that I don't understand not having played a full JtRH, but they don't compromise my ability to enjoy TCB.
3. If you become a part of the community and participate in several contests, a full version of JtRH is available as an 8-timer prize (TCB currently is not).
4. Here's another thing if storyline is a concern to you: TCB and the TCB Smitemaster's Selections (like Devilishly Dangerous Dungeons of Doom) will better prepare you for the plot leading up to the next and possibly last DROD game, "
The Second Sky."
5. Most important of all, and this is related to #1... I hope you don't plan on just playing the official title holds. KDD, JtRH, and TCB all are masterpieces - of quite considerable length, at that - but there are hundreds of user made holds, and a lot are incredible (not to mention
all free).
If you just get JtRH, you will have to stick to the TCB Demo for TCB-native holds, which will force all rooms to use the ugly City style. Yes, graphics should - and do - take a backseat to gameplay, but a lot of good TCB holds also use extensive lighting and weather effects at times, and rooms with that can be garish and very distracting when viewed in the wrong style.
TCB, on the other hand, can play all JtRH holds without wrecking the experience except for one notorious hold that, as to not give you any ideas, I will keep anonymized as "
a hold that revolves around a cheap-but-oh-so-clever-trick and that has a three word name containing the letter
'e' twice."
But you might want to switch to AE for the AE holds for the full experience. JtRH/TCB have new features that make away some of the challenge (read: frustration), and AE rooms in TCB/JtRH look, well, less than spectacular.
____________________________
Also known as ExpHP everywhere else.
[Last edited by Kwakstur at 02-06-2009 10:37 PM]
to the forums.
