Nillo
Level: Smitemaster

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Gaslamp Games just released a role-playing game called Dungeons of Dredmor on Steam:

http://store.steampowered.com/app/98800

If I would describe it in one sentence, I'd say that it's a humorous roguelike with a distinct graphical style. In some ways it reminds me of "Munchkin", not only because of the way it's drawn but also the nerdy humor.

That's not to say that the game is all about humor - underneath all the jokes and references, it's actually a really fun and challenging game. There's a skill system which allows you to choose seven skills at the start of the game, which you can then improve when you level up. So there are a lot of choices for the player to make in the development of their character. You could have a sword-wielding, armored weaponsmith who flies into a berserker rage during combat - or you could have a charming fedora-wearing archaelogist who just happens to like setting things on fire.

I think what surprised me the most is the quality of the soundtrack in this game. I just had to buy and download the soundtrack to hear more of it - especially the track Frozen Fracas, which is my favorite so far.

It's not a flawless game, but the positives certainly outweigh the few complaints I have about it. It can get a bit repetitive towards the end, especially if you choose to play a simple melee figher-type character. It's also a bit buggy and unbalanced at the moment, but I suppose that's to be expected considering that it was released only a few days ago.

If you like role-playing games and humor, I recommend giving it a try. I can assure you that it'll make you chuckle more than once.

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“Folks say that if you listen real close at the height of the full moon, when the wind is blowin' off Nantucket Sound from the nor' east and the dogs are howlin' for no earthly reason, you can hear the awful screams of the crew of the 'Ellie May,' a sturdy whaler Captained by John McTavish; for it was on just such a night when the rum was flowin' and, Davey Jones be damned, big John brought his men on deck for the first of several screaming contests.”

Ezlo
Level: Smitemaster

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Any game with a god of Lutefisk in it is worth a buy from me. Anyone who can eat that stuff is a god in my eyes.

Nillo
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 548
Registered: 01-04-2004
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Well. After thirty hours of gameplay, I finally beat the game. It seems like I got my 4 Euros worth, haha. And I'll probably try it again with a melee character, since I relied only on magic with my first one.

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“Folks say that if you listen real close at the height of the full moon, when the wind is blowin' off Nantucket Sound from the nor' east and the dogs are howlin' for no earthly reason, you can hear the awful screams of the crew of the 'Ellie May,' a sturdy whaler Captained by John McTavish; for it was on just such a night when the rum was flowin' and, Davey Jones be damned, big John brought his men on deck for the first of several screaming contests.”

Pinnacle
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 1129
Registered: 06-10-2004
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Any game with mustache golems is an insta-buy in my book.

____________________________
Once (adv.): Enough.
Twice (adv.): Once too often.
~Ambrose Bierce, The Devil's Dictionary

Nillo
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 548
Registered: 01-04-2004
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My favorite part of this game is finding statues of the dark dungeon lord, Dredmor. If you smash them into pieces, you get bonus experience and a Mortal Kombat-like voice shouts "Heroic Vandalism!"

____________________________
“Folks say that if you listen real close at the height of the full moon, when the wind is blowin' off Nantucket Sound from the nor' east and the dogs are howlin' for no earthly reason, you can hear the awful screams of the crew of the 'Ellie May,' a sturdy whaler Captained by John McTavish; for it was on just such a night when the rum was flowin' and, Davey Jones be damned, big John brought his men on deck for the first of several screaming contests.”

Banjooie
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 1645
Registered: 12-12-2004
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So, beat the game once on moderate, non-perma.

I think I might be able to handle a perma now that I have learned how to clean out Brax's without actually requiring the max level burglary power, starting at floor 1.



That said, Promethean Magic/Blood Magic aww day erry day.

Nillo
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 548
Registered: 01-04-2004
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I know how to steal, but I usually can't be bothered to do it since you tend to find enough money to buy everything you need, in any case. And yes, Promethean Magic is overpowered (until you misclick and cast a fireball on yourself).

My preferred build goes something like this: Staves, Mathemagic, Promethean Magic, Psionics, Blood Magic, Fungal Arts and Archaeology. Fungal Arts gives you free mushrooms that do a variety of useful things (like healing you or giving you mana) while Archaeology is really useful for rerolling artifacts and giving you more uses out of each Anvil of Krong. Promethean Magic is used for offense, Psionics for defense/more healing, Mathemagic for its teleportation spell and Staves if you ever feel like hitting something. If you want you can skip Staves and dual-wield orbs instead; in that case I would probably suggest Magic Training for the last skill point.

I almost beat Going Rogue + Perma with this build, but I had the grand idea of trying to fight a named Arch-Diggle on the tenth level of the dungeon while standing in melee range. The damn thing killed me from full health in one hit. Protip: Don't let Arch-Diggles hit you.

____________________________
“Folks say that if you listen real close at the height of the full moon, when the wind is blowin' off Nantucket Sound from the nor' east and the dogs are howlin' for no earthly reason, you can hear the awful screams of the crew of the 'Ellie May,' a sturdy whaler Captained by John McTavish; for it was on just such a night when the rum was flowin' and, Davey Jones be damned, big John brought his men on deck for the first of several screaming contests.”

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[Last edited by Nillo at 08-06-2011 06:27 AM]

Banjooie
Level: Smitemaster

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I really suggest Wand Lore instead of Magic Training, because having a Stony Wand and a Coral Wand is practically game breaking. And it makes the first levels infinitely more tolerable when you can kill things via wands repeatedly.

Nillo
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 548
Registered: 01-04-2004
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One level in Fungal Arts gives you a slime pet that should be able to kill anything on the first level. So you don't really need Wand Lore with that skill, and from my experience, wands are far too unreliable to be more than situationally useful later on.

Again, mushrooms are the key to survival here; Inky Hoglantern can be used for emergency healing (you can eat while invisible) or to make an escape from stronger enemies. I also eat any Lobstermane Fungus I have on Level 1 since it won't be very useful later in the game.

____________________________
“Folks say that if you listen real close at the height of the full moon, when the wind is blowin' off Nantucket Sound from the nor' east and the dogs are howlin' for no earthly reason, you can hear the awful screams of the crew of the 'Ellie May,' a sturdy whaler Captained by John McTavish; for it was on just such a night when the rum was flowin' and, Davey Jones be damned, big John brought his men on deck for the first of several screaming contests.”

jdyer
Level: Smiter
Rank Points: 330
Registered: 03-19-2003
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Banjooie wrote:
I really suggest Wand Lore instead of Magic Training, because having a Stony Wand and a Coral Wand is practically game breaking. And it makes the first levels infinitely more tolerable when you can kill things via wands repeatedly.

I actually had good things happen with
Wand Lore + Blood Magic + Ley Lines + Magic Training

that is, the super ultra magic boost package. At a high enough level you are slinging out spells faster than the monsters can blink.

Now there is something still baffling me: how do the deities work? I know the Lutefisk God and Krong seem to be mutually exclusive, but what makes one happy and the other unhappy? How do you get the Lutefisk God to do anything (lots of lutefisk sacrifice, no result)? Is the choice of Krong blessing or cursing your object random or based on some sort of game-conduct condition?

Banjooie
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 1645
Registered: 12-12-2004
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Burglary, though. I cannot imagine a build that doesn't contain Burglary. It is just so amazing in every way.

Nillo
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 548
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I do like the first Burglary skill a lot. Hundreds of lockpicks for free.

The skills further down the line are mostly useful for non-mages and people who don't take mushrooms though (since the Inky Hoglantern essentially has the same function as Ninja Vanish). The final Burglary skill seems to be completely worthless, considering how incredibly dangerous it is to make Brax angry for any reason.

jdyer wrote:
Now there is something still baffling me: how do the deities work? I know the Lutefisk God and Krong seem to be mutually exclusive, but what makes one happy and the other unhappy? How do you get the Lutefisk God to do anything (lots of lutefisk sacrifice, no result)? Is the choice of Krong blessing or cursing your object random or based on some sort of game-conduct condition?

If you offer Lutefisk and the Lutefisk God doesn't see fit to belch forth thy slimy reward, the answer is clearly to give him even more Lutefisk. Try to get your hands on a Horadric Lutefisk Cube, and use it to "skål" any useless items you might have, such as softballs and aged steaks; this should give you enough Lutefisk to satisfy the God.

There doesn't seem to be any particular deity system in this game, from what I can tell. Lutefisk God, Krong and Inconsequentia can all be worshipped simultaneously with no penalty. Krong blessings and curses are random, but he seems to be more likely to bless your item if it doesn't already have a lot of enchantments.

____________________________
“Folks say that if you listen real close at the height of the full moon, when the wind is blowin' off Nantucket Sound from the nor' east and the dogs are howlin' for no earthly reason, you can hear the awful screams of the crew of the 'Ellie May,' a sturdy whaler Captained by John McTavish; for it was on just such a night when the rum was flowin' and, Davey Jones be damned, big John brought his men on deck for the first of several screaming contests.”

jdyer
Level: Smiter
Rank Points: 330
Registered: 03-19-2003
IP: Logged

There doesn't seem to be any particular deity system in this game, from what I can tell. Lutefisk God, Krong and Inconsequentia can all be worshipped simultaneously with no penalty. Krong blessings and curses are random, but he seems to be more likely to bless your item if it doesn't already have a lot of enchantments.

I got a message from the Lutefisk God about worshiping Krong too much.

Banjooie
Level: Smitemaster

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Oh: When lutefisking things like softballs, open up whatever crafting tool you've got, and break the softball stacks up individually. That way, 30 softballs becomes 30 lutefisk, not, like, 6.

Nillo
Level: Smitemaster

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Registered: 01-04-2004
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jdyer wrote:
I got a message from the Lutefisk God about worshiping Krong too much.

It means you tried to offer a piece of equipment. The Lutefisk God does not appreciate offerings that aren't Lutefisk.

____________________________
“Folks say that if you listen real close at the height of the full moon, when the wind is blowin' off Nantucket Sound from the nor' east and the dogs are howlin' for no earthly reason, you can hear the awful screams of the crew of the 'Ellie May,' a sturdy whaler Captained by John McTavish; for it was on just such a night when the rum was flowin' and, Davey Jones be damned, big John brought his men on deck for the first of several screaming contests.”

jdyer
Level: Smiter
Rank Points: 330
Registered: 03-19-2003
IP: Logged

Nillo wrote:

jdyer wrote:
I got a message from the Lutefisk God about worshiping Krong too much.

It means you tried to offer a piece of equipment. The Lutefisk God does not appreciate offerings that aren't Lutefisk.

Aha! (I offered my cube with all the Lutefisk inside.)

Oh, re: Burglary, I have had a very good build without it, so it is quite possible to do without. Basically the early part of the game is slightly more annoying but eventually you find enough lockpicks just naturally that it doesn't matter; I was toting around 30 or so.

Lamkin
Level: Smitemaster

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Is this game suitable for someone who's never played a roguelike before?

Pinnacle
Level: Smitemaster

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Lamkin wrote:
Is this game suitable for someone who's never played a roguelike before?

It's a perfect introduction to the genre, actually. Just be prepared to lose your first game. And your second, and...

____________________________
Once (adv.): Enough.
Twice (adv.): Once too often.
~Ambrose Bierce, The Devil's Dictionary

Lamkin
Level: Smitemaster

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Cool. Thanks, Pinnacle.

Banjooie
Level: Smitemaster

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--it's not about wanting to open the doors or the chests, it's the absurd amount of XP you get for doing it IN the early game that makes it worthwhile.