Legend of Grimrock

[Hopeless]

Anyone heard anything about this new dungeon crawl game?

Been looking at the you tube video's and it got me wondering about something similar run as a Legend game!

The premise is that you're playing prisoners whom have been selected to be pushed down inside an ancient labyrinth and to earn their freedome have to make their way down to the bottom level and exit the place at the base of the mountain its been built within!

Given you start off in just rags with no weapons, armour, food or anything other than what they know its a Mission Impossible except you're stuck with only one way out through every darkened monster infested and trap filled let alone puzzle orientated level with the knowledge that a small army of the King's army tried to delve inside this place and the only one to return via the top was mortally wounded and completely out of his mind!

Dare you delve the Legend of Grimrock?!

 

[danskmacabre]

I have it on my wantlist on Steam.
Looks like a very oldskool RPG, looking forward to playing it.

 

[hanszurcher]

I added it to my steam wishlist a few days ago. Funny I stumbled on it around the same time I was fancying a little NetHack.

Unfortunately my games library is filling up with unplayed and neglected toys...wish I had more time to play.

 

[Big Orc]

This looks very much like an updated version of FTL's Dungeon Master from the 80's. If it is half as good it will be worth the money.

 

[Hopeless]

Have to admit I'm really interested in seeing where this one goes, I managed to finish the first eye of the beholder and could only manage to reach the last fight of the sequel before being slaughtered!

Planning on a human fighter, minotaur fighter, lizardwoman rogue and an insectoid mage and if i can ever get far enough plan on running something smilar with Legend could even be part of campaign idea I'm trying to get started at the moment!

 

[Prime_Evil]

I must admit that I've been waiting for this game ever since I learned of its existence - it has such a lovely old school vibe. Unfortunately I'll be in the middle of exams when it is released, so it'll be a while before I get to mess around with it.

 

[hanszurcher]

Have to admit I'm really interested in seeing where this one goes, I managed to finish the first eye of the beholder and could only manage to reach the last fight of the sequel before being slaughtered!

Planning on a human fighter, minotaur fighter, lizardwoman rogue and an insectoid mage and if i can ever get far enough plan on running something smilar with Legend could even be part of campaign idea I'm trying to get started at the moment!

Well, I didn't even realize that there was a sequel to Eye Of The Beholder. Cool.

Among the things I've been hearing about Grimrock, the puzzles and traps are supposed to be spectacular. A must for any great dungeon crawl.

I'm also pretty stoked about the upcoming Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition remake.

 

[Dan True]

Sounds like an interesting game. Now added to wishlist.

I have had some thoughts on something similar for a Legend game. I like the idea of a massive dungeon, where players need to huddle up in corners or small rooms to find places to sleep, and chase rats or eat moldy biscuits for food... all the while gaping when they find an arrow slit to look at the world outside.
Dunno, just sounds neat I like mega dungeons.. Had some long looks at the d&d 3.5 supplements for the Dungeon below Castle Greyhawk and the Undermountain beneath Waterdeep. Much liked the idea of such massive dungeons.

- Dan

 

[Prime_Evil]

If you want to do a megadungeon in Legend, you may run into issues with the lethality of combat. One way around this is to emphasize that old-school dungeon crawling wasn't just about fighting from one room to the next - it was also about exploration of a mythic underworld. Classic megadungeons focused on the theme of venturing into a place of mystery.

If you look at the earliest published dungeons, there were numerous paths through the dungeon and plenty of rooms that contained no monsters whatsoever. In addition to empty rooms, there were lots of traps and puzzles to keep players occupied. These were often designed to challenge the players as much as their characters. Some areas contained mysterious phenomena such as pools or mirrors with magical properties that helped that helped to give the place an otherworldly feel. Others contained roleplaying encounters with groups of prisoners or rival adventuring parties. Many of the inhabited areas contained factions or tribes of creatures with little love for each other - there was an implicit assumption that smart characters would play one group off against another. Where the inhabitants were more organized, there were options to avoid combat by using stealth or disguise to infiltrate the enemy territory.

 

[hanszurcher]

If you want to do a megadungeon in Legend, you may run into issues with the lethality of combat. ...

That's not a problem in dungeon crawl games like Grimrock which is descended from earlier models. All those games are very lethal. Just standing in a dark patch could get you eaten by a grue!

Fond memories of playing Zork on my old Apple II.

 

[Prime_Evil]

Anyone want to give us stats for a Grue?

 

[Hopeless]

Have to admit I'm really interested in seeing where this one goes, I managed to finish the first eye of the beholder and could only manage to reach the last fight of the sequel before being slaughtered!

Well, I didn't even realize that there was a sequel to Eye Of The Beholder. Cool.

There was a total of three games last i heard with the third dealing with Myth Drannor that since 4e has been reclaimed by the elves but I only found that out because they released all three as a compilation about a decade or so ago

Among the things I've been hearing about Grimrock, the puzzles and traps are supposed to be spectacular. A must for any great dungeon crawl.
I'm also pretty stoked about the upcoming Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition remake.
Yes been getting spectator rage whist watching some of the video's been posted on youtube a sort of back seat driving that makes me wish it was already Wednesday!

Don't know much about the Baldur's Gate remake though.

 

[Hopeless]

If you want to do a megadungeon in Legend, you may run into issues with the lethality of combat. One way around this is to emphasize that old-school dungeon crawling wasn't just about fighting from one room to the next - it was also about exploration of a mythic underworld. Classic megadungeons focused on the theme of venturing into a place of mystery.

If you look at the earliest published dungeons, there were numerous paths through the dungeon and plenty of rooms that contained no monsters whatsoever. In addition to empty rooms, there were lots of traps and puzzles to keep players occupied. These were often designed to challenge the players as much as their characters. Some areas contained mysterious phenomena such as pools or mirrors with magical properties that helped that helped to give the place an otherworldly feel. Others contained roleplaying encounters with groups of prisoners or rival adventuring parties. Many of the inhabited areas contained factions or tribes of creatures with little love for each other - there was an implicit assumption that smart characters would play one group off against another. Where the inhabitants were more organized, there were options to avoid combat by using stealth or disguise to infiltrate the enemy territory.

In the Grimrock game they have shown a room with a floating blue crystal that restores all lost health and energy but then you have to wait for it to recharge, might be worth placing a dew safe areas and access to healing magic say fountains or pools clearly marked as healing fonts or something like that perhaps an option they can find supplies enough to last a few days when they need to rest and recover because they've sustained heavy injuries for example like those pit traps which look nasty!

 

[hanszurcher]

Anyone want to give us stats for a Grue?

I found a very informative page detailing the grue...no stats unfortunately.

 

[Prime_Evil]

That's a fair point. Many classic dungeons have a couple of safe areas that characters can use as a temporary haven - these might be well-hidden areas or places shielded by protective magic or areas controlled by an enclave of friendly dungeon denizens. It's a standard trope of the genre.

It might be worth taking a new look at a few of the earliest Runequest adventures to see what they can teach us about dungeon design for the d100 system. I'm thinking of things such as the Rainbow Mounds from the Apple Lane adventure, Snake Pipe Hollow, and Balastor’s Barracks. Although some of these adventures are dated, they may still provide some inspiration. Certainly, they provide a salutatory reminder that D&D wasn't the only game to feature cool dungeon crawls back in the early days of the hobby.

 

[hanszurcher]

...
There was a total of three games last i heard with the third dealing with Myth Drannor that since 4e has been reclaimed by the elves but I only found that out because they released all three as a compilation about a decade or so ago
...

I just found all three, free downloads at http://www.bestoldgames.net.

 

[hanszurcher]

...
In the Grimrock game they have shown a room with a floating blue crystal that restores all lost health and energy but then you have to wait for it to recharge, might be worth placing a dew safe areas and access to healing magic say fountains or pools clearly marked as healing fonts or something like that perhaps an option they can find supplies enough to last a few days when they need to rest and recover because they've sustained heavy injuries for example like those pit traps which look nasty!

I like how shrines work in the Elder Scrolls. Healing plus a limited boon...like becoming harder to detect or blocking more damage with your shield.

 

[Prime_Evil]

I just picked up Legend of Grimrock via Steam and I am having a blast - it's a very nostalgic game that brings back fond memories of early computer RPGs. Although the premise is thin and the dungeon environment is implausible, its interesting just how engaging the game is. The old-school dungeon crawl approach holds up surprisingly well and the game beats the pants of many newer offerings.

 

[hanszurcher]

... Although the premise is thin and the dungeon environment is implausible, ...

As it should be.

If I wasn't spending this weekend with Mass Effect 3 I'd be delving the Grimrock as well.

 

[danskmacabre]

I have this game now and had a go last night.
It's about a 600 MB download which is pretty small these days.

It's great fun, a real oldskool feel to it.
I love the grid map it makes, you can even put notes on it. You can switch off the gridmap if you want to be forced to use memory or pen and paper.

It's not entirely turn based in that if you don't do something, the monsters will move and attack a anyway, but they move in a gridlike fashion.
It would be nice to be able to make it completely turn based and not timed, as it's a bit too "twitchy" for me, but still great fun.