The Dungeon Revealed
Encyclopedia
The Dungeon Revealed is a popular dungeon crawl
computer game created by John Raymonds and published by Woodrose Editions in 1987. A demo and shareware version of the game entitled The Dungeon of Doom were released in 1986 and 1987 respectively to promote the commercial release of "The Dungeon Revealed" which came in 1987. Both were released for Mac OS
, and were compatible with versions as late as System 7
. In fact, The "Dungeon Revealed" can still be played with Mac OS 10.4.10 in Classic (Mac OS 9.2.2) but suffers from an absence of sound. "The Dungeon of Doom", the demo and shareware releases, were not 32-bit clean and thus not compatible with Mac OS 7.5 and up.
. If the character attempts to take the stairs from the dungeon, a message appears: "A force prevents you from escaping to the surface. Maybe the Orb will set you free..."
Like this first message, much of the game's story and mechanics are vague or completely undocumented. Most of the player's information comes from a window called Rumors, which contains 26 short, cryptic statements including
The dungeon is divided into 40 floors, each with one staircase going up, and one going down. The floor plan
of each level is randomly generated, but remains unchanged throughout a single game. Though each level is about the same size, the complexity of the floor plans becomes more maze-like
as the character descends to deeper dungeon levels. There are also items, including weapon
s, armor
, magical rings, scrolls
, potion
s, wand
s, food items, and jewels
placed randomly throughout the dungeon's floors.
Progress though the dungeon is hindered by monsters who, depending on the circumstances, have varying levels of hostility towards the character. The character must also eat periodically to avoid starvation. The monsters become more powerful and resistant to attack as the player progresses deeper into the dungeon.
The player begins the game by creating a new character from one of seven classes: knight
, fighter, sage
, wizard
, alchemist
, jeweler, and jones. Each class has a different set of attributes, parameterized similarly to Dungeons & Dragons
. Each attribute affects the character's abilities in a number of ways, many of which are undocumented. Characters with a high intelligence attribute, for example, have a higher probability of success when casting magic spells from a scroll, as well as an improved ability to map the dungeon. In addition, each class has an increased likelihood of being able to identify a certain type of item. Characters can improve their ability scores throughout the game, both temporarily and permanently, through the use of potions and scrolls.
Each class, with the exception of "Jones", also has the unique ability to assess one type of object. Alchemists, for example, can accurately identify the potions they find in the dungeon, and therefore avoid drinking those with harmful effects, wizards wield wands more effectively, and so forth. All classes can reach the highest levels in each ability by obtaining a variety of scrolls and potions that raise strength, intelligence, wisdom, dexterity, constitution, and charisma. Strength controls a character's ability to attack, intelligence and wisdom, the ability to read and understand scrolls successfully, dexterity, the ability to wield weapons and throw objects, constitution the ability to withstand attack, and charisma, the ability to increase the odds a defeated monster will leave behind a useful item.
The main objective of the game is to retrieve the orb of Carnos, located on the 40th level and guarded by a powerful boss monster called "The Dark Wizard". The 40th level also contains an ersatz orb, made of plastic, which can only be identified using an "identify scroll".
Dungeon crawl
A dungeon crawl is a type of scenario in fantasy role-playing games in which heroes navigate a labyrinthine environment, battling various monsters, and looting any treasure they may find...
computer game created by John Raymonds and published by Woodrose Editions in 1987. A demo and shareware version of the game entitled The Dungeon of Doom were released in 1986 and 1987 respectively to promote the commercial release of "The Dungeon Revealed" which came in 1987. Both were released for Mac OS
Mac OS
Mac OS is a series of graphical user interface-based operating systems developed by Apple Inc. for their Macintosh line of computer systems. The Macintosh user experience is credited with popularizing the graphical user interface...
, and were compatible with versions as late as System 7
System 7 (Macintosh)
System 7 is a single-user graphical user interface-based operating system for Macintosh computers. It was introduced on May 13, 1991 by Apple Computer. It succeeded System 6, and was the main Macintosh operating system until it was succeeded by Mac OS 8 in 1997...
. In fact, The "Dungeon Revealed" can still be played with Mac OS 10.4.10 in Classic (Mac OS 9.2.2) but suffers from an absence of sound. "The Dungeon of Doom", the demo and shareware releases, were not 32-bit clean and thus not compatible with Mac OS 7.5 and up.
Objective
The player controls a single character trapped in an underground dungeonDungeon
A dungeon is a room or cell in which prisoners are held, especially underground. Dungeons are generally associated with medieval castles, though their association with torture probably belongs more to the Renaissance period...
. If the character attempts to take the stairs from the dungeon, a message appears: "A force prevents you from escaping to the surface. Maybe the Orb will set you free..."
Like this first message, much of the game's story and mechanics are vague or completely undocumented. Most of the player's information comes from a window called Rumors, which contains 26 short, cryptic statements including
- "Death is only a word"
- "The Dark Wizard guards the orb"
- "The 40th level is death"
- "Experience strikes twice"
- "There are two orbs"
- "Beauty can tame a beast"
The dungeon is divided into 40 floors, each with one staircase going up, and one going down. The floor plan
Floor plan
In architecture and building engineering, a floor plan, or floorplan, is a diagram, usually to scale, showing a view from above of the relationships between rooms, spaces and other physical features at one level of a structure....
of each level is randomly generated, but remains unchanged throughout a single game. Though each level is about the same size, the complexity of the floor plans becomes more maze-like
Maze
A maze is a tour puzzle in the form of a complex branching passage through which the solver must find a route. In everyday speech, both maze and labyrinth denote a complex and confusing series of pathways, but technically the maze is distinguished from the labyrinth, as the labyrinth has a single...
as the character descends to deeper dungeon levels. There are also items, including weapon
Weapon
A weapon, arm, or armament is a tool or instrument used with the aim of causing damage or harm to living beings or artificial structures or systems...
s, armor
Armour
Armour or armor is protective covering used to prevent damage from being inflicted to an object, individual or a vehicle through use of direct contact weapons or projectiles, usually during combat, or from damage caused by a potentially dangerous environment or action...
, magical rings, scrolls
Scroll (parchment)
A scroll is a roll of papyrus, parchment, or paper which has been written, drawn or painted upon for the purpose of transmitting information or using as a decoration.-Structure:...
, potion
Potion
A potion is a consumable medicine or poison.In mythology and literature, a potion is usually made by a magician, sorcerer, dragon, fairy or witch and has magical properties. It might be used to heal, bewitch or poison people...
s, wand
Wand
A wand is a thin, straight, hand-held stick of wood, stone, ivory, or metal. Generally, in modern language, wands are ceremonial and/or have associations with magic but there have been other uses, all stemming from the original meaning as a synonym of rod and virge, both of which had a similar...
s, food items, and jewels
Gemstone
A gemstone or gem is a piece of mineral, which, in cut and polished form, is used to make jewelry or other adornments...
placed randomly throughout the dungeon's floors.
Progress though the dungeon is hindered by monsters who, depending on the circumstances, have varying levels of hostility towards the character. The character must also eat periodically to avoid starvation. The monsters become more powerful and resistant to attack as the player progresses deeper into the dungeon.
Characters
Knight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
, fighter, sage
Wise old man
The wise old man is an archetype as described by Carl Jung, as well as a classic literary figure, and may be seen as a stock character...
, wizard
Wizard (character class)
The Wizard is a type of magical character class in certain role-playing games and computer role-playing games. Wizards are considered to be spellcasters who wield powerful spells, but are often physically weak as a trade-off. Wizards are commonly confused with similar offensive spellcasting...
, alchemist
Alchemy
Alchemy is an influential philosophical tradition whose early practitioners’ claims to profound powers were known from antiquity. The defining objectives of alchemy are varied; these include the creation of the fabled philosopher's stone possessing powers including the capability of turning base...
, jeweler, and jones. Each class has a different set of attributes, parameterized similarly to Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
. Each attribute affects the character's abilities in a number of ways, many of which are undocumented. Characters with a high intelligence attribute, for example, have a higher probability of success when casting magic spells from a scroll, as well as an improved ability to map the dungeon. In addition, each class has an increased likelihood of being able to identify a certain type of item. Characters can improve their ability scores throughout the game, both temporarily and permanently, through the use of potions and scrolls.
Each class, with the exception of "Jones", also has the unique ability to assess one type of object. Alchemists, for example, can accurately identify the potions they find in the dungeon, and therefore avoid drinking those with harmful effects, wizards wield wands more effectively, and so forth. All classes can reach the highest levels in each ability by obtaining a variety of scrolls and potions that raise strength, intelligence, wisdom, dexterity, constitution, and charisma. Strength controls a character's ability to attack, intelligence and wisdom, the ability to read and understand scrolls successfully, dexterity, the ability to wield weapons and throw objects, constitution the ability to withstand attack, and charisma, the ability to increase the odds a defeated monster will leave behind a useful item.
The main objective of the game is to retrieve the orb of Carnos, located on the 40th level and guarded by a powerful boss monster called "The Dark Wizard". The 40th level also contains an ersatz orb, made of plastic, which can only be identified using an "identify scroll".
Version and license history
- The Dungeon of Doom v4.0 (1986) – final shareware release, $25 registration.
- The Dungeon of Doom v5.4 (1987) – free, complete-game demo for The Dungeon Revealed. Identical to version 4.0.
- The Dungeon Revealed v1.0 (1987) – commercial release, sold for $37.50. New features include improved sound effects, new monsters, improved inventory management, and QuickDrawQuickDrawQuickDraw is the 2D graphics library and associated Application Programming Interface which is a core part of the classic Apple Macintosh operating system. It was initially written by Bill Atkinson and Andy Hertzfeld. QuickDraw still exists as part of the libraries of Mac OS X, but has been...
mode (allowing play in a moveable window).
Credits
- John Raymonds – Program Creator
- John Morgan – Monster Designer
- Dan Ferguson – Screen Art
- David Russo
External links
- Dungeon of Doom, a fanpage