Dungeon II: Solstice

[MrBeefy]

On 4/29/2020 at 7:15 PM, s0c7 said:

Make sure you read the manual. Understanding the stats can really help. Ex. If you attack something and miss, what could it potentially do to you? Would it be better to cast a spell now or conserve it? Utilize the owl?

Although it is possible to win without it, the owl can really come in handy.

Try playing as each of the different characters. They are more different than it may seem at first.

 

Just some bits I've seen people make wrong assumptions about:
Pretty much everything is random every game. This includes the placement of the cave, the open corridor in the tower, the location of the owl & key. This helps keep it fresh. What character you are playing as doesn't factor in to these things.

The owl & key can potentially be in either the forest or the cave. It is possible you might search through the entire cave only to find the key laying in front of the tower.

The probability of successfully running is based on a sliding scale. It is harder to run against the stronger monsters. It is next to impossible to run from a Crow. You might get lucky once in a blue moon, but it is usually a option best left for the weaker ones.

Depending on what point you are in the game and what the current situation is, healing more than a couple of hit points at a time is usually a bad idea.

 

 

I don't know if I would qualify these as Easter Eggs or not, but:
If you kill the demon without rescuing the princess, you get the downer ending.

If you rescue the princess but try to leave the dungeon without killing the demon, she's not too happy about it.

The last level before the hell level, if you map it out is supposed to be a stylized dw (my initals).  In Dungeon II, in keeping with the theme, if you map out the forest it is supposed to be a stylized stag's head (although it actually looks more like a reindeer from an ugly X-mas sweater).

 

Thanks for the reply. I'm stoked to finally get this so I can beat it. The first one is one of my all time favorite homebrews!

Edited May 17, 2020 by MrBeefy
Stoked not stoned ?

[MissCommand]

On 4/29/2020 at 8:15 PM, s0c7 said:

I don't know if I would qualify these as Easter Eggs or not, but:
If you kill the demon without rescuing the princess, you get the downer ending.

If you rescue the princess but try to leave the dungeon without killing the demon, she's not too happy about it.

The last level before the hell level, if you map it out is supposed to be a stylized dw (my initals).  In Dungeon II, in keeping with the theme, if you map out the forest it is supposed to be a stylized stag's head (although it actually looks more like a reindeer from an ugly X-mas sweater).

 

 

I am loving this game! I have mapped out the whole thing, although I think the Temple of the Crow changes shape depending of the character I am playing

 

What demon and what princess?  When I win by returning the mistletoe (with either of the four characters), I just get flashing and a short tune.  Am I missing a secret entrance to a hell level or some other object?

[s0c7]

9 hours ago, MissCommand said:

I am loving this game!  I have mapped ot the whole thing, although I think the Temple of the Crow changes shape depending of the character I am playing

Thanks!  Glad to hear you are enjoying it.  Nope.  There's only 3 potential placements, so it may come up the same some times, but if you play 5 times in a row with the same character you should see it coming up differently.

9 hours ago, MissCommand said:

What demon and what princess?  When I win by returning the mistletoe (with either of the four characters), I just get flashing and a short tune.  Am I missing a secret entrance to a hell level or some other object?

He was asking if there were any Easter Eggs in Dungeon I.  You can get it here:

 

[DaleFoster]

Hello Sir,

Well, I guess I’m late to the party. I just recently downloaded the .bin to Dungeon 2600 and I gotta say I absolutely love this game! What you were able to do with the limited resources of the Atari 2600 is quite impressive. I’m a product of the 80’s so I grew up with the 2600 as my first gaming console. The Main thing I love about your game is the playability of it. I keep finding myself going back to it and enjoying it, and that was always a problem I had with most of the 2600 games. I’d play most 2600 games for 10 minutes and get bored with them but not with Dungeon 2600. Now I’m really curious about Dungeon 2. If the first one is this good, the second one has to be even better, right? Unfortunately I don’t have a physical 2600 unit, I play the games with Stella (emulator) so my question for you is, is there anyway I can get the .bin for Dungeon 2? I’d be happy to pay you through PayPal and have you email me the  .bin. Please let me know what you think. Thanks again for making the 2600 fun again. 
-Dale

 

[s0c7]

11 hours ago, DaleFoster said:

Unfortunately I don’t have a physical 2600 unit, I play the games with Stella (emulator) so my question for you is, is there anyway I can get the .bin for Dungeon 2?

Hi Dale,

Many thanks for the kind words.  Glad you are enjoying the first one.  If you'll look in the first post of this thread you'll find the .bin files.  RC9 is the same as what you get on cart.  NTSC for North America and PAL60 for Europe.  Make sure to read the text manual in the first post and see the references in this thread on how to get to the Easter Egg.  You may or may not like this one better than the first.  Not everybody gets what I was trying to do with this one. 

[DaleFoster]

Well, I guess I know what I’m doing tonight, playing Dungeon II! Thanks for the heads up about the instructions and Easter egg. Hopefully you’ll find some inspiration at some point, the world needs a Dungeon 3, haha! Take care man, and thanks again for making 2 wonderful games for the 2600.

[MrBeefy]

Has anyone done a map of the layout?

[MrBeefy]

Hey I finally beat it! It's weird I feel like it is harder than the first one but know it shouldn't be.

 

I do think this one is easier to die and immediately play again than the first one. Especially if you got far in the first one.

 

I hope to see a Dungeon 3 sometime in the future.

[LatchKeyKid]

On 8/5/2020 at 9:20 AM, s0c7 said:

Hi Dale,

Many thanks for the kind words.  Glad you are enjoying the first one.  If you'll look in the first post of this thread you'll find the .bin files.  RC9 is the same as what you get on cart.  NTSC for North America and PAL60 for Europe.  Make sure to read the text manual in the first post and see the references in this thread on how to get to the Easter Egg.  You may or may not like this one better than the first.  Not everybody gets what I was trying to do with this one. 

I'm very late to the party and apologies for the thread necro of sorts but very impressive original game and sequel!  I've been watching playthroughs on youtube as I'm unable to play myself at the moment.  I was told about your games over in the Grizzards thread by Bruce and I was wondering if you have any NPC interactions in either game and, if so, how you handled them as I'm jotting down some ideas of a glyph or emoji based system for 2600 homebrew.

Edited March 23, 2023 by LatchKeyKid