That's not a question one gets to ask very often. Not only because ADOM is a rather obscure rougelike RPG of the sadistically brutal kind, but also -
Well. That just about covers it. Obscure, sadistic, brutal. Even those who know about it have to deal with the fact that it really doesn't help you out with learning the game, and even when you've gotten around to that it tends to kill you off without proper warning. And when you die, you die. New game. Not to mention that the victory conditions leaves you no second chances. Once you fail, you fail.
Here's a picture (borrowed from the wiki) of how it looks like:
Ah, such fond memories.
If there is one thing that needs to be said about ADOM, then that is that it takes time to learn, time to play and time to win. Like with so many other turn based games, time flies when it stands still. And the more time you spend on it, the better you get at it - both in theory and in practice.
I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that the picture above is quite incomprehensible to many of you. Those who are familiar with the rougelike genre will know that the @ is the player character, and that the ^^s are traps of various kinds. With experience, you will learn which of them will kill you as a level 4 wizard fresh from the first quest, and which ones to abuse in the later stages of the game.
If you devote a couple of hours to it, you will have learned the basics of moving around. A couple of more hours and you will stay alive. A couple of days, and you will reach lever 12. A couple of years, and you will beat it. At least once.
Now, it's not quite like me to drag out something brutally obscure just to be sadistic. There's got to be some sort of point, right?
Why, yes. Now that you mention it.
You see, this is how mastery works. At first, things looks like a random compilation of stuff, with no sense of direction what so ever. Then you learn this one thing, which lets you see other things, which lets you try other things, which lets you get on with even more things - and if you just keep doing it, you eventually get so good that you win.
The key to getting good at things is to keep doing them. Even when you keep dying as a level 4 warrior due to a particularly unforgiving stone trap. -
Nice post, only thing I'd argue is that you'll be it in a couple years... Took me like 10 effin' years to beat it, and I don't think any of my friends have beat it before their two year mark
ReplyDeleteHere's a secret for you: I haven't been able to beat it yet. The closest I've gotten is a level 50 necromancer getting to the last (non ultra ending) dungeon. Who promptly electrocuting myself with a stray spell.
DeleteTwice.
That was, to put it mildly, not my most glorious moment. ;)
On the other hand, getting to level 50 with a necromancer is a mighty deed in itself! I've beaten it thrice (gray elven wizard, high elven archer, gnome monk) and never got a necromancer over level 25... Despite that being my most common character to try with.
ReplyDeleteAny hints on what to do to survive as a necro?
It was a long time ago, but I remember that I died. A lot. I had a period when I would play only necromancers, and one of them got a break. Found a ring of invisibility early on, didn't run into a balor in the Dwarven Halls, and was asked to slay a rat by the ancient dwarf.
DeleteI wish I could say I'm just that good, but the RNG smiled at me. For once. ^^
over 10 years here. Got once to the final dungeon last year, but that is it. That last dungeon is so hard, my char had 160 dv and still lost. Not good enough weapon I guess.
ReplyDeleteI know that feeling. One of these years, I'm going to beat it. One of these years.
DeleteOr die trying! >_>
I finished the game in 6-7 months, but I was extremely spoiled by the Guidebook. Since then I have won the game 10 more times in the last 2 years. Without those spoilers I could have never got through even the fire temple.
ReplyDeleteThe Guidebook is a wonderful thing. I can't even remember how many times I've wondered about how anyone managed an ultra ending without it. Or how long time it must have taken to write it.
DeleteI think I'm going to send a thank you note to the author one of these days. Just one more game... ;)
I have beaten the game a few times my best character a level 50 Drakling Ranger which managed to tackle the ToEF at level 12 and leave with the Chaos Orb of Elemental Fire at level 13. She had all stats at 99 save appearance which hit 90, and about 150 average damage in each hand. After closing the gate headed down to I:1000 where she still sits, waiting for me to take her to 2000.
ReplyDeleteGermusXeno@gmail.com
DeleteI don't do rangers as much anymore, for some reason. I think I'll give them a try, once my current assasin meets his faith.
DeleteWhich I suspect is soon. The Tower looms brutally large in any game, after all. ^^
God I love this game, I've been playing it for over 6 years now. It took me 5 years to beat the game, 6 years for my first ultimate ending,
ReplyDelete(Dark Elven Archer, Avatar of Order)
The feeling I got when I killed Andor Drakon after so many years of trying is tough to explain and I don't think any achievement will ever feel as substantial.
Even after I "beat" it, it never got any less fun to pick up and play.
I wonder if Thomas knew what his creation would one day become, when he one day started to write in the document that became ADOM.
DeleteHmm. There's a post to be written here, I think. ^^
Are you aware Thomas Biskup linked this from his Facebook?
ReplyDeleteIndeed. I poked him about it, and he resshared it. Like the nice guy he is. :)
Delete