Topic: Does anyone know what was this game...?

[theANdROId]

I had a vague memory come to me about a game I once played maybe 15+ years ago, or the demo of one anyway.  I can't remember what was the name of it...perhaps if I describe it, someone here will know?

~~ I'm pretty sure it was at least available on Mac, because I think that's what we had at the time.  I remember that it was first person view, and I would guess it was some kind of RPG, roguelike, dungeon crawler.  It was also the kind of game where you took steps, so there wasn't quire the sort of fluid movement like games have today.  Also, I think it was a "2" of something...maybe.
I never played the whole game, but in the demo, you started as a generic adventurer in an underground cavern area.  If you explored here, there were probably a dozen cryo-chamber like things with other adventurers inside.  You could choose to open three of them, and these adventurers would join you.
When you climbed out of the caves, you were in a castle like-area.  I don't remember much about this part -- a few puzzles or something maybe, and a room with a table where you could later resurrect fallen heroes by bringing their bones back to the table.  I do remember that you could find your way out to a huge garden-like area that was crawling with slime creatures.  There were a few shops, which consisted of a large "bubble" where you chose what item you wanted.  Immediately to the right of the bubble was a table, and a gnome-like creature behind it.  You could toss your coins on the table to buy the item you'd picked.  You could attack the creature, and his guard would come out and beat the ever-lovin-crap out of you!  You could also go to a table to the immediate left to trade items in for more coins.
Lastly, I remember there being a castle area that you could get to from the garden, though you seemed to warp there so I wondered if the demo skipped some stuff in between.  I don't know what else there was because the room to the exit had a moving pit-thing, and down the pit were ghosts that always killed me.  I don't know for sure if ever figured out how to dodge the pit, or kill the ghosts, although I have a vague memory of getting through that room once and it was the end of the demo.
~~

So, does anyone know what it is?  Part of the music just kinda popped into my head and I suddenly remembered all of this stuff, but I don't remember what it was called or where we even got the demo.  I wonder if I'd care to look into playing the whole game, however old it may be.

[X]

Wow! That sounds like Dungeon Master. I guess the two had very similar formulas.

[PFG9000]

Pathways into Darkness...?

[theANdROId]

It was Dungeon Master...or rather, Dungeon Master 2.  Thanks!

Pathways Into Darkness also seems oddly familiar too, though I'm certain I never owned it.  The majority of the pictures I googled don't look familiar other than the box art and a half-humanoid creature with a tongue instead of an upper torso.  I played something that was only in gray-scale, where you explored a pyramid.  There were cobras, baboons, and traps.  I think it might have been something about a scarab.  A few times I found Egyptian items that might have all been, "The X of Ra".  Actually, I think the game was called The Scarab of Ra.  I think Pathways is maybe reminding me of that game...maybe.  Those familiar images are WAY too familiar. :-/

[Ratty]

Yeah I don't think Dungeon Master 1 and 2 are available to buy anywhere digitally at the moment. Though I'm sure they will be sooner or later. It's fairly cheap on ebay from a quick search, though of course that means you'd have to fiddle with DOSbox (or whatever Mac equivalent) to set it up. The first "Dungeon Master" game was very very influential, the first "real time" 1st person RPG I believe. Though by the time the sequel came out years later the formula had been copied many times.

GoG does have the clone "AD&D Eye of the Beholder" series for sale now, as well as "Dungeon Hack" which was a mix of this gameplay style and a roguelike kind of game (though not a pure roguelike since you can save your game etc.) https://www.gog.com/game/forgotten_realms_the_archives_collection_one https://www.gog.com/game/forgotten_realms_the_archives_collection_three

Did a quick search and The Scarab of Ra is indeed an old Mac shareware game. It apparently doesn't work on the newer Mac OS's out of the box but you can emulate it. There's also a browser version it seems https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scarab_of_Ra

[theANdROId]

Yeah I don't think Dungeon Master 1 and 2 are available to buy anywhere digitally at the moment. Though I'm sure they will be sooner or later. It's fairly cheap on ebay from a quick search, though of course that means you'd have to fiddle with DOSbox (or whatever Mac equivalent) to set it up.

That's...rather depressing. :'-(  I imagine some might think it isn't much to play or even look at, but even if only for the nostalgia factor I was looking forward to the idea of finding and actually playing through this game.  As much as I like to think I'm tech savvy, I'm not sure I would know where to begin with trying to play a copy from ebay.  I do have a friend that is truly tech-knowledgable though, so he can probably show me.  Still, I would have really loved to find it available for download or browser-play.  Or maybe even some sort of port-like-deal on the DS.

Thanks for the other info though...well, for all of it really -- even the depressing part! ;-)  I checked out the Scarab of Ra link and that's exactly what I played, though maybe not as developed?  I don't remember some of the creatures or items I came across...and I definitely didn't ever find that much stuff when I played years ago!

[X]

You can download Dungeon Master port for the SNES. It's the exact same game except without the horrid loading time. That, and it also has music added to it in certain areas, which actually helps set the mood! The tune that plays in the Hall of Heroes is quite a nice piece. I've heard of Dungeon Master II and sadly I've never got the chance to try it out. I was hoping that it too, would be on the SNES, but no luck there.

[Ratty]

That's...rather depressing. :'-(  I imagine some might think it isn't much to play or even look at, but even if only for the nostalgia factor I was looking forward to the idea of finding and actually playing through this game.  As much as I like to think I'm tech savvy, I'm not sure I would know where to begin with trying to play a copy from ebay.  I do have a friend that is truly tech-knowledgable though, so he can probably show me.  Still, I would have really loved to find it available for download or browser-play.  Or maybe even some sort of port-like-deal on the DS.

Thanks for the other info though...well, for all of it really -- even the depressing part! ;-)  I checked out the Scarab of Ra link and that's exactly what I played, though maybe not as developed?  I don't remember some of the creatures or items I came across...and I definitely didn't ever find that much stuff when I played years ago!

DosBOX looks intimidating but it's really pretty easy, it can just take a while for the initial set up of some games if you're not used to it. There's only a few commands you need to worry about for most games, and there's lots of documentation and some tutorials out there if you need help with anything. Emulators for the Amiga or Mac versions might be even more straightforward but I've not really fiddled with those myself. The only bad thing about the SNES port of Dungeon Master is that it doesn't support the SNES mouse, so you have to use the dpad to move the cursor.

And you're welcome, hope you get to re-experience the games and enjoy them and yey if nothing else there's always youtube longplays and let's plays to go down memory lane

[X]

The only bad thing about the SNES port of Dungeon Master is that it doesn't support the SNES mouse, so you have to use the dpad to move the cursor.

There's that, but i didn't have any real trouble. But using the SNES Emulator you might be able to us the PC mouse. Never tried it though.