Welcome to TiddlyWiki created by Jeremy Ruston; Copyright © 2004-2007 Jeremy Ruston, Copyright © 2007-2011 UnaMesa Association
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To get started with this blank [[TiddlyWiki]], you'll need to modify the following tiddlers:
* [[SiteTitle]] & [[SiteSubtitle]]: The title and subtitle of the site, as shown above (after saving, they will also appear in the browser title bar)
* [[MainMenu]]: The menu (usually on the left)
* [[DefaultTiddlers]]: Contains the names of the tiddlers that you want to appear when the TiddlyWiki is opened
You'll also need to enter your username for signing your edits: <<option txtUserName>>
These [[InterfaceOptions]] for customising [[TiddlyWiki]] are saved in your browser
Your username for signing your edits. Write it as a [[WikiWord]] (eg [[JoeBloggs]])
<<option txtUserName>>
<<option chkSaveBackups>> [[SaveBackups]]
<<option chkAutoSave>> [[AutoSave]]
<<option chkRegExpSearch>> [[RegExpSearch]]
<<option chkCaseSensitiveSearch>> [[CaseSensitiveSearch]]
<<option chkAnimate>> [[EnableAnimations]]
----
Also see [[AdvancedOptions]]
That's me - the author of Dark Dungeons and the owner of this site!
I don't normally make my email (or my real-world name) public, because I value my privacy. However, if you wish to contact me you will find me at [[The Piazza|http://www.thepiazza.org.uk/thepiazza/bb/index.php]] where I moderate the [[Dark Dungeons forum|http://www.thepiazza.org.uk/thepiazza/bb/viewforum.php?f=59]].
The "Dungeons Series" is a set of three closely related [[role-playing games|Role-Playing Game]]. All three games share around 60%-80% of their mechanics, and all three have the same assumptions about setting and the campaign world. The reason for there being three games is that they have different design goals:
[[Dark Dungeons]] is a [[retro-clone|Retro-Clone]] that emulates a specific out-of-print edition of a specific game. Although not 100% identical to the game it emulates, it is pretty close. That's good if you want to reproduce the experience of playing the game that it emulates (or you want to have maximum compatibility with supplements written for that original game), but of course in emulating it so closely the game must emulate the less-good parts along with the best parts. This is particularly noticeable in the game mechanics, which are rather inconsistent in places. Different sub-systems of the game have different mechanics - "d20 roll under", "d20 roll over", "d6 roll specific magic number(s)", "2d6 roll under", "d100 roll under", and so forth. Once you're used to the game these can become second nature and stop getting in the way; but for new players they can be very confusing.
Basically, Dark Dungeons is the @@color(gold):''clone''@@ - the emulated game //as it was played//, warts and all.
[[Darker Dungeons]] is heavily based on Dark Dungeons, but is explicitly //not// a retro-clone. Although the concepts of the game are the same, many of the mechanics are different. In particular, the various disparate sub-systems mentioned above have been replaced by a single unified "Check" system that is used for most things. However, this has been carefully implemented in order to make sure that the chances of success and failure using this new system are always the same as they were using the various original systems (within +/- 5%). This therefore gives a similar //feel// to Dark Dungeons, but is easier to learn and play. However, the changes to mechanics do make it less compatible with material written for the original game that Dark Dungeons emulates. Because strict emulation is not a design goal of Darker Dungeons, it is also freer to break away from its source material and include sundry other changes such as variant classes, non-random character generation, and speciality spell casters.
Basically, Dark Dungeons is the @@color(gold):''heartbreaker''@@ - the game //as it is played at my table//, house rules and all.
[[Darkest Dungeons]] is the third game in the set. It is heavily based on Darker Dungeons, and contains most of the changes that that version of the game does. However, it goes much further. At around the time that the original game edition that Dark Dungeons emulates was published, another company published an alternate combat system for use that game. The combat system was later expanded into a full game in its own right, but originally it was designed to be bolted onto the emulated game. This combat supplement (which I cannot name here for the same legal reason that I cannot name the game that Dark Dungeons emulates) was designed to make the game much grittier and solve the "problem" of high level characters having lots of health which needs to be slowly whittled down in a long drawn out fight with no way for a lesser combatant to get a single 'lucky blow' and kill a superior one. By including rules for specific injuries, it added much complexity to the game but also added to the atmosphere. Characters could now be hobbling around with a torn ligament in their leg and a couple of broken ribs after a fight, both of which injuries give them penalties, rather than just being down a few hit points but otherwise fine; similarly, characters could be killed outright by a single lucky hit to the head. Combats became a much more dangerous event. Darkest Dungeons contains an adapted simulation of this more detailed but more deadly combat and health system, which gives it either a darker or more slapstick feel (depending on how you approach it). However, rather than just adapt Darker Dungeons combat to use the bolt-on system, it adapts the bolt-on system to fit into Darker Dungeons, so that the two can be fully integrated with each other.
Basically, Darkest Dungeons is the @@color(gold):''mash-up''@@ - the game //as it is played when we want a different atmosphere//, spectacular deaths and all.
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~Error: #770
Dark Dungeons is a pen-and-paper [[role-playing game|Role-Playing Game]]. More specifically, it is a [[retro-clone|Retro-Clone]] that emulates a specific out-of-print edition of a specific game. For legal reasons, neither the game nor the edition are named anywhere within this site or within Dark Dungeons itself. However, this doesn't matter. If you know the game then you will pretty much instantly recognise it, and if you don't know the game then it doesn't matter - you can play Dark Dungeons on its own merits.
Dark Dungeons takes you to a world of fantasy adventure, where you start as a nobody and in true zero-to-hero style can end up slaying dragons; ruling kingdoms; sailing to the stars in enchanted ships; or even becoming a being of Immortal power and creating your own worlds.
The game is self-contained in a single [[book|The Dark Dungeons Book]] which you can [[download|Downloads - Dark Dungeons]] for free, or if you prefer you can [[buy|Print - Dark Dungeons]] the book in printed form.
Of the three games in the [[Dungeons series|Clone, Heartbreaker, Mash-Up]], Dark Dungeons is the one closest to its source material.
Darker Dungeons is a pen-and-paper [[role-playing game|Role-Playing Game]]. It is a [[sister game|Clone, Heartbreaker, Mash-Up]] to [[Dark Dungeons]] and [[Darkest Dungeons]].
Like Dark Dungeons, it is based on a specific out-of-print edition of a specific game which cannot be named for legal reasons. However, unlike Dark Dungeons it doesn't try to faithfully emulate that game. Instead, it tries to bring it up to date by replacing many of the disparate game mechanics with a unified system (although it is careful to keep the probabilities of success/failure of actions the same to within +/-5%, so the //feel// of the game is very similar to Dark Dungeons).
Additionally, Darker Dungeons takes advantage of the fact that it does not need to stick to its source material as closely by including other changes, including:
*Ability Scores and hit points no longer being randomly generated.
*Changes to classes (the human Mystic has been replaced by the demi-human Lupine, the Mountebank has been added, and the ~Magic-User and Elf have been swapped).
*Removal of Alignment.
*The ability for clerics and magic-users (and elves) to specialise in one or more types of spell at the cost of being less good with other types.
*Shields no longer giving a flat bonus to armour class, but instead characters spending Proficiency slots on them to get their bonuses, just like weapons.
*The removal of Shield Weapons (Knife Shield, Horn Shield, etc.), and the addition of Flails and Morning Stars.
The game is self-contained in a single book which you can [[download|Downloads - Darker Dungeons]] for free, or if you prefer you can [[buy|Print - Darker Dungeons]] the book in printed form.
Darkest Dungeons is a pen-and-paper [[role-playing game|Role-Playing Game]]. It is a [[sister game|Clone, Heartbreaker, Mash-Up]] to [[Dark Dungeons]] and [[Darker Dungeons]].
Like Darker Dungeons, it is based on a specific out-of-print edition of a specific game which cannot be named for legal reasons. However, whereas Darker Dungeons differs from its source material mechanically while keeping the same //feel//, Darkest Dungeons moves even further away from its source material by replacing the combat and hit-point systems entirely.
The alternate systems used in Darkest Dungeons emulate those of a more detailed and gritty system that was originally produced as a third-party supplement for the game that Dark Dungeons emulate, but which was later expanded into a full game in its own right. Naturally, this additional source of inspiration also cannot be named here or within the Darkest Dungeons book; but as with the main target of Dark Dungeons' emulation you'll instantly recognise it if you have played the original - and if you haven't played the original it doesn't matter and you can enjoy the emulated version in its own right.
Darkest Dungeons includes all the changes that Darker Dungeons introduces, but the incorporation of the alternate combat and health system changes the feel of the game in a big way. Combat becomes much more dangerous and gritty, and even the most powerful characters may still be killed by a lucky blow.
Darkest Dungeons is still being written, and it is not yet available for download or to buy.
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Yeekband has been specially modified to make it simpler for inexperienced and less tech-savvy players who might be overwhelmed by the amount of configuration and poorly documented options that Angband tends to have. Of course, while //simpler// means that the game is less fiddly to set up and play, it doesn't mean that the game is smaller or not that the game is any easier to complete!)
What this means is that while Yeekband contains the full game play of Angband (in fact it contains more since it has an extra race and extra classes with their own mechanics and gameplay styles), much of the configuration has been pre-defined. The dozens of options have been pre-set for you for an optimum (in the opinion of me, of course) playing experience; and it automatically has separate save-games for different Windows logins.
Although some variants of Angband include graphical and sound options, and multiple windows, Yeekband takes a "back to basics" approach and uses a single window with ASCII characters. This is partly to recreate the "classic" feel of older [[rogue-like games|Rogue-Like Games]] and partly, again, to make it simpler for the novice user who does not need to learn how to configure the graphical multi-window interface for their system.
Having said that, Yeekband //can// still be configured to best suit your screen resolution. Since it runs in a standard Command Window, you can change the font and size of the window to your liking using the [[standard|How to change the size of the Yeekband window]] method.
''__Main Rule Book__''
The main rule book is available in three different versions. All these versions have exactly the same content, but the formatting in each is tailored for different purposes.
The Download Version is full colour and bookmarked. This is the standard version for people who wish to use the PDF as a reference (or main rulebook) during play. It can be downloaded from here: [[Dark Dungeons Download Version|files/Dark Dungeons Download Version.pdf]]
The Print Shop Version has no covers, and is in grey-scale; with images and example text having been adjusted for maximum contrast and printing quality. This version is for people who wish to take the PDF to a print shop and have it printed so that they can bind it themselves. It can be downloaded from here: [[Dark Dungeons Print Shop Version|files/Dark Dungeons Print Shop Version.pdf]]
The Home Print Version also has no covers, and is in grey-scale; with example text having been adjusted for maximum contrast and printing quality. However, this version has also had all the images removed to save ink for people printing the game on their home printers. It can be downloaded from here: [[Dark Dungeons Home Print Version|files/Dark Dungeons Home Print Version.pdf]]
''__Character Sheets__''
I have made an automated character sheet for Dark Dungeons, which calculates most of your bonuses and special abilities for you when you put in your base ability scores, class, and experience total. It can be downloaded from here: [[Dark Dungeons Automated Character Sheet|files/dark-dungeons-automated-character-sheet.pdf]]
For those of you who want something prettier, or don’t want the automation, there is an alternate Dark Dungeons character sheet here: [[DD-Character-Sheet|files/DD-Character-Sheet.pdf]]
And a more printer-friendly version of it here: [[DD-Character-Sheet-Color-Invert|files/DD-Character-Sheet-Color-Invert.pdf]]
I’m embarrassed to admit that I’ve lost the name of the person who kindly contributed these character sheets so I’m unable to give them proper credit!
Another alternate (and more “old school”) character sheet, contributed by [[Billiam Babble|http://inkedadventures.com/main/]], is here: [[CharacterSheet_Bb_1_DarkDungeons|files/charactersheet_bb_1_darkdungeons.pdf]]
''__First Release Uplift__''
Unfortunately, various errors and omissions found their way into the first released version of Dark Dungeons. If you downloaded the first version, then you can simply download the new version to bring your copy up to date. For those of you who bought the first printing in physical book form (you’ll be able to tell it’s from the first printing because the title will be in red instead of gold), there is an uplift document (here: [[Uplift|Uplift.pdf]]) that corrects these errors and omissions.
''__Main Rule Book__''
Unlike [[Dark Dungeons]], there is only a single version of [[Darker Dungeons]] for download. This is because the book has been designed to be black-and-white (//not// greyscale) and all the artwork images are in vector format rather than a raster format. Therefore there is no need for different versions for home printing. It also conveniently makes for a much smaller file size.
The file can be found here: [[Darker Dungeons Download Version|files/Darker Dungeons Download Version.pdf]]
''__Character Sheets__''
An automated character sheet for Darker Dungeons can be found here: [[Darker Dungeons Automated Character Sheet|files/Darker Dungeons Automated Character Sheet.pdf]]. It even automatically calculates all your attacks and special attacks for you based on your proficiency level with your weapons.
Yeekband is packaged up in a Windows Installation Script [[here|files/Yeekband_Setup.exe]]. The script contains the game //only// and is free from adware, spyware, or any of the other junk normally associated with "free" games.
The current script includes the full game of Yeekband 1.0. However, not all the help files have been written yet. The installation will be updated to include the complete help files once they are finished.
While [[Dark Dungeons]] was being developed, I set up a blog to track its development and keep myself accountable for any procrastination. This worked fine, and it was feedback from the blog and the [[forum|http://www.thepiazza.org.uk/thepiazza/bb/viewforum.php?f=59]] that kept me going during the boring parts (like writing up 300 monster stat-blocks!)
Once the game was finished, I kept the blog - but reformatted it from traditional blog format to a simple page format where people could get information on the game and could download it in electronic (.pdf) format. That was fine, except that the static site was not very suitable for multiple games. So now it has been replaced by this one. The blog is still technically there - because there are various links to it that may not have been updated, but all it now does is redirect to here.
[[Yeekband]] is a standard Windows Console Application. This means that you can easily and quickly change the size of the window by changing the font that it uses. I recommend making the window as big as will fit on your screen (by default Windows makes console applications quite small).
To do this, run the game and simply click on the icon in the top left corner of the window. When a menu pops up, select "Properties", and the following panel should appear:
[img[files/Yeekband Screenshot 5.png]]
Select the font and size you wish to use on the second tab of that panel (the one labelled "Font" and shown in the picture above) and the window will automatically resize.
You should only need to do this once, and Windows will remember your preference each time you run the game. If it reverts back to the default size next time you run the game from the short-cut on your start menu, right-click that short-cut and then select "Properties" and change the font just as you did on the game itself.
''__30-Oct-2011__'' I've uploaded an automated character sheet for [[Darker Dungeons]]. It can be found [[here|Downloads - Darker Dungeons]].
''__21-Oct-2011__'' [[Darker Dungeons]] is now available as a [[print-on-demand book|Print - Darker Dungeons]].
''__9-Oct-2011__'' [[Darker Dungeons]] is now finished. The [[download version|Downloads - Darker Dungeons]] has been uploaded, and I'm just waiting for my proof copies of the books to arrive before making the print-on-demand projects public.
''__~Pen-and-Paper ~Role-Playing Games__''
The pen-and-paper [[role-playing games|Role-Playing Game]] available on this site contain terms and names derived from products released under the [[Open Game License]], and those terms and names are used under the terms of that license. All original text within any of the role-playing games on this site has been placed in the Public Domain. All artwork within any of the role-playing games on this site is either in the Public Domain or is derivative of artwork from the Public Domain. Such derivative artwork has also been placed in the Public Domain.
What does this mean?
It means that you’re free to do what you like with these games – adapt them, copy them, translate them, write supplements/adventures/settings for them, or anything else you choose. These things can be commercial or free, at your choice. However, if the parts of these games that you use include the terms and names taken from the OGL material, you may only use those terms and names in ways that are compatible with that license.
''__Yeekband__''
Were it up to me, [[Yeekband]] would be put into the Public Domain. However, because it uses code that is released under the "Angband License", it may only be distributed under that same license. The full text of this license is as follows:
<<<
//This software may be copied and distributed for educational, research, and not for profit purposes provided that this copyright and statement are included in all such copies. Other copyrights may also apply.//
<<<
What does this mean?
Basically, it means you can freely download Yeekband, copy it, give copies away, disassemble it, modify it, or do whatever you like to it - provided that you keep the copyright notices that it has and you do not make a profit from it. It does //not// mean that Yeekband is Open Source. The big difference between the Angband license and Open Source licenses are that Open Source licenses allow you to make money but insist that you give away the source code, whereas the Angband license doesn't let you make money but allows you to keep the source code to yourself.
[[Home|Welcome to Gratis Games]]
[[Dark Dungeons]]
[[Darker Dungeons]]
[[Darkest Dungeons]]
[[Yeekband]]
The Open Game License (OGL) is a license that permits the copying of pre-defined elements of the artistic expression of a [[role-playing game|Role-Playing Game]]. The license is written by [[Wizards of the Coast|http://www.wizards.com]] and is available from [[here|http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=d20/oglfaq/20040123f]].
All the pen-and-paper role-playing games on this site use the OGL to some extent.
''__Printed Books__''
Dark Dungeons is available in printed form from the Lulu [[print-on-demand|Print on Demand]] publisher. The printed versions of the game are not totally free (you will have to pay Lulu for their printing and delivery services), but they are sold at cost price. There is no commission charged on any of the printed books.
There are three different versions of the game available. All three have the same page count and contents; they only differ in physical aspects:
''__Budget Softcover__''
The softcover version of Dark Dungeons is the cheapest version, although some people may prefer softcover books to hardback books regardless of price. The book is A4 in size, so the text is slightly (about 10%) larger than the other versions. It is printed in black and white on normal grade (90gsm) paper, weighing 0.96kg at 344 pages. The softcover version can be ordered [[here|http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/dark-dungeons-%28softcover%29/12936088]].
''__Hardback__''
The hardback version of Dark Dungeons is the standard version. The book is 273mmx210mm, and is printed in black and white on normal grade (90gsm) paper, weighing 0.88kg at 344 pages. The hardback version can be ordered [[here|http://www.lulu.com/product/hardcover/dark-dungeons-%28hardback%29/12936127]].
''__Deluxe Hardback__''
The deluxe hardback version is more expensive than the normal hardback version, but it is premium quality. The book is 273mmx210mm, and is printed in full colour on heavy grade (115gsm) paper, weighing a whopping 1.32kg at 344 pages. It is significantly thicker than the normal hardback version despite the same page count. The deluxe hardback version can be ordered [[here|http://www.lulu.com/product/hardcover/dark-dungeons-%28deluxe%29/12936149]].
''__Printed Books__''
Darker Dungeons is available in printed form from the Lulu [[print-on-demand|Print on Demand]] publisher. The printed versions of the game are not totally free (you will have to pay Lulu for their printing and delivery services), but they are sold at cost price. There is no commission charged on any of the printed books.
There are two different versions of the game available (unlike [[Dark Dungeons]], the interior of Darker Dungeons is black-and-white (//not// greyscale) so there is no need for a deluxe full-colour version). Both have the same page count and contents; they only differ in physical aspects:
''__Softcover__''
The softcover version of Darker Dungeons is the cheapest version, although some people may prefer softcover books to hardback books regardless of price. The book is A4 in size, so the text is slightly (about 10%) larger than the other version. It is printed in black and white on normal grade (90gsm) paper, at 356 pages. The softcover version can be ordered [[here|http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/darker-dungeons-%28softcover%29/17814103]].
''__Hardback__''
The hardback version of Darker Dungeons is 273mmx210mm, and is printed in black and white on normal grade (90gsm) paper, at 356 pages. The hardback version can be ordered [[here|http://www.lulu.com/product/hardcover/darker-dungeons-%28hardback%29/17969355]].
The pen-and-paper [[RPGs|Role-Playing Game]] on this site are printed via the [[Lulu|http://www.lulu.com/]] print-on-demand service. This means that instead of having a crate of books printed in advance, the book is stored in electronic form and when you order a copy it is printed (via an automated process) individually and posted to you. Lulu have printing depots in many countries, so whether you are ordering from North America, Europe, or elsewhere you should hopefully be sent a book from somewhere local.
Obviously, this service costs money to use - which is why the books are not free. However, none of the money comes back to me. I have waived all commission and set the prices of all the books so that they are all being sold at cost price. You pay Lulu for their printing and delivery service, but you pay nothing to me.
Like the paraphernalia used in any other hobby, [[role-playing games|Role-Playing Game]] (and their rule books) are subject to the forces of both fashion and business. While some manage to last for decades with a small following, others go out of print and become unavailable; either because they are no longer fashionable or because the companies that made them no longer exist. This is a problem for the hobby, partly because old games often quickly become “collector’s items” which keeps them out of the hands of people who would otherwise enjoy playing them; and partly because intellectual property and copyright laws often prevent fans from providing support for a game that the original publisher is unable or unwilling to support themselves.
This is where “retro-clones” come in.
Retro-clones are designed to fill two functions. Firstly they allow new people to have the experience of playing the old game even though it is long out-of-print and may be hard to get hold of; and secondly, they allow fans of the old game who wish to continue to support it now that the company that produced it no longer does (but who cannot legally produce material that is explicitly for the game) to produce material that is instead designed for use with the retro-clone of the game, knowing that it will also be compatible (with some minor changes in terminology) with the old game.
There are two legal principles that such retro-clones rely on. Firstly, in Europe and America, it is not possible to copyright the game mechanics of a game. However, it is possible to copyright the “artistic presentation” of those game mechanics – i.e. the way they are described and the specific terminology they use. Therefore, using the same principle as “reverse engineering” a piece of technology, it is possible to produce a new game in which the rules are identical to those of an existing game, but in which those rules are presented in a completely new manner that does not infringe on the artistic presentation used in that existing game. Secondly, [[Wizards of the Coast|http://www.wizards.com]] have published a [[System Reference Document|http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=d20/article/srd35]] (or SRD) under a license called the [[Open Game License]] (or OGL). This game license allows anyone to use the rules—and more importantly the terminology—of the SRD in their own games and game supplements, providing that those games and/or supplements are themselves released at least partly under the OGL.
Without the first of those principles, a game released under the OGL would have to either copy the SRD mechanics or have wholly original mechanics. Without the second principle, a game released with mechanics similar to an out-of-print game would have to have completely new and unfamiliar terminology. However, when both principles are put together, a retro-clone can be produced that combines the familiar mechanics of an out of print non-OGL game with the familiar terminology of the SRD. [[Dark Dungeons]] is such a retro-clone. The terminology used in the game is taken from the SRD via the terms of the OGL, and the game mechanics of the game very closely match the game mechanics of a specific out-of-print version of the world’s most popular role-playing game. However, to avoid issues with trademark and copyright laws, that game is not mentioned by name within either this site or the game book and no specific compatibility or endorsement with it or with any other existing role-playing game is claimed.
Rogue-like games are - rather obviously - games in the style of the 1980 computer game [[Rogue|http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rogue_%28computer_game%29]].
Although there are many variations from game to game, the core features common to most Rogue-like games are:
*They are turn-based games, usually involving exploration of a "dungeon" (or its sci-fi equivalent) by a single character, seen from a top-down perspective.
*They have large random factors to increase playability.
*They involve permanent death - when your character dies you can't simply return to a "save point".
If you're familiar with ~Action-RPG games like the [[Diablo|http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diablo_%28video_game%29]] or [[Torchlight|http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torchlight]] series, then the above description will sound a lot like playing one of those in "Hardcore" mode - and you'd be right! The original Diablo was designed as a Rogue-like game (albeit one with an isometric viewpoint and large animated graphics) and was only switched from being turn-based to real-time late in its development.
Of course, most Rogue-like games don't have fancy graphics and animation, using [[ASCII|Yeekband Screenshots]] characters to represent things instead. This is partly tradition (the early ones were written and played on computers that didn't have graphics capabilities) and partly because a lot of their fans think that graphics would get in the way.
Role-playing games have been around since the mid 1970’s.
When they first started, they had their roots in war-gaming (moving model armies around in simulation of historical battles) and descriptions of role-playing games would have used those war games, along with such childhood games as “Cops and Robbers” and “Cowboys and Indians” as reference points. However, now that we’re in the second decade of the 21st century, times – and cultural reference points – have changed.
For most people today, the term “role playing game” is usually found abbreviated to “RPG” and is usually preceded by the letters “C” (becoming “CRPG” or “Computer Role Playing Game”) or “MMO” (becoming “MMORPG” or “Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game”). In this genre of computer games, the player takes on the role of a character in an ongoing storyline – usually the main protagonist of the story. The game consists of trying to get the story to progress towards its climax, often involving combat and problem solving.
Table-top role-playing games like [[Dark Dungeons]] have a similar basis, except that the game is controlled by a human Game Master rather than by a computer, and rather than the action taking place on a computer screen the action takes place in the imaginations of the players. While this may sound like a step backwards at first glance, it is much more flexible and adaptable. In a CRPG, you are limited to telling the single story that the game designers wrote. You can’t go “off the map”. In a table-top role-playing game, however, you are not limited to fixed stories. The Game Master and the players can between them create an infinite number of stories, limited only by their imaginations. The Game Master can create whatever scenarios and situations they want to, and the players are not constrained to only doing what has been anticipated.
If they want their characters to do something, they don’t have to simply hope that some designer wrote it into the game. They simply tell the Game Master what their character is trying to do and the Game Master can improvise in a way that a computer never could (although the rules and guidelines in the books cover most common situations so that they can be handled in a consistent manner).
The other main difference between a table-top role-playing game and a CRPG is the social aspect. Although many ~CRPGs allow the player to control a whole party of characters rather than just a single one, they are still largely solitary affairs. Table-top role-playing games are generally designed for groups of players to play together and Dark Dungeons is no exception. Although it can be played with only a single player and a Game Master, it plays best with 3-8 players playing together, each controlling a single character. Interaction between the characters controlled by the different players, as well as non-scripted interaction between the characters controlled by players and characters controlled by the Game Master, is one of the chief elements of a table-top role-playing game.
- the home of [[Dark Dungeons]] and other free games!
[img[dice.gif][Welcome to Gratis Games]]Gratis Games
Here is the Dark Dungeons book:
[img[files/hardback-cover.jpg]]
[img[files/hardback-open.jpg]]
You can [[download|Downloads - Dark Dungeons]] it or [[buy|Print - Dark Dungeons]] a printed copy.
Hello, and welcome to Gratis Games!
So who and what is Gratis Games? Well, as the name (rather pretentiously) suggests, it's a place for free games. More specifically, this website was [[set up|History]] in order to be the place to get [[Dark Dungeons]] and its [[sister games|Clone, Heartbreaker, Mash-Up]]. However, they are not the only games here, so why not look around and see what takes your fancy. After all, everything is [[free|Legal Stuff]]!
In case you're confused by the site layout, it's a [[TiddlyWiki|http://www.tiddlywiki.com/]], a single-page Wiki split into sections called 'Tiddlers' - any words in blue are links (just like in [[Wikipedia|http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page]]). Those that are underlined go to external pages or sites, and those that are not open other sections of this site.
If you wish to discuss anything on this site or send feedback, please do so at the official [[Dark Dungeons forum|http://www.thepiazza.org.uk/bb/viewforum.php?f=59]] at [[The Piazza|http://www.thepiazza.org.uk/bb/index.php]].
Yeekband is a [[free|Legal Stuff]] [[Rogue-like game|Rogue-Like Games]] for Windows XP, Vista or 7 (although it should also work fine on Linux or other Unix-like systems using Wine).
Yeekband is a [[variant|Differences between Angband and Yeekband]] of the classic game [[Angband|http://rephial.org/]].
In Yeekband, you play the role of an adventurer descending into the depths to find fame and fortune, and to eventually (should you become powerful enough) reach the 100th level of the dungeon and kill Morgoth. The game is similar to "Action ~RPGs" such as [[Diablo|http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diablo_%28video_game%29]] or [[Torchlight|http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torchlight]], except it replaces action with strategy and tactical play. Instead of being a real-time clicking frenzy with you dying because you failed to click the "Potion" button quickly enough, the game is turn based and you must plan and strategise your moves or die because you didn't manage your resources well enough.
Yeekband does not have flashy graphics or animation. Instead it uses ASCII characters in different colours to represent the player and their surroundings ([[screenshots|Yeekband Screenshots]]). While this may seem positively stone-age to the younger players, it does have its advantages. Firstly, it means that a large amount can be displayed on screen at once. Secondly, our brains are good at recognising letters quickly - so we can see what is what without having to peer at barely distinguishable graphics. And thirdly, it means there can be much more content. While modern Action ~RPGs may have anything up to a hundred different types of monster (Diablo 2 has about 60, for example) and must palette-swap them for more variety, Yeekband can have over 650 different monster types with unique abilities without needing to have loads of animation data, graphics, and sound effects for each of them. Similarly, it has 12 races and 8 classes for a total of 96 combinations; and over 120 spells without needing to have lots of graphical data and animations for any of those.
As a result of this, Yeekband has years of potential game play.
Yeekband can be freely downloaded from [[here|Downloads - Yeekband]].
[img[files/Yeekband Screenshot 1.png]]
Selecting a race and class for your new character.
[img[files/Yeekband Screenshot 2.png]]
Down in the dungeon.
[img[files/Yeekband Screenshot 3.png]]
A fight!
[img[files/Yeekband Screenshot 4.png]]
The previous screen-shots were taken with Yeekband running in a small window. This is it [[configured|How to change the size of the Yeekband window]] to run optimally on my 1920x1080 resolution screen.