first person labyrinth styled game from the 90s

Help locating old / Pre year 2000 games you used to play.
Post Reply
DOCTRzanza
Newbie
Newbie
Posts: 6
Joined: Sun Apr 05, 2015 9:15 am

first person labyrinth styled game from the 90s

Post by DOCTRzanza »

hello guys,

so recently i was talking to my dad tha ti was getting wolfenstein 3d and he asked me to find a game yet he only remmebers like a few things from it.

he playde it when wolfenstein 3D was out as wel so early 90s.

the things he remmbers arent that mutch helpful but it was a first person style like wolfenstein 3D but you dident see anythign of the character you wehre playing,
instead of guns you where using magic like things,
it was a maze/labyrinth type enviorment but not so open spaced as wolfenstein (what i mene by that is it was alll tight corridors and no open placeslike with wolfenstein),
graphics where the same style as wolfenstein 3d,
the only enemy he remembers from it was a green triangle slimy monster, there where no human enemys tho,
it also had dead ends and to get to the next level you needed an item,
also when you ddi damage it would pop up in a tekst or a voice said how muthc dmg you did to the enemy
he dident have a box of the game at the time so he kinda thinks it might be on like a floppy disk thingy instead of a cd ( sorry dotn know the actual english word)

we have been searching high and low for the past days and we just dont find it.

could any of you might be able to help ?
DOS Wolf
Lord of Gaming
Lord of Gaming
Posts: 240
Joined: Tue Oct 28, 2014 12:47 am

Post by DOS Wolf »

Was this a dungeon crawler? You mentioned not open areas at all, just close corridors. A lot of the older DCs (At least the older ones I am most familiar with.) used the trick of "scrolling" (Was that the right term?) to make it feel like you were traveling, when in essence you were practically standing still. You always saw forward and could do a 45 degree turn and thus see all four sides if you kept turning, but all the walls were connected together making a maze.

Also you said using magic, was it also melee fighting like sword, axe and staff fighting? Did you level up or simply fought your way to the end? Were you always by yourself or had friends, although hidden much like you, as in you are the leader and it is from your perspective, or was this a one man army kind of thing? Could you heal yourself with medic packs or with healing spells? Was it you just healing yourself or a member of your party?

Was it one enemy at a time? Could you see the enemy from a far or it just magically appeared before you? Was it a single monster at all times or up to three or maybe even five or six with front and back rows? Did you gain experience after the battle was won? Could you simply back step away from the enemy or were you stuck until the fight was over and or you tried to use the "flee" or "escape" command which was not always successful and would take a turn away that otherwise could of been used to attack. Speaking of which could you attack as fast as you pressed a button or was it based on a timer of sorts? Were there menus with in menus? Were you collecting herbs, tools, weapons, armor, etc. along the way? Could you go to a town or a tavern and buy extra stuff or sleep there to heal or save? Heck could you even save or did you have to use a password system or simply play the game straight through to the end?

DC graphics were pretty horrible. Doors or torches would be flat against a wall or hanging very pixelated against a wall. From a far it looks like it is actually there. But when you get to it it looks flat. There was a game on the SEGA Genesis that was just like that. Actually a well known RPG game series, but I think it was the first in the series and the only one of them to use that view point and the name escapes me at the present moment...

I do not remember it (The SEGA Genesis game I am speaking of here.) having any kind of human enemies, but I remember the all standard slimes and of course I am sure there were goblins and mummies, etc. I never did get very far in games of that nature. Also I keep saying "you", but much easier than to say your "father". B)

(And I would of said Hexen, but that was after DOOM, hence after Wolfenstien 3D and basically a clone with swords and magic. Or perhaps it was a rogue-like version of W3D, but not sure how that really looked or played...)

Looking back at the title... it says the 90's... not sure that meant he played it brand new then or found an older game. Unless they were tring to recreate the old days, as some people even now goes retro, I am not sure how many games that I had just described as in DCs would of been available... And were floppy disks still being created for use of games in the 90's... :huh:
User avatar
MrFlibble
Demoniac Demo maniac
Demoniac Demo maniac
Posts: 3733
Joined: Sun Dec 05, 2010 11:39 am

Re: first person labyrinth styled game from the 90s

Post by MrFlibble »

DOCTRzanza wrote:the things he remmbers arent that mutch helpful but it was a first person style like wolfenstein 3D but you dident see anythign of the character you wehre playing,
instead of guns you where using magic like things,
it was a maze/labyrinth type enviorment but not so open spaced as wolfenstein (what i mene by that is it was alll tight corridors and no open placeslike with wolfenstein),
graphics where the same style as wolfenstein 3d,
the only enemy he remembers from it was a green triangle slimy monster, there where no human enemys tho,
it also had dead ends and to get to the next level you needed an item,
also when you ddi damage it would pop up in a tekst or a voice said how muthc dmg you did to the enemy
This sounds very much like a first-person role-playing game, rather than an action/shooter game like Wolfenstein 3-D.

For starters, you can check the following games:
Dungeon Hack
Dungeon Master
Dungeon Master II
Might and Magic II
Stonekeep
Towers: Lord Baniff's Deceit
Yendorian Tales Book I: Chapter 2

If your game is not among those, then please tell which one at least looks more similar to yours than others.

Also you can check the MobyGames list of first-person DOS role-playing games.
User avatar
Rwolf
Gaming Demi-god
Gaming Demi-god
Posts: 1535
Joined: Fri Jan 11, 2013 3:19 pm
Location: Sweden

Post by Rwolf »

I'd guess it's one of the early Wizardry games, they have a simple graphics interface, corridor like paths, and text response to actions. Early versions were PC booter floppy disks.

http://www.mobygames.com/game-group/wizardry-games

E.g. here is some 'green slime' from the earliest game:
http://www.mobygames.com/game/apple2/wi ... tId,43907/
DOCTRzanza
Newbie
Newbie
Posts: 6
Joined: Sun Apr 05, 2015 9:15 am

Post by DOCTRzanza »

DOS Wolf wrote:Was this a dungeon crawler? You mentioned not open areas at all, just close corridors. A lot of the older DCs (At least the older ones I am most familiar with.) used the trick of "scrolling" (Was that the right term?) to make it feel like you were traveling, when in essence you were practically standing still. You always saw forward and could do a 45 degree turn and thus see all four sides if you kept turning, but all the walls were connected together making a maze.

Also you said using magic, was it also melee fighting like sword, axe and staff fighting? Did you level up or simply fought your way to the end? Were you always by yourself or had friends, although hidden much like you, as in you are the leader and it is from your perspective, or was this a one man army kind of thing? Could you heal yourself with medic packs or with healing spells? Was it you just healing yourself or a member of your party?

Was it one enemy at a time? Could you see the enemy from a far or it just magically appeared before you? Was it a single monster at all times or up to three or maybe even five or six with front and back rows? Did you gain experience after the battle was won? Could you simply back step away from the enemy or were you stuck until the fight was over and or you tried to use the "flee" or "escape" command which was not always successful and would take a turn away that otherwise could of been used to attack. Speaking of which could you attack as fast as you pressed a button or was it based on a timer of sorts? Were there menus with in menus? Were you collecting herbs, tools, weapons, armor, etc. along the way? Could you go to a town or a tavern and buy extra stuff or sleep there to heal or save? Heck could you even save or did you have to use a password system or simply play the game straight through to the end?

DC graphics were pretty horrible. Doors or torches would be flat against a wall or hanging very pixelated against a wall. From a far it looks like it is actually there. But when you get to it it looks flat. There was a game on the SEGA Genesis that was just like that. Actually a well known RPG game series, but I think it was the first in the series and the only one of them to use that view point and the name escapes me at the present moment...

I do not remember it (The SEGA Genesis game I am speaking of here.) having any kind of human enemies, but I remember the all standard slimes and of course I am sure there were goblins and mummies, etc. I never did get very far in games of that nature. Also I keep saying "you", but much easier than to say your "father". B)

(And I would of said Hexen, but that was after DOOM, hence after Wolfenstien 3D and basically a clone with swords and magic. Or perhaps it was a rogue-like version of W3D, but not sure how that really looked or played...)

Looking back at the title... it says the 90's... not sure that meant he played it brand new then or found an older game. Unless they were tring to recreate the old days, as some people even now goes retro, I am not sure how many games that I had just described as in DCs would of been available... And were floppy disks still being created for use of games in the 90's... :huh:

wel he played it around the time of wolfenstein 3D so i supposed it was brought out in the 90s era. he used a joystick or the mouse sinds it would have been verry hard on the keyboard,
the movment was that you could move forward or make a turn he also thinks that you could not do a 360 turn that you like had to walk backward to go back to the past area.
as for a group there was no group it was just the character yu wher playing as,
besides the magic type thing there was no other fighting way no swords, no shields no melee only magic.
also there was no portrait thingy in the botom like with most of the 3d games of that time. also there was no leveling
it was pretty mutch find a cetain item before you where alowd to go to the next stage.
the combat wasent with menus you simply had your primary attack (magic spell)it also wasetn tekst based but you did get a pop up of how muthc dmg you did to an enemy as for healing he cant really remmber its been atleast 20 years sinds he playd it
how ever he isent sure if there was like a point counter ( for like rankings)
the enemys wasent Always one at a time, the green slime like triangles where the easyest to kill and there where like big monsters that where insanly hard to kill. when you die you had to restart the level or at least an entire way back.
as for towns or taverns he cant remmber im sorry al he knows i that it pretty mutch was just a maze and you had to get liek an item before you could enter the next stage/level

we know its pretty vaugue and we do apolegize for that like i said its been at least 20 years sinds he playde it and im sure he would remmber atleast the green slime or the screens but i have searched high and low to find that slimy monster and i cant XD so onccce a gain we are really sorry for the lack of info :(
User avatar
Wally
King of the Carrot Flowers
Posts: 4714
Joined: Thu May 01, 2003 8:30 pm

Post by Wally »

Catacombs Abyss?
User avatar
Rwolf
Gaming Demi-god
Gaming Demi-god
Posts: 1535
Joined: Fri Jan 11, 2013 3:19 pm
Location: Sweden

Post by Rwolf »

Battlespire is an RPG game with more action orientation, levels and items to find.
Not sure if it fits, but have a look:

http://www.mobygames.com/game/dos/an-el ... attlespire
DOS Wolf
Lord of Gaming
Lord of Gaming
Posts: 240
Joined: Tue Oct 28, 2014 12:47 am

Post by DOS Wolf »

Ultima Underworld: The Stygian Abyss ?

Same exact year as W3D. You get to use both melee and ranged weapons and from the screen shot looked slightly more open, but still in a dungeon with walls that I had previously mentioned.
User avatar
Rwolf
Gaming Demi-god
Gaming Demi-god
Posts: 1535
Joined: Fri Jan 11, 2013 3:19 pm
Location: Sweden

Post by Rwolf »

[quote="DOS Wolf"]Ultima Underworld: The Stygian Abyss ?

Same exact year as W3D. You get to use both melee and ranged weapons and from the screen shot looked slightly more open, but still in a dungeon with walls that I had previously mentioned.[/quote]
---
UUW1 has open areas, and has vertical movement in some areas.
You also see the weapon in hand when fighting.

You can turn around in UUW1, so you don't have to reverse backwards in a corridor...that is the strangest thing in the OP:s description, IMO.
Such a limitation makes it seem very primitive in my eyes.
---
Hmm...other old Wolfenstein-like games, could be Ken's Labyrinth, but this also has open areas. No weapon in hand though.

http://www.mobygames.com/game/dos/kens-labyrinth
DOS Wolf
Lord of Gaming
Lord of Gaming
Posts: 240
Joined: Tue Oct 28, 2014 12:47 am

Post by DOS Wolf »

DOS Wolf wrote:Ultima Underworld: The Stygian Abyss ? Same exact year as W3D. You get to use both melee and ranged weapons and from the screen shot looked slightly more open, but still in a dungeon with walls that I had previously mentioned.
---------------------------------------------------
Rwolf wrote: UUW1 has open areas, and has vertical movement in some areas.
You also see the weapon in hand when fighting.

You can turn around in UUW1, so you don't have to reverse backwards in a corridor...that is the strangest thing in the OP:s description, IMO.
Such a limitation makes it seem very primitive in my eyes.


http://www.mobygames.com/game/dos/kens-labyrinth
-------------------------------------------------

No idea, just slinging ideas. Since the father is not for sure and thus could be mistaken, who knows. But not being able to turn and walk backwards does sound a bit queer.
DOCTRzanza
Newbie
Newbie
Posts: 6
Joined: Sun Apr 05, 2015 9:15 am

Post by DOCTRzanza »

it looks like kens labyrinth interface at the botom seems to be in the right direction. do you think it might actualy be an even older game?
if so would it be best to stop the search or keep looking ? i meen the info i have is verry little and it hase been at least 20 years and he dosetn remmber anything els beside it.

i am chekking all the links and games you guys suggest this is a verry helpful comunety and we once again apolegize for the little info we have
DOS Wolf
Lord of Gaming
Lord of Gaming
Posts: 240
Joined: Tue Oct 28, 2014 12:47 am

Post by DOS Wolf »

We might as well keep trying, I mean we have nothing else better to do except maybe...

Ssss...
Aaaa...
Ffff...
Eeee...
Tttt...
Yyyy...

It's retro night tonight Baby! ^_^

Time to find me a seedy dark arcade hall... :thumbsup:
User avatar
MrFlibble
Demoniac Demo maniac
Demoniac Demo maniac
Posts: 3733
Joined: Sun Dec 05, 2010 11:39 am

Post by MrFlibble »

DOCTRzanza wrote:it looks like kens labyrinth interface at the botom seems to be in the right direction. do you think it might actualy be an even older game?
if so would it be best to stop the search or keep looking ? i meen the info i have is verry little and it hase been at least 20 years and he dosetn remmber anything els beside it.
Don't give up! There are many databases and gaming websites out there, and none of them have a complete collection games from any period of time. So your game might be sitting somewhere you haven't checked out yet.
DOS Wolf
Lord of Gaming
Lord of Gaming
Posts: 240
Joined: Tue Oct 28, 2014 12:47 am

Post by DOS Wolf »

DOCTRzanza wrote:he used a joystick or the mouse sinds it would have been verry hard on the keyboard,
the movment was that you could move forward or make a turn he also thinks that you could not do a 360 turn that you like had to walk backward to go back to the past area.
I am going to go out on a limb here, but did he try to use the mouse to turn 360 degrees? I am only asking because some games back then were not that intuitive and he may of had to hold down the left or right mouse button or even a corresponding keyboard command to give you the ability to turn or to take it away, as in to make it just the mouse pointer on the screen to affect the environment... Some games, especially with the keyboard will only allow you to side step and not actually turn with the familiar "W,A,S,D" keys anyway unless you script them otherwise...

Also I am just throwing another game idea out, but could it of been the original Elder Scrolls game? This game was released in 1994. I never got very far in it myself and only saw the starting dungeon, but have no idea of first enemies off the top of my head... Perhaps your father was the same way...

Quoted from the Wiki...-
“Arena has been noted for its tendency to be unforgiving towards new players. It is easy to die in the starting dungeon, as powerful enemies can be encountered if the player lingers too long. This effect gradually disappears as the player becomes more powerful, and more aware of the threats that loom everywhere. Ken Rolston, lead designer of The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, says he started the game at least 20 times, and only got out of the beginning dungeon once.”
DOCTRzanza
Newbie
Newbie
Posts: 6
Joined: Sun Apr 05, 2015 9:15 am

Post by DOCTRzanza »

DOS Wolf wrote:
DOCTRzanza wrote:he used a joystick or the mouse sinds it would have been verry hard on the keyboard,
the movment was that you could move forward or make a turn he also thinks that you could not do a 360 turn that you like had to walk backward to go back to the past area.
I am going to go out on a limb here, but did he try to use the mouse to turn 360 degrees? I am only asking because some games back then were not that intuitive and he may of had to hold down the left or right mouse button or even a corresponding keyboard command to give you the ability to turn or to take it away, as in to make it just the mouse pointer on the screen to affect the environment... Some games, especially with the keyboard will only allow you to side step and not actually turn with the familiar "W,A,S,D" keys anyway unless you script them otherwise...

Also I am just throwing another game idea out, but could it of been the original Elder Scrolls game? This game was released in 1994. I never got very far in it myself and only saw the starting dungeon, but have no idea of first enemies off the top of my head... Perhaps your father was the same way...

Quoted from the Wiki...-
“Arena has been noted for its tendency to be unforgiving towards new players. It is easy to die in the starting dungeon, as powerful enemies can be encountered if the player lingers too long. This effect gradually disappears as the player becomes more powerful, and more aware of the threats that loom everywhere. Ken Rolston, lead designer of The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, says he started the game at least 20 times, and only got out of the beginning dungeon once.”
he dident use a keyboard cuze using that was a bit to complicated he said.
acoarding to him there was nu option to turn 360° both him and my older brother played it , i could ask my brother but tro certain events we dotn talk anymore. i wil chek out the elder scroll game you mentioned and sorry for the late reply having a bussy week at the moment
DOCTRzanza
Newbie
Newbie
Posts: 6
Joined: Sun Apr 05, 2015 9:15 am

Post by DOCTRzanza »

MrFlibble wrote:
DOCTRzanza wrote:it looks like kens labyrinth interface at the botom seems to be in the right direction. do you think it might actualy be an even older game?
if so would it be best to stop the search or keep looking ? i meen the info i have is verry little and it hase been at least 20 years and he dosetn remmber anything els beside it.
Don't give up! There are many databases and gaming websites out there, and none of them have a complete collection games from any period of time. So your game might be sitting somewhere you haven't checked out yet.
yeah thats true , its just that ive got verry little info on it. bit this is a verry helpful comunety and even if i where to find it somewhere els il be sure to let everyone know ^^
DOS Wolf
Lord of Gaming
Lord of Gaming
Posts: 240
Joined: Tue Oct 28, 2014 12:47 am

Post by DOS Wolf »

DOCTRzanza wrote: he dident use a keyboard cuze using that was a bit to complicated he said.
Maybe that is why neither could turn 360 degrees... I have no idea. But key boards are generally important and some games may be unplayable with out them or at least to their full potential.
DOCTRzanza
Newbie
Newbie
Posts: 6
Joined: Sun Apr 05, 2015 9:15 am

Post by DOCTRzanza »

DOS Wolf wrote:
DOCTRzanza wrote: he dident use a keyboard cuze using that was a bit to complicated he said.
Maybe that is why neither could turn 360 degrees... I have no idea. But key boards are generally important and some games may be unplayable with out them or at least to their full potential.
i see il be sure to ask him as soon as i can. its nice that this comunety is so awsome at helping even tho he remmbers only a bit ^^ we cant thank every one enough
Post Reply