The Benefits of Dungeon Craft

I admit that I have never actually tried Forgotten Realms Unlimited Adventures (FRUA), which Dungeon Craft is based on (and emulates). In general, I have mostly avoided it because I do not want to work in DOSBox or use palettes. The low resolution of FRUA is both a strong and weak point, though, as although it seems a bit too retro for my tastes, it does mean that I would be able to finish the graphics for a game much faster than for Dungeon Craft.

Dungeon Craft, although as yet still incomplete, has quite a few things going for it, especially in terms of graphics creation - some of these points I will go through below:

1. Dungeon Craft allows any size of combat icons, as long as they are in some multiple of 48 pixels (i.e., the smallest icon will be 48 x 48 pixels, which is twice the size of the typical FRUA icon (24 x 24 pixels)). This means that I can draw all monsters (even huge ones like dragons) to a constant scale, which tickles both my amateur biologist tendencies (I can draw all sorts of existing and extinct animals to the same scale) as well as my RPG nerd tendencies (I can also draw dragons, trolls, and so on to the same scale for comparison). The size is also a fairly reusable one - I can use these same images as 2-frame animated gifs, or just line them up together to make a cetacean sizes chart (for example - this is one of my "secret" dreams) - the ability to reuse images is always nice.
2. Dungeon Craft allows various resolutions, but I use the 640 x 480 one. 640 x 480 is nice, because it is smooth and detailed enough that creatures look fairly realistic, but it is also easier to realistically achieve than higher resolutions such as 800 x 600 or greater. As I basically use pixel art as my method for creating graphics, higher resolutions means much more work, and so it is always nice to be able to find a good compromise between smoothness and workload.
3. Dungeon Craft does not use palettes, meaning that artists can freely create PNG files as they like (well, except for alpha transparency). Palettes are a headache to play with, and it is always nice to be able to ignore them (I have used them in other game maker engines and found them a headache in general).

On the downside, all of this means that I tend to spend more time drawing animals and such than working on my game... but hopefully it will culminate with my game being more detailed and interesting in the end.

The City

Well, I didn't submit my module in time for the Contest! Various problems hindered my progress and I thus did not get very far (yeah, yeah, excuses, excuses)... but maybe next time!

In the meantime, there is a new collaboration probject of sort - The City! Basically, several people have gotten together to build the City of Cities, dividing it in wards for each person to administer himself. So far there are 5 participants, including me!

I have thus started working on some new backgrounds and walls, although drawing such takes time for me... At the least I will have to fix up some of the unfinished walls I have sitting around (cave walls, trees, etc.) so that I can use them. Of course, I am also considering just using walls and backgrounds that others have made already, which makes sense since the rest of the city might be using them! At this point, there aren't that many walls in there, though...

In terms of ideas, right now I am fiddling with the following:

• Five sectors (northwest, northeast, southeast, southwest, and central)
• A fully aquatic sector (sort of like an aquarium!) - the perfect place to use all my aquatic-themed art
• A primarily human sector
• A primarily elven sector
• A primarily "reject" sector (dwarves, gnomes, and worse!)
• A spooky (?) sector inhabited by...
• An extra futuristic level in the sky, the "City in the Sky" inhabited by robots and...
• Magical gates for travel between parts of the ward (and maybe out!)
• An extra extradimensional level (or two)

The picture above is a little experiment on making new backgrounds for this new project. Hmm - doing complex things like grassy ground is rather fussy. Will have to redo that part later!

Ran (Urusei Yatsura)

Ran (ラン) is Lum's best friend since childhood (Lum, Ran, Benten (弁天), and Oyuki (おユキ) all grew up together), but she is also a bit crazy. Although she was a genuinely sweet little girl when she was young, even enduring the many times Lum accidentally dropped her from a tree, or left her to hit a large object, and so on, the final straw was when an older Lum became engaged to Rei (レイ), Ran's true love! At this point, something broke, and Ran gained two personalities - her sweet personality and her crazy personality. With the latter, she does her utmost to try to break Lum and Ataru apart, seduce Ataru (which is very simple to do), or otherwise cause havok.

Of course, in actuality her two personalities are two facets of the same personality, and eventually Ran mends her relationship with Lum little by little, as Rei and Ran start to spend a little time with each other (Lum no longer has any interest in the empty-headed Rei, although he still seems to want a relationship with her) .

For sure, Ran always had it hard, as the weakest of all her alien friends (Lum can fly and shoot lightning bolts, Benten is extremely tough and a powerful fighter, and Oyuki can control cold and ice at will) - Ran's only power is the ability to cause another to age by kissing them (and willing it). Although an alien herself, her only alien feature is pointed ears (which she often hides behind her hair when in her Earthling guise of Ran (蘭)). Although she sometimes tries to make up for her lack of strength by using alien machinery or artillery, her much stronger friends easily overpower her (after which she quickly apologizes, or flees!).

In the end, though, Ran is one of my favorite characters for some reason!

Gorbel (Fiend Folio)

The gorbel is one of those "weird" monsters in the Fiend Folio (along with other weirdies, like the flumph). Although non-evil, it is mischievous, fickle, irritable, and quick, and is thus still very likely to attack parties of PCs, without reason, of course. DMs of a strange mood or character will enjoy using gorbels to wreak havoc on their players (who have little chance to avoid gorbels through diplomacy or even escape).

The globular, six-eyed gorbel attacks by leaping on its opponent's back (for 1d4 damage). If it successfully hits, it has grabbed its opponent with its claws and cannot be removed (lowering its own AC to 10); every round thereafter, it slashes its opponent automatically (for 1d6 points of damage) until it is destroyed.

If the poor PC party is equipped with only blunt weapons, the gorbel is invincible; otherwise, a successful hit with a good pointy or edged weapon will cause the gorbel to explode, doing 1d4 points of damage to all in a 5' radius.

Gorbel Statistics

Frequency: Uncommon
No. Appearing: 1-20
Armor Class: 3 (10 - see below)
Move: 18"
Hit Dice: See below
% in Lair: Nil
Treasure Type: Nil
No. of Attacks: 1
Damage/Attack: 1-4 or 1-6
Special Attacks: Nil
Special Defenses: Nil
Magic Resistance: Standard
Intelligence: Non-
Alignment: Neutral with chaotic tendencies
Size: S (3' diameter)
Psionic Ability: Nil
Attack/Defence Modes: Nil/Nil
Level/X.P. Value: II/32 + 2/hp

Lum (Urusei Yatsura)

Lum (ラム) is the heroine of Urusei Yatsura (うる星やつら). Originally from the planet Uru, she followed her dad to Earth when he decided to conquer the planet, but by a twist of fate, Moroboshi Ataru (諸星あたる) managed to save the planet AND propose to her in a single stroke (she accepted!).

Although everyone else seems to be in love with the skimpy-clad oni (鬼) alien, Ataru cannot stop hitting on other girls (in fact, it seems that the reason he does not show feelings for Lum is because Lum shows feelings for him!), causing much mayhem, as although Lum is loving and loyal, she can have quite a temper when her love isn't reciprocated! But of course Ataru really loves Lum inside - he just can't make himself show it. This of course results in a lot of electrifying situations (lucky for Ataru, he has really quick feet!)...

Lum's alien race all suspiciously look like a more humanlike version of the mythical Japanese "oni" (sort of like a Japanese ogre). Green-haired, pointy-eared, and horned (one or two), they typically wear tiger-striped clothing. Besides being able to fly (although it does seem to require some practice), they often have some kind of other power, such as Lum's control of electricity, Ten's (テン) ability to breathe fire, and Rei's (レイ) ability to shapechange into a weird bovine creature.

Lum's race of alien oni is the most common alien race (in Urusei Yatsura), but the aliens seem to get along for the most part; Lum herself grew up with three other alien friends: Ran (ラン), Benten (弁天), and Oyuki (おユキ).

Monodrone (Base Modron) (Monster Manual II)

The monodrone is the weakest and simplest of the modrons, the inhabitants of Nirvana, plane of absolute order and law. Resultingly, the monodrone is single-minded, single-functioned, and completely lawful, utterly following orders from their superiors (usually the duodrones), referring to them when their orders are not sufficient to understand what to do in a certain situation.

As utterly lawful creatures, modrons are not affected by spells that affect the mind (including illusions) or emotions; they are also immune to spells making use of positive or negative material energy. They are also resistant to fire, cold, and acid (save +1, damage -1/die). Death is also not a big problem for modrons, who will simply reform in 9 days as modrons in the energy pool of Nirvana.

Monodrones usually act in groups of 12, led by duodrones or tridrones; 1 in 12 of monodrones lack the spindly arms and have fan-like wings sprouting from a single point instead. These latter monodrones are messengers and can relay messages of up to 48 words perfectly. All monodrones have infravision up to 30'.

Rarely, a monodrone (or higher level modron, but never higher than quarton) for some reason becomes defective (due to age or exposure to chaotic forces) and stops obeying the laws. These rogues are typically hunted down by the pentadrone police force.

Modrons were changed to a strange clockwork race in 2nd edition, and then mostly ignored in 3rd edition, but I like them just fine as they were introduced in 1st edition; they are fully organic, yet fully lawful creature of order and hierarchy - quite interesting as a counterpart to the demons, devils, and devas of the other planes of existence.



Monodrone (Base Modron) Statistics

Frequency: Common
No. Appearing: 12-144
Armor Class: 7
Move: 6"//6" or 6"/18" (MC:D)
Hit Dice: 1+1 or 1-1
% in Lair: Nil
Treasure Type: Nil
No. of Attacks: 1 or Nil
Damage/Attacks: 1-4 or by weapon type
Special Attacks: Nil
Special Defenses: Immune to illusion and mind control
Magic Resistance: Standard
Intelligence: Semi-
Alignment: Lawful Neutral
Size: S (3' - 6")
Psionic Ability: Nil
Attack/Defense Modes: Nil/Nil
Level/X.P. Value: II/28 + 2/hp

Nupperibo (Least Devil) (Monster Manual II)

The lowly nupperibo is the lowest of devils (renamed "baatezu" in 2nd edition AD&D) and the result of a more-or-less lawful evil existence on the Prime Material Plane (truly lawful evil become lemures instead). Spawning in the Nine Hells, they are blind and deaf and fated to be usually reborn as nupperibos again if destroyed.

Although members of the diabolic race of devils, they are so weak as to be fair game for even a party of 1st-level adventurers; the only special power of nupperibos is their ability to regenerate, but only in areas of particular evil or else the Nine Hells themselves. As devils, they can freely move through Gehenna, Acheron, Hades, and the Astral Plane at will, but are repulsed and harmed by holy objects and water (they cannot regenerate this damage) and may be turned as special undead by clerics.

It is little-known that the humble nupperibo is actually of Japanese origins - thus it would be perfect in an Oriental Adventures campaign as well. (Strangely, many depictions of the nupperibo these days look more like a child monk with a blank face, though.)



Nupperibo (Least Devil) Statistics

Frequency: Common
No. Appearing: 10-100
Armor Class: 9
Move: 6"
Hit Dice: 1
% in Lair: Nil
Treasure Type: Nil
No. of Attacks: 1 or 2
Damage/Attack: 1-2/1-2 or by weapon type
Special Attacks: Nil
Special Defenses: Regenerate 1 point/round
Magic Resistance: Standard
Intelligence: Special (unratable for spell effects)
Alignment: Lawful Evil
Size: M
Psionic Ability: Nil
Attack/Defense Modes: Nil/Nil
Level/X.P. Value: I/18 + 1/hp

Xvart (Fiend Folio)

The xvart is one of those sad creatures from the original Fiend Folio that tends to be for the most part ignored - and so in a humble gesture I have decided to include it in my own Dungeon Craft adventure module. I think I may be only the third or fourth person in the whole world who has actually attempted to draw a xvart! So here he is in all his glory. Basically, xvarts are diminutive (3' tall), short sword-wielding humanoids that are slightly stronger than kobolds and slightly weaker than goblins. Leaders (8-11 hp, attack as 2 HD monster) are from 3½' to 4½' tall and use other weapons like hand axes, morningstars, flails, or maces. Shamans (up to 7th level) and witch doctors (up to 4th level) exist as well; most are followers of Raxivort, Lord of Xvartkind, Packmaster of Rats, and Night Flutterer. Xvarts often keep giant rats or consort with wererats. They are also known for sometimes using nets in combat.



Xvart Statistics

Frequency: Uncommon
No. Appearing: 40-400
Armor Class: 7
Move: 6"
Hit Dice: 1-1
% in Lair: 40%
Treasure Type: K
No. of Attacks: 1
Damage/Attack: 2-5 (short sword) or by weapon type
Special Attacks: Nil
Special Defences: Nil
Magic Resistance: Standard
Intelligence: Average
Alignment: Chaotic Evil
Size: S (3' high)
Psionic Ability: Nil
Attack/Defense Modes: Nil/Nil
Level/X.P. Value: I/5 + 1/hp
Leaders: I/20+2/hp