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Things that set Utumno apart from every other game

PostPosted: Mon Jun 29, 2009 7:18 am
by Argitoth
I played the original Utumno for a while when I was younger. I recently had a desire to download the game again and found this forum. I am very excited to see how Utumno will be revived and I'm excited to be involved and offer ideas. Here are some things that set Utumno apart from every other game I've played.

1. Unidentified magical items: In every other game, potions, staffs, rods, wands, weapons, rings, etc. are automatically known, named, and usable even when your character has never encountered that item before. Utumno had the right idea; your character does not know what a "goopy green potion" is until he drinks it. He doesn't know what an object does until he tries it. He does't know that the ring is cursed until he puts it on, or he doesn't know that those arrows are +5 to damage until he shoots a few or uses an identification spell.

2. Dynamic shopping experience: A temple has 3 "cure critical wounds" potions for 25% off, 31 for full price. A "potion of genocide" is available at an alchemy shop! (I saw this once while playing Utumno and couldn't afford it, I wish I knew what it did!) I just bought the last of the arrows from a weapon smith's shop. A black market always has something new.

3. Discovery:I've played the game a long time and still find things I've never discovered before. One time I found an item with infinite light (didn't run out like torches) and was worth a heck of a lot at the magic shop.

4. Food: You need to eat. Don't drink that cloudy white potion, it might be a potion of starvation.

What else is there to remember about Utumno? Sometimes I would be holding a magical item and not know it, but the game would drop hints like "you feel powerful."

Re: Things that set Utumno apart from every other game

PostPosted: Mon Jun 29, 2009 9:20 pm
by MedicineStorm
I couldn't agree more. I think the features you mentioned set it not only apart, but also above other games. It is almost like playing the game for the first time every time.

Another feature that I hope to incorporate (and refine) is the dungeons that are a little different every time. You can never memorize a particular section of cave if it is a different cave every time. This simulates your character having never been there before. Although you the player may have been to a specific place hundreds of times, your character has never seen the place before.

I hope to make the random levels persistent to an instance of a player, though. I didn't like the fact that the first level of the dungeon would change every time my character would visit it. I think it would be more fun if it only changed between different characters.

P.S. Check out the main project site at http://utumno.medicinestorm.com, visit the archival Matt Craighead's Utumno site at http://utumno.medicinestorm.com/archive/ and download Matt Craighead's Utumno game client at http://utumno.medicinestorm.com/index.p ... GameClient

Re: Things that set Utumno apart from every other game

PostPosted: Sat Jul 25, 2009 9:24 am
by Ventor24
There is one thing that I don't like about Utumno......The way SOME of the caves are set up...

You could be walking and walking down this hallway then it just comes to an end!! That is sooooo annoying cause it was totally pointless.....

Re: Things that set Utumno apart from every other game

PostPosted: Sat Jul 25, 2009 10:16 am
by Argitoth
Haha, did you make sure it wasn't a hidden door? Open your minimap (tab) and see if there's an opening.

Re: Things that set Utumno apart from every other game

PostPosted: Sat Jul 25, 2009 1:00 pm
by Ventor24
Really? lol