Dudley's dungeon -- Thursday, 27 March, 2008

Rating



























6	3	2	3	0

Average rating: Mediocre
Number of ratings: 14

Comments

Wellan	March 27, 2008 01:01
First comment: 27 November, 2007	247 comments written
I still don't get it...
gneek	March 27, 2008 01:32
First comment: 18 January, 2008	159 comments written
Okay... There is a whole bunch of newts on panel five.
flatluigi	March 27, 2008 03:44
First comment: 23 November, 2006	28 comments written
Trying to parse this: Dudley kills Steven from the last comic, seeing him as the non-existent monster 'giantGiants have always walked the earth, though they are rare in these times. They range in size from little over nine feet to a towering twenty feet or more. The larger ones use huge boulders as weapons, hurling them over large distances. All types of giants share a love for men - roasted, boiled, or fried. Their table manners are legendary. Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 by the NetHack Development Team Copyright (c) 1994 by Boudewijn Wayers NetHack may be freely redistributed. See license for details. newt(kinds of) small animal, like a lizard, which spends most of its time in the water. [ Oxford's Student's Dictionary of Current English ] "Fillet of a fenny snake, In the cauldron boil and bake; Eye of newt and toe of frog, Wool of bat and tongue of dog, Adder's fork and blind-worm's sting, Lizard's leg and howlet's wing, For a charm of powerful trouble, Like a hell-broth boil and bubble." [ Macbeth, by William Shakespeare ] Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 by the NetHack Development Team Copyright (c) 1994 by Boudewijn Wayers NetHack may be freely redistributed. See license for details..' He stops hallucinating and sees a Rodney corpse (?!) with a named amulet"The complete Amulet can keep off all the things that make people unhappy -- jealousy, bad temper, pride, disagreeableness, greediness, selfishness, laziness. Evil spirits, people called them when the Amulet was made. Don't you think it would be nice to have it?" "Very," said the children, quite without enthusiasm. "And it can give you strength and courage." "That's better," said Cyril. "And virtue." "I suppose it's nice to have that," said Jane, but not with much interest. "And it can give you your heart's desire." "Now you're talking," said Robert. [ The Story of the Amulet, by Edith Nesbit ] Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 by the NetHack Development Team Copyright (c) 1994 by Boudewijn Wayers NetHack may be freely redistributed. See license for details. (!?) and picks it up, thinking for some reason he has the actual amulet"The complete Amulet can keep off all the things that make people unhappy -- jealousy, bad temper, pride, disagreeableness, greediness, selfishness, laziness. Evil spirits, people called them when the Amulet was made. Don't you think it would be nice to have it?" "Very," said the children, quite without enthusiasm. "And it can give you strength and courage." "That's better," said Cyril. "And virtue." "I suppose it's nice to have that," said Jane, but not with much interest. "And it can give you your heart's desire." "Now you're talking," said Robert. [ The Story of the Amulet, by Edith Nesbit ] Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 by the NetHack Development Team Copyright (c) 1994 by Boudewijn Wayers NetHack may be freely redistributed. See license for details.. Condensed in the fifth panel is Dudley dying (?) to a horde of newts, leaving a bones file (is that even a real message?), and revealing the amulet"The complete Amulet can keep off all the things that make people unhappy -- jealousy, bad temper, pride, disagreeableness, greediness, selfishness, laziness. Evil spirits, people called them when the Amulet was made. Don't you think it would be nice to have it?" "Very," said the children, quite without enthusiasm. "And it can give you strength and courage." "That's better," said Cyril. "And virtue." "I suppose it's nice to have that," said Jane, but not with much interest. "And it can give you your heart's desire." "Now you're talking," said Robert. [ The Story of the Amulet, by Edith Nesbit ] Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 by the NetHack Development Team Copyright (c) 1994 by Boudewijn Wayers NetHack may be freely redistributed. See license for details. as a fake. In the final panel, ghostAnd now the souls of the dead who had gone below came swarming up from Erebus -- fresh brides, unmarried youths, old men with life's long suffering behind them, tender young girls still nursing this first anguish in their hearts, and a great throng of warriors killed in battle, their spear-wounds gaping yet and all their armour stained with blood. From this multitude of souls, as they fluttered to and fro by the trench, there came a moaning that was horrible to hear. Panic drained the blood from my cheeks. [ The Odyssey, (chapter Lambda), by Homer ] Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 by the NetHack Development Team Copyright (c) 1994 by Boudewijn Wayers NetHack may be freely redistributed. See license for details.-Steven damns Dudley for killing him and then dying (?).
Antheridium	March 27, 2008 04:04
First comment: 17 May, 2007	442 comments written
I'm pretty sure that WAS the real Amulet"The complete Amulet can keep off all the things that make people unhappy -- jealousy, bad temper, pride, disagreeableness, greediness, selfishness, laziness. Evil spirits, people called them when the Amulet was made. Don't you think it would be nice to have it?" "Very," said the children, quite without enthusiasm. "And it can give you strength and courage." "That's better," said Cyril. "And virtue." "I suppose it's nice to have that," said Jane, but not with much interest. "And it can give you your heart's desire." "Now you're talking," said Robert. [ The Story of the Amulet, by Edith Nesbit ] Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 by the NetHack Development Team Copyright (c) 1994 by Boudewijn Wayers NetHack may be freely redistributed. See license for details. he found. Then the bones file was saved, with Dudley carrying part of its loot, and the Amulet"The complete Amulet can keep off all the things that make people unhappy -- jealousy, bad temper, pride, disagreeableness, greediness, selfishness, laziness. Evil spirits, people called them when the Amulet was made. Don't you think it would be nice to have it?" "Very," said the children, quite without enthusiasm. "And it can give you strength and courage." "That's better," said Cyril. "And virtue." "I suppose it's nice to have that," said Jane, but not with much interest. "And it can give you your heart's desire." "Now you're talking," said Robert. [ The Story of the Amulet, by Edith Nesbit ] Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 by the NetHack Development Team Copyright (c) 1994 by Boudewijn Wayers NetHack may be freely redistributed. See license for details. was changed to a fake as per normal procedures. Dudley was understandably upset. (And that's not a real message, even in wizardEbenezum walked before me along the closest thing we could find to a path in these overgrown woods. Every few paces he would pause, so that I, burdened with a pack stuffed with arcane and heavy paraphernalia, could catch up with his wizardly strides. He, as usual, carried nothing, preferring, as he often said, to keep his hands free for quick conjuring and his mind free for the thoughts of a mage. [ A Dealing with Demons, by Craig Shaw Gardner ] Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 by the NetHack Development Team Copyright (c) 1994 by Boudewijn Wayers NetHack may be freely redistributed. See license for details. mode. But then, you're never going to have one playerThese strange creatures live mostly on the surface of the earth, gathering together in societies of various forms, but occasionally a stray will descend into the depths and commit mayhem among the dungeon residents who, naturally, often resent the intrusion of such beasts. They are capable of using weapons and magic, and it is even rumored that the Wizard of Yendor is a member of this species. Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 by the NetHack Development Team Copyright (c) 1994 by Boudewijn Wayers NetHack may be freely redistributed. See license for details. finding another's loot before the bones file is committed, either.) That was all before he actually entered the room full of newt(kinds of) small animal, like a lizard, which spends most of its time in the water. [ Oxford's Student's Dictionary of Current English ] "Fillet of a fenny snake, In the cauldron boil and bake; Eye of newt and toe of frog, Wool of bat and tongue of dog, Adder's fork and blind-worm's sting, Lizard's leg and howlet's wing, For a charm of powerful trouble, Like a hell-broth boil and bubble." [ Macbeth, by William Shakespeare ] Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 by the NetHack Development Team Copyright (c) 1994 by Boudewijn Wayers NetHack may be freely redistributed. See license for details.-shaped reptiles. Then in the final panel, we have Steven's ghostAnd now the souls of the dead who had gone below came swarming up from Erebus -- fresh brides, unmarried youths, old men with life's long suffering behind them, tender young girls still nursing this first anguish in their hearts, and a great throng of warriors killed in battle, their spear-wounds gaping yet and all their armour stained with blood. From this multitude of souls, as they fluttered to and fro by the trench, there came a moaning that was horrible to hear. Panic drained the blood from my cheeks. [ The Odyssey, (chapter Lambda), by Homer ] Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 by the NetHack Development Team Copyright (c) 1994 by Boudewijn Wayers NetHack may be freely redistributed. See license for details. muttering dire imprecations at Dudley, most likely just setting up a grudge for future use. At least, that's the way I interpreted it.
Antheridium	March 27, 2008 04:13
First comment: 17 May, 2007	442 comments written
Eh. Sorry to double-post, but I forgot to mention. The bones file that was saved was STEVEN'S. And I should also explain, for those who don't know, that when a bones file is saved, if you're carrying the Amulet"The complete Amulet can keep off all the things that make people unhappy -- jealousy, bad temper, pride, disagreeableness, greediness, selfishness, laziness. Evil spirits, people called them when the Amulet was made. Don't you think it would be nice to have it?" "Very," said the children, quite without enthusiasm. "And it can give you strength and courage." "That's better," said Cyril. "And virtue." "I suppose it's nice to have that," said Jane, but not with much interest. "And it can give you your heart's desire." "Now you're talking," said Robert. [ The Story of the Amulet, by Edith Nesbit ] Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 by the NetHack Development Team Copyright (c) 1994 by Boudewijn Wayers NetHack may be freely redistributed. See license for details. or any of the Invocation Artifacts, they're replaced by ordinary items so other players won't get a shortcut. The same is true if you had a QuestMany, possibly most, Tours are organized as a Quest. This is like a large-scale treasure hunt, with clues scattered all over the continent, a few false leads, Mystical Masters as game-show hosts, and the Dark Lord and the Terrain to make the Quest interestingly difficult. [...] In order to be assured of your future custom, the Management has a further Rule: Tourists, far from being rewarded for achieving their Quest Object, must then go on to conquer the Dark Lord or set about Saving the World, or both. And why not? By then you will have had a lot of practice in that sort of thing and, besides, the Quest Object is usually designed to help you do it. [ The Tough Guide to Fantasyland, by Diana Wynne Jones ] Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 by the NetHack Development Team Copyright (c) 1994 by Boudewijn Wayers NetHack may be freely redistributed. See license for details. Artifact and the playerThese strange creatures live mostly on the surface of the earth, gathering together in societies of various forms, but occasionally a stray will descend into the depths and commit mayhem among the dungeon residents who, naturally, often resent the intrusion of such beasts. They are capable of using weapons and magic, and it is even rumored that the Wizard of Yendor is a member of this species. Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 by the NetHack Development Team Copyright (c) 1994 by Boudewijn Wayers NetHack may be freely redistributed. See license for details. that finds your bones is of that artifact's class. Finally, I should point out that these strips show why leaving the readers to infer things is a bad idea. Newt(kinds of) small animal, like a lizard, which spends most of its time in the water. [ Oxford's Student's Dictionary of Current English ] "Fillet of a fenny snake, In the cauldron boil and bake; Eye of newt and toe of frog, Wool of bat and tongue of dog, Adder's fork and blind-worm's sting, Lizard's leg and howlet's wing, For a charm of powerful trouble, Like a hell-broth boil and bubble." [ Macbeth, by William Shakespeare ] Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 by the NetHack Development Team Copyright (c) 1994 by Boudewijn Wayers NetHack may be freely redistributed. See license for details.-puddingThese giant amoeboid creatures look like nothing more than puddles of slime, but they both live and move, feeding on metal or wood as well as the occasional dungeon explorer to supplement their diet. But we were not on a station platform. We were on the track ahead as the nightmare, plastic column of fetid black iridescence oozed tightly onward through its fifteen-foot sinus, gathering unholy speed and driving before it a spiral, re-thickening cloud of the pallid abyss vapor. It was a terrible, indescribable thing vaster than any subway train -- a shapeless congeries of protoplasmic bubbles, faintly self-luminous, and with myriads of temporary eyes forming and unforming as pustules of greenish light all over the tunnel-filling front that bore down upon us, crushing the frantic penguins and slithering over the glistening floor that it and its kind had swept so evilly free of all litter. [ At the Mountains of Madness, by H.P. Lovecraft ] Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 by the NetHack Development Team Copyright (c) 1994 by Boudewijn Wayers NetHack may be freely redistributed. See license for details..
Nameless Fairy	March 27, 2008 09:17
First comment: 26 September, 2007	22 comments written
You said it'd get better. P--not so much for the comic, which could've been worse, though admittedly not by much--but for the betrayal.
T-Jack	March 27, 2008 10:42
First comment: 16 March, 2008	52 comments written
Well, I did say better, which meant moving from no punchline at all to at least some sort of punchline. Y'know, I liked this idea and wanted to share it. Probably I should've had taken some time to work on it. Note to myself: No more storyline comics.
Richante	March 27, 2008 12:24
First comment: 27 August, 2007	32 comments written
It was a great idea, but not very well presented. I liked it anyway though.
SQLGuru	March 27, 2008 13:47
First comment: 23 October, 2006	77 comments written
Storylines are ok, but it might be necessary to provide more exposition or extend the story enough so that the reader does not get confused. There are some sharp people here (because some of them got it), but you also have to cater to those of us who drink cursed potions of enlightenment. I've submitted some that made sense in my head but got a few "huh?!?!?" responses, too, so don't feel bad. But now you need to submit a new one in order to redeem yourself. :) (Notice how I turned it into getting more comics!) Layne P.S. I'm considering writing a "Dudley Comic Writer" program. The program would facilitate creating the comic by supporting map generation, creating a panel based on another (so that the map stays the same), validation of size, a list of game messages that you can cutpaste into the text, etc. Is this something people would be interested in, or is notepademacsvietc. sufficient for everyone?
T-Jack	March 27, 2008 14:25
First comment: 16 March, 2008	52 comments written
Uhh... I already made and submitted another set of comics (three single strips, no storyline). The DCW is surely a good idea, but I don't think it's that necessary.
Dav	March 27, 2008 15:44
First comment: 26 June, 2004	147 comments written
SQLGuru, that sounds like a great idea.
Toby Bartels	March 27, 2008 17:34
First comment: 11 August, 2007	83 comments written
The idea was good, the execution was imperfect (as you know). Fortunately, we have Antheridium around to explain it!
Nameless	March 27, 2008 23:55
First comment: 29 December, 2004	281 comments written
SQLGuru - I've had no problems with using notepad / wizardEbenezum walked before me along the closest thing we could find to a path in these overgrown woods. Every few paces he would pause, so that I, burdened with a pack stuffed with arcane and heavy paraphernalia, could catch up with his wizardly strides. He, as usual, carried nothing, preferring, as he often said, to keep his hands free for quick conjuring and his mind free for the thoughts of a mage. [ A Dealing with Demons, by Craig Shaw Gardner ] Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 by the NetHack Development Team Copyright (c) 1994 by Boudewijn Wayers NetHack may be freely redistributed. See license for details. mode, but your proposal could speed things up a bit if done well. It just needs a spell checker too. ;)
Antheridium	March 28, 2008 01:56
First comment: 17 May, 2007	442 comments written
It would certainly beat using the DIY form. If you do make that, I for one would like to have maps of the special levels available in it, so I wouldn't have to copy them line by line.
Dol	March 28, 2008 17:36
First comment: 27 March, 2007	24 comments written
The NH Gazetteer and Wikihack combined with a text editor supporting block/column mode will already take you halfway there. WizardEbenezum walked before me along the closest thing we could find to a path in these overgrown woods. Every few paces he would pause, so that I, burdened with a pack stuffed with arcane and heavy paraphernalia, could catch up with his wizardly strides. He, as usual, carried nothing, preferring, as he often said, to keep his hands free for quick conjuring and his mind free for the thoughts of a mage. [ A Dealing with Demons, by Craig Shaw Gardner ] Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 by the NetHack Development Team Copyright (c) 1994 by Boudewijn Wayers NetHack may be freely redistributed. See license for details. mode is still useful for checking LoS and such. http://www.spod-central.org/~psmith/nh/gazetteer/ You can try Crimson Editor on Windows machines, for example.

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