Demise: Ascension - is anyone else here playing it?

[Belthazor]

I've added new item lists.
They contain items that give permanent resistance when equipped or can cast a resistance spell.
Handy when your character's guild has no resistance spells at all: Artisan, Warrior, Paladin, Ninja, Villain, Thief, Barbarian, Magi.
Or when your character's guild doesn't have all resistance spells: Explorer and Cleric are missing Electrical, Mind and Acid Resistance spells.
Even for Sorcerer and Warlock it takes a while to reach 95% and you do need to find the missing spellbooks.
You can always use the Seer/Oracle in town to cast resistance spells on your character for a price, but these aren't too strong.

Resistance per type:
* Fire Resistance Items
* Cold Resistance Items
* Electrical Resistance Items
* Mind Resistance Items
* Disease Resistance Items
* Poison Resistance Items
* Magic Resistance Items
* Stone Resistance Items
* Paralysis Resistance Items
* Drain Resistance Items
* Acid Resistance Items

Resistance per guild:
* Artisan Resistance Items
* Warrior Resistance Items
* Paladin Resistance Items
* Ninja Resistance Items
* Villain Resistance Items
* Explorer Resistance Items
* Thief Resistance Items
* Barbarian Resistance Items
* Magi Resistance Items
* Sorcerer Resistance Items
* Warlock Resistance Items
* Cleric Resistance Items

See https://www.city-of-marlith.com/ascension/items/index.html

 

[Belthazor]

I've added a new list: Best Weapon per Swing.
The list contains more than 150 weapons in order from worst to best for 1 swing, 2 swings, 3 swings and so forth, up to 7 swings.
I've rated elemental damage on weapons very high: stone(), freeze(), electrocute(), burn(), and poison().
Next are behead(), critical hit() and backstab().
The damage modifier is important.
And whether the weapon gives stat bonusses or decreases stats.
Two-handed weapons are compared versus one-handed weapons with a shield.
That is the shield that's available at the weapons use-level.
If a weapon can't hit monsters at the appropriate dungeon-level (monsters with weapon resistance) it's significantly less useful and thus it's rating.
Cursed weapons are included, some are useful.
Let me know what you think.

See https://www.city-of-marlith.com/ascension/items/list-weapons-swings.html

 

[Belthazor]

I've got dungeon maps 1 to 25 online.
Mostly the south-west corner, the original 45x45, but the maps are interactive.
You can click on a fixed teleporter, stairs up or stairs down (orange pin) to follow it.
You can click on a laired monster (green pin) and open it's detail page (if available).
You can click on a item on the ground (blue pin) and open it's detail page.
You can hover over floor messages (red pin) to see what they've to say.
Feedback is welcome.

See https://www.city-of-marlith.com/ascension/maps/index.html

 

[Grauken]

Leaving the dungeon to level up in town is straight out of Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord.

Demise is based on Mordor which was based on the Plato game Moira, whereupon Wizardry was based on the Plato rpg Oubliette which itself lifted a lot of elements from Moira, so technically it's the other way round

Edit: wait, I made an error, Mordor was based on Avatar which like Oubliette lifted elements from Moira (but also lifted elements from Oubliette), so you could say both Demise and Wizardry are different branches that grew from the same root. Sorry for the mistake

 

[tindrli]

also one of the best and most adictive blobbers that i had oportunity to play. on my pc its always there. great game

 

[Belthazor]

Added dungeon level 26.
See https://www.city-of-marlith.com/ascension/maps/level26.html

 

[Skdursh]

Added dungeon level 26.
See https://www.cityofmarlith.com/ascension/maps/level26.html

Having links locked behind a login is not typically what I'd consider a very effective means of showing off updates.

 

[KeighnMcDeath]

Yeah, WTH? You can't even register there. Gay!!

Seriously though: remember the UN & Pass. Embed it in your brain. See below.

 

[KeighnMcDeath]

For https://www.cityofmarlith.com use the following to login:
USERNAME: guest
PASSWORD: demise

Anyway, looks like the next release is still being tested and worked on. Very hush hush

https://forum.decklinsdomain.info/phpbb/viewforum.php?f=60

 

[Belthazor]

Added dungeon level 27.
See https://www.city-of-marlith.com/ascension/maps/level27.html

 

[Belthazor]

Added a news page, which shows what has changed on the website.
New items, spells, maps, monsters, etcetera.
See https://www.city-of-marlith.com/general/news.html

 

[KeighnMcDeath]

You slamming down them levels like a drunkard in a bar. Impressive.

 

[Belthazor]

Added maps 28, 29, 30, 31.
See https://www.city-of-marlith.com/general/news.html

 

[Belthazor]

Added 10 new monsters to the library.
Ruffian, Dredan, Cannibal, Blue Slime, Spooring Fungus, Snudge, Golden Ooze, Poltergeist, Spasu-Fire and Rattlesnake.
See: https://www.city-of-marlith.com/general/news.html or https://www.city-of-marlith.com/ascension/monsters/list-all-monsters-alphabet.html

 

[Valentine13]

I seem to remember buying this game from decklins domain like 9 years ago for $5. I was wanting to get into it again, but the page is quite confusing. Looks like it's ~ $30 now to download the game? Is that right?

 

[KeighnMcDeath]

It was $5 at one time? Was it a sale?

 

[mondblut]

"After being in open beta for nearly 2 years, Demise: Revenge of the Tavern Keeper is currently in pre-release.
It's expected to be released in the summer of 2022."

I hope there's going to be an option to import Ascension characters. No way in hell I am going to grind through these 36 levels for a second time

 

[Belthazor]

I seem to remember buying this game from decklins domain like 9 years ago for $5. I was wanting to get into it again, but the page is quite confusing. Looks like it's ~ $30 now to download the game? Is that right?

Yeah, in 2012 Demise Ascension was on sale for $6 in the "Indiefort bundle" with a couple of other games.
You can buy Ascension:
0 via PayPal with the following url: https://decklinsdomain.com/games/gameIndex.htm#Ascension for $32.50
0 via GamersGate with the following url: https://www.gamersgate.com/product/demise-ascension/ for $29.50
0 via Bonanza with the following url: https://www.bonanza.com/listings/De...-for-the-PC-Silver-Release-2015-on/1329020327 for $35.00

It was $5 at one time? Was it a sale?

Yes, there was a sale in 2012 where Demise Ascension was available for $6 in a bundle with some other games.

"After being in open beta for nearly 2 years, Demise: Revenge of the Tavern Keeper is currently in pre-release.
It's expected to be released in the summer of 2022."

I hope there's going to be an option to import Ascension characters. No way in hell I am going to grind through these 36 levels for a second time

Revenge will allow you to import characters from:

• Mordor (version 1.1)
• Mordor II (version 0.992b)
• Demise Demo
• Demise Artifact Entertainment
• Demise 3.53 patched Artifact Entertainment
• Demise Pharaoh Productions
• Ascension Silver Release (1.06, build 721)

 

[Valentine13]

What can you guys tell me about Demise servers? It says on the site that it comes with a server to host multiplayer sessions. Would each player need to own the game to play?

 

[tindrli]

oh! THIS SUMMER!!! ???

"After being in open beta for nearly 2 years, Demise: Revenge of the Tavern Keeper is currently in pre-release.
It's expected to be released in the summer of 2022."

On which planet?

 

[KeighnMcDeath]

Indeed. Well, there was hope. 2222 maybe?

 

[Belthazor]

What can you guys tell me about Demise servers? It says on the site that it comes with a server to host multiplayer sessions.

The Demise server is a separate executable (Ascension-IS.exe) and comes with the game.
It has several windows for:
* setting server parameters
* sending messages to players
* viewing who's connected
* disconnecting a player
* reviewing transers: searching for users and characters, banning characters, deleting messages
* reviewing messages: searching for users and characters, banning characters, deleting messages
* viewing a log of users and banned users
* reviewing the billboard: deleting messages and bounties, sending messages
* viewing store and confinement inventory and resetting those to default
* viewing and clearing guild log entries
* viewing storyline status
* viewing news entries
* backing up and restoring server data

Single player files are stored in *.ded files.
Multiplayer files are stored in *.mis files.

Server parameters are:
* Server Name
* Bound Address
* Connect Address
* Bound Port
* Activate logging yes/no
* Auto start server on launch yes/no
* Max number of players
* Respawn time in seconds
* Server password
* Welcome message
* Master Server Address

For more information about:
* Multiplayer Ascension see https://www.decklinsdemise.com/help/HTML/multipla.htm
* Ascension Internet Server see https://www.decklinsdemise.com/help/HTML/server.htm

Would each player need to own the game to play?

yes

 

[Dorateen]

Next Friday.

 

[KeighnMcDeath]

I need to get a physical copy along with Devil Whiskey! That Mordor package was pretty boss.

 

[Belthazor]

Timeline:
1993-1994 Mordor: The Depths of Dejenol
1995-1998 Mordor II: Darkness Awakening
1999-1999 Infinite Worlds
2000-2000 Demise: Rise of the Ku'tan
2000-2004 Patches, Artifact Entertainment, Pharaoh Productions
2005-2012 Demise: Ascension
2013-2015 Demise: Ascension Silver Release (version 721)
2015-2023 Demise: Revenge of the Tavern Keeper

See also:
* CRPG-archaeology of Demise at https://decklinsdomain.info/forum/viewtopic.php?f=55&t=5777
* The CRPG Book Project at https://crpgbook.files.wordpress.com/2022/06/crpg-book-expanded-edition_3.3.pdf pages 226-227
* Demise: The little legacy RPG that wouldn't go away at https://web.archive.org/web/2014020...e-the-little-legacy-rpg-that-wouldnt-go-away/
* You can download demo's at https://www.city-of-marlith.com/general/buy-or-download.html (use guest/demise to login)


David Allen, also known as Requnix, released Mordor: The depths of Dejenol in 1994.
It consists of 15 dungeon levels, each level having 30x30 squares.
It has a story which you can read in the extensive helpfile.
Defeating Asmodeus and the Devil Prince can be seen as completing the game.
It is based upon Avatar, a game David played in his childhood on the Plato network at the University of Illinois.
Avatar was released in 1979 and was based upon Oubliette written by Jim Schwaiger and released in 1977.
You can visit David's website at https://www.requnix.com


David Allen released Mordor II: Darkness Awakening in 1998.
It's an ongoing development based upon Mordor: The depths of Dejenol and has more evolved graphics, sounds and story.
Version 0.98b is the last version with a 2D dungeon. Fans made a full 15 floor dungeon for this version.
Later versions have a 3D dungeon.
The size of a dungeon level increased to 45x45 squares.
Things introduced were (among others):
* guild XP penalties
* item pictures
* item descriptions
* combat log
* incrementally stronger resistances from spells cast.


David Allen released Infinite Worlds in 1999.
It's an ongoing development based upon Mordor II: Darkness Awakening and has a 3D dungeon.
It involved a partnership with Interplay, but alas the partnership didn't work out.
Things introduced were (among others):
* "beautified" town and interface (though alas not so functional as before...)
* healing fountains


David Allen released Demise: Rise of the Ku'tan in 2000.
It consists of 30 dungeon levels, each dungeon levels has 45x45 squares.
Defeating the Ku'tan Jenal and closing the portal can be seen as completing the game.
Things introduces were (among others):
* fast paced combat
* 30 levels
* much more 3D objects like tables, chairs, arches etc.
* thematic styled dungeon floors
* multiplayer
* Lord Gherrick Quests


There followed some patches.
There were two versions of the game:
* from Artifact Entertainment
* from Pharaoh Productions


Richard Whitwell, also known as Decklin, also known as the Twisted Dwarf, a long-time fan of the games purchased the intellectual property in 2005.
Demise: Ascension was released in 2012. And version 721 also known as the Silver release was released in november 2015.
It's based upon Demise: Rise of the Ku'tan, which is regarded as volume I, Ascension being volume II.
The game contains both volumes, Rise of the Ku'tan is contained in the southwest corner of the map, the original 45x45 squares.
Ascension increased the size of a dungeon level to 90x90 squares. And the number of dungeon levels to 36.
Things introduced were (among others):
* bug spellcaster slot #1 fixed
* thematic special guild training for each guild between level 100 and 200.
* towers: as you go higher the difficulty increased, contrary to a dungeon were difficulty increased the deeper you go.
* increased inventory slots from 40 to 60.
* the highest attainable level per guild increased from 999 to 1499.
* new music
* new quests
* weapons rebalancing
* new items
* new monsters
* Tavern Keeper Black Market (single player)
* fast battle: continously pressing 'f' (fight) increases melee speed


Demise: Revenge of the Tavern Keeper, volume III, has been in development since 2015.
The game contains all three volumes.
Dungeon levels still consist of 90x90 squares, but the number of dungeon levels increased to 45.
Things introduced (among others):
* dungeon levels 37-45
* some expansions (like the forest and dwarven mines) in dungeon levels 1-36
* new adventures
* new monsters
* new spells
* restoration of drained hitpoints
* lots of new monster dialogue