Demise: Rise of the Ku'Tan - Expansion Update

Getting updates for Demise is even more surreal than Inquisitor. Maybe hell will freeze over. Anyway, do you remember Demise: Rise of the Ku'Tan? A first-person dungeon crawler from Artifact Entertainment released in 1999 or so? You may also remember David Allen, who went on to some infamy with a couple of MMOs. After David left an expansion called Ascension was in development. Covr writes that five years or so later (and a decade since the original game), the expansion is getting close and might be released in October:

By the 10th Hour of the 10th Month - a decade after the original Artifact Entertainment release wassat Ascension will be released. Perhaps, before that ... but definitely by that time. It has mostly been an uphill battle for an endless succession of reasons, but with a lot of help and goodwill from Demizens and even some non-Demizens, we're in the final run home! When you do finally get your hands on the game I'm hopeful that you'll enjoy the expansion ... and we can begin to plan for Vol III !!!!! More ...

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More information.

I do remember it, and I've still got it installed. Demise represents a singular and very coherent alternative vision of dungeon crawling which I find very appealing, and it breaks my heart that this vision wasn't developed further. Ten years later they may be releasing an expansion, but enjoyment of the game is still crippled by a very awkward interface, a complete lack of customization, and ancient bugs. Hopefully the new release will fix some of the latter, but it's my understanding that the very extended development time for the expansion in no way reflects any widening of its initial goals, which were less to refine and improve the game than to just add moar content. Which is all fine and well, but can't quite vindicate all the years' delay.

I still have my original CD somwhere in the house with the original manual. Don't know that I'd ever revisit it though.

Looking forward to it as a newcomer, and I will always wonder what might've been if Japan had automagically also became enamored with this style as well as Wizardry back in the day... Perhaps if there'd been a proper Demise OVA as well?

Not too late~ heh heh heh

Yeesh said:

Demise represents a singular and very coherent alternative vision of dungeon crawling which I find very appealing, and it breaks my heart that this vision wasn't developed further.

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Please explain this alternative vision of dungeon crawling to me, I'm always interested in new ways of crawling ;-) Desktopdungeons has my attention for the moment!

I must say that I only very, very vaguely a game's name called "Demise", but nothing more, actually.

I think I remember myself wondering why a game should be called "death" or "dying", only in other words.

Why not "moribund", then ?

But I'm almost sure there already exists a game with actually that name somewhere …

mazling said:

Please explain this alternative vision of dungeon crawling to me, I'm always interested in new ways of crawling ;-) Desktopdungeons has my attention for the moment!

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It's a single, vast, non-random, 30ish level dungeon. You control in first person a party of 1 to 4 characters of varying races; each race has its pluses and drawbacks and its own penalty to leveling speed. The class system is unique in that 1) classes are very restricted by race (barring humans), 2) almost every character multiclasses, and 3) equipment and gear has different level requirements based on class.

The gameplay is fast, and it really encourages a zen state of cruising through the dungeon clearing many rooms a minute. Combat is real-time and yet turn-based on a strict you-go-I-go system, with which side goes first making all the difference. Upon entering a room you have to make a quick decision whether to let your characters hack away at the enemy or whether to decimate them with spells.

It's all about killing monsters by the boatload; this is one of the few ostensible roguelikes where you may actually rack up a higher body count per hour than diablo. So you have to like that sort of thing. And lord knows I do.

I liked having one "emergency rescue" party waiting in the city to help the more unfortunate of my adventurers get back to the surface. Getting to know the dungeon was a huge effort...

And I like to train all party members separate, and then, after they are strong enough to survive until level 5-7 I combine them and explore deeper dungeon levels. I hope it will be released this time, beacuse I love this game

I bought this a while ago and never played it. Totally forgot about it. Might have to give it a whirl. Can the game be solo'ed? I much prefer controlling a single character than a party, but will if I must.

I think that Demise was designed to be played solo. But controlling a group of characters is more fun
So, yes, it can be solo'ed.

Covr said:

controlling a group of characters is more fun

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Not for me. I much prefer just one lone toon. Don't really know why. but I feel much more "in" the game and more attached to one character than 4-6.

Icefire said:

Not for me. I much prefer just one lone toon. Don't really know why. but I feel much more "in" the game and more attached to one character than 4-6.

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For me it depends on what perspective is being used.

I also prefer a solo character if the game is in first/third person, but I like controlling a party if it's a overhead/isometric view.