A fun lil f2p: Dungeon Runners

Inzra

Yep it's a another WoW-clone visually, no doubt.

Also if you're hardcore roleplayer this game is probably not you're cup of tea, with the maintown called Townston and a PvP area called Pwnston and alot of preference to gamer stereotypes and language.

But it's kinda fun, the npc voices are fun and well done, it's very easy to get into. You get armor that looks like it could be endgame, but when you get to see the real endgame you see the difference, at least in size.

You can make yourself available for grouping, so others can just invite you, just like WoW and other games. But in addition, you can join open groups, without having the leader invite you. Makes grouping very easy.

Also travelling is no problem as long as you're in a group you can rightclick a member and go to his/her location without any further ado.

Some of the top gear requires a membership, which require your rl money. Which I don't think it's worth, but some probably do.

There doesn't seem to be much class roles really, at least not in the beginning. There's no healer, everyone uses healing potions it seems.

It's a fun fastpaced lil f2p, and I'd recommend it for some instant action. Although its not something I would pay for, since the immersion factor restricts itself to 'lolkids' gamer stereotypes

But it's a nice diversion

Illius

I think the only memorable thing from this game was the funky scratch track that plays when you enter a dungeon.  It's composed of the sounds that the mobs make and it kinda made me laugh.  Other then that the game is fairly simple and I didn't feel like forking over the $5 a month or something to just play more of it.

DailyBuzz

DR is definitely worth a tour just for the laughs you'll get. It's a tongue-in-cheek MMO that has some very witty naming and questlines. I bounce in and out occasionally just for the grins. It most certainly pokes fun at every single aspect of MMO gaming and MMO gamer stereotypes. It is not a game that's intended to be taken seriously.

A game that designed for pure fun factor. What a novel concept.

Ozmodan

This is NOT a Wow clone, not even close to it.  Charging someone to play this game is probably one of the more ludicrous moves by NCSoft in a long time.   All the dungeons are based on the square, reminds me of the old original Wizardry.  So there are no surprises when you go dungeon exploring fill out the square and move on to the next level.

If you don't find this being mind numbingly boring after a couple days of play, you certainly have much better constitution than most of us.

 

DailyBuzz

DUDE! It's free!

Log in and get some laughs. There's nothing to lose. If it's boring to you, or not entertaining in any way, simply uninstall it.

How could anyone take this game seriously anyway?

Bonemane

Originally posted by Ozmodan


This is NOT a Wow clone, not even close to it.  Charging someone to play this game is probably one of the more ludicrous moves by NCSoft in a long time.   All the dungeons are based on the square, reminds me of the old original Wizardry.  So there are no surprises when you go dungeon exploring fill out the square and move on to the next level.
If you don't find this being mind numbingly boring after a couple days of play, you certainly have much better constitution than most of us.
 

 

I think the most surprising thing about this post is that you actually took this game seriously. Just looking at the homepage you can see that this game was not meant to be critiqued as a regular MMO cause its actually more of a parody. You seemed like you logged in and played it like it was Everquest or something.

Its a free game. When you pay you really dont get that much, just things that make it more efficient. Again, you can see that by checking out the homepage.

liamkincaid

the game its just mouse controler or can i control the char with keyboad?

rhinok

 Don't mind Ozmodan .  Any time there's a post on Dungeon Runners he pops ups and tries to ruin everybody else's fun.  As for dungeons being based on a square:

1. It's not entirely true, since I've seen many maps that don't conform to a square
2. Who cares?  All the dungeons are essentially mazes and mazes are generally based on some contstrained shape like a square or circle. The shape doesn't really matter.

In regards to the original post::

1. Yes, it looks WoWish, but it's gameplay is nothing like WoW.  Dungeon Runners is actually more of a Diablo clone.  Think of Dungeon Runners as Diablo's punky bastard stepchild who staged a coup and added his own twisted sense of humor to the game.
2. Agree - this game isn't for hardcore roleplayers.  Per the lead developer/producer, Stephen Nichols, Dungeon Runners is "MMO-Lite".  It's designed primarily for casual gamers who play in short bursts.  Like Diablo, there's nothing particularly complex about it . True to it's name, it's straight up dungeon running.  Pure hack-n-slash.
3. The game has a great sense of humor, which is evident in the NPC voices and dialogue, the quest text (what other game has a quest chain that parodies "American Idol" and requires you to kill a banshee named "Sanjyna"?!?!), ridiculous weapons (a giant pizza cutter or a hot glue gun that drips glue) with speeds officially classified from "Grandma" - "Ludicrous" and crazy armor!  What about the Bling Gnome?!?
4. Dungeon Runners has, hands down, some of the best grouping features I've ever seen in any game.  It had "open grouping" from the beginning, well before WAR.  On top of that, since Dungeon Runners is all about action, not time sinks, you can instantly teleport to any group member, thereby eliminating downtime.
5. "Top Gear" does NOT require membership.  That's a common misconception:
   • Every single item in the game can drop as either member or non-member.  Non-member items have a lower chance to drop than member items do, but they still drop, which means there are plenty of level 100 non-members with top gear.
   • Non-members can redeem King's Coins for tiems (which are guaranteed to be usable by non-members) for King's Coins (rewarded for quests or found as random drops).
   • Non-members can buy non-member items (even Mythic items) from vendors like the Amazon - the items that spawn in her trade window  are randomized just like drops.
6. It's entirely possible to play Dungeon Runners from level 1 - 100 as a non-member.  There are definite incentives to membership (more gold drops, gain exp faster, all drops are guaranteed to be usable as opposed to a percent chance for them to be usable), but there isn't any content that non-members can't access.  That makes Dungeon Runners' F2P model one of the best there is!  Many F2P games limit content or force you to purchase items in order to effectively play.  Not so with Dungeon Runners.
7. Dungeon Runners has a "classless" RPG System.  When you first create your character, you select from one of three "primary" classes (Mage, Ranger, Fighter), but you aren't locked into those roles.  The only reason you select a class at all is to give you a template upon which to build your character.  After you create your character, it's up to you how you play it.  You can use any combination of skills and gear to make your character truly unique.  My main character is a "ranger", but he uses two fighter skills and a mage skill in his current build:
   • UlrichWolfsbane
   • JazzHands (a mage who currently has two ranger skills)
8. There aren't any healers in Dungeon Runners, because "healer" classes tend to limit play and grouping.  I know I've played games (EQ, for example), where you had to wait forever just to start playing until you could get just the right mix of players in your group.  In Dungeon Runners, the game is balanced around potions, which give you from 40 - 50% of your health/mana, per potion.  Also, potions can be spammed with no cooldown, so hitting space bar twice brings you up to full health in about 5 seconds!  This way, no one class depends on another, everybody contributes, and there's no downtime while looking for that perfect group.  Per former associate producer, Tommy Lieberman:
   • Re: Plans for a Healing class? [Re: old101]
     
     #15593 - 02/19/07 08:47 PM
   • There are no plans for a healer / buffer class. The game is currently balanced for potions to heal.
   • The reason we don't have plans for one is that we want for everyone to be able to group or solo and have fun. When you introduce Healer / Buffer classes, then you need to balance the game for the fact that someone can get healed instantly. If you balance the game to make up for this, then you will have people who can't get groups or can't adventure in certain areas because of the need/desire for a healer.
   • On a personal note....I hate it when I'm deep in a dungeon, on a long raid, doing a task force, or just plain xping and my fun is ended because the healer leaves.
   • --------------------
     
     Tommy
     
     Designer
     
     Dungeon Runners
9. While I agree that there's not a lot of depth to Dungeon Runners, I also understand that "depth" isn't the point of it.  It's not designed for MMO/RP snobs.  It's a simple Diablo clone with a sense of humor that's designed for casual players or for more hardcore players looking for an "in between"/secondary game when taking a break from their more "serious" MMO.

Simply put, if you like Diabloesque hack-n-slash and have anything resembling a sense of humor, you'll appreciate Dungeon Runners, even if in small doses.  If you're a MMO and/or RP snob with a giant stick up your ass about any game that doesn't meet your expectations for a "real" MMO, then Dungeon Runners isn't the game for you...

~Ripper

 

rhinok

Originally posted by liamkincaid


the game its just mouse controler or can i control the char with keyboad?

Both Click-to-move and WASD.  Play how you want to play.

Glacial_Rain

I actually miss playing this game. Tho i always considered it as diablo and wow's bastard child that was left in a cold, dark alley left with nothing but wits and good looks to survive on.

Rath444

I have to say it again...This is a great game!  I come back to it every month or so.  I can't get away.

menasure

it's quite a funny light game alright, personally i wouldn't play it for hours on end but it's good for an occasional run  

ThomasN7

I still play it from time to time. It is fun and definitely worth playing if you are bored with the usual.

rhinok

Originally posted by menasure


it's quite a funny light game alright, personally i wouldn't play it for hours on end but it's good for an occasional run  

Which is what it was designed for: fun, casual runs.  it tends to get a bad rap due to perception issues.  Folks see it on mmorpg.com and think it's a full-fledged MMO and are then disappointed that it's "just"  a simple dungeon crawler.  It is what it is - a fun, casual game.

~Ripper