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NPC Computer Skirmish Mode
By Matthew Emirzian
Skirmish mode is where you can play the mutiplayer games, against the computer
AI. To get to skirmish mode, run Dungeon Keeper with the following toggle..
keeper -1player
keeper95 -1player (you need to be in an MS-DOS prompt to type in the -1player
flag, unless you've created a batch file.)
First off, Dungeon Keepers skirmish mode is interesting to play after
conquering the main game, but is extremely easy once you figure out the
strategies. Basically you take advantage of the computer AI weakness, through
making a full force invasion.
Almost every multiplayer level starts each character at even ground. This
gives you an upper hand immediately. Also, in multiplayer games, there's no
limit on the creatures you can attract, and buildings/magic available. The
enemy AI is extremely stupid when it comes down to attacking you and building
up their army. If you have to take advantage of all these things, you'll be
able to wipe out the computer like a fly.
First off, when you start multiplayer games, sometimes the computer turns into
what I call a 'withered AI'. This is when the AI just sits there, and does
absolutely nothing, only making a few imps and taking over a portal.
This is almost always due to the lack of wealth on the AI's part, and not
mining for any gold. Unfortunately, this makes for a horribly boring game and
also a waste of time for you.
Some of the basic tips to remember while building up your dungeon gauntlet.
1. By default, all creatures attack opponents doors, upon being dropped in
front of them, or if they're in the way of something the creature is trying to
get to, such as an imp to a gold source. This gets aggravating with imps.
2. The computer AI always always always sends imps towards gold! They need
gold, always look for it, and don't have the brains to stop at your territory.
Fortify your walls to prevent impish trouble. (your imps fortify walls if you
drop them infront of an unfortified one regardless of other tasks).
3. If any creature attacks one of the AI's imps, and it's not another imp, the
enemy by default sounds off a huge call to arms and starts dropping creatures
near you. You don't want this, which is why you should fortify your walls.
4. If you find gems, don't go searching for more gold. This leaves unfortified
walls, which don't usually get taken care of.
5. Multiplayer maps mirror themselves, meaning that if your dungeon heart is a
distance from a portal, usually the AI's is exactly at the same spot,
mirrored.
6. Most dungeon specials are at the edge of maps, and you can trace out
the outline of the rooms usually by the inpenetrable rock. Dig for these if
there doesn't seem to be anything in the way. Some have traps though, which
your imps will happily wander into for the purpose of claiming land which they
die on. (reminds me of lemmings.. you'd think once they notice a trap they'd
have the brains to avoid it.. or atleast be able to disable it)
- To use the training or research more effectively you should build at least
some Chicken Mcnuggets and treasure cambers next to the training room or the
library. Then your monsters don't have to walk long distances when they get
hungry.
- Specials: you don`t have to use them at the time you find them. Your imps
will carry them to your library, many times it is better to use them later.
- The temple: they're good at rising the morale (angry creatures calm down,
meditate ;-) If you`ve at least nine squares of temple and build it near
water, a tentacle might join your party.
- The temple II: when sacrificing several imps, they get much cheaper to buy!
Do that, it`s a power trick!
- Talking about sacrifice: a fly & spider: you get a worlock, beetle & spider:
a dark mistress for free, beetle & bettle: manufacturing completed, fly & fly:
research completed (use it later in the longer research topics). Don't
sacrifice undead creatures or even chicken.
- Even dead creatures can serve your plans, put imps nearby after the fight,
then bring them to the graveyrad. And after some time, you`ll get a vampire,
one of the strongest fighters, treat him with respect (don`t slap him). To get
more of them you can get a prisoner, put him into a small empty room, lock
with a strong door and add some imps. They'll be killed soon, remove the hero
to the prison and let your imps bring away the dead imps to the graveyard
(better build it nearby). Soon you'll have a nice legion of vampires. They
should get their own training ground, because they like to fight the
worlocks/magicians. You can place a hellhound on a graveyard to get vampires
faster.
- If your monsters are training (& using money when you don't have enough)
just isolate the fitness center with a locked door. But when your creature get
bored, they might fight each other.
- With the combination of prison and torture chamber you can get new fighters
on your side. When your creatures don't kill the enemies (switch on the
prison-symbol in the Info-menu), the imps will bring them to your prison
(place them nearby after fight). Heal or feed the prisoners (or they will die
and become a skeleton for your army: not the best fighter). When in good
condition you can bring the prisoners to the torture chamber. Sometimes
they`ll tell you some secrets... You can heal them during this procedure &
shure after some time they`ll join you. This is escpecially interesting when
you have inprisoned a strong magician.
- Warping into creatures: a nice thing - not only because of the feeling
walking through your own dungeon. When you control a creature, it`s more
effective in a fight. If you have the time to do it. If you like to walk
through your dungeon without the control menu hit the TAB-Key.
- Barracks: (wrong translation in the German version: it means "Kaserne" not
"Braracken", hehe) Here you can form a troop out of a group of monsters. Let
some monsters walk in it (two swords appear over their heads), one will become
the leader with the crown, the monsters will follow him wherever he goes.
- Mistress - they like to be beaten, really. To attract some of them, you need
a big torture chamber. SM in virtual reality ...
- If you need many creatures at a special place, put there a "call to
arms"-spell. To cancel that spell click it three times with the left button.
- The Horned Reaper is one of the best fighters in this game - and of course
hard to get. You can try to sacrifice a dark mistress, a bile demon and a
troll to get him. But it is difficult to control. If it gets angry, just gove
him some money (drop over it), and he`ll be in good mood again.
And now, enter your Dungeon, Keeper - with new knowledge you can win!
By Matthew Emirzian
Skirmish mode is where you can play the mutiplayer games, against the computer
AI. To get to skirmish mode, run Dungeon Keeper with the following toggle..
keeper -1player
keeper95 -1player (you need to be in an MS-DOS prompt to type in the -1player
flag, unless you've created a batch file.)
First off, Dungeon Keepers skirmish mode is interesting to play after
conquering the main game, but is extremely easy once you figure out the
strategies. Basically you take advantage of the computer AI weakness, through
making a full force invasion.
Almost every multiplayer level starts each character at even ground. This
gives you an upper hand immediately. Also, in multiplayer games, there's no
limit on the creatures you can attract, and buildings/magic available. The
enemy AI is extremely stupid when it comes down to attacking you and building
up their army. If you have to take advantage of all these things, you'll be
able to wipe out the computer like a fly.
First off, when you start multiplayer games, sometimes the computer turns into
what I call a 'withered AI'. This is when the AI just sits there, and does
absolutely nothing, only making a few imps and taking over a portal.
This is almost always due to the lack of wealth on the AI's part, and not
mining for any gold. Unfortunately, this makes for a horribly boring game and
also a waste of time for you.
Some of the basic tips to remember while building up your dungeon gauntlet.
1. By default, all creatures attack opponents doors, upon being dropped in
front of them, or if they're in the way of something the creature is trying to
get to, such as an imp to a gold source. This gets aggravating with imps.
2. The computer AI always always always sends imps towards gold! They need
gold, always look for it, and don't have the brains to stop at your territory.
Fortify your walls to prevent impish trouble. (your imps fortify walls if you
drop them infront of an unfortified one regardless of other tasks).
3. If any creature attacks one of the AI's imps, and it's not another imp, the
enemy by default sounds off a huge call to arms and starts dropping creatures
near you. You don't want this, which is why you should fortify your walls.
4. If you find gems, don't go searching for more gold. This leaves unfortified
walls, which don't usually get taken care of.
5. Multiplayer maps mirror themselves, meaning that if your dungeon heart is a
distance from a portal, usually the AI's is exactly at the same spot,
mirrored.
6. Most dungeon specials are at the edge of maps, and you can trace out
the outline of the rooms usually by the inpenetrable rock. Dig for these if
there doesn't seem to be anything in the way. Some have traps though, which
your imps will happily wander into for the purpose of claiming land which they
die on. (reminds me of lemmings.. you'd think once they notice a trap they'd
have the brains to avoid it.. or atleast be able to disable it)
- To use the training or research more effectively you should build at least
some Chicken Mcnuggets and treasure cambers next to the training room or the
library. Then your monsters don't have to walk long distances when they get
hungry.
- Specials: you don`t have to use them at the time you find them. Your imps
will carry them to your library, many times it is better to use them later.
- The temple: they're good at rising the morale (angry creatures calm down,
meditate ;-) If you`ve at least nine squares of temple and build it near
water, a tentacle might join your party.
- The temple II: when sacrificing several imps, they get much cheaper to buy!
Do that, it`s a power trick!
- Talking about sacrifice: a fly & spider: you get a worlock, beetle & spider:
a dark mistress for free, beetle & bettle: manufacturing completed, fly & fly:
research completed (use it later in the longer research topics). Don't
sacrifice undead creatures or even chicken.
- Even dead creatures can serve your plans, put imps nearby after the fight,
then bring them to the graveyrad. And after some time, you`ll get a vampire,
one of the strongest fighters, treat him with respect (don`t slap him). To get
more of them you can get a prisoner, put him into a small empty room, lock
with a strong door and add some imps. They'll be killed soon, remove the hero
to the prison and let your imps bring away the dead imps to the graveyard
(better build it nearby). Soon you'll have a nice legion of vampires. They
should get their own training ground, because they like to fight the
worlocks/magicians. You can place a hellhound on a graveyard to get vampires
faster.
- If your monsters are training (& using money when you don't have enough)
just isolate the fitness center with a locked door. But when your creature get
bored, they might fight each other.
- With the combination of prison and torture chamber you can get new fighters
on your side. When your creatures don't kill the enemies (switch on the
prison-symbol in the Info-menu), the imps will bring them to your prison
(place them nearby after fight). Heal or feed the prisoners (or they will die
and become a skeleton for your army: not the best fighter). When in good
condition you can bring the prisoners to the torture chamber. Sometimes
they`ll tell you some secrets... You can heal them during this procedure &
shure after some time they`ll join you. This is escpecially interesting when
you have inprisoned a strong magician.
- Warping into creatures: a nice thing - not only because of the feeling
walking through your own dungeon. When you control a creature, it`s more
effective in a fight. If you have the time to do it. If you like to walk
through your dungeon without the control menu hit the TAB-Key.
- Barracks: (wrong translation in the German version: it means "Kaserne" not
"Braracken", hehe) Here you can form a troop out of a group of monsters. Let
some monsters walk in it (two swords appear over their heads), one will become
the leader with the crown, the monsters will follow him wherever he goes.
- Mistress - they like to be beaten, really. To attract some of them, you need
a big torture chamber. SM in virtual reality ...
- If you need many creatures at a special place, put there a "call to
arms"-spell. To cancel that spell click it three times with the left button.
- The Horned Reaper is one of the best fighters in this game - and of course
hard to get. You can try to sacrifice a dark mistress, a bile demon and a
troll to get him. But it is difficult to control. If it gets angry, just gove
him some money (drop over it), and he`ll be in good mood again.
And now, enter your Dungeon, Keeper - with new knowledge you can win!