Dark Sun Online: Crimson Sands
Crimson Sands attempted to bring the Dark Sun world online. In the game, not only could you create characters from a core set of AD&D race/class combinations, but you could also choose to play as some of Dark Sun's exotic races and classes. For example, you could choose to play as a mul (half-dwarf, half-human), a half-giant, or a thri-keen (man-sized praying mantises); and you could choose either a more standard character class, such as a fighter, or one of Dark Sun's specific professions, like the gladiator or the psionicist.
Unfortunately, Dark Sun Online got off to a difficult start. The project suffered from a lack of funds and time from the beginning. As a result, a great deal of the game's content -- including art and code -- had to be gleaned from the previous two single-player Dark Sun games. This reuse was evident in the way the game looked and played: It used a top-down perspective that was very similar to that of the previous games. In addition, the game suffered through numerous development problems, including budget issues and the loss of key staff members. Dark Sun Online finally premiered on TEN in 1996, but it suffered from several problems, including a great deal of player hacking. Dark Sun Online's heavy reliance on the single-player code of the previous two games left the game vulnerable to hackers and other technical problems, and came to an end in 1999.
Dungeons and Dragons: Tower of Doom (Arcade)
The PC wasn't the only gaming platform that the Dungeons & Dragons license has graced. In 1994, Capcom released Dungeons & Dragons: Tower of Doom. Though Tower of Doom wasn't technically an AD&D game (it was based on the D&D basic set), it was the first of two side-scrollers based on Dungeons & Dragons that Capcom would release.
Tower of Doom was a colorful and surprisingly sophisticated 2D sprite-based side-scrolling action game. Though you spent the majority of your time walking forward and beating up enemies (kobolds, gnolls, owlbears, and other traditional D&D monsters), you could also block enemy attacks, explore hidden areas, earn experience points and levels, and in some cases, cast magic spells. The game included four character classes from the basic set: the fighter, the cleric, the dwarf, and the elf. The stalwart fighter and the sturdy dwarf were the best at melee combat. The mace-wielding cleric's shorter attack range rendered him less useful in a fight, though his healing spells came in especially handy. The elf was the weakest of the four physically, but not only could she attack with her short sword, she could also cast offensive magic-user spells.
Tower of Doom offered a good deal of variety in terms of gameplay, items, and monsters. The game's story unfolded across seven chapters, although you could choose which path to take. These choices would send you to different areas to fight different monsters. Ultimately, your quest was to reach the Sable Tower to defeat the lich Deimos, although you would later discover that he was but a servant to a much more sinister and powerful master.
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