DFTA 92 Dark Tower 1981

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Hey gang, I'm back with a look at a truly astonishing game, Dark Tower from Milton Bradley. When this game hit the scene in 1981 there really was nothing like it, and 40+ later... it's still a marvel of ingenuity, though a game with a very scandalous and sordid past... I hope you enjoy the review.
It's been a long time coming this review and for a number of reasons. First, Dark Tower...how to put this....Dark Tower is a particular sod of a game to film, to get across just how this game plays. I've played it extensively since restoring the game to working order and have experienced things in the game that you think "oh, that's definitely going in the review!" but...the tower has different plans when the camera is actually rolling, with it having an electronic mind of its own it would never quite perform how I wanted it to when the camera was trained on it. That meant filming A LOT more footage than normal for a review... and having to carefully comb through and categorise the clips...exhausting.
Added onto that, my primary drive, the drive that I use for editing on, having all my pre render files, meta data decided to die on me halfway through the edit. Annoyingly, because all the files are mimic linked to the timeline, they were showing but as ghosts to the clips that were there. In so much, I had to re do the edit all over with my back up drive (remember folks, back up twice!) and actually, it's better for it, a lot more tightly paced and fun! It's took a few weeks for my back up to rebuild the files, as I keep rushes for all episodes I've filmed just in case I need them again. All a learning experience and one I'd not like to repeat
A few links for those interested in Dark Tower.
well-of-souls.com/tower/ is a fantastic resource and has some very insightful interviews with Bob Pepper the artist for the game and also outlines the history of the Dark Tower scandal. Well worth a read
law.justia.com/cases/federal/... and here's the actual court case with Burton vs MB games.
Take it easy and keep on gaming,
Luke

Игры

Опубликовано:

5 июл 2024

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Комментарии : 56

@LordOfClarkness 10 месяцев назад

Great to see you‘re back! I just found your channel about three months ago, and you‘ve given me HOURS of entertainment! You‘re doing an amazing job! (Not for my wallet though:D)

@humulos 10 месяцев назад

Long have I awaited the Dark Tower episode. A board game that terrified me as a child before I was old enough to play it and became the most iconic game in my memories as I got older. My parents still have their original copy, we still play it, and it's still super unique. Love the new version they just made, it's a ton of fun, but it's still a very different game.

@downfromtheattic 10 месяцев назад

Oh yeah, the new game has wiped the floor with me a number of times 😂 makes those victories all the more satisfying! I’m itching to get the add ons for it, they should be arriving in October all being well. Glad you enjoyed the episode!

@lolreaction5025 10 месяцев назад

do atmosfear/nightmare pls@@downfromtheattic

@downfromtheattic 10 месяцев назад

I haven't a copy of nightmare I'm afraid but the bigger issue there is no longer have a VCR 😂@@lolreaction5025

@lolreaction5025 10 месяцев назад

oof@@downfromtheattic

@williamwright9079 10 месяцев назад

Aaah ! the DARK TOWER!

@lolreaction5025 10 месяцев назад

RETURN OF THE KING

@Erik.Miller 10 месяцев назад

Better than that 😉

@jecabreradc Месяц назад

Spectacular video, thank you.

@Aphex26 10 месяцев назад

It's always good to have a new video from you!

@manpig1991 10 месяцев назад

Hi new to the channel and I've been binge watching every single one of your episodes and appreciate all the details and fun packed into every single one them!!! Thank you so much for the hard work and keep it up man!!! 10/10

@thatgeek8064 10 месяцев назад

So happy to see your return in my notifications

@kidcardco 10 месяцев назад

Bravo! You've put out more videos this year than tabletop island has in the past 2! Great review Luke!

@downfromtheattic 10 месяцев назад

I’ve had issues with my drives holding my clips and my edits, had a drive become corrupted so lost edits I was part way through 😕 I’ve been able to recover some though. And maybe write to Santa, he might deliver a tabletop island episode before the year is put 😂

@TabletopIsland 10 месяцев назад

Matt is just cranky nobody wants to play games with him lol

@kidcardco 10 месяцев назад

@@TabletopIsland I want to play games with LUKE! lol

@roberttsikretsis5014 10 месяцев назад

I had this game brand new back in the day. I played it relentlessly until I won. At that point my neighbor had 5 young boys in their early teens. I gave it away to them. It was a complete working set. Years later along comes eBay. Well, I own Return to Dark Tower. Haven’t played it yet, seems like a lot of setup time. However, I purchased an App that played the original game so I do have that on my iPad.👍👍👍

@downfromtheattic 10 месяцев назад

Honestly, it’s not too difficult to set it up and get the game going and it’s well worth playing. With all the different combinations of quests and foes, you could conceivably play no two games the same. It’s the game I’ve got the table the most in the past year 🙂

@randomguy9898 10 месяцев назад

I thought the rotating display film was crazy enough, but the way it memorizes stats and does battles is nothing short of amazing! I would love to see what a modern take on this could be like, the complexity could be insane. (And then I got through the last few minutes and see that a new one does exist.. Excited for that review!)

@napalmjam 10 месяцев назад

Nice to see you again.

@drummerboi841 10 месяцев назад

I sense a Restoration Games review in the future lol. Great video keep it up!

@downfromtheattic 10 месяцев назад

That's the plan! The game's all painted up and ready for filming!

@drummerboi841 10 месяцев назад

@@downfromtheattic Then it's in good hands! 👍 Should be a good one 😀

@ChrisKoerner 10 месяцев назад

Great video and special thanks to Well Of Souls for it’s Dark Tower resource since 1997

@downfromtheattic 10 месяцев назад

It was a really fantastic resource for putting the history of this game together. There's a real air of ambiguity to the timeline of events. From what I've researched, it seems like Vince Erato had the idea of an electronic board game around 79, a full year before the Triumph prototype was brought in by Coleman. The iffy bit is MB apparently held onto the prototype for a month...plenty of time to figure out it's programming and mechanism. There's definitely grey areas to the story

@randomrickreviewsrrr4662 10 месяцев назад

Remember seeing this around back in the day never got to play it. Cool stuff.

@misterjerkface 10 месяцев назад

This is my fathers grail game. He played with his old school buddies back in 81/82. He still has the game but the tower has since died. Hoping to find it in a random thrift store some day!

@downfromtheattic 9 месяцев назад

The bulbs are probably the hardest thing to find replacements wise. If it's not rotating, I'd speculate on the drum graphic has lifted away from the inner drum and is stopping it from rotating. It's not so difficult to take apart to repair that. Hopefully you can get a working copy for your dad!

@craigward7691 10 месяцев назад

great video as always mate

@davidl6609 8 месяцев назад

Wonderful !!

@wilsonjonah 10 месяцев назад

Great to see you again, Luke!! Always a good day when you bring down a gem (or a dud) from the Attic, especially your Hero Quest video 😁

@Dripfed 10 месяцев назад

Luke! Great to see another video from your good self. Love this channel.

@downfromtheattic 10 месяцев назад

More to come!

@jayvalentine2046 10 месяцев назад

Excellent

@lucadonati3338 7 месяцев назад

Bel video! Ho appena comprato una copia del gioco in Italia con le istruzioni in Italiano.

@AtticRaidersRetroReviews 10 месяцев назад

Good to see a new video Luke. :) So what was actually wrong with your non-working copy? Easy fix or hard work?

@downfromtheattic 10 месяцев назад

Hey Mark, the issue with my tower wasn't a particularly difficult fix but a fiddly one nonetheless. The drum with the graphics on it on the inside of the tower actually has the graphics printed onto a piece of clear acetate then affixed to the drum with glue. Over the course of 40+ the glue wasn't as strong as it once was and the sides of the graphic sheet were lifting away off the drum. Not a big issue you might think, but the lifted edges were actually contacting the inner walls of the tower and causing it to chock itself against it, stopping the drum from turning. I had to take the base of the tower off, along with the control panel that just slots in place via it's ribbon cable, and using a bent piece of metal, I kinda shove that in the gap between the drum and the outer wall to force that graphic sheet to stay flat, allowing it to turn. I had to manually rotate the worm gear on the motor to rotate the drum round into a position where I could deal with the lifting edge. If you're able to get the drum to a position similar to how it rests during it's boot test up sequence (where all 3 bulbs are visible) you've good access the those graphics. A bit of double sided tape and the graphics sheet is back down and I'm seeing no problems with how it's running. If the tower can't turn, for whatever reason, it'll throw up a fault. The motor isn't that powerful so anything obstructing it will cause it throw a wobbly. I'd speculate this is a fairly common issue with these towers, stands to reason if the glue has perished on my copy it will have on others. Hope this helps!

@downfromtheattic 10 месяцев назад

I've also got in the habit of putting the game away with the test sequence and the 3 bulbs facing me. If it happens again, it'll be far easier to deal with

@TabletopIsland 10 месяцев назад

Excellent review! Mine is coming soon as well ;). I have a few mixed in certain areas, but my overall opinion has developed over time haha

@downfromtheattic 10 месяцев назад

As I say, I think battling could be more interactive. But for what it accomplishes for it’s time, it’s nothing short of remarkable.

@jeffreyscarbroughboardgame2822 10 месяцев назад

I have one but the electronic part does not work 😢

@downfromtheattic 10 месяцев назад

If you feel brave enough to, take the underside off and you can get to the worm gear that moves the drum around. The issue I found with my copy is the graphics on the drum. They’re printed on this clear plastic sheet that’s glued to the drum. But 40 years later the glue has lost its strength and the sheet was lifting off the drum and catching on the inside of the tower. It’s a really quick fix to just tape it or glue it back down, I’ve seen this issue before with other copies👍

@dtimm612 10 месяцев назад

Seems these usually have at least one burnt out bulb, but I thought I remember hearing you can't find replacements. Is that true?

@downfromtheattic 10 месяцев назад

I got extraordinarily lucky with my copy having an original replacement bulb. Model number JKL 1/2 .7 quick google for “dark tower bulb” and I found an eBay listing :) should be able to get a replacement

@gallery7596 29 дней назад

Terrific, but just consider turning down the background music a little, or eliminating it entirely. Aside from that, fine video.

@lolreaction5025 10 месяцев назад

and seeing as you done this do atmosfear/nightmare

@JohnnyBGoode634 6 месяцев назад

Did those card holders come with the game?

@downfromtheattic 6 месяцев назад

Yes, they’re UK/ European release only as I understand. They’re vac form plastic, pretty flimsy and cheap feeling but nice nonetheless

@majinstu2216 10 месяцев назад

Is your game box and board a reproduction? I like your board better than the original

@downfromtheattic 10 месяцев назад

Far as I know this is an original box, I mean, it’s battered, taped together and tatty enough to be original

@BG-bn6ev 28 дней назад

haggle ...haggle ...store closed

@Erik.Miller 10 месяцев назад

Fantastic! Iʼm so glad you got this and got it working! The limitations of electronic games of yore is part of what makes many of them so exciting; for the creatorsʼ cleverness in working with and overcoming those limitations is indeed, to use your word, a marvel. And itʼs not just the game creatorsʼ ingenuity we appreciate - itʼs also _our_ ingenuity, the imagination _we_ ply in immersing ourselves into the world of the game … so invested are we that itʼs no wonder we should find the experience, to use another of your words, endearing. (This is the sort of answer I give when someone tries to tell me that modern video‐game consoles are better than the Atari 2600. More technologically sophisticated, certainly…but _better?_ Never!!!) Ah, yes, the amazing Orson Welles. When his name comes up, I usually first think of _Citizen_ _Kane_ or his _War_ _of_ _the_ _Worlds_ broadcast or maybe his incredible run as the Shadow…but in the era of Dark Tower, he was doing a lot of advertising. His voice work on the teaser trailer for _Star_ _Trek:_ _The_ _Motion_ _Picture_ (a film directed by _Citizen_ _Kane_ editor Robert Wise) helps elevate even the teaser to the status of classic. Live long and prosper… 🖖

@downfromtheattic 10 месяцев назад

You're absolutely right, as rudimentary the mechanics and electronics are by modern standards, we inject the personality onto them and incorporate them into the story we build in our heads. The noises such as the dragon screech, they act as leitmotifs, despite the window facing a particular player, if you hear those sounds and know what they are, you know what they're doing. There's something quite fun about that. Orson Welles had become a bit of lush toward that era of his career. The Paul Masson wine commercials outtakes are...I won't lie, they're hilarious because Welles is quite obviously drunk as a skunk. I believe one of the last things he worked on before his death was Transformers The Movie, where he voiced Unicron. But you're right, he has an immediately identifiable and icon voice

@Erik.Miller 10 месяцев назад

😁 Look, if youʼre going to tell the world you will sell no wine before itʼs time, youʼre morally obligated to personally verify the productʼs fitness for consumption, right?!? 😆 And you can hardly rely on a single measly sample - that would be statistically insignificant, wouldnʼt it?!? 🥂⁠🍾⁠🥴⁠✨⁠💫 Welles was definitely a man of foibles (quite plural)…thereʼs definitely fodder there for evaluating the artist vs. evaluating the work. I often think Welles drew on a sense of autobiography in contrasting Kaneʼs achievements and public image with his more flawed personal choices…but I think I may be digressing a wee bit… 😛 Excellent comment about the sounds. Some other electronic board games of the day also use sounds to provide imprecise clues: Dungeons & Dragons Computer Labyrinth Game, Stop Thief, Electronic Stratego…but not quite the same way. Dark Towerʼs approach seems a little like a poker game in which every time you draw a card, the other players get some sort of clue about its face - is the rank high, low, or somewhere in the middle? is the suit symbol pointy on top? etc. A regularized tell as an added wrinkle…