Difference between revisions of "Larn"

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'''Larn''' was first released in [[1986]] by [[Noah Morgan]].
{{game-major| name = Larn
|developer = [[Noah Morgan]], [[copx]], [[Gibbon]]
|theme = [[Fantasy]]
|influences = [[Rogue]]
|released = 1986
|updated = 2022 March 21
|licensing = [[Custom]]
|language = [[C]]
|platforms = [[DOS]], [[UNIX]], [[Amiga]], VMS, [[Windows]]
|interface = [[ASCII]]
|length = Short
|site = https://larn.org/
}}
'''Larn''' was first released in 1986 by [[Noah Morgan]].


== Features ==
== Features ==
''Larn'' was the first roguelike game to feature multiple [[dungeon]]s with a sort of [[surface world]] (in this case, a town) to connect them. The town, which never changed from one game to the next, featured shops to exchange items, schools to improve skills, and a bank to store valuables. The dungeon had  branch offices of the town's bank. Larn also featured a time-limited quest.
''Larn'' was the first roguelike game to feature multiple [[dungeon]]s with a sort of [[surface world]] (in this case, a [[town]]) to connect them. The town, which is persistent, like the dungeon levels (advanced for the time), and features [[shop]]s to exchange items, schools to improve skills, and a bank to store valuables. The dungeon has branch offices of the town's bank. Larn is also time-limited, achieving the main goal too late counts as losing the game. The player is trying to find an item which can cure his ailing daughter, and for which there is a Nethack-like extended quest. If the time limit is reached, the daughter dies.


== Ularn ==
A few features which are unique to ''Larn'' and make it worth playing:
''Ularn'' — or "Ultra-Larn" — is a descendant of ''Larn''. Created by [[Phil Cordier]] in [[1992]], it added new features, like character classes.
* Identification is always successful. The scroll/potion type will always be known to the player regardless whether the player received any clue about the usage of the particular [[item]].
* The Scroll of gem perfection enhances the value of carried gems.
* If a character manages to win ''Larn'', his successor will have to pay taxes, which depend on the amount of gold brought to the surface.
* Gold pieces stored in the bank earn interest over time.
* Spells are cast by typing a 3-letter mnemonic. For example, magic missile is MLE.
* The level generation is exceptionally varied: You can find mazes, rows of rooms with doors, round chambers, and open spaces with or without pillars, but still generated at random as in any other roguelike.
* Many other conventional Roguelike features are also given a unique spin (many conventions in the genre were less set in stone), and it can be an interesting change of pace.


== Platforms and versions ==
== Platforms and versions ==
Development of ''Larn'' is discontinued, though access to the original source code is available. The last version for ''Larn'' is v12.2 for source code, last updated July 27, 1986. An MS-DOS executable for v12.3 exists.


Ularn v1.6, released in [[2004]], is avalaible for Windows and Amiga. Source is available for other systems (v1.5 is known to compile for various UNIX systems).
<!-- The current stable version of ''Larn'' is v12.41 alpha 2, after modifications by Edwin DeNicholas. The source code to the original is available, but may not build on modern platforms because it is very old.
 
LarnHD is the most modern port of Larn to modern platforms, and the source code (which uses Windows-exclusive code) and a Windows binary are available.
 
The creator of LarnHD has also made an [http://www.freewebs.com/drussell/Larn.htm Adobe Flash-based] version of the game available that requires no download.-->
 
Updated versions of ''Larn'' seem to have disappeared.
 
Some older copies of larn can be found [http://lactose.homelinux.net/larn/ here], but the host does not know if they compile or not.
 
Ularn v1.6, released in 2004, is available for Windows and Amiga. Source is available for other systems (v1.5 is known to compile for various UNIX systems).
 
An unapologetic historically accurate version of Larn 12.3.1 (updated to 12.3.3) can be found [https://github.com/atsb/larn here] for GNU/Linux systems only.
 
== Variants ==
* ''[[iLarn]]''
* ''[[NLarn]]'' is a rewrite with the aim to bring ''Larn'' to the 21st century. It offers a nicer user interface, colour, improved monster AI, and numerous other enhancements.
* ''[[PC Larn]]''
* ''[[Ularn]]'' &mdash; or "Ultra-Larn" &mdash; is a descendant of ''Larn''. It has been created by [[Phil Cordier]] in 1992 and adds new features like character classes, Dealer McDope, and more levels.
* ''[[XLarn]]'' is a heavily extended version of ''Larn''
* ''[[LarnHD]]'' is a higher quality version of ''Larn'' with sounds; compatible with more modern devices.
* ''[[ReLarn]]'' is a variant of Ularn. It is mostly a code cleanup and modernization of the Ularn sources.


== Game related links ==
== Game related links ==
* [http://roguelikes.sauceforge.net/pub/larn/ The Larn Home Page]
<!--
* [http://www.ularn.org/ Ularn.org]
* [http://www.freewebs.com/drussell/Larn.htm Flash port] of Larn by the author of LarnHD, though it doesn't mimic LarnHD's customisations to its interface and is quite probably the closest to the original Larn. No download required.
* [http://www.users.bigpond.com/jolds/ularn.htm The ULarn 1.6 Home Page]
* [http://www.freewebs.com/drussell/#LarnHD LarnHD], a graphical port of Larn to modern Windows.
* [http://roguelike-palm.sourceforge.net/iLarn/ iLarn Homepage] - Palm OS port of Ularn
-->
[[Category:Major games]] [[Category:Stable games]]
* [https://larn.org The unofficial Larn game homepage] with links to articles, source code, other variants of Larn, and an option to play the DOS and Amiga versions of Larn online
[[Category:Roguelike games]]
* [https://github.com/atsb/RL_M A maintained, traditional version of Larn] by Gibbon
* [https://sites.google.com/site/edenicholas/roguelikes/win32-larn Larn 12.4 alpha for Win32] <!-- (deprecated in favour of LarnHD) -->
* [http://larn-game.blogspot.com/ A weblog about Larn]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20211019221026/http://www.gamesetwatch.com/2008/04/play_larn_or_i_hocked_the_car.php COLUMN: @Play: Larn, Or, I Hocked The Car To Buy A Lance Of Death]
* [http://crpgaddict.blogspot.de/2010/08/game-21-larn-1986.html The CRPG Addict: Game 21: Larn (1986)]
[[Category:Open source]]

Latest revision as of 21:19, 31 July 2024

Larn
Major Roguelike
Developer Noah Morgan, copx, Gibbon
Theme Fantasy
Influences Rogue
Released 1986
Updated 2022 March 21
Licensing Custom
P. Language C
Platforms DOS, UNIX, Amiga, VMS, Windows
Interface ASCII
Game Length Short
Official site of Larn


Larn was first released in 1986 by Noah Morgan.

Features

Larn was the first roguelike game to feature multiple dungeons with a sort of surface world (in this case, a town) to connect them. The town, which is persistent, like the dungeon levels (advanced for the time), and features shops to exchange items, schools to improve skills, and a bank to store valuables. The dungeon has branch offices of the town's bank. Larn is also time-limited, achieving the main goal too late counts as losing the game. The player is trying to find an item which can cure his ailing daughter, and for which there is a Nethack-like extended quest. If the time limit is reached, the daughter dies.

A few features which are unique to Larn and make it worth playing:

  • Identification is always successful. The scroll/potion type will always be known to the player regardless whether the player received any clue about the usage of the particular item.
  • The Scroll of gem perfection enhances the value of carried gems.
  • If a character manages to win Larn, his successor will have to pay taxes, which depend on the amount of gold brought to the surface.
  • Gold pieces stored in the bank earn interest over time.
  • Spells are cast by typing a 3-letter mnemonic. For example, magic missile is MLE.
  • The level generation is exceptionally varied: You can find mazes, rows of rooms with doors, round chambers, and open spaces with or without pillars, but still generated at random as in any other roguelike.
  • Many other conventional Roguelike features are also given a unique spin (many conventions in the genre were less set in stone), and it can be an interesting change of pace.

Platforms and versions

Updated versions of Larn seem to have disappeared.

Some older copies of larn can be found here, but the host does not know if they compile or not.

Ularn v1.6, released in 2004, is available for Windows and Amiga. Source is available for other systems (v1.5 is known to compile for various UNIX systems).

An unapologetic historically accurate version of Larn 12.3.1 (updated to 12.3.3) can be found here for GNU/Linux systems only.

Variants

  • iLarn
  • NLarn is a rewrite with the aim to bring Larn to the 21st century. It offers a nicer user interface, colour, improved monster AI, and numerous other enhancements.
  • PC Larn
  • Ularn — or "Ultra-Larn" — is a descendant of Larn. It has been created by Phil Cordier in 1992 and adds new features like character classes, Dealer McDope, and more levels.
  • XLarn is a heavily extended version of Larn
  • LarnHD is a higher quality version of Larn with sounds; compatible with more modern devices.
  • ReLarn is a variant of Ularn. It is mostly a code cleanup and modernization of the Ularn sources.

Game related links

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