Realms of Arkania: Star Trail HD - less shovelware this time?

[felipepepe]

I can't believe this is really being made.

 

[vonAchdorf]

Looking a bit bland and the combat avatars aren't really that much improved, but at least tolerable if seen from behind.

Also Bioware' / Bethesda'esque char editor is a waste of resources.

 

[Excidium II]

RPGOTY incoming.

Also Bioware' / Bethesda'esque char editor is a waste of resources.

It has a butt slider men.

 

[Caim]

Hold on, this is still in the works?

 

[Bubbles]

Infinitron please post that gallery as front page news, or I'll page aweigh to this thread.

 

[ERYFKRAD]

Man I hope they get some funding for this.

 

[Darth Roxor]

i cant wait!

 

[pippin]

Amazing.

 

[octavius]

So is "Sternenschweif" a new game?
First hit when Googling it is lots of images like this:

 

[pippin]

If the first patch isn't at least 4 pages long I'm going to be disappointed.
They did tried their best to fix the horrible first remake though. All in all, the devs had a lot of luck with this one, they just had minor drama and got their game removed from Steam for a couple of months. I don't know how it was in Germany, but the rest of the world pretty much ignored the remake, and this is considering how most youtubers can make at least three weeks of material out of one broken game.

 

[Siobhan]

The first remake at least had some reason to exist, in theory, since the original BoD is definitely rough around the edges. But Star Trail/Sternenschweif (German title, in case octavius wasn't just feigning cluelessness) does pretty much everything very well, so it's not clear what modern tech could add: you have a choice between grid-based and fluent movement, you can shoot diagonally in battles, more control over character creation, redbook audio for those who fail at properly emulating midi, varied graphics for dungeons, saving doesn't cost XP (I think), you can autoresolve battles, ...

I really can't fathom who would be interested in a RoA remake but at the same time be too stuck in modern conventions to play the original. Folks who got into DSA via Drakensang and want to give the older games a shot?

 

[pippin]

Nah, I think it's yet another Games Workshop case. I mean, there's a TDE game called Skilltree Saga.

 

[vonAchdorf]

I think it was because the publisher (mainly focussed on manger games) happened to get the TDE / Northland trilogy license and looked for a cheap studio (makers of browser games) for a quick cash-in to produce a low budget-tile. Both probably didn't really know about the franchise (and the dedication of the core audience), though I have to admit, that Crafty Studios grew in their role. This doesn't mean that Star Trail will be a good or necessary game, of corse, but I think the situation is still a bit different from SoD HD.

 

[SausageInYourFace]

but at least tolerable if seen from behind.

Rückenfalle.

 

[Turjan]

I mean, there's a TDE game called Skilltree Saga.

Currently on sale in this 50 cent bundle: https://groupees.com/the5010
Although that price is a bit steep for what you get.

 

[Jrpgfan]

The first remake at least had some reason to exist, in theory, since the original BoD is definitely rough around the edges. But Star Trail/Sternenschweif (German title, in case octavius wasn't just feigning cluelessness) does pretty much everything very well, so it's not clear what modern tech could add: you have a choice between grid-based and fluent movement, you can shoot diagonally in battles, more control over character creation, redbook audio for those who fail at properly emulating midi, varied graphics for dungeons, saving doesn't cost XP (I think), you can autoresolve battles, ...

I really can't fathom who would be interested in a RoA remake but at the same time be too stuck in modern conventions to play the original. Folks who got into DSA via Drakensang and want to give the older games a shot?

It could definitely use some graphics overhaul though. The combination of bad graphics + simplistic ui + fixed camera during combat was pretty much the only thing that I didn't enjoy in this game. It made positioning in some battles a little bothersome because you couldn't see shit when the characters were close to each other. If these guys manage to improve the graphics without changing anything else, it's most definitely gonna be a perfect game in my eyes.

 

[Roqua]

I loved their finished first remake (and if you haven't tried it recently you are a fucking monkey savage idiot) and I definitely want all three to be redone. I will invest. The projected return is very decent. I hope their is someway to have gains held and rolled or reinvested.

 

[Siobhan]

It could definitely use some graphics overhaul though. The combination of bad graphics + simplistic ui + fixed camera during combat was pretty much the only thing that I didn't enjoy in this game. It made positioning in some battles a little bothersome because you couldn't see shit when the characters were close to each other. If these guys manage to improve the graphics without changing anything else, it's most definitely gonna be a perfect game in my eyes.

Alright, this is probably a generation gap thing, but bad graphics? They might be dated, but they've aged rather well I'd say. A good color palette that conveys plenty of mood and atmosphere, designed with functionality in mind to highlight important stuff, and not too garish or cartoony.

Spoiler

It's not gonna win any awards for best pixelart (though RoA 3 has some very nice stills), but it's functional and pleasing to the eye (and it definitely beats most of the MMs and the SNES Wizardries). I also don't remember ever having problems with the perspective in the battles, though a top-down view would have made things easier. Rotating cameras are pure cancer, constantly adjusting the perspective breaks the flow of gaming.

Anyways, let's look at some pics from the BoD remake to see if your hopes are justified (I think those are all from the patched version with upgraded art assets).

Spoiler

If you consider that an improvement, I guess they've found a potential customer. Personally, I don't see the point.

 

[Jrpgfan]

It could definitely use some graphics overhaul though. The combination of bad graphics + simplistic ui + fixed camera during combat was pretty much the only thing that I didn't enjoy in this game. It made positioning in some battles a little bothersome because you couldn't see shit when the characters were close to each other. If these guys manage to improve the graphics without changing anything else, it's most definitely gonna be a perfect game in my eyes.

Alright, this is probably a generation gap thing, but bad graphics? They might be dated, but they've aged rather well I'd say. A good color palette that conveys plenty of mood and atmosphere, designed with functionality in mind to highlight important stuff, and not too garish or cartoony.

Spoiler

It's not gonna win any awards for best pixelart (though RoA 3 has some very nice stills), but it's functional and pleasing to the eye (and it definitely beats most of the MMs and the SNES Wizardries). I also don't remember ever having problems with the perspective in the battles, though a top-down view would have made things easier. Rotating cameras are pure cancer, constantly adjusting the perspective breaks the flow of gaming.

Anyways, let's look at some pics from the BoD remake to see if your hopes are justified (I think those are all from the patched version with upgraded art assets).

Spoiler

If you consider that an improvement, I guess they've found a potential customer. Personally, I don't see the point.

I did have issues with the perspective, thus my post.

I had no problems with the graphics outside of the combat when it comes to functionality, although more animations for spells and improved graphics are most welcome in a 2016 remake(we all like shiny graphics after all).

I'm a 90s gamer, played most of the RPGs of that period around their release date. I've got no problems at all with bad or outdated graphics. I recently finished Neo Scavenger which is a very ugly game(like most roguelikes) and enjoyed it a lot.

 

[ERYFKRAD]

I loved their finished first remake (and if you haven't tried it recently you are a fucking monkey savage idiot) and I definitely want all three to be redone. I will invest. The projected return is very decent. I hope their is someway to have gains held and rolled or reinvested.

The fact that you could find your way around Thorwal without using the map all the time is a big improvement from BoD.

 

[octavius]

I took the first Arkania game (original one) for a test ride, and one thing that really annoyed me was that all buildings looked the same. So obviously the remake is a incline in one area...

 

[V_K]

I took the first Arkania game (original one) for a test ride, and one thing that really annoyed me was that all buildings looked the same. So obviously the remake is a incline in one area...

It's a very slight incline, given how few building models there are in the remake (judging by the screenshots).

 

[thesheeep]

I will probably buy this game on day one for the hilarity that it will be.
The first remake must've been fabulous to play with all the bugs.

 

[Lhynn]

I loved their finished first remake (and if you haven't tried it recently you are a fucking monkey savage idiot) and I definitely want all three to be redone. I will invest. The projected return is very decent. I hope their is someway to have gains held and rolled or reinvested.

Darth Roxor time for an updated review?

 

[GandGolf]

- character import confirmed

Will the character import work for both the original "Blade of Destiny" as well as the newer windows XP remake?