You guys MUST play The Elder Scrolls: Arena

[abnaxus]

Where the hell is that from?

 

[Roguey]

Unseen, Unheard by Chris Avellone, art by Dustin Weaver. Star Wars Tales #24, collected in volume 6 of the trade paperback collection.

 

[sgc_meltdown]

visassockets.jpg

son that's what I call immunity to pinkeye and an excuse to wear two eyepatches at once

hubba hubba

 

[Jasede]

This game is pretty good!

 

[Xi]

I never gave this game a chance. I started with Daggerfall (which I still love). However, I am not in a position to dump time into another game. I was thinking about playing Wizardry 8, or waiting for the BG enhanced (when I find some time). Something along those lines. You think it's worth it though Worm L.?

 

[JarlFrank]

Wyrmlord, you're really overrating Arena. It's a solid dungeon crawl with good mainquest dungeons and solid mechanics, but Daggerfall is better at anything except for dungeon design and Ultima Underworld 1 and 2 are both better games than Arena, and of the same subgenre.

 

[sea]

I do agree with a lot of the points here, but I think the caveat is that these are strengths that a lot of other dungeon crawlers possess. Arena is good, but isn't really unique or special when it comes to this sort of thing, and arguably has way too much fluff compared to a game like Ultima Underworld to offer a truly "intense" sort of experience. Daggerfall went full retard with the world size, procedural/random content etc., but it worked because exploration, character building and freeform play were always the main strengths of the Elder Scrolls series, not the dungeon crawling.

 

[Wyrmlord]

Xi

If it is a matter of choosing where to dump time...you'll finish Arena very quickly. So even though Wizardry 8 or BG Enhanced will take a lot more of your time, you might be able to squeeze Arena in there. There is one catch. You should consider doing about six artifact quests before you begin the main quest. That way, you'll be strong enough to finish the game without camping or resting. Finding a place to rest, along with attempting several resting periods before enemies appear, will multiply the time it takes to finish each place. It will also make the game more irritating.

JarlFrank

Sure, it does not compare to others of its subgenre. But that is because it is a very solid subgenre. Ultima Underworld, Ultima Underworld II, Daggerfall, Arena, System Shock, and Arx Fatalis - all these are some of the most memorable gaming experiences out there. The first-person action RPG genre, in its original form where the player only chose location of attack but where stats not twitching mattered, comprised a solid set of games due to the challenge, the object-clue-finding, the exploration, and the atmosphere. They were never pure RPGs, but they overcompensated in that regard.

sea

Sure, I agree, really good game, but average in an above average sub-genre.

 

[Clockwork Knight]

Sounds like the kind of manipulative crap that you see on the back of a game box or being spewed out by paid-out journalists. I can see that most of what you have said is just an exaggerated emotional interpretation of a game of uncertain quality. Half of that stuff wouldn't even be fun. Next time you could try describing what actually happens in the game instead of how it made you feel.

For once Wyrmlord decides to demonstrate interest in a game instead of economics or politics, and you guys immediately put him down. *shakes head*

 

[Excidium]

Now this is something I haven't seen in a while.

 

[Clockwork Knight]

Found it in my image folder while organizing that mess. I also have kingcomrade, jaime lannister and blobert's avatars there, for some reason. Also the older Sandro that Phelot used a year or so ago...time sure flies by.

Speaking of that, I miss your downs syndrome guy from Ultima Underworld.

 

[Excidium]

I tried using it but it was so blurry and stretched. The new 'dex is too next-gen for old avatars.

 

[taxalot]

I wish I was still a child having fun with the simplest thing : a stick, a ball, a priest, or The Elder Scrolls.

 

[Wyrmlord]

I wish I was still a child having fun with the simplest thing : a stick, a ball, a priest, or the dialogue hyperlink minigames in Torment, Bloodlines, and BioWare games.

Fixed.

 

[Kattze]

I wish I was still a child having fun with the simplest thing : a stick, a ball, a priest, or the dialogue hyperlink minigames in Torment, Bloodlines, and BioWare games.

Fixed.

You are not mondblut.

 

[Humanity has risen!]

What should be the Dosbox CPU cycles parameter?

I found out I thought it was horribly slow because I put the detail to the maximum level, and with the default config from Arena setup it really was slow as hell. Setting the detail lower makes the player move pretty fast, but NPCs in the first town seem to move way too quickly.

 

[Quetzacoatl]

http://theelderscrolls.wiwiland.net/?title=Arena_:_ArenaSetup_EN
Link for the lazy.

 

[Wyrmlord]

What should be the Dosbox CPU cycles parameter?

I found out I thought it was horribly slow because I put the detail to the maximum level, and with the default config from Arena setup it really was slow as hell. Setting the detail lower makes the player move pretty fast, but NPCs in the first town seem to move way too quickly.

I play the game at 40,000 cycles. NPCs do move fast, but enough so for me to catch up to them.

 

[Wyrmlord]

Oh gawd, worst ending ever.

Use the Skeleton Key to open a room with a jewel.

Finished. Game over. Now watch the ending cinematic.

They really screwed up the finale of this game. Just as bad as that of Oblivion. Even the Sovngarde last battle in Skyrim was way better. In this game? You don't even fight. You just open the door to a room.

 

[Quetzacoatl]

Oh gawd, worst ending ever.

Use the Skeleton Key to open a room with a jewel.

Finished. Game over. Now watch the ending cinematic.

They really screwed up the finale of this game. Just as bad as that of Oblivion. Even the Sovngarde last battle in Skyrim was way better. In this game? You don't even fight. You just open the door to a room.

Wasn't there some fight with Jagar Tharn?

 

[Revenant]

Wyrmlord is strolling around knee deep in shit and is surprised that something smells bad.

 

[Wyrmlord]

Oh gawd, worst ending ever.

Use the Skeleton Key to open a room with a jewel.

Finished. Game over. Now watch the ending cinematic.

They really screwed up the finale of this game. Just as bad as that of Oblivion. Even the Sovngarde last battle in Skyrim was way better. In this game? You don't even fight. You just open the door to a room.

Wasn't there some fight with Jagar Tharn?

No fight with Tharn.

He is invulnerable and will keep attacking you. Or won't, if you are invisible.

You are simply supposed to open a door.

I liked most of the game, but the ending area was super bad.

 

[abnaxus]

You can take down all Jagar Tharn's HP to neutralize him, actually. He just casts Oililuke's Resilient Sphere but stops bothering you.

 

[Humanity has risen!]

It's a shame because I like the dungeon crawling and gameplay system along with finding clues, but walking endlessly through nondescript, ugly outdoors where you can barely see anything and huge towns where every building looks the same isn't too pleasing.

Where is the fast travel option?

 

[Wyrmlord]

It's a shame because I like the dungeon crawling and gameplay system along with finding clues, but walking endlessly through nondescript, ugly outdoors where you can barely see anything and huge towns where every building looks the same isn't too pleasing.

Where is the fast travel option?

Right click the map icon.

The outdoors are auto-generated places, and will auto-generate till infinity. Fast travel is the only means.