Dark Spire released: Comments/Impressions?

[SuicideBunny]

back on the topic of dark spire, i loled when reading the first three quest descriptions, especially the thieves guild quest.

 

[Andhaira]

So whats the class system like? How many classes?
Is multiclassing allowed?

And what do secondary skills like dancing, cooking, etc do?

 

[theverybigslayer]

In the beginning there are Fighter,Thief,Priest,Mage classes.

You can multiclass always, here Emile is Level2 Thief and Level1 Fighter.

Btw this game a perfect Wizardry1 clone. (not Wizardry6-7-8, the japaneses are unable to make that evolution step)

 

[SuicideBunny]

there were hidden races in wizardry?

 

[Andhaira]

Thanks for the info. SO what are the benefits/drawbacks of multiclassing?

Also, can warrior mages cast spells in heavy armor? I've also heard of the advanced classes, like samurai and paladin. There are 2 ways to get into each class I hear: what exactly difference does it make though, if I become a paladin through the firghter path rather than the cleric path?

 

[Fat Dragon]

I tried this game out in the wire-frame classic mode not too long ago. Goddamn that brought back a lot of good memories. Put a couple more hours in and I still haven't needed to do any grinding yet which is nice. Game is pretty good, every Wizardry fan should at least check it out.

 

[SuicideBunny]

Also, can warrior mages cast spells in heavy armor?

nope.
a war/mage wearing a cutlass can't either.
every bit of equipment can "disable" any number of basic classes.

the only thign that would make this game better would be to have the classic music under the modern view...

 

[Andhaira]

So whats the point of multiclassing then? A warrior mage not wearing armor is useless on the frontlines, and can't use his fighter abilities in the backline.

 

[SuicideBunny]

erh, there are melee weapons that can attack from the back, the mage/priest/war specific quarterstaff being one of them. warrior doesn't get abilities per se but probably access to some skills, just like mages can buy ancient languages.
you probably need specific skills/class combos for the prestige classes, though i don't know for sure. the only thing i unlocked so far are the dark elves.

guess i was right about that:

A japanese Wiki someone linked here had a list of the requirements for each secondary class.

Spoiler

Paladin:
Str 13, Int 13, Vit 13, Dex 9, CHA 13
Level 10 Warrior, Level 10 Priest, Siege Warfare skill (req Cha 13).

Ninja:
Str 13, Int 13, Vit 11, Dex 13
Level 10 Warrior, Level 10 Thief, Tree Climbing skill

Samurai:
Str 13, Int 11, Vit 13, Dex 8
Level 10 Warrior, Level 10 Mage, Healthy Living skill (possibly plus one other)

Ranger:
Str 11, Int 13, Vit 13, Dex 13
Level 10 Thief, Level 10 Priest, Acrobatics skill, (two others Babelfish couldn't translate?)

Wizard:
Str 13, Int 13, Vit 9, Dex 12
Level 10 Thief, Level 13 Mage, Astrology skill (Mage 13/Int 13)

Druid:
Str 9, Int 13, Vit 9, Dex 13
Level 10 Mage, Level 10 Priest, Ancient Languages skill, Ecology skill (botany?)

 

[Jasede]

the only thign that would make this game better would be to have the classic music under the modern view...

 

[Andhaira]

Do the advanced classes actually give you something unique?? I really don't see teh point to making my mage into a wizard if I have to waste levels on thief, unless if the wizard is more uber than the mage or something.

 

[theverybigslayer]

the only thign that would make this game better would be to have the classic music under the modern view...

You can turn off the music. In Dos Wizardry had no music
Btw I like more the wireframe graphics. I am really oldschool...

 

[Wyrmlord]

Do the advanced classes actually give you something unique?? I really don't see teh point to making my mage into a wizard if I have to waste levels on thief, unless if the wizard is more uber than the mage or something.

Well, you see, they didn't have the good sense to go for the system we have had since Wizardry 6, where the advanced classes can be picked up at character creation itself, but end up levelling slowly.

I mean, that makes a whole lot more sense, period.

 

[SuicideBunny]

You can turn off the music.

the point is, the classic music is actually good.

 

[Jasede]

Wizard or Mage? Which is better, and why?

 

[theverybigslayer]

Wizard or Mage? Which is better, and why?

Shouldn't that be a new topic?

Wizard is a mage/thief combo so it's a bard.

My priest can't cast mage spells if he is wearing a leather armor.
I can't see the position of my party on the map, so I have to use a spell for that.

 

[Panthera]

the only thign that would make this game better would be to have the classic music under the modern view...

No kidding. I love the classic music, and the modern art. Why must they make me choose?

 

[SuicideBunny]

Do the advanced classes actually give you something unique?? I really don't see teh point to making my mage into a wizard if I have to waste levels on thief, unless if the wizard is more uber than the mage or something.

they get to use both sets of abilities, use both sets of equipment without penalty, and later armors have lower ac for the right advanced class. on the down side it takes them twice as many ep to level, as the level of the class is the average level of the two basic classes.

btw, anyone know how to

Spoiler

free the one winged angel?

 

[Andhaira]

So if you don't multiclass its ok then? You will gain levels faster that way and thus be stronger.

 

[SuicideBunny]

not really, especially so for warriors.

 

[theverybigslayer]

LOL!
I turned off the music so I didn't recognize that the music was different in classic mode.
And yes, the classic music is better!

 

[Shagnak]

This comes out the day after tomorrow in sleepy slow New Zealand.

So...any updates from those playing it?
Does it turn to crap later on?

 

[obediah]

My copy still hasn't shipped from Amazon, but thanks to R4 magic, my party is lvl 6-7. I switched to wireframe mode after a few hours and haven't looked back. I keep my DS permanently muted, but I have found myself turning up the volume for the excellent music and sound effects.

There are plenty of annoyances, but I love the game. In honor of Skyways eternal vigilance against fanboism, I will now end a gushing positive post with a list of rants.

- the fucking combat text window is big enough for four lines of text, so why split attacks into two separate message of <= 2 lines, making it harder to click through the 1,000,000,000 combat messages of a typical game and keep track of what is happening

- I like nostalgia, but give me some fucking numbers to work with on weapons

- how many antidotes have I wasted on the first member of my party because potions are just used rather than asking who wants to drink it?

- For a game that strives to be so fucking hardcore, save anywhere is just wrong

 

[SuicideBunny]

Does it turn to crap later on?

seems pretty consistent so far. (floor 5+1)

- how many antidotes have I wasted on the first member of my party because potions are just used rather than asking who wants to drink it?

if the answer is higher than 1, you're getting old and rusty and it's your own damn fault.

 

[Castanova]

Started playing it two nights ago. A lot of fun so far. Seems like the game is LONG, though, or maybe I'm just moving slowly (atypical for me). I'm 3 hours into the game and I haven't even mapped out the whole first floor yet. My characters just hit level 3.

I did the nuclear party with my warrior up front in heroic and my thief doing the hide/attack routine from the back lines. I barely ever use my mage, though, because I don't want to waste his spell points for easy battles and he can't do anything otherwise. I guess that might change once I start fighting enemies with more than a single party attacking me.