Oh, how I long for a good RPG

[Kaanyrvhok]

Matrix Cubed and Silver Blades suck

The others are great though. Maybe with the exception of the Savage Frontier games, but maybe I was just getting sick of the format by then.

Crispy: full M&M run. That'll keep you busy.

And if you don't mind just getting a little away from CRPG's, there's always Legend's old-engine games (Timequest, Eric and Spellcasting). I just finished a replay of Eric and I had forgotten how incredibly funny and well-designed it was.

Silver Blades did not suck. It was a better dungeon hak than ToEE. Silverblades with ToEE's engine would be clean as baby ass.

 

[flabbyjack]

Try Divine Divinity (the first one)

 

[Raghar]

Did he tried FF?
Chrono Trigger?
Persona 3 FES?
Soul Nomad and World Eaters?

 

[Notorious]

Try Divine Divinity (the first one)

Did he tried FF?
Chrono Trigger?
Persona 3 FES?
Soul Nomad and World Eaters?

This is getting depressing...


And yes it's frustrating, the last RPG I got excited about was VtM:B... frustrating...

 

[Jaesun]

You can play the modules as a campaign by following the instructions at Ray Dyer's web site - http://therealm.flopsyville.com/Menu.htm

It's a pity he does not provide a specific clear detailed instructions on installing these. If he did, I'd actually give this a try.

 

[Konjad]

 

[Raghar]

And yes it's frustrating, the last RPG I got excited about was VtM:B... frustrating...

RPGs are about story. Which RPG had great story lately?

FFXIII was a flop.
DA2 was mediocre.
ME2 was silly, over-hyped, and it was a shooter.
Two Worlds 2 has its problems.

 

[MMXI]

RPGs are about story.

 

[Admiral jimbob]

And yes it's frustrating, the last RPG I got excited about was VtM:B... frustrating...

RPGs are about story.

No, RPGs are about racing minigames. See, I can do it too.

 

[octavius]

You can play the modules as a campaign by following the instructions at Ray Dyer's web site - http://therealm.flopsyville.com/Menu.htm

It's a pity he does not provide a specific clear detailed instructions on installing these. If he did, I'd actually give this a try.

I haven't actually tried them myself, since I've only played a few FRUA modules myself, but I think it's just a matter of playing the modules in the suggested order with the same party, just like you'd play a table top AD&D campaign.

 

[RottingNaziSurfer]

The need for a deep, intelligent CRPG is a dull ache within me that's been growing slowly and inexorably over the last few years, and it doesn't look like that hunger is going to be sated anytime soon.

Witcher 2 helped a bit. I like the game -- its derp factor is scaled sufficiently back, but with its current technical problems (don't ask) and its primarily twitch-based gameplay, it's more like an appetizer than a full meal.

Risen reminded me of an excessively greasy cheeseburger, more fat than beef. I tried smothering it with every condiment I had, but it gave me the shits after digesting it so ultimately was unsatisfying.

The new Deus Ex isn't going to do a thing to help. It'll be of the same ilk as Alpha Brotocol, which I enjoyed for a little while but just couldn't stomach long enough to finish. Kind of like German food, I guess.

I will admit here and now that while Skyrim has me excited on some lower brainwave level, I know it's not going to fill the bill either. My side appetites for hiking simulators are something that need to be sated as well, but they're more like a sweet tooth than the need for actual nutricious food.

What about Age of Decadence? Seems the cook won't bring the plate out until next Thursday, and his restaurant smells funny anyway.

What am I going to do? I cannot subsist on replays of NWN2 modules forever; pretty soon I'm going to either start feasting on the long-dead flesh of such things as ToEE or I'll go full zombie, turning to console gaming only and GIVING UP ON RPG'S FOREVAR. God, the thought.

I'm just so hungry...

Have you thought about the Nintendo DS, my son?

 

[1eyedking]

Have you thought about the Nintendo DS, my son?

Not everyone enjoys brain-dead grinding, my friend.

 

[ArcturusXIV]

Played any MUD's?

 

[Clockwork Knight]

I don't understand threads like these.

"I am really eager for you people's recommendations, but I want to reject mostly anything you recommend."

That's because the person asking sometimes isn't actually interested in suggestions. Either the guy isn't interested in games anymore and is in denial about it, or he just wants the feeling he got when he played games back then, which he won't get playing them nowadays.

Anyways, the codex suggestions aren't new or surprising. Crispy, have you thought about just grabbing a random title and playing? When I get burned out on games, that's what I do. Expecting a divine inspiration just makes me not play anything at all.

 

[King Crispy]

CK gets it.

And that's a good idea, I guess. My problem is that I've already sold off all my old classics. I like to give back to gaming society, I guess. Some kid somewhere is just discovering the goodness of some of the old classics with his dad after having bought some of them from me at my last garage sale.

Sure, most of them are still available for download. Navigate the waters, get DOSBox running, install and get all excited at first. "Man, this is gonna be awesome!"

...

"Huh. The starting dungeon. I really don't want to go through all this again." Give up after an hour.

I honestly don't mean to shoot down all the suggestions. They're good ones. It's just that even with the finest of the classics, once they're enjoyed and absorbed into my RPG'er conscience, the joy of their freshness and that sense of discovery can never be reattained. I know that sounds picky, but it's the way it is for me. I know I'm not alone.

See, that's exactly what I hope some designers out there are feeling right now. Isn't MCA getting just a little tired of drinking Mai Tais lounging in his recliner on his private yacht by now? Isn't he starting to think about getting back to work on something new and exciting? Okay, bad choice, but someone else? Someone up-and-coming?

Help me Obi Wan, you're my only hope.

 

[Jaesun]

You have played every single "classic" cRPG ever made? :shock:

 

[King Crispy]

No. I believe there may have been one or two of the Ultima's that I never finished, for example. Started them, but for some reason or other gave up on. Same with M&M, but I definitely came close to finishing all of those. There are others, possibly some of the more obscure titles that I may have skipped altogether, but then again they might not be considered classics. Not completing RPG's is a rather bad trait of mine.

Here's a whopper of an admission: I never finished PS:T, either! (Got a long way into it, though -- I'd guess 80% complete)

 

[Crooked Bee]

Really, Crispy, there's a lot of good old RPGs that can probably quench your longing. Have you tried Captive 2: Liberation? 2400 A.D.? Space 1889? Escape from Hell? Hard Nova? I'd also suggest some dungeon crawlers, but you don't seem to be into that kind of RPGs.

I can certainly understand being completely burned out on gaming, though. If that's the case, no game's going to fully satisfy you, I guess.

 

[Mortmal]

Well stop lamenting , that will only lead you to depression, i know what i am speaking about.
Man up, go buy fantasy grounds 2 , register on the forums, and ask the nice people there for a team,then start enjoying true RPGs with real people, it may change your boring life.

 

[King Crispy]

Just to attention whore a little more, here's MMXI's list of must-plays, and my experience with them.

Phantasie
Pretty sure I played this one when I was younger. Doubt I finished it.

Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar
Played and never finished.

Wizard's Crown
Played and finished IIRC.

Might and Magic Book One: The Secret of the Inner Sanctum
Played and 95% sure I finished.

Dungeon Master
Played but never finished.

The Eternal Dagger
I don't believe I ever played this one.

The Bard's Tale III: Thief of Fate
Played and finished.

Demon's Winter
I don't believe I ever played this one.

Might and Magic II: Gates to Another World
Played and finished IIRC.

Pool of Radiance
Played and finished, replayed at least once.

Ultima V: Warriors of Destiny
Played but I don't believe finished.

Wasteland
Played and finished. My personal Hall of Fame.

Wizardry V: Heart of the Maelstrom
Played and only got about halfway through.

Chaos Strikes Back
Never even heard on this one.

Curse of the Azure Bonds
Played and finished.

The Dark Heart of Uukrul
I don't believe I ever tried this one.

Dragon Wars
Never played.

The Magic Candle
Played and was distracted from finishing, IIRC. Enjoyed, though.

Buck Rogers: Countdown to Doomsday
Played and finished. Weird game.

Champions of Krynn
Played and finished.

Secret of the Silver Blades
Played and finished.

Ultima VI: The False Prophet
Played and never finished.

Wizardry VI: Bane of the Cosmic Forge
Played and may have given up on final boss. Can't quite recall.

Worlds of Ultima: The Savage Empire
Played and didn't like.

Death Knights of Krynn
Played and grinded through. Phew!

Fate: Gates of Dawn
Never heard of this one.

Gateway to the Savage Frontier
Played and thoroughly enjoyed. One of my favorites of Gold Box series.

The Magic Candle II: The Four and Forty
I think I skipped this one.

Might and Magic III: Isles of Terra
Played and got through most of it IIRC.

Pools of Darkness
Played and grinded my way through it. Phew!

Ultima: Worlds of Adventure 2: Martian Dreams
Played but disliked. Interesting, though.

Amberstar
Never played this one.

Buck Rogers: Matrix Cubed
Played and, strangely, finished.

The Dark Queen of Krynn
Played and grinded my way through. Double-phew!

Might and Magic IV: Clouds of Xeen
Played and I think I finished. Combined into World of Xeen.

Realms of Arkania: Blade of Destiny
Played but after its sequel (!)

Treasures of the Savage Frontier
Played and I believe finished, as usual with GB.

Ultima VII: The Black Gate
Played and I'm fairly certain finished. I think this was the best Ultima.

Ultima Underworld: The Stygian Abyss
Played and enjoyed, but was hijacked. My mother loved this one!

Wizardry VII: Crusaders of the Dark Savant
Played and finished after a few years, I think.

Ambermoon
Nope.

Betrayal at Krondor
Played but actually hated these. Should I be ashamed?

Dark Sun: Shattered Lands
Played and finished. Loved it.

Darklands
Played and I cannot recall if I got through it. I doubt it, due to all the bugs.

Might and Magic V: Darkside of Xeen
Played along with the others.

Ultima VII Part Two: Serpent Isle
I may not have gotten into this one.

Ultima Underworld II: Labyrinth of Worlds
Tried this one, same as last! Hijacked!

Realms of Arkania: Star Trail
Played and finished. Personal Hall of Fame.

Realms of Arkania: Shadows over Riva
Played and thoroughly enjoyed. Tactics! Personal Hall of Fame.

Fallout
Played and finished, replayed at least once. Personal Favorite of All Time.

Fallout 2
Played and finshed. Hated the lame humor at times.

Planescape: Torment
Played and loved, but never finished.

Wizardry 8
Played extensively, may not have completed.

The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind
Played and finished.

 

[felipepepe]

"Huh. The starting dungeon. I really don't want to go through all this again." Give up after an hour.

True, even the greatest classics have lame momments, especially at the beggining. I can't stand Irenicus dungeon at the start of BGII or the Temple of Trials at Fallout 2 anymore.

Maybe what you need at the momment is not in the RPG genre anymore. May sound like heresy to say that here, but the game I had most fun in the past months is CitiesXL 2011.

If you really want an RPG nonetheless, I don't see Arcanum, Divine Divinity or Divinity II on your list. Those ARE great games, and pull you in right from the start, with no lenghy tutorial or dungeon.

 

[octavius]

Chaos Strikes Back
Never even heard on this one.

Dragon Wars
Never played.

Then what are you waiting for?
Chaos Strikes Back is a fantastic game if you don't mine real time dungeon crawlers. Being an expansion to Dungeon Master, but much more difficult, open ended and crammed with stuff to do, my most intense gaming experience ever was CSB.
It was originally only released for the Atari ST and the Amiga, but if you don't want to mess woth an emulator there is now a Windows version based on the Atari ST version - http://dmweb.free.fr/?q=node/851

Dragon Wars is like a fantasy version of Wasteland. Another must play, IMO.

Ultima Underworld: The Stygian Abyss
Played and enjoyed, but was hijacked. My mother loved this one!

Ultima Underworld II: Labyrinth of Worlds
Tried this one, same as last! Hijacked!

I like your mother!

 

[Crooked Bee]

Dark Heart of Uukrul is the best dungeon crawler ever. Shame on ya.

 

[Johannes]

What did you hate in Betrayal at Krondor?

I should try Chaos Strikes Back though... I faintly remember playing it as a kid, probably one of 1st rpgs I tried, and repeatedly dying in the larva-filled first room. When I finally got out and instantly died to something else and gave up :D I didn't understand the game properly though, I barely could read english then. Remembering this now makes me want to kick the games ass.

 

[octavius]

I should try Chaos Strikes Back though... I faintly remember playing it as a kid, probably one of 1st rpgs I tried, and repeatedly dying in the larva-filled first room. When I finally got out and instantly died to something else and gave up :D I didn't understand the game properly though, I barely could read english then. Remembering this now makes me want to kick the games ass.

He he, I wonder how many panicked and stepped on the worm generators when starting the game in a barely lit room with worms on two sides? I know I did. :D

 

[MMXI]

Just to attention whore a little more, here's MMXI's list of must-plays, and my experience with them.

It's a joint Codex list. Not my list. I'm just the maintainer and editor of it.

Phantasie
Pretty sure I played this one when I was younger. Doubt I finished it.

You should play through it and both of its sequels (which haven't been added to the list for some reason). Really old but surprisingly comfortable to play even today.

The Eternal Dagger
I don't believe I ever played this one.

It's the sequel to Wizard's Crown. If you've completed Wizard's Crown then you should give this game a go. It's more of the same but with quite a bit of the tedium removed.

Demon's Winter
I don't believe I ever played this one.

It's the sequel to Shard of Spring, which isn't on the list for some reason. It's a much better game in my point of view, with a better story and much better dungeon crawling. You should give it a try.

Chaos Strikes Back
Never even heard on this one.

Expansion to Dungeon Master. Much harder but with much better dungeon design. If you like challenging real-time blob dungeon crawlers, you'll love this game.

The Dark Heart of Uukrul
I don't believe I ever tried this one.

Crooked Bee has a finished LP of it. Perhaps scan through the first few entries to get an idea of it.

Dragon Wars
Never played.

Sort of The Bard's Tale meets Wasteland. In my opinion, better than both! Definitely give this a shot if you're out of RPGs to play. Actually, give this a shot if you aren't out of RPGs to play.

Fate: Gates of Dawn
Never heard of this one.

The most ambitious Wizardry/Bard's Tale-like game this side of... well, later Wizardry games I guess. Real big.

The Magic Candle II: The Four and Forty
I think I skipped this one.

You should give this a shot, together with the third game too. Maybe even Bloodstone, a prequel to the series using the third game's engine. The third one was quite buggy if I remember rightly, but fun's fun.

Amberstar
Never played this one.

Have you played Albion before? If so, it's the direct prequel to its spiritual prequel (Ambermoon). Same sort of formula, same sort of design. Much fun to be had.

Ambermoon
Nope.

As above.

Betrayal at Krondor
Played but actually hated these. Should I be ashamed?

Yes. Pretty much. Very ashamed.