Let's Play - Dragon Wars

Dragon Wars - Interplay 1989



"Dragon Wars: a series of seemingly endless minor conflicts mostly involving bandits"
Oxford English Dictionary

I've always wanted to complete this game so here is my misguided attempt. I'll be playing in my own "Copper Man" mode where you can save ad nauseum but a death is still a death.

The first thing to do is delete the pre-rendered characters and create my own. This is my favorite part of an RPG: where nothing can go wrong.



I go to delete the first character Muskels ?!? I'm presented with this pitiable plea.



Yes...bye bye good old Muskels



Immediately upon deletion I realise that the name Muskels is actually fantastic and so a new generation of hero is born!



What kind of a man is Muskels Jr? He doesnt sound like a wizard a warrior or anything in between. While trawling though the character stats I realise where his talents lie...bureaurocracy!!



I can picture him as the petite bourgeois mayor of some small village. Hopefully he can tie up any monsters in red tape before they attack. So after investing heavily in bureaurocracy (It's a steal at one point per increment). I go on to make the rest of my party.



Finaly we have:
Muskels Jr: The Bureaucrat
K.S Frampton: The Fistfighter
Megacactus: The Flail Master
Bozel: The Low Wizard

Now let the plot advance!...



Purgatory eh...this seems just the right place for a bureaucrat.

At least the weather looks good!

DOSBox 0.70 ?
lol

Beautiful... I've started Dragon Wars on my own as well, though I've been away from it for a few weeks. Hope you're able to keep this thread going.

The emergence of these old-school "let's play" threads almost makes me want to do one of my own. Now that's just crazy talk.

And what's wrong with dosbox 0.70?

Muskel = Muscle.

... Though I suppose it could mean nutmeg.

Hehe, the whole thought of a powerful sorceress and a strong warrior falling naked out of the sky in the beginning of the game is amusing.

Was this the game that was essentially "Bard's Tales IV ++" ?

Shagnak said:

Was this the game that was essentially "Bard's Tales IV ++" ?

Click to expand...

Yep. They took out classes and made it a skill-based system instead. Some other tweaks, too, but overall the "feel" of the game is very much in line with the BT games.

I wonder if the game would allow to use the old "pass all inventory and gold from old char to new char and rinse repeat" trick to amass enough funds at the beginning.

Did Dragon Wars allow import party from other RPGs? I remember the BT series allowed imports from Wizardry, M&M, etc. Those were the days!

Binary said:

I wonder if the game would allow to use the old "pass all inventory and gold from old char to new char and rinse repeat" trick to amass enough funds at the beginning.

Did Dragon Wars allow import party from other RPGs? I remember the BT series allowed imports from Wizardry, M&M, etc. Those were the days!

Click to expand...

Newly created characters don't start with anything. Literally. Like zero gold, weapons, armor, or items. It's a bit slow to get started, though once you get a few bucks and some items it picks up a bit. By that point, I believe you can swap out characters, but it's likely that at least a couple have advanced in level so you'd not really be gaining much.

Also, the manual says this about transferring characters:

It may also be possible to transfer characters from other computer games into Dragon Wars -- check the reference card for details. Translation is inexact... characters arriving in this game from other "worlds" will find none of their magic objects and few of their spells make the journey with them.

Click to expand...

Reference card specifies transfer is possible from BT and BT2. Not sure why 3 was given a miss....

Hm... just noticed something:

Zoidstar said:

Finaly we have:
Muskels Jr: The Bureaucrat
K.S Frampton: The Fistfighter
Megacactus: The Flail Master
Bozel: The Low Wizard

...

Click to expand...

Based on that screenshot, your fistfighter and flail master are the only ones with magic points/skills (the blue bar under the red and green), while your wizard is apparently lacking.

Not probably a big deal, since you can add new skills at any time; just figured I'd mention it while I was thinking of it.

This game is high on my play list. I remember having fun with it back in 1989\1990 but don't remember that much about it.

I finished playing Bards Tale I and I am finishing up Wasteland (Which I have played many times but never completed) and then I will probably give this one a go.

Im not sure about this game, but for most of these old games playing using an Amiga emulator is far better than the PC dos version, especially for sound.

Cool thread, hope this one keeps going.

Saxon1974 said:

I finished playing Bards Tale I and I am finishing up Wasteland (Which I have played many times but never completed) and then I will probably give this one a go.

Click to expand...

The Codex NEEDS a Wasteland Let's Play. End the Fallout hype once and for all (and then maybe not )

MOAR PLZ

Dude, upgrade to DOSBox 0.72. Keep on truckin'.

Binary said:

The Codex NEEDS a Wasteland Let's Play. End the Fallout hype once and for all (and then maybe not )

Click to expand...

...Must ...not ...start ..."Let's Play -- Wasteland" ...thread.

...Must ...not ....

mirrorshades said:

Binary said:

The Codex NEEDS a Wasteland Let's Play. End the Fallout hype once and for all (and then maybe not )

Click to expand...

...Must ...not ...start ..."Let's Play -- Wasteland" ...thread.

...Must ...not ....

Click to expand...

MUST!

Ominous...



After some mild wandering we approach a castelated wall (I think I'll be seeing a lot more of these) and the main city gate. Yes apparently purgatory was given city status.



Doesnt look like we'll be getting out this way...although I believe you can survive without your spleen.

We head off in search of the nearest tavern and are duely accosted by a Loon! Clad in a bin bag and sporting and a vicous mohawk this man has clearly lost his grip on reality. Our first battle ensues...



Megacactus flails him to ribbons with one hit.



A few more fights later (including one against a rather plucky giant spider) the party gains its first levels!



I decide to add the bandaging and climbing skills to the parties reportoire.

We soon arrive outside the door to the local tavern where trouble is brewing. "Rowdy drunks block your path" we could just walk away and let them sober up but no this is an RPG so we will do our best to murder them.



A few minutes later and we are inside the tavern: guilt free and having a great time!



Hmm...might as well see if anyone is stupid enough to volunteer to join our party and be used as a human shield. Behold...Ulrik.



He is clearly a man of substance and with our new comrade in tow we leave the tavern with a a spring in our step. However nobody has any weapons or equipment! I remember from my last attempt at this game that enlisting as gladiators at the local arena provides your party with weapons and basic armour. So off we trot, to do or die in the pit of death...

Upon entering the arena the organisers notice our lack of equipment and allow ten or so items to be freely distributed amongst the party.

Tooled up and raring to go we catch sight of our opposition...it looks like my party is bound for martyrdom



Sure enough we take two down but are eventually overwhelmed. Fortunately I dont think you can die in this fight. Battered, bruised and semi concussed we leave the arena.



As a final injustice an impudent guard takes our meagre supply of coinage as punishment for losing. "To the victor the spoils, to the vanquished only the knowledge of defeat". I'll be back for him!



With Muskles Jr's new found powers of bandaging the party is healed in no time and we are off to do some serious mapping. Here's a pic of the automap (very handy but I'm considering drawing my own as there is no notation feature).



After some time bumbeling from fight to fight we find a magic shop where seven (thats right seven) low magic spells are being offered for gratis. Obligingly I accept and Bozel learns his first tricks.



After some more wandering we are given our first real quest by the Captain of the local guards...slay the dreaded Humbaba!



Eagre to test out my new magic we soon track Humbaba down to his musty old garrot at the wrong end of town. His body is beetroot red; most probably from years of hormone injections and steroid abuse. He seems to be jealously guarding a small pile of rubble.



The ensuing battle is titanic. Both K.S Frampton and Ulrik are left stunned while Bozel has to switch from magic blasts to healing spells. Finally Muskels Jr realises he has a pile of paperwork to do and dispatches Humbaba with a scything blow. Before you can say "level up" we are off to claim our just rewards!



On our way back to the Captain's office we pass the arena. Flush from our victory I decide to rematch the gladiators. As I suspected with the powers of magic on my side they prove no match.



Apparently this bloodbath makes us citizens of purgatory. What is 'the world' comming to



The Captain is suitably impressed and we leave his office 1000 gold ducats the wiser!!!