Putting the 'role' back in role-playing games since 2002.
Donate to Codex
Good Old Games
  • Welcome to rpgcodex.net, a site dedicated to discussing computer based role-playing games in a free and open fashion. We're less strict than other forums, but please refer to the rules.

    "This message is awaiting moderator approval": All new users must pass through our moderation queue before they will be able to post normally. Until your account has "passed" your posts will only be visible to yourself (and moderators) until they are approved. Give us a week to get around to approving / deleting / ignoring your mundane opinion on crap before hassling us about it. Once you have passed the moderation period (think of it as a test), you will be able to post normally, just like all the other retards.

Old Goldbox fan, what else should I play...

Null Null

Arbiter
Joined
Aug 2, 2014
Messages
542
So it may seem funny I haven't branched out more but the games came out in that sweet spot of life after I had gotten a computer and before high school got too busy with academic work. In my nostalgic middle age (I've just been named an 'oldf_g' and this is literally the case as far as being old for here...) I've enjoyed modern 'spiritual successors' like Avernum 1, 2, and 3, and have made a few small FRUA mods. Does anyone have any recommendations for any other games I'd enjoy?

I also played Eye of the Beholder 1-3, Dragon Wars, and DOOM (different genre, I know, though I think a DOOM conversion for FRUA would be hilarious if I had the time). Still not as much fun as trading off Short Sword +4 and Two-Handed Sword +2 for small and big monsters and sending my wizards to the edges of the combat map while my fighters engage the enemy.

Also, I'm thinking about doing a single-character Let's Play of Pool of Radiance just to show how it can be done (though I've had issues with the engine behaving strangely). Probably HTML as my attempts to record video using DOSBox have produced multi-gigabyte files that are hard to manipulate. Any advice on that--I understand (from a prior attempt) I am supposed to put the pics on imgur?
 

Strange Fellow

Peculiar
Patron
Joined
Jun 21, 2018
Messages
4,013
Steve gets a Kidney but I don't even get a tag.
Dark Heart of Uukrul is the best game I've played in the style of first-person exploration with top-down combat, though depending on what you value about Gold Box it might not suit your tastes -- there's a fixed party composition, for instance, and the combat isn't as good (it's still perfectly decent and tactical, mind you, and the other bits more than make up for it).
There's Knights of the Chalice, which has excellent D&D (3.5E) combat and encounter design. Jury's out on whether or not Dark Sun: Shattered Lands is a Gold Box game, but if you haven't played it that's also a similar game.
Also, I'm thinking about doing a single-character Let's Play of Pool of Radiance just to show how it can be done
Do it!
 

octavius

Arcane
Patron
Joined
Aug 4, 2007
Messages
19,184
Location
Bjørgvin
In addition to Uukrul, which is much more focused on puzzles than the GB games, my recommendations would be:

Disciples of Stee
l - Excellent tactical combat, good encounter design, open world, lots of quests.

Nahlakh - Like DoS it has excellent tactical combat, but is more focused on combat and loot. Not for casuals.

Dark Sun if you want more AD&D. More exotic setting, and more focused on quests and NPCs interaction and with weaker combat than the GB games.

And of course there's the Baldur's Gate and Icewind Dale games, if you don't mind RTwP combat.
 

moleman

Arbiter
Patron
Joined
Mar 8, 2018
Messages
604
Location
Birthplace of the headless horseman
I'd recommend the Realms of Arkania games. The original ones, not the crappy remakes.
Especially the second game Startrail.
You'll get excellent overland map exploration, blobber like dungeon exploration and tactical combat. Combat is inferior to Gold Box, though.
They also have a strong simulation aspect which may not be for everyone.
 

octavius

Arcane
Patron
Joined
Aug 4, 2007
Messages
19,184
Location
Bjørgvin
The Aethra Chronicles: Volume One - Celystra's Bane is also excellent, based on the Rolemaster system. Not as solid combat as the Gold Box games, though, but very interesting synergy between items, skills and classes.
 
Self-Ejected

Lilura

RPG Codex Dragon Lady
Joined
Feb 13, 2013
Messages
5,274
Also, I'm thinking about doing a single-character Let's Play of Pool of Radiance just to show how it can be done (though I've had issues with the engine behaving strangely).

The WHDLoad Amiga version, which you can play in WinUAE, has recently been patched by Psygore. Takes some setting up, though.

Probably HTML as my attempts to record video using DOSBox have produced multi-gigabyte files that are hard to manipulate. Any advice on that--I understand (from a prior attempt) I am supposed to put the pics on imgur?

Are you using FRAPS? You can convert large files to much smaller ones using Handbrake (free). If you want to record in a window (like DOSBox or WinUAE), you could try Bandicam as well.
 

Deuce Traveler

2012 Newfag
Patron
Joined
May 11, 2012
Messages
2,899
Location
Okinawa, Japan
Grab the Codex by the pussy Divinity: Original Sin Torment: Tides of Numenera Shadorwun: Hong Kong Pathfinder: Kingmaker Steve gets a Kidney but I don't even get a tag. Pathfinder: Wrath I'm very into cock and ball torture
The original Exile trilogy of games are superior to the Avernum 1-3 remakes, in my opinion. If you like those, then I also recommend Nethergate. I would also second Dark Heart of Uukrul, which I really enjoyed. I have heard good things about The Aethra Chronicles, but I only played a little of it and found the game hard to get into without a guide. If you like the idea of blending the lore of Ultima IV with a similar type of gameplay of the Gold Box games then The Magic Candle might be up your alley. Also, you can play the precursors to the Gold Box games, also made by SSI: Wizard's Crown and Demon's Winter.

Can you list the FRUA mods you made for us fans?
 

Null Null

Arbiter
Joined
Aug 2, 2014
Messages
542
Thanks for the suggestions everyone!

I did Library of Segrob, Vanilla Dungeon, and Sorcha's Tower. (All recents.) I've posted a bit on the FRUA boards and am actually working on another small one, but am going to refrain from discussing it until it's done to avoid creating vaporware. ;)
 

Jack Of Owls

Arcane
Joined
May 23, 2014
Messages
4,277
Location
Massachusettes
There was one I liked when I had my C64 way back when called Mars Saga, a party-based science fiction RPG. Offered the first person view (I think, but maybe not) for moving around, then switched to overhead for tactical battles. I remember struggling with it because i was always getting killed then realized half-way through the game that I neglected to put any kind of armor on my little team... I was almost literally fighting tough foes completely nude. But I really enjoyed it for some reason. It helped cement my interest in cRPGs back then in the late 80s/early 90s.
 

KeighnMcDeath

RPG Codex Boomer
Joined
Nov 23, 2016
Messages
12,869
:necro:
small raise thread because I was wondering about ALL the GOLDBOX-LIKE games. I started a list and I'm trying to keep the games to a certain view so no Baldur's gate looking with very painted backgrounds like some art gallery. Some mirror Ad&D pretty close and others not so much. I'll amend this post as needed to fix errors.

The Games:
1. Should be Tactical Turn-Based
2. Should have a party if 4 or more (I almost considered 1-3 players if TTB)
??? LOADING THOUGHTS PLEASE WAIT ???


GOLDBOX-LIKE GAMES:
Realmz
Hearkenworld
Dungeons of Chaos & (lite)
Old school computer game
Jewel of Arabia : Dreamers
Exile 1-3
Blades of Exile
Wizard's Crown
Eternal Dagger
Shard of Spring
Demon's Winter
Disciples of Steel
Old School western Shoot Out
Magic Candle Series (I'll split it up later)

I'd like to see some base reviews of each game and playthrough for comparison. Naturally there is FRUA and a massive selection of advrntures.

Old School Computer Game
By outlander78 (threads)
Is59Xt4.jpg
n9WhB5V.jpg


Old School Western Shoot Out
By outlander78
csMg4DE.png


Jewel of Arabia: Dreamers
Mobygames link
Tips
1015290-jewel-of-arabia-dreamers-macintosh-screenshot-a-screenshot.gif

1015291-jewel-of-arabia-dreamers-macintosh-screenshot-the-shopping.gif

1015292-jewel-of-arabia-dreamers-macintosh-screenshot-the-keyword.gif

1015293-jewel-of-arabia-dreamers-macintosh-screenshot-exploring-a.gif


Realmz (myabandonware)
Mobygames link
1005353-realmz-macintosh-screenshot-starting-the-city-of-bywater.png

1005354-realmz-macintosh-screenshot-fighting-an-army-of-orcs-with.png

1005356-realmz-macintosh-screenshot-searching-through-holes-in-the.png

1005358-realmz-macintosh-screenshot-examining-a-creature-during-a.png



Hearkenworld (main codex thread)
(i haven't followed as much as I should... I'd appreciate links)
Iceblink engine
Neverwinter vault
dfa5c116-d65f-45cd-8b23-34a85bf302e9-jpeg.12445

hearkvault6.jpg

hearkvault9.jpg

hearkvault3.jpg



Dungeons of Chaos (STEAM) (itchio)
Wordpress
iE7veWY.jpg

TeIOK5d.jpg

TbIBOET.jpg

uxa6l5E.jpg

TAg1eS7.jpg


Maybe someone can tell me if itchio is the same as the STEAM version or a lite version like for ios/android)

Disciples of Steel
Mobygames
215377-disciples-of-steel-dos-screenshot-walking-on-the-world-map.png

138255-disciples-of-steel-atari-st-screenshot-stats-i-look-just-awful.png

215373-disciples-of-steel-dos-screenshot-when-you-create-a-character.png

640550-disciples_of_steel_5.png

215384-disciples-of-steel-dos-screenshot-overview-map.png



I'm sure there are more...
 
Joined
Jan 14, 2018
Messages
50,754
Codex Year of the Donut
Dungeons & Dragons: Order of the Griffon(1992) for the TurboGrafx. I believe it's fairly unique in that it seems to be D&D rather than AD&D.

I hate how hard it is to find youtube videos that are simply gameplay rather than the person talking over it or doing dumb e-celeb shit.
 

KeighnMcDeath

RPG Codex Boomer
Joined
Nov 23, 2016
Messages
12,869
Oh yeah OOTG looked cool and pity ot wasn't ported to the genesis but Warriors of the Eternal Sun was good. A bit of a EOB/tactical hybrid. I dug the music and the level up...

zyNRLOY.jpg
YEAH!!!
r4BzcUX.jpg
 

Darth Canoli

Arcane
Joined
Jun 8, 2018
Messages
5,687
Location
Perched on a tree
Concerning Dungeons of Chaos, having played it, I can tell it looks way better than it actually is.
Sure, the combat is good but:
  • No encounter design makes combat tiring fast
  • The world is too big/empty for its own good making exploration a chore too.

It could be good but there's a lot of work necessary to make it happen.
 

As an Amazon Associate, rpgcodex.net earns from qualifying purchases.
Back
Top Bottom