Editorial Pool of Radiance at the CRPG Addict

[Jason]

Tags: Strategic Simulations, Inc.

<p>The CRPG Addict's severe OCD has taken him to the Gold Box games, starting with <a href="http://crpgaddict.blogspot.com/2011/05/game-57-pool-of-radiance-1988.html" target="_blank"><strong>Pool of Radiance</strong></a>.</p>
<blockquote>My characters have just arrived in town, so my first goal is to get some equipment. I still remember the first time I played the game, when I got embroiled in a huge tavern brawl before I had any weapons, and all my characters died. After that, I'll map the town and see what quests await me at City Hall. A warning for the next few weeks: I'm probably going to drag this one out.</blockquote>
<p><br /><em>Thanks to 7hm for pointing this out</em></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Spotted at: <a href="http://crpgaddict.blogspot.com/">CRPG Addict</a></p>

 

[Excidium]

There's an LP of this exact game going on the playground, by the way.

 

[commie]

Second RPG I ever played. Never quite finished it for some reason, I got to Valjevo castle and killed the fake but that's it. Will have to fuck over Tyranthraxas one of these days for good.

I never modified my stats to have had everything at 18! Probably would have had had I paid more attention to this.

I didn't even get a code wheel for this or Curse of the Azure Bonds(had the AD&D collectors pack thing) and had to write a letter to the distributor asking for them. Good times, waiting desperately for the mail to arrive with the codewheels, and a nice apologetic letter. Those were the days...

Fuck it, where's my copy of POR?

 

[Morkar Left]

I read his blog on a regular basis. It's very informative and I'm looking forward to his description about PoR. I never played one of the goldbox games!

His descriptions of Omega before was an interesting read, too. Looks like one of the few roguelikes I will give a try.

 

[AlaCarcuss]

This made me chuckle:

If you don't have three or four friends who like D&D, you end up playing with strangers. If you do have three or four friends who like D&D, you start to wonder about the choices you've made.

Why 'are' 9/10 PnP gamers such fucking wierdos?

 

[Metro]

Ironically enough I thought this was the best of the Gold Box series. While the ones that followed refined gameplay none of them had the ambitious design and involved/in-depth overworld locations that Pool of Radiance had, e.g., the Zhentarim camp, Bandits, Kobol cave, Silver Dragon, Yarash's Pyramid, etc.

 

[deus101]

This made me chuckle:

If you don't have three or four friends who like D&D, you end up playing with strangers. If you do have three or four friends who like D&D, you start to wonder about the choices you've made.

Why 'are' 9/10 PnP gamers such fucking wierdos?

Hey...I aint complainin

 

[Elzair]

When will he get to Ultima V?

 

[Luzur]

This made me chuckle:

If you don't have three or four friends who like D&D, you end up playing with strangers. If you do have three or four friends who like D&D, you start to wonder about the choices you've made.

Why 'are' 9/10 PnP gamers such fucking wierdos?

because you cant be too nerdy and play D&D, you got to balance being cool and trendy (CoDW) and retro and nerdy(PoR)

 

[Daemongar]

I still remember a friend of mine playing the game at the same time as I, both on the C64. I was finishing the game faster, but he had everything you could buy. Sitting down to watch him play, he was just killing the guards in Phlan and using or selling their armor. All I could think of is "What kind of deviant would do such a thing?"

 

[commie]

Let me guess: your friend became Oblivion's biggest fanboy?

 

[Sceptic]

His descriptions of Omega before was an interesting read, too. Looks like one of the few roguelikes I will give a try.

Yeah, that's a great thing about his blog: he finds some games that I've never heard of and, since he forces himself to play a minimum number of hours, usually ends up exposing some unique facet of gameplay that you'd never suspect was there. Omega's a good example of this.

Ironically enough I thought this was the best of the Gold Box series.

I don't think it's ironic; I can't think of that many sequels that are better than the original, except in the Holy Trinity (Wizardry, Ultima, M&M). The problem with most other Gold Box games is that they eschewed (to varying extents) the exploration and non-linearity that made POR so much fun.

When will he get to Ultima V?

About half a dozen games from POR. He's going alphabetically within each year, so I don't think he's got much left.

 

[Daemongar]

Let me guess: your friend became Oblivion's biggest fanboy?

No, fortunately for him, Starcraft came out and he became a RTS maniac, but at least he chose a less disappointing genre...

 

[Frau Bishop]

What version of Omega are you guys playing? Is 0.80.2. recommended?

edit: Bugger