Gothic Chronicles Of Myrtana: Archolos mod for Gothic 2

[Fargus]

Can we join Sons of Wolf in the castle? They have cool armour

They only accept at a young age and you might not survive the mutation process.

 

[Salvo]

God help me. I feel it.

Restartitis. HELP. HOW DO I STOP IT.

 

[Sjukob]

Alright, I am with the jews.

The whole process of joining the guild, from getting citizenship and then making enough people to like and accept you, has been very memorable and exciting. Just from the top of my head, you had a chance to:

1. Convince a dumb paladin to stop screwing around and believing in fairy tales;
2. Accuse (or not) innocent people of breaking expensive equipment to please an influential merchant;
3. Convince some of the merchants to start buying special bear from the local brewery;
4. Help a guy, who despises mages to fix his broken arm;
5. Set free a "pet" harpy so it could cause some troubles to her owner;
6. Help a master carpenter get rid of competition by stealing items from his competitor;
7. Help two gentlemen figure out chess;
8. Go on the night patrol and see a romantic couple, a case of corruption, a crazy preacher, a guy who dreams of becoming a mage, a thief and a pair of angry men who wanted to throw shit at the house of the rich citizen;
   
9. Solve a malicious scheme involving redhear triplets;
10. Strike a deal between fishermen and a merchant;
11. And more.

Hats off to the developers, I hope they'll keep delivering

 

[Fargus]

As i recall somebody in this thread asked for rings of water mages. I found one in the sewers guarded by half a dozen bandits. There is a dead mage there, but the ring itself is in the chest.

Spoiler

 

[Danikas]

I got a very nice magic ore 2 hand sword as a reward for being a wingman for a royal guard from myrtana.

110 damage
90 strenght required
and +10 bonus to 2hand fighting skill

Im in chapter 3 and it's nice to see changes around the city and new quests that continue the storyline of already finished quests. For example you can see Volker merceneries around the city making speeches to recruit new members. I also got new side quests from city watch so Im sure if you join merchants guild you get other separete side quests already planning second playthrough as a mage in the jew guild.

 

[ELEXmakesMeHard]

Any idea where Riordian is when he isn't at the cemetery?

The 2nd chapter started so suddenly. I'm concerned that he might've gone elsewhere before I got to do his "scribe scrolls quest".

 

[Justicar]

Some no life already completed the whole game playing 17 hours a day. Here is his review with no spoilers!


Absolutely breathtaking game.

Game duration:

• Play duration: 144 hours
  
  
• Saves count: 1293
  
  
• Save counts before joining the guild: 274
  

Clarification:
Below I'm writing achieved stats with two figures. If you didn't know in this game you can eat consumables increasing stats asap, not hoarding them till endgame, because they don't affect LP price or teacher's maximum. So number before the slash is what I accomplished using learning points and after slash the total value.

Attributes (general):

• Level: 54
  
  
• Spare learning points: 20
  
  
• Strength: 118/196
  
  
• Dexterity: 10/33
  
  
• Mana: 15/65
  
  
• Hit points: 688/1249
  

Attributes (Defense):

• Blunt: 163
  
  
• Sharp/cut: 170
  
  
• Arrows: 158
  
  
• Fire: 83
  
  
• Magic: 114
  

Attributes (Offense):

• 1-handed: 76%/93%
  
  
• 2-handed: 47%/61%
  
  
• Bows: 10%
  
  
• Crossbows: 10%/11%
  

Skills:

• Blacksmith: -
  
  
• Archery: -
  
  
• Alchemy: -
  
  
• Burglary: experienced
  
  
• Pickpocket: experienced
  
  
• Animal trophies: scholar
  
  
• Mining: 100%
  
  
• Scroll writing: - Magic: 0
  

Carrier path:
As you see I decided to go 1 handed melee at Militia guild. This is how I do the first play through of the Gothic/Risen/Elex games. I get familiar with the game mechanics, secrets. In the second play through I usually opt for the magician build.

Replay value:
Absolutely. Game has so many choices, way beyond the guild decision. You make nested choices shortly after starting the game and continuously throughout the game. Those choices can affect outcome of more than current quests. They can affect adjacent quests or the plot later in the game.

Will I play again:
NO! I loved the game, but it simply is too long. I simply don't have time. I thought making a save after completing all available quests before joining the guild will be smart enough to discover all the content but it's far from true. This save was #274 out of #1293. Moreover, as I mentioned you make choices at the very, very beginning which may affect dialogues or outcomes later. If you have time to spare, sure do it! I wish someone created interactive movie - so I can click the choices to see the various outcomes.

Cheating:
I used Marvin mode to press 'K' button to quickly move forward. Never to go through closed doors or skip enemies. Without this game would be significantly longer. Maybe 3 times I revived myself after a fatal hit, but only because I was to courageous and didn't make save recently, but I compensated it after by drinking a few potions.

Bugs:
I experienced a few very serious game breaking bugs. Sometimes I had to reload game to previous save to retrigger some event which was stuck otherwise. Once I had to accompany NPC throughout the whole map - walking, not running, because he didn't spawn where he was supposed to (Kessler in chapter 5). I'm using Steam version on my M1 MacBook Air via Parallels with experimental Windows 11 build that supports the processor's architecture. Also some cutscenes were stuck and retried a few game restarts to correctly play. Those kept happening often at the end of chapter 5 and during 6th. Please save often and use all slots.

Difficulty:
I consider the game very easy. At the beginning there were creatures that I had to avoid but around chapter 3 or 4 I wasn't afraid or anything and killing every creature or hostile NPC with ease.

Boss fights:
Very cool mechanics were introduced. Full screen health bar, closed arena, special tactics.

Pickpocket:
I thought I will need to learn it for additional experience but luckily there is no experience for successful pick-pocket. In previous game you could get as much experience from robbing a farmer as killing the orc... I also don't remember that the skill was essential to complete any quest.

Genocide and crime:
Sadly, yeah I got additional experience from killing every unnamed NPC. I wish CoM could improve the system. Witnesses system has always been flawed. Imagine being last man standing and you are not accused of a crime... I would appreciate if game prevented it, e.g. kill 3 NPC, and the village/city is hostile to you - refuses to talk, run away, sound alarm and there is manhunt. It would break the game, but one deserves it...

Maxing:
I don't see a point in trying to clear all creatures just for extra exp points or eating all apples/black mushrooms etc. The game was easy for me in terms of difficulty, significant quests give thousands of experience points. I would suggest- just enjoy the game, try to do what would you do if you were Marvin. It's not the end of the world if you miss of fail the quest or don't achieve max experience from it.

Time-limited quests, various experience result:
Very interesting approach. Imagine a turnip quests from G2 - you missed a one - Lobart would have give you 190 exp instead of 200 and lower the price by 9 coins not 10. You get the idea. And some quests will fail if you completely ignore them.

Fast travel:
There are many ways to fast travel - with boats, caravans or magic circles, which can be additionaly enhanced for mages. Also during many quests you have an option to immediately visit other NPC (screen fades).

Potions:
Awesome concept of adding interesting potions: e.g. temporary boost of a stat or life/mana regeneration.

Cooking:
Interesting mechanics, but at some point I was overwhelmed with number of choices and what I have already eaten for additional stat boost.

Inventory:
I absolutely hate it. I wish they could categorise it, because it's so difficult to scroll through. I wish there was an easy way to distinguish read documents from unread. I wish If a key is used - lock is permanently unlocked and key is removed from repository. And one button to sell all items such as rusty items...

Ending:
It's a slideshow. But very detailed and I absolutely loved it and it was very touching.

Enjoy the game Marvins!!!

 

[Tacgnol]

Sjukob just got to Chapter 4, alchemist master just offered me a new quest. Maybe I'll finally get level 3 alchemy after I complete it.

Plants growing option just gave me a whole bunch of free herbs.

 

[Sjukob]

Sjukob just got to Chapter 4, alchemist master just offered me a new quest. Maybe I'll finally get level 3 alchemy after I complete it.

Plants growing option just gave me a whole bunch of free herbs.

That's very bad. Looks like I'll just have to shell out 2,5k gold to Bodowin then. Seems like becoming alchemist's apprentice is pretty much pointless, who's going to wait until the forth chapter just to learn how to craft potions with permanent effects for free, when you can pay to learn it much earlier and get a significant boost to your stats which is much more helpful in the earlier parts of the game?

 

[Zariusz]

Near the coastal settlement with quest about destroying certain fishermans boat, if you swim along the coast you can find sea entrance to the cave. Its full of skeletons and zombies, in the first part of the cave you can find demon summoning scroll and a key to second part of the cave, that part of the cave is also full of zombies and skeletons but it also has undead shadowbeast so i just saved my ass and retreated, maybe you can find something precious there.

 

[ELEXmakesMeHard]

Any idea where Riordian is when he isn't at the cemetery?

The 2nd chapter started so suddenly. I'm concerned that he might've gone elsewhere before I got to do his "scribe scrolls quest".

I reloaded a save from before chapter 2 triggered. Riordian is still missing. Ugh.

While my 1st impression of this game was good, it's starting to frustrate me more and more. Feels like a spaghetti code kind of game with multiple quests that are easily bricked. The kind of game where you should probably make a flow chart of the correct order to complete quests in, per chapter.

It's also deviating from the "Gothic formula" in an essential way: It doesn't let you explore freely at your own pace. First there's the ship, then there's the "railroading you to town" part, then you're given a bunch of quests that all seem very time sensitive. Then chapter 2 triggers early on, and some optional quests from chapter 1 might be bricked. I feel like I'm constantly being railroaded somewhere in a rush, while having to worry about dependencies.

I'll probably do a 3rd restart tomorrow, but if this keeps happening I'm done.

 

[Justicar]

Any idea where Riordian is when he isn't at the cemetery?

The 2nd chapter started so suddenly. I'm concerned that he might've gone elsewhere before I got to do his "scribe scrolls quest".

I reloaded a save from before chapter 2 triggered. Riordian is still missing. Ugh.

While my 1st impression of this game was good, it's starting to frustrate me more and more. Feels like a spaghetti code kind of game with multiple quests that are easily bricked. The kind of game where you should probably make a flow chart of the correct order to complete quests in, per chapter.

It's also deviating from the "Gothic formula" in an essential way: It doesn't let you explore freely at your own pace. First there's the ship, then there's the "railroading you to town" part, then you're given a bunch of quests that all seem very time sensitive. Then chapter 2 triggers early on, and some optional quests from chapter 1 might be bricked. I feel like I'm constantly being railroaded somewhere in a rush, while having to worry about dependencies.

I'll probably do a 3rd restart tomorrow, but if this keeps happening I'm done.

Should have done his quest as soon as possible retard I dont know how you can fuck this up rushing main story I did most of the side quests first like a normal player and Riordian quest was one of the first I did. He goes back to monastery in chapter 2 as he said he would do.

 

[Tacgnol]

then you're given a bunch of quests that all seem very time sensitive.

I've not seen any time sensitive quests at all. I finished a bunch of quests I'd gotten in Chapter 1 in Chapter 2. Same with Chapter 2 quests in the third chapter.

If anything I'm surprised how many quests AREN'T time sensitive, a lot of the ones that seem like they should fail between story transitions actually don't.

 

[notpl]

Sjukob just got to Chapter 4, alchemist master just offered me a new quest. Maybe I'll finally get level 3 alchemy after I complete it.

Plants growing option just gave me a whole bunch of free herbs.

Sorry it took me so long to get back to you guys, but every master will teach you level 3 trade after you do a small quest for them, and it appears to be triggered by the amount of shit you sell them. I got offered level 3 alchemy at the start of chapter 3.

 

[Tacgnol]

Sjukob just got to Chapter 4, alchemist master just offered me a new quest. Maybe I'll finally get level 3 alchemy after I complete it.

Plants growing option just gave me a whole bunch of free herbs.

Sorry it took me so long to get back to you guys, but every master will teach you level 3 trade after you do a small quest for them, and it appears to be triggered by the amount of shit you sell them. I got offered level 3 alchemy at the start of chapter 3 because I sold a shitload of potions.

Purely out of interest (on another save slot), I tried to force it during Chapter 2 by marvin moding and forcing the alchemist to drop his inventory then reselling the potions to him. I did this with hundreds of potions to no effect.

It's far more likely it's just triggered by Chapter 3. I forgot to test in the end as I was busy doing all the chapter 3 content.

 

[notpl]

Sjukob just got to Chapter 4, alchemist master just offered me a new quest. Maybe I'll finally get level 3 alchemy after I complete it.

Plants growing option just gave me a whole bunch of free herbs.

Sorry it took me so long to get back to you guys, but every master will teach you level 3 trade after you do a small quest for them, and it appears to be triggered by the amount of shit you sell them. I got offered level 3 alchemy at the start of chapter 3 because I sold a shitload of potions.

Purely out of interest (on another save slot), I tried to force it during Chapter 2 by marvin moding and forcing the alchemist to drop his inventory then reselling the potions to him. I did this with hundreds of potions to no effect.

It's far more likely it's just triggered by Chapter 3. I forgot to test in the end as I was busy doing all the chapter 3 content.

Well, you're replying to a post quoting someone who didn't get it until chapter 4, so I suspect it might be both.

 

[Zariusz]

I just did the most important quest in the game.

 

[Tacgnol]

Sjukob just got to Chapter 4, alchemist master just offered me a new quest. Maybe I'll finally get level 3 alchemy after I complete it.

Plants growing option just gave me a whole bunch of free herbs.

Sorry it took me so long to get back to you guys, but every master will teach you level 3 trade after you do a small quest for them, and it appears to be triggered by the amount of shit you sell them. I got offered level 3 alchemy at the start of chapter 3 because I sold a shitload of potions.

Purely out of interest (on another save slot), I tried to force it during Chapter 2 by marvin moding and forcing the alchemist to drop his inventory then reselling the potions to him. I did this with hundreds of potions to no effect.

It's far more likely it's just triggered by Chapter 3. I forgot to test in the end as I was busy doing all the chapter 3 content.

Well, you're replying to a post quoting someone who didn't get it until chapter 4, so I suspect it might be both.

That's my post. I didn't get offered the quest till Chapter 4, but then I forgot to go back to the alchemist to check in Chapter 3.

 

[ELEXmakesMeHard]

The majority of dialogues linger of the opening "Hey, you" for 3 seconds which are non-skippable. Have anyone found a way to deal with that?

Especially noticable when I've restarted again and am trying to skip all dialogues.

I don't think this was ever an issue in Gothic 2.

 

[Cunt Dickula!?]

I'm in the Araxos Gold Mine atm and everyone is bullying me... I think i gonna cry.
Authentic Gothic experience though.
I have to give em that.

 

[Justicar]

The majority of dialogues linger of the opening "Hey, you" for 3 seconds which are non-skippable. Have anyone found a way to deal with that?

Especially noticable when I've restarted again and am trying to skip all dialogues.

I don't think this was ever an issue in Gothic 2.

Stop crying on steam faggot.

https://steamcommunity.com/id/erikkolai/recommended/1467450/

This game seemed very promising to me. Gothic 2 is my all-time favorite game, and this one seems to do multiple things even better. But ultimately I find it frustrating to play. Feels like a spaghetti code kind of game where quests are very easily bricked, if you don't do them at a certain time and in a certain order.

It also deviates from the "Gothic formula" in an essential way: It doesn't let you explore freely at your own leisure. The beginning of the game has much railroading, and then you're bombarded with quests that all seem very time sensitive. Early on a new chapter triggers, and some NPCs you might not have completed quests from disappear (might just be bugged).

I'm restarting for the 3rd time to try to avoid bricking any quests. Might update to a better review if it goes smoothly from here, and if disappearing NPCs (like Riordian) are fixed.

hurrr durr im retarted.

 

[fantadomat]

I'm in the Araxos Gold Mine atm and everyone is bullying me... I think i gonna cry.
Authentic Gothic experience though.
I have to give em that.

It is really boring area,i finished it in 15 minutes and fucked off. A lot of immortal retards,cant bully nobody and take their nuggets.

 

[Tacgnol]

The majority of dialogues linger of the opening "Hey, you" for 3 seconds which are non-skippable. Have anyone found a way to deal with that?

Especially noticable when I've restarted again and am trying to skip all dialogues.

I don't think this was ever an issue in Gothic 2.

Do you have the voice pack installed? It sounds like not having the voice pack installed causes the greeting sequence to take longer.

 

[ELEXmakesMeHard]

The majority of dialogues linger of the opening "Hey, you" for 3 seconds which are non-skippable. Have anyone found a way to deal with that?

Especially noticable when I've restarted again and am trying to skip all dialogues.

I don't think this was ever an issue in Gothic 2.

Do you have the voice pack installed? It sounds like not having the voice pack installed causes the greeting sequence to take longer.

You're right, that solved it. Dialogues without any delays now. Thanks!

An added benefit is that I can hear Polish people raging at me when I'm trespassing.

 

[NerevarineKing]

Is this mod an accurate experience to living in Poland?