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asper

Arcane
Joined
Nov 14, 2007
Messages
2,207
Project: Eternity
You have never heard of COVERT ACTION?! One of Sid's best.
 

Grunker

RPG Codex Ghost
Patron
Joined
Oct 19, 2009
Messages
27,385
Location
Copenhagen
Wow, I'd never heard of that game.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Covert_Action

Sid Meier was reportedly dissatisfied with the final product, because he believed that the disparate elements of the game, however good they were individually, detracted from game play. As a result, he developed what he called the "Covert Action Rule": "It's better to have one good game than two great games." He described the origins of this rule in an interview with GameSpot:

“The mistake I think I made in Covert Action is actually having two games in there kind of competing with each other. There was kind of an action game where you break into a building and do all sorts of picking up clues and things like that, and then there was the story which involved a plot where you had to figure out who the mastermind was and the different roles and what cities they were in, and it was a kind of an involved mystery-type plot.

I think, individually, those each could have been good games. Together, they fought with each other. You would have this mystery that you were trying to solve, then you would be facing this action sequence, and you'd do this cool action thing, and you'd get on the building, and you'd say, "What was the mystery I was trying to solve?" Covert Action integrated a story and action poorly, because the action was actually too intense. In Pirates!, you would do a sword fight or a ship battle, and a minute or two later, you were kind of back on your way. In Covert Action, you'd spend ten minutes or so of real time in a mission, and by the time you got out of [the mission], you had no idea of what was going on in the world.

So I call it the "Covert Action Rule". Don't try to do too many games in one package. And that's actually done me a lot of good. You can look at the games I've done since Civilization, and there's always opportunities to throw in more stuff. When two units get together inCivilization and have a battle, why don't we drop out to a war game and spend ten minutes or so in duking out this battle? Well, the Covert Action Rule. Focus on what the game is.[1]

Sid Meier hates Alpha Protocol :smug:
 

Koschey

Arcane
Joined
Jan 14, 2013
Messages
615
Location
Germany
Excellent, I was just waiting for Blackguards to find its way to GOG. The comments here on the Codex sound really promising.
 

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
JudasIscariot , I can't find anything about GOG gift cards on the site, except for a part where it mentions that I gift specific games. Does GOG allow for electronic gift cards with money attached to the referral code? I was thinking about buying my brother a $25 gift certificate for his birthday next month, but couldn't find a way to do so. If I can't do it on GOG, I might have to just try amazon.com instead, but I'd rather be giving you guys money.
 

JudasIscariot

Arcane
Patron
Joined
Aug 19, 2009
Messages
2,001
Location
IV Republic of Polandia
Serpent in the Staglands Codex USB, 2014
JudasIscariot , I can't find anything about GOG gift cards on the site, except for a part where it mentions that I gift specific games. Does GOG allow for electronic gift cards with money attached to the referral code? I was thinking about buying my brother a $25 gift certificate for his birthday next month, but couldn't find a way to do so. If I can't do it on GOG, I might have to just try amazon.com instead, but I'd rather be giving you guys money.

Are you talking about these?
http://usa.visa.com/personal/cards/prepaid/gift_card_faq.html
http://af.gog.com/game/the_banner_saga?as=1649904300
Ahhh wait, found something that should help you out. The post is old but the info should be relevant:

http://af.gog.com/forum/general/new_user_question/post2?as=1649904300
 

Magellan

Augur
Joined
Sep 3, 2013
Messages
415
Location
Michigan
PC RPG Website of the Year, 2015
Wow, Covert Action.... that's a blast from the past! It's been so long that my memory is pretty hazy, but I do remember it being really fun.
 

Markman

da Blitz master
Patron
Joined
Dec 31, 2002
Messages
3,737
Location
Sthlm, Swe
Serpent in the Staglands Codex USB, 2014 Shadorwun: Hong Kong
Only got the Aarklash on sale, wierd it was 'only' 40% off during the big sale and now 60. Lets try out teh next gen RtwP, it will be a nice hint how Eternity will play out.

Edit: played the first map, game plays/controls like League of Legends(QWER + mouse) only with 4 characters at the same time and pause at will(spacebar). So not a problem for me to control, took a moment to remember what each ability did. Only gets a bit hectic if Im not abusing the pause too much. Bros go up in levels, spells stay the same but you higher values atleast.
4 quite unique chars and the game looks pretty, no complaints there. No classic inventory but you collect earings, rings, amulets that you can equip.
Game did derp a bit, cause me giving a direct order should override any other queued order. It got stuck several times at autoattacking and if I order it to move it took like 10 secs till it overrides the command. Happened like 3 or 4 times.
Combat is ok and kinda interesting, nice original PC's but simple char development, you dont get to put points anywhere or anything other than equipping a ring or an amulet from time to time.
 
Last edited:

JudasIscariot

Arcane
Patron
Joined
Aug 19, 2009
Messages
2,001
Location
IV Republic of Polandia
Serpent in the Staglands Codex USB, 2014
Flat-fucking-out 2! Here is my money GOG!!!!!

XZw3b6f.png


Thank you :D
 

sepulki

Novice
Joined
Dec 22, 2012
Messages
18
Only got the Aarklash on sale, wierd it was 'only' 40% off during the big sale and now 60. Lets try out teh next gen RtwP, it will be a nice hint how Eternity will play out.

Edit: played the first map, game plays/controls like League of Legends(QWER + mouse) only with 4 characters at the same time and pause at will(spacebar). So not a problem for me to control, took a moment to remember what each ability did. Only gets a bit hectic if Im not abusing the pause too much. Bros go up in levels, spells stay the same but you higher values atleast.
4 quite unique chars and the game looks pretty, no complaints there. No classic inventory but you collect earings, rings, amulets that you can equip.
Game did derp a bit, cause me giving a direct order should override any other queued order. It got stuck several times at autoattacking and if I order it to move it took like 10 secs till it overrides the command. Happened like 3 or 4 times.
Combat is ok and kinda interesting, nice original PC's but simple char development, you dont get to put points anywhere or anything other than equipping a ring or an amulet from time to time.

Aren't those autoattack-no-input-taken sprees just an effect of your toons being taunted? That's exactly how the condition works. Oh, and skills do change with leveling, some subtly, some drasticallly. AoE knockdown may be specced to be a single target stun instead, big damage buff gets a on-hit silence or blind, damage over time effect may change into a channelled life drain, thingies and stuffies.
Overall a fun little trpg.
 

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