Game News More creatures compiled over at Eye-on-Troika

[Saint_Proverbius]

Tags: Temple of Elemental Evil

<A href="http://www.eye-on-troika.net/">Eye-on-Yroika</a> has updated their <A href="http://www.eye-on-troika.net/index.php?module=Static_Docs&func=view&f=greyhawk_toee%2Fcreatures.htm">Creature Compendium</a> page for those interested in taking a gander at what you can expect to see in <A href="http://troikagames.com/toee.htm">Temple of Elemental Evil</a>. I can't get the page to load right now, so I can't tell you what exactly there is there, but I'm sure they're monsters.

 

[Mesc A. Lyn]

I wish they'd make with the screenshots

 

[Flarnet]

Good God, reading those stats makes me realize how screwed I am if this game doesn't come with a good manual. I'm completely out of touch with advanced stats/rules from playing too much (crappy) crpgs were everything is handled for you. The thought of a nice turnbased game with lots of stats just makes me want to take out my Dungeon Siege CD and crap on it (fortunately I've sold it).

I have the old Baldur's Gate manuals, but they don't cover much (the BG2 covers much less than the BG one IIRCC).
I could go on and on about the declining quality of computer game manuals in general, but that'll just make me cry (us europeans have been living in a DVD-case only world for 2+ years now).

Assuming that a miracle doesn't happen, and we get a flimsy booklet with an epilepsy warning and an installation instruction, is there an authorative book on the rules that will be used in Greyhawk? Do I have to get a 3rd edition book?

I guess that there is little online material on the subject due to copyrights etc.

 

[DrattedTin]

Well Tim (as in THE Tim) said the manual should be pretty comprehensive, and actually have an index, unlike Arcanum.

They've also said there's some pretty good ingame help, so you might not need to worry after all.

 

[Spazmo]

BG = 2nd Ed. ToEE = 3rd Ed. And if there's anything about 3rd Edition that confuses you, just ask me.

 

[Peacedog]

Some of the creature bio's at the site appear to have actual in game pictures of the creatures. You can see a Gargoyle, an Umberhulk, a Troll, and a Bugbear. Looks pretty nice to me, though honestly I don't much care.

 

[triCritical]

Good God, reading those stats makes me realize how screwed I am if this game doesn't come with a good manual.

The D20 system makes a lot more sense then the past DnD systems. Higher is always better for one thing. The hardest part is understanding all the various feats and armor rules that mess with your base attack, dexterity bonus etc... Nevertheless, once you start playing it will probably come naturally aside from some of the more idiosynchric (sp?) rules.

 

[Flarnet]

Nice to hear that the manual will be decent. I so do love a good manual. I think my favorite manual of all times is the Fallout manual, but that could just be the game clouding my judgement.

I don't mind complicated and/or backward rules as long as there is reference. The problem with Baldur's Gate (and any full-blown D&D rules game I guess) is that there are FAR to many rules to ever list in a mere game manual - no matter how ambitious.
This was painfully obvious while playing BG1 (my first contact with D&D). I remember reading something on the net along the lines of "but it's a good weapon against the undead since it's got fire damage". I had no idea that fire was particulary effective against the undead, since it wasn't in the manual!

That just made me think that there are millions of little D&D rules, axioms and understandings that were active under the hood of the game, but not exposed in the manual. That's the main reason why I asked for a good source of info on D&D rules in general and 3rd edition in particular.

Spazmo: I'm sure I'm going to come here for help when I get confused once the game is released, so I'll take you up on your offer then for sure.

 

[Section8]

On the plus side with the large amount of stats D&D uses, the player's don't need to care too much about a lot of them, as the DM takes care of it. Also, it's a lot more rational like TriCritical said. Higher stats are always better, and most don't need too much explaining or elaboration.