Codex Interview RPG Codex Interview: Seven Dragon Saga - A Return To Golden Boxes

[Rohan]

Ok cool. Thanks for the info guys I guess I was wrong! I have actually never played JA2, just read the wiki page (should have added that to the previous post). I will definitely have to check it out. Thanks again.

 

[Dorateen]

The Dark Sun games kind of fit the parameters. I recall parts of the combat map (which was the same as the exploration map) had some elevated points you could use a grappling hook to reach.

Also developed by SSI. And in Shattered Lands, characters started at 3rd level, to reflect the tougher harsh setting. I think I'm seeing a pattern of influence here for Seven Dragon Saga.

 

[Morality Games]

I couldn't resist.

But seriously, I'm pretty sure that they kept up with their respective professions (programming, game design, art, etc), that was the impression I was left with after watching the Matt Chat interview from a few weeks back.

I can't fault you if you're not liking what they've shared in this interview and/or so far, but as far as them being out of touch being a concern, I think it hardly matters. Making games is an iterative process, I don't think any dev could create a game from scratch and do a great job on their first attempt (PoE for example). I think the important thing is that they have some prior experience.

People speak of this relentless drive to improve game engines bankrupting big companies like that's the tragedy of it. The tragedy of it is that engines never get to mature to the point where they have all sorts of cool features like the shift from Icewind Dale to Icewind Dale II.

 

[Transfiguring Roar]

People speak of this relentless drive to improve game engines bankrupting big companies like that's the tragedy of it. The tragedy of it is that engines never get to mature to the point where they have all sorts of cool features like the shift from Icewind Dale to Icewind Dale II.

Sure, I agree with that for a number of reasons. Really, the fact that engine development is limited by time/money/the market is a damn shame.

It would be great if, just once, a billionaire RPG developer went nuts with the world-building, mechanics and features, and took their time and didn't care if the game made a loss - a Bugatti Veyron of RPGs.

 

[GarfunkeL]

Oh my, don't get me started on analyzing why DnD is inherently broken. When I start with that, it never ends. Also had enough fights with blind fanboys claiming that the system is not broken, when it just objectively is. I don't mind people liking DnD despite knowing and accepting the flaws (we all have our guilty pleasures, right?)

Lies and slander.

Literally, everything you just wrote down is either taken out of context or complete fabrication. You're mixing up 3rd and 3.5 editions with 2nd and 1st (AD&D) editions - frankly, you don't seem to understand at all what you're complaining about.

D&D has plenty of actual, legitimate, issues - in every edition - that there is no need to invent your own bullshit lies to make it look worse.

 

[Azael]

Ok cool. Thanks for the info guys I guess I was wrong! I have actually never played JA2, just read the wiki page (should have added that to the previous post). I will definitely have to check it out. Thanks again.

You definitely should check it out. It is damned good, to say the least.

Good interview, hope the pull it off. Would be nice for a GB revival.

 

[Rohan]

Yeah it's just one of the games I missed back in the day. Will have to give it a go.

 

[octavius]

Err. Why there's so many people who found low-level (A)DnD campaigns no fun? For me many low-level campaigns was way more fun and challenging than high-level, which were often abominations, either to prone to munchkinism and exploiting, or artificially made more challenging but still remained not really interesting.

I must admit I liked both low level, mid level and higl level AD&D in the Gold Box games. Low levels shouldn't last too long, though, since the tactics are rather limited compared to higher levels.

 

[octavius]

Blah, blah, blah, AD&D is bad and Shadowrun is good.

You probably are right in what you wrote (I stopped reading after a few sentences), but yet AD&D led to some of the very best CRPGs ever made. Shadowrun or any other "superior" system didn't (except the Realms of Arkania games, I guess).

 

[octavius]

Final Fantasy Tactics?

Jagged Alliance 2?

I believe xcom and fallout tactics also had different heights.

And the Age of Wonders games.

 

[thesheeep]

Blah, blah, blah, AD&D is bad and Shadowrun is good.

You probably are right in what you wrote (I stopped reading after a few sentences), but yet AD&D led to some of the very best CRPGs ever made. Shadowrun or any other "superior" system didn't (except the Realms of Arkania games, I guess).

Yes, that is painfully clear to me.
And not only that, Shadowrun has lead to one of the worst shooters ever made.

I take all of that as a sick joke of fate.
Shadowrun Returns improved the situation significantly. Now I can at least point people who have no idea about the setting and its possibilities to something that is actually a good game.

But there are three main reasons for the great games that came from D&D:
Fantasy is just significantly more popular than dystopian scifi. (And no, that is not because of D&D, D&D was probably created BECAUSE of that)
D&D came out much earlier than Shadowrun.
D&D rules are rather easy to implement. Shadowrun rules are much harder to implement due to complexity. I am still in awe the ROA games managed, as the ROA ruleset is about as complex as Shadowrun. That must have been one labour of love.

Anyway... I'm not giving up hope to one day see a great game made like BG, Torment, JA, ROA-games, ... but using the actual Shadowrun rules. And if I have to do it myself!

 

[QuestionMan]

Kinda disappointed it's not a first person party based game. All these excuses with "you can't use tactics from first person"... well you can. Will we never ever get a first person turn-based game anymore?

 

[Morality Games]

Good interview. Since they are going crowd-funding after all, it is probably time to dust off my credit card. I wonder how high a funding goal they will set, and how much is it realistic for them to get. Gold Box nostalgia is not as prevalent as that of Fallout / IE games.

The wire couldn't be more silent about this game if there an active conspiracy to sabotage it.

 

[Dorateen]

Kinda disappointed it's not a first person party based game. All these excuses with "you can't use tactics from first person"... well you can. Will we never ever get a first person turn-based game anymore?

Might & Magic X: Legacy

 

[set]

M&B almost does it, just need a compentent opponent.

 

[Grathanich]

I think that the Dave guy in the interview is the Dave in Dave's challenge in Pools of Darkness.
Other than that, I was unable to see how this will be a "spiritual successor" to Gold Box games.

 

[Dorateen]

Yes, that's Dave Shelley.

As far as being a spiritual successor, I'll consider as such a tactical turn-based cRPG with a player-created party of six, based on rules and a setting close-enough to D&D to feel at home. Sure, I would love first-person exploration, heavily text driven with SVGA graphics, but we can't have everything these days.