Game News SSI Forgotten Realms RPGs released on GOG

[karnak]

I wish GoG released Ravenloft: Strahd's Possession instead, I remember that one very fondly.
.

Taking into account that GOG is planning to release more D&D games that's pretty likely.

 

[Infinitron]

If it's too much for you, you can always try Pool of Radiance Remastered for NWN2: http://neverwintervault.org/project/nwn2/module/pool-radiance-remastered

 

[karnak]

Thanks for your recommendation, I will look into it. Sadly I am unable to watch the video as the woman reads aloud what is written in the game text box. I may be a moron but I dislike being treated like one by an youtube video, and won't stand for it.

Mute it. The only thing interesting here is for you to check the UI and some of the gameplay.
And check more videos for the fights. Goldbox games had some of the best turn-based RPG combat.

 

[karnak]

If it's too much for you, you can always try Pool of Radiance Remastered for NWN2: http://neverwintervault.org/project/nwn2/module/pool-radiance-remastered

Or you could also check this Nah... forget it
I don't know what I'm writing :/

 

[Ash_Firelord]

Can't help you with the Gold Box games but you should definitely check some YT gameplay for the EoBs and Menzoberranzan. All three EoBs are great and I remember I enjoyed Menzoberranzan somewhat although there was a lot of endless wandering through enormous dungeons, mostly empty and boring.

I'm pretty sure I'll like EoBs as that was the kind of game that got me into RPGs initially. ATM wondering more and more about the Gold Box games.

If it's too much for you, you can always try Pool of Radiance Remastered for NWN2: http://neverwintervault.org/project/nwn2/module/pool-radiance-remastered

This, good sir, looks just up my alley.

Mute it. The only thing interesting here is for you to check the UI and some of the gameplay.
And check more videos for the fights. Goldbox games had some of the best turn-based RPG combat.

That's what I'm wondering, what makes the tb combat so special in these ancient games. I guess I'll jump in and try to find out.

 

[Jaesun]

I forget, do you import the same party into the three EOB games?

 

[Dorateen]

I forget, do you import the same party into the three EOB games?

Yes, that was possible. Referring to the player's characters. Not the NPC's who joined during each adventure.

 

[Sceptic]

Yes, that was possible. Referring to the player's characters. Not the NPC's who joined during each adventure.

I'm almost sure you could import the NPCs from one game as PCs into the next game, IIRC EOB2 chose the first 4 character slots of your EOB1 save without even asking you and that was your starting party. EOB3 let you choose who you were bringing over in case some of your original PCs were in the back row.

 

[Dorateen]

I'm almost sure you could import the NPCs from one game as PCs into the next game, IIRC EOB2 chose the first 4 character slots of your EOB1 save without even asking you and that was your starting party. EOB3 let you choose who you were bringing over in case some of your original PCs were in the back row.

That's fantastic. So you could theoretically have Keirgar in the other installments or take Shorn into Myth Drannor? Although the way you described it, sounds like that would be at the expense of importing other player created party members.

Still, like I said in the other thread, I'm amazed at the things I've learned since joining this place.

 

[catfood]

Did they manage to fix the shit interface?

 

[Metro]

PoR is the best Gold Box game. Period. Full stop. The size and scope were amazing and the overworld exploration wasn't really matched in successive games.

Re: Transferring characters. You could actually transfer your characters not just from PoR to Curse but from PoR to Hillsfar and then to Curse. Hillsfar was an action game but you get a +hp boost for completing the guild quest/storyline. Real RPG gamers min/maxed 'dat shit.

Black_Willow Your mother gave me that award right around the time you were conceived, little man.

 

[Kiste]

I'm a horrendous Dragonlance fag, so I'm waiting for those. Dragonstrike would be nice as well.

 

[Gozma]

I'm almost sure you could import the NPCs from one game as PCs into the next game, IIRC EOB2 chose the first 4 character slots of your EOB1 save without even asking you and that was your starting party. EOB3 let you choose who you were bringing over in case some of your original PCs were in the back row.

Yes, you can transfer guest PCs. I did a game in the last few years where I played all first-roll characters starting in EoB1 and by the end of EoB2 only one of the original four was still in the party, everyone else having been swapped for superior guest PCs (and they transfer to EoB3... although I didn't actually play that). It adds something to those games when that pile of bones you found may be a permanent party upgrade and your original shitters have to face a Darwinian struggle for existence.

 

[HotSnack]

So as someone who has enjoyed dnd based crpgs but have not played any of the goldbox games, which of these are recommended? Just PoR? The nwn2 PoR mod?

 

[DavidBVal]

Pool of Radiance has a structure, pace and scope that many modern games can't even hope to approach nowadays, in the era of dumb 50 hour tutorials called games. It is always good news to see it re-published.

Tis a glorious day for D&D games!

Sure, you can pirate anything out there - but buying the type of games you want to see sends a message. Buying these shows publishers / developers that there is still a market for these types of games - and it might lead to new ones being developed in this style. Maybe WotC / Hasbro will see how well these sell and make a new Gold-Box-style CRPG and not the watered down action-RPG pablum like Sword Coast Legends.

Absolutely. Companies and publishers only understand money and sales. However, the price may be too high to actually reach any decent volume, I am afraid.

So as someone who has enjoyed dnd based crpgs but have not played any of the goldbox games, which of these are recommended? Just PoR? The nwn2 PoR mod?

Pool of Radiance, if you can deal with a very dated UI, you'll have a lot of fun.

The NWN2 mod is a good mod, I enjoyed playing it, but it entirely misses the point: it is linear, while the best thing in POR was the open-endedness, a rarity back then.

Ahhh I just had a flashback. Hiring a "Theurgist" to join my party at level 1. Let him die to orcs. Collect the Ring of Protection +1 he carried. Sell for 5K. Equip whole party with Banded Mail and stuff. :D

 

[Gozma]

My favorite PoR thing with hirelings: Get two super expensive fighters, get them killed, then animate their corpses. Use your new zombies to soak up wight level drains.

 

[DavidBVal]

My favorite PoR thing with hirelings: Get two super expensive fighters, get them killed, then animate their corpses. Use your new zombies to soak up wight level drains.

I had forgot about that! Yeah, the graveyard was great, with the vampire and all. And makes me wonder, how many modern games allow you to design tactics that? the guys at SSI mindlessly threw almost ALL of the 2nd edition rulebook into a game, as it was, with no regard or consideration to balance, difficulty, or appealing the player. I think allmost all the spells and rules are there, reasonably faithful to the Player's Guide.

The result is an awesome strategy sandbox, with some silly-broken things, but in which you can actually come up with strategies that no one planned before. Damn, I wish I could one day make a game like that.

 

[Volourn]

"I think allmost all the spells and rules are there, reasonably faithful to the Player's Guide."

No. Better go read those manuals again. Plus, POR isn't 2E doofus.

 

[felipepepe]

Since we have so many Pool of Radiance fans here, I still need someone to write a review of the series for the book... it's quite hard to find people who played from Pool of Radiance to Pool of Darkness...
Poeple willing tow rite about Savage Frontier and / or the Buck Rogers games are also appreciated.

 

[DavidBVal]

" POR isn't 2E doofus.

Hmmm you are right, however my feeble memory keeps telling me that Thac0 was not used until 2nd edition, or was used in later books, but was not official until 2ed, right? I never played the editions before 2nd so I got them a bit fuzzy.

 

[Alchemist]

Hmmm you are right, however my feeble memory keeps telling me that Thac0 was not used until 2nd edition, or was used in later books, but was not official until 2ed, right? I never played the editions before 2nd so I got them a bit fuzzy.

Thac0 showed up as early as the 1st edition DMG, in the monster list.

 

[Excidium II]

Thac0 showed up as early as the 1st edition DMG, in the monster list.

From what I understand it's just an intuitive way to check the target roll without needing to look at the tables

 

[DavidBVal]

Thac0 showed up as early as the 1st edition DMG, in the monster list.

Yeah, but in POR, it shows in the character sheet of your character. That's what made me believe it is 2nd edition, because 2nd edition character sheet has thac0

 

[Zorba the Hutt]

POR was AD&D and released in 1988. 2nd ed came out in 1989.

 

[Alchemist]

From what I understand it's just an intuitive way to check the target roll without needing to look at the tables

True - that's all it was (to hit AC 0) - from there one could subtract the target's AC to find the roll needed to hit. It only came into standard use with 2nd edition, but had been used prior to that by some people.

Funnily enough it doesn't accurately represent the 1E attack matrix, which has a non-linear progression (notice the repeating 20s?)

I'm sure the POR devs used Thac0 simply because it's easier to code a simple formula (and it takes less RAM) rather than entering a bunch of tables.