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The Dark Eye The Dark Eye: Book of Heroes - real-time co-op isometric dungeon crawler
- Thread starter Andhaira
- Start date
AliceAlcina
Learned
It's obvious you must report your impressions now.... now!!!!
Well very very first impressions:
The good:
Its a faithfull adaption of DSA 5 rules
Most of the good stuff is in, dozens of skills, combat and noncombat alike
The characterbuilding with the gypsy cards is very flavorfull (you need to trade in cards and AP to increase your stats. You get one of three cards as a choice from every mission)
There is a pause button!
loot feels rewarding and solo your henchamn dont ninjaloot you
The bad:
You cant control your party members at all, not even give the AI hints
Balance is wonky, in the boss fight my rogue henchman went down and kept getting hacked into unconsciousness. But somehow he kept getting up again and again. Idk if he had 1 million potions in his inventory or the death system in this game is extremely lenient
You cant freely create your character with DSA 5s completely overblown but fun systems. You make a bunch of tarot choices at the gypsy and thats it. At least you see which stats you get from which cards
the ugly:
Your npcs have predetermined AI. Taking aggressive/curious for example means you are fucked as you have to run after a bunch of adhs rats practically.
You cant generate your own henchman afaik
For a full recomendation or not I obviously need more than 30 mins. But runnin after your mediocre AI teammates as a single adventurer probably gets tedious and old very fast. The first level however was a blast. I played an elven grey mage and took a Rondrapriest with a big sword and a dwarven rogue as AI buddys. Authentic to early level DSA 5 you are incredibly low power at the beginning of the game, I failed half of my Axxeleratus (this games haste) casts.
The good:
Its a faithfull adaption of DSA 5 rules
Most of the good stuff is in, dozens of skills, combat and noncombat alike
The characterbuilding with the gypsy cards is very flavorfull (you need to trade in cards and AP to increase your stats. You get one of three cards as a choice from every mission)
There is a pause button!
loot feels rewarding and solo your henchamn dont ninjaloot you
The bad:
You cant control your party members at all, not even give the AI hints
Balance is wonky, in the boss fight my rogue henchman went down and kept getting hacked into unconsciousness. But somehow he kept getting up again and again. Idk if he had 1 million potions in his inventory or the death system in this game is extremely lenient
You cant freely create your character with DSA 5s completely overblown but fun systems. You make a bunch of tarot choices at the gypsy and thats it. At least you see which stats you get from which cards
the ugly:
Your npcs have predetermined AI. Taking aggressive/curious for example means you are fucked as you have to run after a bunch of adhs rats practically.
You cant generate your own henchman afaik
For a full recomendation or not I obviously need more than 30 mins. But runnin after your mediocre AI teammates as a single adventurer probably gets tedious and old very fast. The first level however was a blast. I played an elven grey mage and took a Rondrapriest with a big sword and a dwarven rogue as AI buddys. Authentic to early level DSA 5 you are incredibly low power at the beginning of the game, I failed half of my Axxeleratus (this games haste) casts.
daveyd
Savant
- Joined
- Jun 10, 2013
- Messages
- 287
The developer did tell me "You can use the map to leave markers the AI companions will react to." But I don't have the game so I don't have a clue how you go about that and I assume the control you can exert over them with this is probably very limited.
V_K
Arcane
These are very basic options - attack, explore, and two more I don't remember.
In other impressions, for a game that's not terribly pretty, it runs like shit. I'll give it a couple hours to see how good its level generation is, but so far it looks like it's no Unexplored and the puzzles are going to be very simplistic.
Very certain I will refund this now.
The command mechanic exists but it is utterly barebones and half of the commands straight up dont work.
Its a game where 90% of the game is combat, in a system that does not work with that much combat, while being rtwp with randomly generated encounters.
It is incredibly buggy. Pathfinding, level layout, geometry, enemy AI, everything tends to sperg out. As far as I can see the game has no saving function, you need to complete a 40 minute adventure to save your progress. Thats some next level cancer and works very grimly against you when the game bugs out or crashes.
Why do you use DSA 5 when you dont let us make one real character? It gets really frustrating as I cant raise my axxelaratus skill since no cards keep dropping for it. A chance to reroll takes 40 minutes of work.
Mission layouts are terrible. The game randomly bashes tiles together without rhyme or reason, and every mission has one objective tile and one exit tile. You run around randomly murderhoboing stuff until you find both tiles, then you leave the adventure.
What still works really well is the card system. I almost rethought my decision to refund after the adventure dropped a really good card for me, that let me increase my knowledge x2 and my balsam salabunde x1
I was incredibly biased in this games favor and I am the target audience. I will refund this.
Its a super buggy niche product, and judging from the comments even in the domestic german market nobody wants it. It will heavily surprise me if this game doesnt crash down in flames.
Shame, its interesting as a proof of concept.
The command mechanic exists but it is utterly barebones and half of the commands straight up dont work.
Its a game where 90% of the game is combat, in a system that does not work with that much combat, while being rtwp with randomly generated encounters.
It is incredibly buggy. Pathfinding, level layout, geometry, enemy AI, everything tends to sperg out. As far as I can see the game has no saving function, you need to complete a 40 minute adventure to save your progress. Thats some next level cancer and works very grimly against you when the game bugs out or crashes.
Why do you use DSA 5 when you dont let us make one real character? It gets really frustrating as I cant raise my axxelaratus skill since no cards keep dropping for it. A chance to reroll takes 40 minutes of work.
Mission layouts are terrible. The game randomly bashes tiles together without rhyme or reason, and every mission has one objective tile and one exit tile. You run around randomly murderhoboing stuff until you find both tiles, then you leave the adventure.
What still works really well is the card system. I almost rethought my decision to refund after the adventure dropped a really good card for me, that let me increase my knowledge x2 and my balsam salabunde x1
I was incredibly biased in this games favor and I am the target audience. I will refund this.
Its a super buggy niche product, and judging from the comments even in the domestic german market nobody wants it. It will heavily surprise me if this game doesnt crash down in flames.
Shame, its interesting as a proof of concept.
vonAchdorf
Arcane
- Joined
- Sep 20, 2014
- Messages
- 13,465
If they wanted coop, they should have developed a module for DOS. Actually I think there's a TDE fan module for DOS.
I don't care much for the fact that the game doesn't have a single grand story behind it all, but I think 8 missions is too little. If the game had several missions, you might have the feeling that you are in fact controlling a group of adventurers who are gradually making a name for themselves, conquering increasingly dangerous missions. We can hope that they will later publish packages with extra missions at an acceptable value (or maybe, who knows, patches with extra missions), but I don't bet on it.
But not being able to control the other characters/NPCs is too stupid for any game based on tabletop RPGs. I'm not very optimistic about the future of this game.
But not being able to control the other characters/NPCs is too stupid for any game based on tabletop RPGs. I'm not very optimistic about the future of this game.
Andhaira
Arcane
- Joined
- Nov 25, 2007
- Messages
- 1,869,100
Will post my more opinions later but right now I mostly agree with Thac0 except that I will likely not refund this. This isn't Drakensang I & II or Blackguards but even then there is a lot of potential here BUT:
-Not well optimized. Unity strikes again, may it burn in hell. I had to turn down settings to lowest allowed (there are only 3 graphic settings available). Hopefully this will be patched.
-Character generation is a lot of fun. The background 'cards' are quite flavorful and seem like they will affect your gameplay (I had one trigger in my first mission after the tutorial, The Changeling background for my Black Mage) But then again it could just be a line of text and not really matter much...
-Despite being fun the char gen in many ways is barebones. But if you don't play the tabletop you really won't feel it much. Still, it bothers me I can't choose more special abilities/advantages/spells, etc.
-Despite making good use of a stripped down TDE 5e ruleset (there are constant perception checks, herb lore checks, treat wound checks etc and they matter. If you fail you have to wait on a cool down before using them again and I do believe you can fumble which can make checks like Treat Wounds risky to spam) there are too many limitations. Like Thac0 said the Card system can be frustrating, you cannot manually grow your character the way you want, you will have to wait for the card that will affect the stats you want to grow drop. This sucks.
-Way too few spells. A starting TDE Guild Mage can have up to 12 spells. Here you can start out with a max of 4 (and that's IF you choose an additional background that grants you 2 more spells to add to your start of 2)
-Priests have too few Chants. Rondra priests only start with one fricking chant, and it's not the one that summons lightning (I doubt that's even in the game)
-Lot of bugs though not game breaking as of yet. Still one card has no descriptive text at char gen, there are typos (disadvantages are listed as advantages on cards for ex) Blood & Red spell for Black Mage doesn't work.
-You can't control companions (sorry: Henchmen), but their AI works as their desciptor says. As you get more money you can hire better, smarter companions. Still, would be 1000% better if you could control them like real companions. This really needs to be patched in, screw co-op with other humans.
Still, despite that there is a LOT of potential here. I was in some ways impressed by the implementation of TDE ruleset; it was more than I was expecting looking at the videos and screenshots. Its pared down a LOT ofcourse compared to tabletop, but still lots of skill checls. Music is good, interface and presentation is charming.
I will hold onto it to support the Dev (well the TDE system anyway) and in the hopes they will improve the game. If you have money to burn I would say buy it to support them, and have some fun with it and hope they greatly improve it.
We need more spells, special abilities, advantages & equipment, a much better method of improving characters, a way to more fine tune your PC at char gen. It's too much to hope they will revamp char gen (one would hope they would keep the cards as a 'normal char gen method and add in manual generation as an advanced option like the RoA trilogy) but they could add in more options to improve characters rather than use card drops.
-Not well optimized. Unity strikes again, may it burn in hell. I had to turn down settings to lowest allowed (there are only 3 graphic settings available). Hopefully this will be patched.
-Character generation is a lot of fun. The background 'cards' are quite flavorful and seem like they will affect your gameplay (I had one trigger in my first mission after the tutorial, The Changeling background for my Black Mage) But then again it could just be a line of text and not really matter much...
-Despite being fun the char gen in many ways is barebones. But if you don't play the tabletop you really won't feel it much. Still, it bothers me I can't choose more special abilities/advantages/spells, etc.
-Despite making good use of a stripped down TDE 5e ruleset (there are constant perception checks, herb lore checks, treat wound checks etc and they matter. If you fail you have to wait on a cool down before using them again and I do believe you can fumble which can make checks like Treat Wounds risky to spam) there are too many limitations. Like Thac0 said the Card system can be frustrating, you cannot manually grow your character the way you want, you will have to wait for the card that will affect the stats you want to grow drop. This sucks.
-Way too few spells. A starting TDE Guild Mage can have up to 12 spells. Here you can start out with a max of 4 (and that's IF you choose an additional background that grants you 2 more spells to add to your start of 2)
-Priests have too few Chants. Rondra priests only start with one fricking chant, and it's not the one that summons lightning (I doubt that's even in the game)
-Lot of bugs though not game breaking as of yet. Still one card has no descriptive text at char gen, there are typos (disadvantages are listed as advantages on cards for ex) Blood & Red spell for Black Mage doesn't work.
-You can't control companions (sorry: Henchmen), but their AI works as their desciptor says. As you get more money you can hire better, smarter companions. Still, would be 1000% better if you could control them like real companions. This really needs to be patched in, screw co-op with other humans.
Still, despite that there is a LOT of potential here. I was in some ways impressed by the implementation of TDE ruleset; it was more than I was expecting looking at the videos and screenshots. Its pared down a LOT ofcourse compared to tabletop, but still lots of skill checls. Music is good, interface and presentation is charming.
I will hold onto it to support the Dev (well the TDE system anyway) and in the hopes they will improve the game. If you have money to burn I would say buy it to support them, and have some fun with it and hope they greatly improve it.
We need more spells, special abilities, advantages & equipment, a much better method of improving characters, a way to more fine tune your PC at char gen. It's too much to hope they will revamp char gen (one would hope they would keep the cards as a 'normal char gen method and add in manual generation as an advanced option like the RoA trilogy) but they could add in more options to improve characters rather than use card drops.
Last edited:
Andhaira
Arcane
- Joined
- Nov 25, 2007
- Messages
- 1,869,100
Its more than 8 missions, 15-20 in total in the base game. The 8 missions are your PCs unique missions, you only get one depending on what background you pick but you follow it throughout the game.
vonAchdorf
Arcane
- Joined
- Sep 20, 2014
- Messages
- 13,465
Co-op and grind2W / P2W mechanics were a mistake.
is beyond me.Oh it climbed to 32 reviews over night, which is a lot for a German game in this style, this fast. Seems like there was real interest and passion in the market.
40% positive was to be expected, steam ratings are mercyless when it comes to bugs and general spergyness. Pathfinder Kingmaker took ages to recover to that 70% hurdle due to the initial buggyness.
40% positive was to be expected, steam ratings are mercyless when it comes to bugs and general spergyness. Pathfinder Kingmaker took ages to recover to that 70% hurdle due to the initial buggyness.
V_K
Arcane
Refunding it for now, will check back in a few months if they have solved the technical issues and improved level generation. Not hopeful though.
I guess it fell into the same trap as NWN: focus on the multiplayer experience and tack on single player as an afterthought, to the detriment of the single player. But at least NWN had user modules and a DM mode for online play to redeem itself.
AliceAlcina
Learned
Did anyone has chance to rate NWN so badly in system like steam? I'm not saying NWN was bad game, just that it might not be ranked by users so highly either.
I mean I rate NWN 3/10, so...
But no, back when it was released there was no user review system like the ones on Steam and GoG. Only forums like the Codex where people could talk shit about the game. No metacritic yet either.
- Joined
- Jan 28, 2011
- Messages
- 99,662
I mean I rate NWN 3/10, so...
But no, back when it was released there was no user review system like the ones on Steam and GoG. Only forums like the Codex where people could talk shit about the game. No metacritic yet either.
NWN Metacritic page from 2002: https://web.archive.org/web/2002080...itic.com/games/platforms/pc/neverwinternights
You also had GameFAQS, MobyGames, etc. But yes, I think after digital distribution became widespread, it became more natural for people to also seek a review aggregation online.
I mean I rate NWN 3/10, so...
But no, back when it was released there was no user review system like the ones on Steam and GoG. Only forums like the Codex where people could talk shit about the game. No metacritic yet either.
NWN Metacritic page from 2002: https://web.archive.org/web/2002080...itic.com/games/platforms/pc/neverwinternights
You also had GameFAQS, MobyGames, etc. But yes, I think after digital distribution became widespread, it became more natural for people to also seek a review aggregation online.
Didn't know Metacritic existed yet, interesting. Sure, GameFAQs existed but I always used them for walkthroughs back in the day. User reviews were a secondary function of it.
And there's a big difference between seeking out/writing reviews on review sites, and having a review function directly on the storefront.
fantadomat
Arcane
soooo is it ok ?
Morkar Left
Guest
Someone seems to be really interested in only releasing shit tier games for TDE without trying to do a real rpg like the RoA trilogy again. Maybe they think this way they can keep their playerbase glued to the pnp version?
Mortmal
Arcane
- Joined
- Jun 15, 2009
- Messages
- 9,502
They are mimicking wizard of the coast, we got ton of shit tier d&d games, it was only fair the same happen to the german most played system. Could be worse, the aventure games were fine , black guard was ok . If critical role start dark eye someday only then you will get an AAA game.
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