Game News The Golden Baby Is Back: Grimoire Superdemo Released!

[ben_reck]

Well, I'm a five or six hours in, long enough to know if I like the book. I'll give most any book 50 pages or so.

My characters are 3rd/4th level but are still wearing their swaddling leather. A few have their starting sticks while others have acquired some commonplace weapons. Itemization, it would seem, at least as far as arms and armor goes, does not appear to be part of the 99.8% of the game that's complete.

Yes, my str 65 giant warrior and his pole arm can't penetrate the epic hide of a forest grub. That's kind of always been my sense of giants as well. Perhaps, something is mechanically awry, not that I would ever say that in the presence of R.

I guess this NPC exchange exemplifies my experience with the game: so there is a locked door beneath the temple, and I don't have the key. Nothing shocking there. I try the "key" keyword with several npc's who all recommend that I speak with Gorlo, one of the temple priests. I ask him about a "key" and he gives me the definition of a key (something that unlocks doors blah blah). I think to myself, no, that would be riddles (they unlock chests). But, anyway, no clue, no way in. Maybe I'm supposed to recruit Gorlo and he'll unlock the door for me with his verbal wit? I don't know. I don't have the patience to find out.

 

[mondblut]

Well, I'm a five or six hours in, long enough to know if I like the book. I'll give most any book 50 pages or so.

My characters are 3rd/4th level but are still wearing their swaddling leather. A few have their starting sticks while others have acquired some commonplace weapons. Itemization, it would seem, at least as far as arms and armor goes, does not appear to be part of the 99.8% of the game that's complete.

Savescumming at chests helps a bit. Anyway; throughout the demo, you'll get to upgrade your stuff perhaps once or twice. For a 1/5 of the game, that's fair enough. Dunno about you, but I tend to be annoyed with games that ask me to change the entire party's outfits every 15 minutes.

I was finding an occasional brigantine, mail coif, greaves, spiked bracers by the end of the demo. Midway through, everybody who could was decked in leather armor and helm.

As for weapons, the Armoury in Crowl was the biggest find (non-randomized chests), I've rearmed half the party in there, and that stuff has remained in action till the very end. A few finds more, and the 1d8/2d4 stuff became obsolete.

Yes, my str 65 giant warrior and his pole arm can't penetrate the epic hide of a forest grub. That's kind of always been my sense of giants as well. Perhaps, something is mechanically awry, not that I would ever say that in the presence of R.

Empirically, stamina and weapon skill seems to be the biggest factor with "no penetration". A guy with a skill of 100 breezes through where a guy with a skill of 10 can't do shit... if he is well-rested, that is; when everybody is about to fall asleep, you can't penetrate shit (which makes fighting while swimming a difficult endeavour). Strength, on the contrary, doesn't seem too important, melee characters with str 45 and str 60 were of comparable efficiency.

I guess this NPC exchange exemplifies my experience with the game: so there is a locked door beneath the temple, and I don't have the key. Nothing shocking there. I try the "key" keyword with several npc's who all recommend that I speak with Gorlo, one of the temple priests. I ask him about a "key" and he gives me the definition of a key (something that unlocks doors blah blah). I think to myself, no, that would be riddles (they unlock chests). But, anyway, no clue, no way in. Maybe I'm supposed to recruit Gorlo and he'll unlock the door for me with his verbal wit? I don't know. I don't have the patience to find out.

I reported the catacomb key issue as a possible bug. Meanwhile, you've got to savescum and try to lockpick that door. It's a master level lock, but riddles are fairly easy, so it's all about being lucky picking 3-4 blanked out letters each between one correct and one wrong one. I did that (with no lockpicking skill whatsoever at that time), and so could you.

 

[UserNamer]

I charmed then stole the key from Gorlo. Btw argosyre doesn't say shit when I ask him about the catacombs. No text at all appears

-also what's the deal with the "secret" blood stain in the temple rooms? Does it serve any purpose at all? And does returning the tome of the spider tome? No quest update, no xp, no increase in reputation with gorlo...

 

[Cleveland Mark Blakemore]

I charmed then stole the key from Gorlo. Btw argosyre doesn't say shit when I ask him about the catacombs. No text at all appears

-also what's the deal with the "secret" blood stain in the temple rooms? Does it serve any purpose at all? And does returning the tome of the spider tome? No quest update, no xp, no increase in reputation with gorlo...

A terrible popamole secret lurks within the Crusade Temple. Things are not as they appear, despite the tales they tell the tourists.

NPC flaws noted. They will be fixed in next version.

 

[ben_reck]

I tend to be annoyed with games that ask me to change the entire party's outfits every 15 minutes.

Sure. I need something more than the early game offers; new items mean decisions, and I like making decisions. Who should wear the spiked bracers which offer a small bonus to unarmed skill? Even with the Etrian Odyssey games, which have rich itemization, I can go for hours without changing my gear. Without itemization, where does the early game's emphasis lie? Wandering the Mord-infested streets or holding down the Enter while your giant plays patty cake with baker's grubs.

the Armoury in Crowl was the biggest find

speaking of stores, they shouldn't try to sell unidentified items. That's not good salesmanship.

and so could you.

Well, I could, but I return to my premise. Is such a repetition enjoyable? I think this also has something to do with how I've learned to communicated with RPGs over the years. If my tenderfoot encounters a master-level lock, he hears, "Come back later. This door is not for you at this time." Does this game mean to challenge RPG conventions? Would that be old-school in approach?