Wizardry The Wizardry Series Thread

[bminorkey]

He's 16. He'll grow out of it. Or, one can always beat it out of him with a bloody mallet.

more likely, trollingthecodexmakesmekool.jpg

 

[Jasede]

16, huh?
Are you cute?

 

[dragonbait]

"What's so great about the first Wizardry?"

=Simply put, it is the Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord. Any further explanation is overkill. The first Wizardry is the ultimate and ideal beginning. Beyond that, can and should only be an improvement to crpgs. Long live the Mad Overlord, my Master.

 

[Volourn]

"to its spell design and its ball-crushing, sadistic level of challenge."

W1 was a funn game and the combat was okay but it was not hard. Don't fukkin' lie.

 

[JarlFrank]

It was a pioneer of the genre. Nowadays it's pretty much obsolete in face of the newer Wizardries.

 

[Bruma Hobo]

Why's this shit still running? Retardo this and ban the OP... Oh, wait.

 

[Lady_Error]

Yeah, I would also start with Wizardry 6 - which according to some is even better than part 7 (I disagree, but it's still a pretty good game.)

 

[Toffeli]

Well I guess I try the Safe Mode tomorrow. :O

 

[bussinrounds]

What about these remakes of the first 3 games ? The Story of the Llylgamyn (SNES) and the Llylgamyn Saga (PSX)

I was thinking about throwing one of them on my psp and I found the SNES rom with this english patch already on there it seems.
http://agtp.romhack.net/project.php?id=wizardry

Is the PSX version superior to the SNES one and should I look for that instead ?

 

[DemonKing]

I think you have to remember that some of us old timers do remember the original Wizardry through rose-coloured glasses - Nostalgia is a powerful thing and when ever someone mentions it fond memories begin to surface: doing "raids" down the elevator to level 8, fighting one encounter and then getting the hell out of dodge; managing to convert a character to the Ninja prestige class; discovering a new piece of equipment you've never heard of and have no idea what its powers are (even idnetifying it didn't help much); ripping out the floppy disc when you experience a TPK in order to stop the game recording your "progress" etc etc

Obviously the game suffers a lot in comparison to more modern titles (even an old schooler like me prefers an automapper to graph paper), but that doesn't mean it doesn't resonate powerfully with those who played it "back in the day" when literally nothing like it had ever been released.

 

[Kersey]

Is the PSX version superior to the SNES one and should I look for that instead ?

I was inspired by this thread here to play Wizardry around a year ago abd played around with both of these remakes as well as the original versions on different emulators. In the end I went with the PSX version with the automap which I generally like to have but I came to regret having it available a little bit. I felt it took the challenge and the fun out of some areas because unlike the Eye of the Beholder games there is no compass available at all times which in those games makes mapping simply a chore and nothing more in my opinion as there is no confusion or possibility of making errors if you're not careful.

Anyway, I had a blast with the first game in spite of it being my first time playing a Wizardry game. Enough that I completed the second one very quickly afterwards too. But I didn't get far in the third one before getting a little fatigued with the similarity. Maybe I'll return to it some day or just skip to the next two games. I definitely think that there's a lot of good, ageless gameplay in the series and especially the first game, heck even my 12-year old relative got really into the game! Not that he was/is very good at it but looking back at it now I sucked at games at that age that I find very easy these days...

As for the remakes, they both seemed decent enough. The SNES one plays a lot faster and has a better graphics style in my opinion but the English translation makes me cringe quite a lot. The PSX version has less atmospheric graphics but the music makes up for a lot. I THINK the PSX version has the original maps while the SNES version has redone maps from the NES version for the later levels so it just might be worth playing both. :D

 

[moraes]

1. Download the game from the internets
2. Extract the contents of the ISO files where you want to install the game (e.g. c:\wiz8) leaving the original directory structure intact
3. Crack wiz8.exe
4. Apply patches and wizfast as needed
5. Run wiz8.exe

 

[Themadcow]

The whole 'jump' ahead thing still existed back in the day, even without meta-gaming knowledge. Knowing you could swap out your Bard's tale tape after the first whirrrrrrr-click (Dungeon identification) and then load the skkkkrrrrrrreeeeeeeeeeeeee (data) from a point later on in the tape meant my band of adventurers could harvest loot from Mangar's Tower without touching the earlier dungeons.

I fully agree that there's little special about Wiz 1 now but, yeah, back in the day it was pretty amazing. That doesn't go for Wiz 6 (and less so 7 imo) which is still a brilliant game today in it's own right. Text descriptions can still be far, far more powerful than visuals in 'crawlers.

 

[Gruffalo Soldier]

Hello everyone, new member, long time lurker, first post!

So I recently got wizardry 8 (wow) cant believe I never put the time aside to play this game. While I haven't played it much (just entered upper monastery) I must say I am totally engrossed. The difficulty however takes a little getting used to. Although the pain of getting thrashed only makes this game more rewarding when you finally kick something's ass or burn it into ash with a fireball (my favourite spell thus far, well besides most all of the divine magic) or get a well placed shot from your ranger from the other end of the corridor.

My party at the moment consists of;

A human priest (front line, switched out with ranger so could get a few extra shots in with his flail shield combo)

A draco fighter (front and centre, sword shield combo)

A human valkyrie (front line, using polearms)

A human ranger (back line, short bow and assorted arrows some enchanted found lying around)

A human priest (back line, using divine+++ and water+)

A faery mage (back line, using fire+++ and air+)

In the lower monastery I found three pair of greeves in some tombs cant Identify them. Found healing pool used once (can you use more than that?) also found Bruz and got him to tell me about marten and something about us being third messengers, also to go to something beginning with "I" massive tree or some such. And something else. Didn't really find he sold much of use though . Found some magic books light/stamina and I think another one I cant remember. Found key to safe and got rejuv powder and the other one on the waterfall. Also is there boss fights in here? im sure I fought some. One was king crab irc, the other was a giant spider pincer thing might of started with a g (was the hardest didn't die though . Although at the same time got attacked with 11 seekers which luckily the thing with like 450-ish hp was blocking there approach. Killed it then ran away after killing 3 of them as they ganged up on my cleric and killed him. Oh yeah random door with a circle needs special item to open can I do that just now or do I return later, though please no spoilers I like figuring things out myself. A simple now or later would help as I don't want to be looking about for ages.

Upper monastery just got into first room off the corridor and found crates (goodies hehe) though got attacked by around 9-12ish irc rabid rats which are really hard to kill and do like 7-14 damage to my front line, is that normal? They killed like three of my characters. Since I just saved I quit and made a cuppa and came on here to rant . Going to have another go soon.

Almost forgot does my characters sound ok, I haven't used any guides for best characters or anything so am a little in the dark. I like to play a game and discover things on my own otherwise it doesn't feel like I have achieved anything. So not looking for best stats, classes, race etc just a little nod if my party looks good enough to learn with on my first play through. Then on my second can use more advanced classes and races. Sorry about the rambling still kinda pumped after playing haha. Any advice would be nice but nothing spoiler-ir-ly (???) just stuff that you think should be useful to know. Anyway thanks for reading my verbal diarrhea hope to get some good replies and have a great conversation about a great game.

 

[hoverdog]

If you feel like getting kicked in the nuts in the monastery, just wait till you get outside

Party building is one of the most fun things to do in Wiz8. And unless you intentionally gimp yourself (like getting a lizard bishop or faerie warrior), there are no bad parties. Your looks good if unremarkable (where are the furries and scalies?!), though I rarely take one priest myself, let alone two.

 

[Whisky]

You should be fine. You're not going to get curbstomped or nothing. Though do keep in mind that I have not beaten Wiz8.

Maximizing potential of course would be mixing races with classes (Or example, the wolf race as priest. They get much more skill points) but you should be fine with all them humans. Go with what sounds fun to you.

 

[Kukulkan]

You did get the fix making Wiz8 faster?

 

[Jaesun]

You should have played wiz 6 first (so you can get something). It's like having your ball's cut off and shoved into your mouth. 8 is a cakewalk.

 

[Gruffalo Soldier]

You did get the fix making Wiz8 faster?

Not yet, know it might sound stupid but I wanted to try the game as it originally was first. If I get fed up with or really cant be bothered I will apply the mod. Think though I will try and hold off until my second play through. Something like that would feel more rewarding after slogging through the game on normal speeds.

Your looks good if unremarkable (where are the furries and scalies?!)

The amount of character+class combinations seemed rather daunting so rather than restarting a few times and trying them all out I decided to try and make an "A" typical RPG party to give me better perspective on the game. Thus leaving lots of fun with specialised combo's for my second and probably third play through.

You should have played wiz 6 first (so you can get something). It's like having your ball's cut off and shoved into your mouth. 8 is a cakewalk

Ha-ha that really sounds like a plan. I like a good challenge (but im no iron man gamer) Just bought MM 1-6 on gog and going to get stuck in with 3 first (reading the whats the best m&m thread was a great laugh) I do already have seven but really cant get into the game with turning on off tbc. So wizardry 6 might have to wait awhile but Im sure I will play it.

Im not an old school rpg player but I really think I missed out on something great not playing these types of games. The only other game I like and still play that comes close would be daggerfall. Theres really something beautifully simple yet deep in the older games. Really gets you down when you go on most game forums and all you get is Waaaaaaaaa! Im a fucking COD elite WAAAAAA FPS are like the only game that matters. Teens of today are all about instant gratification and playing mmo's where whoever has the most money to spend is "like the bosss man". Sorry about the rant its late and im sleep mode haha.

 

[Kukulkan]

You did get the fix making Wiz8 faster?

Not yet, know it might sound stupid but I wanted to try the game as it originally was first. If I get fed up with or really cant be bothered I will apply the mod. Think though I will try and hold off until my second play through. Something like that would feel more rewarding after slogging through the game on normal speeds.
.

I'm not sure if this course of action is advisable but who am I to tell you how to play a game.

 

[Jaesun]

As the resident Goldbox fag, I highly recommend you give Pools of Radiance a try as well. It is an utter blast. But do give Wiz 6 a try. It's fucking great, and be sure to get something. As well as be careful how you end the game. What you do determines where you start wiz 7.

 

[Gruffalo Soldier]

I'm not sure if this course of action is advisable but who am I to tell you how to play a game.

Your right, im just rather a glutton for punishment. Though it cant be thaaaaat bad Just to give you an idea of how slow I am with games though, I have spent at least three or more hours in the lower monastery just wandering around. Im like a slow and steady dwarf haha. Seriously I spent around thirty minutes experimenting with fall damage just to see what kind of affect it has on my characters.

As the resident Goldbox fag, I highly recommend you give Pools of Radiance a try as well. It is an utter blast. But do give Wiz 6 a try. It's fucking great, and be sure to get something. As well as be careful how you end the game. What you do determines where you start wiz 7.

That looks rather interesting. I have heard about it in passing but never looked into it. Though being of the younger generation of gamers I find sometimes I cant play older games to well after being spoiled with the interfaces of more recent games. Example being Darklands everything about this game is amazing but try as hard as I can, I cant get used to the interface. Namely the lack of information about equipment in game. I will keep trying though. Has Pools of radiance got a good interface. Not as in ease of use but more about the amount of information I can access from it?

 

[Ranselknulf]

One thing Wizardry 8 did, probably unintentionally mind you, is implement a system where players would actively try to avoid combat.

I'm hard pressed to think of an fantasy RPG where you aren't constantly fighting. It gets to the point where combat isn't even special or unique.

Granted the battles were avoided mostly because they became tedious, but I don't think the idea of encouraging players to avoid battle unless its a last resort is necessarily a bad concept.


Think of an epic fantasy novel like "Lord of the Rings" and early Forgotten Realms.

These stories are slow, they take their time, and epic adventure is not tossed into your lap. I've been thinking about this more and more since this trend grows with each new generation of games.

Games these days are exponentially fast paced adventuring, epic fantasy tossed into your lap, you are made a hero without breaking a sweat.

Why does my character need to constantly kill things? Doesn't he do other things along the way? Don't these other things make killing monsters that much more exciting when it does happen? Shouldn't the journey from one mountain to another be an adventure in itself?
The idea of a game that is not afraid to take it's time writing its tale has been a nice silly little dream of mine for a while. Where even striking down a group of, I don't know, orcs, has meaning to it. I would much rather play a game where I am Flunklesnarkin Winklebottom rather then Superman.


Few would argue that The Hobbit lacks adventure, yes? But what does The Hobbit lack compared to a modern RPG?

Explosions. Over the top sword fighting. Magic missiles. Impossible physical feats. Charging straight into enemy lines with no fear. Magic EVERYWHERE. An entire lack of the mundane! These examples and much more separate The Hobbit's adventure from modern RPG's version of adventure.

So what DOES the hobbit have?

Journeying. Camping and shelter. Planning. Close encounters won through grit. Magic is present but does not explode in your face which makes it, well, magical. Long lasting companionship. Uncertain horizons. Worrying about supplies. When violence does occur, its effect is exponentially heightened because you have not become desensitized by its constant presence.


I'm probably rambling on, gonna put away my old man cane now

 

[madrigal]

If you feel like getting kicked in the nuts in the monastery, just wait till you get outside

Party building is one of the most fun things to do in Wiz8. And unless you intentionally gimp yourself (like getting a lizard bishop or faerie warrior), there are no bad parties. Your looks good if unremarkable (where are the furries and scalies?!), though I rarely take one priest myself, let alone two.

I didn't intentionally gimp my party but tried and all faerie mage playthrough, pretty much all the fights were easy until the end boss who was impossible due to magic resistance.

 

[SCO]

Play Realms of Arkania.