Were there other "Tactical Blob" games like Goldbox?

[Ladonna]

Just been thinking about this; Were there other games where the party explores the world in pseudo (or real) 3D steps (or continuous), but when they get to combat encounters, the game goes to a top down tactical combat map? I might be missing something obvious, but I can only think of Dark Heart of Uukrul. There were plenty of Iconographic top down games that went to a separate tactical combat map (think Magic candle, first 5 Ultima's, and so on).

Even when we look at DHoU, the tactical combat is much more simplified compared to the Goldbox games.

So, am I missing some games that had this system?

Strange that there hasn't been at least a few knockoffs over the years. Or a "love letter" style game as a kickstarter, etc.

 

[Reinhardt]

Realms of Arkania HD

 

[baba is you]

Betrayal at Krondor and Realms of Arkania have very similar mechanics. And then there's Albion.

 

[cretin]

The guy who made Exiled Kingdoms is currently working on one - https://store.steampowered.com/app/1082970/Archaelund/ and the early stuff is looking good.

Though it appears to be stuck in development hell. But if we managed to survive until Grimwah, we can wait for this one too.

pls stop, my cock can only get so hard

 

[baba is you]

Unless you show us your FBI credentials (furiously shitting on Gothic or ESLs is an acceptable substitute) to prove you are who everyone thinks you are, this avatar is not allowed.

Hmmm. Okay, I like this avatar, but I keep getting similar comments, so maybe I should change it.

 

[octavius]

Would it have made any practical difference if the Gold Box games used a top down or isometic view when exploring towns and dungeons?

 

[Fatberg Slim]

Mars Saga/Mines of Titan had this, although the combat was more simplified compared to Gold Box games.

 

[Don Peste]

Crystals of Arborea, prequel to Ishar

 

[Roguey]

Would it have made any practical difference if the Gold Box games used a top down or isometic view when exploring towns and dungeons?

You can see for yourself by playing the Genesis/Mega Drive port of Buck Rogers: Countdown to Doomsday.

 

[Ladonna]

Would it have made any practical difference if the Gold Box games used a top down or isometic view when exploring towns and dungeons?

Spatial awareness. In the Goldbox games, you saw what your characters can see. Twisty streets in ruined Phlan, cave walls in the ice caverns of Silver Blades, etc. In a top down or isometric view, you have a drone hovering overhead (or a satellite in some of the old top down games), and no real spatial awareness is needed. I would love to hear from someone that needed to concentrate on where they were in a top down or iso rpg. Even in some of the bigger dungeons in Magic Candle, getting lost was almost not an option, and exploring Britannia in Ultima IV/V was easy even without a map. Not saying I don't enjoy them, as I do, but the 3D "street" view (pseudo or real) gives another aspect of challenge to a game that I enjoy from time to time. Mix it in with decent tactical combat and I'm happy.

The Goldbox games also, in my opinion, got it fairly right in that if you took some care of checking out your surroundings, you didn't really HAVE to map them. You could make it through ok without that so long as you payed attention. As someone that enjoyed, for example, the first two Might and Magic games, but absolutely LOATHED mapping, I appreciate it.

 

[Dorateen]

Magic & Mercenaries by ProphetSword is also in development.

 

[Fatberg Slim]

I would love to hear from someone that needed to concentrate on where they were in a top down or iso rpg.

Deathlord had some very tricky dungeons to map/navigate due to illusionary walls, secret/fake doors, unmarked teleporters, and being designed by assholes. It would have been much easier though if the game showed you the entire screen regardless of what your characters can actually see (like Wasteland).

 

[Abu Antar]

Ambermoon, and Amberstar?

 

[Zed Duke of Banville]

Perihelion, RPG Codex GotY 1993:

 

[Old Hans]

Perihelion, RPG Codex GotY 1993:

this game looks cool and I've never heard of it. I'm gonna take a guess and say it's because it's from an unknown european developer?

 

[Kedar]

Perihelion, RPG Codex GotY 1993:

this game looks cool and I've never heard of it. I'm gonna take a guess and say it's because it's from an unknown european developer?

Yes, and for a forgotten home computer that was big in Europe but not so much outside of it.

 

[Zed Duke of Banville]

Perihelion, RPG Codex GotY 1993:

this game looks cool and I've never heard of it. I'm gonna take a guess and say it's because it's from an unknown european developer?

Perihelion was created by three Hungarians for the Commodore Amiga, never released outside Europe, and never ported to another system.

Yes, and for a forgotten home computer that was big in Europe but not so much outside of it.

The Amiga will never be forgotten.

 

[octavius]

Perihelion, RPG Codex GotY 1993:

this game looks cool and I've never heard of it. I'm gonna take a guess and say it's because it's from an unknown european developer?

Perihelion was created by three Hungarians for the Commodore Amiga, never released outside Europe, and never ported to another system.

Is it "related" to Abandoned Tales?

 

[Kedar]

The Amiga will never be forgotten.

We, too, are going to die eventually.

 

[JarlFrank]

https://www.mocagh.org/SearchForFreedom/

 

[Zed Duke of Banville]

https://www.mocagh.org/SearchForFreedom/

A game so old school that it ripped off classic artwork from the BECMI "Red Box" Basic Set of Dungeons & Dragons.

 

[Erebus]

Crystals of Arborea, prequel to Ishar

One of my very first games... and I still remember that it was a buggy piece of shit : half the time, trying to make the wizard cast a spell would crash the game.

Anyway, the tactical map was too small to make combat really interesting.

 

[Ladonna]

https://www.mocagh.org/SearchForFreedom/

A game so old school that it ripped off classic artwork from the BECMI "Red Box" Basic Set of Dungeons & Dragons.

I wonder where they ripped the Wizard off from.

 

[JarlFrank]

https://www.mocagh.org/SearchForFreedom/

A game so old school that it ripped off classic artwork from the BECMI "Red Box" Basic Set of Dungeons & Dragons.

I wonder where they ripped the Wizard off from.

As far as I know, this is the only CRPG out there with a playable teddy bear race!

Yes, they are called teddy bears in the actual game. It's pretty hilarious.

 

[Ladonna]

As far as I know, this is the only CRPG out there with a playable teddy bear race!

Yes, they are called teddy bears in the actual game. It's pretty hilarious.

I have to try it out now.