Playing Classic RPGs

[secondchildren]

Ah, lady, I've missed your fire and your passion. />

Oops... sorry didn't mean to be aggressive. It's just that NWN2 has been among the greatest disappointment of my gaming life.

But one needs NWN2 to play the expansion, correct? So, how good IS "Mask of the Betrayer"? Worth buying the main game for?

Mask Of The Betrayer on the other hand is very good... homage to
Planescape i'd say, with a little bit of Princess Mononoke in it.
And MotB is definitely worth your money, cause it's very replayable
with different companions (and alignment).

Coroner (Zg summarized it pretty much.
I don't know the reason, but it's totally another story and another quality. I mean... I don't know why the story was so bad in the OC and so good in MotB.

Anyway, nope it's not a stand alone. You need to purchase NWN2 to have it. IMO, if they're giving the whole bundle at affordable price, probably you could buy it just to play the expansion. You need to pick up one of the pre-build characters from the list btw, in order to have a good gameplay in MotB (or you could import yours from the main NWN2 campaign.... provided that you can resist until the very crappy end of it.... coz you know, it also has most disappointing end in the world!)

 

[CoronerZg]

I don't know the reason, but it's totally another story and another quality. I mean... I don't know why the story was so bad in the OC and so good in MotB.

George Ziets is your answer

...for MotB being that good i mean, don't really know
why OC actually sucked as much as it did :>

 

[volsung]

So what happens if you rat Coleman out? Any repercussions, or just a quest update?

So far only a note in my journal. I'll see if there are any major consequences.

I'm not very far into it yet. The opening sequence features the player's dead body being pushed into the morgue on a cart ... sound familiar? I don't know if that was homage or rip-off.

So far, the story seems relatively generic, and parts of it seem not very logical. The player is the one and only person that researchers have managed to raise from the dead after many years of effort. The bad guys find out about the research and come in to destroy everything. The head researcher says that the equipment he used to raise the dead is unimportant, but YOU must escape at all costs, since you're his only proof that the process works. But you're just one more person; once you leave the facility, there's no proof that you've been raised from the dead.

I'd say the person who should escape at all costs is the RESEARCHER who's finally perfected the process of raising soldiers from the dead to fight again. But only people like me think it would be fun to play a biological researcher; most players want combat.

It's over-the-shoulder view but doesn't make me motion sick. I still miss my favorite isometric view -- I can't SEE anything from down here -- but at least it doesn't make me ill.

I seem to see all of the strings that are being pulled to make the player dance more than I've done in previous games. I don't know if the game is actually a bit heavy-handed, or if being involved in making my own game has made me look behind the curtain a bit more when playing games.

Anyway, I'm not very far into it yet, and it may either improve or deteriorate. Right now, I'd say it's solid but not remarkable.

It didn't really interest me back when it was announced, or when I saw gameplay videos. I've heard it plays basically like a single player MMO, heh. But if they gave it to my I would, like you, give it a try. Why do you think your husband chose that particular game?

I'm not sure that Dandelion is actually good for very much, but it doesn't seem that one could have The Witcher without him.

I actually think he is very resourceful, witty and skilled. But he needs the right kind of motivation.

EDIT: I am pretty tired right now and imagining things. I just had this strange idea of using The Nameless One's voice from PS:T, when he says "Updated my journal" as my incoming text message notification. Why is it that some things seem so funny when you're half asleep?

 

[secondchildren]

@Coroner(Zg
Eh... I suspected that

@volsung
If I think to Dandelion in term of a DnD character (a bard) well I wouldn't find it very useful in combat. But just like Jansen, I wouldn't step anywhere without him. I mean, he is fantastic. Unfortunately, the games don't give him enough justice imo. The books instead make a perfect portrait of him.

 

[prince_12]

So is NWN2 a bad game or? I just recently bought it from Gog.com since it was on sale. Heh, guess I should have asked you guys first whether it was worth it or not =>

 

[Corylea.723]

So is NWN2 a bad game or? I just recently bought it from Gog.com since it was on sale. Heh, guess I should have asked you guys first whether it was worth it or not =>

Well, Volsung and I bought it, too, so you're not alone. The general word seems to be that the main game isn't worth much, but the "Mask of the Betrayer" expansion pack is something special. I figure I'll play the tutorial of the main game, to learn how to play, then skip directly to MotB.

Oops... sorry didn't mean to be aggressive. It's just that NWN2 has been among the greatest disappointment of my gaming life.

Huh? I said that I'd missed your fire and your passion because I'd missed your fire and your passion. There's nothing in there about being too aggressive; quite the contrary!

It didn't really interest me back when it was announced, or when I saw gameplay videos. I've heard it plays basically like a single player MMO, heh.

I never checked it out even that far because the company that made the game is owned by Curt Shilling, who used to play on the local baseball team. While here, we learned that he's a right-wing zealot, and I didn't want to buy a game from him. But my husband didn't know that...

But if they gave it to my I would, like you, give it a try. Why do you think your husband chose that particular game?

When he gave me TW1, it was because he'd read reviews of it and thought it sounded like exactly the sort of thing I would enjoy -- deep story, interesting moral questions, interesting but not micro-managing combat.

For THIS game, on the other hand, he gave it to me because he thought I probably didn't know anything about it. He said, "If you wanted a well-known game like Diablo 3, I figure you'd have it, but you probably don't know much about this game." It IS true that I'm boycotting Diablo 3 because of their always-online DRM. But there are plenty of well-known games I've heard of that didn't grab me enough for me to actually buy them, but I wouldn't mind checking them out, Skyrim, for example.

EDIT: I am pretty tired right now and imagining things. I just had this strange idea of using The Nameless One's voice from PS:T, when he says "Updated my journal" as my incoming text message notification. Why is it that some things seem so funny when you're half asleep?

I don't think that would be screamingly funny, but I do think it would be fun!

 

[Blothulfur]

Speaking of NWN2 if you're into Conan at all try the mods available on the Neverwinter Vault, they're very good. In fact there are a damn lot of good mods for the game, download the hall of fame ones and you're fairly much guaranteed quality.

 

[Corylea.723]

Speaking of NWN2 if you're into Conan at all try the mods available on the Neverwinter Vault, they're very good. In fact there are a damn lot of good mods for the game, download the hall of fame ones and you're fairly much guaranteed quality.

I hate the word "mod," because it can mean "moderator," "modder," "modification of the main game," or "new adventure." (Not ragging on you in particular, Bloth; it's a common problem in gaming circles. I've been trying to get people to use the words "moderator," "modder," and "adventure," with "mod" reserved for modifications of the main game, but it's an uphill battle. But geeze, I'm a modder AND a moderator; does that make me a mod mod? You see how quickly this becomes ridiculous. )

I'm assuming that what you're recommending is new adventures? Are there any modifications of the main game that you recommend? Anything that kills bugs or smooths out annoyances?

 

[Blothulfur]

We used to have a societal group in Britain called Mods a few decades ago, drove around on Vespas and Lambrettas in the latest french fashions, I never liked them.

Apparently a lot of folk rave about Tony K's AI fixes for the game, I just micromanage and basically play it almost turn based so i've no need for them, but lots recommend it. I just play it base, they updated it very regularly for a long time and it's fairly stable now, most issues are long gone. It' surprising how nice looking the game is, you can really take some nice evocative screenshots.

 

[username_2093396]

I also bought NWN2 on the GOG sale I don't think I'm ever going to summon the patience to try NWN1 again, but I intend to play the NWN1 expansions and then try NWN2. Even if I end up hating NWN2, I'm reasonably sure I'll enjoy the expansion based on what everyone is saying

In the meantime, I'm still chugging away in Baldur's Gate. I left the main quest alone for awhile because I got sidetracked clearing some of the travel maps and a few things which I think were added in the Sword Coast expansion. Right now I'm working my way through Durlag's Tower.

The top of the tower with the four basilisks was ridiculous since they could one-shot-kill my characters. I was too stubborn to give up though and managed to get past it without losing any party members. I wasted around an hour luring one basilisk at a time to the stairs, running away, saving, and then storming up the stairs with my party and whaling on the basilisk until it died (and if it turned one of my characters to stone then I loaded and tried again).

Right after I killed the basilisks and collected the loot, I remembered that I had a talking chicken in my inventory and went to High Hedge to finish that side-quest. Then I looked through the wizard's shop and he had a spell to protect against petrification, which made me start giggling like a maniac. If only I had finished the chicken quest first before finding the basilisks

(And then after that I realized that I hadn't cleared the entire tower so I went back and am now going downstairs clearing out the lower levels)

 

[Blothulfur]

There's some oil that does the same thing as the spell as well, can't for the life of me remember the name of it.

 

[Corylea.723]

I get the impression that Durlag's Tower is intended for fairly high-level characters and is intended to be cleared fairly late in the game. What level are you, Ward Dragon? You've certainly got impressive amounts of persistence!

 

[Pangaea666]

Experts can probably finish Durlag's Tower on low levels, but it's certainly not something I would recommend doing on a first play. Since you left to do the chicken quest, I recommend you don't come back for a very long time. Baldur's Gate is a game where you can come across enemies that are simply too strong for your level, and I'd consider Durlag's Tower one of those places. Later in the game you'll learn more about the place, and the pieces will start to make more sense.

 

[secondchildren]

Experts can probably finish Durlag's Tower on low levels, but it's certainly not something I would recommend doing on a first play. Since you left to do the chicken quest, I recommend you don't come back for a very long time. Baldur's Gate is a game where you can come across enemies that are simply too strong for your level, and I'd consider Durlag's Tower one of those places. Later in the game you'll learn more about the place, and the pieces will start to make more sense.

Oh yea.... demogorgon, blast it

 

[Chewin3]

Oh dear, I have been gone for quite some time, haven't I?

I have to apologize if I left anyone hanging on our Planescape: Torment "get together playthrough". My social life got the better of me, and I never actually managed to delve into the game. Or to be honest, I actually got a bit bored of it. I don't blame the game, but more myself. There was a lot on my mind back then; stress and a busy schedule that limited me from simply sitting down and playing it. I noticed that P:T is one of those games I really need several hours of 'game time' when I'm playing, and me continuously postponing the experience b/c of work and studies made it hard for me to connect to the game, not excluding having to remember what I was doing / going to do in it.

But know with my studies behind me, and my vacation finally started, I have basically all time in the world to spend. And what better way than to finally finish my P:T experience

 

[username_2093396]

There's some oil that does the same thing as the spell as well, can't for the life of me remember the name of it.

Thanks I bought the spell for Dynaheir, but I'll keep a look out for the oil too

I get the impression that Durlag's Tower is intended for fairly high-level characters and is intended to be cleared fairly late in the game. What level are you, Ward Dragon? You've certainly got impressive amounts of persistence! />/>

Thanks, although I'm not sure my stubborn persistence is always a good thing /> I'm level 6 and my party is around there too (they level up at slightly different rates so I forget if some of them are level 5 or 7).

Experts can probably finish Durlag's Tower on low levels, but it's certainly not something I would recommend doing on a first play. Since you left to do the chicken quest, I recommend you don't come back for a very long time. Baldur's Gate is a game where you can come across enemies that are simply too strong for your level, and I'd consider Durlag's Tower one of those places. Later in the game you'll learn more about the place, and the pieces will start to make more sense.

I cleared the entire top half and then went back for the bottom half. I've just gotten past the four spirits(?) of Fear, Avarice, Love, and Pride. I'm going to go down to the next level since I fought so hard to get there, but if I keep hitting a brick wall in terms of the combat then I'll take your advice and come back later />

 

[Pangaea666]

I cleared the entire top half and then went back for the bottom half. I've just gotten past the four spirits(?) of Fear, Avarice, Love, and Pride. I'm going to go down to the next level since I fought so hard to get there, but if I keep hitting a brick wall in terms of the combat then I'll take your advice and come back later />/>

Very impressive, those enemies are hardly xvarts! Still some pretty darn tough stuff left, but if you are level 6-ish then you may be able to compete, if you have a good selection of spells and such. Think I did it when close to the XP cap, which I suppose was level 8 or 9 or thereabouts, so it's not a huge difference.

Good luck down there, it's an excellent experience. Watch your step though

 

[volsung]

Oh yea.... demogorgon, blast it />

You're thinking of Watcher's Keep. But let's not spoil it for Ward Dragon

 

[prince_12]

Oh dear, I have been gone for quite some time, haven't I?

Hellooooou!

*glomps*

Yes, shame on you for not having a life and not playing games. This is truly an unforgettable crime you have committed. Nah, I'm just fooling with ya It's nice to have you back here with us! And hopefully you can finish Planescape this time around. And then later join us in playing NWN2

 

[Chewin3]

Hello to you to. Well I will try to finish P:T. And quite conveniently, I as well bought NWN2 from GOG.com. Though it will be on the shelf for awhile. Have other games to play before that one.