tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post1218177958500831979..comments2024-03-28T20:51:01.807-04:00Comments on The CRPG Addict: Abandoned Places 2: A Small World After AllCRPG Addicthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01238237377918550322noreply@blogger.comBlogger45125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-65532803266738829992021-06-25T06:24:42.779-04:002021-06-25T06:24:42.779-04:00On the ratings scale I suppose it would be average...On the ratings scale I suppose it would be average, nothing really unique about it. But the controls are very bad since there is no mouse support (I play it on mobile with an emulator, the small touch screen mitigates that somewhat).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-22431776423794999242021-06-24T22:24:41.943-04:002021-06-24T22:24:41.943-04:00Is Theron's Quest worth it anf unique enough f...Is Theron's Quest worth it anf unique enough for the Addict to play, or is it just a mediocre adaption of the original? I'm getting major vibes of the latter, but I should let someone who's actually played it weigh in.P-Tux7https://www.blogger.com/profile/03201162995038006540noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-89972757656535138042021-06-15T11:44:31.574-04:002021-06-15T11:44:31.574-04:00I think its pretty simplistic to argue that a game...I think its pretty simplistic to argue that a game like Dark Souls doesn't require perception, intelligence, and creativity. If anything, I'd argue trying to defeat a tough enemy there using a new strategy or unusual character build requires much more of all three than a puzzle room with a bunch of spinners and teleporters, which has a single solution that can be pieced together via trial and error.Ianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02820538967423341664noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-33322006481189770402021-06-12T06:35:36.055-04:002021-06-12T06:35:36.055-04:00yeah as stepped pyramids says, it's not the wo...yeah as stepped pyramids says, it's not the words themselves that are the issue, there's just not a lot to make me care, it's just something to point you to the next dungeon/set of combat encounters etc..<br /><br />"you're not supposed to care about story" is always my problem with this sort of game, if the story isn't compelling, then why would I bother playing this one over the dozens of other similar ones?Andy_Panthrohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18231815646876343380noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-38552688092094751242021-06-12T03:17:34.851-04:002021-06-12T03:17:34.851-04:00While I'm not a fan of RT combat, many of the ...While I'm not a fan of RT combat, many of the puzzle mechanics in DM-style games wouldn't work in TB - like outrunning a fireball or charting your way through a field of pit traps. It would either be impossible or too easy. Vaporum has an interesting middle ground with its autopause mode, but I hate that game for making pit traps instakill you.poster formerly known as VKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09766031949641666286noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-71273516225160595452021-06-12T03:06:37.460-04:002021-06-12T03:06:37.460-04:00Theron's quest for the PC Engine is a DM versi...Theron's quest for the PC Engine is a DM version (by FTL) with this kind of story (M&M style I suppose) progression. The catch is that only the main characters stats carry over, so it makes sense to use him most of the time.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-18977601500133647472021-06-12T00:32:16.384-04:002021-06-12T00:32:16.384-04:00Real time combat makes for different tactics than ...Real time combat makes for different tactics than turn based, and it makes sense in games like DM and its sequel CSB, where you can use closing doors against enemies, for example.<br />But it makes little sense in virtually all other (those that I have played) real time blobbers, which have more primitive physics and no interactions with the dungeon environment, and JarlFrank has a point in that they could just as well have been turn based. But then I think combat in MM 3-5 is so simplistic that it could just as well have been real time.<br /><br />Anyway, I think GregT must be one of the few who plays RTBs for the combat. At least it's my impression that for must players, including me, the attraction is the exploration and puzzle solving, and for some (like me) the map making.PetrusOctavianusnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-45439936543653458722021-06-11T20:14:29.362-04:002021-06-11T20:14:29.362-04:00Once again, difficulty is *almost entirely illusor...Once again, difficulty is *almost entirely illusory* and is a function of game design, not objective challenge.<br /><br />There are four kinds of difficulty:<br />(a) Is your body and brain physically capable of doing this? Not everyone has the reflexes and neurodivergence necessary to play at the highest levels of some games.<br />(b) Have you learned the necessary skill or knowledge? The skill only exists in the context of the game, so if you haven't learned it, that's a failure of the game in teaching it, not a failure of you.<br />(c) Have you spent the necessary time? Whether this is time to practice, or time to grind, some games simply require more time investment, and overcoming the "challenge" requires investing that time.<br />(d) Are you lucky? Success requires a result on a random number generator, and succeeding is less likely, or impossible, without that result.<br /><br />Games that feel "fun difficult" are not necessarily more difficult than other games - they have simply designed a better loop of teaching skills, testing skills, and rewarding success. Guitar Hero, for example, requires a very high level of physical skill and precision - but it teaches it very well, and rewards it well. It feels "fun difficult". Dark Souls requires you to learn skills - but gives a good environment to develop those skills, with clear feedback, and has a low reliance on luck once they're mastered, so it feels "fun difficult". Whereas you could make a game that just requires you to roll 3d10 until you get three zeroes at once - it's "difficult", but not "fun difficult". Or a game that requires you to demonstrate amazing precision and reflexes - but doesn't tell you what it wants, or give you feedback when you get it wrong. Difficult, but not "fun difficult".<br /><br />Or, by contrast, Portal, which is actually *very easy*, and has a very high rate of players actually completing it, and yet you feel like a genius every time you solve a puzzle because the game design is exceptional. GregThttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01532920274312703426noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-67592376476311254992021-06-11T20:05:01.381-04:002021-06-11T20:05:01.381-04:00Real-time combat is one of the key attractions of ...Real-time combat is one of the key attractions of the subgenre for me. A dungeon that's moving while I'm standing still, and where danger can approach from any direction, combined with that visceral feeling of real-time combat, is definitely a core attraction.<br /><br />When I see blobbers with turn-based combat I'm more inclined to go "Sigh - well, it had better be tactically deep AND have a great story".GregThttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01532920274312703426noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-46984672063098949322021-06-11T18:46:05.031-04:002021-06-11T18:46:05.031-04:00I enjoy a good challenge, be it a mental one or a ...I enjoy a good challenge, be it a mental one or a physical one (I guess that means I like to be... mentally challenged. Ha, ha). Tough platformers and oldschool FPS games are just as much up my alley as difficult tactical games, wargames, adventure games with tricky puzzles, etc.<br /><br />When it gets frustrating for me is when a challenge doesn't take much creativity or skill to surmount, but merely an investment of time. There's a lot of roguelites these days with an upgrade mechanic that lets you permanently improve your future characters after your current one dies. But they're often designed in a way that you have to grind playthroughs in order to get enough upgrade points to even stand a chance in the lategame challenges. And of course, there have always been badly designed RPGs that require you to slog through dozens of samey random encounters just to scrounge up enough experience to be able to defeat the next boss, who is mathematically impossible to beat unless you grind, even if you use perfect tactics.<br /><br />That's the kind of "difficulty" that frustrates me. Because all it asks of you is time investment, and I don't derive any enjoyment from repeatedly grinding the same encounters over and over again. JarlFrankhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08139422412722665286noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-43891230196422151632021-06-11T18:35:34.844-04:002021-06-11T18:35:34.844-04:00I, on the other hand, would b3 really happy if the...I, on the other hand, would b3 really happy if the Dungeon Master clones switched their combat to M&M style turn based instead. It's actually faster than real time (just look how fast combat is in Xeen!) and it's less hectic.<br /><br />I really don't get the appeal of real time combat in blobbers. In an isometric RPG like Baldur's Gate, it makes the game feel like an RTS. In an action RPG like Ultima Underworld, Elder Scrolls, or Gothic it makes for exciting action combat that requires some player skill, like timing your blocks or circlestrafing your enemies.<br /><br />In a blobber it just means you have to click on the attack button of all your characters in a hectic way, and do the step-dance to avoid enemy attacks. Meh. JarlFrankhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08139422412722665286noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-36294486414761569032021-06-11T16:22:03.451-04:002021-06-11T16:22:03.451-04:00I don't think any cool names would really make...I don't think any cool names would really make "some guy wants to destroy one magical artifact but can't without another magical artifact" particularly compelling writing.stepped pyramidsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-62143261489375650682021-06-11T13:21:17.766-04:002021-06-11T13:21:17.766-04:00That is reasonable. I suppose the punishing, trap-...That is reasonable. I suppose the punishing, trap-laden dungeon is just one aspect of old school design I don't enjoy. If Rooms of Chaos were filled with NPCs and well written text description I would gladly map 'till the cows come home. I just wish more crpg designers had been influenced by Caverns of Thracia instead of Tomb of Horrors.Phaedrushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03018858016507912905noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-38534872326478794022021-06-11T12:57:30.028-04:002021-06-11T12:57:30.028-04:00I think "frustration" and "challeng...I think "frustration" and "challenge" are really the same things depending on how you feel about the nature of the challenge. If I don't fundamentally like what I'm doing--action games come to mind--I'm frustrated by obstacles. If I do, I'm challenged by them. CRPG Addicthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01238237377918550322noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-11814196289766473002021-06-11T12:20:20.917-04:002021-06-11T12:20:20.917-04:00I don't believe that challenge = frustration. ...I don't believe that challenge = frustration. I play almost zero new games and I don't own a console so I do not belong in the new gamer category. I do however value exploration, problem solving, inventory puzzles, hard tactical combat etc. Stepping on a teleporter that launches me back to the start of a dungeon? That just seems like a cheap shot, and it better offer some reward. <br /><br />I regularly DM 1st edition ad&d and those rules can be brutal but I'm careful to give my players rewards after I put them through the ringer. They love hard combats and mysterious puzzles but I've found that tedious mapping and "gotcha" traps quickly ruined the fun. Again, I think Might & Magic shines here as an example of how to fill a dungeon with atmosphere and interactivity as opposed to confusing tricks. Just my opinion.Phaedrushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03018858016507912905noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-33130951021804669942021-06-11T11:25:18.796-04:002021-06-11T11:25:18.796-04:00There's a lot of crazy hard puzzle games out t...There's a lot of crazy hard puzzle games out there, they just tend to be pure puzzle mechanics rather than an interesting hybrid of RPG and puzzles like DM. Personally I don't care for DM style games, but I can see their appeal.Danhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17469733830517678716noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-67810921742375512592021-06-11T10:36:51.573-04:002021-06-11T10:36:51.573-04:00I agree somewhat, but I also think there's no ...I agree somewhat, but I also think there's no reason that a DM clone COULDN'T tell a good story. EotB2 gets close. CRPG Addicthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01238237377918550322noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-55188732952971145512021-06-11T10:27:58.202-04:002021-06-11T10:27:58.202-04:00I think Harland is talking about a different kind ...I think Harland is talking about a different kind of difficulty than the kind exhibited by <i>Dark Souls</i>. He's referring specifically to puzzles that require perception, intelligence, and creativity. There are plenty of games today that are hard because of either probabilities or manual dexterity (and most games at least have a setting that can MAKE them hard in those things), but few modern games are hard in the way that <i>Dungeon Master</i> is hard, where you have to pay careful attention, make maps, and experiment.<br /><br />I was gratified at first when both of the latest <i>Assassin's Creeds</i> offered the ability to turn off quest markers. I had to laugh when I realized they simply replaced markers telling you exactly where to go with text telling you exactly where to go. I want to play a game again in which I have to uses clues and logic to find things. <i>Morrowind</i> is the last I can remember.CRPG Addicthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01238237377918550322noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-51028491847168794882021-06-11T08:12:47.902-04:002021-06-11T08:12:47.902-04:00Yes, I think the oldschool kind of gamer is still ...Yes, I think the oldschool kind of gamer is still there and actually is large in size, it is just that the audience broadened so in relative size it is maybe less people, and we see a lot more casual games than in the past.<br /><br />In all genre, there has been difficult but successful games where the initial experience is frustrating : Dark Souls as above for RPG, the Crusader Kings licence, RimWorld or Frostpunk for management, Baba is YOu for puzzle, ...Narwhal, the Wargaming Scribehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05808952600298482923noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-47550418390342033132021-06-11T06:50:22.977-04:002021-06-11T06:50:22.977-04:00Tell that to the Dark Souls players.Tell that to the Dark Souls players.Sir_Brennushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05826358662287829479noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-7367793210261731782021-06-11T06:24:14.108-04:002021-06-11T06:24:14.108-04:00I can confirm that it's random gibberish in Hu...I can confirm that it's random gibberish in Hungarian as well, and all sound weird. Adamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06082985518520258483noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-2714598552675361792021-06-11T06:13:11.616-04:002021-06-11T06:13:11.616-04:00This comment has been removed by the author.Sir_Brennushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05826358662287829479noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-29938797295005501002021-06-11T05:18:07.269-04:002021-06-11T05:18:07.269-04:00It's not frustration, it's challenge. It ...It's not frustration, it's challenge. It feels good to have a tough puzzle and use your brain to solve it. <br /><br />It's just that today, the oldschool kind of challenge gamer has been largely pushed out of the industry. Video games are larger than Hollywood! So the interactive movie and "press X to win" sort of game are favored by this new kind of gamer. They are quickly bored and anger easily. Harlandnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-44541765646637914572021-06-11T04:50:09.700-04:002021-06-11T04:50:09.700-04:00It MIGHT have a good vibe in Hungarian. But let...It MIGHT have a good vibe in Hungarian. But let's face it, it probably doesn't.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-51322565605910927272021-06-11T04:25:12.995-04:002021-06-11T04:25:12.995-04:00Legend of Grimrock 2 certainly does have a high de...Legend of Grimrock 2 certainly does have a high density of uniqueness and memorability - but very little plot or story. I loved it to death, but it's definitely for those who love the *gameplay* of this genre, more than the *roleplaying*.GregThttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01532920274312703426noreply@blogger.com