tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post5000972003564254696..comments2024-03-28T15:25:30.216-04:00Comments on The CRPG Addict: Legacy of the Ancients: Mildly Amusing CurioCRPG Addicthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01238237377918550322noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-34531208464389729662019-08-25T20:33:51.709-04:002019-08-25T20:33:51.709-04:00I don't often like to praise my own writing, b...I don't often like to praise my own writing, but I think you're right that I hit a home run there.CRPG Addicthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01238237377918550322noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-13474018516472524582019-08-19T14:14:53.415-04:002019-08-19T14:14:53.415-04:00"Every player has that one nostalgia game tha..."Every player has that one nostalgia game that got him hooked. No reviewer, decades hence, looking at the game through modern eyes, will ever sway his opinion as to its quality. That's as it should be."<br /><br />This is such a beautiful quote. If you ever write a book, I hope this is on the first page.<br /><br />cheers (post05)fairfaxxnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-11505792080395282662014-08-26T02:44:32.118-04:002014-08-26T02:44:32.118-04:00Every player has that one nostalgia game that got ...Every player has that one nostalgia game that got him hooked. No reviewer, decades hence, looking at the game through modern eyes, will ever sway his opinion as to its quality. That's as it should be.CRPG Addicthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01238237377918550322noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-7713450808891860302014-08-25T18:23:45.483-04:002014-08-25T18:23:45.483-04:00To me this was my first RPG and most nostalgic. In...To me this was my first RPG and most nostalgic. In its day its openess, varying gameplay elements, and progression were brilliant, addictive and rewarding. Finding each new weapon and then getting better grades was way cool. The museum concept was unique with mosaics that drew you into the game. Each little variation such as creatures encountered in different terrains as well as secret passage ways in castles, mini games for character progression and reputation in towns, and switching between dimensions (open world, various town, 3D dungeons) was in its time engaging. With the constant progress of all parts of character up skilling, better weapon/armour, spells, mueum tokens etc you really followed the trail so to speak, which upon completion of the game gives you a satisfying and almost emotional experience as it recounts the grand adventure you undertook. I remember feeling immense pride, but also kind off sadness that all the little hidden nuances of discovery the journey was actually at an end. One i strove for but didnt want to ever end. This game has stayed with me for years, and always will. It was epic A rare gem. When years later I was searching games in a shop I came across Blacksillver I remember looking at the images thinking is this real, am i dreaming, have they really made another LOTA? I loved that too, but unfortunately never completed as i lost one of the disks when i moved house - one of my fave all time games. Gaming magic for me.RICK LAKEnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-18456879550363308952012-04-18T04:43:27.912-04:002012-04-18T04:43:27.912-04:00Ah... reminds me of that 1992 RPG; Waxworks, where...Ah... reminds me of that 1992 RPG; Waxworks, where you have to enter different exhibits... just like LoTA.Kenny McCormickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01553499727945099493noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-91490849337379301352010-12-29T17:53:59.594-05:002010-12-29T17:53:59.594-05:00Viridian, thanks for pointing that out! I just too...Viridian, thanks for pointing that out! I just took a look at the Starflight manual, and there is a very obscure reference to LotA. I can't really see the games fitting together, though, in the same universe.<br /><br />William, I'll tell you, this week is a model I need to follow for all my CRPG blogging: get a hotel room near the beach on some warm city, alternate playing games and blogging with long walks, seafood dinners, and gimlets. If only my bank account would hold up, you'd see this same volume every week.<br /><br />Acrin1, good point on Kelfor. I guess there could have been a strategy to it. I basically just kiilled everyone.<br /><br />If I hadn't gambled enough to make so much money, and spent it on the maximum spells, I would have had trouble in the dungeonsCRPG Addicthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01238237377918550322noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-6587918890106884072010-12-29T09:01:25.625-05:002010-12-29T09:01:25.625-05:00I played the C64 version of LOTA last year and man...I played the C64 version of LOTA last year and managed to cover the sections you mentioned above. The lack of interest and experience from encounters is definetly a negative for me (though I'm sure I did get some weapons and armour from monsters on a few occasions). <br /><br />I enjoyed the Castle Kelfor raid as I felt it was a bit more strategic and took a bit of planning due to the large numbers of guards that could wind up chasing you.<br /><br />I also really like the concept of the museum and the displays and the coins - I realise they are just glorified keys to unlock new game areas but still like the presentation.<br /><br />I left the game frustrated after getting to the bottom of a dungeon and retreiving the necessary coins / objects but not having enough spells to be able to fight my way up through the levels again. Ultima's eXit spell would have been good! I think I'd assumed I would lose the coins otherwise I would just have kept playing.<br /><br />Pleased to see the CGA palette in this game is a bit more pleasant on the eye. It would be great if someone could do some EGA/VGA/MIDI hacks on these games like people did for Ultima 3,4 & 5 on the PC.<br /> <br />Anyway I might give the C64 version another go.Acrin1https://www.blogger.com/profile/02424198775294748644noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-85477908666825512092010-12-29T05:56:41.360-05:002010-12-29T05:56:41.360-05:00I miss a few days and during that time you post a ...I miss a few days and during that time you post a novel's worth of material. Goodness. On the other hand, lots of good posts. On the other other hand, too bad some of these games aren't doing it for you. Too bad FTA turned out to be a turkey- I guess I never got that far into it. I had better memories, but given my history of gameplaying, no surprise I didn't get far enough into it to discover how empty it was.<br /><br />I still try playing LOTA now and again, but that interface just makes me nuts- and I always found the food thing to be a game breaker.<br /><br />Man, I suck at games.williamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13165046805752023823noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-63387325626725077792010-12-29T04:36:16.004-05:002010-12-29T04:36:16.004-05:00Wandering back after a few days away... Oddly, whi...Wandering back after a few days away... Oddly, while I remember playing LotA back around 1991 and enjoying it, I'm shocked at how little I remembered. That might be linked directly to the problem you mention about not being able to mentally embellish it... It's probably also related to the age issue that seems common in fiction: kids need little description/conversation & a lot of action, while adults need little action & thrive on well-written description & conversation. (Which is probably why Viridian & I both have fond memories: we were kids when we played it!)<br /><br />Viridian: I read on one site about LotA that one of the worlds on the codewheel is the location for the sequel. From what I've read/inferred, cross-game references were done mostly for fun back then, though -- besides, EA preferred less subtle cross-game promos like this: http://bit.ly/g5L3sEAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03601530372895286420noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-80153133547293037852010-12-28T21:11:46.044-05:002010-12-28T21:11:46.044-05:00The copy protection scheme originally used a codew...The copy protection scheme originally used a codewheel very similar to that used by Starflight, and Legacy of the Ancients is actually referenced in the "prophecy" at the end of the Starflight manual. It seems that either EA forced some cross-promotion (a little early for that) or the Starflight guys liked Legacy of the Ancients.<br /><br />I have very fond memories of this game. I wish you were enjoying it more.Viridianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10441905059578443945noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-87979615769184240722010-12-28T18:28:34.138-05:002010-12-28T18:28:34.138-05:00RE: your last paragraph. I DO usually feel that wa...RE: your last paragraph. I DO usually feel that way. I was able to mentally embellish Wizardry, Ultima IV, and some other games, but LotA just isn't doing it for me.CRPG Addicthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01238237377918550322noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-23899029918367193572010-12-28T17:48:59.762-05:002010-12-28T17:48:59.762-05:00Keep in mind that you can opt out of playing more ...Keep in mind that you can opt out of playing more blackjack and then immediately re-enter into the game with the same dealer, same table, same 'bank' and still make up and close to 2,000 gold. You don't have to travel from town to town.<br /><br />At least you don't in Legend of Blacksilver, but the two engines are practically identical so I doubt this won't be the case.<br /><br />It hurts verisimilitude to do the walk away/come back to the table trick, but then again so it does that once you break the bank every guard in the whole hamlet wants to murder you, so I consider it fair game.<br /><br />Besides, it's funny in role-playing terms if you think you're not really breaking the bank at 2,000, you're just angering a dealer with goldfish memory. Out of sight for a cocktail's worth of time, then you can take his money again.<br /><br />Legend of Blacksilver has better gambling, also.<br /><br /><br />It's true these games are basic, but there's something really nice about them being exactly that, there's some space for imagination that is missing sometimes in more recent RPGs. So little is happening and in so abstracted, symbolic a level, it's hard - for me at least - to not imagine the goings on in more vivid detail, embellish on the story, as it were.Helmhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00584102280299430293noreply@blogger.com