tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post5500344023477784434..comments2024-03-28T03:23:08.428-04:00Comments on The CRPG Addict: Clouds of Xeen: CircumnavigationCRPG Addicthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01238237377918550322noreply@blogger.comBlogger97125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-19122597965920875572023-05-10T14:56:22.940-04:002023-05-10T14:56:22.940-04:00What a strange, bug looking dragon. I am always in...What a strange, bug looking dragon. I am always interested in the variety of styles of dragons. That one definitely has an Oriental look to it, like the Wizardry dragon. rabid_tincturenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-38034614844653927042021-04-17T15:07:17.204-04:002021-04-17T15:07:17.204-04:00I love those faces. It's also quite logical af...I love those faces. It's also quite logical after stepping off a cloud. It's a doozy of a mistake. Modrannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-23682421333766478782021-04-08T00:21:47.659-04:002021-04-08T00:21:47.659-04:00"while there are almost no situations in whic..."while there are almost no situations in which a suit and tie is 'wrong,' there are plenty of occasions in which a clown costume is wrong."<br /><br />Barbecues, pizza restaurants, cleaning with bleach...<br /><br />I kid. But IMO games that try too hard to be serious loop right back around to comedy, so it's the best of all worlds in that case.Alexhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14025511634630902101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-18120366797122920082021-04-07T14:10:10.836-04:002021-04-07T14:10:10.836-04:00You misunderstand. Bioware was just an example, an...You misunderstand. Bioware was just an example, and it was good at what it did, but once the paradigm "we're making TRUE ART, just like the movies and books" became dominant, it became way too hard to find something more light in tone while not being marketed explicitly at kids.infidelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04498952152952258656noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-71851187682847791432021-04-07T12:51:12.301-04:002021-04-07T12:51:12.301-04:00I guess my take is that while there are almost no ...I guess my take is that while there are almost no situations in which a suit and tie is "wrong," there are plenty of occasions in which a clown costume is wrong. Between "too serious" and "too silly," I'd be happy if games erred towards the former. I certainly don't think that any of the Bioware games' sins are "taking themselves too seriously."CRPG Addicthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01238237377918550322noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-1085326637831817202021-04-07T07:09:48.200-04:002021-04-07T07:09:48.200-04:00Well, I see it as a problem here in 2021, for sure...Well, I see it as a problem here in 2021, for sure :) But I was talking about more modern games, pretty much anything starting from Bioware era - Diablo, Baldur's Gate, etc. This wasn't a problem in 1992 because not a lot of people could take seriously what was happening on the screen, and even in 2000 the variety was way better than it is now. But once the budgets got bigger and the graphics got more realistic, the humor got sidelined into action-adventures for kids and, more recently, some of the indie titles. I can only remember Legends of Amberland from the recent releases, which looks to be a straight Might & Magic 3-5 homage.infidelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04498952152952258656noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-43492182028448868582021-04-06T17:59:05.517-04:002021-04-06T17:59:05.517-04:00Not to pick on your specifically, but since you...Not to pick on your specifically, but since you're like the 12th person to use the phrase, I would like someone to provide me an example of one of those awful games that "takes itself way too seriously." Is that really a problem here in 1992? Were there a lot of players going, "Screw this. I want to enjoy <i>Ultima Underworld</i>, but I just can't deal with the <i>gravitas</i> of it all"?CRPG Addicthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01238237377918550322noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-60319853010700228362021-04-06T17:12:06.230-04:002021-04-06T17:12:06.230-04:00That whimsical cheefulness is a signature of Von C...That whimsical cheefulness is a signature of Von Caneghem's game design. He always throws everything into a pot, whether it's fairy tales, some pop culture references here and there, a mish-mash of good-natured fun. I can remember it in all his games I've played starting from King's Bounty and ending with the recent mobile game, Creature Quest. I can never keep the smile off my face, especially that a lot of games quite often take themselves way too seriously.infidelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04498952152952258656noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-6708840869903389612021-03-15T05:50:51.007-04:002021-03-15T05:50:51.007-04:00In America is the same with the addition that alre...In America is the same with the addition that already existent towns had saints added. For example, Bogota became "Santa Fe de Bogota".eaesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-65861048416050734782021-03-14T23:40:08.261-04:002021-03-14T23:40:08.261-04:00I don't know about the American settlements, b...I don't know about the American settlements, but we have some long names for villages in Spain. Usually they get shortened on regular talk; for your 2 examples, maybe something like 'Reina de los Ángeles' and 'Villa Real' would sufficeshankaohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06194425920878224732noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-63926225533955667502021-03-14T00:32:31.750-05:002021-03-14T00:32:31.750-05:00I have to wonder what the Spanish were thinking as...I have to wonder what the Spanish were thinking as they settled North America. They gave towns names like "El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Ángeles" and "La Villa Real de la Santa Fe de San Francisco de Asís." Did they really think people would say all of that?<br /><br />CRPG Addicthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01238237377918550322noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-27690259678408321032021-03-13T18:35:29.285-05:002021-03-13T18:35:29.285-05:00There are probably a hundred cities in Germany goi...There are probably a hundred cities in Germany going by the name of "Newcity" (Neustadt) because people who founded a new city used to be very creative. Most German cities have very simple names like that, but over the centuries they were contracted to be quicker to pronounce. That is especially apparent in cities founded by Romans and originally named in Latin.<br /><br />Take Köln, for example (Cologne in English). It was founded by Romans as Colonia Agrippina (basically Agrippina's colony). Then in the middle ages they just shortened it to Colonia. And in the local dialect it got shortened even more until it turned into Köln. You can still see where it comes from if you know the history, but taken on its own without context, it seems like a unique city name, even though it's basically just a contraction of the Latin word for "colony".<br /><br />When new cities are founded, names are either given by<br />a) geographical features (something like "River Crossing")<br />b) name of the founder (Jackson's Village)<br />c) an event that happened there (Frankfurt basically means ford where the Franks once crossed over) JarlFrankhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08139422412722665286noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-76166545809915051132021-03-13T18:09:19.576-05:002021-03-13T18:09:19.576-05:00Names like "Winterkill" and "Riverc...Names like "Winterkill" and "Rivercity" are perfectly believable real-world names, though. The only difference between unmemorable phrases like those, and the exotic words we think of as good names, is that the good names are those same unmemorable phrases in some other language, sometimes even a long-dead language.<br /><br />Like, if you look at a map of Japan while knowing some Japanese, it's full of uncreative names like Wideisland, Longcape, Capital City, and East Capital. (Hiroshima, Nagasaki, Kyoto, Tokyo respectively.) Japan is a bit unique because the native language the ancient names come from has never been wiped away by colonization, so they're still mostly comprehensible in modern Japanese.<br /><br />See also the <a href="http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/map_of_the_week/2013/06/literal_meanings_of_places_in_the_u_s_map.html" rel="nofollow">Atlas of True Names</a> of locations in North America.NLeseulhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10470251242004226908noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-72355865636459222702021-03-12T16:09:57.602-05:002021-03-12T16:09:57.602-05:00"I spent literally every single gem I had, ex..."I spent literally every single gem I had, except for about 25..."<br /><br />Chet has become a millennial :P6350'noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-91324399881183249002021-03-11T20:47:29.297-05:002021-03-11T20:47:29.297-05:00The overarching plots of MM 1-5 and Wizardry 6-8 a...The overarching plots of MM 1-5 and Wizardry 6-8 are structurally very similar in that they're both series of relatively standalone fantasy stories glued together with space opera, but the Wizardry games do somewhat better at having the events of the games themselves tie into the sci-fi setting. If you removed the final encounters of MM 1, 2, and 3, you would have no idea they were supposed to be part of the same plot and, more importantly, all three games would have what amounted to a reasonable main quest and ending. All of them have a tacked-on "good job saving the kingdom/world, now go do some sci-fi stuff" part. MM 4 doesn't even get that far, while MM 5 just _slightly_ improves on the status quo.stepped pyramidsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-24907791637131975792021-03-11T18:29:27.213-05:002021-03-11T18:29:27.213-05:00Take a mini of a barefoot character, preferably a ...Take a mini of a barefoot character, preferably a large one. Cut off a foot and glue some tiny wings on it. Tadaa! You end up with a flying foot (and one crippled adventurer) JarlFrankhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08139422412722665286noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-76628476891627874762021-03-11T00:35:42.385-05:002021-03-11T00:35:42.385-05:00As a collector/painter of roleplaying and strategy...As a collector/painter of roleplaying and strategy miniatures, I feel tempted to find a mini that could represent a flying foot.Alexhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14025511634630902101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-63510178856302894112021-03-11T00:28:06.461-05:002021-03-11T00:28:06.461-05:00Regarding the plot. I think most game development ...Regarding the plot. I think most game development usually goes something like 'lets create a game' and then 'lets make a sequel to it' and then 'lets make a third and try to link them together somehow, maybe with an overarching plotline' and then 'lets make another and try to tie it all up somehow'. That's basically MM1-5. The rest of the series 6 through whatever don't really seem related at all except for game mechanics, graphics, playstyle and possibly the engine or interface.<br /><br />I doubt NWC had some grand vision planned beforehand that would span multiple games, since they didn't even know if their first title would sell at all. The MM titles don't take themselves too seriously, they tend to poke a bit of fun at the genre while at the same time being entertaining. You really get a sense of this, the joke being on the player with the various tomes to be read scattered throughout Darkside -- yarns that go on and on only to end abruptly or present entirely nonsensical, head-scratching endings.Tizzynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-70502822025581306832021-03-10T21:26:14.533-05:002021-03-10T21:26:14.533-05:00Armor breaks if hitpoints fall below -9 or a chara...Armor breaks if hitpoints fall below -9 or a character dies, just getting knocked is not enough for this to happen. cure888https://www.blogger.com/profile/17201066327084128298noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-68429186025655353622021-03-10T21:13:13.043-05:002021-03-10T21:13:13.043-05:00That's really weird - I could have sworn that ...That's really weird - I could have sworn that he did. No idea how I got that mixed up. Stylistically it's very much up his alley.The Most Awesome Guy In The Universehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07568667100643513608noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-42422319138634789922021-03-10T19:44:57.122-05:002021-03-10T19:44:57.122-05:00The difference (again) is that many games such as ...The difference (again) is that many games such as Ultima try to build a believable world. Sure, they're not perfect, but they're trying.<br /><br />MM4 is not trying. It makes no pretense whatsoever at being a believable world.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-56960138785762910602021-03-10T18:58:40.589-05:002021-03-10T18:58:40.589-05:00I think, the two opions are valid. Apart from pure...I think, the two opions are valid. Apart from pure game mechanics (which I believe ist very good in the entire MM-series), really coherent world building didn't take place in CRPGs until the late 90ies/early 2000s, not even the Ulitma series achieved this. Therefore, what makes any game in any scenario plausible to me is the story that drives the game. And from that point of view, I don't think that MM only has a minimalistic plot. The most problematic part on early RPGs is always the amount of irrelevant grinding quests (which MM has a lot of) with no further impact on the main storyline. The only way for a game designer to justify this is to make it work properly in the game mechanics. And this is where MM does a good job. You're constantly discovering something new, although it's not fitting into the world design all the time. <br /><br />BTW, for me personally, the reference for world building for the last 6 years has been Witcher 3, where every small detail fits into the world like in no other game before and after. Prior to that, I can't remember any game even coming close to that.aschaefer75noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-40023774505730963652021-03-10T17:44:49.599-05:002021-03-10T17:44:49.599-05:00That's amazing! I've got the same combinat...That's amazing! I've got the same combination on my luggage!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-82501934081296611462021-03-10T17:40:33.600-05:002021-03-10T17:40:33.600-05:00What you describe is not a coherent WORLD. What yo...What you describe is not a coherent WORLD. What you describe is a (minimalistic) PLOT that spans several games. Yes, we know that later games in this series make references to earlier games. That's, you know, what makes it a series instead of a set of independent games.<br /><br />And that has nothing to do with the fact that the WORLD, the SETTING, of MM4 and MM5 doesn't even attempt to be a coherent fantasy setting. It is purely a set of RPG mechanics against a backdrop of lame jokes.<br /><br />Good mechanics, admittedly, hence it's a fun and addictive game. But "we create worlds", this is not.<br /><br />Jung lbh jevgr urer vf abg n fhzznel bs gur cybg. Jung lbh jevgr vf gur ragver cybg, gurer'f abguvat ryfr gb vg. Urapr, zvavznyvfgvp. Nyfb, guvf cybg vf veeryrinag gb gur guveq tnzr rkprcg va vgf ynfg svir zvahgrf, naq gur ragver sbhegu tnzr unf abguvat ng nyy gb qb jvgu guvf cybg.Radianthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03866535042372152723noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-34679126808620215732021-03-10T17:06:09.022-05:002021-03-10T17:06:09.022-05:00I know this game threw logical consistency out the...I know this game threw logical consistency out the window a while back, but I can't help but continue to wonder why a vampire would have the opening mechanism for his coffin be linked to sundials somewhere in the same city that have clues publicly written on tombstones, again in the same city. At least put the clues into, I don't know, journals written by vampire hunters or something?Ianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02820538967423341664noreply@blogger.com