tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post650292922718099143..comments2024-03-28T23:14:06.156-04:00Comments on The CRPG Addict: Silvern Castle: Won! (with Summary and Rating)CRPG Addicthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01238237377918550322noreply@blogger.comBlogger65125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-74465023077948666342021-09-07T09:32:54.850-04:002021-09-07T09:32:54.850-04:00True but considering that the term was used in the...True but considering that the term was used in the New King James version of the bible -- a pretty pervasive piece of literature. I'd willing to bet that either the author knew what the term meant or knew of it.Axon Punchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03654322486717732061noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-12526559817026973522019-08-11T11:20:01.987-04:002019-08-11T11:20:01.987-04:00A test to see if you are planning on using it for ...A test to see if you are planning on using it for evil. It is like the one ring: As long as you CAN give it up, it is fine. The problem is once you start getting to the point where you've used it too much to give it up...Canageekhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03770924810559440307noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-24448076799706916752018-05-19T00:43:44.206-04:002018-05-19T00:43:44.206-04:00Thanks!
I can't remember if you mentioned it ...Thanks!<br /><br />I can't remember if you mentioned it but I like that the priest can identify already identified items to get a bit of information about the item.Lizardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08934202466921935801noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-51962358491138707372018-05-18T20:15:25.550-04:002018-05-18T20:15:25.550-04:00I suppose. I mentioned Return of Heracles because ...I suppose. I mentioned Return of Heracles because it was my introduction to the term. Still, interesting game and it seems an improvement on the standard Wizardry mode. I prefer the isometric approach, if only to combat. Thanks for rescuing these games from oblivion.JJnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-59737960443343629292018-05-18T17:30:44.453-04:002018-05-18T17:30:44.453-04:00To be fair, it would be easy for someone to start ...To be fair, it would be easy for someone to start with "Drac" thinking of dragons and then settle on "Drachma" as something that sounded a little familiar. This is pre-Internet, so there was no quick way to do a search and realize you were naming your villain after currency.CRPG Addicthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01238237377918550322noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-37334733765166778152018-05-18T11:41:43.860-04:002018-05-18T11:41:43.860-04:00The mage "Drachma"! It reminded me of Re...The mage "Drachma"! It reminded me of Return to Heracles. Loved the joke about the "euro". I need to create a mage called "Dollars" or "Francs" or "Solidi" or something. There are plenty of good, real medieval names to use, without resorting to such silliness. JJnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-22916280280851544632018-05-17T23:07:13.756-04:002018-05-17T23:07:13.756-04:00It's left ALT by default.It's left ALT by default.CRPG Addicthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01238237377918550322noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-54432289349638059642018-05-17T21:00:51.556-04:002018-05-17T21:00:51.556-04:00Addict, were you using the Applewin emulator? If s...Addict, were you using the Applewin emulator? If so, what key did you use for OA (open apple)? Or did you just forgo its use?Lizardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08934202466921935801noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-30347759860402167692018-05-17T06:16:40.394-04:002018-05-17T06:16:40.394-04:00Huh... so... if you don't give up the Orb, the...Huh... so... if you don't give up the Orb, they'd kick your arse back into the dungeon.<br /><br />But if you give up the Orb, they make you keep it anyway AND make you a king. WTF am I missing?Kenny McCormickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01553499727945099493noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-88268544272683860912018-05-16T21:39:04.568-04:002018-05-16T21:39:04.568-04:00I saw this reply pop up in the thread and I though...I saw this reply pop up in the thread and I thought it was a fascinating piece of information that put a questionable aspect of the game into perspective. I didn't realize it was from the programmer because I guess I don't pay good enough attention!<br /><br />Out of all the games the Addict has reviewed that I have never played, this is the first one that I'm really itching to dig up and try. I know I definitely would have played the crap out of it when I was younger and had more free time.<br /><br />Great work on a lot of design elements, Jeff! It sounds like the way it was programmed limited the way the dungeons were created. But with all the thought put into other aspects of what could have been just another bland Wizardry clone, it seems to me the programming limits were what really kept you from creating a really great map with interesting dungeon specials.Lizardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08934202466921935801noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-29516738373270036142018-05-16T20:31:03.009-04:002018-05-16T20:31:03.009-04:00I would expect level design to factor into the Gam...I would expect level design to factor into the Gameplay category as well. Gnomanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13920812227941556716noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-13474932565611679522018-05-16T18:02:42.266-04:002018-05-16T18:02:42.266-04:00No apology necessary. The review was more than fai...No apology necessary. The review was more than fair. Regarding Softdisk, in 1989 they told me they had second thoughts and decided to use the ideas and data structures from Silvern Castle for an in-house project instead. I'd like to think this was some small inspiration for later titles like Dark Designs and gaming history.Jeff Finknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-20678127956090236982018-05-16T17:25:39.563-04:002018-05-16T17:25:39.563-04:00What you're calling "level design" i... What you're calling "level design" is reflected to some degree in the "game world" and "Encounters" categories. I spent most of my second entry on this game talking about it, so it's not like I completely ignore it. But, yeah, it's only one element of a particular genre. I can't make a whole category for it. CRPG Addicthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01238237377918550322noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-65408994463856891522018-05-16T17:11:42.486-04:002018-05-16T17:11:42.486-04:00There was Dave's Challenge in Pools of Darknes...There was Dave's Challenge in Pools of Darkness and maybe another one of the Gold BoxesWonkohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05147422102351323674noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-25099541054654036372018-05-16T16:08:35.091-04:002018-05-16T16:08:35.091-04:00Jeff, thanks for stopping by, but of all the thing...Jeff, thanks for stopping by, but of all the things I said about the game over four entries, both positive and negative, I'm sorry that's what you felt you had to focus on. You have some great elements and I hope you feel we gave it a fair shake.CRPG Addicthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01238237377918550322noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-15947916805643037972018-05-16T12:02:24.260-04:002018-05-16T12:02:24.260-04:00The settlement mechanic in Fallout 4 scratches som...The settlement mechanic in Fallout 4 scratches some itches I didn't know I had. I could play the game for dozens of hours without touching the main questline. I'd pay triple A money for a game that was just managing the Minutemen and dealing with building and improving the wasteland. Patrols, outposts, settlers that equip themselves, the whole nine yards.<br /><br />Which is not to say that I found anything wrong with New Vegas, but it is limited to a conventional sandbox RPG in ways that Fallout 4 exceeds with its construction elements.ThirtyNinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07720392687278454430noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-85571903726826963182018-05-16T11:56:44.438-04:002018-05-16T11:56:44.438-04:00I wouldn't sell Dungeon Siege short, if you lo...I wouldn't sell Dungeon Siege short, if you look at it as a 3rd person dungeon crawler, a hybrid of Baldur's Gate and Dungeon Master, the lack of anything to do but fight makes more sense.<br /><br />And I didn't find it very easy at all, myself. Maybe I was doing something wrong.ThirtyNinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07720392687278454430noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-66151753201759145692018-05-16T03:58:19.165-04:002018-05-16T03:58:19.165-04:00One weakness of the Gimlet system is that there...One weakness of the Gimlet system is that there's no category for level design. For blobbers level design is IMO the most important aspect of the game. So the result is that Silvern Castle gets the same score as the superior Wizardry 1.PetrusOctavianusnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-29624386682983453042018-05-15T22:23:33.046-04:002018-05-15T22:23:33.046-04:00The version Softdisk purchased did not have any mo...The version Softdisk purchased did not have any monster graphics.Jeff Finknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-64332288843140207462018-05-15T09:39:46.087-04:002018-05-15T09:39:46.087-04:00To be fair, stolen art wasn't unusual at the t...To be fair, stolen art wasn't unusual at the time in real games either; on the other hand, a publisher could help fund new art.<br /><br />But yeah, that might be why it got turned down. Why pick up the game you need to change if there's some other crappy game you can publish with no additional cost?Connorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12536712572595321617noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-42565630048571993162018-05-14T22:26:38.884-04:002018-05-14T22:26:38.884-04:00OMG... I'm pretty sure that I just sprained my...OMG... I'm pretty sure that I just sprained my diaphragm laughing so hard! That... was... awesome!!!arthurdawgnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-60833240160089875262018-05-14T17:36:53.582-04:002018-05-14T17:36:53.582-04:00Some of the confusion as to GIMLET categories will...Some of the confusion as to GIMLET categories will be cleared up once I get my "page" finished for the scale, with more detailed descriptions of each category.CRPG Addicthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01238237377918550322noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-16823048487959619232018-05-14T17:35:44.693-04:002018-05-14T17:35:44.693-04:00Any of the last three Elder Scrolls titles would s...Any of the last three <i>Elder Scrolls</i> titles would score a 10 in "game world." <i>Baldur's Gate II</i> is my idea of a perfect 10 in "quests" and perhaps "gameplay." A lot of Bioware titles would be contenders in "NPCs." <i>Fallout 4</i> would get pretty close in "equipment."<br /><br />But no, I don't think I've seen a perfect-10 "economy." Always having something to buy is a major component, of course, but I also like to see a variety of ways to gain and lose money, plus maybe some real-world complexity like shopkeepers not always having infinite wealth or coin having less intrinsic value the more you flood the market or something.<br /><br />Rezaf, as Kish points out, I do make some explicit statements as to why the scores aren't higher. This is a shareware RPG from 30 years ago. Clearly, we have to understand all my praise in that context. I'm not going to append "Of course, the game can't compete in this category with more thoroughly-developed commercial titles of recent years" to every positive statement I make.<br /><br />CRPG Addicthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01238237377918550322noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-57758787022482359002018-05-14T17:25:37.287-04:002018-05-14T17:25:37.287-04:00Ha. So artwork wasn't this guy's strong su...Ha. So artwork wasn't this guy's strong suit, clearly. If these stolen graphics were in the original version, it's probably a good thing Softdisk never published it.CRPG Addicthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01238237377918550322noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-823656410538581732018-05-14T14:02:43.592-04:002018-05-14T14:02:43.592-04:00what the... That's a picture of Blackthorn fro...what the... That's a picture of Blackthorn from the NES intro of Ultima V...<br /><br />https://youtu.be/TVfluA2H-TU?t=146 <- you can check it out hereNatreghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05637939418119253499noreply@blogger.com