tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post72456568919315047..comments2024-03-19T06:03:57.317-04:00Comments on The CRPG Addict: Game 19: Might and Magic: Book One - The Secret of the Inner Sanctum (1986)CRPG Addicthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01238237377918550322noreply@blogger.comBlogger43125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-28843346371610542262023-12-13T12:22:01.170-05:002023-12-13T12:22:01.170-05:00If someone is held back from trying this by the EG...If someone is held back from trying this by the EGA graphics and CGA colours or if you just like to play the DOS version sold on GOG with a look a bit nicer, there is a Graphics Overhaul Mod made by 'DrakeRaider' with help from 'LagDotCom' and published last year. It can be found <a href="https://dungeoncrawlers.org/resources/gametools/mm1-graphics-overhaul-mod/" rel="nofollow">here on dungeoncrawlers</a>. See also <a href="https://www.gog.com/forum/might_and_magic_series/might_and_magic_1_graphics_mod" rel="nofollow">the message by its creator on the GOG forum for the game/series</a>.Buscanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-12119544491103243962023-07-07T16:35:59.861-04:002023-07-07T16:35:59.861-04:00Very interesting posts, Sporky! Console ports of C...Very interesting posts, Sporky! Console ports of CRPGs are underdocumented.<br /><br />There's another interesting version for the TurboGrafx CD, with a recently released fan translation:<br /><br />https://www.mobygames.com/game/49135/might-and-magic/<br /><br />https://www.romhacking.net/forum/index.php?topic=11157.40<br /><br />On another post, Teegan recently pointed out that the NES port of Pool of Radiance is great too. I get the impression that in the eighties and very early nineties, some console ports still retained a lot of the specific kind of complexity and realism of the original PC / home computer games.Bitmapnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-56842323732608074722023-07-06T06:36:31.204-04:002023-07-06T06:36:31.204-04:00(Final part.)
Here's a change that isn't ...(Final part.)<br /><br />Here's a change that isn't exactly a problem, but a small hurdle in the beginning: since the game is on a cartridge that lacks unlimited space for creating characters, they modified the systems for managing your party. When you begin the game, "you" are a knight and you name yourself, and you can pick up 5 other pre-made characters from the inn, but there's no immediate way to roll your own characters. Instead, you must travel to 2,13 in Sorpigal to find the new "guildmaster," who will allow you to fully reroll any of the pre-made party members into any class, race, gender or name you would like, sacrificing everything they are carrying (trade your clubs to other people first). A little unintuitive, but I think an elegant solution to onboarding new players with a reliable existing party, and circumventing the issue of storage space. There are 14 pre-made party members in the various towns across the world and you can reroll them all if you like.<br /><br />Another minor change of questionable benefit/detriment...you are not allowed to leave Sorpigal until reaching level 2 (a guard blocks your path), which seems like a decent idea to help guide new players but could annoy veterans. Sprites are rebalanced and no longer cast curse, and are eminently killable. The "new" sprites in the NES version are locust plagues, which appear to be bugged to always deal 255 damage when they attack, so you'd better be able to kill them first.<br /><br />All things considered, I've found it to be one of the few PC-to-console ports of its era that unquestionably improves the game in many areas, while making more debatable changes in others, but leaves an overall positive impression. The game itself is as much a blast as on other platforms, very well-designed and balanced for its time. For anyone with an interest in Might & Magic 1, I encourage you not to write off the console version as inferior without trying it.Sporkynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-86896990646279663552023-07-06T06:35:46.849-04:002023-07-06T06:35:46.849-04:00(Continuing my post from above)
The graphics are ...(Continuing my post from above)<br /><br />The graphics are much improved. Overworld areas have a background sky instead of just darkness, and they vary in color along with the trees and mountains, giving you some context to the map tile you're in at all times. Enemies have a great art style, and the frontmost three are displayed at all times during combat, and get pelted with various animations depending on the attack used. The single greatest addition is a small graphic for most significant locations, shopkeepers and events that you come across. You actually get to see a tiny, mangled spaceship crashed on the ground. The druids of the north, west and east are wise old men, while the druid of the south is younger and stern. You get to meet the ice princess. Finally...I like the UI character at the top of the screen watching over your game, whose futuristic design feels like he must be a representation of Corak or Sheltem (perhaps slightly spoilery).<br /><br />Here's what the underground towns look like: https://i.imgur.com/URLmCZg.png<br />Spaceship encounter: https://i.imgur.com/RWm1DvW.png<br />Some monster graphics: https://i.imgur.com/bOMADdv.png<br />The assassin leader Paul Pead is particularly well rendered: https://i.imgur.com/iH3AwYp.png<br /><br />Music is quite good too, in my opinion. I've played some of its PC port contemporaries on the NES including Bard's Tale and Pool of Radiance, and M&M1's compositions are much better. Towns are serene and comforting, castles are stately, and the overworld is bold and adventurous. It hasn't gotten monotonous for me after dozens of hours.<br /><br />The full game is present, all 55 maps, every enemy, spell and item of the other versions. NES doesn't deserve any particular praise for this, but it's important to point out since other PC-to-console ports tend to get cut down. There is one minor compromise here: some of the text was truncated due to cartridge storage issues. I know, I know...but we're talking probably less than 5% of all messages, and not in a way that severely impacts the experience. Here's an example: in Dusk, all the shopkeepers have various spooky gimmicks to their appearance (A FAINT OUTLINE OF A MAN APPEARS, SAYING, "NEED SOME FEED (Y/N)?" or AN EERIE SILENCE PERVADES THE DESERTED INN. SUDDENLY, A GHOSTLY APPARITION APPEARS, ASKING, "SIGN IN (Y/N)?"). On NES, these were all changed to the same string (A horrifying voice speaks from the darkness: "Need help?"). However, every other town besides Dusk retains their unique shopkeepers, including Portsmith's all-female motif. Interleaved text puzzles are still present in their original form, wilderness encounters are word-for-word identical, etc. Besides this, there is the minor improvement that all the text is in proper sentence case, rather than in all caps as in the original.<br /><br />What are some of the game's other issues? A comment above mentioned that it is slow. There is a menu option to increase the game's text speed, but it's true, some of the presentation additions like menu scrolling and attack animations do make it slower. However, this is only going to be an issue for those playing on original hardware, and honestly when I play these games in DosBox I use speed boost hotkeys just as often as on NES.<br /><br />Many people will likely not be fans of using a d-pad and confirm/cancel buttons to navigate the menus instead of the speedier hotkeys of computer versions. For me, I like being able to play with a gamepad lazily while splitting my attention with something else, so I see this as a matter of preference.<br /><br />(One last bit to submit after this...the internet tells me that blogger comments are limited to about 4000 characters...)Sporkynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-22322669317290355862023-07-06T06:32:36.444-04:002023-07-06T06:32:36.444-04:00I found the comment here: https://crpgaddict.blogs...I found the comment here: https://crpgaddict.blogspot.com/2017/09/might-and-magic-iii-mowing-and-myconids.html?showComment=1504828778826#c1100226567618108806<br /><br />And again, my post isn't about "taking you to task" or anything. You are correct that many versions on consoles were limited, and I'm just finding myself satisfied with this version and consider it an exception, and wanted to lay out a comparison here for posterity.Sporkynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-19128929933003933422023-07-06T01:03:17.253-04:002023-07-06T01:03:17.253-04:00Hi, Sporky. Thanks for visiting and talking about ...Hi, Sporky. Thanks for visiting and talking about your experience. I really love MM1--I still think it's the best of the series, all the way through MM5 at least--and looking this over makes me want to replay it, especially since I don't really like my coverage of ANY game during the first year of my blog.<br /><br />I will die on the hill that manually mapping is an integral part of playing MM1, but I appreciate that the NES has some additional interface features. As for the "toy version" bit, I don't remember saying that, but it sounds like something I'd say. I hope I made it clear that I was kidding, although I probably wasn't kidding.CRPG Addicthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01238237377918550322noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-42771003277567249182023-07-05T19:48:16.659-04:002023-07-05T19:48:16.659-04:00Hello, CRPG Addict and other visitors to this blog...Hello, CRPG Addict and other visitors to this blog. I've recently been playing Might & Magic I for the NES (kind of apropos of nothing) and I wanted to drop a message here about it, since I thought you might find it interesting in your part-time occupation as an RPG historian. I thought about emailing you privately, but figured it might also be interesting to any random passers-by who happen to stumble across this. My intent is not to "set the record straight" or prompt a blog post or anything, just to relate my experience.<br /><br />In one of your postings a few years back you had said you consider console versions of these games to be "toy versions." While many console ports are inferior in various ways, or at best a sidegrade, I've discovered that Might & Magic I on NES could be considered the best version of the game...of course depending on your preferences. It feels like the closest thing the game has ever had to a remake or remaster, a complete presentation overhaul with other additional features to smooth the experience. It is not perfect, and I will state all its shortcomings as well, but I feel its advantages outweigh its issues.<br /><br />It's probably best to start with the features. M&M1 NES revamps the darkness system entirely and incorporates it into a new automap system. Rather than simply telling you you're in "darkness" and blanking out the screen, on NES you are still perfectly capable of navigating corridors in the dark, they just appear as a deep blue color. If you expend the resources to light up the area though, you are able to fill in tiles on your automap, accessed with the select button. It's similar to the automap seen in M&M2 and beyond, with walls, doors and an arrow to show you and your facing, and in some ways deprecates the need for the Location spell. I will say that perhaps due to storage considerations (bits recorded for tiles revealed or unrevealed), the outdoor "automap" is somewhat unhelpful -- it doesn't show corridors, but instead a relatively vague bird's eye view of the land. Better than nothing, but I wish it was as good as the interiors.<br /><br />Spells are not referred to by number, but by a brief 5-character name that is sufficient to describe them. Heroism is HERO1, Super Heroism is HERO2, Protection from Cold is P-COLD, etc. This is naturally a lot more convenient, and I'm not sure why that numerical method was even originally in place for 1 and 2. A form of DRM, needing to possess the manual?<br /><br />At all times while navigating the world, you are reminded of which map you are on in the center of the screen, which is a welcome addition. For example, the UI will say C-SORPIGAL for the caves beneath Sorpigal. Embarrassingly, the translation from English to Japanese and back to English has resulted in Varn becoming "Barn" when traveling the overworld. Perhaps understandable, due to the era this is from and Japanese's lack of a "v" sound. Other references to Varn in text are correct, it's just that this error is conspicuous.<br /><br />Here I will have to admit that I don't have experience with every version of M&M1, only that I have read and heard some complaints which may or may not be an issue in all versions. One review expressed annoyance that they couldn't tell for sure when they'd passed through a secret door, since the perspective often looks no different; the NES plays a low beep with every step to let you know you've walked forward, and definitely lets you know when you bump into a wall. In addition to this, turning left or right has a quick scrolling animation, which helps a lot in keeping your bearings. The same review also claimed that in their version, auto-combat wouldn't use the "shoot" command and would just make those characters block, but ranged characters function just fine on auto on the NES.<br /><br />Apparently, I'm bumping into blogger comment size limits here, so I'll reply to this post with more in a moment...Sporkynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-85428771308552747092022-06-02T22:54:38.577-04:002022-06-02T22:54:38.577-04:00That is a really cool comparison video, thanks for...That is a really cool comparison video, thanks for posting it. Canageekhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03770924810559440307noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-39083407705059401962022-05-13T19:51:31.645-04:002022-05-13T19:51:31.645-04:00The NES version's speed problems are easily fi...The NES version's speed problems are easily fixed with a modern emulator. I played it recently and found it to be pretty good, but also a bit neutered compared to the various computer versions; enemies threw out fewer status effects and it's extremely cheap to pay the temple to restore any status effect, so the only one that ever really matters is Eradicated. Overall an easier experience, but definitely the nicest graphics you can get in a version with English text currently.Jazerusnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-89508818824835133032022-05-13T14:48:15.925-04:002022-05-13T14:48:15.925-04:00This video shows extracts (graphics and audio) for...This video shows extracts (graphics and audio) for six different platform versions of MM1: C-64, Apple, NES, PC Engine (Japanese), PC-98 (Japanese) and DOS:<br />https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=_vvvybyRjjQ.<br /><br />There are timestamps in the description for each segment. Of course the different years show in the graphics. The PC Engine has a voiced intro and if you didn't know it's MM, based on the images used you could think it's for a JRPG.<br /><br />For those who wonder which one to play, the author's comments, also in the description, are: <br />"- C64: Better Sound than DOS but worse graphics. Same Mechanics and Gameplay as DOS. Somewhat slower than DOS. <br />- Apple//: Worst graphics but the original game. Same Mechanics and Gameplay as DOS <br />- NES: Nice graphics and okay music, Automap, but awfully slow. Almost unplayable except you take your time to make coffee during every combat you encounter. No, really, it's that slow, you actually can make a hot beverage during casting dancing sword on 10+ enemies.<br />- PC Engine: Nice graphics and music, Minimap, best version of the game, but japanese only. Where is the guy who wanted to make an English Rom hack? Yes, someone worked on it, but didn't finish the job. <br />- PC-98: Nice drawn graphics, but no music. Nice version but japanese only. Rom hack? Hello?^^ <br />- DOS: Ugly and noisy but fast as hell. Best version if you have no time to lose."<br /><br />However, an element to factor in also is if you plan to transfer your characters to the next instalment - as he also notes in the comments.Buscanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-51431579185661738062021-03-14T13:58:39.648-04:002021-03-14T13:58:39.648-04:00I do like the idea of going around asking people w...I do like the idea of going around asking people what you can DO TO them...merlin4012https://www.blogger.com/profile/16300594533601663641noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-24392738816940136322020-11-07T11:33:06.120-05:002020-11-07T11:33:06.120-05:00PC engine also had a curious japanese version of m...PC engine also had a curious japanese version of might and magic. I'd love to see this translated tooRon Jeremyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04515767056865267083noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-11671076228308313582020-09-22T12:46:41.910-04:002020-09-22T12:46:41.910-04:00For those interested (Chet, I know you won't p...For those interested (Chet, I know you won't play this one as it is a console release that was never on a computer) a translation project has translated the Japanese version of Might & Magic - Secret of the Inner Sanctum for the Famicom into English. It seems they didn't follow the plot of the American game when making a version for Japan. However, when they translated it for the NES, they restored the American script. Now youc an play the Japanese plot, in English. <br /><br />https://www.romhacking.net//#article2421<br />http://www.romhacking.net/hacks/5412/Canageekhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03770924810559440307noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-53781624973100076122019-07-07T18:35:06.794-04:002019-07-07T18:35:06.794-04:00wasn't there a spell that would force move you...wasn't there a spell that would force move you through a wall?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11142592019138152081noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-28570403919477673872016-11-22T17:42:12.053-05:002016-11-22T17:42:12.053-05:00"It also makes me wonder if there was any his..."It also makes me wonder if there was any history behind those names and why they were chosen."<br /><br />Crag Hack was a character name that Jon Van Caneghem used all the time in his tabletop RPGs.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16189227127662721912noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-74141669557599785812016-10-08T11:54:32.364-04:002016-10-08T11:54:32.364-04:00It's been 6 years since I played it, but I rem...It's been 6 years since I played it, but I remember how brutal MM1 was for the first few levels. You basically have to wander around Sorpigal, hitting the fixed fights until you exhaust them, then sleeping in the inn to re-set them. Repeat 20 times, losing parties along the way, of course, before you're strong enough to adventure outward.<br /><br />"I have gotten 0 gold thus far." You're remembering to hit (S)earch after every battle? CRPG Addicthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01238237377918550322noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-92091155905965919072016-10-08T01:34:44.251-04:002016-10-08T01:34:44.251-04:00Inspired by your playthrough I've finally deci...Inspired by your playthrough I've finally decided to give it a go. I'm a huge World of Xeen fan, but always skipped over Book One due to the interface. I've gotten over it (now that I know I need to map the damn thing).<br /><br />I'm about 8 hours in and I've explored all of the non-hidden parts of Sorpigal (Upper Level) and some of the dungeon below. I decided to go with the default party, however in my most recent trip to the dungeons, one of my characters is dead (which I only discovered after several rests and healing spells used). I have gotten 0 gold thus far and so I need to roll up my very first replacement character until such time as I get the first guy (who had finally reached level 2!) back to life. For that I need to find some damn gold.Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09350932361646570198noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-17037304051206017592015-08-30T18:01:27.933-04:002015-08-30T18:01:27.933-04:00Thanks addict, turns out my apple ][ version was b...Thanks addict, turns out my apple ][ version was bugged but I went to GOG and got the whole series through to 9, I did play the original nes version but never got far, without you I never would have figured out that I was suppose to map the areas, thanks for turning me on to this great series. You also turned me to another series but I'll post my comment about it there.Bakuielhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06708554023018591850noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-80598481913330443982015-08-23T16:15:13.563-04:002015-08-23T16:15:13.563-04:00No, I didn't experience any problems like that...No, I didn't experience any problems like that. My blog isn't a very good source for tech support, unfortunately. I'd try one of the GameFAQs forums.CRPG Addicthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01238237377918550322noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-13243729649387695572015-08-18T18:12:06.245-04:002015-08-18T18:12:06.245-04:00I know this is a long time aho but did you have bu...I know this is a long time aho but did you have bug problems? For dome reason in Dusk I have found no traps or portals but they should be there.Bakuielhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06708554023018591850noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-50424039500612438492015-06-28T20:53:49.623-04:002015-06-28T20:53:49.623-04:00FWIW, the first time i wrote that comment I made a...FWIW, the first time i wrote that comment I made an explicit callout to the variability of taste, and that being normal and all.<br /><br />It was only after blogger lost it a few times that I got a little hastier in recomposing it.<br /><br />---<br />@PetrusOctavianus: I managed to get a save states build going as a result of this straw-camel-back experience. Hoping it restores the fun for me.jrodmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06567198770927408479noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-34850388321854793392015-06-28T17:40:37.874-04:002015-06-28T17:40:37.874-04:00I guess there is a reason why MM1, along with Knig...I guess there is a reason why MM1, along with Knights of Legend, is the only game for which I used a DosBox version with Save States function...PetrusOctavianusnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-41908806835773384712015-06-28T14:22:24.978-04:002015-06-28T14:22:24.978-04:00I absolutely cannot disagree with you on the facts...I absolutely cannot disagree with you on the facts you present, and yet I had a totally opposite reaction as to my enjoyment of the game.<br /><br />Oh, well. It would be a dull world if we all had the same tastes.CRPG Addicthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01238237377918550322noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-920488205738697392015-06-27T17:41:59.028-04:002015-06-27T17:41:59.028-04:00It's strange to me that you enjoyed this so mu...<br />It's strange to me that you enjoyed this so much, when the thing is just totally grinding my gears. I've put in about two weeks or so, and have tonnes of maps to show for it, but it just keeps on finding new ways to be totally unfair.<br /><br />An NPC who takes all my items with no warning or recourse? Sure! Instant-death fights that I can only encounter after an extremely long session of exploring past no-challenge fights that I'll have to repeat eventually? Check. It also has quests that bug out if you don't guess which character's inventory to hold an item that the quest does not mention, along with incorrectly worded English for critical game-progress messages.<br /><br />Just now I managed to follow a serise of teleports and land in an area that I hadn't mapped yet, but was in an easyish zone outside. I went through a series of fights carefully resting and tediously reprotecting after every single fight. In the last square I found a Lich and a bunch of mummies. What? Okay well, let's try to run. Nope. Well... Okay fine let's see if I can survive. I have a hugely exciting difficult and scary fight that I squeak through. I plan to search, and then Fly to Sorpigal and immediately save.<br /><br />FOR SOME REASON search here just starts the fight again with no warning. This is completely inconsistent with probably 45 hours of gameplay so far. I die and lose an hour of progress. Again.<br /><br />The thing is from where I sit this is just vastly inferior to The Bard's Tale. Might & Magic Book One has such a failure to communicate a goal, puzzles that depend on badly worded text, combat that's far too slow and yet features things like 8 combats in a row in a corridor, a real lack of any coherent theming, and yet manages to pack in lots of cheap gameovers.<br /><br />I *liked* the start of the game where I died a lot and had to scrape by to advance. The later game where I'm not scraping but saving is very inconvenient and results in huge amounts of wasted time is not really working for me.jrodmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06567198770927408479noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-80055611059261790382015-02-16T13:16:50.384-05:002015-02-16T13:16:50.384-05:00I think not having a quest from the outset makes i...I think not having a quest from the outset makes it more authentic. If you were a newbie adventurer in real life, you would have to go arround asking people what you can do to them, and after getting experienced, get entwined in the epic quest.BrazilRulesnoreply@blogger.com