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Game history blogger Felipe Pepe is up to part three of a series on computer role-playing games (CRPGs) that did things differently. These games might not have been the best, or even really particularly good as a whole, but they did something in a way that hadn't been done before, or since.
Part One | Part Two | Part Three
Most of them are fairly old - evolution is most rapid when expanding into a new niche, after all - but there are a number of newer games as well. They range from the well-known and well-regarded (Ultima, Wizardry and Might and Magic all have mentions) to the obscure (ZanZarah, The Magic Candle). For the old-school gamer, it's a nice trip down memory lane. For the new-school, it's an interesting look at the things game designers tried that never really caught on. And for game designers, it's a treasure trove of mechanics that might deserve a second chance at success.
What are your own suggestions for interesting RPGs? I would personally go with On The Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness: Episode 3. It's a bit of a stretch to bundle with CRPGs, since it's much more along the lines of Final Fantasy than Ultima, but it takes a new approach to a number of common mechanics. The combat system is where it really shines - combat is turn-based with actions taking variable lengths of time, and taking a hit (as a PC or NPC) will delay your next action. Crucially, taking a hit in the period between queuing an action and taking it has a much larger "knockback" than taking a hit while recharging, which makes it a lot more strategic than your typical ATB system. It also changes up random encounters (all encounters appear on-screen, and only in the arena do they respawn) and items (your inventory of consumables refills after each battle). It simplified quite a lot, but that simplicity gave it a focus and elegance not often seen in RPGs.
(Score: 2) by c0lo on Wednesday September 02 2015, @11:07AM
I really enjoyed playing it for about 2-3 years
But.. 'twas easy to game it by exponential grow in potency of intelligence boost potions* (make one, drink it, repeat; keep the last ones to sell to get money for ingredients to make the next batch); once you get a potion boosting your intelligence with >500 for 3-4 days in a row, you'll never lack gold or encounter enemies able to stand after the first blow - weapons may be a problem though, you get to wear them after 2-3 enemies.
* for the ones unaware: intelligence attribute had effect in potency/duration of the potions one prepares (assuming decent level in alchemy skills/equipment)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
(Score: 1) by NickFortune on Wednesday September 02 2015, @11:43AM
Yeah. you need to exercise restraint with alchemy or the game breaks. Me I use alchemy sparingly and rarely with int levels above 5k, but there are mods that disable that feature entirely if you can't get past it.
On the other hand I love the fact that it lets your character do things befitting the demigod status he eventually acquires. Run across the map at super-speed? Jump over a mountain? Beat a storm atronach to death with your bare hands? No problem!
Even now, throw in some graphic enhancing mods (MGSO is a good starting point) and I'd sooner play Morrowind than Skyrim.
(Score: 1) by riT-k0MA on Wednesday September 02 2015, @01:00PM
I never did get the hang of alchemy in Morrowind...
Oblivion and Skyrim, on the other hand, were dead easy (after a UI overhaul mod).
(Score: 2) by AnonymousCowardNoMore on Wednesday September 02 2015, @04:26PM
Morrowind is a roleplaying game, and single player at that. If you want to break it, you're doing it wrong. In any case, just hit ` and you can do anything, or open the construction set if you're too lazy to look up the commands: you can literally just give yourself stuff or edit your stats either way.