The Drunken Lizard Pub

Some very good research there. I agree that the character system definitely needs some rethinking for Book II and beyond. I think it's elemental-focused magic that gets the worst of it. Divination magic offers so many other useful utilities and buffs in comparison. And elemental magic doesn't even d...

Funny I don't know if you guys remember this...but origin(ultima devs) were always about pushing the graphics up every release, you can see it as you look over their games not just ultimas either....wing commander etc...just to add wood to the fire here. That was basically when things started to go...

I think a large part of the appeal of old-school games was the context in which they were played. In the old days, console games were shoot-em-ups, and the consoles themselves disappeared for several years until the NES. And even when it did come out, it took a few more years for CRPG's to appear on...

I just put up a new version of my demo, which is essentially the development of the engine step by step. This version adds sound for walking... I'll admit I was rather influenced by Avernum here. I'm working on my combat engine next, which should take some time. My main concern now is to keep the me...

A party would be great for Book II. Solo play is fun and easy, but I think Book II should be looked at as a "next step" in CRPG play, and introducing a party dynamic will greatly change how the game is played and increase complexity significantly. The first thing is, with a party, it's imp...

Yep, containers in the woods. Actually, I haven't found many since leaving Elderhollow. Maybe the Tangle forest will be more lucrative...

Adam

You can also get "fatally poisoned"... that's the game's way of telling you that resting and healing isn't enough, the amount of damage you'll take is greater than your hit points. Yes, I figured out the gate trick early on... very damn useful. I'm finding that as a mage, I usually end up ...

If a party is implemented, I'm divided on whether it should be creator-based (you make all party members) verses narrative-based (you make one character, and encounter others on your travels and ask them to join you.) Creator-based is actually more "old-school" than narrative, and it gives...

Hm, asking the IT department to give you admin permission to play a game... I wouldn't advise that. :) Then again, I know a guy who installed the World of Warcraft client on HIS work system... but frankly I thought he was insane to do so. It wouldn't matter if you were only playing on break, if a su...

More hot tips in-game on keys to access things or use skills may be a good idea for usability. Tip windows that can be disabled like Avernum does would be an excellent way to do it. Yes yes, I know, that's what the manual is for, but let's not retreat ALL the way back to the Ultima days... "Wha...

Got my CD copy ordered, and playing in the meantime... In a single word... epic. I especially love the opening. I've been waiting for something since Avernum to scratch that 2D itch. I need to be careful that I don't get too caught up in the game, I have some job interviews to prepare for! Also, nic...

Agreed with Spiff. Modern games should offer tools like that. We gripe and moan about how coddled modern gamers are, but if we were offered auto-maps way back when, we'd have taken it without hesitation. :) My first "Ultima" was II, which I played on an Apple at juinor high school. Because...

Hmm, we have no plans to produce a hint guide for Book I, but the forums are always open! Maybe we should have a special topic just for hints and spoilers, so people who are just looking to know more about the game don't accidentally stumble upon spoilers? The Ultima hint books were some of the bes...

What I want to know is, did they get Phil Foglio back to do artwork? I was really disappointed when it was absent from Avernum 4. Actually, one really big peeve for me in A4 was that I was only permitted 12 characters for a name. That really pushed my buttons, because I like to use the names of the ...

CRPG's are definitely a niche market, similar to a meaningful independent film. They may not make sacks of cash, but they have a far greater impact on the viewer than the popcorn-summer movies. The thing I think a lot of the mainstream game designers forget is that just because it's 3D doesn't make ...