RPGs that influenced me the most...

[twodumb]

i would rank them(AR:the city and AR:the dungeon) very high just a shame the series was not finished in my case i played them on the commodore,i would rank them with the bards tale series,realms of arkania1-3,darklands.others that influenced me in my gaming preferences are ultimas 1-7 wizardry 1-7 didnt play 8,might and magic 1-9 i think,underground 1/2,all the elder scrolls,I could go on and on I'm an rpg nut

[realmzmaster]

twodumb,

I am a rpgnut also! Feels good to be among people with like interests and I assume your name is an oxymoron. Because people who play CRPGs are twosmart!

[twodumb]

It is always good to be among people that love the same thing ! You never know when someone will recommend some gem you have not heard of or tried !

[Jinx]

Jinx,

I still have Wizard's Crown and it's sequel the Eternal Dagger. There was also Shard of Spring and it's sequel Demon's Winter. Phantasie I,II, III, Questron and Gemstone Warrior. All of these games came from Strategic Simulations INC (SSI). Along with the gold box games. Was this the bronze age of CRPG's (1984-1995)?

Yeah, SSI was the shiz. I loved those games. I don't remember playing Eternal Dagger, but I'm sure I did.

I read a great history of RPGs that implied that sentiment about the bronze age. It is a different kind of RPG anymore, and for many of the people that loved Eschelon, the newer RPGs are just not our flavor. For example, I hated Mass Effect, couldn't stand it. It is always referred to as an RPG, but I couldn't get into it.

I think the closest thing to an old school cRPG to come out in the last 5 years is Oblivion. Those guys still know how to make an RPG, but there is still something so different in how it plays compared to all the RPGs listed in this thread. I can't put my finger on it. The important thing I've learned by enjoying Eschelon is that it's not merely nostalgia. It's a different feel of game.

*jinx

[realmzmaster]

The important thing I've learned by enjoying Eschelon is that it's not merely nostalgia. It's a different feel of game.

That's it. You hit the nail on the head! The SSI RPGs and other early RPGs were turn based and allowed for strategy.

Baldur's Gate series, Icewind Dale I & II, and Planescape allowed you to pause the action and issue commands to each individual party member. You could position the party members to take advantage of the area. You could tuck away your spellcaster or archer in a nook where they could see the whole area, but only be attack from the front. You could then use the spellcaster or archer to throw area effect spells or flaming arrows or pick off individual creatures to bolster your front line troops.

Even Neverwinter Nights 1 & 2 allowed you to pause and change your party members strategy.

I was playing Baldur's Gate series and my party was having a tough time with a rock creature. I paused and ordered my spellcaster to launch a fireball at the creature which would also hit my front line troops. I ordered the cleric to cast Mass Heal. The creature died and Mass Heal kept my party members from joining it. This kind of strategy and thinking is missing in the newer RPGs.

Most of the newer RPGs are heavy on the action and leaved the role playing, puzzles and strategy behind.

[Hurleye]

Hi BW,

This is my first post on this forum, I just finished Book 1 over the weekend and wanted to tell you: what a fantastic game! It really pulled me in and I was almost sad to have it end and I am looking forward to Book 2 next year.

I'm glad I found this forum, as I have been an old school rpg fan since the commodore 64 days. My all time favorites are:

Questron -- First RPG I finished so I always have a soft spot for it. Managed to get to the end despite (because?) I never bothered to try to map out all the dungeon levels. Also solo character rpg

Ultima III -- I still can remember the music from this game, especially the dungeon music

Wasteland -- so well written and a great scenario

You had asked about Wizardry 6 ("The Bane of the Cosmic Forge"), I have played and completed it, and although I enjoyed it at the time, honestly, I'd have a hard time recommending it now (possible Wizardry 6 and 7 spoiler below):

This is all IMHO and I'm not well versed in the trials and tribulations of Sir Tech Software and D W Bradley, but I think that Wizardry 6 would have benefited from having a "real" ending, not just a "lead in" to the next game. I actually got into Wizardry 7 first, but had such a hard time advancing, I thought I'd start with Wizardry 6 and build up a party to transfer to 7, hoping to be able to make better progress... it only helped a little. I never ended up finishing 7, which I now know also ended with a lead in to the next game, but D W Bradley left the company and had nothing to do with Wizardry 8 (which I never played).

(Note: I do feel Book 1 has a real ending and knowing ahead of time that the Eschalon story is written and extends across three games makes a huge difference to me.)

[Evnissyen]

Has anybody yet mentioned The Faery Tale Adventure? When I found that game it was a cracked copy of the later Mac version, which was an incredibly vast improvement on the earlier DOS version -- I know now what a huge difference there was between that game and the earlier DOS version because I recently downloaded the original DOS version... the music, the graphics, the gameplay... all of that was dramatically refined on the Mac version. The music, instead of those elaborate blips, was changed into harpsichord and organ -type music. (In other words: actual musical simulation, instead of just tonal blips.) It was the best soundtrack I've ever heard for any game. It still goes through my head to this day, even though I was just a kid when I played that game.

Also, I was really into Moebius at that time as well. (That one was the Mac version as well -- I believe this one was also refined over the DOS version because the DOS version I now have looks a little more primitive than I remember.)

What else... Uninvited, and the sequel Shadowgate

Dark Castle... I think this was also a remake of a DOS game, but I'm not sure.

Oh, and who can forget the Infocom games? Bureaucracy, Zork (#1 only), Trinity.... and what was the one whose setting was based on M.I.T.? ...Oh, yeah: Lurking Horror : that was a nice one.

[Scryler]

In the very first game I can remember playing, the main character was called "Avatar" I believe. I can't remember the name of the game. It was difficult to move the character around.

Then I went to consoles, because they moved better, IIRC. I'd have to say that Zelda, even though it wasn't an RPG, totally hooked me on video games in general.

NWN brought me back to PC playing, and BG1 & 2 (discovered after NWN) kept me there. I'm looking forward to Icewind Dale and Planescape: Torment. I'm in the middle of Eschalon I, and - thanks to this forum - I have a long list of games, now, that I will eventually play. And waiting for Eschalon II.

[JESUS]

The funny thing for me is that most games from the 80's mencioned here i never got myself to finish, i vaguely remember some of the early 90's also.

I remember playing one of the Eye of the Beholder, Dark Sun was mencioned and i remember those deserts, some i could finish with my poor english at the time like Betrayal at Krondor.

What really got me hooked up though were those bastards at Interplay . Something is missing nowadays, at least at the mainstream arena, my hopes are up again for rpgs with Eschalon and Age of Decadence.

[Evnissyen]

But Age of Decadence hasn't come out yet, has it?

Is there any news on when it's going to be finished and released?

[Drakilis]

Hey all, I'm new to the forums, I just want to say that stumbling into a bunch of die hard, old school RPG players is really refreshing to me . But on topic, heres my biggest influences at least off the top of my head and not to list too many:

The obvious:

Ultima 7 Part 1&2
Savage Empire (I really liked this one, maybe for odd reasons, the music, the prehistoric setting, Iolo as a tribal/caveman.)
Deus Ex (Probably the only FPS/RPG I really liked)
Baldur's Gate Series
Fallout 1 and 2

Eschalon Book I (Of course , this game was such a great breath of fresh air to me and really drove me to engage more indie RPG's. It was kinda like finding a diamond in the rough and I really look forward to Book II. I personally want to thank BasiliskWrangler for taking his time to make a good game like this, but I'm sure you have already gotten about 1000 of those hehe.)

The Odd:

Zelda - A Link to the Past (The only Zelda game I really liked, back when I used to play snes over 13+ years ago, AKA the only console I ever got into. I liked this one for reasons I do not understand. Maybe its because it was top down and had a pretty decent story and didn't feel little kidish really.)

As for others, I liked the Diablo games but those aren't really RPG's they're just hack and slashers, but still enjoyable.

Heres a couple that I really liked as well and were a bit influencing to me that maybe others haven't mentioned (I haven't dug through this thread completely though):

Spelljammer - A AD&D game with boats in space, it was actually alot of fun haha.

Dark Sun - I think alot of people will actually know what this one is. I loved the dark atmosphere of this one and being a gladiator at the start of the game was pretty cool. Never beat it though, maybe one of these days I'll fire up Dosbox and try to accomplish it.

[CrazyBernie]

I suppose I should add my list of RPGs I enjoyed throughout the years.

I'm going to split it up based on System:

Nintendo Entertainment System:

Final Fantasy I
Dragon Warrior IV
Ultima IV *Favorite*

Super Nintendo

Final Fantasy II (a.k.a. IV)
Final Fantasy III (a.k.a. VI) *Favorite*
Secret of Mana
Chrono Trigger
Illusion of Gaia
Breath of Fire
Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (more of a platformer than RPG, but deserves mention)
Super Mario RPG (Kind of cheesy, but still memorable if you're a Mario and RPG fan)

Nintendo Gamecube
Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles (the gba hookup was gimmicky but fun)

Playstation
Final Fantasy VII

Playstation 2
Dragon Quest VIII (Before the PS2 was stolen... eventually I'll upgrade my computer enough to finally finish via emulator)

Nintendo DS
Final Fantasy IV - Technically a repeat from the SNES, but it's remade into 3D.
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Rings of Fate
Harvest Moon
Rune Factory: A Fantasy Harvest Moon
Rune Factory 2
Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin
Castlevania: Dawn (these Castlevanias are technically platformers, but the series as of late has added a lot of RPG elements, such as leveling up and buying/selling equipment, etc.)

XBOX
Fable
Baldur's Gate Dark Alliance 1 and 2



DOS Based
Moraff's Dungeons of the Unforgiven
AD&D Pool of Radiance Series (Pool of Radiance, Curse of the Azure Bonds, Secret of the Silver Blades) *Favorite*
Ultima VI
Ultima VIII (Which I seem to be one of the only individuals to actually enjoy... =P)


Windows-Based
Baldur's Gate
Baldur's Gate II + Expansion *favorite*
Icewind Dale
Icewind Dale II
Neverwinter Nights
Neverwinter Nights II
Anachronox
Morrowind
Oblivion
Dungeon Seige
Dungeon Seige II
Diablo
Diablo II
Nox
Final Fantasy VIII
Mordor
Demise: Rise of the Ku'Tan (aka Mordor 2)
Fallout I, II, III, and Tactics *favorite*
Rage of Mages
Darkstone
Eschalon: Book I (but of course )
Septerra Core

Played via Emulation in Windows
Final Fantasy IV j-type (SNES)
Final Fantasy V (SNES)
Final Fantasy VI j-type *favorite* (SNES)
Final Fantasy XI (PS)
Dragon Warrior V (PS)
Grandia (PS)
Lufia I & II (SNES)
Secret of Mana II (SNES)
Breath of Fire II (SNES)

Now, this list is no means a complete list of RPGs I've played, nor is it a list of ALL of the ones I've enjoyed... I'm sure I've missed a few. But going through this list, I realize one of the reasons I've never had any money 0_o

[Palog]

Lol it's a bit extreme! There's plenty I haven't played myself but also some I didn't knew at all. The DOS list is perhaps a bit short. You enjoyed Oblivion? Ha well. I didn't knew there was an emulation for the PS, if someone can PM me the nice links that would be cool.

[CrazyBernie]

I'd have to agree with your about the shortness of the DOS list, since I started on MS-DOS 3.0. However, most of the games I played in the DOS environment were action/platformers/shooters. Crystal Caves, Commander Keen, Duke Nukem, Jill of the Jungle, Wolfenstein 3D, Blake Stone, Doom, Doom II, Quake I, Descent, Need For Speed, the list goes on. My RPG experience mostly came from consoles in the beginning. I do have some vague recollections of playing some Roguelikes in DOS, but I couldn't pull a name out if my life depended on it.

Of course, when I first began connecting to BBSes back in the day, I remember playing a lot of Legend of the Red Dragon. So I suppose that should be up on the DOS list too, being RPG based.

I did enjoy Oblivion, although I never finished it. At the time I was playing, I just couldn't deal with the fact that I had to run at a lower resolution with many details turned down. After upgrading to this new machine I fired it up again, but alas, the ADHD kicked in. *sigh* Of course, as many hours as I put into Morrowind, I never finished it either.

I'm big on sci-fi & fantasy, and I have a pretty good capacity for enjoying most of the movies/books/games that I watch/read/play. Usually it has to be pretty bad if I'm not going to like it. Ultima VIII is a great example. Everyone that I've ever known has ratted on it for being a horrible run'n'jump atrocity to the Ultima Universe. I put tons of hours into that game, and enjoyed it immensely. I guess all those hours playing Super Mario Bros 1,2,3,World really paid off...

http://www.epsxe.com for the best PSX emulator. If you own a playstation there's no need to worry about the legality of it. My latest unit I bought broken at a yard sale for $1 The games I usually haven't spent more than five or ten bucks on, although I bought FF9 new when it came out.

[Palog]

Thanks for the link. Despite I dislike DOS system, I feel it the platform that has been the laboratory of CRPG design. But well often the polishing hadn't been so good, clearly because of the poor design of the system. It's more a feeling than a deep knowledge of the DOS era.

My DOS list isn't that big too but still played a few classic:

• Ultima Underworld
• Dungeon Master (The 1 on PC and the 2 on Mac)
• Ultima VII
• Star Control II (but played on 3DO)
• Lands Of Lore
• Pool Of Radiance trilogy (but played on Mac)
• Eyes of The Beholder
• Few Wizardry (Some on Mac some on PC)
• Few Might & Magic (but played on Mac)

I also have a short list of some I think I could try through DosBox:

• Ultima Underworld 2
• Betrayal at Krondor
• Albion
• Darklands
• Dark Heart of Uukrul
• Anvil of Dawn

But the point is more that for a guy that played so many CRPG, you played few from DOS. I think the 1st four in my 1st list are very big stuff.

EDIT: For U8 well if you had play U7 before perhaps it would have been a disappointment for you too. There's nothing worse than expecting a lot and very different than whart you get. Myself I never tried U8.