Its out! - Any first impressions?

[Skuld]

I sincerely appologize for being wrong and for misreading what you wrote. I have played a little of the Kondor, Might and Magic, and Avernum games and didn't care for them, so my knowledge of CRPG's is limited since I'm rather picky. And I could never bring myself to buy a Wizardry game, and since downloading the game is totally out of the question, I doubt I'll be playing any of those any time soon. I could really care less which RPG's are popular, it's the ones that are actually good that I like and use for bases of comparison. Examples: BG Series, Arcanum, and Divine Divinity. OK, so there's not much diversity in the games I play. But that's what I like and therefore that's what I know.

[Skuld]

One more thing I forgot to mention in my first post. The way in which you select which spell you're going to use is a little too much work. I need to pause every time I change spells because the skills window in which the spells are located takes up half the screen. I would liken it to having to go into your spellbook to select which spell you wanted to cast if you were playing BG. But one thing I kind of do like is that it holds the spell you last cast for quick casting again and again. But I don't have a manual since I only played the demo so there could be a better way to go about spellcasting.

[fable]

Not a problem.

To the problems I listed before, I would now add a severe lack of balance in the game. You really can't make it sweet-talking alone, for example, because you can't count on party members (as you could in the Fallout series, or Arcanum) carrying the weight of battle for you. In fact, "companions" (as they are generically called) seem totally worthless. Unless you develop a few key skills early, you're sunk.

There also is a strong imbalance in some the quests. For instance, that Machiavelli bodyguard quest should never have been put so close to your entry to Barcelona. It belongs some ways back, after you've built up some levels. By comparsion, many of the tougher quests in BG2 were reserved for the Underdark. The illithi never would have been thrown at a party that just escaped from Irenicus' first dungeon. I'm not suggesting that the five or six combatants you face in Machiavelli's home are as dangerous as mind flayers. But comparatively speaking, they'll eat up a first/second level novice alive.

[smass]

...hmmm....think I'll wait for Greyhawk TOEE...

[Skuld]

It's a decent game but i'd wait till the price went down a bit, and btw when does TOEE come out?

[fable]

I've heard anywhere from September through November. If they're smart, they'll aim for Sept-Oct, since so much else intended for that time frame has slipped a month (like KotoR).

[immortal1]

I have not had a chance to try this game out, as of yet. I do plan on trying soon. What is the deal w/ the combat mode? With ToEE stressing the turn-based, I am wondering if it is a trend that is starting. The pause feature can be utilized in the BG games, but what about this one? Is it possible to pause while casting spells/choosing weapon, etc? Somewhat new to a lot of this and trying to become informed... Thanks.

[Skuld]

This one(being lionheart) does have a pause feature, but you can do everything but doing something that involves targeting someone. you can change armour and weapons, drink poitions, and i think that's about it. But you can't pause target an enemy and unpause like in BG. It's basically backwards from BG(which made sense) come to think of it. Oh well.

[The Z]

From what I've heard, Lionheart would be a major disappointment if I decided to buy it. Which is a shame, because I love Black Isle and I love their games. But if this game is indeed riddled with minor technicalities and graphical pull backs, than it's not deserving of my money. Do you think they'd release a patch to allow "targeting while paused", to fix some of the movement speeds, and of course, to fix the quest imbalance? Or will we have to wait for some Modder to salvage the better parts of the game in a fan patch (kind of like the speed utility in Pool of Radiance)?

[fable]

There are a host of features missing from the game--not just the targeting, but automapping, user notes on maps, the ability to set a destination point for your character more than a few feet ahead, etc. I really don't like it. As for patching it: they've already announced a patch, but it deals with crash and multiplayer issues only. I seriously doubt that Reflexive will be adding targeting anytime soon, not when they were arguing against any pause control at all until about 6-9 months ago.

[The Z]

That sucks. I was really looking forward to it. I guess I gotta wait for KOtOR to come out on PC along with ToEE.

[fable]

Not too long a wait, @Z. I think TOEE is slated for September, and KotoR is November. Etherlords, much more of a fantasy strategy game, has gone gold, and so has Republic: The Revolution. Sometime soon, I don't doubt Gothic II will show up.

[Jotun]

if you're awaiting a Lionheart patch, and crave some more Diablo-clone mayhem, then try out Divine Divinity, if you havent already. Just be sure to patch it up before playing

DD has a sequel already in the works too, but I think I stated this in another post, dont remember where though, me and my short term memory

[fable]

Hey! DD isn't a Diablo clone. For the first hour it may feel that way, but after that, the game veers dramatically towards an Ultima VI/VIII feeling, with plenty of dialog, pausable action, and tons of simultaneous quests you can choose among. That doesn't sound like Diablo, to me.

Be sure to check out our Divine Divinity forum.

[Jotun]

DD has combat similar to most CRPG, being real time and not turn based, and yet still being able to pause when needed.

sure it has many quests, but dont most any CRPG game we play? like BGs, there are multiple quests too.

I cant really compare it at all to Ultima, then again I never played 6 or 7, I played 3 and 4, Exodus, and Quest of the Avatar, and combat for that seemed very much like HOMM/AOW series.

Im looking forward to Riftrunner, as Im sure you are, aye?