Gold Box Advanced Dungeons & Dragons games

[DemonKing]

I liked the Gold Box games up to Pools of Darkness where the power creep was utterly ridiculous and I was leaving piles of +3 weapons on the ground after every battle because it wasn't worth my time picking them up and selling them. Also if you're going to play through all games with the same characters make sure you go human, because the AD&D rules put strict limits on demihuman class levels in most cases which means you won't be able to level up after a while.

Eye of the Beholder games are good real time blobbers. EoB2 is probably one of my favourite games of all time.

 

[Darth Canoli]

Never play NWN1OC so I cant really tell.

NWN2OC has charms of its all, so if you had tried to snark, it's not as snarky as you would believe. And even if you hadnt tried to snark, it's not apporiate to compare a major AAA game in later years, come in 4-5 CD, with a mod from a game released in early early years, aka small content writings and tiny selection of quests coming in barely half a CD, most of which were music.

Stand on its own, POR Remastered mod is very nice, very nice indeed. Superb music, tight dungeon, the twist and turn in that tiny story is well done. Which is why I recommended you guys tried this module. In term of length, PORR is barely the size of Luremaster.

I tried it since nobody answered but not for long, the NWN 2 engine is so bad I couldn't get past the slums and the underground dungeon.
The combat is terrible, you constantly have to fight with the camera inside the city, it's just tiring.

I wouldn't play it if it was the only video game + mod available.

 

[rusty_shackleford]

NWN2 OC is awful, I've played a lot of bad games and mostly forget them but the real bad ones just stick with you. Games like Dragon Age 2 and NWN2 fall into this category.
If you want to play a similar game except not awful, I'd suggest Drakensang: The River of Time.

 

[Darth Canoli]

If you want to play a similar game except not awful, I'd suggest Drakensang: The River of Time.

I played it alright, it's good, not re-playable good (linear, RTwP combat) but it's good nonetheless.

There's some attention to details, example for pick-pockets, most targets doesn't have anything valuable, except the ones looking like they're wealthy on the first look, whom carry a worthwhile amount of cash.
Also the "Amazon's Temple" weight's puzzle should be studied by whoever wants to add "puzzles" in a video game.

 

[Alex]

Hello! I am sorry if this topic was already opened. Site search gives me error on every inquiry.. (

So, i have found two games from the AD&D Forgotten Realms in Top 101 list. Pool of Radiance and Pool of Darkness. And i have a question: will i miss much if i won't play in other games of the series? On GOG there is huge collection of games in this series. Should i play them all to better understand the plot, the lore, game mechanics? Or is it totally OK to play only these two titles from the top-list?

Pool of Radiance is the single best Gold Box game, but the Dragonlance/Krynn trilogy is the superior series to the quartet of games that begins with PoR. Personally, I suggest playing PoR and Curse of the Azure Bonds before switching to Champions of Krynn (which finished #66 in the original poll), but Pool of Darkness has many fans on the Codex. Don't forget to utilize the Gold Box Companion for some quality-of-life improvements.

That gold box companion looks nice... but...

(...snip)

• Temporarily change demihuman race to human to avoid experience level limits.
• Optional level up without visiting training halls and without race-/game-related level limits.

(snip...)

 

[Mortmal]

Nah its not decline the limitations of demi human levels were really poorly done, there was no point to pick them at all. In BECMI you had level limitations too but you were keeping track of xp to buy extra abitliites ,gain , extra attacks and so on just at a slower path than humans , that to make up for their infravision and better saves early level. But they also had other features like the clan stronghold , the elves had a clan tree allowing daily spells uses, like ressurection, dwarves had better crafting options etc...That doesnt translate at all into those CRPGS.

 

[rusty_shackleford]

you were supposed to play human you special snowflake

 

[Mortmal]

you were supposed to play human you special snowflake

Of course you should , but that doesnt mean it's good design either, being demi human was adding something to roleplay that will never translate into a CRPG.

 

[rusty_shackleford]

you were supposed to play human you special snowflake

Of course you should , but that doesnt mean it's good design either, being demi human was adding something to roleplay that will never translate into a CRPG.

demihumans other than hobbits are for killing
hobbits are for growing cabbage

 

[KeighnMcDeath]

Are hobbits in charge of coleslaw in Colonel Sander's restaurant franchise?

 

[Glop_dweller]

The NDA would prevent them from ever telling.

*Yes, there was an NDA on the coleslaw recipe.

 

[Zed Duke of Banville]

That gold box companion looks nice... but...

(...snip)

• Temporarily change demihuman race to human to avoid experience level limits.
• Optional level up without visiting training halls and without race-/game-related level limits.

(snip...)

Those items should be strictly optional, as with editing your character's ability scores and so forth. Not a valid reason for avoiding the Gold Box Companion, unless you lack the willpower to resist using those functions.

 

[mondblut]

will i miss much if i won't play in other games of the series?

Yes. The only one that's not really gonna be missed is Secret of Silver Blades. Without prior entries, you're gonna be, like, "who the fuck are these people and why am I supposed to care?" anytime you meet an NPC in Pools of Darkness.

Oh, obviously you can straight up forget the abomination known as Hillsfar, but it ain't truly part of the series.

Should i play them all to better understand the plot, the lore, game mechanics?

Yes. Except for Hillsfar. Seriously, fuck Hillsfar.

Or is it totally OK to play only these two titles from the top-list?

No. Also, don't trust any "top lists" overmuch. Half the shit those people have voted in is almost as bad as Hillsfar.

ed: nice necroing, duh.

 

[mondblut]

maybe someone else can comment on how important it is to understanding the game.

Quite.

 

[Zed Duke of Banville]

Should i play them all to better understand the plot, the lore, game mechanics?

Yes. Except for Hillsfar. Seriously, fuck Hillsfar.

Hillsfar isn't a Gold Box game and didn't pretend to be; it was distributed in a silver box, and SSI labelled it an "action-adventure" game. Still worth noting that it was a half-baked idea to import separate characters from Pool of Radiance / Curse of the Azure Bonds into Hillsfar and have them participate in a series of mini-games, and the execution of those mini-games was dreadful.

 

[NecroLord]

Should i play them all to better understand the plot, the lore, game mechanics?

Yes. Except for Hillsfar. Seriously, fuck Hillsfar.

Hillsfar isn't a Gold Box game and didn't pretend to be; it was distributed in a silver box, and SSI labelled it an "action-adventure" game. Still worth noting that it was a half-baked idea to import separate characters from Pool of Radiance / Curse of the Azure Bonds into Hillsfar and have them participate in a series of mini-games, and the execution of those mini-games was dreadful.

The art of the Goldbox games is truly great. Ye olde D&D art style is incomparable in its majesty to the new style(anything post 3E).

 

[laclongquan]

NWN2 OC is awful, I've played a lot of bad games and mostly forget them but the real bad ones just stick with you. Games like Dragon Age 2 and NWN2 fall into this category.
If you want to play a similar game except not awful, I'd suggest Drakensang: The River of Time.

This illustrate an incompatibility between game and gamers. It's fine if you dont like NWN2OC, since everyone has his own preference.

But to say it's awful just because you dont like it is the same way RPGers badmouth Doom/Quake/etc just because they dont like it.

 

[rusty_shackleford]

NWN2 OC is awful, I've played a lot of bad games and mostly forget them but the real bad ones just stick with you. Games like Dragon Age 2 and NWN2 fall into this category.
If you want to play a similar game except not awful, I'd suggest Drakensang: The River of Time.

This illustrate an incompatibility between game and gamers. It's fine if you dont like NWN2OC, since everyone has his own preference.

But to say it's awful just because you dont like it is the same way RPGers badmouth Doom/Quake/etc just because they dont like it.

In what possible way is NWN2 comparable to Doom/Quake/etc?

It's not a case of not liking it, it's a case of it truly being an awful game.

 

[KeighnMcDeath]

Hillsfar Mobygames

Platforms
Amiga, Atari ST, Commodore 64, DOS, NES, PC-88, PC-98

Supposedly the main reason to play Hillsfar was the permanent HP boost if you completed all the quests. They're relatively long and sometimes glitchy, esp the fix xyz target in places you wander around. Generally, in those places you want to find the hidden room that has no guards.

The hp bonus was substantial enough but I can't recall if character successfully transferred to Curse. Obviously the PC version is the fastest to test. I played so much c64/pc back to back with these early titles I can't remember which transfers worked and which didn't.

Hillfar could have been a good solo if they had exploration and combat like the later AOL Neverwinter Nights. It is quite forgetable unless you really really get into it.






Hmmm.. that Pc98 had an interesting intro.

Here's an album:
Album
Another Album

 

[laclongquan]

NWN2 OC is awful, I've played a lot of bad games and mostly forget them but the real bad ones just stick with you. Games like Dragon Age 2 and NWN2 fall into this category.
If you want to play a similar game except not awful, I'd suggest Drakensang: The River of Time.

This illustrate an incompatibility between game and gamers. It's fine if you dont like NWN2OC, since everyone has his own preference.

But to say it's awful just because you dont like it is the same way RPGers badmouth Doom/Quake/etc just because they dont like it.

In what possible way is NWN2 comparable to Doom/Quake/etc?

It's not a case of not liking it, it's a case of it truly being an awful game.

What I mean is that you guys, who like a certain genre, jumping across genre to accuse other products of being inferior. How. Dare. You? By. What. Qualification?

I dont like puzzle games. Did you ever see I badmouth any puzzle game?

I only play RPG, and dont like 1st person shooter. Did I ever badmouth FPS games?

Why the hell do you think, you guys who like Drakensang which is quite different from NWN2, you have the right qualification, the right analytic mind, the right experience, to judge what a game like NWN2OC is?

No, seriously? You think you can? You think you have the abilities to do it? Seriously?

 

[rusty_shackleford]

Why the hell do you think, you guys who like Drakensang, you have the right qualification, the right analytic mind, the right experience, to judge what a game like NWN2OC is?

... because they're very similar?

other than Drakensang:TRoT actually being good, that is. I also prefer the ruleset it uses over 3.5e.

 

[laclongquan]

Actually, I heard of Drakensang quite a few times before. NEVER has any urge to even try/demo it. So I doubt it's that similar to NWN2.

Did you know that quite a few players looking for a game similar to NWN2 for a decade? Even PK is advertised to be similar to it, it's not.

Drakensang is quite similar to Gothic, as in a niche game of a niche. Doesnt mean its gamers are qualified to judge other games though, because being in a niche cast doubt on your qualification~

 

[rusty_shackleford]

Actually, I heard of Drakensang quite a few times before. NEVER has any urge to even try/demo it. So I doubt it's that similar to NWN2.

Did you know that quite a few players looking for a game similar to NWN2 for a decade? Even PK is advertised to be similar to it, it's not.

Drakensang is quite similar to Gothic, as in a niche game of a niche. Doesnt mean its gamers are qualified to judge other games though, because being in a niche cast doubt on your qualification~

It's a nwn clone using TDE system, what are you talking about?

 

[Alex]

That gold box companion looks nice... but...

(...snip)

• Temporarily change demihuman race to human to avoid experience level limits.
• Optional level up without visiting training halls and without race-/game-related level limits.

(snip...)

Those items should be strictly optional, as with editing your character's ability scores and so forth. Not a valid reason for avoiding the Gold Box Companion, unless you lack the willpower to resist using those functions.

As long as they really are optional (as in, the game won't allow me to level up a non-human character past his limits without at least giving me a prompt), that is fine. I just find it annoying that everyone seems to find this to be an important feature.

By the way, zed, do you know if vanilla gold box games allowed single classed demi-humans to go past racial limits according to their ability scores?

 

[KeighnMcDeath]

Easiest way to check that is boot up a dosbox or gog version of oh Silver blades, Darkpool, maybe curse and create a newb with different stats. Hell give them minimal stats and see if starting levels are different. Optionally play with the low stats and level up.