The Codex’s Best Computer RPGs (pre-Diablo)

[Darth Canoli]

I love this thread, just leave the vote open for a couple of years.
Endless fun...

 

[jackofshadows]

The thread's not about to be obliterated, you know.

Anyway, just make an exception for Exile III and write a note about it in the results. The only other reasonable alternative is to re-start the whole thing, no?

 

[Lord_Potato]

The thread's not about to be obliterated, you know.

Anyway, just make an exception for Exile III and write a note about it in the results. The only other reasonable alternative is to re-start the whole thing, no?

Here're is a reasonable alternative: kick Exile III out of the list. Keep on it only titles that were released before 1997.

 

[jackofshadows]

Here're is a reasonable alternative: kick Exile III out of the list. Keep on it only titles that were released before 1997.

And nulify the votes for it? What's the point?

 

[Lord_Potato]

Here're is a reasonable alternative: kick Exile III out of the list. Keep on it only titles that were released before 1997.

And nulify the votes for it? What's the point?

The point was to create a list of pre-Diablo games. Exile III obviously does not belong there.

 

[jackofshadows]

Okay, you've convinced me: lets exclude everyone who vote for Exile III and lets create a new tag for them: Exiletard or something (leave that for more creative members right).

 

[Lord_Potato]

Okay, you've convinced me: lets exclude everyone who vote for Exile III and lets create a new tag for them: Exiletard or something (leave that for more creative members right).

People who voted for Exile III also voted for many other games. These votes will not be declared null and void.

But putting Exile III on a list of pre-Diablo games makes as much sense as putting Fallout there, another game from 1997.

 

[Gostak]

The start says in December 2021 that this would end at the end of the New Year, hence end of 2022 I would have thought?
So New Years Eve or New Years Day was meant obviously.
Well, I am no native speaker.

My votes would have gone like this, not that I have played much of the whole RPG supplied list for very long:
Blade of Destiny (4)
UU The Stygian Abyss (3)
Darklands (3)

 

[jackofshadows]

People who voted for Exile III also voted for many other games. These votes will not be declared null and void.

But putting Exile III on a list of pre-Diablo games makes as much sense as putting Fallout there, another game from 1997.

They should've known better. Their votes will be declared null and void. And they will be known as the sabotagers or men w/o taste who though they could turn the most prestigious pol into a joke. Fuck them in their assholes!

 

[Bibbimbop]

Giving 1 point to each of these.

Wasteland
Champions of Krynn
Wizardry 6: Bane of the Cosmic Forge
Death Knights of Krynn
Ultima 7: The Black Gate
Wizardry 7: Crusaders of the Dark Savant
Might and Magic V: Darkside of Xeen
Ultima 7 Part 2: Serpent Isle
Might and Magic: World of Xeen
Swords of Xeen

Your opinions are wrong. Your tastes are wrong. You have failed.

 

[Darth Canoli]

Okay, you've convinced me: lets exclude everyone who vote for Exile III and lets create a new tag for them: Exiletard or something (leave that for more creative members right).

Or just Exiled! And they lose their right to vote for new polls!

And you should get the tag: "Butthurt Queen"

Spoiler

I'm kidding.

Spoiler

Except for the Butt-hurt Queen tag, jackou deserves it.

 

[<3sRichardSimmons]

If someone had asked me a couple months ago about Diablo's release window I would have sworn it was Christmas of '96. I have strong memories of opening up that big box on Christmas morning, and the fact that I must have done so in '97 instead of '96 is giving my strong cognitive dissonance.

 

[Deuce Traveler]

I have some free time this weekend, so I plan on knocking out a draft write-up on the results and having the Ring of Prestigious Gentlemen and Codex staff butcher it with red pen and make me feel horrible suggest edits. The Exile III votes will stay as they are for several reasons. First and most importantly, it was my screw-up with the data I had available and can't be blamed on the voters. No reason to punish them. Second, Diablo was a technological leap for the genre, taking advantage of the new processing power of the day. That processing power was an inflection point that turned the genre from a niche, tactical genre into a popular, action-focused genre. The first Exile used late 80s technology that was already considered dated at the time of release and could be run easily on older computers in 1995. Exile III didn't make any leaps technologically from Exile, but instead greatly broadened the lore and in-game content while retaining its tactical combat system.

And finally, this poll was meant to get the Codex hivemind's opinion on old games. A mention of indie darling Exile III surprising people in the voting will achieve that purpose, as it will give many readers their first exposure to the excellent Exile trilogy, and allow other pre-Avadon games a chance to be played by a wider audience. Most of those that are interested will look the games over and probably decide to start with the first of the trilogy. All three are now freeware and can be downloaded on the Spiderweb Software website, for those who would make the effort.

BarãodoDesterro , I appreciate the sentiment, but I prefer to focus on results from the hivemind than the Ring of Prestigious Gentlemen, even if the Ring's results were in closer alignment to my own preferences. Besides, I do disagree about the ranking, but otherwise that top 20 listing is solid.

I'm not taking votes past the deadline, but I do encourage the lurkers to toss in how they would have voted so their opinions can be heard. As soon as I get a good draft together for the team to look at, I'll post the spreadsheet link with the results in this thread so you guys and gals and others can QC it and alert me of any errors before we go to final draft.

Update: Initial draft is in for review. Voters, please check the following link and let me know if there are any issues with how I counted your votes: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1yPVPK340xDHVEVKG7N8qlf4HT1SmtjHZKkwQUF_5up0/edit?usp=sharing

 

[Lady Error]

Full results: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1yPVPK340xDHVEVKG7N8qlf4HT1SmtjHZKkwQUF_5up0/edit#gid=0

Deuce Traveler

Who counted the votes? Wizardry 7 already had way more points ten days before the voting ended. Pool of Radiance also had more votes.

There seems to be some really sloppy counting going on. As I said a week ago:

To make sure the count is correct, it is probably best to have at least two people count the votes independently of each other.

 

[laclongquan]

What a great drought of good crpg games. I look at the list and the games I did play can be counted on one hand.

And why did Final Fantasy 6 and 5 not on the list anyway? 5 is nothing special, but 6 can be called greatest of SNES era.

 

[Butter]

Full results: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1yPVPK340xDHVEVKG7N8qlf4HT1SmtjHZKkwQUF_5up0/edit#gid=0

Deuce Traveler

Who counted the votes? Wizardry 7 already had way more points ten days before the voting ended. Pool of Radiance also had more votes.

There seems to be some really sloppy counting going on. As I said a week ago:

To make sure the count is correct, it is probably best to have at least two people count the votes independently of each other.

Is it possible people changed their votes after you tallied them up? I originally had 3 points on Wizardry 7 and later removed them when I saw it didn't need the support.

 

[V_K]

I originally had 3 points on Wizardry 7 and later removed them

That's why we can't have good things.

 

[Deuce Traveler]

Full results: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1yPVPK340xDHVEVKG7N8qlf4HT1SmtjHZKkwQUF_5up0/edit#gid=0

Deuce Traveler

Who counted the votes? Wizardry 7 already had way more points ten days before the voting ended. Pool of Radiance also had more votes.

There seems to be some really sloppy counting going on. As I said a week ago:

To make sure the count is correct, it is probably best to have at least two people count the votes independently of each other.

I did, but I also left the excel document up for awhile and asked people to check the numbers. No one responded. An error could have been made, but again I would have needed someone as autistic as me to go over them.