| |
Site Navigation
Main
News
Forums
Games
Games Database
Top 100
Release List
Support Files
Features
Reviews
Previews
Interviews
Editorials
Diaries
Misc
Download
Gallery
Music
Screenshots
Videos
Miscellaneous
Staff Members
Privacy Statement
|
|
|
|
Larinson
Village Dweller
Joined: 28 Jun 2003
Posts: 19
|
Okay, I have two reasons for starting this thread. Firstly, I'm interested in finding out if there are any RPGs out there with really good stories, or great character interaction that I haven't played (RPGs I have played - PST, BG 1 & 2, Fallout 1 & 2, Final Fantasy 8, KotoR, Morrowind, Divind Divinity, Arx Fatalis, Deus Ex, Dungeon Siege, Neverwinter Nights, Anachronox, Wizardry 8 - and have Lionheart on order). I've recently been trying to find satisfaction in other genres but frankly nothing can touch RPGs. I must admit that my perspective of choice is isometric. To be honest I've found that most games I've played after Baldurs Gate 2 and PST have been let downs (except KoTor, and that was too short) - not because they're bad games but because they simply can't compete with the two mentioned for story and character. Okay, the BG2 plot was a bit cliched, but it had very good characters and character interaction. PST was just the pinnacle of RPG!
My second reason for starting this thread was to talk about the plots and characters in RPGs and whether or not either of these is likely to be furthered in any of the forthcoming games? To be honest, having looked at the releases pencilled in at the moment it gives me no joy whatsoever. None of them seem to be pushing the genre any further. The only forthcoming title that excites me is Fable, and that may not even make it onto the PC. |
Sun Mar 07, 2004 6:32 pm |
|
|
Gorath
Mostly Harmless
Joined: 03 Sep 2001
Posts: 6327
Location: NRW, Germany |
Did you play the Gothics? While their stories are rather average good interaction with believable NPCs is one of their strongest points.
_________________
Webmaster GothicDot |
|
Sun Mar 07, 2004 7:55 pm |
|
|
Roqua
High Emperor
Joined: 02 Sep 2003
Posts: 897
Location: rump |
Maybe everquest? That has good character interaction I've heard, but not much of a plot.
Quest for Glory 5 has all the story and dialoque you could want.
If you want to play an RPG where you have to do a little thinking and planning and employ strategy you might want to pick up ToEE. There is no party interaction unless you pick up an NPC, and the dialoque is not up to par, but it is my favorite game for a long time.
IWD and IWD are pretty good and you will probably like them since they are IE games like BG and PST.
_________________
Vegitarian is the Indian word for lousey hunter. |
|
Sun Mar 07, 2004 8:59 pm |
|
|
Snome
Eager Tradesman
Joined: 21 Mar 2002
Posts: 44
Location: Holland |
I don't know any recent titles that would be in the same leage as the mentioned games, but there are, of course, some oldies that, storywise very, very good.
First is ultima 7, the "ultimate ultima" and almost in every rpg fans' top 10. The first part (black gate) is totally non-linear. It has a solid story, lots of npc interaction and a pretty large world to explore (although) not by morrowinds standards). Don't expect an "evil" path in this one (although you can get an evil ending, grin). Part two (serpent isle) is much more linear but also has a more focused storyline. Both games represent the ultimate game interaction (you can pick up, move and manipulate almost everything). While in my view the graphics have a certain timeless quality in them, most younger gamers would call them old fashioned or ugly. Play this game !
Another oldie with a solid story (although far less npc interaction) is betrayal at krondor. This one has a 3d environment (of sorts) and was developed with the aid of the novel writer Raymond Feist. I believe it was made shareware several years ago, so you can legally download it.
Third is more ultima, if you liked arx, try its predecessors, ultima underworld 1 and 2. Although they do not have too much of character interaction (especially part 1) both games are rpg classics. The first dungeon simulators as they were called back in the nineties.
Not everybody's cup of tea and not true rpg's, but to me great fun was the quest for glory series.
Lastly, you might try some of the fan made mods for BG2. Most deal with new NPC's, banters, romances, etc.
Oh, and if you want great stories and character interaction, give the gabriel knight series and the longest journey a go  |
|
Sun Mar 07, 2004 9:52 pm |
|
|
Larinson
Village Dweller
Joined: 28 Jun 2003
Posts: 19
|
Thanks very much for the advice guys! I must admit that I have been interested in playing the Gothics but have found it difficult to get hold of them in the UK.
As for Ultima 7, I actually own it (got the Ultima collection) but have had lots of difficulties trying to get it to run on my computer (any help trying to do this would be gratefully received, BTW). No doubt I shall also have copy-protection issues when I actually get it running as I'm sure I've lost the book by now . The same goes for Betrayal At Krondor - I can't get it to run on my computer. Unfuriating, esepcially as I had it a few years ago on a lesser computer and it worked there.
And I actually have The Longest Journey too .
As for IWD and IWD2, I have considered them but I've been put off by the reports that they are heavily focussed on combat. The same goes for ToEE - was going to buy it but have heard many unfavourable reports about it...
Thanks very much for the suggestions though! |
|
Mon Mar 08, 2004 10:18 am |
|
|
Val
Risen From Ashes
Joined: 18 Feb 2002
Posts: 14724
Location: Utah, USA |
You can use Exult to get Ultima 7 to run.
http://exult.sourceforge.net/
_________________
Freeeeeeedom! Thank heavens it's summer!
What do I have to show for my hard work? A piece of paper! Wee!
=Guardian, Moderator, UltimaDot Newshound=  |
|
Mon Mar 08, 2004 1:05 pm |
|
|
Gorath
Mostly Harmless
Joined: 03 Sep 2001
Posts: 6327
Location: NRW, Germany |
At least Gothic 2 should be easy to find in the UK. You can always order it online, although it will probably be cheaper in a store.
_________________
Webmaster GothicDot |
|
Mon Mar 08, 2004 7:53 pm |
|
|
corwin
On the Razorblade of Life
Joined: 10 Jun 2002
Posts: 8376
Location: Australia |
While I totally agree with all the previous posts, especially the Gothics and the Ultimas, if you want a couple of real bargains and don't mind poor graphics (by modern standards,) then try the Geneforge games which Val has written about.
_________________
If God said it, then that settles it!
I don't use Smileys, I use Emoticons!!
 |
|
Tue Mar 09, 2004 1:39 am |
|
|
Roqua
High Emperor
Joined: 02 Sep 2003
Posts: 897
Location: rump |
We all forgot a great story driven game with great NPC interaction--Arcanum. The combat sucks, but so do all rpgs with RT combat (or rt and tb as arcanum has it). But if BG and the IE games are your bag then I would definitly pick up arcanum. Lots of mods for it also, as well as some for BG2.
Side note on what you said about IWD and IWD2: I've never played an RPG that isn't heavily focused on combat. I liked the story in BG, BG 2, and even PST, but the endless crap combat is what stopped me from finishing them, and I really, really wanted to see how PST ended. The core of CRPGs has always been combat and hopefully always will though. All or almost all your stats are for combat, most of the game is walking around or combat. All the games you liked and mentioned are combat driven games wrapped around a story. Gothic is a combat game (and twitch-based to boot).
When you take the player controlled combat out of a CRPG you have Republic the Revolution, which is a good game and a rpg, but will never be considered a crpg. So if you are going to play a game which centers around combat, it might as well be good combat. At least try the ToEE demo.
ANd for everyone that says PST is more about the story, tell me why the overabundance of combat got me to stop playing? I'll even draw out my experience. SPoilers follow: Big dungeon under the city, to the new part of city (getting in combat all the way to the new part). Talk, talk, talk, then do the sewer under the new part of city which was very tough battles. Go to new plane, little talk, then in prison with millions of battles every second. Free the angel guy, get sent to a desert and even more combat. I talked to some guy there and he made it sound like another big combat zone was coming up. I didn't have it in me so I stopped playing and never went back. The computer people zone (mordrons?) was a big factor in breaking me. I think I spent half the time I played in that damn maze. But it really drives me nuts when people say PST isn't a combat game. I spend 90% of my time in combat in that game, no matter how great the story is, or how much character all the npcs have, or how well dialoque was written, I mainly fought so it is a combat game like most all crpgs. (A Tale in the Desert and Reublic the Revolution are the only two rpgs I can think of that aren't combat heavy).
Sorry my side note is so long. IWD 1 and 2 have a pretty good stories, IWD1 and 2 is story driven in that you have to advance the story to continue clearing zones like in all the IE games. They are as combat intensive as BG 1 and 2 and PST, but have no npcs in your party to gossip with and a lot less quests.
_________________
Vegitarian is the Indian word for lousey hunter. |
|
Tue Mar 09, 2004 3:05 am |
|
|
Dhruin
Stranger In A Strange Land
Joined: 20 May 2002
Posts: 1825
Location: Sydney, Australia |
I know this is sacrilege but I enjoyed IWD (1) more than BG2 so don't rule it out all together. As Roqua pointed out, they're all heavily combat oriented but I enjoyed playing a hired mercenary more than having to rescue Imoen. I never liked her in the first place - let Irenicus keep her, I say! 
_________________
Editor @ RPGDot |
|
Tue Mar 09, 2004 7:00 am |
|
|
the mighty stamar
High Emperor
Joined: 01 Feb 2003
Posts: 602
Location: arcata ca, humboldt county |
If you really liked pst and bg2, youll like IWD2.
If you really liked kotor, you might like NWN WITH the expansion hordes of underdark.
I dont think you will like lionheart too much but I dont think it is terrible. The time involved is extremely short,really a low content game. Lets say its an infinity engine game with one character, and about the length of planescape torments first city. I think thats an accurate description of it. In that time the story and characters are actually good.
The story in gothic 1 and 2 gains momentum as it goes. It starts out aimless and then gets more specific. An interesting change of pace.
I liked the story in the orignal gothic much better, it was very out of the ordinary and adult. There was murder robbery greed and drugs. |
|
Tue Mar 09, 2004 8:42 am |
|
|
Snome
Eager Tradesman
Joined: 21 Mar 2002
Posts: 44
Location: Holland |
A very simple solution to not being able to play oldies : get an old computer . I bought one for 100 euro's and it works fine with the ultimas, bak and the ssi gold box series. |
|
Tue Mar 09, 2004 7:55 pm |
|
|
piln
High Emperor
Joined: 22 May 2003
Posts: 906
Location: Leeds, UK |
I'll second Snome's tip! I have an old Pentium 2 machine at home, currently working as a network server, but since everyone in the house has recently upgraded their PCs, the server is going to be rebuilt with the hand-me-down parts - meaning I can use the old P2 to play all my old DOS games that refuse to run on new PCs.
Terra Nova, how I have missed you 
And I'll be able to play Ultima 7 (without the need for super-human reflexes) for the first time (although I can probably do that anyway, I haven't tried Exult yet). |
|
Tue Mar 23, 2004 7:52 pm |
|
|
|
All times are GMT. The time now is Sat Apr 13, 2019 11:50 am
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
