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MikeJW
Village Dweller
Joined: 20 Jan 2006
Posts: 14
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My thoughts on Gothic Gold *maybe spoilers for first 2 chapt |
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I've been a lurker here forever and just joined up so I thought I'd give my impressions on G Gold for people who are wondering about the game. I beat Gothic 1 3 times as well as vanilla G2 thrice. I'm currently 3/4 done with Ch. 2 in Gold as a merc and these are my rambling thoughts.
I really enjoyed the added content. I got a kick out of the guest stars from the camps from G1 and the add on world is beautiful. Jharkendar really seems like a nice nod towards the VoM from the original game. The quests for the most part are nice and interesting.
The one bad part is the increased difficulty. The first ten levels of your characters life is very frustrating as most of the enemies you need to kill to advance the plot are in groups and above your ability. The bandit weapon smugglers are a key example as getting them 1 on 1 was just a hit and miss die/reload. Once 1 on 1 they werent too bad but other enemies were a pain regardless. Strangely, once in Jharkendar I didnt have too much problems except for golemns and Orcs. Orcs. Oh my, what did they do to the Orcs. An enemy thtas really difficult to get 1on 1 and they made them uber. In G2 I could take an Orc warrior at lvl. 9 but in Gold an Orc shaman could easily take me out even at lvl. 19 until I got that sword. you know which one. And thats where I'm at, waiting at the castle in VoM not really wanting to go on because the Orcs are just not a fun enemy to fight and soon they'll be my main enemy. |
Fri Jan 20, 2006 2:59 am |
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Uriziel
Grand Mage
Joined: 17 May 2002
Posts: 735
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The game is tougher now, but it's not, but it is, but it's not. You simply MUST gain all the exp. you can before getting into other areas. My first play through of NOTR was a friggin nightmare, and I knew G2 very well. After that headache I rethought my approach and now NOTR is'nt really that tough, even as mage.
Follow the quest sequence. Get help when you can. In other words.....do the easy stuff until you have to do something harder........then get help. That takes game knowledge and patience, but then even NOTR is'nt a big hill to climb. _________________ Chris: Dad, what's the blow-hole for?
Peter: I'll tell you what it's not for, son. And when I do, you'll understand why I can never go back to Sea World. |
Fri Jan 20, 2006 9:19 am |
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MikeJW
Village Dweller
Joined: 20 Jan 2006
Posts: 14
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True, part of my problem is I had to unlearn what I knew from G2 as the power scale is way different. For me a lizard at lvl 6-7 in G2 was possible but isnt in G Gold so I had to force myself to stay away from certain locations. I thought the increased LPs would really suck for a melee dependant PC but its not that bad of a handicap. I was worried about getting my strength up when I shouldnt have because PB put in Beliars Claw to help. By the time I got done with Jharkendar I was lvl 20-21 and was for the most part back to my confident self. But I'm still not confident about the upgrade Orcs have received as they just dont seem they'll be fun. Especially when I've had them block forever and could only get a hit by opening myself for an attack. |
Fri Jan 20, 2006 10:21 pm |
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Gorath
Mostly Harmless
Joined: 03 Sep 2001
Posts: 6327
Location: NRW, Germany |
Welcome to our forum!
I also think PB shouldnīt have listened to the fans which demanded a higher difficulty. Even G2 was probably a bit too hard for casual gamers in the beginning, although it was just right for hardcore gamers.
The orcs are no real problem. You donīt have to fight them alone before chapter 4. In Jharkendar you have pirates as support. _________________ Webmaster GothicDot |
Sat Jan 21, 2006 1:03 am |
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MikeJW
Village Dweller
Joined: 20 Jan 2006
Posts: 14
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Thanks. The Orc thing is part of my unlearning G2 habits. In old G2 upon getting to the castle I always cleared an Orc free zone around the ramp so I wouldnt have to sneak so much but I cant do that now. I could I guess but it'd be a lot of reload/saves. I think the difficulty is a mistake though. A lot of people new to the series will try Gothic Gold because of the cheap price and get frustrated, leaving a bad taste in their mouth when G3 comes out. Enough complaining though. I think the Gothic series is in my top 5 of best PC games. |
Sat Jan 21, 2006 1:12 am |
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Gotit
Captain of the Guard
Joined: 27 Nov 2005
Posts: 183
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I don't see what could be the 4 games better than gothic 2+notr.
It isn't from far the toughest game or RPG I have played but as many RPG the first levels are too tough. In fact few other RPG could be much tougher at first levels for some classes choices. From Baldur's gate 1 to Morrowind.
More than the difficulty what could disgust many players is how often you get racketed or maltreated during first levels. Ha well some patience and few vengence later you'll find that more fun!
But it's definitely the one I get killed the most. It still does the job very well, you just need to not forget to save very very often. Usually instant death is quite boring but in this game it's part of the design to replace closed doors and closed area and that works. The player has to learn that to get in the game, and has to learn get help during the first ten levels at least and in fact even later.
NOTR adds many many traps into character management, I think it's the major difficulty of the game. The major problems are coming from:
- A lot of your skill improve will come from powerup but you need find them and it makes character building impossible to plan well until you replay the game.
- The skill raising with increase learning cost is a good design but here a bad one because it takes in the count the increase from powerup and there are ton of them. So you can screw up many things by using powerup too soon and it's quite tempting to use power up.
- There are quite a lot skills learning that require a full level up of LP if not more up to 2 level up of LP. That makes not easy character management and that can be quite frustrating if you get trapped into this.
It's quite obvious that many strong changes make NOTR tougher for players who had play Gothic 1 or 2 than for players who never played them. But for newbie there's a long road to learn the incredibly good close-combat system.
About that I am worry of the changes that will come with Gothic 3, for example the new interface design which is possible with Gothic 2, it could be helpfull for some newbie but it's far to reach the quality of the standard design for close combat. |
Sun Jan 22, 2006 4:52 pm |
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Gotit
Captain of the Guard
Joined: 27 Nov 2005
Posts: 183
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quote: Originally posted by MikeJW
True, part of my problem is I had to unlearn what I knew from G2 as the power scale is way different. For me a lizard at lvl 6-7 in G2 was possible but isnt in G Gold.
With 2H you can, you need learn better how fight them because they are dam smart beast.
quote: Originally posted by MikeJW
But I'm still not confident about the upgrade Orcs have received as they just dont seem they'll be fun. Especially when I've had them block forever and could only get a hit by opening myself for an attack.
Orc are dam tough and as people suggested you, you should better wait a long time before killing one. But nope they have hole and they are some of the more fun to fight with close range.
In general the two secrets are learn use parry and backward parry.
The only I remember to have mostly no hole among opponents using weapons are:
- Skeletons because they are increadibly fast, but it's not true, they have hole but it's hard to never get hit.
- Cassia, I haven't practice enough agaisnt her but that's the only ony I still feel with no hole and had to practice agaisnt here false attack/parry/counter attack/parry or parry/counter attack/parry really chained or few hit when she run arround you and if you anticipate her movement and use long range like a good 2H. |
Sun Jan 22, 2006 5:28 pm |
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MikeJW
Village Dweller
Joined: 20 Jan 2006
Posts: 14
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Even in my teens I have no trouble with skeletons, snappers or most other monsters except wargs. Orcs however tick me off because they just freeze in the block position. For example, in Jharkendar I was fighting an Orc shaman and for 2 minutes I combo attacked and all he did was stay hunkered down in the block position indefinately. I had to jump back, getting hit in the process to even land a blow. |
Sun Jan 22, 2006 6:31 pm |
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MikeJW
Village Dweller
Joined: 20 Jan 2006
Posts: 14
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Even in my teens I have no trouble with skeletons, snappers or most other monsters except wargs. Orcs however tick me off because they just freeze in the block position. For example, in Jharkendar I was fighting an Orc shaman and for 2 minutes I combo attacked and all he did was stay hunkered down in the block position indefinately. I had to jump back, getting hit in the process to even land a blow. |
Sun Jan 22, 2006 6:43 pm |
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Gotit
Captain of the Guard
Joined: 27 Nov 2005
Posts: 183
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Yes go back, let him attack and you have two options, hit him just before he hit you, or let him hit but parry or backward parry to not get hit and then chain with a counter attack.
That's the more easier options to do, hard to never get hit but easy to get hit very rarely in comparison of number of hits you'll give.
For doing that well you nead learn reading his movements a little, have high reflex or be an ace in chaining parry/counter attack. |
Mon Jan 23, 2006 8:13 pm |
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