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Seth
Last Man Standing
Joined: 23 Jan 2002
Posts: 1008
Location: Faerun |
Did you guys read (or see) the latest preview of Greyhawk on IGN? Impressive it’s an understatement, this is going to be RPG of the year, with so many possibilities in combat, dialog and NPCs, true D&D. I guess my Christmas will be in front of my PC fighting Balors and robing blind the peasants (or killing them as well), I’m already in the Christmas spirit. 
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Money - An article which may be used as a universal passport to everywhere except heaven, and as a universal provider of everything except happiness. |
Fri Jul 18, 2003 3:05 pm |
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EverythingXen
Arch-villain
Joined: 01 Feb 2002
Posts: 4342
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The game is definitely looking cool, even with a level 10 cap (I prefer level 8 to 12 when I game in pen and paper... they're funnest levels to me).
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Estuans interius, Ira vehementi
"The old world dies and with it the old ways. We will rebuild it as it should be, MUST be... Immortal!"
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=Worshipper of the Written Word= |
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Fri Jul 18, 2003 3:12 pm |
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Seth
Last Man Standing
Joined: 23 Jan 2002
Posts: 1008
Location: Faerun |
Xen, I’ve read somewhere that for people, who actually played this campaign in PnP, it will be less surprising as to comparison to people who never played (me). So did you play the greyhawk setting? And from DM point of view, what do you think about the all that game-play?
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Money - An article which may be used as a universal passport to everywhere except heaven, and as a universal provider of everything except happiness. |
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Fri Jul 18, 2003 3:53 pm |
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EverythingXen
Arch-villain
Joined: 01 Feb 2002
Posts: 4342
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Yeah, I played Temple. It was a massacre. We played 24 hours straight and went through about 8 to 12 characters each. It got to the point that in order to save time we'd just add 'the second, the third, the fourth' to the character name and continue onwards. I was up to Ludwig the Mad XI by the end of the module.
More gameplay is good, though it should be noted that Temple of Elemental Evil is as HackHappy a module as the old ones came. There was no roleplaying besides what you decided to scream when dying or if you wanted to beg the mayor not to send you in there again, weeping at his feet.
Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil is even more viscious...
In any case, the public won't stand for a storyless dungeon crawl any more (look at the flames Dungeon Siege got, and IWD) so Troika really has to beef up the 'your actions matter' part of things.
_________________
Estuans interius, Ira vehementi
"The old world dies and with it the old ways. We will rebuild it as it should be, MUST be... Immortal!"
=Member of the Nonflamers Guild=
=Worshipper of the Written Word= |
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Sat Jul 19, 2003 3:23 pm |
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Seth
Last Man Standing
Joined: 23 Jan 2002
Posts: 1008
Location: Faerun |
From number of interviews we can picture some battles tactics, skills and feats. We know for the fact that there will be Balor and that’s not the ultimate monster, who knows maybe even a Dragon will be there to have us for a breakfast (as a side dish). Also everybody knows that the level cap is set for 10, so do we have any chance of killing the beast? What would be the point to have an invincible NPC in the game?
Xen, in your PnP campaigns, have you ever fought something like that with the successful results?
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Money - An article which may be used as a universal passport to everywhere except heaven, and as a universal provider of everything except happiness. |
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Tue Aug 05, 2003 3:58 am |
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EverythingXen
Arch-villain
Joined: 01 Feb 2002
Posts: 4342
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If you have six computer game tricked out D&D characters a Balor might be doable. It would not be in the hands of a human DM, but computers are stupid and CRPGs invariably load you up with enough equipment for a character twice your level. A pack of fighter/rogues would ginsu the Balor in short order with strong enough weapons.
If the balor is just a big dumb raging death machine it will hack up one character maybe two before going down. In pen and paper it would be invisible, following along, wait for you to camp and then release the most devastating attack spell in D&D at you... and then power attack/kill the wizard to cleave into and kill the cleric. And THEN it's time for the fight to start.
I mostly DM, especially in 3rd edition. I've never played a third edition character higher than 10th level for more than a game, which is a shame. However one of the games I run regularly features things like Balors and Dragons and liches and the like (The party is level 1 . The carnage is unspeakable, but they pull through.
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Estuans interius, Ira vehementi
"The old world dies and with it the old ways. We will rebuild it as it should be, MUST be... Immortal!"
=Member of the Nonflamers Guild=
=Worshipper of the Written Word= |
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Tue Aug 05, 2003 2:51 pm |
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Lintra
Elf Friend
Joined: 23 Apr 2002
Posts: 9448
Location: Bermuda, the triangle place with SANDY BEACHES |
quote:
Originally posted by EverythingXen
...However one of the games I run regularly features things like Balors and Dragons and liches and the like (The party is level 1. The carnage is unspeakable, but they pull through.
It was even funnier when I first read it since the 8 in level 18 combined with the close paran to yield a smilie. I could just see it:
Xen: Okay gamers, each one of you roll up 427 characters. I figure that ought to get you through the first 2 encounters.
Party: Gulp!
Xen: Quit your pewling you sissys! Just think how many experience points the survivors will get after taking down a couple of ancient dragons followed by a small horde from the abyss (or where ever a Balor/Balron/Balrog comes from).
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Tue Aug 05, 2003 5:35 pm |
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EverythingXen
Arch-villain
Joined: 01 Feb 2002
Posts: 4342
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Heh. There's no way 2400 level one characters could take down a Balor. But six level 20 characters will make short work of one. Frightening, isn't it? 
_________________
Estuans interius, Ira vehementi
"The old world dies and with it the old ways. We will rebuild it as it should be, MUST be... Immortal!"
=Member of the Nonflamers Guild=
=Worshipper of the Written Word= |
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Wed Aug 06, 2003 12:40 pm |
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Seth
Last Man Standing
Joined: 23 Jan 2002
Posts: 1008
Location: Faerun |
In another news:
I just find out that the acquired NPC very likely might loot casualty of war (read dead) and random placed boxes. How this information is accurate I have no idea. This feature adds definitely to the realism of the game-play, however IMHO it sucks.
BTW apparently the animal companions on popular demand don’t take NPC’s slots, but you don’t get to control them. Oh well, win some lose some.
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Money - An article which may be used as a universal passport to everywhere except heaven, and as a universal provider of everything except happiness. |
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Fri Aug 08, 2003 1:55 am |
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EverythingXen
Arch-villain
Joined: 01 Feb 2002
Posts: 4342
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If you can't ask to see what they've taken or the like the NPC taking stuff without your permission could be annoying. They do that in Arcanum... it's often a race for the item before they snatch it (though you can get access to their inventory through dialogue).
Heh. One of the trolls I got kept falling behind the party... I accessed his inventory to see why he was moving so slow... the fool had grabbed a few massive boulders from a field we walked through... each one heavier than anything anyone else in the party could even lift. WHy, I'll never know...
It's a great assassination technique, though... put poisoned food down by an NPC in Arcanum and they'll dash for it and eat it right away, and die horribly.
Oh, and you can't control animal companions, summoned creatures, or familiars in tabletop D&D... why should you be able to in a computer game?
_________________
Estuans interius, Ira vehementi
"The old world dies and with it the old ways. We will rebuild it as it should be, MUST be... Immortal!"
=Member of the Nonflamers Guild=
=Worshipper of the Written Word= |
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Fri Aug 08, 2003 11:56 am |
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Lintra
Elf Friend
Joined: 23 Apr 2002
Posts: 9448
Location: Bermuda, the triangle place with SANDY BEACHES |
quote:
Originally posted by EverythingXen
...Heh. One of the trolls I got kept falling behind the party... I accessed his inventory to see why he was moving so slow... the fool had grabbed a few massive boulders from a field we walked through... each one heavier than anything anyone else in the party could even lift. WHy, I'll never know...
That sounds like one of those great gaming moments. I LOVE it!
"You dumb ass, what the HECK where you thinking when you picked those up? Now put those down. Don't worry, you can get some more later. Now come on. And no, you can't keep just one!" Trolls might be smarter than ogres and hill giants, but not by a whole lot!
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Fri Aug 08, 2003 12:54 pm |
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Seth
Last Man Standing
Joined: 23 Jan 2002
Posts: 1008
Location: Faerun |
quote:
Originally posted by EverythingXen
It's a great assassination technique, though... put poisoned food down by an NPC in Arcanum and they'll dash for it and eat it right away, and die horribly.
 I missed that!! Where did you get the poison? And how did you put it on food?
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Money - An article which may be used as a universal passport to everywhere except heaven, and as a universal provider of everything except happiness. |
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Fri Aug 08, 2003 2:47 pm |
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EverythingXen
Arch-villain
Joined: 01 Feb 2002
Posts: 4342
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It's been a while since I played it but I clearly remember finding food that was poisonous (I don't think there's any way to make it yourself) on a regular enough basis to have fun with this trick.
Cursed items are almost as fun. I can't recall if there's one that does damage over time while equipped... but if there is it would be the perfect assassination tool.
Pity you can't put lit dynamite down for them to pick up and then run.
_________________
Estuans interius, Ira vehementi
"The old world dies and with it the old ways. We will rebuild it as it should be, MUST be... Immortal!"
=Member of the Nonflamers Guild=
=Worshipper of the Written Word= |
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Fri Aug 08, 2003 3:22 pm |
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Seth
Last Man Standing
Joined: 23 Jan 2002
Posts: 1008
Location: Faerun |
quote:
Originally posted by EverythingXen
Pity you can't put lit dynamite down for them to pick up and then run.
Amen to that.
quote:
Originally posted by EverythingXen
Oh, and you can't control animal companions, summoned creatures, or familiars in tabletop D&D... why should you be able to in a computer game?
So in PnP the summon creatures, animal companions and enemy under dominance spell (or something like that) to whom do they attack, closest, strongest?
_________________
Money - An article which may be used as a universal passport to everywhere except heaven, and as a universal provider of everything except happiness. |
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Fri Aug 08, 2003 6:50 pm |
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EverythingXen
Arch-villain
Joined: 01 Feb 2002
Posts: 4342
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In pen and paper you can issue a simple command IF they have some way of understanding it. An animal companion can be commanded 'Attack!' and it will do so to the best of its ability. You can't really tell it to attack the wizard every time it looks like he's about to cast a spell.
Sentient summoned creatures, like imps, you can. They're even compelled to act against their alignment for the duration of the spell, so you CAN order a balor to save orphans from a fire at the orphanage. Of course, when the spell ends and he goes back to the abyss you can probably expect he'll send a legion of fiends through the closest gate to finish the children off. Or he'll summon YOU and have you murder a few children or old people just for giggles. Though if you're powerful enough to summon him he might not want to tick you off like that... lest the next time you summon him you say 'Bathe in that' and point to the Blessed Waters in the temple of the god of goodness and healing.
I suspect there will be a way in ToEE to give rough orders 'attack, guard, come!' to your companions... but you won't be able to possess them like you can in NWN. And that's a good thing. You can't summon them once per day in pen and paper, like in NWN. If it dies, it's dead.
_________________
Estuans interius, Ira vehementi
"The old world dies and with it the old ways. We will rebuild it as it should be, MUST be... Immortal!"
=Member of the Nonflamers Guild=
=Worshipper of the Written Word= |
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Fri Aug 08, 2003 7:10 pm |
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