Pool Of Radiance 2

[ToddMcF2002]

Who else finished it besides me? Who else thought it was great? Who else thinks it is one of the most unappreciated games ever made eh? Flame suit on!

[txa1265]

I never finished, but bought it at the same time as Arcanum & Lionheart (all three for $11 on eBay!). I thought it was lousy in general, and completely superfluous in specific ... and superceded in every way by other games I was already enjoying ... so I stopped playing, uninstalled it and stuck it in my storage box.

[xSamhainx]

I got it for a few bucks but never put it on after I read all the dire warnings from pretty much every person who ever played it. I guess there's also a terrible installation bug or something as well, i dunno, I suppose I'll put it on an old computer one day or something

[ToddMcF2002]

The game rocked!

[xSamhainx]

First a strange thread lamenting the loss of the word "vigilant", now a thread praising and reveling in "Pool of Radiance II". This board may have inadvertently opened up some kind of weird vortex to the Twilight Zone or something.

[Corwin]

Definitely the worst, most BORING game I have ever played, and I have played a LOT of games!! I REALLY wanted to like this game and I persevered LONG after I should have given up in disgust and moved on!! Combat could take up to 10 minutes a TURN before all the creatures moved into their next position and battles took forever. I love TB games, but this one nearly killed them for me!! Dungeon Lords was a fun and exciting game compared to the heap of manure called PoR2!!

[ToddMcF2002]

Did any of you fight the Drow? Boring? I don't think so.

Yes the Undead could be pretty tedious - but there is a speed patch out there. I did NOT use the speed patch but I can assure you a turn never took 10 minutes.

Now Corwin: I find your comparison to Dungeon Lords to be outright offensive. I will forgive you however - since I know, you know, hell we all know you could not possibly believe what you wrote. Perhaps your comment was in jest.

[Corwin]

My lips are sealed!!

[ToddMcF2002]

I spent $7 on POR2. I spent $39.99 on Dungeon Lords. I got 120 hours out of POR2 and 2.5 out of Dungeon Lords

I wept.

[Corwin]

I spent $7 on POR2. I spent $39.99 on Dungeon Lords. I got 120 hours out of POR2 and 2.5 out of Dungeon Lords

I wept.

Yeah, but that 120 hours was just finishing all the battles on the first level!! :p

[Corwin]

Oh well i hated it you like it thats fine but boring as hell for me. Dungeon Lords i played for about a day then the next day i was in the crypt with some talking thing on the wall just deleted it just too boring.

Liked the theme song for Dungeon Lords too bad there was NO music in the game :|

No, no, no!! You don't understand!! Having NO other music was a FEATURE!! That allowed you to listen to any other music you preferred!! :biggrin:

[HiddenX]

Played through the complete PoR 2 - and I like it - good combat engine and ...
play it with the latest patch.

[txa1265]

Wasn't the bug something like if you didn't have the patch and tried to uninstall it could wipe out your HD?

[JDR13]

If you want to play a turn-based D&D game, then get Temple of Elemental Evil. POR 2 is just plain bad. I admit I only played it for about 2-3 hours, but that was enough to know I wasn't going to waste any more time than that.

[Corwin]

Played ToEE too and enjoyed most of it. Got a bit boring towards the end, but the combat mechanics were excellent!!

[txa1265]

Played ToEE too and enjoyed most of it. Got a bit boring towards the end, but the combat mechanics were excellent!!

That was what I felt - the story took a serious backseat to the combat system. But the fights just rocked. And since you didn't get to high levels, you *really* needed to use strategy.

[JDR13]

Such a shame how Atari abandoned TOEE after it was released. I don't think we'll ever be seeing a sequel to that one.

[ToddMcF2002]

Played through the complete PoR 2 - and I like it - good combat engine and ...
play it with the latest patch.

Say it again brother!!!!!

And of course I've played and completed ToEE. Best turn based combat system ever devised.

It is clear to me however that the rest of you prefer console games ;)

[xSamhainx]

maybe we should put up a POR2 forum!

[txa1265]

Or a 'misunderstood RPG' support group ... ;)

[Tauschitz]

That was what I felt - the story took a serious backseat to the combat system. But the fights just rocked. And since you didn't get to high levels, you *really* needed to use strategy.

Yes, I am in complete agreement. The combat system was just outstanding. Why oh why can't we get a cRPG that has a great and involving story (Fallout/Torment), real choices with real consequences (Wizardry 7), and combat like TOEE! I'd let someone pull out several of my teeth without anesthesia for a game like that.

[mute]

I really like to read posts that say things like this.

"Bought POR2 because it was cheap, didn't think it would be good.
But it was."

Not that this thread started anything like that, but i like a start like that anyway. :)

I know i bought POR2 after have played a demo of the game. I was captivated. Loved the feeling of it. Read some posts on forums and some really really bad reviews. The price of a new ex here in sweden was 99 SEK which was really cheap at that time. Installing the game, started to play I was amazed over the gameplay it brought to me.

I hung out at the official forum were the most nay sayer had left and some few fanatics stayed behind and gave support.

POR2 is I think the best retro game i played in a long long time and as some of you pointed out, the strategy involved in every fight was great. The story was entertaining and i remember having a Bards Tale feel all over the game. I never finished it, but i do mean to do it. I know i put much more hour in to this game than any other rpg played.

I for one think of POR2 as one of the great lost games no one will play. Which was bad. But then again, i love using tactics in game, and it worked well in POR2 and it was possible to just put in 30 mins into the game and then leave.

As much as i love NWN2 i want more than 30 min to play cause i want to have time to get immersed in the story. In POR2 it was exploration and fighting that was king.

So Todd, or, however it was who didn't started the thread in the manner i would have wanted it, but atleast telling about a great game.

Yes. POR2 was great and i think largly out of time. POR2 did exactly what it sat out to do. Do a "remake" of a classic. :-)

[Corwin]

For ONCE, VB and I are in agreement; will wonders never cease!! :)

[NFLed]

Pool of Radiance 2 was okay in my view -- and much better than most people seemed to think -- but even I (a hardcore rpg Wizardry, etc.etc.) became very bored with the clunky turn-based combat. It lost the immersion for me when everyone would take a turn so that time would stand still while each person acted and combat in general was so slow-paced that it was too slow for me. I wasn't able to finish it though I did play it for probably 2/3 of the game through.

[Rendelius]

I hated it. I tried to like it, but I remember that I gave up on that game app. 5 hours into it. These five hours, if I remember correctly, were filled with one kind of enemy in one kind of tileset with one kind of battle.

[Corwin]

Yep Rend, that was my opinion as well. 10 slow moving monsters who all moved separately into position while you died from boredom WAITING for your turn to do something-and I LIKE TB combat!!

[mute]

It's fun to see how we percieve things.

I can't judge a game for a few hours though (in that case NWN2 would have been a miss). But i see your points. Me have seldom time to play a game for more than an hour a time, tops. And game with interesting storyline, as BG2 for example, can't cut it. The cratification for an hour play is perhaps a cutscene / in game story telling for 2-3 minuts, some walking, and talking to endless NPC to find the correct one who tell you the thing i need to know and then some fighting with some plottext and a new marker on map. (NWN2 does one thing right here, put names on NPC that do something in game! :) )

Well, POR2 was one fight after another and you didn't had time to think about what to do next. It was all about fighting.

The thing most people dispise about POR2 is what i really liked.

Like i said, its funny how different we see think.

Funny and lucky. :)

I think i am one of the few how got bored with BG2 because of the endless dialog. But i am also seeing how great that game was. But it wasn't for me, i couldn't enjoy it as it was supposed to. It was to much reading, listening, talking, walking. Not much exploring and instant gratification. For the same reason i see that NWN2 is now starting to get into the same category as BG2, great talking, great story, but the fightings lack. Misses POR2 and foremost, misses ToEE who did turnbased fighting a dream come true.

Well, just wanted to add my points in why i liked and looked for in POR2 and / or in a game in generell... :)

[Corwin]

You'd hate PS-T then, whereas I loved it!! I'm NOT an action gamer!!

[mute]

I didn't hate PS-T, i saw how fun it was. I played it quite a bit between christmas and new year some time before. But yes, i got bored of it. BUT i would never ever say it was a bad game, because it isn't. I enjoyed it immensly when i could concentrate, but then real life kicked in and i dind't find the time. PS-T is on my incredibly long play list (looking at my three shelfs of game... ).

But your correct, it wasn't "my" game.

Todd, i read your post over att ToEE fourm at Atari. You did some raving about POR2 and when i readit i realized. Man, I have to give this a shot again. I know I stopped playing approx, 40 hours in, i think i still have the save on my other computer. Must start looking for it! :)

Btw, is it possible to buy Temple of Elemental Evil through download? I thought i was on some of the services but i couldn't find it. (looked at trygames and at direct2drive. Open my casing and my Install CD wasn't there. Sometimes i do missplace them sometimes i just place them somewhere else and last night i looked for it for an hour with no luck... thought may be i could buy for a 9.99 as download, which is really affordable for me :) )

Oh, well. What on earth happend me playing NWN2 and Gothic 3. Argh. Conentration!

I think i really need to spend some points on Concentration on my next level up!!

[Fenris]

POR 2 is a Abomination... as much as Descent to Undermountain. I couldn't choose wich one is worse. For the Record, I loved POR 1 back at the time - but POR 2 is a crime with no redeeming Qualities (except that it's turnbased - but it's boring turnbased). To play it is a huge waste of time. It's more entertaining to stare a view hours at a wall.

[mute]

Welll the fans is still around:
http://forums.ubi.com/eve/ubb.x?a=frm&s=400102&f=993107392

Good to see! :)

[txa1265]

Welll the fans is still around:
http://forums.ubi.com/eve/ubb.x?a=frm&s=400102&f=993107392

Good to see! :)

Yeah, but there is also plenty of activity on the Dungeon Lords boards, so ...

[Alrik Fassbauer]

The interieur of POR2 was totally boring. It was clearly visible that the devs didn't have enough time and/or money to let it look like it should (like in TOEE, for example, which is imho the other side of the same level).

POR2 was one of my first AD&D games, and I had *huge* problems understanding the game mechanics. For a newbie to that system like me, this is difficult at least.

I do hope I can finish it one day, but the fights are far too hard (constantly minumum of 1 party member dying in a little bit harder fights), so I guess I've jjust used the wrong skills (for my party characters).

I can only assume that this game could be fun for people who know the rules system very well; for me, it is not.

TOEE is the very first AD&D game in which I understand the rules a bit more - which partly has to do with the fact that I bought a starter kit from 2000 for 3 Euros to understand the rules system at least a little bit.

I just guess the more it - or any other game in that universe - is built so that gamers can recognize the system, the more fun it is for them.

For anyone standing quite outside this system it is not.

To clear a bit what I mean : To me it was as if I was playing an Realms of Arcania game, of which I know the rule set quite well. Everyone in the U.S. , for example, does not, because no-one knows the underlying The Dark Eye rule set there, so the gamer is forced to heavily study the book shipped with the game to understand things first. And if you don't have a handbook ... bad, then. It's like what basically happened with Baldur's Gate to a part : The handbook was shortened compared to the U.S. version I heard, and it never *really* explained the rule set. To use the wrong skils (this is called "verskillen" among German gamers) is easy, then, and then the game is less fun, at least.

[Fenris]

Hehe... I played both "The Dark Eye" and "D&D" Pen & Paper-Games... you can't escape the Dark Eye as a german Role-Player ;). (Great Name btw. Alrik ^^). But POR2 had a very poor Implementation of the D&D-Ruleset... i.e. it wasn't possible to choose the Feats as in P&P, it was choosen by the Program, based on your Class (IIRC a Barbarian got the powerful "Cleave"-Feat very fast, a Fighter pretty late in the Game - in PnP both classes could choose it even at the first Level... and the Decision to drop Wizards, so you could only use Sorcerers as arcane Casters was bad as well - so all arcane Casting was Charisma-based :(. The Creators of this Game were either Worshipper of Cyric or of the nameless One, it is a creation of pure Evil.

[mute]

I don't understand the rules, and they don't make sense to me most of the time! :) I think i like POR2 beause its reminds me of Bards Tale. Can't explain why.

The pointer for the board wasn't to convince anybody how great POR2 is, but just to point those of us enjoying it that there is still people playing it and people still active asking question.

I am well aware of my minority. Hehe.

[mute]

... the minus point you add Fenris is one of the good point for me. I am at lost everytime i shall choose a feat. In NWN2 i press recommend so i can go forth. :)

But i understand those of you playing pen'n'paper that it would be annoying if it doesn't follow the rules it said to follow. Heck, i don't even care about Faerun or Illm... eh, ... okey. I mean, i don't know any lore. I just play.

[Fenris]

I just try to protect people who see it at the bargain bin ;)

[Alrik Fassbauer]

Well, I must admit that I didn't know much of the AD&D game rules as such, when I began POR2 for the first time.

The second time I knew it a bit better, and now with playing TOEE through (at least I hope ;) ) I think I've understood the rules so much I can rather effectively use them. ;)

[mute]

Fenris - Haha ... :) Great point. Right know i wonder:

1) I didn't start the thread but i going on like i never played a better game.
2) I acutally never finished the game so why on earth do i say its good.
3) Why *do* i like it...

... But i do.

[Corwin]

Be careful, 'madness' can be contagious!! :)

[Sei Daneic]

Say it again brother!!!!!

And of course I've played and completed ToEE. Best turn based combat system ever devised.

It is clear to me however that the rest of you prefer console games ;)

Hey, even I think POR2 sucked, and I love the old-school turn based rpg's. I really liked ToEE for example, and I think it had the best implementation of the 3.5 rules that has been made yet. I felt the engine had a lot of promise, and I hoped for more made with it for a long time.

I did play POR2 for a while though and did enjoy it for the first hours. But in time the generic dungeons and endless battles became very tedious and I never got to finish it. I did get quite

[ToddMcF2002]

Todd, i read your post over att ToEE fourm at Atari. You did some raving about POR2 and when i readit i realized. Man, I have to give this a shot again. I know I stopped playing approx, 40 hours in, i think i still have the save on my other computer. Must start looking for it! :)



Yeah I remember that post. I got ruined!!!! I still for the life of me can't understand how anyone could love ToEE and hate PoR2. Sure ToEE is better, but still...

Anyway... stand fast and keep the faith LOL! ;)

[txa1265]

I still for the life of me can't understand how anyone could love ToEE and hate PoR2. Sure ToEE is better, but still...
Well ... now both are on my early-next year 'to play' list ;)

[ToddMcF2002]

You've never played ToEE??? Oh man great game!

[txa1265]

You've never played ToEE??? Oh man great game!

Of *course* I played ToEE ... I think, as you imply, that is what ruined PoR2 for me - I just saw no need to do it, since ToEE seemed better in every way. I had loaded up ToEE a few months ago, but ran out of time before the NWN2 / G3 fest began :)

[mute]

So many games to play, so little times. I have reinstalled ToEE (found my discs! Yiah!). Patched it up, realized my widescreen monitor wasn't supported (yes, i know, but i forgot :) ). Tried it out some and decided. This is nice.

... and now it has almost gone a week.

Why do we have real life? Why oh why...

and to make matters worse:
It looks like i have to replay POR2 from start since i foolishly installed a beta version off Vista on my other computer. Forgot i zonked the hard drive for that.

Why o why am i not smarter?

[ToddMcF2002]

It took me over 2 years to complete PoR2. I had save games going back to summer 04.

I might try it again soon myself! I get that itch occasionally, and I hear the violin combat music in my head all the time. Now that I think of it - I hear the techno ToEE combat music in my head too! And Baldurs! So there are plenty here just as crazy :)

Oh the list goes on...

[Alrik Fassbauer]

So many games to play, so little times.

Play the Settlers or Cultures and it gets even worse !

They are greatly time-consuming !

[Corwin]

Any game which takes 2 years to complete (the battles) has issues!! :)

[ToddMcF2002]

Its true I took breaks when I couldnt "take it" anymore. The first 6 month vacation was when I reached the surface after the dwarven dungeons. I had had enough. Little did I realize that the last 50% of the game was 100% better and very story driven. Strangely, the game really doesnt get off the ground for the first 30-40 hours of gameplay.

I think that is one of the issues that killed it. If they had released a demo for the Drow catacombs people would have been impressed.

[mute]

This part i have read everywhere that the game takes off once out of the dungeon makes me want to do it again. I got into a hub of some kind in my other game. Listen to some bard song, and then i felt it oozed quality over that one. And smiled. After that i took a break. And never went back. :(

The question now is how to play the game. Reading the official thread many people using two character play out using Paladin/Cleric and Rouge/Sorcerer, and only bring people along who needs to be along.

The battle is said to go faster. Don't know.

So, Todd, the one left fan of the game on this forum :), what do You think?

[ToddMcF2002]

You know in the spirit of classic D&D I had a full party. In fact I had 2 mages in the back lines (elves), 2 Cleric women decked out in the best plate armor, a rougue, a ranger and a dwarven fighter. I did have to dump one cleric later to get the rogue. After 80 hours of gameplay! I felt really bad!

I like the strategic opportunities with a full party. Maybe that stetches the game out - but later you get in some epic battles that can take almost an hour to win - most of it staring at the 15+ opponents (many of the magic users) pondering your move. I LOVE that! In fact there were at least 5 battles that were as difficult as the Balor battle in ToEE (which actually took me 2 consecutive nights to defeat).

In addition, a two person party leaves you open to "hold person" which is a favorite of the higher level undead, Cultists and the Drow. If you get caught in that you're doomed for certain. You'll have to have some epic spell resistence.

Regarding this two person party - that wouldnt perhaps be Thrasher would it? I talk to that guy almost daily via PM. He's a serious powergamer - although I'm not sure he'd call himself one. He's pretty smart though - and finds various ways to exploit his opportunities in game. His two person party ended up at rediculously high levels.

Damn now I definately want to play!

[mute]

Reading the review of NWN2 and as you pointed out Todd, they did take a swing at Pool of radiance. Not 2. Pool of Radiance. :) Most important to remember. I refuse to read a two where its not ment. I mean was i reading a review of NWN or NWN2. Hence, the review bashes POR. EOD!

Okey, just want you to know i have made some comment in the comment thread of the news you comment. Eh. :)

Anyway. Have been thinking of POR2 all day today. And i am installing it right know. I will make this my own project this winter to play it through. Knowing the game will change somewhat after the dwarven dungeons is incentive enough to do it again.

I agree with you. Powergaming isn't my way of playing. I want a party. I want to use strategy when playing and in POR2 it is really possible thinking and doing. (Yes i know you Nay sayers out there: "Thinking is all you can do in this game". Well i am smart, so there really isn't any problem :) )

Don't know who it is who wrote but it was mostly Geist and Rosinda(?) whos still writing in the official forums. But perhaps it was Trasher...

Will se what my party will look like... interesting combination you wrote about...

[mute]

Good we are slowly regaining grounds in this thread...

[ToddMcF2002]

Don't make the mistake I did - get a Rogue in there early if possible. Let me know if you get stuck anywhere :) and for Gods sake don't forget the patch! Also, although I didn't try it, I know Thrasher used the speed patch and loved it. I'm guessing its very "undead" friendly.

Personally I loved the pacing.

[ToddMcF2002]

Oh and another thing - I ran into some stability issues later in the game where there was some rendered spell effects - in that event right click on the exe and go to properties and select "Windows 98 compatibility mode". That was the solution :)

[mute]

About the speed patch: I tried it out the last time, it wasn't for me. It removed everything about the the game I liked. I think i will do a party like this:

Paladin ( i always have a main character whos a paladin)
Cleric
Rouge
Sorcerer (or wizard, whatever).

It should work?

[ToddMcF2002]

Looks perfect. You'll have the option of adding characters later anyhow.

[mute]

Good this is my standard DnD party. If i have room i usually adds a Warrior and a Priest. But this seems like a good blend.

Well, it looks like Roland Crossfarer has a new mission to fullfill! :)

[ToddMcF2002]

Roland Crossfarer - I love it! Years ago I started using the name Gillian. Every game has Gillian reincarnate.

[mute]

Roland is an old alterego i have always used. Think my first Knight in Bards Tale was named Roland, with a dwarven fighter named Thor. :) Hm how we as human works.

Well, my game is installed and the game is patched. Its once again time to reaquaint my self with Myth Drannor.

I'll be back. I think :)

[ToddMcF2002]

Boldly go where few gamers have gone before!

[Alrik Fassbauer]

I know there was once a novel abour POR2 ... having skipped it at a board games (and role playing) fair here in Germany a few years ago I'm still shaking my head that I actually did it, because now I can't find it nowhere.

The first chapter or so is available for reading in the depths of the site of Wizardws of the Coast. I know it is there, although it was very difficult to find it.

[ToddMcF2002]

Own it, read it. One of the better Forgotten Realms books actually. Main character is a female thief. If you've played the game the first half of the book captures the atmosphere well - especially the fight with the Nargath.

[mute]

So true Todd, so true. I created my party, i started my quest. I truley love the start of the game.

This time i handedcrafted everybody.
Will be looking forward to this. :)

Well, i am off to sleep so i can enjoy it properly tomorrow!

[mute]

Realized now when i played a bit why i like it. It is a easier implementation of magic, i like that i can choose what spell i need at one level. (not have to decide what to remember). I know it isn't "real" but its really functional. In the start of the game I can't help it but i got the feeling that i am about to save Skara Brae again, or going under the city to find out who the evil lurker is who lives under the city.

I really think i will be able to play it through this time. Also found out that the fightings in the start is soo easy. Atleast this time around. Easy and fun, moving your party about. Will probably tackle toee afterwards. The tactics involved in TB isn't there in the realtime fighting world of NWN2 (even if its "good" to... but in another flavour!)

---

Well, we have entered the Dwarven hall, and there is something strange alive. It isn't the living, but the dead who populate this dark dank place. I wonder if i'm prepeared. My Paladin and Cleric assures me, we have nothing to fear, but fear itself. We have already encountered foul creatures, orcs, and zombies. But they are not friends to eachother. Perhaps this will play to my favour, the future will tell.

Now i must find my way through, time is of importance. People waiting, people needing. I must help.

[ToddMcF2002]

Thats great! Don't forget though - a sorcerer is a real D&D class type - and you do select your spells at level up and they become fixed. They did not implement a Wizard which alot of fans got really irate about - but in the end you'd probably use the same set of spells anyway so the issue is pretty overblown.

Don't you love the soundtrack and the echo's in the hall? I always enjoyed the tileset myself - you can practically feel the dust. ;)

[txa1265]

Thats great! Don't forget though - a sorcerer is a real D&D class type - and you do select your spells at level up and they become fixed.
Since I first played Sorc in NWN this came as a surprise the first time I found my choices were forever ... good thing I read manuals sometimes ;)

[mute]

I have soo much I like with Pool of Radiance. One is the sound, i like to here doors open and closes around. The ambient sound is great I think. I also like the small text describing a feeling of the place. I just cant help to make a parallell with the classic Bards Tale, where i mapped whole dungens square by square and fight 300 mages and 1114 goblins. :)

I know about the spells and Sorcerer class. And understand the criticsm. But, i don't really care, the way they do it in this game works well. I like the battles also. I like to plan them out and i like to feel victorious. It isn't the same with NWN2 where the warehouse mission was, o no not them to *puh*. The battle is much more "there i was feel".

We have just now reached level 3.

Too bad it was recieved so poorly, or that i am in such a minority, that this game flopped. Would really loved to continue the adventure... but what the heck am i rambling about. I am just to enter the lower levels... I have alot a game left! :)

[ToddMcF2002]

Another thing about PoR2 - the quests don't have alot of hand holding. The Dwarven Dungeons are practically the size of Moria and some of the quests span multiple levels. I used ALOT of quest markers on the map and took some paper notes on the quests. I remember one quest that took about 60 hours before I found the key item and if I didn't have notes there is no way I would have remembered where to take it!

I'll definately be replaying this one.

[mute]

Yes, i agree with you. I started this time to mark out every locked door, every area that is mentioned in a "text on screen". I then move on and don't linger to long to find solutions. When i got something that might work (i.e "Dwarven ice key" - don't know if that exist but ... :) ) i then look at all my markers and venture there. When a problem i solved i drop the markers. Works very well and it is manageable. I know i didn't do that the last time which got me into some trouble...

I didn't manage to solve the Riddle to free Jarad. Stupid "me" misstake, but i was soo focus on text that i gave up.

I do have problem that i did suspect was a explanation to Jarads quest not working (as I would have liked - but it did worked as intended). Anyhow, i can't move my characterorder around (which char is first and last) and i can't change formation. Is this something i can blame on XP? Should i run with compatibility of Windows98? It doesn't bother me, this bug, but you don't know what might happen later on.

I have patched the game to 1.4.

Well actually this game is alot better this time through. Now i know i won't stop when the going gets tough. Just move on.

Have I said i really like this game? Have i said how similar it is to Bards Tale? I have? Oh, ... :)

[Fenris]

The original Bard's Tale was fun... POR 2 not :D

Just another Warning for anyone who might consider buying this thing ^^

[Corwin]

The remake of Bard's Tale was fun too, also unlike PoR2!! :)

[ToddMcF2002]

For formation don't you just place the characters where you want them and then group select everyone? I think the code tries to "guess" your formation intent based on that.

To all POR2 haters - I think you've made your point by now, no need to beat the beaten and trodden upon thrice dead horse. Thanks.

[txa1265]

To all POR2 haters - I think you've made your point by now, no need to beat the beaten and trodden upon thrice dead horse. Thanks.
Well, you've at least convinced me (and I think a couple of others) to give it a 'fair shake' ... after the current 'feast' returns to the usual 'famine' after the new year.

[mute]

Yes i tried that and i also read in the manual. I do know I did this the last time i played but i can't make it work now. I read somewhere that XP SP2 can make strange thing happen. Hm, i will try some more tonight.

Never did try the remake of Bards Tale. I read som reviews and found it wasn't my cup of tea. I like boring quest where i sit and yawn all night long. :)

*shrug* I really want home now so i can continue my quest. I think the Phlan people has waitied long enough for their saviour.

[Corwin]

You know, I think we've had more posts in this PoR2 thread than we had when the game first came out!! :biggrin:

[mute]

It will be more my friend. It will be more ...

Promise! (I wonder if this will be looked up on as a threat... hm ... :) )

[ToddMcF2002]

Keep it coming my friend. PoR2 is thriving today with an international fanbase - with you in Sweden and me here in Boston. I know another guy in California - and that's another country altogether. ;)

[txa1265]

and that's another country altogether. ;)

And that's another country





(yes, we watched Airplane! again recently)

[mute]

It feel so good to be a small part of a truly international community. :-)

(My gameing evening today has been changed to numb mindwrestling with Excel. It is almost as fun as dwelling in the deep of Myth Drannor - okey, well it is stats isn't it?)

One thing i really love with Pool of Radiance is the name "Myth Drannor" - Me who know nothing about AD&D lore like the eerieness of that place.

-- heck, i think the company will survive without numbers - question is if my stat living alterego will do the same. Who will roll their lives when i'm not around?

Okey ... I'm going home...

[Gokyabgu]

POR2 is the game that i can not really decide it is good or bad. When it was released in 2001, i bought it and played it much, but never finished it. Graphics were good, combat system was well implemented and it had a nice atmosphere. Bad points are combats takes lots of time and the game repeats itself too much. Not enough monster types disappointed too. If devs have increased the speed of combat, implemented more monster types, more interesting quests and less dungeon repeat; then it would have been a RPG hit.
And, i think when Troika was developing TOEE, they have implemented much more things from POR2. Although, they said that TOEE engine came from the Arcanum engine, it stands like an improved engine of POR2.
As for the install bug, if you install the game other than C: (which is the game's default install directory) (for ex D: ) and then uninstall it, game just simply delete!!! all of your C: drive which includes Windows. But, they released a patch for it and you can install the game by executing this patch without fear.

[Alrik Fassbauer]

I have heard of this "erase C:" bug before, and every time I read about it again, I can do nothing but shake my head that THIS bug was unnoticed !?!?!?!

[JemyM]

PoR2 remains one of the very few games that I played for a couple of days and quit before I was done. I got bored with the endless turnbased combat.

And I have enjoyed plenty of turnbased games, in PoR2 it just became too many of them.

[ToddMcF2002]

I won't argue about ToEE - its the better game. If they implemented the entire campaign of PoR2 using the ToEE engine I would be in heaven. But that doesnt mean PoR2 isnt a good game in its own right. Its a dungeon crawl - like D&D was in the 7th grade!

[mute]

I have plenty of games i never finished. Many of them is great RPGs from Bioware. Some not so great. But one of few games i want to finish is POR2. I just want to find out whats happened, as it brings out my old school feeling to why i started to play computer games in the first place - Bards Tale. (I know, i repeat my self!)

I think its impressive that this bug slipped through, but it was caught early and it was in specific condition it apperared. Nevertheless very serious, if you uninstalled it.

I have more playstopping bugs in Gothic 3 that make me not WANT to play the game. (until its fixed). My point is that this bug was used much as an illustration to how unfinished POR2 in many reviews on the internet. But... Still, i am loving it soo much i can't help it.

Tried Wizardry 8 for a while ago and got extremly bored with the leveled random encounters of enemy that was unnatural grouped together.
... and the slow pace of the fights.

So, perhaps one finds things in game other than the apparent flaws that shines through. And i think its fine. I think its cool that i like this game so much seeing so much great things haveing plenty good tactical battles. And others don't!

Point being: Don't shy away from any games cause the "net" says it bad. And also, do not like it. Cause, whats a flaw in someones eye is that feature you become in love with! :)

[Delirious Nomad]

I have finished that game 3 times. Seriously, if you like close fights in a turn based environment and have installed patch 1.4 and the speed patch you'll be having a blast. The only real drawback I'm having with the game, is that you can't chose your feats and skills.

[Alrik Fassbauer]

What kind of speed patch ? I thought this was only for Pool of Radiance 1 ?

[Corwin]

What sort of game is it, when you can't choose skills and feats!! Come on!!!!! That's at the heart of the D&D system!! That's a large part of what's involved in Roleplaying in a CRPG!! Good Grief!!!!!

[xSamhainx]

This thread is an enigma.

[Delirious Nomad]

True, feats and skills are the heart of D&D.
In PoR2 you are developing your characters by chosing its classes (and the skills and feats come with them/ e.g.: your first level pick is thief and you get backstabbing and opening chests...your second level pick is barbarian and you get faster movement and rage and so on).
Sounds like lazy programming to me and as i said, i didn't like it. It's not true to D&D, but if you take it on its own it can be overlooked.

There is defenitly a speed patch for PoR2 (I don't have a link, but that should not be to hard to find)

[mute]

I think that feat and stuff are something i don't really think is important. I do choose "recommend" in Kotor and in NWN2 cause i don't know what it means anyhow. And recommend, should suppose that i am not able to break any future quests! :)

And I also don't think that a RPG necessary need to use feat to be a good rpg. At all.

It think the part "exploration" is what is important to me, and thats why games like nwn2, kotor1-2, and Planescape, died for me. They don't hold my interest. I don't want dialog i want to do stuff.

And i think killing undead is the dearest thing for me.

(Sorry, all the critic lifted against this game has been heard before and also my points. I am just glad this thread is getting bumped! :) )

[Corwin]

Creating the character YOU want, not what a dev says it should be, HAS to be integral to Roleplaying, otherwise you can't PLAY the ROLE!! All the other stuff is important, like story and exploring, but you can get that in an adventure game for example!!

[mute]

I agree, almost. Altough when we did rolepaying session in my youth we ended up realizing it was the story and exploration that made it. I don't know AD&D rule so i don't care if its correct or not. We ended up with dices as guidance instead of rules. But its a loong time since i played ...

I love adventure games. Too. :-)

... and this isn't making this game bad. At all. As a rule slave to AD&D it sucks. But rules doesn't make or breake a game.

[ToddMcF2002]

I find it interesting that people will bend over backwards to defend a critically flawed game like Gothic 3 and POR2 gets treated like something you stepped in.

Who cares about Feats? You arent going to choose Cleave? Spell Penetration? Sure I'd love the ToEE implementation but POR2 makes all the right decisions anyway.

[txa1265]

I find it interesting that people will bend over backwards to defend a critically flawed game like Gothic 3 and POR2 gets treated like something you stepped in.
Uh, Todd ... I think you have some PoR2 on your boots ... ;)

Who cares about Feats? You arent going to choose Cleave? Spell Penetration? Sure I'd love the ToEE implementation but POR2 makes all the right decisions anyway.
Emphasis mine - this is basically what is defined as 'dumbing down'. Like how Mage Knight Apocalypse has an auto-levelling scheme and no death penalty ... it takes care of everything for you. It can still be fun for many, but takes away much of the role-playing control from others.

[ThatGuy]

Hate to raise an old thread like this, but I started playing the game again recently and was wondering if anyone who did play could answer some questions for me. :S

I've been playing the game on windows XP, but it crashes pretty often, since it's not a supported OS >.<

I tried compatability mode for windows 95/98, but the sound becomes stutter-ie and I guess I rather go with crashes than no sound.

I was just wondering if anyone had some workarounds for this, guess in the meantime I'll go bum TOEE off my friend, friends are a great way to play games cheap :D

[Corwin]

A couple of people here are actually big fans of the game and may be able to help you. I can run almost any game under XP, so I don't know why you're having a problem!!

[ThatGuy]

I read in the forums over on ubisoft that turning off hardware acceleration, AA, and a few other's would help, I just need to get that software for the new card I put in, doesn't help I'm still blindly learning about my computer :D

I'm sure theres other ways of improving gameplay, I hope atleast, and everyone here seemed like good fans of the game.

[mute]

The safest place to find information is at the offical board. There are still very helpful people there. (or atleast there was some month ago). I am running POR2 in Windows XP SP2 no problem. But if i remember correctly; the time before that i had to run it in compatibility mode... hm, go figure. New hardware i guess?

I am not sure about the last sentence though. I think we, the fan of Por2 is countable on a man, that lost both his hands, fingers. :)

[HiddenX]

The PoR 2 Speed Control Utility 1.4 (works with the final patch) can be found here:
http://www.sorcerers.net/Games/PoR2/index_editors.php

[ThatGuy]

Eh, call me crazy, but I really enjoyed the zombie speed about half the time, gave me time to think, only time it became annoying was 5-8 undead at a time :/ I dunno, call me Masochistic.

I've been having way too much fun with ToEE anyhow, but I plan on getting back to PoR once I beat that. ToEE's been great so far, only thing that irks me is the quests and that infinite Attack of oppurtunity bug, thought the 25 point buy system was a joke xD I must have rerolled 1000 times for my whole party.