Your favorite game so far....?

There definintely is a special way to apply the 1.1 patch and if you don't do it you'll run the risk of deleting your hard drive.

You can get all the patches here. First download the 1.1 patch. You have to get this one because the other patches don't include the installer. Now you can be really paranoid like myself and download the 1.2, 1.3 and 1.4 patches. Then install all of them in order. Not really sure if you "have" to do it this way, but when it comes to this game I'm a little over cautious.

Here is how to install the game using the 1.1 patch. (To save space I'll put it in a spoiler).
Instructions for Installation of Pool of Radiance the first time:

Note: Please turn off any other programs or utilities (e.g., virus programs, defrag
programs, etc.) that are running during installation of Pool of Radiance.

1. Insert Pool of Radiance Disc 1 into CD-ROM drive.

2. When the Pool of Radiance Installation Screen appears, please select "EXIT".
(Note: some machines may not have Autorun enabled and may not have the Pool of
Radiance Installation Screen appear. In this case please go to step 3.

3. Run the Pool of Radiance Installer Patch "Pool 1.1 Install Patch".

4. Type a destination path and select "OK" to continue.

5. Read the end user license agreement and select "agree".

6. The installer will check the destination drive for space. If the selected destination
drive does not have enough space, the installer will indicate which installation sizes are
available.

7. Continue the installation. The old installation program will prompt you for a
destination path. DO NOT change the destination path "C:\Program Files\SSI\Pool of
Radiance RoMD." Select "Next." The program will be installed under the first destination
location (in step 4), which you selected. Select a type of installation from the following:

Minimum - 628MB
Typical - 1014MB
Maximum - 1.2 GB

Note: the old installer still checks C Drive for adequate space even for installations
onto other drives. You must have at least this space available on C Drive and the
destination drive to be able to select the installation. In addition, the installation
screen will say "C:\ Program Files\SSI\Pool of Radiance RoMD", however the program will
install into the first destination location, which you selected (in step 4). Disregard
the file path indicator that is displayed on the installation screens.

8. Continue with installation. If needed, install Direct X 8.0a and Gamespy Arcade.
Note: If you are unsure what version of Direct X you are running, we recommend you
install/re-install Direct X 8.0a (located on Disc 1).
Note: The Autorun screen may appear again after inserting Disc 1. Choose "EXIT".

9. Before you begin any of the following tasks: starting a new application, attempting
to run the game (reboot required), or shutting the computer off, please wait until the
patch program prompts you for completion of the installation (up to 2 minutes) and asks
you to reboot your system. This will allow the patch to complete the installation
properly. This will allow the patch to complete the installation properly

10. Installation done. Close the Reboot dialog box and Reboot your machine.

Hope that helps. If I was you I'd go with hunting down a copy of Realms of the Haunting and trying that out first before I went through the trouble of dealing with this mess.

When I'm feeling particularly masochistic, I'll load this puppy up and replay it. I've never beaten it due to the level of boredom I get halfway through the game. Who knows though, you might find it ok. Some people do. I'm just not one of them.

@Sammy buy the expansion to Mark of Chaos before even thinking about loading this one. Save this one for a really dry spell or you just really want to play a party that is always in a dungeon with almost no one to talk to. :)
 
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I never actually played POR2 - except for the demo.

Pool of Radiance - the original - still stands as the ultimate CRPG to me, though.

The perfect mixture of freeform and storydriven gameplay, with just the kind of traditional setting, character mechanics, combat system, variety of quests, puzzles, and all those wonderful things that I so love about the genre.
 
Supercars 2 in multiplayer. Just you, your buddy, and 8 absolutely braindead AI cars.

Havent been able to play it for about 8 years as my Amiga-owning friend got married and moved to Cali:( Selfish bastard.

Guess I should put up an ad for an old Amiga 500 just for the sake of revisiting this gem...
 
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JDR13 said:
Is there a special way you have to apply the patch? I remember trying to play PoR a few years ago, but that final patch wouldn't install. It kept giving me a message that it couldn't find the game files.

I just downloaded and installed the demo, but it won't even start on my system, WinXP SP3. Compatibility modes had no effect either…
Click to expand...

The Ubisoft forums were really useful for these sort of questions. Sadly, the Ubi PoR 2 forum and well as the PoR 2 official site has disappeared.

It looks like there's still activity on the GB forums, including people working out how to get it running on XP. Includes a discussion that suggests disabling DirectX Draw Acceleration, which I now remember having to do before (under Win 2K).

http://www.gamebanshee.com/forums/pool-of-radiance-ruins-of-myth-drannor-13/

A couple of other locations to check out

http://www.sorcerers.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=14

http://ubisoft.custhelp.com/cgi-bin..._search_type=answers.search_nl&p_sort_by=dflt

http://www.sorcerers.net/Games/PoR2/index.php

Good luck!
 
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My game is Gothic.

There has not been another game that made me play it more than once.
I love the atmosphere; the freedom of choice (but when you play it more than once, you tend to know where to go thus it sort of becomes linear); the environment; etc.
I just love everything about the game.

Hence now, I can't wait for Risen.

I hope it becomes my all time favorite. :please::fingerscrossed:
 
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Thrasher said:
It looks like there's still activity on the GB forums, including people working out how to get it running on XP. Includes a discussion that suggests disabling DirectX Draw Acceleration, which I now remember having to do before (under Win 2K).
Click to expand...


Thanks Thrasher, I just bought a copy off Ebay. I probably won't get around to playing it for awhile, but I'll definitely give it a another try out of my love for D&D.

…Paid a whopping $2.49 for it. :D

*Edit* I just tried the demo again, disabling Draw Acceleration indeed seems to be the answer. I wonder though, am I missing out on smoother graphics having the acceleration disabled? Anyways, the game doesn't seem as bad as I remember it, although the graphics seem rougher than I recall. Does the full version allow you to adjust the resolution?
 
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I can't pick a single game, since I have favorites in different eras and in different genrés… Just for fun I started to write a list…

I tried to focus on games that really built up a name for itself, is still today good enough to try, and doesn't carry glaring errors that you must force yourself to get past to appreciate the game. Ofcourse, it's not a perfect science, just opinion.

Early 80'ies
The really old ones I appreciate simply because they introduce new genrés, new ideas, and do the best out of their hardware. I couldn't come up with a single game pre 85 that I would consider replaying today though. Maybe the following can be played simply if you are interested to see where it all begun.

Adventure: King's Quest
RPG: Ultima

Late 80'ies
The late 80'ies have a few titles that I replay once in awhile for nostalgia. Most of the great adventuregame series was initiated in this era (Larry, Police Quest, Space Quest etc) but I let King's Quest above represent all of them. Unlike the early 80'ies, games from late 80'ies can at least be tried out for fun.

Adventure/Beat em Up hybrid: Last Ninja II
Platform/RPG hybrid: Wonder Boy III, the dragons trap

Early 90'ies
The early 90'es was a cool era with loads of adventuregames, but I let Monkey Island represent all of them (frankly, adventuregames was almost the only genré I played in that era). I also dogmatically kept myself to my Amiga a bit too long, which never got me into PC games in this era. Still, here are the first games that still today holds water and can be really fun to play, despite ancient graphics.

Adventure: Monkey Island
RPG: Eye of the Beholder II
FPS: System Shock
Tactical/Strategy: X-COM: UFO Defense

Late 90'ies
The late 90'ies was an amazing era. Even trying my best to shorten the list, there are simply too many classics that are still worth playing today in this era. The new technology, and gaming getting more mainstream, allow for the medium to take new directions. The late 90'ies was also the real boom of RPG's. Interestingly, I played many of these only recently to substitute for the lack of good games post 2005.

RPG: Baldur's Gate II
RPG: Fallout II
RPG: Planescape Torment
RPG: Final Fantasy VII-IX
Action: Metal Gear Solid
Action: System Shock II
Adventure: Grim Fandango
Adventure: The Longest Journey
Survival-Horror: Silent Hill
Tactical/Strategy: Jagged Alliance 2
RTS: Starcraft

Early y2k
Early y2k continued the late 90'ies, only with better 3d technology. However, this is sadly the era in which you begin to notice a decay in gaming quality. Fewer and fewer games feel original, they get more and more shallow. Failed jumps to 3d put the end to many titles. Consoles getting more mainstream than computer games lead to a death of hardcore gaming. Games got dumber and dumber.

RPG: Gothic
RPG: Vampire: Bloodlines
RPG: Knights of the Old Republic
Action: Deus Ex
Action: Max Payne
Action: No One Lives Forever
Survival Horror: Silent Hill 2
Survival Horror: Resident Evil (GameCube remake)

2005-2009
I had tremendous difficulties coming up with ideas of games from post 2005 that really hold up to the earlier classics. Fallout 3 is here simply because it really lacks opposition. RPG gaming as it used to be, is pretty much a dead genré.

RPG: Fallout 3
Action: Metal Gear Solid 4
Action: Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Chaos Theory
Action: Uncharted
 
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JemyM said:
I can't pick a single game, since I have favorites in different eras and in different genrés… Just for fun I started to write a list…
Click to expand...
Nice list, and interesting concept ordering them by era, but … that's cheating! Pick one of those. :p

Even Mike, who is probably the only one who has played as many games as you have, could do it. ;)
 
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Arhu said:
Nice list, and interesting concept ordering them by era, but … that's cheating! Pick one of those. :p

Even Mike, who is probably the only one who has played as many games as you have, could do it. ;)
Click to expand...

I think I can compete if we're not talking about compulsively completing them :)
 
I agree that making a long list is easier than choosing exactly one title. So making a list should not be allowed, there are other threads for that.

Otherwise I could name about 100 runners up (only the good ones) in addition to

***Monkey Island***

(which I mentioned before).
 
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Arhu said:
Even Mike, who is probably the only one who has played as many games as you have, could do it. ;)
Click to expand...

It's because he's prepared to lie to fit in. There are no single best game. :p
 
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JDR13 said:
Another game I might have to try again, assuming you guys aren't just being sarcastic. I remember thinking the demo was *terrible*, and every review I read seemed to confirm that the full game was exactly that.
Click to expand...

I was half joking. All the Gothics are my favorites, but POR2 is in my top 5 along with ToEE. I did not use the speed patch and it took well over 120 hours to complete. Lots of folks lost interest because of the speed and monotony and the partial rule set implementation. I didnt find it monotonous because I never had a problem with the vast scale of the underground dungeons, they felt right to me. I enjoyed the exploration, the puzzles and certainly the combat (yes even the undead). Like ToEE I vividly recall fights that took hours to complete with a full balanced party, especially in the second half.

Myth Drannor is not for the impatient. I thought they captured the feel of a dead city and set the mood perfectly, particularly with the soundtrack. I often want to go back for a second romp.
 
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ToddMcF2002 said:
I was half joking. All the Gothics are my favorites, but POR2 is in my top 5 along with ToEE. I did not use the speed patch and it took well over 120 hours to complete. Lots of folks lost interest because of the speed and monotony and the partial rule set implementation. I didnt find it monotonous because I never had a problem with the vast scale of the underground dungeons, they felt right to me. I enjoyed the exploration, the puzzles and certainly the combat (yes even the undead). Like ToEE I vividly recall fights that took hours to complete with a full balanced party, especially in the second half.

Myth Drannor is not for the impatient. I thought they captured the feel of a dead city and set the mood perfectly, particularly with the soundtrack. I often want to go back for a second romp.
Click to expand...

The slow pace stopped me from enjoying it. It was PoR2 that convinced me that I never again want to play a turnbased game... even if I still enjoyed ToEE.
 
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JemyM said:
It's because he's prepared to lie to fit in. There are no single best game. :p
Click to expand...

Well, the thread is about your favourite, not the single best game. I have no idea about what game is the best, but have one favoutite. PS:T remains on my top, and has yet to be challenged.

And that's not a lie.

Hmmm. I may have taken the post I quoted more seriously than you intended.
 
ToddMcF2002 said:
Myth Drannor is not for the impatient. I thought they captured the feel of a dead city and set the mood perfectly, particularly with the soundtrack. I often want to go back for a second romp.
Click to expand...

Really? You and thrasher both thought there was something to this game? If you were just talking about the speed of the game then that is fixed with the speed utility program, at least it fixed it for me. I didn't have to wait a hundred years for all the zombies to make their move.

But for the overall game? You thought it captured the dead city? How??? I normally am quite forgiving where the story, gameplay or graphics are concerned with any game. Like Gods: Land of infinty I loved that game even though it wasn't a AAA production. Neverend as well. Not the best game in the world, but it was fun for me.

However, this game always ranked up there with Mistmare for all time worst games I've played. I just can't forgive what they did to that game and damnit if I didn't try to like it. Stormfront was always one of my favorite devs after they made Treasures of the Savage Fontier and especially Stronghold (I loved that game). What they did to the skills was bogus. I know it was the first 3rd edition game, but the original POR was one of the first (that wasn't all action) to bring the 2nd edition to the computer. They didn't mess up the rules as badly as Stormfront did. If I remember correctly the concentration skill was given to the fighter. Why? What use is that to a fighter? I don't even remember being able to choose which skill I wanted. I was forced into whatever they chose for me. I might be wrong here, but that is what I remember.

Maybe I'm more resentful because I played the original and this one was nothing like that. You barely talked to anyone at all and all the puzzles were easy. WAY too easy. Just little fedex puzzles. 'Get the bone of super duper wonderfullnes and bring it to the scary door of evily evilness.'

With two people now saying that it was fun, maybe I was too hard on it. I've played it twice now and both times driven away by the pure boredom of going back and forth within that dungeon. Who knows though? I'll give it another shot. I've read enough of both you and thrashers posts to know your opinions on games sorta mimic my own.

@JDR if you do install it please follow the steps in the readme for the 1.1 patch. Thrasher and I weren't joking about it erasing your hard drive.

Ok, back to the topic of your favorite game.
 
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