Bard's Tale IV - The Bard Draws Near

[Copper Coin]

The fact that you consider your opinions truth and try to tell others that they don't know what they think is pretty offensive yes.

I'm stating it as truth, because we all know it to be true. Many topics are worth debating, but anyone so deeply blinded by nolstalgia to not recognize that the Bards Tale trilogy hasn't aged well and are no longer good games is incapable of being convinced.

I'm not trying to sound like an asshole, but I wont pander to foolishness by pretending any position to the contrary has merit.

 

[TomRon]

I'm stating it as truth, because we all know it to be true.

Actually no, I don't know it to be true since I haven't played them. I'm kind of curious to try them out now though, but sadly they aren't available for Android afaik, and the PC backlog is big enough already.

And if the others knew it to be true, do you really think they would disagree with you? I have no problem saying I like something because of nostalgia when that's the case. It's not something to be ashamed of, it's pretty natural.

Consider the options others disagree with you because to them the statement that the BT trilogy has nothing to offer apart from nostalgia is false. It's a much more likely explanation.

 

[Copper Coin]

And if the others knew it to be true, do you really think they would disagree with you?

Yes I do, because nolstalgia has a powerful effect over people and makes them biased.

Deep down though, even the most nolstalgic fans of the original know that if Bards Tale had came out in 2019 rather than 1985 they would never consider touching it.

 

[Zloth]

Silver is saying modern gamers, by and large, are not going to be at all interested in the old games - at least as they are now. The rest are saying that a segment of gamers are interested in such things.

The idea that absolutely nobody on the whole planet will want to play the old Bard's Tale game unless they enjoyed it decades ago seems pretty crazy. I'm sure there will be a few people interested in it just for historical reasons, for instance. I don't think that's what Silver's point is. Similarly, the idea that the majority of gamers (or even PC gamers) would be captivated by this game is also ludicrous. Which means both sides are saying that this will appeal to a small group of players. The only real difference is that Silver puts a negative spin on it while the rest of you want a positive spin!

Come on, folks, quit wasting time on this. We've got SERIOUS issues to talk about, like whether or not the new Cyberpunk game is really going to be an RPG or just a shooter with a skill tree!

 

[JDR13]

Yes I do, because nolstalgia has a powerful effect over people and makes them biased.

Deep down though, even the most nolstalgic fans of the original know that if Bards Tale had came out in 2019 rather than 1985 they would never consider touching it.

Really? That's odd, because I never played those games back in the day, and I'm finding them quite fun.

But don't let that stop you from trying to speak for other people.

 

[henriquejr]

(..) We've got SERIOUS issues to talk about, like whether or not the new Cyberpunk game is really going to be an RPG or just a shooter with a skill tree!

Please, no! Anything but that!

 

[Copper Coin]

Silver is saying modern gamers, by and large, are not going to be at all interested in the old games - at least as they are now.

Well that's true, but also not what I said.

What I said is that while plenty of old games are still great, Bards Tale is not.

 

[Kordanor]

Well that's true, but also not what I said.

What I said is that while plenty of old games are still great, Bards Tale is not.

Can you name any pre 90s RPG which aged particularily well?

Personally I'd probably not play any RPG of that era. My minimum "requirements" are VGA graphics.

But yeah...listened to a podcast about Bards Tale (unfortunately German only) and some of the mechanics in that game sounded rather horrible. Like the imbalance of classes if I remember correctly. And the magic system.

 

[bjon045]

I'm stating it as truth, because we all know it to be true.

You seem to be about as intelligent as a toddler who has not yet grasped the fact that other beings exist in this world, normally known as a sense of self. It is simple concept that most humans develop once they look in a mirror. In your case your mental capacity does not seem to have developed beyond that.

You have already had multiple people tell you that they did not play the original games when they came out and are still enjoying them - completely disproving your point. But you still continue on like a retarded monkey.

The system of switching between spell schools and becoming an Archmage who can nuke thousands of enemies with a single cast has never been implemented as well as it has been in BT. The flexibility to avoid fights by running away. The excellent dungeon design. Managing your spell points carefully and not getting caught out in a dungeon. So many great aspects that combine to make them great games that have aged well indeed.

 

[Kordanor]

And another patch for the classic BT:

1.09 Update

Major Changes

Added opengl support so Linux users can test with WINE, use commandline option: -force-glcore
Major performance improvement for when in skara brae and during portraite events like shops, guild, temples or combat.

QoL

Show weapon damage in player stats
You can now filter spells by spell type (healing/damage/aoe/summon/buff/curse) when casting.
Spells that we don't have enough spellpoints to cast now appear as red
Review board tells you what spells you will learn when buying a spell level, or changing class.
Show tooltips for int/str/dex/etc stats in the guild when rolling characters..

UI Fixes

Shrink scrolling text font down to same size as options.
fix artifact line beside journal icons
lots of little grammatical errors in the spell text.
fixed text output when a group attack spell misses or fizzles on people.

Gameplay Fixes

Monsters now correctly spawn in up to 4 groups
Monsters now correctly spawn to their max groups size (ie. 8 for barbarians, not 7)
Fix issue where weapon toHit bonus was being added TWICE to damage in combat
Casting a new light spell now replaces the DetectDoors effect also - so casting cats eye means you lose your detect doors effect.
Fix scry site journal bug - it can change your map but not update the map up/down buttons.
Fix recharge all - was charging dead people
Fix data error in Flame Column - was doing max 28 damage instead of 88.
Major elevation & mage flame no longer castable in combat
Insane characters can no longer be possessed (and anything that inflicts insanity will remove possession)
Fix mithril arrow cost
Fix ag's arrow cost
Fix zen arrow cost
Advance command now will now execute before most monster attacks - this prevents them summoning to abort your Advance.
Newly summoned monsters won't get an attack until the next combat round.

It's rather funny that apparently the classic has performance issues.

 

[Couchpotato]

While I may not always agree with how Silver Coin states his opinion I have to agree with him. As nostalgia is what funded most of these spiritual successors.

 

[henriquejr]

Then we all here are right to say nostalgia funds every Kickstarter game, because every game asking to be funded is either based upon a previous one or draws inspiration from another or both, and the devs themselves are the first ones to state that kind of thing.

Or is there a game really really fully revolutionary on Kickstarter (which got succesfully funded)?

I am not the most talkative member here, but this kind of discussion is pointless and using Silver Coin's own words, "I'm stating it as truth, because we all know it to be true." People are playing the new BT Trilogy either because of nostalgia or because they didn't know/play the original games before (that's my case).

Let's move on, people.

 

[Couchpotato]

Let's move on, people.

How about no as everyone is entitled to their opinion.

Honestly and truthfully these games never appealed to me anyway. So I can't understand how so many get defensive when someone criticizes these games.

I also rarely comment on this games various news-bits.

Someone let me know when Wasteland 3 is released instead.

 

[you]

The problem wasn't that he expressed his opinion about the game; the problem was that he expressed his opinion of people who played the game as fact.

Honestly and truthfully these games never appealed to me anyway. So I can't understand how so many get defensive when someone criticizes these games.

 

[Couchpotato]

The problem wasn't that he expressed his opinion about the game; the problem was that he expressed his opinion of people who played the game as fact.

Yes and I already said I don't agree with how he expresses his opinion also. Though I later stated I can agree with what he is trying to say. TomRon said the same thing.

Bah maybe henriquejr is right.

 

[henriquejr]

Bah maybe henriquejr is right.

As always!

 

[TomRon]

So...how about that Bard's Tale IV huh? I'm still not a fan of the UI but I'm really looking forward to playing it. To me Inxile has delivered to my liking two times already, I hope this one won't break the trend.

 

[Copper Coin]

Can you name any pre 90s RPG which aged particularily well?

To be honest, I don't think any pre-90s WRPG have aged well. Some had unique concepts and design philosophies like Wasteland and Dragon Wars, but for the most part they were barebones, poorly balanced, and lacking in basic QoL features.

 

[KeepitClean]

When I signed up I wrote that one of the reasons was to add +1 to oldschool RPGDot people instead of the troll army like Silver Coin , Couchpotato (you quoted me in another thread, stated I didn't read your posts, I did, but where IRRELEVANT dude) and others..

Really, if RPGs are not your thing, go back to mainstream gaming or even console publications and stay there...

I would understand anyone saying maybe Ultima 1-3, or maybe Wizardry 1-5 were good for their time but not anymore.. But anyone arguing Bard's Tale is not a great RPG experience, especially today when you don't need to map, is completely clueless about the genre and should stick to the latest Action-RPG (which is otherwise a goooood genre)...

 

[Copper Coin]

Thinking a game from 1985 didn't age well doesn't make me a mainstream gamer.

I like CRPGs, but preferably with sound and a story that doesn't require a manual.